Fluff, Chapter 1
Based on my self-made CCB card - will be one prompt per chapter.
AU, no Death Note.
Blind Date
Light sighed as he looked around the public square. This was not what he'd planned for when he tried to use the upcoming exams as an excuse to cut back on 'dating'; instead of accepting it and letting him have some time to himself, his family had started a bizarre panic. Which led to... well...
The first blind date he was talked into turned out to be a girl who spent the whole time refusing to share any opinions. "Where would you like to go?" "Wherever you choose." "Would you like a drink?" "If you want." Light was an expert at self-effacement, but she was closer to self-erasure - until the end of their date, at which point she burst into tears and fled.
Light still had no idea why.
After hearing about that, Sayu had decided that he needed someone more outgoing. His second blind date giggled, chattered incessantly about how cute the characters in her favourite anime were, and ended the date by literally groping him through his trousers.
Convincing Sayu that the date had not gone well without giving her the right impression as to why had been - challenging - but he had finally managed it. Which somehow led to his third date. She had seemed reasonable, and Light had almost enjoyed himself - until the end, when she declared that 'he wouldn't need to date anyone else now that they were together'.
Light had no interest in becoming seriously involved with anyone, and even less in being dictated to.
The fourth date had stood him up, apparently deciding that a night out with her friends sounded far more entertaining than a blind date. Light would have been far less annoyed by this if she had bothered to let him know instead of leaving him waiting for half-an-hour.
His fifth date, by contrast, had spent the whole time they were together simultaneously hanging off his arm and flirting with everyone she deemed cute.
Somehow, this parade of disasters had only served to convince his family that he needed their help to find a nice girl, instead of showing them that he did much better when left to his own devices. Sayu especially had become frighteningly enthusiastic about 'helping' him. He had no idea how she managed to talk him into this latest attempt while giving so little information (and giggling so much): "Look for someone, um, unique - with an idol's name!"
Scanning the crowds again, he smirked as he caught sight of a disheveled man crouched on a bench. Well, Sayu had told him to look for someone 'unique'...
He made his way over to the bench, plastering a self-deprecating smile on his face as he wondered how the man would react to what he was going to say. The man ignored his approach, head tilted back as he slowly lowered a long piece of brightly-coloured liquorice into his mouth.
Light reached him just as he was sucking the last traces of sugar from his fingers. The man raised an eyebrow at him curiously.
"Please forgive my rudeness," Light began. "Would you object to my sitting here?"
Both of the man's eyebrows rose higher in surprise. "Why do you want to?"
Light considered several answers, but discarded them in favour of the entertaining novelty of telling the truth. It wasn't as if it would have any repercussions on his real life, for once. "Honestly? My sister set me up on a blind date, and the only description I have is 'unique'. And since you are the most unique person here..." he let the sentence trail off, hoping the man wouldn't be offended.
The man stared at him, somehow projecting extreme doubt with a completely blank face. "Is your sister likely to have set you up on a date with another man?" he asked, somehow speaking clearly enough for Light to understand through a mouthful of liquorice.
Light let his smile turn wry. "Not really, but given what the last few dates she arranged for me were like, I think I'll be better off avoiding this one. And all she told me was 'someone unique with the name of an idol', so... I don't suppose you have an idol's name?" He waited, surprised by how hopeful he was feeling. There were two ways the man could respond - either he would say no, or -
The man smirked. "Ryuuga Hideki."
- play along.
Light grinned. "Yagami Light," he introduced himself, bowing. "Shall we get some coffee?"
Ryuuga considered as he finally swallowed his mouthful of liquorice. "I would prefer cake."
Light's smile felt easier than it had in years. "There's a shop fairly close that has a decent selection."
Ryuuga smiled back, and hopped off the bench. "Lead on."
"The symbology in question does tend to be very thoroughly explained," Ryuuga said dryly as he crouched opposite Light, his attention fixed on the spoon that he was carefully holding pinched between his fingers.
"Yes, but doesn't relying on such a specific context weaken -" Light's phone rang, making him jump. "Forgive me, I -" he fished it out and looked at the caller ID - and winced.
"Problem?" Ryuuga asked, mouth full of gooey chocolate.
"It's my sister." Light sighed. "I'm afraid I'd better answer it."
Ryuuga waved a hand in permission, pretending to bury his attention in his cake. Light couldn't help snorting at the gesture even as he accepted the call. "Moshi moshi."
"Liiight-nii! Where are you?" Sayu wailed.
Light flinched at how piercing her tone was. "On the date that you set up."
Ryuuga raised an eyebrow at him, amused by the untruth.
"Huh?"
Light smirked at her audible bewilderment. "You told me it was someone unique with an idol's name," he reminded her. "I asked the most unique person there, and they have an idol's name. So..." He considered not going any further, but annoyance at the dates she'd forced him to suffer through pushed him to say with false innocence, "Why are you asking?" He pretended not to notice Ryuuga's sardonic expression.
"What... But... Light-nii, she's here!"
"Who is?"
"Your date!"
Ryuuga snorted at Light's satisfied expression, clearly guessing what was going on.
"But I don't see how that's possible when I'm on my date. It's hardly likely that there would be two people in the square at the same time using idol's names, is it?"
"But... well... Whoever you're with must be lying!" Sayu said desperately.
"Sayu." Light let a little of his exasperation come through. "I am having the most enjoyable afternoon I have had in months. Please stop interrupting it."
"But -"
Light didn't wait for her to finish her protest, ending the call and setting his phone to silent. "I'm sorry about that," he said to Ryuuga.
Instead of responding, Ryuuga reached over the table and whisked Light's phone out of his hand, holding it in the same odd two-fingered grip he used on his spoon. "Was Yagami-kun telling the truth when he said this is the most enjoyable date he has had in months?" he asked.
"I didn't quite say that," Light demurred. "Give me back my phone!"
"But that is what you meant," Ryuuga retorted as he eyed the phone thoughtfully. He tapped at it as Light stared in amused outrage, then slid it back across the table. Light snatched it up and tucked it back in his pocket.
"Thank you," he said sarcastically.
"You're welcome," Ryuuga responded, picking up his spoon again. "Wasn't Yagami-kun going to explain the flaw in overreliance on context?"
Light eyed him suspiciously, but resumed their previous conversation. "It's not relying on context in itself that's the problem, it's saying that there's only one right context for..."
Light sighed as they returned to the square, not sure what he should say now that this odd little diversion was coming to an end. "Thank you for this afternoon, Ryuuga-kun."
Ryuuga glanced at him, a playful challenge sparkling in his eyes. "In Europe, it is common for dates to end with a kiss."
Light balked for a moment - that was going too far! - then narrowed his eyes at the trace of smugness in Ryuuga's expression at his reaction. "Very well," he said, and imitated an old western film he'd seen once, bowing as he took hold of one of Ryuuga's hands and raising it to his lips. He brushed his lips across Ryuuga's knuckles and rose, noting with satisfaction the faint tinge of pink on Ryuuga's face. At least they were both embarrassed.
Ryuuga squashed his satisfaction with just nine words. "Light-kun should decide what he will tell his sister."
All his blind dates seemed to end with him disconcerted, Light reflected as he strode towards the train station, but this was the first one that left him hoping to see the person again.
If only so that he could try to have the last word next time.
AU, no Death Note.
Blind Date
Light sighed as he looked around the public square. This was not what he'd planned for when he tried to use the upcoming exams as an excuse to cut back on 'dating'; instead of accepting it and letting him have some time to himself, his family had started a bizarre panic. Which led to... well...
The first blind date he was talked into turned out to be a girl who spent the whole time refusing to share any opinions. "Where would you like to go?" "Wherever you choose." "Would you like a drink?" "If you want." Light was an expert at self-effacement, but she was closer to self-erasure - until the end of their date, at which point she burst into tears and fled.
Light still had no idea why.
After hearing about that, Sayu had decided that he needed someone more outgoing. His second blind date giggled, chattered incessantly about how cute the characters in her favourite anime were, and ended the date by literally groping him through his trousers.
Convincing Sayu that the date had not gone well without giving her the right impression as to why had been - challenging - but he had finally managed it. Which somehow led to his third date. She had seemed reasonable, and Light had almost enjoyed himself - until the end, when she declared that 'he wouldn't need to date anyone else now that they were together'.
Light had no interest in becoming seriously involved with anyone, and even less in being dictated to.
The fourth date had stood him up, apparently deciding that a night out with her friends sounded far more entertaining than a blind date. Light would have been far less annoyed by this if she had bothered to let him know instead of leaving him waiting for half-an-hour.
His fifth date, by contrast, had spent the whole time they were together simultaneously hanging off his arm and flirting with everyone she deemed cute.
Somehow, this parade of disasters had only served to convince his family that he needed their help to find a nice girl, instead of showing them that he did much better when left to his own devices. Sayu especially had become frighteningly enthusiastic about 'helping' him. He had no idea how she managed to talk him into this latest attempt while giving so little information (and giggling so much): "Look for someone, um, unique - with an idol's name!"
Scanning the crowds again, he smirked as he caught sight of a disheveled man crouched on a bench. Well, Sayu had told him to look for someone 'unique'...
He made his way over to the bench, plastering a self-deprecating smile on his face as he wondered how the man would react to what he was going to say. The man ignored his approach, head tilted back as he slowly lowered a long piece of brightly-coloured liquorice into his mouth.
Light reached him just as he was sucking the last traces of sugar from his fingers. The man raised an eyebrow at him curiously.
"Please forgive my rudeness," Light began. "Would you object to my sitting here?"
Both of the man's eyebrows rose higher in surprise. "Why do you want to?"
Light considered several answers, but discarded them in favour of the entertaining novelty of telling the truth. It wasn't as if it would have any repercussions on his real life, for once. "Honestly? My sister set me up on a blind date, and the only description I have is 'unique'. And since you are the most unique person here..." he let the sentence trail off, hoping the man wouldn't be offended.
The man stared at him, somehow projecting extreme doubt with a completely blank face. "Is your sister likely to have set you up on a date with another man?" he asked, somehow speaking clearly enough for Light to understand through a mouthful of liquorice.
Light let his smile turn wry. "Not really, but given what the last few dates she arranged for me were like, I think I'll be better off avoiding this one. And all she told me was 'someone unique with the name of an idol', so... I don't suppose you have an idol's name?" He waited, surprised by how hopeful he was feeling. There were two ways the man could respond - either he would say no, or -
The man smirked. "Ryuuga Hideki."
- play along.
Light grinned. "Yagami Light," he introduced himself, bowing. "Shall we get some coffee?"
Ryuuga considered as he finally swallowed his mouthful of liquorice. "I would prefer cake."
Light's smile felt easier than it had in years. "There's a shop fairly close that has a decent selection."
Ryuuga smiled back, and hopped off the bench. "Lead on."
"The symbology in question does tend to be very thoroughly explained," Ryuuga said dryly as he crouched opposite Light, his attention fixed on the spoon that he was carefully holding pinched between his fingers.
"Yes, but doesn't relying on such a specific context weaken -" Light's phone rang, making him jump. "Forgive me, I -" he fished it out and looked at the caller ID - and winced.
"Problem?" Ryuuga asked, mouth full of gooey chocolate.
"It's my sister." Light sighed. "I'm afraid I'd better answer it."
Ryuuga waved a hand in permission, pretending to bury his attention in his cake. Light couldn't help snorting at the gesture even as he accepted the call. "Moshi moshi."
"Liiight-nii! Where are you?" Sayu wailed.
Light flinched at how piercing her tone was. "On the date that you set up."
Ryuuga raised an eyebrow at him, amused by the untruth.
"Huh?"
Light smirked at her audible bewilderment. "You told me it was someone unique with an idol's name," he reminded her. "I asked the most unique person there, and they have an idol's name. So..." He considered not going any further, but annoyance at the dates she'd forced him to suffer through pushed him to say with false innocence, "Why are you asking?" He pretended not to notice Ryuuga's sardonic expression.
"What... But... Light-nii, she's here!"
"Who is?"
"Your date!"
Ryuuga snorted at Light's satisfied expression, clearly guessing what was going on.
"But I don't see how that's possible when I'm on my date. It's hardly likely that there would be two people in the square at the same time using idol's names, is it?"
"But... well... Whoever you're with must be lying!" Sayu said desperately.
"Sayu." Light let a little of his exasperation come through. "I am having the most enjoyable afternoon I have had in months. Please stop interrupting it."
"But -"
Light didn't wait for her to finish her protest, ending the call and setting his phone to silent. "I'm sorry about that," he said to Ryuuga.
Instead of responding, Ryuuga reached over the table and whisked Light's phone out of his hand, holding it in the same odd two-fingered grip he used on his spoon. "Was Yagami-kun telling the truth when he said this is the most enjoyable date he has had in months?" he asked.
"I didn't quite say that," Light demurred. "Give me back my phone!"
"But that is what you meant," Ryuuga retorted as he eyed the phone thoughtfully. He tapped at it as Light stared in amused outrage, then slid it back across the table. Light snatched it up and tucked it back in his pocket.
"Thank you," he said sarcastically.
"You're welcome," Ryuuga responded, picking up his spoon again. "Wasn't Yagami-kun going to explain the flaw in overreliance on context?"
Light eyed him suspiciously, but resumed their previous conversation. "It's not relying on context in itself that's the problem, it's saying that there's only one right context for..."
Light sighed as they returned to the square, not sure what he should say now that this odd little diversion was coming to an end. "Thank you for this afternoon, Ryuuga-kun."
Ryuuga glanced at him, a playful challenge sparkling in his eyes. "In Europe, it is common for dates to end with a kiss."
Light balked for a moment - that was going too far! - then narrowed his eyes at the trace of smugness in Ryuuga's expression at his reaction. "Very well," he said, and imitated an old western film he'd seen once, bowing as he took hold of one of Ryuuga's hands and raising it to his lips. He brushed his lips across Ryuuga's knuckles and rose, noting with satisfaction the faint tinge of pink on Ryuuga's face. At least they were both embarrassed.
Ryuuga squashed his satisfaction with just nine words. "Light-kun should decide what he will tell his sister."
All his blind dates seemed to end with him disconcerted, Light reflected as he strode towards the train station, but this was the first one that left him hoping to see the person again.
If only so that he could try to have the last word next time.