Something Wicked This Way Comes (Death Note, 15/30)
Something Wicked This Way Comes
~ An Alternate Death Note Fanfiction ~
by: aishuu
Notes: For 30_kisses To start at the beginning, go Here. Thanks to sailormac for providing the support needed to get this off the ground.
Part 14: Perfect Blue
Raito was disgustingly quiet on the whole topic of a "new cover." After offering the cryptic suggestion, he refused to say anymore until Matsuda left. He wasn't rude, but he made it clear he believed fewer people involved, the better.
Matsuda accepted the brush-off philosophically, taking L's advice to use Watari as a contact if something came up. Interpol still hadn't pinned "Ryuuzaki" as L, though it was only a matter of time. L knew he was good, but the people on the international level were talented as well. In the modern world, it was practically impossible to completely hide.
L finished re-locking the door before turning to Raito. An empty pizza box sat on the coffee table, with their used plates stacked on top of it. For some reason, Raito was staring at the mess like it was a Picasso. L squinted at it briefly, and was unable to determine what Raito found so fascinating.
"Something interesting?" L asked as he crouched back into position on a chair.
Raito jerked his head to look at L, lacking his usual poise. "No, no... just thinking of the next step," he said. He seemed nervous, L noted with interest. No - he mentally corrected - Raito was uncomfortable. Whatever idea he'd come up with obviously sat uneasily with him, which only made L curious. There had been times when he'd had to do distasteful things in pursuit of justice, but so far Raito hadn't. He wondered if it might break the younger man.
"Do you care to share your plan?" L asked, unable to resist needling Raito. His competitive streak was roused by Raito's talents, and though it was petty, L couldn't ignore the chance to get one up on Raito.
Raito stared down at his hands for a long moment, before clenching his fingers into fists, steeling his resolve. He took a deep breath. "Not really, but I'm going to."
"Enlighten me, my friend," L replied, smiling brightly. It was fun to see Raito irritated, no matter how serious the situation was. He knew to take his pleasures where he could.
Raito rose to his feet and took several steps. "Do you know the principle of performing magic tricks?" Raito asked, his eyes looking at a wall rather than his companion.
"A dumb audience?" L said sarcastically, before shaking his head and chuckling. "It's distraction. You make a big gesture with one hand to keep attention away from the other."
"Exactly," Raito said. "So we're going to hide something on the surface to keep them from looking any deeper."
"Such as?" L asked.
"What's the most basic of human motivations?"
"Greed," L said.
"No," Raito shook his head, "even more basic." He was still avoiding looking at L.
L was starting to see where Raito's train of thought was going, and didn't like it anymore than Raito did. "You can't be thinking..."
"Logically, why would two young men suddenly move in together? Especially when they have no past history of interacting?"
"Finances, or..." L wasn't a prude, but he didn't want to complete the thought.
"Sex," Raito said bluntly, and his head turned back. His dark eyes were challenging, as if daring L to deny the rationality of where he was leading. "It's the most basic of human desires, and the most powerful."
L would have argued for food, but he realized that sometimes his priorities didn't mesh with the rest of humanity's. He shifted uncomfortably, not likely where this conversation was heading. "If I am to understand you, you think we should pretend to be involved." He sounded appropriately blasé, he thought, not displaying the uneasiness that he was feeling. He regretted toying with Raito now, since he knew that suggesting the action had taken more chutzpah than L himself would have possessed if he'd come up with it first. He had to award Raito a point for sheer nerve.
It wasn't that he couldn't see the rational behind the suggestion. He could. It was just that there were some things which he'd never been very good at, and relationships were top of the list. L had long ago accepted that he wasn't going to find anyone who would be able to cope with his peculiarities.
Raito, he knew, was better at getting along with people than he was. Raito was charismatic, and handsome, and others were drawn to him. He had noted that at their first official meeting, months ago at the coffee shop. He still remembered the way the waitress had practically tripped over herself to earn Raito's attention.
"It's a reasonable explanation of why we'd move in together, and it also excuses our tendency to be reclusive." Raito's tension was ebbing, now that the topic was out in the open. He took a seat on the couch crossed from L, just the way they did when dissecting aspects of the investigation.
"You honestly think people would believe you and I-" L cut off, shutting his eyes. He wasn't self-conscious but he was aware of how the world worked. Raito was one of the beautiful people, and L... wasn't. "I don't think people would believe I'm your type. For one thing, we're both males and you've never exhibited any homosexual tendencies."
"Some people might consider my obsessive compulsive organization and fastidious dress sense homosexual indicators," Raito replied, his voice full of self-mocking irony.
L thought it wasn't fair for Raito to speak like that. Raito rarely displayed a sense of humor, one of the most maddening things about him. L found it hard to resist what Raito wanted those few times he poked fun at himself.
"That aside, I doubt people would find it believable that you would be attracted to me," L said. He waved a hand, indicating his sloppy appearance.
"Opposites attract, L," Raito replied. "And you're not ugly, you're interesting."
If L hadn't known how brutally honest Raito preferred to be, he would have assumed it was a platitude, intended on flattering L into agreeing. "Really," he said. "I don't think most people would agree with you."
"I can have anyone I want, L," Raito said. "Beauty that's only skin deep doesn't interest me."
Others might have accused Raito of arrogance for saying that, but L had never liked false humility. "Looking for true love instead?" L asked teasingly. He couldn't resist the jibe, and hoped it will dispel the uneasiness that was setting into his stomach. He chewed his thumbnail, realizing he wanted to believe Raito's flattery - and unable to decipher why.
"I don't believe in love," Raito replied flatly. "Just animal attraction."
L canted his head as he considered that. He, too, was a practical person, and he believed in the evidence of his eyes. "So you don't love your family?" he asked. "I don't understand why you'd go to such lengths to avenge your father, then."
His words didn't shake Raito. "Maybe I should rephrase myself. I don't believe in all-consuming love that becomes an obsession," he said. "I don't believe it's sensible for anyone. There's no such thing as soul mates, just compatible personalities."
L remembered how Raito had treated his girlfriend, Takada Kiyome. He hadn't formed any emotional attachment to her aside from affection, dismissing her from his mind instantly when they weren't together. "If we decide to perpetuate this... facade, you risk your reputation. The law enforcement community in general does not view homosexual activities kindly," said L.
"When I first wrote to you, I told you I was interested in justice. I want that so badly I can taste it - I dream about it at night, about bringing Kira to justice. I'm not an idiot - nothing in life is free, and I recognize some sacrifices might have to be made. You've already given up most of your reputation, and you expect me to do less? If we catch Kira, it will be worth it!" The fervor in his voice caused a surge of alarm in L.
"Fine," L agreed, partly because he wanted to distract Raito, and deciding that another charade wouldn't hurt him. He didn't have a public persona like Raito, and if things went down the hole, he could always just create another identity.
"Fine," Raito replied, his expression smug from getting his way.
They were quiet, and the silence stretched thin between them like taffy getting pulled. Finally L couldn't take it anymore. "So how do you want to go about this?"
Raito rubbed his chin as he considered. "It'd be best not to be overt. Since neither of us is 'out of the closet,' it would make sense to pretend to be hiding a relationship. We just make a couple of 'slips' and it'll establish the cover."
"Slips?" L echoed, feeling out of his depth.
"You know, get caught kissing, maybe some overly casual touches here and there, a hickey or two...." Raito trailed off, a grin springing to his lips before he began to laugh.
L knew the cause of Raito's amusement. His face felt red, and he recognized he probably resembled the color of an apple. He hadn't known he could get embarrassed like this.
Raito managed to get his amusement under control. "Anyone would think you'd never been kissed."
There had been no kisses from the staff at the orphanage, L thought. And he'd never had a girlfriend - or boyfriend. By the time he'd been old enough to consider it, he'd already been embroiled in pursuing international criminals.
"I haven't," he said stiffly.
The sound of the first two measures of Mission Impossible chimed, and L dived for the excuse to take a break from the conversation. He dug his cell phone out of the chair's cushion where it had mysteriously ended up. The phone was a plain blue and lacked any decoration or straps, but he liked it because of the extra features. He was getting very good at Tetris.
"Yes?" This call was going to be important. There were less than ten people who had his number, and all knew not to call him with frivolities. At the moment, he probably would have tolerated it just because it'd given him a chance to take a break from the distressingly intimate conversation.
"It's me," a female voice said, one which he'd been waiting to hear.
L looked across the way to where Raito was sitting. He'd rearranged himself slightly, leaning forward in the fashion that indicated his curiosity had been engaged. "Is there a problem with my account?" he asked, mouthing "Watari" to silently answer the perceived interest.
"Someone listening?" Weddie asked, and amusement colored her voice. L imagined her on the other end of the line, smirking at his predicament. Weddie wasn't an acquaintance who L, the man who stood for justice, could readily acknowledge. But sometimes the law and justice weren't complimentary ideals, so L had accepted the fact that expedience was necessary.
"Yeah, so you need my password?"
"Gotcha. Well, I'll keep this short, then. I broke into Amane's apartment, but didn't find any diary. But I did find something very interesting in a secret panel of her desk."
"Really." L rolled his eyes for Raito's benefit, putting on an abused expression, much like any young man being lectured by his guardian.
"Willing to pay?"
"I need that 5 million yen transferred," he replied. "You know I have living expenses."
"10 million," she countered.
"It'll be done? Good. Are you doing okay?"
"She has a small black book with 'Death Note' written in white letters. I browsed through, and-" She stopped abruptly. "I've got to go," she said, and hung up.
L stared blankly at the wall, and it was only Raito's presence that kept him from screaming aloud. Two years, and the closest thing to a break on the case he'd had just hung up on him.
"L? Is something wrong?" Raito asked.
L was not going to start crying - that would be childish and he never indulged in tears. He would not hyperventilate - hysteria would get him no where. Instead, he would take the logical course and try to be constructive. L lowered his phone, and took a deep breath before addressing his partner. "Raito, have you ever heard of a Death Note?"
~ An Alternate Death Note Fanfiction ~
by: aishuu
Notes: For 30_kisses To start at the beginning, go Here. Thanks to sailormac for providing the support needed to get this off the ground.
Part 14: Perfect Blue
Raito was disgustingly quiet on the whole topic of a "new cover." After offering the cryptic suggestion, he refused to say anymore until Matsuda left. He wasn't rude, but he made it clear he believed fewer people involved, the better.
Matsuda accepted the brush-off philosophically, taking L's advice to use Watari as a contact if something came up. Interpol still hadn't pinned "Ryuuzaki" as L, though it was only a matter of time. L knew he was good, but the people on the international level were talented as well. In the modern world, it was practically impossible to completely hide.
L finished re-locking the door before turning to Raito. An empty pizza box sat on the coffee table, with their used plates stacked on top of it. For some reason, Raito was staring at the mess like it was a Picasso. L squinted at it briefly, and was unable to determine what Raito found so fascinating.
"Something interesting?" L asked as he crouched back into position on a chair.
Raito jerked his head to look at L, lacking his usual poise. "No, no... just thinking of the next step," he said. He seemed nervous, L noted with interest. No - he mentally corrected - Raito was uncomfortable. Whatever idea he'd come up with obviously sat uneasily with him, which only made L curious. There had been times when he'd had to do distasteful things in pursuit of justice, but so far Raito hadn't. He wondered if it might break the younger man.
"Do you care to share your plan?" L asked, unable to resist needling Raito. His competitive streak was roused by Raito's talents, and though it was petty, L couldn't ignore the chance to get one up on Raito.
Raito stared down at his hands for a long moment, before clenching his fingers into fists, steeling his resolve. He took a deep breath. "Not really, but I'm going to."
"Enlighten me, my friend," L replied, smiling brightly. It was fun to see Raito irritated, no matter how serious the situation was. He knew to take his pleasures where he could.
Raito rose to his feet and took several steps. "Do you know the principle of performing magic tricks?" Raito asked, his eyes looking at a wall rather than his companion.
"A dumb audience?" L said sarcastically, before shaking his head and chuckling. "It's distraction. You make a big gesture with one hand to keep attention away from the other."
"Exactly," Raito said. "So we're going to hide something on the surface to keep them from looking any deeper."
"Such as?" L asked.
"What's the most basic of human motivations?"
"Greed," L said.
"No," Raito shook his head, "even more basic." He was still avoiding looking at L.
L was starting to see where Raito's train of thought was going, and didn't like it anymore than Raito did. "You can't be thinking..."
"Logically, why would two young men suddenly move in together? Especially when they have no past history of interacting?"
"Finances, or..." L wasn't a prude, but he didn't want to complete the thought.
"Sex," Raito said bluntly, and his head turned back. His dark eyes were challenging, as if daring L to deny the rationality of where he was leading. "It's the most basic of human desires, and the most powerful."
L would have argued for food, but he realized that sometimes his priorities didn't mesh with the rest of humanity's. He shifted uncomfortably, not likely where this conversation was heading. "If I am to understand you, you think we should pretend to be involved." He sounded appropriately blasé, he thought, not displaying the uneasiness that he was feeling. He regretted toying with Raito now, since he knew that suggesting the action had taken more chutzpah than L himself would have possessed if he'd come up with it first. He had to award Raito a point for sheer nerve.
It wasn't that he couldn't see the rational behind the suggestion. He could. It was just that there were some things which he'd never been very good at, and relationships were top of the list. L had long ago accepted that he wasn't going to find anyone who would be able to cope with his peculiarities.
Raito, he knew, was better at getting along with people than he was. Raito was charismatic, and handsome, and others were drawn to him. He had noted that at their first official meeting, months ago at the coffee shop. He still remembered the way the waitress had practically tripped over herself to earn Raito's attention.
"It's a reasonable explanation of why we'd move in together, and it also excuses our tendency to be reclusive." Raito's tension was ebbing, now that the topic was out in the open. He took a seat on the couch crossed from L, just the way they did when dissecting aspects of the investigation.
"You honestly think people would believe you and I-" L cut off, shutting his eyes. He wasn't self-conscious but he was aware of how the world worked. Raito was one of the beautiful people, and L... wasn't. "I don't think people would believe I'm your type. For one thing, we're both males and you've never exhibited any homosexual tendencies."
"Some people might consider my obsessive compulsive organization and fastidious dress sense homosexual indicators," Raito replied, his voice full of self-mocking irony.
L thought it wasn't fair for Raito to speak like that. Raito rarely displayed a sense of humor, one of the most maddening things about him. L found it hard to resist what Raito wanted those few times he poked fun at himself.
"That aside, I doubt people would find it believable that you would be attracted to me," L said. He waved a hand, indicating his sloppy appearance.
"Opposites attract, L," Raito replied. "And you're not ugly, you're interesting."
If L hadn't known how brutally honest Raito preferred to be, he would have assumed it was a platitude, intended on flattering L into agreeing. "Really," he said. "I don't think most people would agree with you."
"I can have anyone I want, L," Raito said. "Beauty that's only skin deep doesn't interest me."
Others might have accused Raito of arrogance for saying that, but L had never liked false humility. "Looking for true love instead?" L asked teasingly. He couldn't resist the jibe, and hoped it will dispel the uneasiness that was setting into his stomach. He chewed his thumbnail, realizing he wanted to believe Raito's flattery - and unable to decipher why.
"I don't believe in love," Raito replied flatly. "Just animal attraction."
L canted his head as he considered that. He, too, was a practical person, and he believed in the evidence of his eyes. "So you don't love your family?" he asked. "I don't understand why you'd go to such lengths to avenge your father, then."
His words didn't shake Raito. "Maybe I should rephrase myself. I don't believe in all-consuming love that becomes an obsession," he said. "I don't believe it's sensible for anyone. There's no such thing as soul mates, just compatible personalities."
L remembered how Raito had treated his girlfriend, Takada Kiyome. He hadn't formed any emotional attachment to her aside from affection, dismissing her from his mind instantly when they weren't together. "If we decide to perpetuate this... facade, you risk your reputation. The law enforcement community in general does not view homosexual activities kindly," said L.
"When I first wrote to you, I told you I was interested in justice. I want that so badly I can taste it - I dream about it at night, about bringing Kira to justice. I'm not an idiot - nothing in life is free, and I recognize some sacrifices might have to be made. You've already given up most of your reputation, and you expect me to do less? If we catch Kira, it will be worth it!" The fervor in his voice caused a surge of alarm in L.
"Fine," L agreed, partly because he wanted to distract Raito, and deciding that another charade wouldn't hurt him. He didn't have a public persona like Raito, and if things went down the hole, he could always just create another identity.
"Fine," Raito replied, his expression smug from getting his way.
They were quiet, and the silence stretched thin between them like taffy getting pulled. Finally L couldn't take it anymore. "So how do you want to go about this?"
Raito rubbed his chin as he considered. "It'd be best not to be overt. Since neither of us is 'out of the closet,' it would make sense to pretend to be hiding a relationship. We just make a couple of 'slips' and it'll establish the cover."
"Slips?" L echoed, feeling out of his depth.
"You know, get caught kissing, maybe some overly casual touches here and there, a hickey or two...." Raito trailed off, a grin springing to his lips before he began to laugh.
L knew the cause of Raito's amusement. His face felt red, and he recognized he probably resembled the color of an apple. He hadn't known he could get embarrassed like this.
Raito managed to get his amusement under control. "Anyone would think you'd never been kissed."
There had been no kisses from the staff at the orphanage, L thought. And he'd never had a girlfriend - or boyfriend. By the time he'd been old enough to consider it, he'd already been embroiled in pursuing international criminals.
"I haven't," he said stiffly.
The sound of the first two measures of Mission Impossible chimed, and L dived for the excuse to take a break from the conversation. He dug his cell phone out of the chair's cushion where it had mysteriously ended up. The phone was a plain blue and lacked any decoration or straps, but he liked it because of the extra features. He was getting very good at Tetris.
"Yes?" This call was going to be important. There were less than ten people who had his number, and all knew not to call him with frivolities. At the moment, he probably would have tolerated it just because it'd given him a chance to take a break from the distressingly intimate conversation.
"It's me," a female voice said, one which he'd been waiting to hear.
L looked across the way to where Raito was sitting. He'd rearranged himself slightly, leaning forward in the fashion that indicated his curiosity had been engaged. "Is there a problem with my account?" he asked, mouthing "Watari" to silently answer the perceived interest.
"Someone listening?" Weddie asked, and amusement colored her voice. L imagined her on the other end of the line, smirking at his predicament. Weddie wasn't an acquaintance who L, the man who stood for justice, could readily acknowledge. But sometimes the law and justice weren't complimentary ideals, so L had accepted the fact that expedience was necessary.
"Yeah, so you need my password?"
"Gotcha. Well, I'll keep this short, then. I broke into Amane's apartment, but didn't find any diary. But I did find something very interesting in a secret panel of her desk."
"Really." L rolled his eyes for Raito's benefit, putting on an abused expression, much like any young man being lectured by his guardian.
"Willing to pay?"
"I need that 5 million yen transferred," he replied. "You know I have living expenses."
"10 million," she countered.
"It'll be done? Good. Are you doing okay?"
"She has a small black book with 'Death Note' written in white letters. I browsed through, and-" She stopped abruptly. "I've got to go," she said, and hung up.
L stared blankly at the wall, and it was only Raito's presence that kept him from screaming aloud. Two years, and the closest thing to a break on the case he'd had just hung up on him.
"L? Is something wrong?" Raito asked.
L was not going to start crying - that would be childish and he never indulged in tears. He would not hyperventilate - hysteria would get him no where. Instead, he would take the logical course and try to be constructive. L lowered his phone, and took a deep breath before addressing his partner. "Raito, have you ever heard of a Death Note?"