So... a bit of an author's note here. Obviously, I don't update very often. But I DO UPDATE. This story is certainly not abandoned and I thank everyone who has left a review for me because you guys are awesome and if you there wasn't this much support, it might actually have been abandoned around chapter 2 or something. BUT THERE WILL BE A CHAPTER SIX, SO DON'T FREAK OUT. Anyway, let me know what you think about this chapter in the form of a review, or if you have any questions, I'm always happy to answer them.
So thankies to: RuByMoOn17, selinaMatanteiLoki4ever, Fredryck, jHeyTTernallie, Tetsukon, SlvrSoleAlchmst1, RyougaZell (even if you aren't reading anymore because there is a possibitlity of yaoi *snort*), Nubial Sheep, Unknown, Kerii-tan, Anime-StarWars-fan-zach, AshBender (Oh, yes, the Magnificent Bastardry surely does XD), Arai Yuudai (unless you prefer Yuudai Arai), PurpleKiwi, Peacemaker17, SimplyMagic-x, Himizu, The Blizzard Alchemist, ???, Crazy Little Feline, Kirikomi (HEY EVERYONE, CHECK OUT THE AWESOME FAN ART FOR THIS STORY BY KIRIKOMI-THERE BE A LINK ON MY PROFILE PAGE), Zammy, Hokaru-no-Maki-to-sendo, chinoodin, Ken Wise, HayashiOkami, Serena the Hikari of Love, Nameless Witch, Tanya Adams 64, bloddyknight85, ss, deathnoteno1fan-codegeasslover (thank you for the compliments--I shall work on my writhing), Kalaong, Esmenet, Ireina Kurotsuki, Infinite Hypernova of Despair, aaattttackkkkk, shukuun, Noir Idol, lunabell0, Miraploy (I laugh when you write 'sux' then ask me to update, XD), and Hyrulehalfbreed.
And special thanks to: The Angelic Demoness, Tobi Tortue, and Bolinoak for helping with the beta process. And everyone should thank KuroAngelique, for kicking me into gear to finish the chapter, which you'll all be glad to know is MUCH longer than usual. Think of it as my way of trying to make up for it.
And on a final note, the most yaoi it gets in this chapter are angry/scared eye stares. So my non-yaoi readers, you have nothing much to fear. Yaoi-readers: interpret how you will. All: Enjoy.
The Chess Match
5
--L/L—
"C.C…. is the monster still following him?" Lelouch asked, peering out the second story window. Light Yagami was walking down the sandy gravel drive towards the clubhouse, the sun drawing closer to the horizon.
The green-haired witch blinked, flicking her eyes sideways out the window. "Yes."
Lelouch's fist clenched. So, Kira would be listening in on the dinner conversation. The exiled prince gritted his teeth. How had he managed to invite Kira to the same table as Nunnally? The very same Kira who aspired to exterminate Britannian nobility?
Noticing C.C.'s honey eyes on him, Lelouch calmed himself. There wasn't anything he could do about the situation now, and he still held the advantage. No one else knew that Lelouch was aware of the beast's existence, and it was unlikely that Kira knew of Lelouch and Nunnally's true identities.
"You'd probably better go, Lelouch," C.C. drawled, "Light will be at the door soon."
Lelouch swallowed his anxiety uneasily, but then left the emotion behind, mentally putting on his mask. "You'll need to watch Kira's movements during dinner. I'll need to ascertain its level of threat… if you get the suspicion that it will kill, removing Nunnally from the situation is the highest priority."
C.C. smirked as Lelouch rattled off his orders. "Of course, Lord Zero. Now that we've gone over this plan a third time, I'm sure I won't forget how useful my eyes are."
Lelouch's look in return was hard. "This isn't a joking matter, C.C.. And right now, it's already dangerous enough for me to be Lelouch… don't complicate things."
C.C. sighed and leaned against the wall near the window, her hand brushing the drapes. Lelouch took it as a sign of compliance with his wishes and turned on his heel, heading down the stairs.
His heart quickened despite his resolve when the knock sounded, echoing across the large front room. Sayako appeared from the kitchen entrance, but Lelouch waved her away with a smile, being closest to the door.
He forced himself to smile before he opened it. "Yagami, I'm glad you could make it."
Light was standing before him, still in his school uniform, his auburn hair catching the long rays of the evening sun. Lelouch smothered the unnerving feeling of being in Light's presence and stepped back. "Please come inside."
"Thank you, and excuse me for the intrusion," Light replied politely. He bowed slightly as he entered, a movement Lelouch recognized as something Suzaku would do. The Britannian kept the slight smirk off his face… of course one couldn't stamp the ideals out of a Japanese person. It was something Lelouch could only approve of, showing that perhaps Light wasn't as thoroughly Britannian as his honorable status would imply.
"We'll be having dinner in the courtyard," Lelouch informed his guest, leading the way among the many small circular tables towards the inner sanctuary. Light's eyes kept landing on the intricate centerpieces, and Lelouch felt like he could nearly read the expression on the other boy's face. Light held his face nearly slack so that anyone looking would assume he was relaxed. Except that Lelouch wasn't just anyone and knew how to read faces. It was the slightest twitch of Light's eyes that gave him away, the chocolate orbs never settling on any single object for very long. Still, Light must be an exceptional actor to make Lelouch hesitate to guess exactly what the other boy was hiding. Jealousy at the extravagant wealth portrayed? Or perhaps anger?
Lelouch glanced away quickly before Light caught him studying the other boy. It wouldn't do for Light to realize how much Lelouch enjoyed seeing Light out of his element. Reaching the doors, the prince swept them both open dramatically, hoping to dazzle the poorer student with the setting.
"Brother?" Nunnally called from near the rose bushes across the courtyard, her dress a matching pastel pink. The lingering scent of the flowers wafted gently towards the two boys, but it was nearly drowned out by the rich smells from the covered dishes set out neatly. Sayako seemed to appear as if by magic from another entryway to the courtyard, holding one last steaming dish. The effect was everything Lelouch could flaunt to his rival: Britannian wealth, power, and beauty all in radiant display, and it was Light's kind, the Japanese, that served him. Light had no place challenging Lelouch at anything. His purple eyes slid sideways, watching Light's reaction, even as he called back in reply to Nunnally.
Light's face still gave off his relaxed pose, and Lelouch couldn't tell if Light had gotten his message, which was irksome. While Lelouch could not have arranged dinner any other way—that was how any guest of his would eat—the meal certainly pointed to Lelouch's superiority over Light. He waited for Light to make his move, something that would indirectly address the issue, like placing a pawn in a near-threatening position. His heart skipped as Light turned to him, then it fell out through his feet when the Honorary Britannian smiled. It was almost as if he could physically feel his mask cracking and slipping.
"It's very nice, Lelouch," he said, looking his addressee in the eye so that Lelouch had to suppress the instinct to Geass him into complete submission out of some sudden and unexplainable fear, "I suppose I'll get the honor of meeting your sister now?"
His question and allusion to Nunnally startled Lelouch enough to give him the motivation to recover, snapping his mask back into place. He was again calm and cool. So what if Light hadn't been impressed thus far?
"Ah, of course." Lelouch stepped down, and crossed the courtyard to Nunnally's wheelchair. His sister's face followed the sound of their footsteps as they approached.
"And you must be Light, am I correct?" Nunnally questioned innocently when their footsteps ceased.
"Yes," Light replied with a warm tenderness that Lelouch had never heard in his voice before. In that instant, Lelouch remembered with some bewilderment that Light had a younger sister as well. "And you would be Nunnally."
"I am," she stated plainly, then held out a hand. "If you don't mind, I'd like to have your hand… I can't see, so it's the best I can do to get a feel for someone's character."
Light obliged, placing his hand into Nunnally's outstretched ones. She felt his hands carefully, a slight crease in her forehead before her fingers graced over the end of his ring finger and the slight callus there. Her expression changed into a warm smile. "Ah, Light must write a lot, don't you? And such a warm hand."
"I admit I spend a lot of my time studying," Light confessed to the girl, before extracting his hand carefully. The Japanese youth smiled, but Lelouch felt a small wave of protectiveness wash over him. While he'd certainly rather have Light smile at Nunnally, it didn't mean he liked it.
"Now that introductions are out of the way, shall we eat?" Lelouch asked, gesturing with a hand towards the laden table. He moved behind Nunnally's wheelchair and pushed her to the head of the table where a place was set except for a chair. Lelouch next motioned to the chair at Nunnally's left and opposite to his own for Light. "Please have a seat, Yagami."
There was a few minutes of quiet interspersed only with the clanking of dinnerware and polite requests for dishes to be passed. Then came the typical remarks from the guest as Light first tasted the food. And yet, Lelouch wasn't satisfied. Here was his rival, calmly accepting the way of the world and its codes of politeness with ease and grace. It didn't fit with what Lelouch had expected from him. Where was Light's challenging nature? The crackling intensity that Lelouch had been anticipating?
It was annoying to find the feeling missing.
Lelouch watched Light gently cut a piece of steak, and deftly take it into his mouth. The Honorary Britannian didn't look up, and the edges of his hair grazed the tips of his eyelashes. A study in grace, Lelouch thought darkly, not wanting to admit that Light might indeed be winning this round.
"Forgive me for being so curious, Light, but do you have any hobbies? What club are you in?" Nunnally asked, her child's voice sweet and innocent between mouthfuls.
Lelouch watched Light carefully as he responded. "I used to play tennis in junior high, so I was considering joining the tennis club, although…" Light looked up to meet Lelouch in the eyes, sending a jolt of exhilaration through Lelouch, "…I might pick up horseback riding, seeing as how much I enjoyed that experience."
Light's face plainly said otherwise, even though his voice was smooth enough to fool Nunnally. Lelouch was at once wary and entranced.
"Really? I'm glad you weren't unable to enjoy the sport after my brother's contest. You really shouldn't let him get away with things like that, Light," Nunnally said, relief evident in her voice, although it was obvious that Lelouch was also being scolded. That had to be mended first, and he turned away from Light.
"I didn't know the horse would throw him, Nunnally," Lelouch replied gently, before his eyes were drawn back to Light's almond magnets. But then he couldn't resist pushing their contest one step further. "And I had thought Yagami was more capable of holding on. I suppose I overestimated his abilities."
The corners of Light's lips curved upward, and Lelouch felt it in the pit of his stomach. He forced himself to sit still in his seat, knowing any ruffle of his clothes could be a hint to Nunnally. There was no doubt in Lelouch's mind that Light had already thought the same thing… realizing they could hold a conversation solely with their eyes, their syllables full of double meanings and hidden insults.
"I suppose I was simply unlucky when I first chose the horse," Light replied, his chocolate eyes saying he knew Lelouch was responsible for the horse's behavior. A thrill of excitement and dread raced through Lelouch's veins. The Japanese boy had decided it was Lelouch's fault and yet they both knew he had no way to prove it. Lelouch could tell it must irritate the young detective to no end. He allowed himself a small smile, conceding to Light that he was responsible for the sabotage.
"Normally, all the horses are so well behaved, it was quite shocking," Lelouch replied smoothly.
Nunnally smiled into the air between them. "It must have been a frightening experience, but I'm glad you're okay, Light. It's very nice to be able to speak with you."
"Your words are very kind, Nunnally," Light replied tenderly, and Lelouch felt his protective instinct flare up again.
"It seems like Brother enjoys your company as well," the girl continued, tilting her head to Lelouch's side of the table.
Lelouch wasn't sure what to say for a moment, unsure of how Nunnally had reached the conclusion that she had. "Ah," he began, realizing there was really only one option for his answer. "That's correct."
Light smirked, and Lelouch fought to overcome the urge to reach across the table and slap it off his face.
"I, too, enjoy your brother's company," Light replied softly, making Lelouch's hair stand on end. His chocolate eyes landed on Lelouch's purple ones, with the look of a cat that is no longer hungry, but looking for something to play with. Nunnally just smiled again, blissfully unaware of their eye contact.
"With you two being the top of your class, it's no wonder you'd be friends," she commented. Lelouch held back the urge to correct Nunnally; Light was not his friend. An easy smile played across the lips of his rival, and Lelouch was positive it was to cover up the same thought, especially because Light wasn't bothering to hide it.
"You're probably right, Nunnally. Like attracts like, doesn't it?" Lelouch questioned rhetorically, keeping his tone buoyant, but he glared at Light to give him the opposite meaning. They were nothing alike at all.
The look he received in return was a raised eyebrow. Lelouch's mind spun rapidly through possibilities; Light thought they were similar? Lelouch found himself reacting to that idea vehemently, his stomach twisting with a deep loathing. Light, while not a normal student, was a student. Lelouch, on the other hand, was far more; as an exiled Britannian prince, he had carried Nunnally through piles of bodies, been granted a Geass, and was now the most wanted terrorist that walked the earth. There was no way Light could compare himself to Lelouch.
"I wouldn't say that is necessarily always true, Lelouch. Usually people are attracted to whom they find superior," Light answered, and then adjusted his gaze. A glass door covering Light's eyes shattered open, an invisible barricade falling to reveal the force of Light's true strength. Lelouch had assumed that he could see everything clearly into Light's eyes, but now, suddenly the intensity of what he could see was entirely different. It was like Lelouch had been looking through a window, not thinking about or even noticing the transparent wall. But with the glass gone, the scene became sharper, fuller, simply… more. In the same fashion, Light's eyes burned with a radiance and luminosity that Lelouch hadn't seen since their chess match. Coupled with his slight arrogant smile, Lelouch felt that if he hadn't been sitting down, his knees would have given out. There wasn't anything he could do to a look like that, even as he felt his eyes widening slightly, his breath not quite as steady… even if he knew all that, he couldn't change it.
"Oh?" Nunnally asked earnestly, luckily saving Lelouch from fumbling with a reply. "Is Brother someone you look up to?"
Light chuckled and released Lelouch from his eyes. Lelouch could barely hear Light's response over the sudden thundering of his heart in his ears. "Maybe a little, but I think your brother looks up to me as well."
Nunnally clapped her hands together once, apparently delighted that someone was challenging Lelouch's well-known ego. Lelouch slowly found his way out of his near-frozen state, his mind picking up possibilities with growing momentum. Why did Light have that effect on him? Why was it so difficult to think when Light looked at him? Why was he always aware of Light's presence? How was Light able to nearly knock him off his feet with a single glance?
Lelouch clenched his teeth, loathing Light's impossible control over him with every fiber of his being. And yet, another possibility flickered at the back of his mind. He didn't want to go there, and yet… had anyone else asked those questions, Lelouch would have told them that—
"Brother?" Nunnally's voice snapped Lelouch out of his tangled thoughts.
"Yes?" he replied automatically. Light smirked knowingly and unnervingly.
"Shall we have dessert now?" she queried, her face tilted towards him.
"Ah, yes. I'll ring for Sayako." Lelouch took it as an opportunity to stand and leave the table, forcing his feet to remain steady. Thankfully, his gait was regular as he went to the doors and pulled a cord that would alert the maid that she was needed. Nunnally and Light's continued conversation was just quiet enough that Lelouch could only pick up the general tones and a handful of phrases. Light said something, and Nunnally giggled, her laughter tinkling across the courtyard making Lelouch tense up as Sayako appeared from a side door. He didn't like it that Light could make his sister laugh so easily; it meant she would probably want to talk to the Honorary Britannian more and that Kira would be near Nunnally again.
"Is it time for dessert, Master Lelouch?" Sayako asked, looking out to the table with her hands clasped together in front of her.
"Ah, yes, Sayako," Lelouch replied, his own eyes drifting back to the two still at the table. "Please bring it out."
"Of course," the woman answered politely, bowing a step back and retreating to the kitchen.
Trying not to walk too quickly, Lelouch headed back across the courtyard and took his seat. It took him a moment to realize exactly what the two were discussing, but his heart suddenly froze to ice with fear as he did. Light gave him an affable look, the undercurrent of electricity hidden back behind his glassy eyes. Nunnally turned to Lelouch next, her ears obviously picking up the sound of his chair scooting back in.
"You don't think Kira is really a single person, do you, Brother?" Her forehead was crinkled, and Lelouch knew it was at the thought of Kira's murders. His own stomach twisted in fear; Kira was there, invisible and silent, watching all three of them.
"Of course not, Nunnally," Lelouch responded, reaching out and patting her hand to reassure the girl. "People don't have that kind of power."
Neither do they have Geass, his mind replied insistently. It was an idea he'd toyed with before: Kira's power being a Geass. Until he'd seen the monster.
"Then do you think Kira is some kind of god?" Light asked, sounding only vaguely interested. Except Lelouch knew that Light should be very interested in Kira, having his whole life ripped apart by it. Light's own father had been in charge of the investigation, his country invaded. Light was acting, playing at something, and Lelouch was determined to play right back in order to prevent Kira from hearing his true beliefs.
"A god? Of course not," the Britannian scoffed. "Surely Kira is a group of people working together, like terrorists."
"But no one's managed to find any clues to such a network of terrorists. The group would have to be enormous, and yet there's no trace," Light argued, his tone still somewhat carefree as if he didn't care of the outcome.
"No one's managed to find out who Zero is either," Lelouch countered.
"But people have seen Zero. Kira, on the other hand, doesn't seem to have a face to conceal."
"That's because Kira is so many different faces," Lelouch replied, trying not to get annoyed. As much as he disliked Light, having him get too close to the truth of the single monster and then collapsing at Lelouch's dinner table from a heart attack would be too mortifying. For Nunnally, of course. "Like I said, Kira isn't just a single person."
Light seemed to lose interest in that particular argument suddenly, leaning back in his chair and pausing for several seconds before he opened his mouth again. He looked directly across the table, his chocolate eyes finding their way into Lelouch's amethyst ones. "And what do you think about what Kira does, Lelouch?"
Lelouch felt the world contract around him, everything around Light losing focus. This was a question Light cared about, he knew instinctively. The Japanese boy looked relaxed, sitting across the table from him, and yet the air was brittle and tense. Lelouch wondered wildly if the monster was affecting the atmosphere, if his survival in the next few moments depended on his answer.
"That's a difficult question, Yagami," Lelouch stalled, his mouth slowly drying out. Certainly he couldn't say he agreed with the monster for Nunnally's sake, but neither could he say he was against it with the creature lurking invisibly. And if he lied too obviously, Light would likely pick up on it. They each knew the other was intelligent and capable of thinking through logical reasons for liking and disliking Kira, and no matter what Lelouch answered, Light would inspect his reasoning from every angle, playing devil's advocate until one of them was forced to concede.
But what did Lelouch really think of Kira? While on one hand, killing off the Britannian royal family was also one of Lelouch's goals, there was no way he wanted Kira to kill them all before he got the chance to have his revenge. However dark he found it, Lelouch knew he wanted to be the one to pull the trigger, to look the Emperor in the eye and have that man know that it was his abandoned son who had been his downfall. If Kira took that from him, Lelouch wouldn't know quite what to do. On the other hand, if Kira found that he and Nunnally were royalty, would Kira kill them? Of course, neither of them had done anything wrong on record. Would Kira kill disowned children of the royal family? It didn't seem likely, but Lelouch didn't know how much research Kira did—if any—before choosing whom to kill. And many of his own Black Knights were certainly on Kira's list; he'd seen the criminal records of several of them and had nearly turned them out himself. Of course he couldn't, needing to utilize every resource available and had then discovered that his 'criminals' were some of his most devoted Knights. It had only reinforced his idea that the system was at fault.
"I think it's wrong to kill people, no matter the reasons." Nunnally's voice broke into Lelouch's mile-a-minute thoughts.
"This topic, I feel, is inappropriate for the dinner table," Lelouch determined suddenly that the conversation was over. Terrified, he prayed fervently that the monster wouldn't take Nunnally's words as a threat, and felt his adrenaline kick in, rushing through his blood stream. Lelouch's body tensed unbearably as if he would be able to tell if the monster was about to make some kind of move. Surely, Kira would want people like Nunnally to survive because of her kindness and goodness.
Too late, Lelouch realized Light's eyes were on him, noticing his every move and assigning meaning to each action. What would he be able to figure out? Lelouch had never felt so exposed before, the dark eyes with their glass doors giving him a carefully appraising look. His heart thundered in his ears, blood pounding to the quick tempo. How could this have happened? Nunnally's safety was still at the forefront of his mind. Nothing had happened thus far, several moments after her statement, but the adrenaline had already burst through his body and he couldn't stop it. He kept waiting for C.C. to suddenly shout from a window that the monster was—
"Dessert!" Sayako called, her footsteps on the stone driving through Lelouch's brain like a wedge, startling him badly. He tried to recover, turning away from the table to face the maid. If this kept up, Lelouch surely would have a heart attack, simply from anxiety about the situation. Sayako stopped at his elbow, between him and Nunnally.
"It's getting a little cold out here, Sayako," Lelouch began, thinking quickly, "How about we take dessert inside with some tea and coffee?"
"Is that alright with you, Light?" Nunnally asked sweetly.
"Of course," Light responded, but his dark and knowing eyes were still on Lelouch.
Lelouch felt sick, winded like he'd just run a lap around the gym. He didn't look at either Light or the maid as he spoke. "Sayako, would you please wheel Nunnally inside for me? I need to visit the washroom for a moment."
He stood, the world surreal and his head full of vertigo. He didn't know if he actually took a few sideways steps or not as he hurried off to the safety of his house and the chance to be alone.
--L/L--
It was certainly something to muse over his tea while waiting for Lelouch to return. Light held back the urge to smirk over his victory, even if he wasn't entirely sure how he had won it. Something vital had changed in Lelouch's demeanor once the subject had turned to Kira. Admittedly, he was perhaps too arrogant in his thinking that he was undetectable as Kira, but truly he believed there was no way Lelouch would be able to figure it out. Taking that into consideration, Lelouch's answers had still been strangely cagey and vague for someone usually so opinionated. That and his obvious concern for getting his darling little sister involved in even so much as a simple discussion of current events.
So what was the problem other than his obvious big brother complex?
The student in question returned to the sitting room, traces of water still clinging to his hairline. The droplets caught the soft light from the lamps and reflected prism-like into a rainbow. So he'd felt the need to wash his face. Lelouch took his seat, adding two spoonfuls of sugar into his tea, swirling the mixture around until it had dissolved completely.
"Um, I hope this doesn't seem too forward for asking, but do you have a girlfriend, Light?" Nunnally asked, tapping her spoon lightly against her tea cup to remove tiny drops of the hot liquid.
Light smiled as he watched Lelouch. "No," he addressed the girl, "It's neither too forward, nor do I have someone like that. I don't feel much like dating right now, although, of course Ashford has a wonderful selection."
Nunnally giggled, and Light watched Lelouch's facial muscles tighten. He wondered briefly if Lelouch believed his precious little sister was flirting with the former Eleven, but quickly decided that if he, Light, could tell she was simply curious, then surely Lelouch could as well.
"Then you like it here at Ashford, Light? I must admit I've been wondering if some of the students still hold a grudge against former Japanese people…." Nunnally questioned, her voice fading out as she waited for an answer.
Light saw no reason to lie; indeed it would be odd if he did. "It was a little difficult at first, being Japanese here, but it's no longer an issue."
Strange, how Lelouch's eyes grew a fraction wider when he said he was Japanese. Light filed it away for further thought, watching Lelouch try to hide his momentary lapse of acting by sipping his tea. Would Lelouch have preferred Light had said he was an Honorary Britannian? An Eleven? Neither were how Light thought of himself.
"I suppose Suzaku helped ease the way for you," Nunnally replied. "Don't you think so, Brother?"
"I'm sure that's true," Lelouch answered to his sister before he lifted his eyes towards Light with a flat stare. "I doubt you'd have as many friends if it weren't for Suzaku's influence on the student body, Light."
"Suzaku said something about how he was first treated to me once," Light replied, wondering exactly where the conversation was going. Nunnally truly seemed to be a gentle and innocent girl, but it was still strange for her to take such an interest in how the Japanese were treated. She was part of the conquering force, after all. As for Lelouch, it seemed obvious to Light that the Britannian boy looked down on Numbers. It was that fact that made Light want to prove himself all the more, the challenge that kept his boredom at bay.
"Suzaku is actually a very close friend to Brother and me as well," Nunnally said, smiling a little shyly. Light fought the urge to laugh out right; so here was his reason. Nunnally liked the boy, however platonically. Suzaku being a close friend to Lelouch seemed a little strange. Both were on the Student Council, but the two were polar opposites. Suzaku seemed to be such a stickler for rules, and Lelouch enjoyed flaunting them. Suzaku, as part of the military, used his body more frequently than his mind, while Lelouch played chess and skipped PE as often as possible. Whenever Light ran across either of them, they seemed at odds. Close friends, then?
"Is he?" Light echoed politely. He found Lelouch's eyes then, and saw the Britannian give a distasteful look at the mention of the 'close friend.' Light smiled, getting the message clearly. Suzaku was no match for Lelouch's intelligence. Lelouch probably shared the same relationship he did with the overeager Honorary Britannian. Because of his lower intellect, fooling Suzaku into believing one liked him was easy. This brought Light to another difference between the two: toying with Suzaku was easy, but playing with Lelouch was enjoyable.
Light smiled into Lelouch's eyes, remembering the contact they had during dinner. Something about the frightened, uncomprehending amethyst eyes was too intriguing. He didn't think of himself as a bully, but getting under Lelouch's skin was different. Lelouch didn't have the right to be arrogant, so plucking the spoiled boy off his high horse was necessary. Their secret game of wits and challenges had transformed into something Light felt he must do. It was no longer something he did simply out of boredom or need for some kind of opponent in L's absence.
He also did it for the look in Lelouch's eyes, the one that reaffirmed Light's superiority.
Light narrowed his eyes, smiling, wanting that feeling that Lelouch could give him. Tell me I'm a god, Light pressed with his gaze, That I am the only one who can do this.And Lelouch obliged, shifting in his chair slightly, his eyes caught like a rabbit in a snare. Light felt control flowing through him—he was dominating Lelouch with his eyes alone—and felt it in the pit of his stomach, crackling with intensity. Light didn't check his smile, letting it grow, his lips spreading further across his face.
Then the unthinkable happened: Lelouch looked away. Light was instantly incensed, his muscles tightening under his school uniform, but he didn't actually move for several seconds. Had he made some kind of mistake? Light wasn't supposed to commit errors. He picked up his tea cup to prove that he could hold it gently, that he wouldn't pound a fist against the table. Lelouch glanced back to Light out of the corner of his purple eyes, but it wasn't even a suspicious look. The Britannian's gaze had been triumphant. Damn that Lelouch! Just when Light had been sure the arrogant slender boy had been assured of his own inferiority, he broke free of Light's spell. A slight smile appeared on Lelouch's lips—the boy knew he could snap out of the enchantment by his own will.
The door opened and Sayako abruptly entered the dining room. Judging from how Lelouch blinked curiously, his attention drawn away from his opponent, and the maid's nervously excited expression, Light knew something unusual was happening. Sayako half-bowed to her employer before delivering her news. "There's an announcement on the radio, Master Lelouch—it's L. I thought you'd like to hear it."
L. The letter sent shots of exhilaration down Light's spine. L. His blood rippled with excitement, and his muscles coiled with the rush of adrenaline threading through his nerves. Light suddenly realized how much he had missed the detective, even though their rivalry had lasted such a short time. He had always been curious how much L had been capable of; had always wondered how long it would have taken Light to best him. Now, Light was sure his old rival was still alive, still intent on their competition, still trying to catch Kira.
Ryuk, forgotten by the youth until now, began gurgling his bizarre laugh.
"Yes, Sayako. Go ahead and turn it on," Lelouch answered, his smooth tones clashing with the Death God's disturbing laughter.
But just a radio? Light frowned. Sound alone wasn't good enough for him. He needed to see whatever L was planning on doing next. Of course, L wouldn't show himself—Light would have felt cheated if he had—but other chances could easily present themselves.
"Will it be on the television as well?" Light asked the maid.
"Yes," the woman responded, "Shall I turn that on instead?" She looked to Lelouch for an answer.
Lelouch looked to Nunnally. "Do you mind, Nunnally?"
"Not at all," she answered. What an odd chain of command, Light thought, before he became wrapped up in L's continued existence again. The world's best detective would surely be caught be Kira.
Sayako walked over to the television set and turned the power on. Immediately, the screen lit up with the breaking news headline streaming across a young man reporting outside the Tokyo Settlement's prison facilities. Sayako exited the room and Light strained his eyes unnecessarily, trying to absorb every detail on screen as quickly as possible.
"—roughly 20 high-ranking members of the Black Knights in this high-security prison. L has handed them over to the Britannian government, which has announced they will execute the terrorists tomorrow at sunset unless Zero turns himself in. The only question on the minds of everyone here, Suzanne, is whether Zero will actually show."
The screen split into two, showing the woman anchor back at the recording studio alongside the man. "Well, Henry, he can't just ignore these high-ranking members, can he?"
"Zero is a terrorist, and there's no guarantee that he holds human life at any value. All of these Black Knights are terrorists, and probably willing to die for their cause, however twisted it may be," the reporter argued back.
Light was frozen, his mind reeling in the echoes of the news program. L had… given up? No, that couldn't be right. There was no way the detective would have had the guts to challenge Kira only to lose interest after proving Kira was in Japan. Light had been positive about L's characteristic to not give up, which meant that this broadcast was somehow still a message for Kira. Light thought carefully, mapping out what he would do in L's position. Certainly, going after the Order of the Black Knights and Zero was something L could have done without revealing L was behind it.
Then why let Kira know about the Black Knights? Did he believe Kira was linked to the Order?
"Footage of the captured terrorists has just been released by Vicereine Cornelia Li Britannia, which we will now show to you uncut," the anchorwoman announced.
The screen cut to a lower resolution video of twenty Japanese, wearing government-issue straightjackets and strapped to metal poles. Most of them were young men, but all of them looked terrified. Several were crying, and one man was particularly vocal about his innocence. The shot panned across their faces, dirty and bruised with unkempt hair, but it was Lelouch's out of the corner of Light's eye that caught his attention suddenly.
The Britannian's mouth was twisted into an angry grimace; his eyes narrow slits and slanted brows drawn together. A quick glance up and down told Light that Lelouch was as tensely strung as a violin. It was more of a reaction than Light had ever gotten out of the boy, more emotion on his face and in the lines of his body. With growing surprise, Light watched one of Lelouch's hands slowly close into a fist, his knuckles turning whiter than his normally pale skin. He seemed completely unaware of Light watching him, only the reflection of the television visible in his eyes.
Light tore his gaze away from Lelouch and back to the screen. He could puzzle over Lelouch's reaction later, despite how much it intrigued and challenged his beliefs about the Britannian student. L's message for Kira was more important right now.
"For those of you just joining us, you are seeing the top members of the Black Knights who have recently been captured by renowned detective, L. Apparently L is being sponsored by the Royal Family itself to bring the terrorist leader, Zero, to justice. The Black Knights you see before you are now in the custody of the Britannian government. They will be executed tomorrow at sunset by a firing squad unless Zero turns himself over to the authorities." The anchorwoman's voice floated over the scene. "Intelligence sources report that L has made a successful infiltration of the terrorist organization and it is only a matter of time before Area 11 is made safe again for Britannian citizens. Vicereine of Area 11 and Second Princess Cornelia Li Britannia issued a statement saying that she will continue to work with L, despite his renowned secrecy, to root out every terrorist in the Area. She, too, believes that Zero will not be committing further acts of terrorism in the near future."
Was this simply a message telling Kira that L was not finished? That he was working in Japan? Or was L trying to tell him that he was no longer interested in pursuing the Kira case? Had L truly given up and begun work on another case? There were too many questions that Light didn't have answers to.
Was L even Kira's opponent still? Light considered this. Perhaps L was now an ally of Kira, and had refused to work on the case any longer out of respect and—no, that did not fit with the voice that had goaded Kira into trying to kill him.
The jingle of a cell phone suddenly cut across the room, and Lelouch jumped, reaching into his pocket, his expression calculating. He flipped it over so he could see the caller, and Light cursed the glare off the small screen that hid the caller's identity from him.
Lelouch stood, his phone still ringing. "Excuse me. I have to take this."
Something like suspicion tickled at Light's consciousness as he watched the boy head towards an exit. Lelouch walked like a different person, calmly and coolly collected. His back to Light, he clicked something on his phone and the ringing stopped. Light could see his shoulder shift through his shirt, but he exited before the phone was brought back into view against his ear. With Lelouch gone, Light reflected on the student's demeanor; it had changed completely, once when he had seen L's news flash, and again when he received his phone call. Neither were the personalities he had seen during dinner nor held the hint of fear that Light liked to see. Did Lelouch have some kind of stake in the results? Another question that Light didn't have an answer to.
Light turned his attention back to the television screen. And what was L trying to do? Did he expect Kira to kill the terrorists? Of course Light wouldn't dance to the detective's tune, and L should know that.
The screen returned to the studio, where the anchorwoman was holding her earpiece. She looked up to the camera, her expression serious. "We've just been instructed to air a transmission from L. Please watch it."
The black gothic L appeared on a white screen. Light's heart skipped a beat. Here was L's message, the one he'd been waiting for. For a moment, time seemed to stand still, and silence echoed around the dining room.
"Citizens of the world," the scrambled voice began, "I am L."
Ryuk chuckled hoarsely again from somewhere behind the Japanese boy. "This sure is something, isn't it, Light?"
Light ignored the interruption; L's symbol the only image in his vision.
"Zero, I know what you are. If you think you can escape justice a second time, I cannot allow it. It is true that Britannia got in my way last time, but I have never lost and I don't intend to let this case be the first. Like I said, Zero, I know what you are. And for the sake of Justice, I will definitely catch you... Kira."
Light grinned now, knowing that the only other person in the room was blind. L was playing hard now, and they both realized it. Would Kira kill the terrorists to prove he wasn't Zero? Or let them live so he wouldn't fall into a trap like Lind L. Taylor? Or was he actually Zero?
And how would Zero react to this news? The man was obviously flashy and fighting directly against Britannia. Chances were Zero would argue against being labeled as Kira, unless he could use it to his advantage. Light didn't put it past the dramatic leader to find a way, but whether he could use it and keep his Black Knights completely loyal would be another question.
Then it struck Light. L was trying for two birds with one stone. The egoist that the detective was, L wouldn't want to lose face by giving up on the Kira case. But neither would L let a case like Zero's go unheeded. So the world-famous detective would work them both. At the same time. By simply saying that Zero was Kira, both entities would lose support. Many people who supported Kira disliked Zero's terrorism. And people who followed and fought for Zero were afraid of Kira's judgment. L was dividing the followers of each side.
With a flash of insight, Light realized it didn't matter whether L believed Kira and Zero to be one and the same. L was still Kira's opponent and now Zero's.
The game was getting more interesting.
And don't be shy leaving a review, gentle readers.