Disclaimer: I do not own Death Note. This story contains sexual elements, blood, and dark themes. Viewer discretion is advised.
Today would be the first time Matsuda would see Higuchi since the night of the party. Misa's proper interview was scheduled for late this morning, and as her manager, he'd be her driver. Matsuda woke up early in the morning with a constant piercing chill raking up and down his spine, and his limbs stung with pins and needles with every movement. The bit of alcohol in his system the previous time he interacted with the executive helped ease what nerves he had at the time. Without it, he felt like he'd shatter under the slightest touch. "I can't go in there like this, and I can't get tipsy every time I see Higuchi," he thought as he paced in his living room. "I can't screw this up! Ryuzaki gave me one chance, and I can't let him down. I can't let anyone down… Maybe Higuchi's so intimidating since I don't know him that well. At all, really. There has to be information about him on the internet."
Matsuda sat down at his small work desk in his bathroom and opened his laptop, logging in and going to the web. He searched 'Higuchi Kyousuke Yotsuba,' and the results showed many articles about Higuchi's role in the Yotsuba company, his significant actions as the head of Technology and Development, and the latest rumors of Yotsuba having Misa as a sponsor. He changed his search to 'Higuchi Kyousuke personal history' and was given limited results, seeing the same articles from his last search or ones that didn't say anything new. The only new prominent information he got was that Higuchi's father, Higuchi Jiro, was the current president of Yotsuba Heavy Industrial. "Maybe that was his way into the company. Dad did offer me a job with his company, Higuchi's dad could've done the same."
A slip of paper on the edge of his desk caught his eye, and he turned his attention to the check Higuchi had given him. He picked it up and flipped it over, rereading Higuchi's note and number. "I should try giving him a call. We only have so much time to figure out who Kira is." He pulled out his phone and dialed Higuchi's number, a shocking chill tingling his finger with every button press. He put the phone to his ear as it rang, preparing any moment for Higuchi to pick up.
"Yeah, you called Higuchi Kyousuke. I couldn't pick up your call but don't cry about it. Tell me your name and what you want, and I'll get back to you. Bye." Higuchi's voicemail ended with a beep, and Matsuda hesitated to leave a message.
"Um… Hello, Mr. Higuchi. It's me, Matsui Taro. I'm Misa-Misa's manager, remember. I'll be taking her to her interview today and… I was just calling to ask if, uh, you had any plans for today. That's all… Goodbye!" Matsuda ended his message. "He's a businessman. He's probably loaded with all kinds of work." He finished preparing for the day, dressing in his navy-blue suit and spraying himself with a mossy woods cologne. He headed down to the main hall, was most of his coworkers were stationed at their workspaces.
"Hey, Misa-Misa, are you ready for your interview?" he asked as he came down the stairs, and Misa turned around from where she hovered over the light at his monitor.
"Of course I am!" Misa smiled. "I've put together the perfect outfit," she spun around to let her dress spin. "Let's not keep those Yotsuba guys waiting."
"Before you go, Matsuda, a word," Matsuda internally cringed, hearing Ryuzaki's voice.
"Oh, someone's in trouble," Misa teased as she walked past him towards the exit. Matsuda walked over to Ryuzaki's side at his workstation, the lollipop's stick poking out the corner of his mouth.
"What is it, Ryuzaki?" Matsuda asked, already having a good idea of the nature of the conversation.
"Remember what I told you: don't hesitate to use your belt, don't say anything that'd give yourself away…" Ryuzaki paused and motioned for Matsuda to move closer, and he did so, leaning in close. Ryuzaki took the lollipop out of his mouth, the cherry red candy glistening, before lowly speaking: "And don't go home with Higuchi no matter what." the aroma of crystalized sweets wafted off the seasoned detective's breath.
"I understand," Matsuda nodded, standing tall. "I won't disappoint you, Ryuzaki." With that, he left headquarters and headed for the Yotsuba main office. It was quiet in the car ride as Matsuda's mind was wrapped up in the possible outcomes of his and Higuchi's subsequent encounter. Or tried to. It was challenging to think when he felt Misa staring at the back of his head as she leaned forwards, stirring his nerves. He drummed his fingers on the steering wheel.
"… Do you need something, Misa-Misa?" he asked, and Misa quirked her lips.
"Are you nervous again, Matsu?" "Of course, she can tell."
"Nervous? Pfft, there's not a nervous bone in my body."
"… You think I'll fail? I promise I'm not gonna mess this up. It'll be like a piece of Ryuzaki's cake!"
"No, I doubt don't you at all. I know you'll win over the Yotsuba executives."
"Really?" surprise flashed in her blue lenses. "Thanks for those sweet words. If you aren't nervous about me, what are you nervous about?"
"… I—" Matsuda's ringtone thankfully interrupted what would have been a weak excuse. "Hold on, please," he took out his vibrating phone and answered it without reading the caller. "Hello, this is Amane Misa's manager, Matsui Taro. How may I help you this lovely morning?"
"Matsui! It's a treat hearing your voice after so long." To Matsuda's surprise, Higuchi's cheerful voice came from the other end of the phone.
"Oh, hello…" he glanced at a curious Misa in the rear-view mirror. "Sorry, I can't talk for long. Did you get my message?"
"Certainly! I'll cut to the chase since time is precious. Four minutes into Amane's interview, go to the bathrooms on the third floor."
"Got it."
"I'll see you there, Matsui," Matsuda hung up the phone, heart pounding.
"Who was that?" Misa expectedly asked.
"Mr. Ryuga's manager. I messaged her about your upcoming sponsorship with the Yotsuba company. She was just calling to touch base." The looming Yotsuba office came into view like a daunting mountain. "We're here, Misa-Misa. Put your game face on." "I got this. I can't let Higuchi scare me. I'll prove myself!"
The moment Amane walked through the interview room doors, Higuchi set the silent four-minute timer on his watch. Though he couldn't stop his knee from bouncing with anticipation, he pulled his suit sleeve over his watch to keep himself from glancing at it as the interview began. Though calling the line of questioning an "interview" was generous as Coil delved into Amane's troubled past and possible connections with Kira. "If she is the Second Kira, I can convince her to work with me. Depending on her relationship with Matsui, I could use him as leverage to convince her." His watch vibrated as the timer ended, and he had to fight off the grin that threatened to spread across his face. "Speaking of Matsui."
"Come on. This is not an interview." Higuchi cut into the conversation, stopping the silent alarm of his watch. "It looks more like an interrogation. How much longer will this be?" he grumbled and stood up. "I'm going to the bathroom." He left the interview room and immediately headed for the public bathrooms, setting an eleven-minute timer on his watch. It took him less than half a minute to reach the bathroom door, but he stopped just in front of it, the shadowy presence of the Shinigami hovering behind him. "Don't follow me in here. Go hang around that idol you were all over last time."
"… I'll give you your privacy," Rem replied before silently phasing through the opposing wall. Higuchi straightened his tie before opening the bathroom door and let himself grin widely, seeing Matsui standing by the sinks. He connected gazes with the manager's youthful brown eyes and felt his chest squeeze. "He really came."
"Sorry to keep you waiting, Mr. Matsui," Higuchi apologized, leaning against the doorframe.
"It's okay, Mr. Higuchi. I wasn't waiting that long for you," Matsui shyly smiled, and Higuchi could feel the manager's nervousness from so far away.
"Follow me. We don't have much time," Higuchi motioned for Matsui to follow before walking down the hall, Matsui's rushed footsteps following after him.
"Where are we going?"
"A place where no one can just walk in on us," Higuchi led him into a faculty break room and to a door. "After you," he opened the door for Matsui, who thanked him as he walked inside the private restroom. Higuchi quickly shut the door and locked it with his key ring, fingers twitching with excitement. He glanced down at his watch. "Damn, only nine minutes. I'll savor every second."
"S-so, how do you want to st—" Higuchi didn't let Matsui finish the stuttering sentence, spinning around and grabbing the manager by the hips to pull him in for a kiss. Higuchi's smiling lips locked with Matsui's, tongue eager to taste the supple flesh, the vibration from Matsui's gasps massaging his tongue. The sensation of Matsui's hot tongue tangled with his, and the sweet minty taste brought a burning heat to the chest that was quick to travel downward. "I haven't felt this fire in so long. I want it to burn me alive!" He felt Matsui grab onto his shoulders but didn't push back, unlike himself, as he pushed Matsui back in his effort to devour him. Only stopping when Matsui's backside hit the edge of the sink counter.
"Get on," Higuchi muttered between heated kisses and helped Matsui sit on the counter. He angled his head upwards to stay connected to Matsui with the new position though his hands were just fine to reach the manager's crotch, palming the outline of his arousal and making him groan. "He's hard already? Guess I haven't lost my touch." Higuchi's hand reached Matsui's belt.
"Wait!" Matsui gasped in a panic, pulling his head away and covering himself with his hands. "Uh, what a-are you going to do?" he timidly asked.
"How'd I know that you're the shy type?" Higuchi teased, putting his hands on either side of Matsui's legs. "I'm gonna give you a hand job. Ever had one before?" He half-joked but was taken aback seeing Matsui flush, embarrassed, looking away.
"Well, I… No one's really touched me there before."
"… Are you saying you're a virgin?" Silently, Matsui nodded, keeping his gaze low. "I'm surprised. It's a damn shame no one's seen how handsome you are."
"Ah, really?!" Matsui's sour face faded away, replaced with a hopeful gleam in his sweet brown eyes, and shifted in his seat on the counter. "Thank you, Mr. Higuchi… I'll take off my belt," Higuchi eagerly observed Matsui undo his belt and set it down on the counter. Higuchi swiftly pulled down the zipper of Matsui's fly, exposing the bulge of his grey boxers as his grin widened.
He felt Matsui shudder under his touch as he slipped his hand inside his boxers and pulled out his hardened cock, shiny precum trickling from the pinkish tip. "It's a decent size," he wrapped his hand around the throbbing length, "and thick enough for me to just wrap my hand around. It's smooth too. I can have fun with this." He kneaded his fingers into the tender flesh as he jerked it up and down, Matsui slapping his hand over his mouth to muffle his moans, facing blushing, pleasured pink and glossy brown eyes staring off where Higuchi couldn't see. Higuchi felt the confines of his pants start to tighten, an arousing heat settling in his loins.
"Shit, you're getting me so heated, Matsui," he husked, leaning close to Matsui's ear, making the younger man quiver. The pleasant scent that reminded him of sweet woods after a fresh rain shower teased his nose. "How do you do this to me? Probably with that youthful face of yours, and your voice sounds so sweet. I'd devour it all if I could. Like a castella cake."
"Thank you—hgh, Mr. Higuchi," Matsui whined underneath his hand, his warmed member excitedly twitching in Higuchi's hand with a generous burst of precum.
"That and your doe eyes, I gave them one look, and they sucked me right in like magic. You got me, Matsui." Higuchi latched onto the manager's earlobe, teeth nibbling on the thin skin as the slick sound of him jerking off Matsui riled him up further. He didn't expect Matsui to last much longer, and he was quickly proven correct as Matsui came with a muffled moan, jerking his hips into Higuchi's waiting hand. Higuchi caught most of the fresh release, the warm fluid coating his palm. He didn't hesitate to taste the semen, licking it off his fingers and humming at the salty taste coating his mouth, his cock throbbing inside his pants.
"Well, that's not going down now," he hid his irritation with a chuckle, glaring at his own arousal before looking at his watch. "Five minutes. That should be enough time." He looked up at a recovering Matsui. "I've got a fun use for that mouth of yours."
"What do you have in mind?" Matsui nervously asked, and Higuchi grinned.
"Sit there," He pointed to the toilet with its lid down, and Matsui nodded, going to tuck himself back in before Higuchi grabbed his hand. "Now," he asserted, dragging Matsui off the counter, and the manager took his seat, hands covering himself. "He's trying to be modest now? How cute." Higuchi stood before Matsui and undid his belt, unzipping his and excitedly whipping out his aroused member in the manger's surprised face.
"Oh! You want me to— I've never—"
"We don't have much time, dear. Give your best first try," Higuchi gripped the back of Matsui's head and nudged him forward. Matsui nervously gulped but still gently grabbed Higuchi's length, guiding the tip to his parted lips. He shut his eyes and, in a swift movement, put the head in his mouth, Higuchi elatedly gasping, feeling Matsui's warm tongue brushing against his twitching tip. Matsui's movements were stiff and unsure, slowly bobbing his head halfway down Higuchi's member with a timid expression. The sensation was enough to keep him hard but not send him over. "How cruel of you, Matsui. Teasing me like this."
"Oh, hm fowy," Matsui's apologized with Higuchi still in his mouth, and the executive couldn't help but laugh.
"Ah, that's too good! You're not bad, Matsui, but you're supposed to go like this," he tightened his grip on the manager's hair and pushed his head down to take him all in his mouth, Matsui giving a surprised gasp and hands latching onto Higuchi's waist to catch himself. Higuchi tugged Matsui's head back and forth on his thankful cock, fueling the fire burning in his loins.
"Damn, that's good," he gave a satisfied sigh, relishing the hot sensation of Matsui's mouth. Matsui's choking groans pleasurably vibrated around his cock, and the sight of his reddened face and teary eyes drew a spurt of precum out of him. He felt himself rush towards his climax, and he pulled Matsui in close, feeling his tip bump into the back of his throat as he came with a flash of white overtaking his vision.
"Fuck!" He cursed in surprise as he felt Matsui's teeth dig into the sensitive skin of his cock, and he quickly pulled it out, one last spurt of release coating the coughing Matsui's glossy lips.
"I'm so sorry, Mr. Higuchi!" The manager sputtered apologetically. "I couldn't breathe and got scared I'd choke, but I didn't mean to bite you." Higuchi half processed Matsui's words, hissing through his teeth as he rode his high with the throbbing pain of his cock. Eyeing Matsui's teeth indents on his sensitive skin, a wide grin split across his face.
Still gripping Matsui's hair, he craned the manager's head upward and smashed their lips together, tasting the salt of his semen on Matsui's lips as he caught his bottom lip between his teeth. Though a new flavor joined the mix. Matsui gasped in stunned pain as Higuchi bit into the tender flesh of his lip, cutting him open and letting the biting copper flavor of blood grace their tongues. "It's so tart and flows like honey! Give me more, Matsui!" Higuchi sucked up on the freshly opened wound to swirl the mixture of blood, spit, and semen in his eager mouth. He gratefully swallowed the concoction along with Matsui's groan before pulling away from the manager's reddened lips.
"There, now we're even," Higuchi grinned and patted Matsui's blushing cheek. He stood up and went to the sink to clean himself up, noting he had a minute left on his timer.
"I'm really sorry," Matsui apologized again, and Higuchi saw the dour expression on his face in the mirror's reflection.
"Don't look so mopey. You did good for your first time."
"But I bit you?" Matsui raised a confused brow.
"You kept it exciting. If I didn't like what you did, I wouldn't have smiled," Higuchi dried his hands and fastened his belt before walking back over to Matsui. "I don't give out compliments lightly. When I say you did good today, I mean it." He pulled a check from his inner coat pocket and handed it to Matsui. "You may not be a professional entertainer anymore, but you sure as hell kept me entertained." He winked before unlocking the bathroom door and quickly headed back to the interview room, turning off the timer alarm vibrating on his wrist.
He nonchalantly walked back into the room as the interview was nearing its end, receiving side eyes from his coworkers. The Shinigami was waiting for him behind his chair, and he sat down with an air of confidence.
"What took you so long?" Shimura asked underneath his breath.
"There was a long line," Higuchi replied with a content smile.
The lingering taste of blood wouldn't leave Matsuda's mouth, no matter how many times he washed out his mouth with mouthwash, a coppery minty taste coating his tongue. His lip hurt from Higuchi's bite, and Misa wasn't one to let his injured lip go unnoticed. He used the same excuse as before but wasn't sure how many more times she'd believe him. Though his lip still ached, the throb from his spent loins ached much more, Higuchi's touch fresh in his mind. He splashed cool water on his face, watching the droplets trickle down his cheeks in the mirror. 'When I say you did good today, I mean it.'
"Did Higuchi really mean that? I hurt him, but… he didn't seem to mind. He looked excited, actually. He can be so intimidating… But his words still reach me. No one's ever made me feel that good before… and I make him feel good too." A knock coming from his door yanked in from his thoughts. "Coming!" he went to answer the door, having a good idea who was behind it. "Oh, hi, Ryuzaki, Light," he greeted his teammates with a smile. "I'm guessing you want to come inside." Light and Ryuzaki glanced at each other before walking into Matsuda's room.
"Did Higuchi do that to your lip?" was the first question Ryuzaki asked once they sat down. "If he's asking about the bite, he doesn't have the footage. At least I'm lucky there!"
"Yes, but it doesn't hurt as much as it looks," Matsuda licked his sore lip.
"Did he give you a warning?" Light asked.
"No, he took me by surprise."
"So, Higuchi has sadistic tendencies," Ryuzaki noted, rubbing his thumb across his bottom lip and gazing up at the ceiling.
"To be fair," Matsuda started, rubbing the back of his neck, "He did so after I… accidentally bit him."
"Include vengeful as well," Light added. "Higuchi could be put higher on the list of Kira suspects. Did he say anything that stood out to you?" Your doe eyes, I gave them one look, and they sucked me right in like magic. You got me, Matsui.
"… Nothing that made him suspicious of being Kira," Matsuda shook his head.
"Does Higuchi have any terms of endearment for you?" Ryuzaki inquired. Matsuda furrowed his brow at the question.
"You mean like pet names? He's called me 'dear' once, but he usually just calls me 'Matsui."
"Does he give you any compliments?"
"Yes, quite a few, actually," Matsuda felt a subtle blush dust his cheeks. "He likes my eyes."
"How does he touch you? Is gentle, rough?" "Maybe Misa-Misa was onto something calling Ryuzaki a pervert."
"Um, he does both?"
"How do those questions help, Ryuzaki?" Light said, yanking on the handcuffs connecting the both of them. "Our focus should be on if Higuchi could be Kira."
"Right, my apologies," Ryuzaki looked back to Matsuda. "You need to get him to talk about Kira," Ryuzaki instructed. "What does he think of the killer? Has he been impacted by the killings at all? Does he know anyone that's a victim of Kira? Can you manage that, Matsuda?"
"Of course, I can! I'm doing good enough so far, right?"
"Considering you're not dead, yes. Though the longer you play Matsuda, the more dangerous this game will be. If he is as smitten with you as I believe he is, him finding out your identity will have worse consequences than death."
"Well… It's a risk I'll have to take. For the investigation."
"I smell blood," the Shinigami's nonchalant statement disturbed the quiet of Higuchi's secluded table at the cafe as he read through his emails on his laptop. Higuchi side-eyed the demon, meeting its yellow eye, pupil slit like a viper. "Whose blood is that?"
"I told you not to bother me while I'm working," he chided before looking back at his laptop screen.
"It's the manager's blood, isn't it?" He ignored the Shinigami's question in hopes it would shut itself up. The silence only lasted a moment. "Did you kill him?" "Why does it keep asking about Matsui?"
"I told you already, I'm not killing him." He replied. "Me and him… shared pieces of ourselves with each other. He was generous with his blood." He let a pleased smile crawl on his face, running his tongue over his bottom lip.
"Do humans drink blood, or is that unique to you?"
"Well, I am a vampire, so only my kind do," Higuchi sarcastically replied.
"Vampire?" it gasped. A guest walking up to his table kept the Shinigami from questioning him further.
"Took you long enough to get here, Reiji," Higuchi promptly redirected his attention to the other man.
"Apologies, Shimura talked for longer than I assumed," Namikawa shrugged, brushing a long bang behind his ear, before sitting at the other end of the table, coffee in hand. "It's been so long since I've been here. How many years ago was that?"
"When we graduated high school," Higuchi answered.
"Really? It's terrifying how time flies. Now, what did you want to talk to me about?" Higuchi relaxed and leaned back in his chair.
"I wanted to talk to you about the detective. I doubt Eraldo Coil is his actual name, and I wanted to know if you could find out his real name for me."
"Do you plan on killing him?" Namikawa inquired, keeping his voice low.
"I've been asked that question a lot lately," Higuchi chuckled. "As long as he doesn't give me a reason. I just want to be on the safe side and be able to take him out if I need to."
"Understood." Namikawa looked past Higuchi, looking higher than any regular man would stand. "You saw Coil today, Rem. Would you mind giving his true name?"
"As I already said, I cannot reveal any names," the Shinigami shook its head. "That's not how I operate."
"It's useless getting anything out of it," Higuchi said. "It'll ask me questions all day but won't answer a damn thing I ask it."
"It was worth a try," Namikawa said. "I'll see what I can do, Kyousuke, but I make no promises."
"Thanks."
"Of course."
"Namikawa," the Shinigami spoke up. "I wish to ask you something personal."
"Oh, this should be interesting," Namikawa took a sip of his coffee with a smile.
"Are you a vampire?"
"What?!" Namikawa sputtered into his drink, and Higuchi couldn't fight his amused grin. "Do I look that lifeless?"
"I ask because Higuchi says he's a vampire, so I assumed he associated with others of his kind."
"Kyousuke," Namikawa clicked his tongue and shot Higuchi an unimpressed glare.
"I was messing around," Higuchi laughed.
"It would be like you to mess with forces you don't understand. Be careful with what you say to Rem. She could accidentally curse you or worse."
"So, you're not a vampire?" the Shinigami asked.
"No, and neither is Kyousuke. He was only joking," Namikawa clarified.
"Oh… that would have explained a lot."
"God, what have you been up to?" Namikawa exasperated, rubbing his temple, and Higuchi snickered into his hand to shield his growing grin. Namikawa quirked his head, eyeing him with a look Higuchi knew was no good.
"What's going through your head?" Higuchi inquired.
"For the past few days, I've noticed that you've changed."
"How so?"
"You look happy."
"What are you talking about? I've been happy."
"If you really were, you didn't show it like you are now. What's changed?" Higuchi silently chewed on his bottom lip.
"… I—" he was cut off by the ringing of his phone. "Hold on," he groaned, picking up the phone. "This is Higuchi, head of Technology and Development. What do you need?"
"You actually picked up, Higuchi. That's good," the low voice of an older man muttered on the other end. "I've been wanting to speak with you."
"Oh, god," Higuchi groaned, rubbing his temple. "You're that annoying prick that doesn't know when to shut up. If you're going to ask me to accept you back into my department, don't waste your breath."
"I was the best asset in your department! I made everything run smoothly for you."
"Yeah, until you started screwing over your subordinates and nearly crashed my entire goddamn department. You're lucky to still be a part of Yotsuba."
"I was getting rid of weak links for you! If you're going to be this stubborn, expect failure to be your end."
"I wouldn't talk like that if I were you, geezer," Higuchi hissed. "I'll be blocking you, but if I hear anything more about you, you'll regret it for the rest of your days. Got it?"
"… I wish you the best, Higuchi," the coarse tone didn't match his kind words. Higuchi slammed the phone down on the table with a huff.
"Hino," Namikawa said.
"Unfortunately, he's still a thorn in my side. I'd get rid of him if he wasn't working for my father. But to answer what's changed, Reiji," Higuchi tidied his area of the table after he accidentally knocked them out of place, catching a grinning image of himself in the reflection of the table. "I've been given a gift that's reignited a fire in me, and I won't ever let it die out."