Sayu snapped a multitude of pictures of the trees that canopied over the stone steps leading towards the old fort. As she continued to capture her surroundings, she smirked at Beyond who'd patiently leaned against the stone wall with his arms folded while staring up at the canopy. She snapped a quick photo of him before approaching him while admiring the photo. She lifted her eyes up to him and felt her smile grow as her vision trailed along his jawline and up to his eyes. "Hey, remember when you said you were pretty stereotypical?" His scarlet eyes flicked towards her as a small grin spread across his lips as he nodded in response, he held his hand out to continue walking up the path. She gently grasped his hand as they started to ascend the stairway as she spoke quietly. "Well, you're a liar. You are not. Even from a superficial standpoint. What dealer tours an old fort with a tourist? Or, for that matter, what dealer would get caught doing any tourist activities?"

He hummed deeply before laughing in his response. "I'd say the type that has a pretty girlfriend who wants to see those things."

Sayu paused for a moment as she felt her face heat up. "You called me your girlfriend?"

"Are you not? Do I have to get on one knee and ask you to be?"

Playfully batting at his shoulder the brunette chuckled. "No. It's… just a foreign concept to me… actually being in a relationship with someone. And so suddenly!" Her eyes drifted to the top of the stairs as the fort became more visible.

The raven smirked as he shrugged. "Why play hard to get… remember?" Interlacing their fingers he thoughtfully hummed once again before speaking. "I mean, what's the worst that can happen? We don't work out and holidays are hell for L and Light? Sounds like a them problem."

As the full view of the fort expanded into Sayu's vision, she excitedly pulled her hand away and started snapping more pictures as she teased Beyond. "Dibs on Christmas, extra sympathy points for me then, I could cry about how awful you are to Light."

Beyond huffed a laugh out while watching the people around them as he sarcastically but playfully responded. "Well, obviously, he's my biggest fan. No way he'd believe you." They both let out a hearty laugh as their eyes met.

She sighed happily as the laughter settled as she reviewed some of the photos she took. "You know, he knows, right?"

Shrugging in response, the raven put his arm around her shoulders. "Good. Saves some explanation on New Years. I don't hate him, I don't even really dislike him. I don't really have any feelings about him personally, aside from how he treats me. But, L is happy, they seem stable, I have no complaints, other than, you know, the obvious."

Snaking her arm around his waist as they started walking closely together. Her eyes drifted up to a group of people who were talking to a tour guide. She smiled brightly and put forth her best impression of a puppy. He stared at the group dully before cracking a tiny smile. "You want to go on the tour, don't you?" She nodded enthusiastically as he chuckled quietly while shaking his head slowly as they started to walk up to the group.

-x-

Sayu plopped down in the shallow water while hugging her knees watching the sunset. She tucked her chin as she adjusted one of the straps on her swimsuit. Glancing her eyes up she smiled while watching sailboats coming into the port from a day of sailing. She jumped slightly when a cold glass was pressed up against her back. Shooting her eyes back she let out a soft giggle at Beyond who's squatted behind her with a small smirk at a strawberry daiquiri held out towards her. "Startled me!"

"Sorry." His smirk faded slightly when he heard his phone ringing. "Shit. I need to take that. Stay here. I'll be back." He lifted himself at dizzying speeds and jogged to where his phone was on the beach chair.

Sayu tilted her head up and strained to hear Beyond's side of the call. "Yes, L, I told you, everything is fine." Golden eyes rolled while sipping her drink before the raven's words caught her attention once again. "No. I'm not, Mark is there, it'll be fine." She took another distracted drink from her glass as she heard him continue. "Look, I have to go. I promised a certain young lady a walk along the beach. Everything will be fine. See you in a few days. I'll send you our hotel information, so you can book the same one."

Snapping her eyes back towards the water, the brunette sighed as Beyond stepped next to her and held his hand out to help her up. "Who was that?"

Beyond sighed as she took his hand and was lifted. "L. 'Ever the worrywart."

Narrowing her eyes in mild accusation. "And what did he want?"

Smoldering scarlet eyes lifted towards hers. "I smuggled something out of the country for him." Sayu's eyes widened in shock. Beyond shrugged nonchalantly. "What? Should I have lied to you? Would that really have made you feel better? Or worse, because you're a clever eavesdropper?" She huffed her bags out of her face in mild frustration. "Even if I hadn't known you were eavesdropping, I still would have told you. You asked. I'm honest."

Sayu's frustrated expression softened as his last comment. "So, if I asked..?"

"I would tell you." He finished her inquiry with the statement. Brushing some white sand off her bicep, he sighed. "Even the lies we tell to protect people, still put them at risk. And, I would rather you knew the whole truth when you wanted it. I haven't lied to you yet, I don't intend to start."

Sayu smiled briefly as they made their way up to the water's edge, grabbing her towel. She wrapped the colorful towel around her waist delicately. "Okay. Let me push my luck then." He raised his eyebrows at her sudden stammer of words. Drinking the remainder of her drink she left the glass on the table that was nearby. "Why are you single?"

"Because I killed my last girlfriend in cold blood." His response was flat and devoid of emotion. Sayu felt her own blood run cold at the admission. Searching the raven for any betrayal of a lie. "I wish I could say it was because of passion or emotions. It was as transactional as our relationship was. She stole from me. I stole more back." His eyes departed from Sayu's distressed expression. "You know. When you'd said you'd never been in a real relationship before. Technically, neither have I. It was a set up, a ruse… it was not well received. But, I didn't lie to you. I did love her… well, I loved the version of her that she carefully crafted for me." He laughed bitterly. "She even used a fake name."

She felt her lip quiver and a small tremble in her legs. "So… she was the same girl who broke up with you?"

Beyond nodded while taking a deep breath and sighing out loud. "It isn't why she's gone. I was content with going home and licking my wounds, live and learn, better to have loved and lost… all that shit. Until I came home to my lab ransacked and empty. The only thing in the room was my stool and a message in lipstick on the wall, 'Thanks for the future, babe.'" His eyes drifted back towards her. "And if it would have just been my equipment and whatever supply I had, I wouldn't have even bothered. But, she took my book, the one with every compound that had successful results. There are some compounds in that book that should never see the light of day, nonetheless be sold to any unsuspecting, innocent people." Tearing his eyes away from her again and watching the sun complete its descent, leaving the islands in a peaceful, warm darkness. "I understand if you'd prefer not to be involved with me."

Sayu snapped her eyes shut and took a deep breath in through her nose. She opened her golden eyes with determination while taking purposeful steps towards the raven. "Well, that… certainly was honest."

"And, you and L are the only people who know what truly happened to her." Sayu tilted her head in curiosity while questioning with her eyes. "Did you know, if you're a good enough hacker, you can falsify cell phone location along with a call log?" Sayu's face betrayed her fear upon the realization that L knew and covered it up. "I… couldn't let that book fall into the wrong hands. It was her or whoever she unleashed some of those drugs on. I'll be frank and transparent. The deadliest in that book is a neurotoxin with hallucinogenic properties. You see your worst fear as you die. I… I can't let something like that run free. And if in aerosol form, its effects are widespread and uncontainable. The only difference is, it's a slower, more painful death as your internal organs liquify themselves while you scream in a padded room."

Her eyes darted up to him in horror. "Why would you have something like that?"

"It's not like I had it made and ready to use. I've never even personally synthesized it. It… was my mother's creation. But that damned book, it was all I had of her. Sure, she was a shitty mom, but she wasn't horrible. She was still my mom. Even though she was neglectful and likely never really proud of me. She still loved me as her son. Science was all we had in common. She taught me everything I know, god I wanted to be just like her when I grew up, until I realized the horrors her creations were capable of."

Sayu took a shaky breath in as he continued. "So, I'll say it again. I understand if you want to leave, we can go first thing in the morning. I won't begrudge you, hurt you or even have an ill thought towards you. Be crushed, sure, but that's of my own making. Maybe it'll be a good lesson on when to lie."

Sayu cracked a hollow laugh out before it became louder and more manic. "Ah shit. They were not kidding. The sweeter the man the darker he is." She sighed and ruffled her ponytail. "But… it doesn't change who you are now. And… maybe I'm stupid or naive, but I want to see the best in everyone… so, I believe you." She bit her lip as she shakily reached out for his hand. "Because, I believe you'd never hurt anyone if you had the choice."

Furrowing his brow, Beyond looked away from her and gently took her hand. "That would be a lie. I had a choice. There's no way something as complex as some of those formulas could have been figured out by some run of the mill dealers. There was a choice." His hand softly tightened around hers as his eyes drifted back towards her. "But, you? Never. There's something…" He paused as if searching for the words. "Genuine. Maybe I'm stupid. Maybe I'm the naive one. Maybe I can't learn a lesson. But, your smile is enough for me to forget the horrors of the world, even if only for a moment." Fully turning towards Sayu, the raven sighed. "And to preserve that smile, I do actually fear what I would sacrifice."

Her eyes lifted from the white sand of the beach and into a crimson embered stare. "That was terrifyingly romantic." A tiny smile broke onto her features as he bobbed his head back and forth with an unsure smirk.

"Well. I don't lie. So, do what you will with that information." She shook her head slightly as her smile grew. He let out a cheeky smile as she snorted out a laugh.

She placed a gentle hand on his cheek as she sighed out. "You know, I would have taken the reason she broke up with you, right?"

Beyond nodded as he leaned his head into her hand. "It occurred to me about half way through." She huffed a laugh out. "She originally broke up with me, or what I assume to be the reason, was because I was always working, even when I'd send the runners out, I'd be held up in my lab or in my office. Or, at least, that's what she said." Pulling away from Sayu's hand, Beyond took a couple steps away from her. "So, what do you want to do?" He turned back to her and held his hand out for her to grab. "Do you trust me? I've been nothing but honest with you. Even shared one of my darkest secrets."

Sayu stared at his hand for a moment before resting hers into his. Her eyes trailed up the lean muscular arm that was spotted with intricate tattoo designs and into an endearing scarlet gaze. "I do."

A relieved smile pulled at the corners of Beyond's mouth. "I'm sorry for not telling you sooner, but, how exactly does one bring that up?"

Linking her arm with his she sighed as they walked down the beach, passing other couples who were cuddled up together on the sands. "People generally don't." Her eyes drifted up towards the star littered sky. "Probably could have even taken that to your grave…"

"Probably. But, I would want to know if I was hanging around someone who had literally gotten away with murder." Stopping in his steps and pulling her into his arms. "I don't want you to be surprised. Ever. I'd rather you see me for exactly who I am and make a judgment on that. I don't want to get comfortable, fall in love, rush off into the sunset… Only for you to find out something horrific and question everything you thought you knew and have it all fall away. If you're going to leave, I don't want to waste my time, or yours."

Blinking rapidly as she felt him start to pull away from the embrace. "I appreciate your honesty… It's a strange concept for me, given that most of my interactions with the male persuasion have all been usually shrouded in honeyed words and false hopes."

"Don't take this the wrong way. Your simplicity drives me insane. Tiny smiles, small laughs, the way your face lights up when you're excited about something. The way you just seem to appreciate life, in general. It's refreshing. I don't feel like I need to put on an act for you, that I don't have to be anything more than I already am, as if I'm enough as I am, maybe a little too much."

As he spoke Sayu could feel a giggle threatening the back of her throat while her smile grew. "Mister Beyond, are you in love with me?"

He scoffed in good nature at her giggled tone. "I didn't say that!" She felt her cheeks flush as he hooked her chin with his finger and whispered in a hushed tone on her lips. "But, I don't think I'm far off from it, either." Grazing his lips against hers. "Love isn't a word I abuse. So, when I say it, because it won't be an if, please know, I mean it."