The Little Things Give You Away
By AishiExcel
So! How much do you guys hate me? XD I can't count the number of reviews I've gotten saying, "NOOO, HOW COULD YOU JUST END IT THERE?" or other similar things haha! But, by popular demand, I'm once again exploiting that Lent loophole that allows me to go ahead and type something that I've already written.
Might I add that this Lent thing is killing me? Two of my current fic obsessions have been updated during my restriction, and every time I open my inbox the alerts have been sitting there, looking at me. It's maddening. Not to mention the fact that now I want to read fiction for EVERYTHING. Normally I stay in the Deathnote section; now I'm wondering if every book I read, movie I watch and game I play has an section. It's MADDENING.
Which must be how you guys feel reading through this long note, so I'll go ahead and get going. Love you guys! Please don't kill me!
A phone call, part two.
Phone rings.
M: Yo.
N: Mello?
M: That's me. … Is that… you, bro?
N: Yes… Ah, I was calling to see how…. Work was going.
M: Ha! It's going GREAT. You should've seen that ass's face when I started getting all buddy-buddy with Misa-Misa. I think she likes me. If I snatch her out from under his nose, it'd drive him CRAZY, and the media would have a field day!
N: You're cleverer than I thought.
M: You're eviler than I thought. Must be genetic.
N: Ha… perhaps.
M: So how're things going on your end? You said you had something that would really screw him up….
N: I'm going to make a call soon, but I'm waiting for the opportune moment… at the moment, I don't know if what I have planned will HURT Light Yagami or make him happy…
M: Yeah, we can't have that…. Uh, …Nate?
N: Call me Near.
M: (swears under breath) Fine. Near. …. Have you talked to the folks… your folks… lately?
N: (long silence). Yes.
M: Right. Well, maybe you could, you know, tell them about how I've been doing in the acting biz. Make me look good; Maybe I could… visit more, you know, when you're NOT in the hospital….
N: (barely whispering) …yes, maybe….
M: You okay? You sound….
N: I'm fine.
M: … okay…. Well, Matt could come see you too. He's been acting weird lately, all moody and stuff, but you'd like him when he's not like that.
N: Weird?
M: Yeah… ever since I started this Misa thing, he's been on my case… I don't get it; he's acting like a girl. Who knows? …. How's treatment going?
N: (awkward pause) … Okay….
M: Um… well, I better go; I think I hear Matt. I'll talk to you later Na- err, Near.
N: Yes… later. Good luck… with Misa.
M: … Thanks. Later.
Click.
L kissed him.
KISSED HIM.
Light's head was spinning, he felt dizzy, he couldn't see straight.
There was a pair of lips pressing against his; Light thought for a moment how very smooth they were, but then he realized they belonged to a MAN, and he jerked away, staring dumbly at Ryuzaki.
Inside out, upside-down twisting beside myself,
Stop that now, cos you and I were never meant to be
I think you better leave; it's not safe in here,
I feel a weakness coming on.
"What are you doing?" Light snapped, his heart thudding against his ribcage.
"I kissed Light. I would have assumed that he knew what a kiss was," Ryuzaki mumbled. "It is not a thimble, Light-kun."
"I- what?" Light shook his head, still feeling slightly dizzy. "What the hell, Ryuzaki? Why did you kiss me?"
Ryuzaki turned away from Light and shrugged. "What does Light-kun think?"
Light felt something twinge inside him; he wasn't familiar with the feeling. "I think you just freaked me the hell out." He stood up, feeling his knees shake slightly, and started towards the door.
"Where is Light going?" Ryuzaki mumbled.
"To the car!" Light snapped.
"And what am I supposed to do?" Ryuzaki mumbled, sounding meeker than Light had ever heard him.
"Come on then," the teen star hissed, "but hurry up, people are starting to stare."
Light couldn't stop the onslaught of thoughts rushing through his head. He heard the Beast hissing in his ear. You liked it when he was kissing you, you wanted to shove your tongue down his throat, admit it, and you've had the hots for him since day one….
Light clenched his fist and flung open the door to the SUV. "Get in," he hissed at Ryuzaki.
"Is Light… ANGRY?" Ryuzaki murmured, clambering awkwardly into the vehicle and pulling his feet up onto the upholstery.
"Of course I am!" Light hissed. "You can't just go around kissing people! Especially not another guy! Especially not in public!"
Ryuzaki was acting so damn oblivious and stupid. He should have known damn well what was wrong with Light! How was Light SUPPOSED to react to someone just kissing him? Was he supposed to just laugh it off?
"You have no idea what a nightmare you could have unleashed!" Light continued, feeling himself get angrier by the second. "What if the media was around? What if someone got pictures? Not only would there be a scandal because I'm supposedly cheating on Misa, but the media would go NUTS if they thought I was gay! I can't be gay! Think of what it would do to my image!"
"Is Light angry because he didn't like it," Ryuzaki inquired casually, "or because he is worried about his image?"
"Just shut up!" Light hissed. "I couldn't like it! I can't like you like that! I can't be…. A faggot!"
The panda-eyed youth recoiled at the harsh word. "Faggot…"
Light gritted his teeth and stared angrily at his feet. He realized the car wasn't going anywhere. Shit, his driver was hearing everything. Light was pretty sure this guy was reliable and wouldn't spill to the press, because he had been working for Light for over a year, but you could never be too careful. To some people, juicy gossip was worth more than job security. He'd have to pay him extra tonight to keep him hushed.
"Take me home," Light snarled at the driver. "And hurry up."
"Is that is then?" Ryuzaki's voice quavered. Light had never heard insecurity in his voice before… it was like a slap to the face. "I was prepared for this consequence, but still. Is Light just going to disown me because of one brush of lips?"
WAS that it? Light's heart thudded in his chest. He'd only known Ryuzaki for such a short time, and even though he'd spent half that time infuriated with him, when they had been getting along, he liked Ryuzaki. True, most of the time he wanted to throttle the faux-doctor…. But there was something about the panda-eyed male that drew him in, that just made him want to forgive everything…. And there were still so many mysteries about Ryuzaki to solve, so many answers he didn't have….
Alright then (Alright then) I could keep your number for a rainy day,
That's where this ends, no mistakes no misbehaving,
Oh, I was doing so well, can we just be friends,
I feel a weakness coming on.
"You understand that I can't…. LIKE you," Light said, his voice still shaking with anger but beginning to level out. "I'm not going to kiss you back, or fall into your arms… I have a girlfriend, Ryuzaki. I can't like you."
He wouldn't LET himself like Ryuzaki. He didn't WANT to like Ryuzaki.
"I'm aware."
"I just want to be your friend. Is that too much to ask? That maybe you could just be normal, and just be my friend? No blowing stuff up, no massaging, no kissing… I just want to be your friend, Ryuzaki, I just…"
Damn it, he would NOT get frustrated and cry.
"I can do that, Light."
"There can't be any more of this… no awkward tension, no saying that you like me, no kissing me…"
"I can do that."
He was saying he could. So why was Light's chest aching like this? Why did he feel so BAD? This was all because of Ryuzaki's idiotic social ineptitude…. He was so stupid, damn it…making Light feel this way…
It's not meant to be like this, not what I planned at all,
I don't want to feel like this, Yeah,
No it's not meant to be like this, not what I planned at all,
I don't want to feel like this, so that makes it all your fault.
"I don't care," Ryuzaki finally said, monotone back in place without a trace of a quiver, "if Light likes me. But I don't believe he doesn't. It may, perhaps, be presumptuous, and perhaps egotistical. Light is handsome, intelligent, rich, a celebrity. He has a beautiful girlfriend. But Light is unhappy. Even I can sense that. I knew it from the moment I first spoke with him. Light has the perfect life, and yet he wants more. I can tell from Light's body language, his tone of voice. He is an excellent actor, but…"
Inside out, upside-down twisting beside myself,
Stop that now; you're as close as it gets without touching me,
Oh no, don't make it harder than it already is,
Mmm, I feel a weakness coming on.
"Stop," Light demanded. "Stop the emotional diagnosis. I don't want to hear it. I'm happy; I'm fine, just… shut up!"
Ryuzaki scooted over in the seat. He wasn't wearing a seatbelt; that was so unsafe, the car was moving…
"Are you fine?" Ryuzaki's body was only inches from Light's. "Does Light really not care?"
"Yes… stop!" Light's heart seemed to be doing some sort of dance in his ribcage. It had to be River dancing, the THUMP-THUMP was so loud and frantic and fast….
"Light can just tell me that he doesn't like me. Just say he wants me to go away, since all I ever seem to do is make him angry. But Light won't. He continues forgiving me… because Light wants to be my friend? Or because he is romantically interested in me?"
"Shut up!" Light couldn't handle this, Ryuzaki was too close, and he was prying too far into Light's head…
Big trouble losing control,
Primary resistance at a critical low,
On the double gotta get a hold,
Point of no return one second to go,
Ryuzaki leaned even closer for a moment, but then he moved away and put his feet on the floorboard, buckling his seatbelt around him.
"I am sorry, Light-kun. I won't mention this again. Just promise me we may continue to be friends."
Light put his hands to his face, frustration tensing every muscle in his body. "Fine. Whatever."
The rest of the ride home was silent. Light tried to pay the driver extra to assure his silence, but he swore black and blue that he didn't need the extra money and that he wouldn't betray Light and put himself out of a job. Light watched a bit of TV with Ryuzaki, but conversation was tense and strained. Finally neither of them could take it. Light retired to his room and Ryuzaki to the library.
The next day things were the same: tense. And so were the day after, and the day after. Light had agreed to forgive Ryuzaki, but he'd kept on pushing, and ruined everything… would things ever be the same between them again?
Aaaaand there we go XD I'm sorry guys! Actually, this Is QUITE different from the first version of the chapter that I wrote; so people who've read the paper copy might want to kill me for changing it… XD especially ending like that…. T^T forgive me!
In happier news, the songs are back, since I have a song picked out for this chapter, the one after and maybe even the one after that! Can anyone guess which one I used this chapter? Special mentions to anyone who knows it! (Or just goes to a lyric search and looks it up….) Anyways! Thanks for your patience, guys, and hope you like the update! Gawd, I can't wait till Lent Is over XD