CHAPTER 35 - THE PARENTS, part I.
L was still deep in shock when Sachiko Yagami came back to the living room with a disinfectant, fresh bandages and a pile of clean clothes. She caught L staring at the family photo before saying:
"I took some fresh jeans from my son, I believe he won't miss a pair."
L looked from the picture to the lady and suddenly didn't know what to say or how to act. He only opened and closed his mouth, while madame Yagami sat on a footstool next to his chair and started cutting his old jeans at the knee. L was seriously happy she didn't ask him to strip, because that would add a lot of weirdness into an extremely weird situation.
Suddenly, he was hyper aware of everything. The smell of autumn, bonfire, cakes… It was like the smells in the room doubled its intensity. L found himself wanting to know if some of those scents he smelled belonged to Light, but there was no way to distinguish that, because he didn't know what Light's smell was like.
Madam Yagami cut his jeans with her eyes fixed on her work and then started carefully taking off the pieces of the fabric that were glued to the wound with his drying blood. She was careful enough not to cause him too much pain, so L finally took time to look at her properly. Her features that felt familiar to him before were now clearly reminding him of Sayu Yagami. Light was obviously more into his father. But something about the focus in his mother's gaze reminded him of Light when he was performing magic. It was the same determination. It occurred to L, that Light's wits did not come only from chief Yagami's side, but also from his wife. Muggle or not, madame Yagami quickly discovered he was an Auror and the sharp gaze hidden under a layer of woman's innocence was a hundred percent Light Yagami, in a female and older form. Somehow, that felt pretty scary.
L bit his lower lip, still unsure what to do.
Should I introduce myself? Should I tell her I know her husband and her children?
Madam Yagami finally managed to release the last piece of fabric and L's thoughts quickly shifted, when he saw the opened wound on his leg. It looked almost fresh. Pieces of flesh were visible under the layer of fresh and drying blood and the parts that had almost sealed before were now opening again.
"Oh my, dear, this looks serious." Madame Yagami said and looked him in the eyes: "How did you manage that?"
L scratched the back of his head and shrugged a bit: "It's an old wound, actually, caused by a really powerful dark magic. It seems impossible to cure, unfortunately."
Madame Yagami, who was cautiously applying disinfectant on his wound, gave him a worried look: "So you are just… running around with an open wound? Isn't that dangerous?"
L suddenly realised that Light wanted to become an Auror and this whole meeting might make his mother worried sick about the future of her son. Not that she wouldn't be right to worry but… there was no need to add anxiety to her life.
"It is not usually open… I think I just… over done it in the past few days?" L said, but didn't feel persuasive at all.
When did I sleep last time? On Friday? Before the Tourney? What day is it again? Tuesday? L thought and realised that he was actually telling the truth. He was overdoing it. Like Major. He was so caught up by the events he didn't even realise he was nearing his limits.
"You should be more careful." Yagami-san said and continued her work by bandaging the wound.
They were both silent for a moment and L's head was flooded with a million questions he wanted to ask her. About Light's childhood, about why he might be so blocked in his second gender… but he didn't seem to come up with an idea on how to break his identity to her. And she never asked his name.
"How did you get to these woods anyway?" She asked suddenly: "We both know that portkeying is impossible here."
"Actually, I did not know that. How is it even possible?" L asked, avoiding her question.
"I don't think I can explain it to you in your terms, because I am not a witch, but muggles describe this area as extremely magnetised."
L frowned, wheels in his head turning while the lady continued: "That's why there are not many habitants in this area. The muggles' household appliances are affected by that, so no one from the younger generation wants to live here. It is a zone without modern technology. For wizards this is not such a great problem, because most of the magic is not affected from what I've understood. Only magical transportation."
L was hundred percent sure that this mystery had something to do with the magically hidden place he came from. But he was surprised he never heard about a place like this before. Especially, when it was so close to London.
"I see… so there is something with a very strong magnetic field that confuses the portkey magic."
She nodded: "Probably, I unfortunately don't understand these things much."
"Was it always like this?" L asked, not really understanding why someone would want to live there. It was suspicious through and through.
"I never really asked anyone… We only moved in 20 years ago. But even then most of the population was already composed of elderly people or families who prefer a way of living closer to nature. And a few solitary wizards."
L frowned at that, not understanding one thing: "I'm sorry If I ask a personal question but… why did you move in here? I mean… it is not so close to London for convenient commuting, as you said yourself, there is not much technology and probably neither community… So why this place?"
"Because 20 years ago no proper wizarding community would accept a muggle wife." She said matter of factly, without taking her eyes up from her work.
That rendered L speechless.
"I… I'm sorry." He stuttered suddenly.
She smiled softly, without looking at him and her voice held no grudge or sadness: "No need to apologise for curiosity, my dear. You haven't done anything wrong. Besides, it's not that bad. My husband's magic is helping a lot with the household and this village is very peaceful. It was a heaven for raising children."
L smiled at that and looked around for a bit. She was right, the house looked cosy, and had a big french window in the salon which was looking into a beautiful garden. L could have almost seen small Light and baby Sayu running around. Looking at this place he thought that they must have had a beautiful childhood. But anyway, they were not that close to London to live without magical transportation. How would the kids go to primary school? Both Light and Sayu were definitely not anti-social castaways. They obviously had a lot of social contact as kids. So there had to be a fast way to get out of there.
"But… How does your husband commute to work? He works in London, right?" L asked, as if he didn't know.
Madame Yagami stopped for a moment, thinking about something and then answered with a question: "And how did you land here?"
Now L knew he won't be able to avoid the answer: "To tell you the truth madam, I don't know myself. I was just walking and suddenly, I was here."
Madame Yagami took her eyes from the bandage she just tied around his leg and looked L straight in the eyes again. She definitely knew L wasn't telling her everything, but for some reason, she didn't ask. L was expecting her to. Light would ask in a second. But Madame Yagami just stood up and instructed him to go to the bathroom so he could wash up and change from his dirty clothes.
L haven't been this confused of anyone for years.
"Sencha or matcha?" Watari asked the other man, now seated in his potion cabinet.
"I prefer matcha, thank you." Soichiro Yagami answered calmly, while looking at his surroundings. He had never visited the cabinet of a potion master at Hogwarts. As many other places, because he studied at Mahoutokoro School of Witchcraft and Wizardry in Japan. Hogwarts was foreign for him, no matter how many times he visited.
"I promise not to keep you too long, Yagami-san. You must be tired and want to go home to your wife." Watari said from a distance of a few metres, where he was preparing utensils for the tea.
Soichiro smiled lightly: "I've been expecting to spend next few hours discussing the new murder case with L. Having tea with you is definitely the more enjoyable option."
Watari smiled under his moustache and headed towards his guest with a traditional Japanese tea ceremony set and put everything on the table. He started preparing the tea bowls by whipping them clean and Soichiro was once again impressed by the man's good knowledge of Japanese tradition.
"I remember the first time you made tea for me like this." he started: "It was after L solved the mass murder of Wizards in Southampton."
Watari smiled while concentrating on the tea preparation: "I remember as well… I had to break to you the news that it was actually not me solving it, but an 11 years old boy."
Soichiro chuckled: "My initial shock at your good knowledge of Japanese tea ceremony was quickly forgotten after you shared that information."
Watari smiled again and started whisking the matcha powder with water while talking: "You helped me to start L's career and keep his identity secret for the next seven years. I will never forget that."
Soichiro only nodded: "It was the right thing to do. L was just a boy. Genial, but still just a boy."
"Yes, and thanks to your help…" he handed the tea bowl to his guest: "...he was able to grow into a man, before leaving the alias Ryuzaki behind and coming out as L Lawliet."
Both men bowed to each other before turning their bowls twice and tasting the tea.
Soichiro was quite relieved to have a high quality tea after a day and a half of work and British coffee. Matcha would give him enough sustaining energy for the following few hours, which it would take for him to get home to his wife. But before that, he needed to use this rare opportunity to talk to Watari between four eyes:
"Press had a big day that day…" Soichiro started reminiscing about the time seven years ago. "I remember the headlines: "The genial detective Ryuzaki is a Lawliet"; "The fallen Lawliet to become a legend"; "Pride or shame of the Lawliet family"... they didn't know what to write first. If the fact that a child like that was more genial than everyone in the Auror's office, or that he is the disregarded Lawliet heir."
Watari looked into his tea before saying: "I must admit that after that… I was hoping they might recognize him again. That his grandfather might step out and speak up for him. But Maxwell Lawliet made sure to remind everyone that L was born out of wedlock and his mother was a half-breed."
"These pure blood families are pure evil…" Soichiro let out and shook his head: "Maxwell is L's uncle, right? L's father's younger brother."
Watari nodded: "Yes… he had been given the family titles and fortune after L's father was disinherited."
"And it was him who took L in after his parents…" he trailed off not wanting to say out loud that they were murdered.
"Yes. It was the greatest mistake I have ever made. As L's godfather I could have claimed him at the very beginning. I was a fool to think that L would be better with his birth family. I should have known better after the way they treated L's mother and their own son."
Soichiro shook his head and tried to comfort the older man: "You couldn't have known. The important thing is that you got L out of there and he is alright."
Watari didn't like remembering this era. It reminded him how he almost failed L and his late mother, whose long lasting friendship he valued above many others. But L's mother was already dead and her only son had a perspective of growing up in a prosperous environment. Watari was blinded by that when he handed them the 7 years old, desperate child.
"If it weren't for L's grandfather, I would have never known what was happening. The boy kept his face stoic even with three broken ribs."
Soichiro frowned deeper. He always admired L for his cases and abilities. But there was so much more in that boy than met the eye. What he endured as a child, no one should.
"His uncle is a real monster. At least someone in that family had a consciousness." Soichiro offered, remembering the affair from 18 years ago. He was in England for just 3 years when the scandal shook the Wizarding Britain. The abuse of a parentless child by his wealthy and powerful family. He didn't remember how exactly it came to the light of the world, but he remembered that the abuser, the child's uncle, ended up with only a suspended sentence and was interdicted to come near the child. But that was all there was in store for a son of a wealthy family.
They both stayed silent for a moment before Soichiro suddenly realised something: "You know I find it funny that the media never really managed to get L's photo or a drawn portrait. Not even now, when his face is known by so many people."
Watari waved it off: "Magic, Yagami-san, magic…"
The younger man laughed: "If only magic could spare us the wrinkles your boy caused us over the years…"
Watari wanted to laugh at that but his laugh died when Yagami-san added: "I thank God every day that my Light is such a problem-free child."
Watari froze in the movement after that notion. He took a second to think about how to break the news to the younger man. And more importantly, how much to tell him about Light's real situation.
"I am afraid…" he started and looked the younger man in the eyes: "... that both our sons are going to add some wrinkles today…"
Yagami-san frowned and gave Watari a quizzical look. For the first time he realised that the troubled expression on the older man's face probably wasn't caused by the reminder of L's sad past. He remained silent, waiting for the older wizard to express himself.
"Mr. Yagami… I am aware that you were at the crime scene the whole night, so you haven't seen the morning's copy of the Daily Prophet yet…" Watari said and reached out for the copy of the Prophet that was lying on the chair next to him, front page facing down the cushion: "I thought it was gonna be better, if you read it with the possibility of an immediate explanation."
With that, he handed the newspaper to Soichiro Yagami.
L did as he was told. He refreshed a little in the bathroom and changed. It took him ages because he was only able to put weight on one leg. Light's clothes fit him well, even though his jeans were skinnier than L's and it felt a bit uncomfortable. But L definitely wouldn't protest against the hospitality of his caretaker. Before changing into a black T-shirt that was also in his pile of fresh clothes, he found himself sniffing the shirt. He smelled fresh flowers, probably a fabric softener, but nothing that would scream: "Omega."
When he took his nose from the fabric, he could literally hear the alpha in him chuckling at the gesture. Before his inner animal could say anything, he quickly dressed and hissed: "Shut up, this is awkward enough as it is." And with that thought, he limped back to the salon.
He had heard some noises from behind the corner, where he guessed the kitchen was and he decided to wait, until madame Yagami instructed him any further. He looked again around the spacious room and focused on the details, trying to read as much into Light's life as possible.
The salon where he was treated took most of the ground floor of the house, beside the bathroom, the kitchen that was connected to the salon and the small hall by which he came in. Then there was a round staircase to the 1st floor and that was it to the disposition. The house wasn't extra large, neither modern but there was the ubiquitous sense of a family living in this place. Family photos, kids' drawings and diplomas hanging on the walls. Most of them were Light's achievements.
L stopped by one of the old fashioned cupboards that was covered by photo frames and couldn't help but take in his hands one of the photos. In the picture there was a widely smiling 11 years old Light with his Hogwarts letter. L's lips curled up when seeing this. Light looked so happy and carefree. Complete opposite of the Light he knew - constantly serious and worrying.
Suddenly madame Yagami came back into view and L abruptly put the picture back. She surely saw him doing it, but didn't comment on it. She only put a steaming pot on the table in the corner of the salon and said: "I have made ramen. To make you strong. I hope you don't mind Eastern cuisine."
L was once again shocked by how nice she was towards him - a stranger. He nodded and forced his best smile: "Thank you, that's very thoughtful of you. I love Eastern cuisine."
That extremely polite sentence earned him a long meaningful look from madame Yagami and he almost thought she didn't believe him. Then she just said: "I am glad to hear that. Please, come and sit."
L did as he was told but felt more awkward minute by minute. Yagami-san served him a bowl of ramen without saying a thing and they both started eating. After the first spoon of the broth, L's eyes widened and he froze in his movement. Madame Yagami noticed his expression and asked: "What is it? Is it too strong for you?"
L put his spoon down: "No… it's not that madame, I just…" he stayed silent for a moment: "It tastes exactly like my mum's."
Madame Yagami smiled at him sincerely for the first time in an hour: "I will take that as a compliment."
L only nodded, still too speechless to compile a meaningful sentence. The taste brought so many memories that he suddenly felt like he was drowning in them. He remembered his mum serving him this dish, scolding him, when he didn't want to eat the egg. He remembered secretly putting the egg in the bowl of his father, who was playing with him, praising him for eating the entire egg. Suddenly, the ramen turned bitter in his mouth. He hated positive memories of his father. He hated any memories of his father.
L forced himself to eat the rest of the meal. He didn't want to look ungrateful, especially when the ramen was actually delicious, but he and madame Yagami stayed silent for the whole time.
L was too withdrawn into himself to ask anything and for some reason, Yagami-san didn't ask him anything either. When they finished their meals, Yagami-san cleaned the table, refusing L's offer to help, saying he was a guest. So he stayed seated by the table, twiddling his fingers and thinking about everything and nothing at all.
When madame Yagami came back from behind the corner she said: "When my husband comes back, he will take you to London."
L nodded: "That would be great, thank you. You are very kind to me." He made a pause and suddenly it struck him that it might take hours: "Do you have any idea when he comes back from work?"
"Usually in the evening, but today I am expecting him sooner, as he stayed at work all night."
L frowned at that. He couldn't really see a reason why Chief Yagami should have stayed the night at work unless something happened. But he guessed he had no other option but to wait and see himself. At least he would have actual news.
"I see, thank you madam, for all your kindness. I will try not to be a burden to you until then. I can wait for him outside if you want. Or if I can help you with anything around the house…" he didn't even finish the sentence because they both knew that was a ridiculous offer. He was way too weak to do anything. But Yagami-san seemed to have some kind of a plan for him, because she suddenly moved to one of the cupboards and took what seemed like newspapers that were laying there. Then she slowly came back to the table and sat opposite L:
"You can help me by explaining this." She put the news in front of L in a very calm gesture and she looked him straight in the eye. L was confused and slowly turned his eyes to the newspaper. He quickly scanned the front page of The daily Prophet with his eyes and it was enough to catch a few words to know that she should not be so calm. She should be damn raging and calling the police. When L took his eyes up from the main article and their eyes met, he knew one thing:
She knows who I am.
Damn it, this story gets longer and longer without me wanting it… but writing Sachiko and L is such a delight. Whose reaction do you fear the most now? The mother or the father? :D :P