A Different Suite
Chapter 12
The raven angrily pecked at his keyboard as he waited for Watari to return with a delightful slice of double chocolate fudge cake –his current favorite. It was a flavor usually reserved for sexually frustrating days -which occurred rather frequently when Light was around- or particularly tiresome cases. Somehow, it eased L's nerves.
He wanted to kiss Light.
When the youth became angry and leaned over his chair, he wanted to capture those lips once more. It required massive self-control to not pounce Light when there were mere inches between their lips. The detective purposely tried to get under the man's skin, wanting to provoke a reaction. He wanted those eyes on him again. Perhaps he was bitter that Light didn't feel the same way about him and thus, was punishing him. It sounded rather childish, but it was not unlike him.
Sometimes he wished he didn't know how to psychologically analysis someone.
Relationships were so bothersome. Light's body language and weighted gazes indicated he felt the same, and yet, he didn't pursue him or respond to his words. The image of the Light's flushed face in the mirror crossed his mind. Light certainly was responsive to his advances however. Perhaps he simply required more time. L raked his fingers through his ebony locks, halting his thoughts of such frivolous matters and the idiotic hope he was indulging in. He didn't have time for that.
The detective focused on the man's pale face as Naomi stepped into the cell with a jar of strawberry jam and spoon in hand. BB smiled widely from his perch on the bed. Oddly, BB had agreed to provide information about his victims if the FBI agent feed him jam. It didn't fit the serial killer's profile to compromise.
Something wasn't right.
Then he saw it.
Upon further scrutinizing BB and the slight change in the position of his feet, it dawned on him. L slammed his hand on the speaker to inform Naomi.
"Naomi, leave-"
The lights flickered off and the rooms turned frightening black. L's eyes narrowed as he concentrated in the darkness and heard the sound of a body colliding with the floor.
BANG BANG.
The bloodcurdling sound of gunfire followed and for an instant, the small cell was illuminated through the glass. L realized the man's intentions.
The raven leaped off the swivel chair and locked the door. He stood in front of the door, listening to BB's movements. There was startling loud jingle of metal beyond the door and he felt his heart still. Handcuffs.
BB was on the other side of the door.
L placed his shaking hand against the wood and felt the door shift, as if a weight was leaning into it. There was a drag of silence and then a quiet giggle. Then a slow, stomach turning scratch that dragged down the door.
"Lawli will never get what he wants." The words were hushed, yet murderous. L could hear the smile in his voice.
The shouting of guards shattered the quiet as they burst into BB's room. The sound of struggling and glass breaking followed. Then silence. L had no doubt that BB could get passed several of his guards, but not the FBI agents. There was a high probability that he would make a run for it.
"Ryuzaki!" Watari's voice suddenly rang out, interrupting the detective's thoughts.
"Where is BB, Watson?" English.
"He took the elevator down. Looks like he's running, are you OK?" L unlocked the door and flung it open.
"I am, but BB isn't interested in hurting me." He wanted Light.
He ran to the interrogation room, finding Naomi unmoving and sprawled out on the cell floor. The raven knelt and checked her pulse. Apparently, the serial killer was rather fond of her as he passed the chance of killing her. Interesting.
There was no gun, which meant that after BB took Naomi's gun and shot his handcuffs apart, he still had it in his possession. The jam was gone too.
"She will be fine, she is merely unconscious. I will contact an ambulance for other injuries of those in the building, where is Light?"
"I locked him in the kitchen. It will take him a while to pick that door and I have assigned a detective to stay with him."
"Ah, good. We must be going...it appears we will have to snipe BB." L said gravely, as his thumb touched his lip. He was hoping to recover information from BB and to have a quiet execution, but it appeared the media would likely be involved.
"Understood, to the helicopter then." The elderly man's gaze darkened.
The detective nodded. It was time to end this.
More than anything, Light wished he didn't climb out on a ledge. Though he was genius, it was likely his stupidest idea yet.
As the harsh wind wiped through his dress shirt, he inched towards the other window while keeping his back to the cold concrete of the building. The contours of the building were incredibly rough and sharp against his hands. Focusing on the delicate, safe positioning of his bare feet, he caught sight of the slow moving cars and people looming below him. He could imagine the sheer terror of plummeting and the intense pain of slamming into that hard concrete. He stiffened, feeling overwhelmingly tense and took a deep, shaky breath. Fear gripped his stomach unbearably and it took all of his sense of will to continue inching over.
He should have picked the damned lock.
He stilled as he recognized the distant sound of a helicopter engine bursting into life on the roof. What was going on? Was L being transported to the hospital? Was BB in the helicopter and going to crash the thing into the building? The possibilities, whether rational or irrational, flooded his mind. He sighed in relief as the sound moved in the opposite direction and he couldn't be seen.
When Light finally made it to the window, he slammed the butt of his pistol into the glass. The thick material only cracked, but after a few more bangs, it broke. It only yielded a small hole and he was forced to kick the rest of the glass in. He carefully crouched and dropped inside the window, hissing as the remaining glass cut into his arm in the process.
Light found himself in another office, with more M.C. Escher drawings. He distantly wondered why L had so many.
He stepped quietly toward the closed door, holding his pistol and listening. It sounded like the police and the FBI were discussing what strategy to use. There was quick shouting on how paths should be divided in order to cover more ground. Light quietly entered the room.
He was surprised to see several people rushing about and out of the room, still rapidly barking commands into headsets. He quickly scanned the area, looking for a familiar wild black mess of hair and found nothing. The police remained unaware of this presence in all the chaos and more began piling into the elevator.
Did BB escape?
What was going on?
He rushed forward and alerted a few of them of his presence.
"Where is Ryuzaki?"
He didn't know if these men knew what L looked like and it was safer to refer to him by his alias. If he knew L well, he would most likely appear as an assistant to codename L. If L wasn't here, he likely left in the helicopter. He could only hope that the detective wasn't being rushed to the hospital.
One elderly detective paused at his question and his eyebrows rose with recognition.
"Yagami-san, we have been informed to keep you here. You will be staying with one of our detectives." The officer stepped around his question, indicating to Light he knew who Ryuzaki was and of his whereabouts. L wasn't here and these officers were likely leaving to help him.
"No! Let me go with you, I can-"
"Yagami-san, we have a very dangerous man on the loose and have been informed that your protection is utmost important by codename L. There is no time to explain." The man seemed annoyed and waved a detective over." Touta-san, stay here with Yagami-san."
That name sounded dreadfully familiar.
Before Light would say another word, the elderly man turned away and rushed out with the others into the elevator. The detective assigned to stay with him stepped forward and Light's fears were confirmed.
Matsuda.
"You're a detective? Then, you were undercover?" The youth asked incredulously. How could he not notice the flute player going undercover in the orchestra? Light resisted the urge to bang his head into the closest wall in order to salvage the remaining neurons.
The detective scratched the back of his head and chuckled nervously.
"Eh, yes. L told me to go undercover as I am one of the youngest detectives and I play the flute. He wanted it to be very convincing. What are you doing here?"
"I was helping L's assistant with the case." The lie emerged effortlessly and smoothly off his tongue. The youth had always been a proficient liar. The best lies typically contain part of the truth.
"Really? Wow. I'm sorry by the way, I wish I could have told you."
"Forget it, where is Ryuzaki?"
"L's assistant? I don't know. I barely know what's going on. All I know is that there is a killer out there and I am here to protect you. By the way, what happen to your arm and where are your shoes?" The detective quirked an eyebrow at his bare feet.
Light narrowed his eyes in annoyance and ignored the man's question. He wasn't in the mood to explain how he idiotically climbed out onto a ledge to get to L the fastest way possible, only to find the man had vanished and everyone else leaving. He nearly gave himself a heart attack for nothing. Definitely not his best idea.
Now, he was stuck with the annoying flute player who was actually an undercover detective. He assumed that BB was not in the building, but did the man take a hostage or a car? The questions swirled in his mind and the lack of answers was unnerving.
L was tense.
There was an uneasy twist in his stomach.
BB knew something he didn't.
As the helicopter ascended and L unconsciously loaded the sniper rifle, the details of BB's escape consumed his mind. There was a detail that was being overlooked and thus, not properly assessed.
The security systems.
How did his security systems get disabled at the investigations building?
He was brought out of his thoughts as Watari sharply maneuvered the helicopter and he wobbled to the side. They were on BB's trail now, following him through the alley ways and down the filled streets in broad daylight. There was no avoiding the media now.
"Ryuzaki, can you get a clear shot?"
"No, he just went into a building."
The elderly man cursed as he adjusted the helicopter to circle the area around the building. A small crowd began to gather and watch their movements curiously. Normally, helicopters didn't fly so low. L had to think fast, BB was most likely going to hurt a massive amount of people in there or hide, forcing them to land. He glanced to the side as he heard police sirens roaring towards them. The bitter taste of iron occurred to him before he realized the he was gnawing his thumb to the point of bleeding.
What action to take?
The possibilities sifted through his quick mind. Surrounding the building at all sides was the superior method to trap him. He activated his mouth piece in order to inform the police, but paused.
BB was sprinting out of the building and rapidly limping across the road. Spotting him, Watari sprang into action and followed his trail. While they hovered above, L readied his sniper and zoomed on the back of the man's head. With their movement and the wind, he calculated the shot. His finger moved down to the trigger, but hesitated.
Something wasn't right.
It was all ...too easy.
There was a familiar heavy dread as he deduced this didn't fit BB's profile. The psychopath wanted it to be challenging.
Then L noticed something. BB was no longer limping with his injured leg, but was now limping on the opposite leg. The movement was awkward and forced-looking, which could only mean that they weren't following BB.
"Watari, land ahead of BB's path." Watari's brow furrowed but he repositioned the helicopter as requested.
"I trust your judgment, but put on a vest and mask for your own safety."
L nodded as he clicked on the safety mechanism of the sniper and slid the weapon into the back of the helicopter. He quickly slipped on a ridiculous plastic mask and pulled a bulletproof vest over his head. He tucked a pistol into his jeans. Before the helicopter even landed, his bare feet harshly hit the pavement.
Seeing L, BB immediately stopped. His body language conveying an unexpected emotion for L: fear. He abruptly changed direction towards another alley way. L was quick to the chase and tackled the man. He flipped the man over and held his pistol to the man's head.
Wide brown eyes gazed back at him.
Wait.
No. No. No.
To further confirm his suspicions, L yanked the man's hair and to his horror, realized who he was holding a gun to. Looking away from the black wig, L saw messy burgundy locks. The youth held his hands up helplessly.
"Don't! It's me, it's me! It's Matt!" English.
L was stunned for a moment, his mind racing as he realized what was happening.
Matt. Why was he helping BB?
Where was BB?
A small crowd was gathering around them, curious about the odd pair and the helicopter in the middle of the road. L yanked his successor to his feet, wanting to end the spectacle immediately.
"We must leave." His words were muffled through the mask. Matt silently nodded and followed the raven to the helicopter. The people in the street continued to gawk as the helicopter ascended once more. The detective launched immediately into questioning as he yanked his mask off.
"Why is Matt helping BB? The orphanage informed me that Matt would be visiting Mello this week." English.
After he turned eighteen, Mello left the orphanage to go to college as he no longer had any interest in succeeding L. However, Matt and Mello had been exceptionally close friends at the orphanage. Perhaps even lovers. Thus, Matt visited him frequently during the year.
"BB contacted me and said that he had Mello. He said if I didn't come and do as he said that he would kill Mello." Matt's brown eyes narrowed, as he knew what was coming.
"Matt should have told me."
"I couldn't! BB has already killed several people just to get your damn attention. He said if I told you or Watari, he would kill Mello too." Matt raked his fingers through his dark hair, seeming twitchy and exhausted. Watari silently listened.
"Matt hacked into my security system to aid BB's escape." L deduced quietly. Matt nodded, his eyes lingering on the floorboard.
L recalled how the lights flickered off and how his laptop screen went blank. The locking mechanism of BB's cell was deactivated. There were only a few people that had the capability to hack into his system.
"Where is BB now?" His stare was sharp and unwavering as it held Matt's gaze. L wanted to kick himself for taking the bait and steering away from his instincts. His instincts were typically his guide. The youth shook his head and muttered quietly:
"I don't know."
L narrowed his gaze toward the investigations building that they were fast approaching.
Light was anxious.
Something didn't feel right. While this feeling was certainly warranted, -as a hell of a lot wasn't going right- it was nonetheless a bothersome state. What was more annoying to him than that however, was that Matsuda seem to be aware of this.
"Light-kun, its going to be fine-"
"I'm fine!" The youth spat as he continued to pace the office. His normally calm, smooth facade was utterly deteriorated after the day's events. He began the day with a knife on his throat, watching interrogations with a psycho, and now said psycho was on the loose. To build on his frustrations, he barely knew what was going on. He utterly loathed being in the dark about everything that was happening.
"Do you want some cake?" Matsuda suddenly suggested, as if cake was the solution to all of his problems. Light merely stared at him, seriously contemplating if he should punch him. Unaware of the youth's murderous stare, Matsuda continued when he didn't respond.
"The kitchen is loaded with every flavor of cake you can imagine, it may help calm your nerves-"
"Actually, that might help. Could you? I need to sit for a while."
Light forced the best, non-psychotic smile possible as he lowered into a swivel chair. If he could have two minutes to himself, it would be very beneficial to his sanity.
Matsuda immediately perked up, pleased to have thought of a solution.
"Any particular flavor?"
"Surprise me. Thank you so much."
"No problem, Light-kun. Anything for a friend." Matsuda left the room to retrieve the desert. The student sighed in relief and wandered to glance out the window. The helicopter was flying towards the building alarmingly fast. He briefly wondered if it was all over. Was BB caught and executed?
"Light-kun! Stay away from the windows, its dangerous!" Matsuda instructed urgently and yanked him away from the window. Light rolled his eyes as the young detective progressed to go on another rant about how his safety was utmost importance to this investigation while placing the plate with a slice of chocolate cake on the desk.
Bzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz.
Light wordlessly thanked whoever was calling the detective. Matsuda snapped his phone open and hastily brought it to his ear. He listened for a moment and quirked an eyebrow before holding the cell phone out towards the youth.
"L's assistant wants to speak with you." He seemed surprised. Light put the phone to his ear.
"Light-kun?"
"Y-yes?" His breathing hitched as he recognized the smooth, baritone voice. It was such a relief to know the man was alive and the youth wanted to hear his voice more.
"BB is likely in that building planning to kill you. Please be alert. If you see him, do not hesitate to shoot him. Do you understand?" Light felt the familiar weight of dread once more. So much for being relieved.
"I do."
"Stay where you are, I will be there in roughly two minutes. Remember, if you see him, shoot him."
"I understand, Ryuzaki?"
"Yes?"
Light strangely didn't want to let the man go. Perhaps it was the terrible notion that he may never hear the man's monotonous voice again. In the silence, Light could hear the helicopter engine and his heart began to pound faster. The pistol shook in his sweaty hand as he parted his lips to speak but only released a puff of air. He glanced to the side to hand the phone back and immediately stiffened at what he saw.
Crimson eyes were behind Matsuda.
"Shit." The word slipped carelessly from his lips and the phone fell from his grasp. BB pinned Matsuda from behind, holding him in a headlock.
"Light-kun!"
"Light-kun! SHOOT HIM! SHOOT HIM!" Matsuda shouted loudly while struggling in the serial killer's clutch. BB rolled his eyes in annoyance and pinched the man's neck for a few seconds. Soon, the detective slumped in his arms, his head falling forward. The psychopath let him crumble carelessly to the floor and began to advance towards Light. Light raised his pistol to shoot and BB instantly kicked it from his grip. The gun fell to the floor, rolling across the hard wood with a low noise. He made no move to grab his pistol, feeling an odd calm roll over him.
His heart was pounding and his hands were shaking all the same, but his mind was unstirred. His awareness was strangely sharp and unwavering. It was an empowering calm and he let his hands fall to his side.
The black of BB's pistol peeked from his jeans. Light briefly wondered why the man wasn't holding the gun. He supposed that BB's goal wasn't to merely kill him, but to savor doing it. To a psychopath, there was no fun in using a gun. BB began to circle him, like a predator stalking its prey.
BB moved close to him and Light made no move to run. He merely studied the man, not granting him the sickening satisfaction of seeing him afraid. He may not be able to control his bodily fight-or-flight responses, but his emotions were his this time.
"Why do you hate L?" He abruptly inquired, causing BB to quirk an eyebrow curiously. The serial killer smiled perceptively.
"Perhaps he is not the one I hate." He suggested, the tips of his pale fingers reaching and beginning to dance over the younger man's throat. Light drew away to avoid any further touching.
He knew where this was going.
"I don't think so. I think you hate him. Your uncanny imitation of him portrays not only your psychological instability and struggle for identity but your deranged means to expressing your jealousy and hatred. Not only that, me." BB's eyes shined as Light expanded smoothly and strode away, turning his back to him.
"What about Light-kun?"
Light coolly scooped up the paper plate with the abandoned cake, seeming bored with the conversation. He lazily fiddled with the fork, while raising his caramel-colored eyes to meet hungry red ones.
"You despise him so much, you want to kill me. Just to get to him. That really is ...pathetic."
The plate was suddenly knocked from his hands and a hand shoved him against the wall. The stitches on his chest throbbed painfully. The hand remained on his chest, resting above his heart. His heart betray his calm exterior as it beat rather rapidly.
"Light-kun is scared." L cooed, his hand curling to clench the material of his shirt. Light tilted his head in interest and couldn't stop the words from tumbling out of his mouth. His pride would be the end of him.
"Perhaps I'm wrong. . . maybe you love him?"
It was swift, but humiliating as BB drew his hand back and harshly struck Light across the face. The following few moments were a blur of movement as they struggled and tumbled to the floor. BB pinned him to the floor, straddling his chest. Hands wrapped around his throat. Light closed his eyes, not wanting to see those psychotic, cruel red eyes in his last moments.
This was it. The build in aggression and violence that would likely leave Light dead. It was only a matter of time and everything that he had ever known -friends, family, college, music, coffee, L- would cease to exist. He would never fulfill his life as a detective, play another suite on the cello, or enjoy another morning of chess with L. He never even sorted out his feelings for L, but thinking about him now, tears tickled down his face. He began to feel dizzy from the lack of oxygen and his mind slowed.
He couldn't recall the last time he cried, but the idea of never seeing the eccentric detective again made him feel...devastated. It was strangely surreal how in that moment of struggling against the killer, Light couldn't stop imagining those obsidian eyes looking at him. He wanted to see him again.
In that very moment, he realized with more sorrow than ever, that he loved L. Truly loved him.
And he would never be able to tell him.
He would never be able to see him again.
"Light-kun!"
BANG.
The extreme pain and pressure suddenly ceased around his throat.
Light's face felt strangely warm and wet. BB suddenly slumped onto his face, his heavy weight making it even more difficult to breath. He was vaguely aware of the serial killer being yanked off him and he suddenly recognized the frantic need to breathe. He tried to inhale and only provoked a painful coughing fit. He choked and gasped, only accomplishing shallow agonizing breathes. He rolled onto his side to continue to hack and clawed at his throat, desperately trying to will the pain away. He felt the warm tears begin to tickle down his face.
His hands were pulled from his throat and gentle hands moved over the grooves of his neck, inspecting its structure.
"The trachea is intact." The elderly man quietly informed.
Another pair of hands were stroking his back to help him calm down. As his coughing begin to subside, Light opened his eyes to see indecipherable obsidian eyes. L and Watari were kneeling next to him.
BB's limp body was next to him. He was dead.
It was over.
It was finally over.
The student moved to brush the hair from his eyes but he caught sight of blood. To his utter disgust, some of BB's blood was on him. His hands began to shake again.
"Ryu-Ryuzaki. . . ." Light began as he sat up, but the raven was already assisting him to his feet and leading him to a nearby bathroom. After they entered the bathroom, Light stared in shock at his reflection as he realized how much of BB's blood was on him. He tugged his shirt off and turned the facet on full blast. He relentlessly scrubbed his face and hands. The blood immediately swirled down the drain, staining the porcelain. After several minutes, L gently tugged him away from the facet.
"Light-kun was clean several minutes ago and is merely hurting himself now." L softly pressed a fluffy towels to his face and hands. Light merely complied, having no interest in arguing with the man.
"How did Light-kun hurt his arm?" L mused softly, while examining Light's arm. The cut was shallow, but rather large as it stretched across his arm.
"It happened when I fought with BB." He shifted his eyes to the mirror, not particularly wanting to explain how he insanely climbed out onto the ledge.
"Once again, Light-kun is a terrible liar. It is less fresh and appears to be caused by glass." Light remained silent, knowing that telling more lies would be pointless. Perhaps the detective would let it go and permit him a shred of dignity.
L knelt and opened a cabinet, pulling out a first-aid kit. He began pulling out various bags and cutting off a length of gauze. As he readied the materials, he explained how BB tricked him and how the serial killer used the Mello and Matt to his advantage.
"Where is Mello now?"
"We found him tied up at the store that BB ran into. He is unharmed." Light nodded. So much happened in the last few months and he never imagined that Mello and L would be connected. That explained why Mello appeared at the hospital. Perhaps he was there through BB's command to assess if Light was alive.
"I apologize for all this." L suddenly admitted. Light turned his gaze back towards the man in surprise. L rarely apologized. Also, his apology was illogical as none of the events were his fault.
"L, its not your faul-" He began, but L cut him off.
"I shouldn't have let Light-kun become involved. He has nearly died several times."
"You're being irrational, even without knowing you, I could have died-"
Light sharply hissed as a cotton ball with disinfectant grazed his arm.
"Perhaps. It will only take a minute more." The raven's eyes lowered and he began to gently rub ointment over the wound in small circles.
Light wordlessly watched him and the small bathroom become quiet. L didn't have to do this, the wound would likely heal on its own. As the detective began to roll the gauze onto his arm, the youth was mesmerized by how caring he appeared and his heart fluttered oddly in his chest.
Light could remember how he felt as BB strangled him. He was overwhelmed with regret and sadness. He wished he had told L how he felt and could be with the eccentric man once more. As he looked at L, he remembered his words in the shower and he was reminded how he felt for the man.
It was there.
That powerful swell of emotion that Light previously could not identity in their kisses or touches. It was always there and Light previously thought it was simply attraction, but it was something more. It powerful and unrelenting as he merely gazed at man. He timidly reached out, his fingers touching L's black, soft hair. Dark eyes rose to meet his curiously. Light merely stared for a moment, fascinated by how nervous and yet, exhilarated he felt. He didn't want to die with regret and lie to himself any longer. He could tell him now. L deserved to know.
Light leaned forward and brushed their lips together. He nearly gasped as the feeling surged through him at the gentle sensation. L's eyes were wide for a moment and the gauze tumbled from his hands. Light's fingers slid through L's messy hair and he pressed his body against the detective's, wanting to feel that warmth.
L gently kissed back, recognizing the significance of the kiss. His previous decisions and notions about relationships forgotten and all that mattered was the contact between them. He lightly touched Light's cheek with his pale fingers, savoring the kiss with the youth. They moved against one another for a few moments, relishing the contact but having no intention of going farther.
Light drew away, creating mere inches between them. Their breathes fanned against one another and Light's eyes fluttered open, finding L already curiously regarding him. The raven continued to lightly stroke his cheek. Light swallowed nervously, before softly uttering:
"Je t'aime aussi." I love you too.
The raven's head tilted and his lips curved into a small, half-moon smile. L pulled away and leaned against the door, shoving his hands into his jean pockets.
"After all this? I must question Light-kun's sanity." He remarked sternly and Light immediately recognized that he was teasing. He met the challenge and advanced on the detective, placing a hand on either side of him. He leaned in until their foreheads touched.
"I must question your sanity if you expect me to be on bottom forever, L." Light replied smoothly and L's eyes gleamed at the challenge.
"If Light-kun is so mentally unstable, perhaps he will require restraints." L's thumb touched his lips in thought, seeming rather pleased with the image provoked. Light chuckled softly, feeling incredibly elated. He closed the gap between their lips once more.
It was all finally over. No one was trying to kill them, at least for the time being, and the possibilities of their future were infinite. They finally let go and pursued what they wanted. Truly wanted.
This was only the beginning to many more interesting days for both of them.
Whether those days were easy or difficult, it didn't matter. They were together.
The End.
A/N: I really hope you guys enjoyed this story as much I enjoyed writing it. I can't believe I started this story nearly a year ago and finished it! I'm sorry if you liked BB, but he had to die. I had major problems with this chapter, but I am satisfied with the product.
Thank you so much for reading! Thank you for all the reviews, notes, hits, favs, and alerts. I love you guys! :) Please tell me what you think! I wanna hear your thoughts. Did you guys like the ending?
I shall be writing another story with L and Light. It will be another AU and I hope you guys can check it out when its posted.
THANK YOU!