Death Note Fan Fiction / Death Note Fan Fiction ❯ Law and Right ❯ Logic ( Chapter 3 )

[ X - Adult: No readers under 18. Contains Graphic Adult Themes/Extreme violence. ]

Disclaimer: I do not own Death Note. Tsugumi Ohba and Takeshi Obata do.

Warnings for this chapter: Angst, Language, WIP.

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Law and Right

Chapter 3: Logic

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The days seemed to bleed together, like fresh red dye poured into a washing machine with all the whites until the world was a vague pink. It rained off and on for nearly three weeks, and while he went through the motions of living -- eating, using the bathroom, answering questions about his reign as Kira -- he had never felt quite so dead, laying in that infirmary bed.

He didn't even look up when Misa, Ryuk with her, had come into the room.

"Hyuk, hyuk. I heard you turned yourself in, Light," The shinigami's scratchy voice was quiet.

"I suppose you're going to carry through with your threat then?" Light's gaze remained on the window. It was sunny out, and that made his frown tighten slightly.

"Nah. I just wanted to make sure you weren't boring while it lasted. Soon as you give back the notebook, I'm outta here," he replied with another dry laugh.

"You know that's not in my control anymore."

"Light!" Misa squealed loud enough for Light to grimace. "Misa-Misa has missed you!" she was all but weeping. "Why is Light pretending to be Kira?"

Finally, Light tore his gaze from the window, glared at her. "I am Kira," he snarled, looked away again. "Was Kira." Was. Because a victim couldn't prescribe justice.

The tainted, the dirty, the abused... they could not see the situation clearly. He closed his eyes tightly. He could not see the situation clearly. "Give up your memories, Misa. Pass ownership of your Death Note and all the pages of it that you've hidden to L. He is Justice now."

"But Light-kun," Misa almost whimpered. Almost.

Light actually considered smacking her for it, but what good would it do? He sighed. "Do it, Misa. It's over."

"Misa-Misa still loves Light-kun," she said softly, taking one of his hands in hers, looking at him.

"No, Misa. You loved Kira, and I am not Kira anymore," Light looked over at her, gave her hand a gentle squeeze. "Your life span has been quartered already. Go... enjoy what time you have left," he advised. "I can't be there, no matter what my feelings may be."

It was perhaps the first time that any true emotion entered Light's voice as he spoke to Misa, and that was enough to make her smile sadly. "Light-kun has never really loved Misa, I know that, but he has been kind and generous," she lifted his hand, kissed it softly. "Misa will never forget you, Light-kun."

Light could see the tears gathering, could hear the weight of them on Misa's voice. "I won't forget you, either, Misa. Give the world the love that you've given me and I'm certain it will be a better place," he managed a smile then. It wasn't a real smile, but it was as close as he could come. The line was undeniably corny, but he knew it would ease Misa's mind and that, after all, was the most important part.

Misa sniffled softly, nodding. "Misa-Misa will give the world happiness," she promised softly, hugging Light's hand to her chest. "Is this goodbye, Light-kun?"

"That's up to Ryuzaki," Light replied quietly, "but most likely, it is."

Misa sniffled again as tears slipped from her eyes. Light was rather proud of her for not crumpling to the floor in a messy heap of sobs and he gave her hand another gentle squeeze.

Silence stretched out within the room for almost an hour before a soft knock at the door. Ryuzaki stood in the doorway, his gaze slipping between Misa and Light. "Misa, it would be best if you said goodbye to Yagami-kun. He will be transported to the execution facility tomorrow."

"Execution?!" Misa's voice bordered on a scream.

"Yagami-kun is a serial killer, Misa-chan. He must be brought to Justice," Ryuzaki itched his right foot with his left.

"Aren't you doing the same thing as Kira, then?!" Misa demanded.

"Yagami-kun has killed countless criminals -- as well as innocent people," Ryuzaki replied almost lazily. "I have his confession documented."

"You haven't given him a trial, Ryuzaki!" she accused. "You're judging him on your own, deciding he should die and making sure it happens all on your own! How is that not the same as Kira's justice?!"

"I am accountable for my actions, Misa-chan," Ryuzaki actually seemed bored.

"To who?" Misa shot back.

Blink. "To myself, Misa-chan. Please, say your goodbyes to Yagami-kun. Visitation is over."

"Kira was accountable to himself, to the people of the world!" Misa fumed with self-righteousness. "You're just as much Kira as Light-kun!"

Tilting his head, Ryuzaki allowed himself to follow that line of logic for a little while. "Kira did not obtain proof, circumstantial or otherwise, against the people he murdered."

"The only proof you have is the proof he gave you!" Misa snapped back.

"Misa, let it go," Light said at last. "It's no use arguing. Say goodbye and put me behind you."

"I can't believe you're just giving up!" Misa exploded, whirling on Light with tears streaking her face, dragging her eyeliner down in stripes. "What about your justice, your new world?! What about the world we were building together, Light!"

Ryuzaki reached out, placed a hand on Misa's shoulder. "Is this how you wish to say goodbye to Yagami-kun, Misa-chan? You will not see him again."

She lowered her head, whimpered for a moment before regaining her composure and giving one of Light's hands a squeeze again. "I love you, Light-kun," then she turned and ran from the room before she could make an even bigger fool of herself.

"Misa's logic was interesting," Ryuzaki mused, biting on his thumb as he looked at Light. "What did you think of it?"

Light sighed, glancing up at L. "It's sound. You are not held accountable by any checks or balances. You could, just as easily, become Kira."

"But I will not," Ryuzaki replied. "That is what makes the difference."

"Does it?" A small smile lifted on Light's lips. He chuckled softly.

Ryuzaki said nothing after he left, but he spent the evening considering the argument. He sat up with a pile of sweets, watching the video feed of Light's room, and he let Misa's logic wander around inside his mind.

By morning, Ryuzaki had come to a decision.

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A/N: Short, yes, I know! But it serves its purpose. I'll probably update again within 12 or 24 hours.