6.
"Did you find anything?" Light asked, as soon as he had made enough distance between himself and headquarters, he peered back just in case. "Besides dirty underwear?" Ryuk teased, to which Light groaned, "You know what I mean." He sneered, "Is there any way to get onto his computer? Are there any cameras?"
Ryuk laughed, "there aren't any cameras, or microphones." He said, and it was then that something clicked… Microphones. So that's how he knew… Light thought, understanding their earlier exchange better now, as L had heard everything that had gone on. He tried to ignore how that fact excited him. "What about the computer?" he asked, and Ryuk shrugged, "I don't know what you're expecting, Light… There are no boobie traps or anything."
Light pinched his nose in between his fingers as he stopped to contemplate how to deal with Ryuk's ineptitude. "So you didn't actually go on his computer?"
"I'm a shinigami, not a computer hacker." Ryuk reasoned, and Light sighed, kicking a stray stone out of his way. "But you knew that already…" Ryuk added, earning a glare from his human companion.
"What's that supposed to mean?" Light growled, lowering his voice as he passed two children, forcing a smile for their benefit which disappeared as soon as they crossed his path. "Well.. At least it seems like you definitely have his trust" Ryuk laughed, "Although… I really would've preferred if you'd continue having that kind of fun with Misa instead."
Light felt his cheeks go hot, "Can we stop talking about that?" he asked angrily, Ryuk merely laughed in response.
"Looks like I'm going to have to get in there myself…" he thought, "Ryuk… I'm not going to be able to talk to you once inside, L's bugged the house again." Ryuk groaned, "Not again! What am I supposed to do with myself?"
"Well, you can eat apples still… it's just a microphone."
Light put his hands in his pockets as he continued home, ignoring the shinigami that followed him. He wondered if there was anything he could do, to use the microphone for his own benefit. No… he thought, talking to myself won't do much good, L will be able to tell that it's forced.
As he got home, he went straight to the shower, finally allowing his thoughts to wander to L… he never touched me back… he thought, angry at the idea that someone like L refused to return the favour.. So to speak. Underneath that anger though, was sadness. Was L just playing into his game? Were his actions not as genuine as Light had thought?
He scrubbed the shampoo into his hair and sighed, he never thought this would be so emotionally taxing.
[…]
L spun around in his chair, still perched like a bird as he turned to face Mr. Yagami. "Soichiro?" he asked, despite his mouth being full of animal crackers, "Can you explain to me please, Light's history with women?"
Mr. Yagami looked obviously taken aback, "How is this relevant, Ryuzaki?" L shrugged, "It's important to understand, so that we can further investigate his relationship with Misa Amane" he lied. Mr. Yagami sighed, "So Light hasn't been cleared yet?"
L popped another few animal crackers in his mouth, "Don't worry… we are getting close to ruling him out."
"Fine… well, he is still young, Ryuzaki. I'm afraid there isn't much to speak of."
"Do you know anything about his relationship with a miss Takada?" he asked, and Lights father shook his head. "Okay, so perhaps you're the wrong person to ask." L spun his chair back around, facing the monitor.
"I apologize if my 18 year old son doesn't tell me everything…" he said, to which L smirked. "Yes, I guess that could be uncomfortable."
L then raised the volume on the Yagami monitor, and plugged the feed into his headphones, listening in once again, as Light lay in his bedroom.
"What's that now?" Mr. Yagami asked, as L continued looking at the sound waves on the screen. "They're only microphones." He said, and Soichiro groaned. "Do as you must."
Of course though, L never needed his permission… he would be listening the same whether Soichiro had allowed him to or not, and this did give the older man a significant amount of stress. Despite this though, Mr. Yagami had children at home… and, despite what L thought, he did understand the teenage psyche quite well. As he began putting on his coat to leave, he looked over L, and felt bad for the young man.
"Ryuzaki" he called, "hmm?" L asked,
"Since you'd be listening in anyway… would you like to join my family for dinner?"
L spun around once again, and considered his options. "Are you only asking me because you're assuming I'll say no?" L asked, to which Soichiro rolled his eyes.
"I'm asking you, not only as my colleague, but as my sons friend."
"I'd enjoy that."
[…]
"Light!" his mother called from outside his door, "I'm studying" he replied back, an obvious lie as she opened the door to discover him under the covers. She flicked on the light, "Light, your father's coming home for dinner… I'd like it if you were there too."
Light groaned, sitting up and adjusting his eyes to the light that now flooded his room, feeling as if it was all focused directly into his eyes. He hopped out of bed, and followed his mom down the stairs. Sayu had already set the table, and was sitting in her usual spot, the only difference- was that there had been an extra place set.
"Is dad bringing Matsuda home again?" Light asked, to which the mom shook her head "No sweetie, your father mentioned a name I hadn't heard before… Ryu…"
"Ryuzaki?" Light said, his eyebrows raised as he did, to which his mom smiled "Yes! That's it! Your father did say you knew him too?"
"Oh, yes… he was the other speaker at our entrance ceremony." Light said honestly, and his mother formed an "o" with her mouth, obviously impressed. "I didn't know another student received a perfect score?" she asked, but Light didn't have the opportunity to reply, as the beep of his father's car interrupted their conversation.
"Honey, go greet your father." Sayu obeyed, and walked over to open the door "Daddy!" she exclaimed, as Soichiro greeted her with a tight hug. Behind them, was L. His eyes wandering around the house that he had only seen before through a screen, "hmm…" he began "it looks so much bigger…"
"So much bigger than what?" Light asked, L smiled at him as he was acknowledged. "So much bigger on the inside." L lied, his eyes staring directly into Lights, making the other man noticeably uncomfortable.
"Ryuzaki, was it?" L nodded, his hands in his pockets as he walked fully into the home, Lights mom placed her hand on his back and guided the hunched over man to the table "Light was telling me that you were his co-speaker at the university's entrance ceremony?"
L nodded, and he sat down in between Light's parents, and across from Sayu and Light. Light was surprised at his normal posture, as well as the blush on his face.
Soichiro had noticed the same thing, "Please make yourself at home, Ryuzaki." He said, but L's position stayed the same. "So you're working with my husband?" Light's mother's barrage of questions continued throughout dinner, as Light and his father watched a different, slightly more shy version of L come out. Of course, his mother did respect intelligence, and L was probably one of the most intelligent men on the planet, so her compliments were seemingly endless.
"You know, Light has helped his father with a few cases as well." L looked over to Light and smiled, "Oh yes I've heard about those… Light's actually given us some insight on this case as well…he's very good."
It was with those words that a blush now crept upon Light's own face. He cleared his throat, "Oh… I'm just there to confirm Ryuzaki's theories." But even as he spoke to his mom, L kept staring at him, sending a shiver down his spine.
"You don't like vegetables, do you Ryuzaki?" Lights mom joked, as she cleared away the plates. Everything on L's plate had been eaten except for the salad and green beans. "No, I can't say I do… everything was fantastic though, Mrs. Yagami." She smiled, "I really appreciate this." Soichiro placed his hand on L's back "You're welcome anytime."
"Umm, mom, would you mind making Ryuzaki and I some tea? I thought we could study a bit up in my room."
His mom smiled brightly, "No problem dear! You two have fun."
Light allowed L to walk ahead of him, as he already knew exactly where he was going. As they made their way to Light's bedroom, Light closed the door behind them, and pushed L against his wall. "What are you doing here?" he asked, to which L smiled "Your father invited me… why would I bother intruding otherwise?"
Light let him go, "I found these." He said, opening his curtain to reveal the nearly microscopic microphones, "So I'm sorry if I'm a tad suspicious."
L smiled, "very impressive. I didn't think you'd notice if I didn't bother with cameras."
Light sat down on his bed with his arms crossed, as L perched himself up on Light's computer chair. "Your family's so normal." He said, staring over at Light's bedroom door.
"I mean, I've known your father of course to be normal… but seeing you all together…"
"You don't have much family… do you?" Light asked, as L's gaze reconnected with his. Despite the sad subject matter, L's tone was unwavering as always "None actually, well, beside's Watari I suppose…" Light shook his head,
"I'm sorry."
L was about to reply, but Light kept talking, "I'm…since I'm apologizing, I'm sorry for yesterday too…"
L's opened mouth was then forced shut by shock, "I just wanted to touch you…I didn't mean to make you uncomfortable.."
"I've just never had anyone touch me before."
The two men were then interrupted by Light's mom, carrying a large tray with two cups of tea, a bowl of sugar cubes, and a tiny cup of milk. "It's very hot, be careful boys!"
"Thank you Mrs. Yagami." L said politely, taking the bowl of sugar cubes before even looking at the cup of tea. After she left, Light got up, and locked his door. L had already popped a sugar cube into his mouth, he watched Light carefully, as he began walking towards him.
"You've been in my room all this time, and haven't done any investigating."
He loomed over the dark haired man with a smile, but L simply shrugged. "If I wanted to, I have many other ways to do that." He said simply, pushing the cube against the inside of his cheek with his tongue, as he made way for a second.
"I don't understand you…" Light said,
"Yes you do. You wouldn't have ever located the microphones if you didn't…" L popped another sugar cube into his mouth. "That's why this whole situation's so problematic… don't you see?"
If Light had agreed with L, as he in fact had, he would've been practically admitting that he was indeed Kira. Instead, he said nothing. Which was probably just as devastatingly obvious.
"I still don't understand why you're going through these kinds of lengths…" Light asked,
"You're going to be dead in a week."
L smiled, "I'm willing to risk that."
Light gritted his teeth, what else was there to say to a madman? He knew that L had driven him into a corner, there was no 13 day rule. Both men knew that at this point, and Light was only going by L's word… which he knew could be as flimsy as his own. What if this was merely a lure? What if he only told me about it because he never did write in the book to begin with? If I'm the only one who knows, and he mysteriously dies of a heart attack at the age of 18, then I will be the only one to blame.
And… if I'm wrong about that, then my time is running out. I need to find out his name, but that seems impossible at the-
L gulped loudly, breaking the silence that had been growing between them. "I told you Light, if I die being wrong about all this, then I die happy."
"But then you also die for no reason…"
"Is your absolution not reason enough?"
Light tightened his grip on the chair's arms to the point where he could feel his palms begin to turn red.
"No… no, L it's really not."
"Ten percent." L replied, "Anyway, I promised Watari that i'd be returning…"
"If you wouldn't mind," Light offered "I can walk you back."