Death Note Fan Fiction ❯ A Balm for Social Failure ❯ Aftermath ( Chapter 8 )

A Balm for Social Failure

(Chapter 8: Aftermath)
Light x L

L begins to suspect something is missing from his life. He believes the key to be in social interaction - his weak point. At the appearance of the enigma named Light Yagami, he is challenged to rise to the occasion.

Disclaimer: see ch. 1 for full disclaimer

*update* my apologies, but the wrong version made it up last time.

I hope any grammatical issues or word misuse did not make your eyes bleed.
________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________


Chapter 8:


'After' came much sooner than anticipated.

A knock at the door when you are lying in post-coital entanglement with someone who might very well be a serial killer, L thought, is not generally good for the nerves.

Or was it only post-coital if there was penetration?

Details, details.

He was still suffering heart failure, as the implications remained the same regardless.

"L?" Watari called.

"Yes?" he hoped to god his voice sounded normal.

Well don't you look remarkably calm and comfy? He glared at Light.

Lazy, amber eyes blinked at him and he shrugged, eyes sliding shut again.

Right. My problem, not yours. Thanks a fucking lot.

"Are you ok in there?" Watari was asking in mild concern.

"Why wouldn't I be?" L called back. AH, a recourse! "Do you know something I don't?" Like the fact that you went against my damn instructions and let this guy in here? L prodded the person in question, shifting him off his rib cage. Light was awfully heavy when he was dead weight. "Or is it ok if I keep working on this lead?" Better to throw that in. Watari was less likely to interrupt him while he was working.

"Ah, no. Nothing that you don't know..." Oh, come now, Watari, that's bad acting even for you. "Sorry to disturb you, sir."

L waited until he was sure Watari was no longer at the door.

"Real sweet of you," he muttered, shoving the brunette off of him. Light was able to affect his mood as easily as he did anything else. L struggled to his feet. You're nothing like your namesake, he thought darkly, dragging the towel off the bed to pull around his hips. Damn kids. And damn himself too for thinking Light would suddenly not do things that set him off.

And what had really changed? He still had no proof that anything had, except the physical nature of their acquaintance. He very easily might have fallen prey to some new trick, some painful new way for Light to torment him and hold his misbegotten feelings over his head. But it wasn't like he'd had a choice in the matter! Held captive in a tub and held down to a bed, coupled with this incensing lust he seemed to have developed, there really was nothing he could've done...

He stalked over to the hotel room's closet and wrenched open the sliding door. Pulling out clean clothes, he fought his way into a pair of green boxers, baggy jeans, and a long-sleeved white shirt. It was a near daily uniform. It simplified life and was more time efficient than anything else would have been. He dared anyone to challenge him on that.

He caught sight of Light watching him in the mirrored surface of the door with an amused smile on his face.

He turned and advanced on Light. "What the hell did I ever do to you to deserve this?" L hissed, trying to keep his voice from carrying. The smug little bastard.

"To deserve what, Ryuuzaki?" The smile spread.

L threw his hands up, unwilling to play to Light's prompting. "Nothing," he said. He spun back to the closet, looking for his rarely donned shoes and a pair of socks. If he didn't leave right now he was going to kick Light in the head. Or worse. Let him deal with leaving here himself and suffer the looks his attire was sure to get him.

"Going somewhere?" Light was watching him still, chin propped in his hand.

"Out," L said shortly. Where the fuck was his left shoe? What was he supposed to do, hop down the god-damned street?

He clenched the right shoe in his hand, buckling the weak canvas sides.

God. how had he let this happen? He couldn't bear being under anyone's thumb. And Light's would be more oppressing than most. Light would be able to ferret out every tendency, every weakness, and use every little thing, every scrap of knowledge, to manipulate and take advantage. To get his way.

"I've never seen you like this," Light said thoughtfully.

"Good for you, I'm sure it's fascinating."

"Are you always this nasty after sex, or did I invoke a special reaction?"

"I wouldn't know." L drew back his arm to chuck the shoe he had found at the brunette's head.

"I wouldn't do that if I were you," Light said calmly. "Besides, the other is just under the bed." He indicated the mirror from which this truth could be seen.

L scowled at it, still holding the other shoe aloft.

Light slid off the bed, then out of his slacks and boxers. L stood stock still as Light made his way around him to the closet. He had just gotten quite an eyeful.

"I'm going to borrow some clothes, Ryuuzaki."

L nodded mutely, his hand finally lowering the shoe. God. What a mess this was.

He listened to the sounds of rustling cloth as Light dressed and felt his head begin to droop in defeat. Sad and sick. That's what this whole bloody mess was. 

When Light's arms came about him, he didn't even flinch. Light's chin rested on his shoulder in a mockery of affection.  Oh, it was hard to bear.

"Are you done acting like an insane person?" Light murmured. "I thought you wanted to talk?" 

"Is there anything to talk about?" L said stiffly.

Light sighed and drew back, turning L to face him. He studied the detective's face critically, mapping every nuance of expression, until his own face relaxed in understanding. "You're angry because you don't trust me."

"And why should I?"

"I'll be the only person you never have to worry about betraying you."

"Says you, but people are liars, manipulators and betrayers." L smiled bitterly, "And of them all, you are the best I've seen."

Light looked like he was counting to 10. "I think you may have misunderstood a few things, Ryuuzaki. And would you mind not flinging accusations around so easily? It's very irritating."

"If I'm so irritating, why have you been after my ass?"  L flung back.  "If anything is suspect, it's been your behavior the past several weeks!"

"I never said you were irritating, though you certainly do manage it at times!" They were yelling in harsh whispers now. "And it's your fault if I've been acting differently! You lodge yourself so firmly into my brain and then disappear-!"

"If any of that happened, you did it to yourself! Don't blame me for your shortcomings!"

"Goddammit, Ryuuzaki," Light hissed and shoved him up against the wall. L made a noise as the air was knocked out of him. "You can be so infuriating!"

L blinked dark eyes at him and deadpanned, "Now what exactly was it I was supposed to trust again? Unless it was that you had a temper? I was well aware of that already."

Light's head made a soft thunk as it hit the wall over L's left shoulder. "Why is this so difficult?" the brunette asked himself aloud.  Thunk.

Thunk.

"Look... I don't want want to fight," L made himself say. This new behavior of Light's was extremely out of character and nothing short of disturbing. And the noise. The noise.

"Yes, you do."

"Well, I'll make an attempt to control myself if you stop hitting the wall with your head."

"I was planning to take you out somewhere where we wouldn't be interrupted..." Light sighed. "I think we need to discuss this to some extent."

"I tried to talk talk to you before-"

Thunk.

"Okay, okay," L grumbled. "Get off, and we'll go."

---

They ended up staying in the hotel.

It had gotten rather nasty outside at some point, all wind and rain, and by unspoken agreement they detoured past the glass doors that led to the street. They headed instead for the  hotel's restaurant and dining area. The hotel was a large one, so there were multiple food establishments.

A quaint French-style coffee shop that offered baked goods as well caught L's eye, but it was open air. The wrought iron chairs and tables spilled into the wide walkway circling the hotel's impressive indoors fountain, not offering much privacy. And the outside patio was, of course, currently under water. He gave it a sad look and wondered if maybe he could send Watari to pick up something for him later. He didn't want to come back alone, and he doubted there would be another time in which Light might feel inclined to revisit the place with him. That just did not seem plausible for a pair that did not even qualify as "friends".

And what was the big deal about being friends anyway? L stared at Light's back as they walked around the fountain to where the bigger of the two restaurants was. Light had not made any sense before - 'Because it wouldn't be enough.' How does wanting more than friendship disqualify friendship?

Wasn't friendship a building block to something more? Or was he being too idealistic?

Maybe it was dependent on what "more" entailed? Strings or no strings?

L tried to be optimistic, but it sort of went against his nature, so he settled for mildly hopeful.

The restaurant was very busy, which was to be expected of a high-class eatery at this time of night, especially when the elements were driving people to stay indoors. Speaking of night... what time was it? L didn't have a clue as he hadn't remembered his watch or cell phone. Fantastic, I thought Light would keep my brain challenged and sharp, not make me brain damaged.

L regarded Light as they waited for a table. The borrowed jeans were loose on him, but in more of a comfortable way than the highly sloppy look they managed on himself.  He had retained his own dress shirt, dry now, and miraculously enough it was largely unwrinkled.

L supposed it would have looked odd to anyone if the pair of them were dressed exactly alike, but the odds were in favor of them not dwelling on that when they could dwell on someone like Light. They would probably glance over Light's shoulder at him, and simper about how good he was to pick his friends on more than appearances alone, and feel sorry for the brunette that his "friend" was trying so hard to emulate him.

"Something wrong, Ryuuzaki?"

"Nothing at all, Light-kun."

"That seems rather formal, considering."

"I thought you didn't want your father to suspect? You seemed particularly focused on that earlier. Would you rather me break a habit that is currently of benefit to you?"

Light looked at him balefully. "Is it really so hard to remember how to address people?"

"I don't have as much practice at it as you."

"..."

"Besides, I have better things to worry about. So I'll likely say the first address that comes to mind and not think on it again."

Sigh.

"This displeases you?" L asked with mock surprise. "As the paradigm of honesty, I thought that you, at least, could appreciate such a candid answer."
 
"If I buy you cake or something, would you shut up for 5 minutes?"

L opened his eyes wide. "A bribe?" Gasp. "Light-kun, that is not very didactic of you."

Light's richly colored eyes narrowed and he leaned in threateningly close. L was not overly concerned, Light was just responding to his ribbing. His heart skipped a beat though. "Are you insinuating that I am preachy about my moral views?"

L pretended to think, getting a strange kick out of the stares their proximity was starting to elicit. "Yes, that sounds about right, but you neglected to add 'hypocritical' to my description."

Light fought through several expressions and likely several wildly different responses before responding with cold control. "To an outside observer, perhaps it would appear that way."

L smiled blandly, watching the brunette's eye start to twitch. "No one will know how closely you adhere to your moral code if they do not know what it is in the first place."

Light's pupils pinned, and he got that look, the one that said he was going to win this argument no matter what it cost him. Oddly enough, it was tinged with the sexual predator look. L feared for one long, drawn out moment that Light was going to do something embarrassing in public. His pulse started tripping in his chest as Light started to move in.

"Ahem,"  a waitress coughed delicately, breaking into their exchange, her hand to her mouth. Her face looked a little pink, even in the dim lighting. "Your table is ready, sirs."

Light turned to her and smiled, charm turned on full blast. L was surprised the girl didn't stagger backwards. "Where are the bathrooms?" he asked apologetically. "My companion here has something in his eye and I can't seem to be of much assistance."

"O-Oh," she said flushing, obviously embarrassed at her initial assumption now that Light had provided a suitable explanation. "I can point it out to you as I show you to your table?"

"That would be perfect."

L looked at Light with raised brows. Light shrugged elegantly.

They followed the duped girl to the table, and L let her show him to the washroom afterwards - closing his one eye to make Light's LIE more believable. Honestly, how did the brunette expect him to trust anything he said when he could deceive people as easily as he drew breath?

Did this have to do with his undefined code of honor? If a person was of no consequence in his mind, did he not consider it lying when he told untruths? L had noticed Light's reluctance to falsify information to his father, for instance, or himself, for that matter...

If you lied to something you did not count as a person, was it still a lie? If it were of no more importance than a tree or a chair, something you did not perceive to have a brain, would it matter?

Was Light's thought process really so barren as this?

L himself was guilty of seeing people as rather brainless himself, but not to this extent. People were sentient, no matter how low the humming of their minds might be in comparison, and to draw such a line...

Was this indicative of psychopathic tendencies? Psychopath, n. A person with an antisocial personality disorder, manifested in aggressive, perverted, criminal, or amoral behavior without empathy or remorse. The textbook definition only loosely fit. For while Light acted without remorse, from all indications, he did maintain some sort of moral code that held his behavior in check. L just didn't know what those morals were. They most certainly were not anything the typical person would concoct. What would be some of the items in this code of ethics he wondered. He thought of several immediately:

Lying is wrong. Unless you do not care about the person in any way. Then it is not only ok, it is encouraged. Especially if it stands to gain you something.

Friendship is an unnecessary binding. Avoid. But feel free to lead others to believe that you are their friend.

Maintain perfection in your physical appearance. A pretty face is more likely to hold people in your sway and assist you in taking over the world. Plus, looking less than exquisite at all times is just plain tacky.

---

L made his way back to the table, taking his seat in the booth gingerly and affixing Light with an assessing stare.

"How is your eye?" Light asked innocently.

"It's 'perfect'," L said sarcastically. "How is our waitress? Did she swoon at your feet yet?"

Light made an indignant noise and sipped at a cup of tea with an amused expression on his face. Tea the brunette had magically been gifted with in the three minutes L had been absent from the table. Three. That was more than good service, that was a come-on.

"Now, now, Ryuuzaki, I was just being polite."

L crossed his arms over his chest and said, as if with dawning understanding, "Oh, is that what you call it?"

He brought his thumb to his lips in consideration. "I must have gotten 'politeness' and 'flirtatiousness' confused in my inept fumbling at socialization. I would have expected 'ordering your companion tea while you ordered your own' to be something more along the lines of polite behavior than 'convincing random girls that you can undress them with your eyes'. My mistake."

"I'd much rather convince you than any of them," Light said, watching him over the rim of the cup with a hooded gaze. "The results of that would be infinitely more... interesting."

L felt Light's knee brush against his, and it took effort not to jump or outwardly react to the contact. Why was their booth so small? The brunette didn't even have to slouch to accomplish it.

The flustered waitress bounded up to their table, and set a tea tray down in front of L, sloshing some of the liquid out of the cup as she did so. "Oooo, I'm sorry," she fretted, glancing at Light hastily. He smiled and indicated it was fine with a minute shake of his head. She looked nervously relieved and said "I'll be right back to take your orders."

"It's cruel to get her all worked up like that."

"Feeling sympathetic, Ryuuzaki?" Light drawled with a smirk.

L did not grace that taunt with a response. "I see you ordered me tea after all."

"Of course."

"But you didn't see any reason to enlighten me earlier?"

"Oh no, you had much more entertaining things to say otherwise."

"I'm beginning to doubt your capability to have a normal conversation."

"Would you have me be dull and ordinary, Ryuuzaki? I can assure you that is not why I picked you."

"I thought you were blaming me for your twisted pursuits?"

"Initially," Light relented, "though I came to see it was a natural choice."

"Society does not see it as natural." Obvious, of course, but L felt like reminding him. He busied himself with shredding a small army of sugar packets and dumping their contents into his tea. "And I believe your father is of the same persuasion."

That got a reaction. Light put a hand over his face and sighed dramatically. "Yes, yes, I am well aware of that. Father has been rather insistent in bringing up the matter."

"In what way?" L perked up with interest. There was some subtle sign that he couldn't quite put his finger on, but he was sure that Light was all of a sudden being open with him. That he might actually be up to sharing, versus his usual cloak-and-dagger approach to conversations.

"Well, first of all, he's convinced that you have a thing for me."

SMACK. L blinked. "Come again?"

Light leaned over the table conspiratorially. "My father believes you want to impugn my honor, AND control my every waking moment," he said dramatically. There, L thought, that was the quirking of an amused smirk on Light's lips he'd detected seconds before. It was growing in strength.

“Are you sure he has not confused the two of us?” L said in a low voice, leaning forward as well. “That sounds exactly like something you would do.”

Light's gaze dropped to L's lips. “It does, doesn't it?” His smile began to border on lascivious. “But my father has no idea how alike we are…”

L felt himself stir under the weight of that look. Just a slight pooling of warmth in his stomach, nothing he couldn't ignore. This was not the place. Nowhere was the place. "And how alike are we?" Wait, that sounded like an invitation, didn't it?

"I think you know, Ryuuzaki..." Light said silkily,"that deep down, beneath your cold, emotionless veneer..." Uh-oh, they were drifting way too close. "...you are as passionate," L could feel Light's breath on his lips, could taste the desire that hung suspended in those few inches of empty air. Propriety begged him to draw back, but he couldn't move. "...and as twisted as I am."  

L would have liked to argue that, but the clenching ache in his lower stomach at Light's taunting made it a difficult case. "Have you thought about what you would like to eat?" he attempted to change the subject.

"Oh, yes," Light practically purred, succeeding at last in making L's face turn bright red.

It was a good thing L scrambled backwards, because the waitress took that moment to reappear.

Just as she noticed L's flush, Light said chidingly, "Ryuuzaki, I told you not to drink your tea so fast - you're bound to inhale it."

L coughed weakly while the waitress eyed his yet untouched tea.

"... Are you, um, ready to place your orders?" she asked hesitantly, as if afraid she was interrupting something.

"I was wondering what the specials were today..." Light said smoothly. "Could you enlighten us?"

"Of course," she said gratefully and rushed to get through them all in less than a minute.

L glared at Light, who in turned smiled smugly.

"We'll take the first and third choices, thank you," Light said.

"Okay," she chirped. "I'll put those in for you!" She dashed off again.

"What did you order us?" L demanded. The girl's words had not even registered.

"I haven't the slightest."

---

It wasn't too awful. Number one turned out to be an udon noodle soup with sweet deep fried tofu, thin kamaboko fishcakes and thinly sliced vegetables. Number three turned out to be yakitori skewers of exclusively white meat chicken, charcoal grilled with tare sauce laying on a bed of jasmine rice and artfully cut vegetables. In fact, it looked tasty, L thought. Especially the chicken... The only problem was...

They both reached for the food at the same time, both of them realizing just how hungry they really were. Two hands, one pale and by the looks of it possibly double-jointed, one that bore a light tan and was articulate enough to belong to a pianist, both with an exceedingly strong grip on the porcelain yakitori plate.

"You've been tormenting me - I've earned it," L said determinedly.

"I hate soup," Light said with disdain.

"You ordered it. Suffer the consequences."

"You're only going to eat the meat and waste the rest. What's the point in that?"

"..."

"See? Here, have the soup and I'll buy you desert."

"Share the chicken and I'll consider it."

"... trade me for some of the kamaboko."

"... but I like those..." L pouted. He actually didn't like them that much but Light's long suffering expressions were priceless.

Light brandished a desert menu. "Pick any two. How's that?"

"Very well," he agreed reluctantly, secretly pleased with the exchange.

He ate one of the three chicken skewers as well as some of the rice, and Light reached out periodically to nab pieces of fish cake and other things from the soup with his chopsticks. It was a surprisingly well orchestrated arrangement. It also, for some reason, made talking a more relaxed affair, free from the games and maneuvering that so often occupied all their speech.

L had one arm on the table, wrapped around his large, warm soup bowl. In this exact moment, he felt completely at peace. The din of the restaurant was only loud enough to give them privacy and a feeling that large families must experience when gathered together - crowded, bustley, but happy. The dim lighting was cozy and meshed with the elegant decor in a pleasing way. And all of it seemed a frame for this small, golden little space they occupied in the high-backed booth.

Light was relating to him something regarding philosophy, but L found that the words were sort of running together as he watched the other boy speak. The lights reflected off of his soft brown hair in such a way that it appeared to match the amber color of his eyes which flicked up to meet his now and then. They remained averted and partially unfocused as Light crafted his descriptions, viewpoints, and criticisms, while gesturing fluidly with half-raised chopsticks. It was a shame, really; he was exceedingly interested in all the many things Light had to say, but watching him just became so distracting.

Light reached over with his chopsticks and plucked a piece of daikon from his soup. L watched the clever motion and followed the piece of radish to its destination. Honeyed eyes watched him in return.

"You're not even listening, are you?" Light asked him lazily.

"I'm afraid I got distracted," L admitted. "A little."

"Thinking about dessert?" Light asked with a raised brow.

"That's not all I think about," L waved it off languidly. He felt sort of tired with all the relaxing atmosphere. "I wonder about things such as the probability of interactions like this actually occurring more than once. Or why you would not see this as any sort of friendship, when others would count it so."

Light looked at him speculatively, but without the sharp edge of assessment that his looks usually harbored. He too seemed calmer than he had in days. "It isn't an improbability, if you like this sort of thing. But it isn't something I would do with a friend."

"Do you have any people you would call a friend?"

"In name only... I don't think I trust anyone enough to have them truly fill that role."

"Light, where do I fit into all of this?" Oh, it was finally down to the big questions. L wanted to believe this might all last - might work out somehow - but moments like these where they were even able to communicate directly were rare. There were no guarantees that this was candid even now. A sharp pain tweaked his chest in response, so L decided not to think on that at the moment. He didn't want to have to battle emotions just yet and have that wreck the peace. It would be fleeting enough as it was.

"You're different."

"I don't suppose you'd be kind enough to elaborate?"

Light was starting to look a little bit cagey. "I don't really feel like discussing it. Isn't it enough to know that you're different?"

"No, because that doesn't tell me anything." L was feeling the anxiousness creeping back. Had he been too lax? Was this the true face of the thing? This avoidance?

Light averted his eyes, his posture stiff. "I'm sorry."

"For what? What the hell is that supposed to mean?" The anger from earlier was seeping back. Had he really been so hopeful as to believe this would work out well? Was this the backlash of his unwitting optimism?

"..."

"I thought you said we were going to talk about this," L pressed. "Why are you backing down now?"

Light rubbed a tired hand over his eyes. "I'm not. And we are talking about this. I'm just not quite sure what to do with you."

L leaned back in the booth, crossing his hands over his chest. "You weren't lacking in ideas a few hours ago."

Light flashed him angry eyes. "That's not what I'm talking about," he hissed in annoyance.

"Well it's a rather prominent fixture for this conversation to include, don't you think?"

"No - it's all of the other things that-"

"Are you ready for dessert now?" the waitress asked on her way by.

"No," they said in unison, shooting her equally dark looks.

"What other things?" L prompted. "I'm getting tired of this."

"Well if you're so damn impatient," Light snapped, "you can figure it out yourself."

"Misa, your father, or the fact that you're Kira?" L threw out. "Those are the most likely, I would say."

Light crossed his arms, echoing L.  "Go on."

"The only thing that would be of real concern to the two of us would be the last. So is it bothering you that you slept with the enemy, or does it bother you that I didn't waver in my suspicion?"

"You act like it was all a big ploy to trick you." Light sounded offended.

"Wasn't it?"

"Why is it impossible for you to trust me when I tell you it wasn't?"

"You want me to trust you?" L was incredulous.

"Yes."

Fine, he'd test this right here and now. "Answer truthfully: Am I important to you?"

Light looked taken aback. But he eventually nodded his head and said, "Yes." His eyes looking wary as he sensed a new game unfolding.

L had decided to put his theory into practice. That Light's moral code inhibited him from lying outright to people he cared about. Not that it would prevent him from doing so... but L would likely see at least one evasion tactic prior to that.

"Are you in love with Misa-Misa?"

"God, no. And why does everyone insist on calling her that? It's annoying. 'Misa' is sufficient."

"I think it's supposed to be cute."

"Well, it isn't."

"Why are you dating her?" L struck again.

"To get my father off my back."

"Why should he care?"

"... he seems to be taken with the notion that I don't like women."

"Hardly inaccurate, from what I've seen."

Light made a noise of disgust. "One person doesn't count."

"Have you slept with any women before?"

"I fail to see the point in answering such a personal question."

L considered. This was the first evasive answer. Damn, he would have liked to know... But no matter, Light was right. It was not pertinent. "Then answer this: Are you Kira?"

"Who in their right mind would say 'yes' to such a thing?" Light looked annoyed.

"So if you were not in your right mind, you would have no qualms admitting it?"

"I suppose not, since I would be as insane as the rest of the people who claimed to be Kira."

L peered at him. Light stared back defiantly. They were all evasive answers, but expertly crafted.

"Let me ask you something, Ryuuzaki, since we're in the spirit of sharing." Light leaned forward. "How have you decided to handle that confession you gave me several weeks ago? That you have started to doubt your conviction to bring Kira to his knees?" He moved closer and his eyes were like a hawk's: distant, focused, and deadly. "What would you do if you were to find him at last? Would it weigh your conscience to stay his hand? Knowing the wreck of this world would continue unchecked?"

L was silent.

He had actually forgotten about that for a little while. He'd successfully pushed it out of his mind while he was preoccupied with Light and the pursuit of 'friendship'.

"I don't know," he said honestly. "It is a difficulty question of morality, isn't it?"

"Not so difficult. I suppose it all depends on your priorities."

"And what of Kira? He kills the innocent as well as the criminals, for any reason he sees fit. Is it just to leave someone with so much power unchecked?" L found himself asking of Light the same things he'd wondered about him not too long ago, only allowing for the probability that he was indeed Kira. "Is he a mere psychopath who sees people as pawns and nothing more? Just insignificant lives at his disposal? And how could I assume my own safety if I cease my pursuit? Surely his paranoia and his pride will not allow me to remain unscathed."

"I don't know," Light responded just as L had. "But that, too, comes down to priorities. Who's to say that Kira is as prideful and paranoid as that? It is equally likely that he would not pursue a dormant threat in lieu of working towards his greater purpose."

"It appears that on both accounts, we are at an impasse," L said carefully. Neither of them was willing to reveal the final piece, and so neither of them would be in the position to press the other. Light met his eyes, and Ryuuzaki recognized the feel of silent agreement.

"That seems safe to say," Light said aloud.

And that was the true problem. Their mutual safety was a delicate game of checks and balances. Any tip of the scale, any misstep, and the result would be disaster.


---
TBC