The Choice

By: AnimeNutsy

Warnings: Death scenes, language, spoiler for L's true name.

A/N: I know I said this wouldn't be yaoi, and it probably won't be. Should I add a teensy bit of shonen-ai? Just a wee little bit? I don't know what to do…wether I should keep it this, or add that little something extra.

Disclaimers: I own nothing.

Part 4

Raito stood in the toilets, fuming. 'L, you creep! I won't lose! Not to you! Not to anybody! I'll find out your name if it's the last thing I do!' Raito thought, angrily. But how he was to do that, he had no idea. Taking deep, calming breaths, Raito walked out of the toilets, and back to where the investigation squad were situated. "So, do we have any new leads? Now that Ryuuzaki is back, we need to be doubling our strength on this." Raito said, as he joined them. Ryuuzaki looked up at Raito and smiled. "I agree." Spoke the detective, and that smile crept onto the man's features.

Before Raito could realize what was going on, Ryuuzaki had already snapped the handcuff onto the boy's slightly tanned arm, then proceeded to snap the other end of the handcuff onto his own skinny, pale arm. "Ryuuzaki! What do you think you're doing?" Raito said, glaring down at the detective, who smiled up at him from where he was perched. "Well, seeing as how you're still my number one suspect, I thought it was only appropriate." Ryuuzaki replied, reveling in the distress that was on the boy's face.

Soichiro frowned slightly, as he observed the situation. "But…I thought my son was cleared of all suspicion!" He told the detective, and folded his arms. "Yes, that was indeed the case. But it has come to my attention that the 13-Day Rule was indeed a fake. So I have no choice but to re-instate Yagami-kun as my main suspect." L replied, as he fiddled with a laptop that was on the desk in front of him.

"What are you doing?" Raito asked the hunched detective. "I'm ordering room service. I noticed that there is no sweets here, and that simply won't do. Let's see…cakes….candy….biscuits…soda…" Ryuuzaki mumbled, as he went about sending the order through. "Great. You're not back for more than an hour and you're already turning this place into your own candy shop." Raito mumbled. "Why not? I must eat sweets in order to properly function as a detective." L told the boy.

"Now, we both know that is a complete and utter lie. It's just an excuse for you to eat like a child." Raito replied, smugly enjoying the pouty expression that crossed Ryuuzaki's features. The rest of the team watched on and smiled. Things were back to normal. And they were right, in a sense. Things were back to normal. The only difference is, Ryuuzaki now knew exactly how Raito killed, and that Raito was the criminal they were all after.

Ryuuzaki had finished ordering his sugar coma, so he sat back and started to play solitaire on his computer, knowing that it would anger Raito. Sure enough, Raito took the bait. "Ryuuzaki, are you sure you want to be slacking off? There's a dangerous criminal out there, and you're here playing games?" Raito pointed out, and sat down on the chair beside the detective. There really wasn't anywhere else for the boy to go. At least not while he was handcuffed again.

"Well…" Ryuuzaki mumbled around the thumb that was in his mouth, "Since I know who Kira is, and it's only a matter of time before he slips up, I figure if I want to play solitaire, I'll play solitaire." Raito sighed. "You're acting like a child." He told the gangly man, and began flipping through a magazine that was on the table, clearly beginning to get bored. Just then, the cakes and other assortment of goodies arrived, and L got up, and shuffled over to the big double tray that held said sweetness, his eyes wide and his lips nearly foaming at the mouth.

Raito growled, as he too was forced to follow the detective. Ryuuzaki looked at Raito. "Feel free to pick anything, Raito-kun. I'll share." Ryuuzaki said, as he reached for a large piece of strawberry shortcake. "You know I dislike sweets, L. Why do you keep asking me? Are you trying to get me fat or something?" Raito asked, suspiciously. "Of course not, Raito-kun. I'm trying to give you pimples." Ryuuzaki replied, as he grabbed some biscuits to go with his cake, before he retuned to his seat at the table.

Raito sat beside the detective, silently fuming. 'I have to figure out a way to kill him. And the Death Note is out, because no doubt they had it hidden somewhere. What could I do? Stabbing? No, too messy. Shooting? No…too gangster. Wait! Poison…poison can be the answer. It's a rather elegant way to kill a stubborn cockroach like Ryuuzaki…it may work, if I can slip him some poison when he's not looking. But….he's always looking, always watch-' Raito's thoughts were interrupted, by Ryuuzaki poking him in the shoulder.

"Huh? What is it?" Raito asked, angry that his train of thoughts had been disturbed. "If you're thinking of killing me some other way, then I am sorry to say that you won't get the chance. Shooting and stabbing are out, because you wouldn't want to dirty your own hands. And poison…well, you won't get the chance to accomplish that, either, because I'll be watching every move you make." Ryuuzaki said, bluntly, before he bit into the piece of cake he had.

'I don't believe this! What is he – psychic?' Raito thought, an angry growl nearly escaping his throat. Matsuda stepped up to them. "I almost forgot. A letter came in the mail for you, Yagami-kun." Matsuda spoke, and handed the envelope to the boy. Frowning, Raito opened it and coughed as an immediate smell of sickly sweet perfume assaulted his nostrils.

He knew that scent. He had to put up with it for months. He quickly read through the letter. "What does it say? Who sent it?" Matsuda asked. "Misa." Raito replied, and tossed the letter onto the desk in frustration. "MisaMisa? Let me see!" The silly man said, and picked up the letter and read it. He smiled at Raito. "This is great. You should go!" Matsuda said, his eyes twinkling. "Go where?" Ryuuzaki asked, having finished the cake, and started on the biscuits.

"MisaMisa wants Raito to join her and Ryuuga on a cruise. But only as a friend-friend thing." Matsuda added, lest he upset the boy. "Forget it. I'm not going." Raito said, matter-of-factly. "Come on! She was your girlfriend at one time!" Matsuda pointed out. "Yes, and as a result I'm now scarred for life, so my answer is no." Raito replied, and started to flick through the magazine absentmindedly. Really. Why couldn't the idiot just take the hint and leave him alone?

"But there are a bunch of tickets in here. I think she invited the whole investigation team." Matsuda spoke, as he counted all the tickets. "Well…there isn't one for Ryuuzaki, because he was dead at the time." Matsuda pointed out. "Great. Then he can have mine, because I am not going." Raito said, tapping his foot impatiently, wishing the dork would shut the hell up. "Are you angry that Misa-chan married Ryuuga Hideki instead of you?" Ryuuzaki asked.

Glaring, Raito tossed the magazine back onto the table and faced the whole team. "No, I'm not mad! If anything, I feel sorry for Ryuuga. That guy doesn't know what he's in for." Raito said, and folded his arms. Ryuuzaki smirked. Raito didn't want to go, so of course, he had to torture the poor boy. "I don't know. I think it's a good idea. We could relax a little." Ryuuzaki spoke, and seeing the scowl that began to cross Soichiro's face, he waved his hands. "Not totally, of course. We could always take some laptops with us and do a little work while we're on the cruise." Ryuuzaki added, and Soichiro relaxed.

"Alright. As long as some work is done, and Ryuuzaki is okay with it, I'll agree. We can go. When is it?" Soichiro asked. "It's tomorrow. If we're to make it to the dock, we have to leave tonight." Matsuda told the chief. "Tonight? But…we barely have enough time to pack!" Raito protested. "Easy. We only pack the essentials. Clothing and toiletries." Ryuuzaki added, he wasn't going to let Raito off the hook this time.

"Well, excuse me, but I am not like you! I take care of my appearance. I have to take my toner, my concealer, my foundation, and not to mention my bronzer! It all takes space, Ryuuzaki." Raito said, huffily. Ryuuzaki looked on, impressed. "Wow. You're like a walking body shop. Don't forget your lipstick." Ryuuzaki said, and grinned at the death glare the boy shot him. "I.do.not.wear.lipstick!" Raito said, clenching his fists, and trying his best to keep his cool. Soichiro stepped in and patted Raito on the shoulder. "Don't worry, son. I'm sure Ryuuzaki was only having a laugh." He told his son, smiling.

"Yes. Raito-kun is a laughable person at the best of times." The detective replied, and Raito snapped. "That's it! Your ass is mine!" Raito growled, and swung a punch at the skinny man's head, but Ryuuzaki swerved at the right time, and Raito's fist met nothing but air. "For a supposedly straight man, you sure like to talk about my ass a lot, don't you?" Ryuuzaki said, smirking. "You son of a bitch!" Raito hissed, and swung his leg out, catching the detective in the chest, at the same time Ryuuzaki's fist met with the side of the boy's head.

Both of them went sprawling over the place, with the rest of the team coming to their aid, Aizawa holding back Raito, while Matsuda tried to placate the dark haired detective. Soichiro looked on and sighed. Things were back to normal. But was that a good thing…or a bad thing?

TBC

A/N: Phew! Chapter 4 is done with! I hope this story continues to get more great reviews. Also, I have a live journal. Just look up wildse7ens. In it I rp as L, and write up a journal based on when he arrived in Japan.