A/N: I don't own Death Note. Thanks for the reviews! XD
Chapter 23: Ryuzaki
When Light opened his eyes, everything was still out of focus. Where am I? Light glanced down at his arms that were bound. Light realized that he was tied down to a chair. Also whenever Light tried to lift his head, it would droop back down again. That's right… Arik's followers caught me and that woman…drugged me. Light's whole body felt numb and his neck wouldn't work correctly and lift up his head.
Then someone snatched Light's hair and pulled up his head. Arik leaned forward close to Light's face, "I'm going to ask you some questions, Boy. And if you don't answer, you won't like the alternative, understand?"
Light dazedly glanced up into Arik's eyes, "Yes."
"Good Boy," Arik still held up Light's head, "Now why did you suddenly begin to attack my followers?"
"…Angry," Light muttered.
"I can believe that. Now, more importantly," Arik seethed with fury, "Who is Ryuzaki?"
Ryuzaki? How did Arik hear that name? Light just blankly stared at Arik.
Suddenly Arik smacked Light across the face, "Who is Ryuzaki?!"
Why does he want to know so badly? Did someone mention Ryuzaki being associated with L or something? Light lied, "I don't know."
Arik furiously snatched another needle off a table and injected it into Light's arm. Light winced as he became even more disoriented.
Then Arik held up Light's head again, "Don't play dumb. I could use other forms of interrogation. But you'd be screaming and panting so much that I doubt that I'd actually get any real information out of you."
Arik leaned toward Light's face and warned, "If you don't talk, I'll be forced into using those other tactics. It's all up to you. So tell me who is Ryuzaki? Ryuzaki is a man, right?"
"…Yes," Light admitted.
"So you were calling out for a man in your sleep? I always thought that you were a fag."
"Look who's talking," Light blurted out.
Arik smacked Light even harder than the first time. From Light's perspective the room was spinning, nothing made sense anymore.
"You are a special case, Light." Arik ran his hand through Light's hair, "Normally, I don't find little boys so fascinating."
Even though it seemed like everything in the room was tilting, Light still recognized that he had been insulted, "Don't…call me…that."
Arik sneered, "I'll call you whatever I want, Little Boy. Now tell me, who is Ryuzaki?"
Light managed to jerk his head away from Arik's hands, "Fuck you."
"You just love to make everything difficult, don't you?" Arik quickly jabbed another needle into Light's arm.
Light gritted his teeth to refrain from crying out.
Arik tilted up Light's chin, "I'm going to fuck up that precious mind of yours, Light. So much that it'll never work the same again."
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A blonde woman entered the workroom and strolled toward L, who sat in front of a computer.
"Lawliet," the female New Kira follower announced, "Arik wants to show you something. Follow me."
L just nodded and anxiously followed the woman out into the hall. It's been three hours since I've seen Light-kun. Is Light what Arik wants to show me? L clenched his fist, Or rather he wants to show me what he's done to Light.
L's mind speeded through all of the revolting possibilities as the woman stopped in front of a door.
The blonde woman pointed to the door, "Arik is in there."
L turned toward the door. Part him couldn't stomach the thought of what could be in the room. While a stronger portion of him needed to know, especially if Light was in danger.
L turned the door knob and opened the door. L's black eyes grew wide with shock.
In the dark room, Light sat tied up in a chair. Light barely lifted his head and gazed up with hugely dilated eyes. The enlarged pupils in Light's eyes were an obvious side effect from drugs. All along Light's arms were bleeding puncture marks, most likely from dozens of needle injections. Arik stood beside Light with an insidious smirk across his face.
L staggered into the room, which had no video cameras, while a couple of guards followed him in.
Arik tilted up Light's head, "Are you ready to answer all of my questions, Boy?"
"Yes," Light answered in an emotionless voice. His eyes vacantly stared forward as if he couldn't even see L.
Arik joyfully turned to L, "You hear that, Lawliet. You made it just in time for the fun."
"How much did you drug him?" L immediately asked.
"Not enough to kill him. Just enough to render all of his logic useless," Arik grinned then faced Light once again. "Tell me, who is Ryuzaki?"
L froze. How did Arik hear that name?
Light's eyes were completely glazed over, "Ryuzaki…is L."
"Who?!" Arik suddenly stepped back in disbelief.
"L…" Light repeated as his head helplessly tilted down.
L forced a calm composure. God damn it! I can't stop Light from talking because of Arik's suspicions. But if Light continues like this…
Arik angrily snatched Light's hair and pulled up his head, "Why were you calling out to L in your sleep?!"
So that's how Arik heard that name… L realized as he watched, painfully unable to intervene.
"I don't know," Light muttered.
"Don't you hate L?" Arik jealously pried.
Light admitted as if he was in another world, "No, I like him."
Oh, God. L watched in horror.
"You LIKE him? How so?" Arik seethed with fury as he possessively gazed at Light.
"He kissed me," Light blatantly announced.
L nearly died from hearing that. No, Light. You have to stop. L strained to keep his mouth shut.
Arik dug his nails into Light's shoulder, but Light was too drugged to notice. Arik resentfully restated, "L kissed you?"
Light replied honestly, "Yes."
Arik growled, "How did you react?"
"I liked it…" Light continued thoughtlessly, "He's really nice to me…He protects me."
Arik's face transfigured with spite, "L protects you? From what?"
"You," Light unhesitatingly declared.
L felt panicky as he watched Arik's expression filled with malice.
Arik tilted Light's head to the side, "Do you want to kill L?"
Light innocently looked up at Arik, "Why would I want to do that?"
Suddenly Arik hit Light across the face, "Because you're Kira! L is your enemy!"
L flinched, Damn it… I have to stop this. L spoke up, "Arik-"
"Shut your mouth, Lawliet!" Arik shouted then gave L an intrigued expression. "Light, is this man L?"
Light paused and looked over at L. With Light's glazed over eyes, he asked, "What man?"
Arik pointed at L, "Lawliet! Is he L?!"
"Who's Lawliet?" Light sounded completely lost.
L deduced, Light's too disoriented to recognize that Lawliet is my real last name. When Light is unconscious, he still refers to me as Ryuzaki. So in this state, he probably still thinks of me as Ryuzaki as well. That's a relief.
Arik yanked on Light's hair while pointing at L, "Is that man right over there L?!"
Light squinted as if he was really trying to make out L's face, "I don't think so."
L calmly stood still. Your plan to drug Light backfired, Arik. Now Light can't even figure out who I am. L acted confused, "Arik, why are you doing this? I thought that we were all allies here."
"Ha! I thought we were all allies too! Until this little L-lover revealed himself! Did you know about this, Lawliet?!" Arik shouted loudly.
"No, I did not," L claimed, "Whatever happened between L and Light is none of my business. Is it really any of yours either?"
Arik rushed over toward L while shouting crazily, "YES, it's my fucking business! I OWN Light! He is MINE!"
L stepped back as Arik closed in. Arik got up in L's face, "And L is NOT taking him away from me, UNDERSTAND?! Light is MY Kira, MY plaything MY property, MINE!"
L grimaced, "Light is not a thing. You can't own a person!"
"Shut up!" Arik punched L across the face.
L was about to lunge at the bastard but someone grabbed L's arm. L turned around and spotted Suzette holding him back.
Suzette announced, "Arik, sir, we may have a trace on where L was when he sent that message. I think you may want to see it."
"You know where L is?" Arik shot her an intense look.
"We might, sir. You should go check it out," Suzette suggested.
Arik immediately hurried out of the room and down the hallway along with the few guards.
Suzette whispered to L in Japanese, "Don't worry. I set that up as a decoy."
L just nodded as his body shook all over. L sadly glanced over at the drugged and bound Light.
Suzette spoke softly, "Go to him. He needs you right now. With Arik jealous like that, you must never leave Light alone. There's no telling what Arik will do to him."
Once again, L nodded then headed towards Light. L untied Light's arms and freed him from the chair. Light almost immediately fell over toward the floor, but L caught him.
Light looked up at L with his vacant, dilated eyes, "Ryuzaki?"
L held Light closer as his body continued shaking, "Yes, Light. I'm here."
End of Chapter 23