Surface Zero (Chapter One)

[healielle]

Name:  Surface Zero
Chapter: One
Status: 2/20
Pairing: LxLight, BBxLight
Rating: Older Teens


Light couldn’t sleep. He tossed and turned in his bed, uncomfortable with the chain. He wondered when it would end. He was bored of it all really. It was like a circus without the entertainment. He moved his hands in front of his face, making shadow puppets on the ceiling. The strange position L was lying in with his laptop out made this an easy feat. Or maybe he was just used to it by now.

“Light, please stop.” He noticed that L was eyeing him warily. He momentarily stopped moving. He sat up to view the page L was working on in his laptop. If he couldn’t sleep he might as well find something else to do.

L gave him a bored look that asked ‘can’t sleep?’

Light sighed and focused all his attention on the screen, taking in the words and forming an overview of the situation.

“You should sleep.” L didn’t look like he was comfortable with Light leaning in so close to him.

“Huh? I can’t sleep.” Light stifled a yawn and sighed, “What is this? This isn’t the Kira case.”

“I do have other cases I’m working on.” L looked back at the screen, “Go back to sleep.”

Light nodded, “Yes, knowing the Great L is out there making sure we all stay alive. I can sleep well now.”

“Thank you.” L went back to work.

Light wanted to protest that with Kira out, that wasn’t supposed to be a compliment, but he stopped himself. L would just find some other way to make him feel ever more irritated. He hated that man.

He stared at the ceiling, watching the distorted pool of colors reflected by the screen of L’s laptop, “What happens when you die?”

L stopped typing, “What?”

Light turned to look at him, “This is Kira we’re up against. No, even if this wasn’t Kira. What happens when you die? Who’ll save the world then?”

“You know Light; I can take that as an assumption that you don’t want me to work on the Kira case because you think I might die. Could that be because you’re Kira?”

Light inhaled deeply, “That’s why I said that even if this wasn’t the Kira case, you might still stand a chance of dying.”

L gave him a curious smile, “Yes, I might.”

Vague. He was always so vague!

“So…” Light dragged, “Who’ll save the world then?”

“You don’t have to worry about that. I have made arrangements.” L closed his laptop. Light would not let him work, he was sure of that now. And as far as the case he was working on was concerned, it was only a matter of waiting and biding for time. He placed his head on the pillow next to Light, and stared. He would make the man as uncomfortable as possible.

“Arrangements? Like there’s a whole system waiting for you to die so someone can step in?” Light wasn’t really interested, he was just too bored.

“Exactly Light.”

Light turned his head sharply towards L, “What?” The words slipped out of his mouth before he could stop himself. L didn’t respond. He simply kept staring; the same bored look on his face.

Light turned back to the ceiling, that face made him so angry. But it was so familiar. Sometimes, it was hard for him not to stare.

“So there are other L’s?”

L didn’t reply. He looked unconcerned, and closed his eyes.

Light felt violent, he couldn’t explain it. It felt like some memory inside him had risen up, “Tell me. These other L’s, how many of them are there? Why aren’t they here, helping us now?”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about Light. Go to sleep. We both need to work tomorrow.” L tried to turn around, but Light grabbed him. L snarled, not this again.

“Do you even know what these other L’s are doing now?”

L pulled himself away from Light, accidentally hitting him under the chin in the process.

Light groaned and reeled back, touching bruised part of his face. It didn’t seem to faze him, “Do you ever take responsibility L?”

L got up from the bed and made for the phone. He would call Watari to stay in the room with them; otherwise he might really hurt Light.

“Do they know? What you’re really like? That you you’ll send them to the slaughterhouse in the blink of an eye?” Light started laughing, the tone of his voice started to change abruptly.

L stopped where he was standing, “What are you talking about?”

“You.” Light was smirking at him, “I know you. And I know what you’re capable of. I know everything about you.”

L took a step back from where he was standing, and dived for the phone. However Light was faster.

L found himself pinned to the floor, being straddled by the younger boy, “I know why you can’t sleep at night.”

L looked away, “I warned you Light. I won’t forgive this.”

“Forgiveness. I need your forgiveness?” Light pointed to the bruise under his chin, “It hurt much more than this you know.”

L stared at him blankly. There was a moment of silence. It was only broken when L leapt up, throwing Light against the bed and moved into a defensive stance, “Come near me, and I will hurt you.”

“Oh no L, it’s too late for that.” Light shakily stood up, unfazed. Within two steps he had L in his reach. L had expected this, and he had the counter move ready. He raised his leg to kick Light in the stomach, but a hand stopped him. Light had anticipated his move.

L was momentarily surprised, but that moment was all that Light needed.

He gently placed his hands around L’s throat and pressed hard.

L tried to swerve, but Light held him tight by his hair. It was painful. L wasn’t used to physical combat and Light was physically bigger than him, “Hurt me then.” The boy grinned, his head lazily flopping down on L’s chest.

His hands were pressing down on his throat.

“Lig…” L gasped as he pulled at Light’s hands. He felt the world swirl around him as he was pushed against the nearest wall. The impact made him groan. “Light, stop.” He gave up trying to pull the hands away from his throat and reached to claw at the face in front of him. He was desperate. The grip slightly loosened.

“Light?” L watched as the boy laughed. It sent a chill up his spine, “Light… Light. Light!” He kept laughing, and his grip around L’s throat tightened. All of a sudden, he stopped laughing. His head was bent low. His eyes covered his hair, but the maniacal grin on his face was one L had never seen before.

“Light.” He said again, chuckling slightly. He raised his head, looking into L’s eyes. Those eyes were crazy. L stopped struggling; he was mesmerized. This was Light Yagami?

“Say, call me that again?” He pushed L up against the wall with strength L never knew the boy had, “Go on. Call me Light.”

L was struggling to breathe now. His feet were in the air, and he felt as if his throat was being crushed, still he betrayed no emotion of fear. He wouldn’t, not now.

L calmly looked at the boy, “Put me down Light.” It was difficult to talk. The boy’s eyes became fierce, his hands around L’s throat tightened. He was really going to kill L.

L was soon ready to pass out, the only sound he heard was Light’s voice slowly humming a familiar tune. Before he closed his eyes he vaguely remembered hearing the sound of rushing footsteps and someone trying to break open the door to the room the two of them shared.

When L opened his eyes, the chains binding him to Light had been removed.

He was in the room they shared, alone. He tried to move. He winced. His back hurt. He reached out to touch it, there was a bruise. He turned his head to the left, looking at the spot where he had been pinned to the wall. His eyes slanted. He had to call Watari.

It was several minutes before the older man appeared. Before L could ask, he answered, “I have removed the chains and put him under lock up.”

L looked angry. His eyebrows furrowed and his eyes looked furious, “Why? He’s a suspect…”

“I don’t need your permission to protect you.” Watari sounded stern, “L” He added as an afterthought. L didn’t raise any objections. Watari was the only man who could talk to him like that and get away with it. Both of them knew that.

L made to sit up in his bed. He cautiously looked at Watari to see if he would try to stop him, but he didn’t. L walked past him, bending lower than usual because of the pain in his back. Once he reached the door he turned around, “Thank you Watari.”

The man nodded, “I’m sorry it took me some time.”

L nodded. He would need to talk to Light now.

The Task Force was unusually quiet. L ignored them as he walked straight to his seat, his eyes flicking just momentarily towards the chair Light had occupied just hours before. He knew the others in the room wanted to talk to him. He knew Soichiro Yagami had some story ready to defend his son, but L didn’t care. Not then.

He opened a small drawer accessible by a special key which only he and Watari had access to. Inside, was another key - the one to the holding cell he had specially designed for the building. He grabbed it and moved without a second thought.

“L…”

“Not now Matsuda!” His voice was loud, angry even. He noticed Matsuda flinch from the corner of his eyes. He would make it up to him later. Now was not the time.

Just as he reached the door leading to the hallway with the stairs, Soichiro Yagami appeared in front of him. The man looked distraught. Obviously he hadn’t slept all night.

“L, my son… Maybe Kira possessed him?”

L eyed him warily. He didn’t know himself. It certainly hadn’t felt like Light. He nodded towards the man and placed a hand on his shoulder. He hoped he seemed comforting enough, but Light was nowhere near off the hook. They both knew that.

Light was clutching at his hair, his knees pulled up against him, his face buried in his legs. He was curled up in a small ball, facing the wall. The cell was silent, unnervingly so.

L had tried again and again to talk to Light, to provoke him, to call out to him, to make him say something, say anything. Was he even alive?

L felt the need to go and check, but Watari had made it clear that under no circumstances would L be allowed to go near Light; at least not until they knew the reason behind his previous outburst. ‘He was momentarily possessed by Kira’ just didn’t cut it.

To L however, this had more to do with age old secrets rather than Kira. This was about a song. The same one he had heard Light humming the night before as he had tried to kill the man. Had Light really sung that? Or had his mind simply been playing tricks on him?

He reached out and touched the buzzer in front of him, leaning into the mike once again, “Amane Misa has already confessed that she is the Second Kira. She has also confessed that she was working with you.” L had to focus. The Kira case was what was important right then.

Light seemed to shuffle slightly at this. He looked up from his legs and up at the camera stand located above his cell. He smiled, “Will you kill me now then?”

L growled. Well at least he had a reaction out of him, “So you’re confessing?”

The boy laughed, “Sure. I confess, I confess. I confess I came back just to see Ryuuzaki.”

Watari took a step forward. L didn’t look fazed, “Do you admit that you are Kira?”

At first it looked like Light was simply looking around the room. But L soon realized that he was vigorously shaking his head, “Kira?” The voice was hard, dangerous, “You think I’m on the same level as that insect?” Light’s head tilted to one side, tauntingly.

“Light?” L’s voice dropped to a whisper. His thumb pressed down against his thumb. This was not in his calculations. What was happening now had completely escaped all possible realities he had envisioned.

The scene changed soon. Light’s body started shaking vigorously. He convulsed and fell from the small bed, crashing to the floor. “Watari!” L stood up as Watari quickly left the room. L followed him. What was happening?

By the time they reached the cell, Light had become still again. He looked mildly confused as Watari went to shift him on top of the bed, “What happened?” He asked, looking from Watari back to L and back to the older man.

L moved to sit in front of Light. He looked up at they boy. Did he really know nothing?

“Why am I here?” He felt for the familiar chains that bound him and L together, they weren’t there, “Kira?” Light’s eyes widened momentarily.

“No Light, Kira has nothing to do with this.” L got up; still watching Light’s every move.

Light looked indignant, “But this means I was right. Kira has the power to take over anyone at any time.”

L shook his head. Even though he felt that this might be Kira, he had a stronger suspicion that this had something more to do with Light Yagami himself, and he wasn’t going to let Light feel that he knew anything.

“But…” Light continued to argue, “The chains.” He pointed to their hands.

L smiled slightly, “You don’t have to worry about that Light.” He motioned towards Watari. He noticed the man’s eyebrows twitch slightly. He knew he wouldn’t betray an order from L if someone else were to be present.

Light glared at L, “You’ll really go to any lengths to prove that I’m Kira, won’t you Ryuga?”

L briefly took a note of that name, “You’re right. I will.” He dodged the punch that was aimed straight for his gut. He would pay Light back for the bruise on his back. But that came later. He did nothing to hide his amusement as Watari came back with the chains and placed one end on Light’s hand, the other on L’s.

In fact, the look of utter despair on Light’s face left him ever so slightly amused.

Light did everything L had asked him to do for the rest of the day. The atmosphere around the Task Force was just too tense for him to refuse. Thankfully, L sent everyone home early that day. He said there wasn’t anything to do until the next day. And Aizawa and Matsuda had both asked to be let off early. Soichiro Yagami had tried to stay back with his son, but L was adamant, forceful even. What would his wife think if he never went home? Light had remained quiet through all this. Even Misa was busy with work.

Light eyed the systematic tapping on L’s keyboard and almost jumped when Watari came to offer him some coffee. L had refused to believe that he did not remember the happenings of the night before, that Light really hadn’t tried to strangle L. He was just making Light suffer for something he hadn’t done.

“Do you want to see what you did Light?” L had asked him at one point

Light had glared at him, “It doesn’t matter because I don’t remember. I was sleeping.”

L was getting angry. He had sent everyone home because of that song, and here Light claimed to know nothing, “Fine. What was the last thing you remember?”

Light looked at him and pointed, “Your face. It’s difficult to forget those huge things pointedly staring at me.”

L didn’t seem fazed, “I’ll have you know my eyes have been praised before.”

“Hah!” Light looked back at the screen, repeatedly pressing the ‘B’ button. He had nothing to do and he was stuck with L throwing accusations at him again.

“You don’t believe me Light?” The boy looked at him from the corner of his eyes, wondering where this was going.

“The first person to say they were beautiful was someone I knew a long time ago.”

Light tried to feign interest, “You’re being unusually talkative today Ryuga.” Especially for someone I apparently nearly strangled to death, thought Light to himself.

“Ryuzaki.” L looked at Light and waited.

Light looked back, “I’m just more comfortable with Ryuga, what’s the problem with that?”

“Nothing. Except you said you’d come back to see me, Ryuzaki.” L looked back at his screen, “I am working on the Kira case you know. Why else do you think I’m talking to you?”

That hurt. “So you never talk to me unless it’s about the Kira Case?” Light felt whether he had forgotten or not, he would thoroughly enjoy strangling L to death right then and there.

“Do I?” L asked with a blank look on his face.

Light tried his hardest to smile, “But you just did.”

“No.” Now L was smiling.

Light turned his face away from L’s, “You did. When you told me about your eyes.”

“My eyes? No. You told me about my eyes.”

“L!” Light was getting frustrated, “You told me he found them pretty, whoever he was!”

“’He’? When did I tell you they were male?” L’s smile grew wider.

Light snarled, “I just assumed.”

“You assumed I slept with a man?” L broke open a bar of chocolate and took a small bite. He offered a little to Light. Light was trembling with anger, “I didn’t assume you slept with anyone. I just happened to generalize.”

L took another bite from his bar and licked his fingers slightly to get rid of the chocolate that was melting fast, “I’m hurt Light. You assume I’m incapable of having sexual intercourse.”

“Then I assume right.” Light took his hands away from the keyboard and started erasing the ‘B’s’.

“Then I can assume you’re inexperienced.”

Light snapped his neck towards L, “And how exactly did you come to that conclusion?”

“You can never sleep at night. You’re uncomfortable sleeping in the same bed as me, you’re unused to it.”

“And that automatically means I’m a virgin?” Light was ready to take the chocolate bar from L’s hands and stuff them down his throat.

L nodded, looking very amused.

“And I suppose you want me to kiss you to prove you’re wrong?” Light shuddered at the thought.

L looked equally disgusted, “You think too highly of yourself Light. I was just making an observation.”

Light started breathing in deeply, L was just provoking him. It was the same as always, “Who’d want to kiss you?”

“Do you really want to know?” L asked, “But I can tell you who I wouldn’t want to kiss.”

“Oh?” Light pushed back in his chair and placed his neck on the backrest. He turned his head towards L, “Who?”

L looked like he was waiting for this, “Well. Your father, Aizawa, Matsuda, Mogi, Misa…” He made a face, “… and last on the list, you.”

Light felt rage over take him as his body moved.

L whimpered as he felt lips press down on his, forcibly trying to find an entrance. It was annoying. However he wanted to see exactly how good the famed Light Yagami was. Light worked his hardest. He felt disgusting; he couldn’t believe he was doing this just to prove a point to himself. He pressed his lips onto L’s, tugging at the man’s bottom lip. ‘Open them damnit.’ He was surprised when he felt L oblige. He opened his eyes to see L staring at him, the same bored look on his face. ‘I’m unimpressed Light.’ That’s what he was thinking, Light was sure of it.

Light felt a growl escape his throat as he bit down on L’s tongue, smiling to himself when L moaned in pain. He licked at L’s tongue, waiting for a reaction. None came. He tried harder, licking and lapping at the inside of L’s mouth, ever so occasionally drawing for breath and tugging at his lips before attacking his mouth again. He felt a trail of saliva slide down the side of his mouth. But there was no reaction from L. He tried again and shoved his tongue in as far as it could go. He heard a muffled scream and L pushed him back. He crashed to the floor, nearly toppling the series of computers lining the table in the process.

He saw L wipe his mouth rapidly, a disgusted look on his face, “That was… how do I put it?” L thought for a moment, “Bad.”

Light moved to hit L, but L caught him first. But last night… L would have to reconsider this. There was something definitely strange about the boy, “You Light Yagami.” He pulled the boy closer to his face, “Are nothing more than a spoiled uptight little boy.”

Light tugged at L’s hands, trying to pull away. L gripped him tighter, “Do you remember the song you sang last night?”

Light growled, “Like I said Ryuga, I was asleep.”

“Both you and I know you weren’t. Now do you want to tell me before I find some other ways to find out?” L looked threatening, and for the first time in his life, Light felt slightly scared of him.

“I don’t know.”

“Not only are you a bad kisser, but you’re a bad liar too.” L released the grip he held on Light’s hands, “You keep your secrets. I’ll find them out eventually.” L went back to his work, unfazed. For the rest of the evening, L worked on his cases while Light sat staring at his own screen.

Another night had come. Light prayed that sleep would come to him today; he didn’t want to look at L any longer than he needed to. L was ignoring him anyway. He didn’t bother to stop Light when he started his nightly puppet show, even though the tugging of the chains irritated him.

Light felt a sense of drowsiness overcome him. From the corner of his eyes, he thought he saw L standing near him, at the foot of his bed. But L was sitting next to him wasn’t he? His eyes closed even more as the other ‘L’, no… Ryuzaki walked towards him.

Ryuzaki gave Light a gentle smile and touched his forehead, and closed his own eyes. Light felt the world turn a dull shade of gray. The last thing on his mind was how much he hated L.

A slow singing drew L’s attention away from the laptop. He listened to the song, he watched Light sing the song, the words drifting through his head.

‘And what was the color of the flower

You saw that day?’

Light finished the song and smiled at L, “Was this the song you were talking about?”

L snarled, “How do you know that?”

“Why wouldn’t I? Doesn’t everyone?” Light started chuckling.

“Light, stop…”

Light cut him off, “Hush L, you talk too much. And I always thought you were the quiet type.”

“I told you to call me Ryuzaki.” L’s voice was as cold as ice, it betrayed nothing but hatred.

Light smiled at him pleasantly, “Don’t be delusional L, I’m Ryuzaki.”