Ok, ok, I'm updating! Please do not murder me or throw things at me. Someone already has. You know who you are. Anyway, I'm almost done with finals. Only three more tests, packed into two days of testing. Then I should be free to do this story. Today was chemistry, a subject that I find highly boring. It just didn't hold my attention. Plus my teacher was prone to going off about his twelve (I'm not exaggerating) kids for forty minutes at a time. ANYWAY, here you go!
"I asked if Raito-kun would like to be my co-writer," L repeatedly slowly. Light blinked. And blinked again. He was trying to recall if he had eaten anything odd that day that would cause him to hallucinate. He decided he hadn't. So...the offer was real?
"You're serious?"
"I am always serious, Raito-kun."
"I...yes. I don't think you can say anything else when the famous author L asks if you want to be his co-writer. So, yes."
L broke out into a grin. "Wonderful! That is good, because I have an idea for a book, and if Raito-kun approves of it, we can begin writing it immediately."
Light was still a bit dazed. "Yeah, sure. Just run the storyline by me and I'll tell you what I think." He listened intently as L launched into the basis for his next book, and how he wanted it to have two characters again, like the last one. The plot was unique, something that Light hadn't run across in all his previous reading, which was something to be said.
"I like it, L. But you have to watch your two characters – they sound almost exactly like us. And," he paused, acting a bit put off, "I'm the girl, again. I wish you'd make my character a male."
L shook his head. "No, this time I didn't switch the character's gender in my head. She wanted to be female." Light though about that remark and how it applied to him. It sounded an awful lot like L was calling him girly. Still, since he had just been offered what he considered THE best opportunity of his lifetime, he'd let it slip.
"I love the book idea. When can we start writing?"
"Tomorrow, if Raito-kun is willing."
"Of course I'm willing. Tomorrow." Light was so much more than willing. He was practically doing a happy dance on the inside. Not that he'd ever actually do a happy dance. He had an image to uphold.
SSS
L was watching something quite interesting occurring. The bushes beside his lake were rustling. He was sitting outside, on the edge of the lake, watching the breeze create ripples on the water's surface. Up until this point, the setting had been very peaceful and serene. Light was out with Chiyo, as she had requested he get some quick coffee with her while she waited for her boyfriend to call her back.
L had overheard that his name was Damien, and he was no doubt originally from this country. Chiyo was very excited about her relationship with him, and, if it was anything like the one he had with Light, he didn't blame her.
Last night, Light had seemed very, very shocked when L had made his little offer. Still, L had not been turned down, and that was good. They had set the date to begin work on their very first book together. L could honestly say that this book was the one that, over his long career of writing, he was most looking forward to beginning.
The rustling got louder and he refocused on the bushes. Some unknown animal was making a very big racket. L waited, and then, out of the bushes popped...a kitten? It peered up at him with eyes that were too large for its small face. L smiled. It was undeniably cute. Its fur was medium length and all black with the exception of a patch of white on its chest. He made the sound that people make when calling a cat, and it scampered over to him. He scratched it delicately under its chin.
It had no collar, and L was the only one who lived for a few miles around. The little cat was also quite thin – it hadn't eaten in a while. The tiny thing was a stray. Scooping it up in his arms, L listened to the purring that began to emanate from its throat. Making a snap decision, he stood and carried the kitten towards his house. He had well over the space required to adequately care for a cat, and no other pressing responsibilities. Plus, the little thing was obviously in need of a good home. He was keeping it.
SSS
Light strode in through the front door. Chiyo had been very talkative today, and he was just about worn out. He had been VERY grateful when her cell phone rang and it had been her boyfriend. She had made plans with him and in very short order had left Light for him.
Not that Light was complaining. It had given him time to fool around with his new Storm. He had surfed the web a bit, checked his email, and even read the rumors that were going around about him. The lightest ones had him as just being a person L had asked to read his book for him. The other end of the spectrum had him pegged as L's gay lover. Those would be the correct ones, although no one knew that for sure.
Sighing, he slid his shoes off and looked around. His eyes caught on a little ledge that was attached to the windowsill overlooking the front yard. He was pretty sure that it hadn't been there before. He was also sure it was meant for a cat, which, to his knowledge, he and L didn't own. Walking in past the entry hall, he looked in the living room and spotted a cat tower set up behind the couch. Ok, another thing he knew wasn't there before. Walking through the living room and down the hallway towards the staircase, he looked into the room that lay at the base of it. He and L hadn't decided what to do with it yet, and it had been empty when he had left.
Now, it wasn't as empty. It was littered with cat toys. Little catnip mice were strewn across the floor. Plastic cat balls that had bells in them were also present, as were the kind of toy that was pretty much a feather on a string attached to a pole. You dangled the feather above the cat's head and enticed it to play. In one corner of the room, a feeding station was set up. One bowl held water, the other dry cat food. A very expensive-looking cat bed was in the other corner. There was also a scratching post, some little fabric tunnels, and a second cat tower. Any cat that lived here would be living the good life.
Which was the problem. Light didn't recall owning a cat. "...L?"
"Yes?" L emerged from the kitchen and came around to meet him. Light's eyes were immediately riveted to L's shoulder. L smiled. "I see you found the cat room." He reached up to his shoulder and gently took the cat that had been riding there down and into his arms. "Meet Sprinkles. He was a stray until this morning. I found him in the bushes out by the lake." Light just stared at the kitten. Well, apparently he DID own a cat. What do you know.
Sprinkles blinked up at him from L's arms. His eyes were a pretty blue color, although Light knew they would change as he got older. He was cute, and Light couldn't deny it. Light reached out and gently stroked the top of the kitten's head. He closed his eyes and leaned into the touch happily. Ok, make that cute into very cute.
"Would you like to hold him?" L asked. Light shook his head.
"It's ok, he seems happy with you right now." Light withdrew his hand from petting Sprinkles. "So, may I ask how in the world you got all this," he gestured to the cat room, "in less than two hours?"
"Raito-kun, people will make all kinds of deliveries for money. And that is one thing I am not lacking in the least."
"And the name Sprinkles?"
"I just liked the name, Raito-kun." Well then. Light had found out in a very short expanse of time that he did indeed own a kitten, that it was male, named Sprinkles, and that it was very cute. And that L had no problems with springing things on him.
"Well then, L, I'm glad to see we now apparently have a pet. I'm going to go into the kitchen and grab some chips. You can go ahead and do...whatever it is you were planning on doing." L nodded and let Sprinkles scramble back up onto his shoulder. He then headed out towards the living room. Light headed into the kitchen and grabbed a bag of chips, popping it open and slipping one into his mouth. Approaching the table, he pulled out one of the chairs and sat down.
Munching away on his chips, he realized he'd have to pay more attention to what L was doing at all times. Well, one thing was for sure: it could not be said that living with L was boring.
SSS
L popped open his laptop and pulled up the writing software. It had been a long time since he had last used it. Beside him, Light was waiting patiently for L to get everything started. L smiled when he typed the first sentence. Starting a new book was always a good feeling. This book would probably top all his other sales.
The last book he had put out had sold more copies than usual just because of the dedication. This book would have a name on it beside L's. Judging from the reaction to the dedication, this book would be huge. Sometimes he didn't quite grasp the fascination his books seemed to hold over people. They would sell even if the genre wasn't what his fans would usually read, or even if they didn't like the storyline. It was...puzzling. They seemed to buy his books just because they were HIS books.
L settled into the soothing calm writing provided him. His fingers flew over the keys, spinning an entire universe into being. Light read over his shoulder, and it didn't bother L in the least. If it was anyone else he would have asked them to leave. After an hour, L hit a snag. He wasn't sure what his characters were trying to do. Wordlessly, he passed the laptop to Light.
Light picked up smoothly where he left off. It seemed he knew exactly what the characters were up to. L watched as Light finished his scene easily. Looking back to where he had handed Light the laptop, L was startled to realize that the writing style didn't change even slightly. No one would be able to tell where he left off and Light picked up.
The book was writing itself, as had all his others. It didn't matter that there were now two authors; it took itself where it wanted to go. After a while, Light passed the laptop back. They continued this pattern for almost five hours before L decided he had had enough, and that, furthermore, Light needed a break. No sense in overworking him.
"Raito-kun, it is time for a break." L took the laptop, saved the book, and powered it down.
Light yawned and stretched. "That's good, because I'm getting tired. Chiyo was VERY energetic today." L smiled.
"Isn't that a good thing, Raito-kun? It means she is happy. She likes her new boyfriend very much."
Light nodded. "I know. I'm happy for her. Maybe she's found something special with this guy. Wow, that was sappy. All that writing messed with my head."
"Speaking of all the writing, Raito-kun needs to pick a pen name."
"Pen name?"
"Unless Raito-kun was planning on writing under his own name. In which case he would be stalked, filmed almost constantly, and chased by paparazzi. Not to mention the fact that he would have fangirls and boys trying to molest him every time he left the house."
"Kira."
"Kira?"
"My pen name. I'll write under Kira."
SSS
Light was officially exhausted. First Chiyo, then Sprinkles, then the writing. It had been a LONG day. Still, it had been fun. L had liked the pen name he chose, so it would stick. Light had also done a little cake-counting experiment today. L had ordered 20 cakes two days ago. Today, he had 15 left. Which meant he ate five in two days. Light was pretty sure that that was unhealthy.
Light almost jumped when he felt something crawl onto his lap. Looking down, he saw it was Sprinkles. He was staring up at him with his huge blue eyes. Light smiled. He gently scratched him behind his ear and listened to him start purring.
Briefly, he wondered where he came from. He must have been a stray, or else he wouldn't be so thin. His mother must have lived around the lake. All manner of rodents and birds made their home around the lake, so it was a good place to make your home if you were a wild cat. And, she would have been relatively safe from things like dogs, because no one lived close enough to let their dogs loose and have them be a threat. Wherever his mother was, she was a smart cat with a good home. Light wasn't worried about her.
It was very serene sitting here, in this room. He had a warm, purring kitten on his lap and a quiet living room. L had receded into the kitchen. He was eating more cake, no doubt. Honestly, how did he eat so many sweets and stay so thin? It seemed to break the laws of calorie intake versus weight gain.
Light jumped when Sprinkled began to knead his thigh and one of his claws went through his pants and scratched him. Gently, he moved his paw away from that area. Spotting a catnip mouse, he grabbed it and threw it across the room. In an instant, Sprinkles leapt from his lap and pounced on it, doing his best to kill it.
Yawning, Light leaned back into the couch. Slowly, his eyes began to flicker shut. Soon his breathing evened out, and he fell under sleep's pull. He didn't even wake up when L picked him up and carried him upstairs to their room.
Yeah, it's a shorter chapter. And it's been a week since I updated! You'd think I could come up with more, but, just like L occasionally does, I've succumbed to writer's block. I promise the next chapter will be full-length. So, anyway, random question for this chapter: Coffee or tea? I prefer tea.