(no subject)
(Day 2)
Light, Light’s father, and Matsuda all protest that L still can’t know whether the rules apply only to completely defacing a Death Note or just ripping parts of it out. Rem plays dumb, and in the end, despite Light’s bitter and heartfelt protestations that L has just risked all of their lives to pursue his lunatic obsession with Light and Misa, in the end, they can’t prove that L isn’t right.
A thirteen-day test is devised, using yet another prisoner scheduled for execution. The prisoner writes in the note to set the thirteen-day rule in motion. Then they wait.
Light is asked to remain in handcuffs.
They are installed as usual in the same bedroom, stale and whitewashed and full of computers and surveillance equipment, their two beds on the far side of the room, making a ridiculously domestic contrast to the spy movie setup.
The first night neither of them sleep - L because he is constantly peering over at Light, Light because he is too angry. At some point, very late in the night, when Light’s eyes are thick-lidded and he is just about to drift off, L murmurs into the darkness, “But at least Raito-kun is a known variable, and known better than he thinks.”
“When I get out of here, Ryuuzaki,” Light mumbles into his pillow, “I’m going to kill you.”
“Goodnight, Kira-kun,” L replies.
Light pulls the covers over his head and tries to plot himself to sleep.
Tensions are high. Light is restless and humiliated. He knows logically that he has been here before, that he has spent three months in this inexhaustible confinement by L’s side, but the experience of it is new to him: is he - is Kira, the Lord of the New World - to be shut up and leashed like some dog? Confined and made a prisoner all at the whim of a deranged detective who can’t even be stopped by those closest to him? Light had thought he hated L before; now he can barely look at him for all the rage he must bury each time their eyes meet. He wants L’s death so badly the emotions roll over each other in his stomach, constricting his throat and making it difficult for him to do anything at first but fight and argue and seethe. He is Kira, and he will not be shut up in some kennel.
Except that he is Kira, and L will have him for the next twelve days at least.
After that…
L invades his personal space at every moment, raking over Light with his eyes, peering into his face and making casual observations about his behavior, as if he has Light on a lab table and will whip out the scalpel at any moment.
It’s all Light can do not to punch his face in, and, in fact, when L remarks calmly that something about Light is different, he does.
He knocks L over the coffee table. L responds with a kick that lands against his kneecap and sends Light sprawling across the floor. He lunges for L, but once he has his hands on L’s shoulders he realizes L has the upper hand after all: enraged, vulnerable, at the breaking point - there is no telling what shows on Light’s face at the moment.
L doesn’t resist or fight the pressure of Light’s hands against his neck. He looks up at him sadly, his eyes wary and wide, unreadable emotion ghosting across his pale face as Light’s father and Matsuda drag Light up.
“Raito-kun,” L says. That’s all, and Light wonders where all the uncertainty in his voice has come from.
“Could’ve used a bit of that yesterday,” he snaps bitterly, and doesn’t bother explaining.
There are eleven more days of this, he thinks. He needs a plan.
The second night L sits at his desk, shrouded in the glow of the computer monitor. He is writing a long email to someone, possibly Watari, but Light is too pissed at him to give him the satisfaction of evincing any curiosity. Better, he thinks, to show no more investment in L’s obsession with him than he already has.
L writes slowly, cautiously - even with his eyes closed Light can see him, chewing his thumb and typing with his two index fingers, one painstaking letter at a time.
That’s right, Ryuuzaki, he thinks. Take care.
Day 3.