chapter 5: glass house
Notes:
Thank you for all the follows and faves! You know who you are.
Summary:
Watari takes care of the new arrivals. Soichiro is called over. Light and L make a deal.
"When you look at a piece of delicately spun glass you think of two things: how beautiful it is and how easily it can be broken." ― Tennessee Williams
...
"It has been far too long, Wammy."
The door to the glasshouse closed once more, shutting out the hellish cold they had just survived.
…
…
…
Once inside, L promptly laid Light unto the nearest soft surface: an elegant antique sofa. Light collapsed on it eagerly.
"I had thought I would never see you again, Wammy. I'm glad to have been proven wrong. If it isn't too much, we are in great need of warmth, possibly nutrition, and new clothes." L murmured.
The elderly man had an unreadable expression when he stole another glance at Light. "Of course, I will be back shortly." The elderly man bowed, and swiftly headed to another door that lead further into the house. He paused before turning the knob, peering back at L, "There is a fireplace in the next room, I suggest you come with me." He seemed to want to say something else, but L deduced Quillish Wammy felt it was more appropriate for another time.
L chuckled. I'm glad to see you too' would have sufficed, Wammy. He mused. Mu was certainly not turning out to be... what he had expected. There was something else he couldn't put a finger on. Pushing the thought away, the detective picked up Light once more. He gently pat his cheek, hoping Light would wake up. "Light, we're safe now. Don't pass out on me."
Light didn't respond. He was out cold.
L raised a brow. It was unusual for the Light to let his guard down like this... he must've been truly exhausted. The couch started to darken, getting soaked by the lake water dripping off of the unconscious man. Every now and then he quivered, but still didn't awake. L hummed. Hypothermia would be problematic - L had no clue as to whether medical equipment would exist in Mu. L was quivering too.
Deciding it was wiser to go where Watari suggested; the detective hauled Light into his arms: bridal style. "Wake up, princess." L called out again. Light stirred only a little - mumbling something he had a hard time making out. Unconsciously, Light leaned his weight upon L - head tucking into his shoulder. He was so innocent slumbering... L mused. Then, acknowledging Light wasn't going to wake up anytime soon; L used his toes to shove the door open - swiftly moving himself and Light into the room with the fireplace. The failed god was dumped on top of a plush bear rug near the fireplace. Light groaned, curling up into the dense, warm fur. The detective shook his head. Silly man.
L proceeded to undress Light's bullet ridden jacket, placing it near the fireplace. He took a moment to ponder the events of Light's death once more. He didn't get capital punishment... he was shot. By who? The detective pulled his knees up and relished the nearby warmth, lost in thought.
A minute later, Watari rolled a large, four-wheeled mechanism with tubes coming out from all over it into the room, "I will be connecting you both up unto this machine. It will warm you up internally."
"Thank you, Wammy, as prepared as always. Though more so than usual…" L eyed the medical machine behind him. "Tell me, is this a common occurrence?"
"As a matter of fact, L, it is as common as daily life. I've come to experience all sorts come out of the Mother Lake the past 5 years. I'm surprised you didn't arrive sooner. It made me hope you survived the attack..." The elderly man trailed off.
L's hand waved flippantly, "Oh I died shortly after you did. Wammy, pray tell me more. What sorts of people? Where are we?"
"Ah, I had quite the help coming out of the lake actually. Rem pulled me out almost immediately as I fell in. I count myself fortunate, as I wouldn't be so sure I would have made it out by myself. As for what this place is… I can only say that I know only those that have died can arrive here. You will have to visit the city to find out more." Watari hooked Light up to the machine, while L did so for himself. Warm fluids coursed throughout their body pleasantly.
"Rem… the death god? She is here?" L found that surprising. He took his time to ponder the equality in death.
"Quite. She stays in this outhouse, I suspect she is waiting for Misa." Watari proceeded to lay fluffy blankets on the two new arrivals.
"I see… Is there anyone else I should be notified about?"
"As a matter of fact… Soichiro Yagami arrived not too long ago. Does the fact that Light Yagami is here as well mean that he is not Kira?"
"Not at all - he is for sure Kira. Light has admitted the fact to me more than once, I should say."
Watari chuckled, "Before or after you died?"
L smiled, "Both times. Besides the point, is Yagami-san here in the outhouse as well or is he in the city you mentioned?"
"He is here. Should I inform him his son has arrived?"
L appraised the thought, "Does he know?"
"He does not. Rather, he is as adamant as always that Light is innocent. He mentioned something along the lines of trading half his life for the eyes and confirming he could see Lights numbers."
"Interesting…. A surprising turn of events. I'll have to catch up on what has happened after my death later. Call him over if you would please, Wammy. I would like to see something for myself."
"Of course." Watari left the room.
L shook his head and mused at Light, "Have you ever in your life told the truth, Light? I hope you can hear me, because I'll give you your small warning before your father arrives." L jabbed the man next to him gently on the ribs.
Light grumbled groggily. "You won't let me rest for even a second will you? What have you tied me to this time?" Light was still dazed, trying to make sense of their new surroundings.
"Light, have you heard anything I've said?"
"Frankly, L, no. What were you talking about? All I heard was that somebody else was in here… Why?" Light narrowed his eyes in suspicion.
"That would be Watari. He is calling your father over now. I'm sure you would like to see him."
Light froze. "My...father is here? I… of course." He hesitated, going deep into thought.
L took that as an admission of fault,"I'm not surprised you don't want to meet him… after all… I'm sure you still haven't told him the truth."
Light allowed himself to look genuinely shocked. "Are you doing this as revenge?"
The detective chuckled; giving slight pause as he proposed a trade, "that, or you could give me something in exchange for my silence…"
Light shook his head, "Hah. I knew you weren't as honorable as you claimed you were."
"Whoever said that? Honestly, Light. I have never once claimed I was honorable."
"You screamed justice at me! You said I was evil!"
"Oh? Still holding a grudge on that are you? I figured you liked these kinds of games..."
Light peered at L's obsidian eyes, trying to find an answer in his reactions. The raven-haired man chuckled and gave nothing away except amusement. Light fought an incoming migraine and massaged his temples.
"You're right, for a second there I had forgotten you were the type of person who only 'did the world a favor' for fun. You've never admitted it, but I bet you only did detective work because it was fun. That's why you only took on cases that interest you..."
"Now, however did you figure that out?" L concluded mischievously.
Light couldn't help but smirk, "You're a terrible human being."
"Oh, I would never argue that." The detective then turned to face Light more seriously, "...However, it is besides the point. Light, you need to hurry with your decision - I'm not sure how much longer it will take Yagami-san to enter the room. So, do we have a deal?"
Light narrowed his eyes. He didn't know what the deal entailed. He supposed it wasn't beyond L to recruit criminals into his arsenal… but for what? Especially in this new place?
"Details." Light demanded.
"No time - Look, Light, I hear the doorknob turning and voices. Yes or no?" The detective comically cupped his ear in his hands.
Light internally screamed. He wasn't ready to face his father. He recognized that voice, along with Watari's immediately. Even if he did admit to his father he was Kira all along… Light feared his father's disappointment would have been so heavy, he wouldn't hesitate to shoot him dead on the spot. It wasn't that Soichiro was the kind of person who wouldn't try to understand… but the vivid memory of it had given Light such a lasting impression… it was hard for him to let go of the fear. The fear that his father didn't want him anymore.
"Fine!" Light hissed under his breath.
The door opened almost immediately after. Light had to wonder if L had calculated everything.
"Light!" Soichiro Yagami came strolling into the room, eyes wide and worried.
"Dad." He weakly replied back. Light inhaled deeply before his father embraced him in a tight hug.
"Son. I'm so glad to see you, I'm so sorry to have left Sachiko, Sayu and you all alone. You must tell me everything that's happened after my death. Are they alright? Did Kira finally get to you too? I'm so sorry, Light. If only I could've fought longer with you all. I'm so sorry you got caught up in everything."
His father continued to send profuse apologies about his early death and how Light could have possibly avoided death had he pursued a different career path. That he honestly hoped they would have won in the end… that he could imagine a world with Kira no more. How he dreaded what the world would have become now that the tyrant Kira reigned ever stronger. What it meant that Light had died so early in the fight against him. Most of it were assumptions of what happened, but every story his father had concocted only served to render Light ever more livid.
Light stuck in parental embrace was able to observe that L had gotten up from their position on the rug and whispered something to Watari. Presumably their deal.
Every second his father went on, it took Light every fiber of his control to keep to not break into a bundle of nerves. He had never expected to have to explain to his father… he had ensured his father would never know.
The time it took his father to ramble, the genius was able to create a new alibi for his swallowed a knot in his throat as he prepared his incoming speech.
"Dad, I'm sorry too. I got too eager, I really wanted to avenge you… and Ryuuzaki, and everyone else that had died… We got pretty close, and we were finally working together with Near. After we saved Sayu from that man…" Light gave a few believable pauses and pained expressions (it wasn't too hard).
He told a story about how Near's assistant made a replica of another death note and were going to use it to capture Kira. How they got as far as cornering him to a warehouse… but one of Kira's followers had unexpectedly snuck up on them. How he had the eyes, and another sheet of the death note hidden away.
"I tried to save everyone else and shot him before he wrote anyone else's name… but before I was too late and he wrote the rest of my name in blood. I don't know what happened next. I don't even know if we even tracked the right person… I'm so sorry dad.. I thought we were so close."
He tried to keep it as brief and close to the original as possible. It ended up a mouthful still. The grip Soichiro Yagami had on his son only became tighter. Light tried not to grimace. It was endearing…however, the lying son had much more complicated feelings than that.
L pitched in soon after, "We all tried our best, he just bested the best that's all. Though it will always require further investigation... It's no longer something we have to worry about Yagami-san. Other than obtaining scraps of information from more dead; which I suspect you would enjoy no such thing… there is no longer anything we can do. Let us focus on the present."
"...You're right, L. Of course. Of course, you are." Soichiro Yagami gave his son one last tight hug before letting go and facing the rest of the room, "Welcome to...well… this place." He mentioned vaguely.
Light smiled gingerly at the support. L had ulterior motives of course, but Light would think a way out of that one soon enough. He always did. He was just glad it was over and behind them. Now he had to catch up on what 'this place' actually was. What did he miss while he was passed out?
"I'm still planning to wait here for Sachiko to arrive… " His father admitted. Light deduced there was some form of housing for those still in wait for other loved ones to die, "But, I promise, after you have everything settled for you in the city, I'll come and visit."
"...the city?" Light asked.
"Yes, the city, Light." His father gave Watari a quick glance, before Watari nodded. "Watari and I will guide you there, and you'll see for yourself."
His eyes widened, "What do you do there?"
"I can't say too much… but you'll be given a choice. It's nothing to be worried about, Son. I'll be there watching you. I'll say this much though: it reminds me of a court of law. " His father smiled at him. "Oh, and you can decide to stay here for a while longer... if you're waiting for someone in particular."
His father raised a brow at Light, implying Light was waiting for… Misa. Light held a cringe. No, he definitely was not. He shook his head, "Not at all dad, I'm ready to move on. Misa can too."
This surprised Soichiro, but he didn't question it. He supposed they weren't as committed yet as say he and Sachiko were. The older man considered that the girl was probably young and could still move on with someone else. Misa was unlikely to be caught up as a victim of Kira. He nodded, satisfied with the brief explanation.
"After me." Watari held the door towards another room, and guided everyone in. "The city isn't too far. We will arrive within 10 minutes of walking, approximately."
L gave Light a quick mischievous glance, before proceeding through the door, mouthing 'don't forget our deal'.
Light smiled, now manufacturing a dozen counter plans he would unleash if L took the deal too far. Rather, Light pulled forward within an inch of the detective's ear and whispered.
"I'm counting on it."
...
Endnotes:
I've been listening to this death note AMV called 'look at what you made me do' and it's actually a lot better than I expected it to me. It's set on repeat for me now. Shhhhh. It's good I swear.
And as always, thank you for the faves and follows! I've also recently gotten an AO3 account, so I'll be posting this story up there tonight as well!