Continued directly from previous.
…
Moments later, Light is being detained by the Master at Arms, the closest thing to a cop on board, handcuffs being snapped onto his wrists. I sit shivering on a bench, wrapped in a blanket and in shock. I can't believe I almost committed suicide. I am not that weak!
Aiber rushes out and runs straight for Light, grabs him by the lapels and shouts, "What made you think you could put your hands on him?"
Light's eyes find mine and I see the question in his eyes.
"Look at me you filth! What did you think you were doing?"
Aiber looks rabid, and Light is leaning back to avoid the saliva issuing from his mouth.
"Aiber, stop!" I shout, "It was an accident."
That seemed to do the trick, because he released Light and turned his enraged face on me.
"An accident?" he questions in disbelief.
"It was…" I deadpan, glancing at Light for a moment, "Stupid, really. I was leaning over and I slipped"
Aiber glares at me expectantly. Apparently I have to do better than that.
"I was leaning far over to see the… uh… the propellers." I explain shakily, "And I slipped. I would've gone overboard, but Mr. Yagami here saved me, and nearly went over himself."
I glance at Light, unable to read him as he takes in my lie.
"Propellers." Aiber says, apparently fixated on that. I nod.
"He wanted to see the propellers." He tells the other men, laughing now.
"Like I said!" Mr. Ruvie cuts in drunkly, "Femininity and machinery do not mix."
"Was that the way of it?" the Master at Arms questions Light, all the while I plead with my eyes.
"Uh, yeah." he lies smoothly, "That was pretty much it." He stares at me a moment longer, those piercing eyes seeing right thru me.
"Well, the boys a hero then," Mr. Wammy pats him on the back as he's being un-cuffed, "good for you, son, well done." he says kindly.
"So its all's well, and back to our brandy, eh?" Mr. Ruvie says.
I stand to say a final thank you to Light while he rubs his sore wrists, but Aiber approaches and stands in my way, rubbing my arms.
"You're freezing, let's get you inside." he says, forcefully turning and leading me away without a second thought for my savior.
We hear the clearing of a throat behind us and he turns us to see Mr. Wammy. He leans forward and says, "Perhaps a little something for the boy?" in a hushed voice.
Aiber smiles, and I can tell it's fake. "Of course. Mr. Mikami? A twenty should do it." he says to his manservant.
"Hmm. I suppose that's the going rate for saving the man you claim to love." I mumble boredly, observing the shocked faces of everyone… except Light. Interesting.
"L is displeased… What to do?"
He turns to Light and appraises him condescendingly, only seeing a steerage ruffian, unwashed and ill-mannered.
"I know… Perhaps you could join us for dinner tomorrow, to… regale our group with your heroic tale?
"Sure," Light says, and I see the challenge in his amber eyes, "Count me in."
"Good man," Aiber turns, putting a protective arm around me. I hear him mumble something to Mr. Ruvie as we retreat inside.
…
After observing the dynamic between L and his… escort, I just can't help but understand why he wanted to end it all.
I turn to see the man's lacky lighting up a cigarette.
"Hey, can I bum a smoke?" I ask after putting on my shoes. He removes the silver case from his jacket and pops it open. I take a cigarette, then another, storing it behind my ear for later. He lights the one between my lips, scowling at me all the while.
"You'll want to tie those." he says, indicating my shoes. "Interesting that the young man slipped so suddenly, and you still had time to remove your jacket and your shoes."
His expression is bland, but his eyes are like ice before he turns to join his group.
…
I glance around self-consciously as I walk into the third class general room. This seems to be the social center of steerage life. It's stark in comparison to the opulence of first class, but is a loud, boisterous place. There are mothers with babies, kids running between benches yelling in various languages, their mothers scolding them in just as many tongues. I see old men playing chess, girls doing needlepoint and reading dime novels. I'm surprised to see the person I'm searching for sitting on a piano bench behind an old upright, teaching a young girl to play something.
The room slowly becomes more quiet as I make my way towards them. Light glances up and I give him a small smile. His eyes widen momentarily, saying something to the little girl before rising to greet me.
"Hello, Light." I say quietly.
"Hello again, L…" he says, eyes dancing with amusement at my discomfort.
"Could I speak with you privately?" I ask, feeling the stares burning thru me.
"Uh… yes. Of course, after you." he motions me ahead and follows, we walk out together, leaving behind a stunned silence.
We walk along the upper deck side by side, passing people who glance curiously at our mismatched coupling. We're both awkward, sending small furtive glances at one another.
"So… We gonna just walk miles around this boat deck in silence?" Light asks, giving me the most attractive smile I think I've ever seen. There is another awkward pause.
"Mr. Yagami, I-"
"Light." he corrects me, and I look up to see him looking softly into my eyes.
"Light…" I whisper, before snapping out of my daze, "I feel like such an idiot… it took me all morning to get up the nerve to face you." I explain.
"Well, here you are." he smiles.
"Indeed, here I am… I wanted to thank you for what you did. Not just for… pulling me back, but for your discretion.
"You're welcome, L." He says sincerely, and I can't prevent the flow of words and emotion from bubbling to the surface.
"Look, I know what you must be thinking; 'poor little rich boy, what does he know about misery?'" I snarl, leaning on a railing on a deserted part of the ship, scowling at the beautiful sunset. He stops as well, leaning casually with his back to the water.
"No, that's not what I was thinking." He says, "What I was thinking was, 'what could have happened to hurt this boy so much that he thought he had no way out?'"
"I don't… It wasn't just one thing." I exasperate, showing an unnatural amount of emotion for my usual stoic self. "It was everything… My whole world, and all the people in it. And the inertia of my life, plunging ahead! And me? Powerless to stop it…" I sigh as I hold up the rather large diamond ring I keep hidden in my pocket.
"Whoa, you would've gone straight to the bottom…" he comments, observing the ostentatious piece of metal.
"I felt trapped in it all… like an insect in amber." I continue in a rush, "I just had to get away… just run and run and run, and then I was at the back rail, and there was no more ship. Not even the Titanic was big enough to escape them…"
"Do you love him?" he asks suddenly.
"Pardon me?" I ask, looking to the other mans' face once more.
"Do you love him." he repeats.
"You're being very rude..."
"It's an easy question, do you love the guy or not?"
He's grinning again now, entertained.
"This is not a suitable conversation!" I explain angrily, " I don't know you, and you don't know me, and we are not having this conversation."
"Why can't you just answer the question?" he laughs.
I straiten up, looking directly into his eyes, "You are rude and uncouth and presumptuous, and I am leaving now." I offer him a handshake, "Light, Mr. Yagami, I sought you out to thank you, and now I have thanked you."
"And you've insulted me." he says, his eyes still shining with mirth.
"Well you deserved it…" I defend, still shaking his hand.
"I thought you were leaving."
"I am." I say, releasing his hand, "You are so annoying!" I sigh, turning to retreat before realizing something and turning back to face him.
"Actually, I don't have to leave. This is my side of the ship. You leave."
I never knew I could sound so arrogant…
"Now who's being rude?" he asks, gesturing towards me with the pad of paper I remember seeing on his lap the first time I'd seen him. I reach forward and childishly snatch it from his hands.
"What is this stupid thing you're carrying about…" i mumble and flip to a random page, only to be greeted with one of the most professional drawings I had ever seen. I could almost feel the emotions the people in the sketch were experiencing.
"These are rather good." I say as I turn to sit on one of the many lounge chairs lining the spacious deck. "They're very good…"
I look up to see the artist sitting across from me, a modest smile on his face.
"Light, this is exquisite work." I tell him seriously, flipping through a few more sketches, observing his obvious eye for detail.
"Well, they didn't think too much of 'em in old Pari." he admonishes, waving his hand dismissively.
"Paris?" I inquire, "You sure do get around… for a po-, uh… that is, I mean to say, a person of… limited means.."
"Go on, a poor guy, you can say it." he laughs. I feel my face heat slightly as I come to a series of nudes. I observe them, becoming transfixed with the languid beauty he has created. His nudes are soulful, real, with expressive hands and eyes. They feel more like portraits than studies of the human form… its almost uncomfortably intimate.
"And these were… drawn from life?" I ask, trying to be adult.
"Yup. That's one of the great things about Paris. Lots of girls willing to take their clothes off."
I nod and study one in particular, the girl is posed half in sunlight, half in shadow. Her hands lie at her chin, one furled and one open like a flower, languid and graceful.
"You liked this woman." I comment, "you used her several times."
"Well, you see," he pulls the drawing between us to show what he's talking about, "She had very beautiful hands." he runs his hands lightly over the charcoal, careful to not smudge it.
"I think you must've had a love affair with her…" I smile.
He looks at me with shock, then laughs.
"No… Just with her hands. She was a one legged prostitute." he turns the page to a full-body sketch of her, "See?"
"Oh…" I examine it for a moment, before turning my eyes to its creator.
"You have a gift Light. You do." I smile, getting more serious, "You see people."
"I see you." he says, and that piercing gaze returns, making me feel like we're the only two people in the world.
"And…?" I ask.
"You wouldn't have jumped."
...
Had to split this one in two... it was like 4,000 words. Happy Christmas :)