L had one leg crossed over the other and casually leaned back against the chair as he studies the menu. There was nothing even remotely sweet and his head was starting to hurt from lack of sugar intake in the last two hours. He glanced to his right at Beyond who was humming a classical piece and tapping his finger on the table in time.
"Can we just get dessert?" L asked miserably, afraid he already knew the answer.
Beyond turned to him and smiled. "If you really want to." He turned to the waiter and ordered five strawberry cheesecakes along with four cakes and a sundae for L.
"Thank you." L breathed. He tugged at his tie impatiently.
Beyond practically bounced in his seat. "This is so much fun."
"I wouldn't say that." L was close to ripping the tie to shreds.
"Stop complaining. We can-" Beyond stopped talking suddenly and stared in horror at a black car that pulled up in front of the restaurant.
L's expression soon matched Beyond's as they watched Watari step out of the car.
"Damn." They whispered in unison.
Watari strode up to the and sat in the chair across from them.
"Hello Watari." Beyond said nervously.
Watari ignored Beyond's greeting and looked them both over. "Well at least you're both neatly dressed and using good posture for once." He gave the criminal a glance. "After this 'dinner' L is coming back with me."
"But—" Beyond tried to speak.
"There is no room for arguments." Watari cut him off.
"I can't go with you." L interceded on Beyond's behalf as the his look-alike's earlier maniacal happiness seemed to be diminishing and he was visibly shrinking back into his chair, bottom lip trembling.
"L, you can't abandon a case." Watari said sternly.
"Quite the contrary. I've been working on it simply without your aid." L replied calmly. "I'll return to your care in three days time."
"You cannot leave in the middle of a case this important. Even if Kira is just killing criminals." He looked at Beyond as he spoke the last few words. Beyond seemed to further deflate.
L reached for his hand under the table. "I assure you, the probability of finding anything new in the next three days are slim and you can contact me through the laptop you gave Beyond earlier."
"It does not do to hang around with selfish, irresponsible criminals." Watari gave Beyond a hard look.
Beyond held onto L's hand tightly as the detective spoke. "That's quite enough Watari. Thank you for your concern and I appreciate what you've done for me but this has gone on for long enough." He got up from his seat, Beyond following suit. "I think we should be going now. I will see you in three days."
"Beyond, I want him back in three days time unhurt or this 'game' of yours will end. Understood?" Watari warned.
"Yes sir." Beyond replied meekly.
Watari let them go without another word.
"Are you alright?" L asked as they walked down the street and turned into a park, resuming their normal bad posture.
Beyond lay on one of the park benches blew a raspberry. "I don't want to play anymore." He said sadly. "It's no fun when you get in trouble."
L made his companion move his legs to make room to sit. "Watari's just upset because he can't take care of me if I'm being kidnapped by you. Don't pay attention to what he said."
Beyond looked at L with a broken expression. "Am I selfish?" He asked. "All I wanted to do was play a game."
"You're not selfish. I wanted to play to, remember?" L assured him. The detective looked thoughtful for a moment. "I wonder how he knew where to find us."
Beyond pointed someway down the street to a man leaning casually against a lamppost, talking on his cell phone. "He's been following us a little under a mile from the hotel. I thought you would have noticed." Beyond frowned. "I did think I would have lost him after we had gone through the crowds though. That was a mistake."
"Good posture reduces my level of observation." L tugged nervously at his tie because of the scrutiny of his level of observation. "We can still lose him and go somewhere else." He said, hoping it would make Beyond feel a little better.
"Oh, let's." Beyond leapt from the bench, some of his earlier maniacal cheerfulness returning. He grinned and grabbed L's hand and pulled him through the park, turning down the street. They walked quickly down the street, glancing behind every so often to see their pursuer following discreetly behind. Beyond pulled L into an alleyway and ran, kicking open one door with a loud bang before turning the corner onto another street and through a door leading to another restaurant.
Beyond straightened his jacket and grinned happily. "The noise from the door probably threw him off…. Idiot, that's the oldest trick." He poked L's side. "Now stand straight. Watari would be so disappointed if he found out you were slouching in a fancy restaurant."
"I doubt that is the worst of his problems." L muttered.
Beyond stuck his tongue out playfully and turned went to get them a table.
L wrapped an arm around his look-alike's waist when he returned. "I kind of hope you return me in the same condition you did last time." He whispered in his ear.
"That's it!" Beyond said quickly. "We're going back to the hotel." He tried to push L out the door but the detective wouldn't let him.
"I had to get dressed up for this. There is no way I'm leaving now." L laughed.
"You're tempting me on purpose. It's not fair." Beyond whined. "We'll order room service."
"No." L had to admit, seeing Beyond anxious to jump him was slightly amusing. "We'll stay a few minutes and check in at another hotel just in case Watari feels the need to take me away from you. Does that sound fair?"
"Fine." Beyond grumbled.
The 'dinner' went smoothly and L even got five cakes to take back along with a number of strawberry desserts Beyond wanted but couldn't eat.
L had just enough time to set down their bags of desserts on the dresser of their new hotel room before Beyond started pulling off his suit. L laughed but helped his companion with just as much enthusiasm.