Chapter 6: The origins of a zealous santa.
Summary:
Light and Soichiro have a tense argument due to Rem's appearance, asking about Misa. L spices up the deal.
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"Charming villains have always had a decided social advantage over well-meaning people who chew with their mouths open." ― Judith Martin
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Light felt the tendrils of excitement course through his spine as he pressured L to regret his decision to blackmail him. Regardless of however they felt about each other, Light didn't appreciate having something held over him. He would turn the tables around and L would bitterly regret ever trying. If there was anyone who was going to be blackmailing anyone ever: it would be Light.
L didn't visibly react to Light's statement - he merely smudged his thumb to his lips as usual. The group blandly followed Watari through the door. Soichiro noticed a strange exchange between the two men; however, chocked it up to the two genii being up to their usual insufferable shenanigans again. All the time he had spent in the Kira task force wasn't for nothing - he achieved an almost zen-like patience. He rubbed his temples trying to prevent an oncoming migraine from the flashback.
They had arrived into a medium-sized hallway: red carpet lined the floor and intricate carvings decorated the wooden beams above them. There were rows and rows of doors, spaced mildly apart… almost like an apartment. The hallway opened up into a larger space with a high ceiling - the ceiling consisted of glass supported by dark beams. It reminded them of the exterior glasshouse they had seen on the forefront of the structure. A second loft floor was visible from where the group stood, it connected to a few rooms and balconies.
Rem could be seen on the second floor, leaning upon the wooden railing. She waved.
Watari smiled and waved back. Light curiously noted the welcoming interaction. It was strange to see the death god who had written 'Quillish Wammy' into her own notebook being so amicable with the older gentleman. Light could see L sneak a glance at Light, before returning his gaze upwards to where the death god that slew him stood.
"Light." Rem started, "I didn't expect you to arrive here so soon."
Light was more surprised than she was, "Rem. I didn't know death gods arrived in the same place as humans. Did you know about this?"
"No, the secrets of death are known only by the King of Death. It was a well guarded secret, I hadn't expected it either." Rem's gaze intensified on Light, she wanted to ask about Misa.
However, before the conversation could progress further L decided to interrupt, "Rem, you are the death god that wrote my name, is that correct?"
"That is correct." Rem turned her gaze to the detective. Her cat eyes narrowed in suspicion, "You have right to be angry, but I do not regret killing you, and never will - L Lawliet. I did it to protect Misa." L grimaced at the mention of his full name. Light inwardly cheered Rem on.
"I harbor no ill will, Rem. I was merely curious. I heard you saved Wammy from the… 'Motherlake' as he has called it, and I am forever grateful."
Watari and Rem exchanged a look, before she nodded accepting the thanks. She resumed her conversation with Light after giving Watari an OK sign. Light felt a little weird about the interaction, but brushed it off. "Light, I would like to know what has happened to Misa. Is she alright as you have promised?"
Soichiro seemed taken aback, "Misa was the second Kira after all! Ryuuzaki, you were right all along! Son, what is this promise you made with her? Are you the first Kira?"
It was Light's turn to grimace. L may have promised his silence, and by extension Watari's… however, he didn't know if Rem would keep her mouth shut. Thankfully, the newfound friendship between Watari and Rem worked in his favor. Watari made a very discreet motion for silence towards Rem. Seeing the index finger hovering over the older gentleman's mouth, she took the hint.
"I don't know." Now, that sounded like the Rem Light remembered. "Do not blame Misa, Soichiro Yagami, it was I that dropped the death note on her on purpose. It is mine to blame." Rem looked at Light for help continuing her story, Light happily obliged.
"I'm sorry dad… I suspected Misa might have been the second Kira, but by the time I knew… she had lost her memories of it! I wanted to protect her dad… I'm sure you'd understand… It wasn't her fault.. I needed to take care of her. Rem promised to never let Misa have another death note in order for her safety… please forgive me dad… I didn't mean to keep it a secret… Even if she was put in jail… it wouldn't have been fair. She's didn't remember anything." Light lied through his teeth. L seemed to think this was funny, he could tell, even when the detective didn't make a single facial twitch. It aggravated him.
"Son…" His father grappled for words. He wanted to say many things. His disappointment, his understanding, his anger. "I understand why you did it… However, that wasn't for you to decide… you could have at least revealed the situation… Perhaps then… Ryuuzaki.. No, L Lawliet was it? Watari and so many others wouldn't have died. We could have figured so many things out, if only you let the law work it's end. Son… I am disappointed in you."
Light's hand formed a fist, clutching nothing. He angrily looked at the carpeted floor, distraught. His father's disappointment was hard to swallow, but he had avoided a landmine. He needed to keep it together. Light took a steady breath and made ready for a performance.
He turned around to face his father, eyes glowing with a hint of sadness. Regretful doe eyes were turned on full force as he connected his gaze with his father's aged, disappointed one. "Dad, I'm so sorry… please… forgive me." Light's lips trembled slightly, and tears glistened on his face, "I'm so sorry…" He repeated. Light deviously let his face turn towards the floor, letting his crocodile tears trickle down his cheeks by gravity. "I'm so sorry dad, I'm so sorry… please forgive me… I really wanted to protect her! I didn't believe the law would protect her! Ryuuzaki promised a death sentence! I couldn't let her die like that! Dad! Please understand me! I really am sorry!" He cried out, voice cracking just ever so slightly.
His father struggled to come to terms with this. L fidgeted at the slight jab Light had inserted in there just for him. Rem and Watari watched on, every now and then exchanging glances.
"Son I-" Soichiro started.
"Yagami-san." L interrupted quickly, hoping to diffuse the situation, "We all have regrets about what could have happened, I understand your feelings on the matter. However, I believe it is in our best interests to move on as Rem and Wammy have. I would hate to see your and Light-kun's relationship deteriorate because of something we can no longer do anything about. I know how much this case meant to you, your family and Light-kun as well. Let us focus on the future: the city, and our relationships."
"I.. You're right. Of course you are, L. Thank you." Light's father turned towards him and took him in embrace once more, "Let us focus on the future Light, I… know I have a lot of feelings about the matter… but Light, you will always be my son, and you have always made me proud. Let us put the matter behind us. I love you, son. I… forgive you."
Light replied, slowly, surprised by the sudden contact. "...I love you too, dad." He embraced him back, "Thank you… for forgiving me." The lies were suffocating, but he didn't want to hurt his father. He had meant it when he said that he would put an end to Kira if anything happened to him… but by the time it did, Light was in far too deep. He genuinely grimaced, and wiped his own tears on his sleeve.
Watari broke the insufferable embrace by suggesting, "Would you like to delay going to the city? We could stay here for a while longer if you would like…"
Light wiped the rest of his tears away and resumed a straight face, "No, as L said, I want to focus on the future. The sooner we move on, the better. Lead us to the city please… Watari, or should I say Mr. Quillish Wammy?" The faster he got away from his father, the better. As easy as it was for Light to act his way out of anything, it wasn't as if he enjoyed doing it to his father.
"Quillish is fine, Light." Watari gave a cordial smile. "Let us be on our way."
"Of course." Soichiro too gathered his wits and brushed his ruffled shirt back down.
Watari started walking again, and the group started proceeding forward to two large doors that lead to what seemed like the more official entrance to the outhouse.
Rem called out once more before they exited through the doors, "Light, you haven't answered my question!"
Light shouted back at her reassuringly, "Misa should be fine! Up to my death, she lived happily as my fiance in a comfy apartment! I don't think she'll be implicated in any way after my death, nobody knows! I kept my promise."
Rem nodded solemnly, satisfied with his answer. She was glad her sacrifice wasn't for nothing, "Thank you, Light. Good luck."
Watari threw jackets on the group, and forced L to wear boots (to his disdain). They hadn't gotten a chance to change, but their clothes had sufficiently dried from being close to the fireplace. Watari explained that they would get a chance to buy new clothes after they got papers sorted out. They exited the doors into the snowy landscape once more, in gear this time. It had stopped raining, and the fog began to thin, revealing a red moon in the distance. It was however, oddly, not dark.
Soichiro strode forward, leading the way along with Watari. The two older gentlemen began to chatter with each other as their boots crunched in the snow. Like nothing in the world was odd about the sky or the moon or anything else for that matter.
Light and L followed along behind them. The two were busy scrutinizing their new environment. Looking behind them, Light could see the outhouse growing smaller and a tiny glimmer in the distance he suspected was the lake they had appeared out of. Both evergreen and deciduous trees surrounded them. He could spot fresh grass underneath the snow. It must be Spring.
L stood straight, suddenly. He leaned in and whispered into Light's ears, "You know Light, I think I'm going to start upping the severity of the 'gift' every time I have to get you out of these situations. For my efforts, you know."
Light's eyes widened, then narrowed into slits. He growled under his breath, "That wasn't the deal, L! You can't just change the deal whenever you'd like."
"On the contrary, Light, I could always tell Yagami-san right now…"
Light's nostrils flared, and his fists hooked into L's jacket, about to throttle him, "You fucking dare-"
"Yagami-san!" L called out playfully.
Light hissed and let go of him. "L..." He gave a warning tone.
Soichiro turned around, brow raised, "Yes, L?"
L whispered quickly into Light's ears, "Now, is the deal still on?" L then increased the pace of his walk to catch up with Soichiro and Watari, effectively leaving Light behind without letting him reply.
"Yagami-san! I wanted to confess something to you!"
Light gasped.
"Oh? What is that?" His father replied.
Light quickly raced to catch up with the three, before things could get any worse. He grabbed L's shoulder and squeezed it - nails digging as deep, vindictively.
"Me too dad! I was going to say, Quillish was saying we could buy new clothes in the city and well, L here was going to tattle on me. I wanted to get you a surprise, but he got jealous and was going to jokingly bug you about it. Tsk. Tsk. L. I was going to tell him… that him that as long as he keeps it a secret, I'd give him anything he wanted. So ignore him dad, it's supposed to be a surprise."
L grinned mischievously, as if delighted he was caught in the act, and happier still to get compensation for it. Light knew better. This bastard. Light smiled and tried to keep the friendly best friend act. Soichiro chuckled.
"Alright, alright. Shame on you, L. Trying to ruin a son's surprise. I promise I will pretend I heard nothing."
Yeah. Shame on you, L. Light gave L his most murderous smile. L only seemed to get more gleeful. Watari chuckled. Light sarcastically promised himself to be a very dedicated Santa for when L got his 'gift'.
"Boys, boys. We're nearly there. Look, you can see the city from here." Watari pointed into the distance. He was right, there they could see rows and rows of illuminating street lamps. Light could see great big bridges standing over large rivers, tall rows of buildings close to each other without end, and an exceptional clock tower looming in the distance. Fog continued to obscure the view but the scenic landscape was impressive. Light felt in awe, he had never left Japan before… and to see something look so foreign and different was...amazing.
"Doesn't it remind you of home, L?" Watari beamed fondly.
"Yes… it does, Wammy. I've been dazzled." L looked contemplative.
From what Light knew of Quillish Wammy, he was a famous inventor originating from England… England huh… Light couldn't say precisely.. But from the pictures he had seen of England, he could say the city reminded him of London. The city of Mu, looks like London. What a strange thought.
"The building on the outer edge is where we will be going." Soichiro pointed at the olden looking court building, "We're nearly there."
The group gazed upon the establishment, and slowly but surely, arrived.
"Welcome, please enter room 523." The clerk motioned. Soichiro and Watari nodded, leading Light and L further inwards. Light inhaled softly, it smelled like a courtroom too. He had been to many to study crime… He pondered the familiarity and unfamiliarity.
What next?
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Endnotes:
remember kids, naughty children get heart-attacks for christmas