Death Note Fan Fiction ❯ The Chess Game ❯ The Chess Game ( Chapter 1 )

Disclaimer: The characters of L and Raito are borrowed from the manga Death Note by Tsugumi Ohba and Takeshi Obata.

-o-o-o-

As soon as he entered the hotel room, L knew someone had been there. There were no obvious signs that a less astute person might have noticed. There was just a sense that something was not quite the same. He stopped just inside the doorway and looked around, his enormous black eyes scouring the room for the difference that had tweaked his senses. Finally, his eyes settled on the center drawer in the dresser. It was ajar by perhaps a few millimeters. He approached the drawer slowly, every sense alert. His sensitive nose detected no trace of explosives. He stopped in front of the drawer and stared at it for several minutes before finally reaching out slowly to grasp the handle. The drawer slid open with no resistance to reveal a magnetic travel-size chessboard, the pieces lined up for the beginning of a game. Except that one piece had already been moved. A white pawn had been moved forward two spaces. He lifted the board carefully out of the drawer and moved it to the table.

The phone rang.

L answered it after the second ring. “Hello?”

“I suppose you've found the chessboard by now,” Raito said calmly.

“Yes.”

When L said nothing else, Raito chuckled. “You aren't going to ask me why I put it there?”

“Why did you put it there?”

“I thought you might like a change from playing chess with people's lives. I know you think I'm heartless,” Raito chuckled again. “And I probably am, but I can't help enjoying our little game.”

“It's a game to you?”

“Of course it is. It is to you, too. Don't deny it.”

L didn't answer that. There was a lot of truth in Raito's statement. In many respects, he was as heartless as Raito. He climbed onto the chair, perching on his toes with his knees stuck out. “I see you took white.”

“I did start our competition.”

“True.” L picked up a black pawn and moved it forward to counter Raito's initial move. “So how do you want to do this?”

“Do you trust me?”

L stared at the phone. “What?”

“Do you trust me? I'll come there with the promise that as long as we're playing chess, I won't use my power against you.”

“Umm…” L blinked and nibbled on his free thumb.

“I've already seen you L.”

“Oh.” L digested this and sighed. It was inevitable, of course. “I guess you should come over, then.”

“I'll be right there.”

Raito knocked on the door a few minutes later, making it obvious he had been in the hotel all along. L let him in, standing partly behind the door. Raito strode calmly to the center of the room and turned to face L with a faint smile. L pushed the door closed and shuffled toward Raito a little uncertainly.

“I don't usually see people,” L said without meeting Raito's eyes. “People think I'm… odd…”

Raito laughed. “You are a little odd, but that's what I like about you.” He glanced at the chessboard. “That's a classic response to my opening move.”

L nodded. “If I win, can I convince you to stop killing people?”

Raito shook his head. “No, but I might consider not killing you. I like you.” He smiled sideways at L. “You're kind of cute.”

L's eyes widened. “Cute?” He shifted slightly from foot to foot. “Really?”

“Oh yes.” Raito flopped into the chair and tipped his head back. “Your eyes are very attractive.”

L ruffled his fingers through his hair and sank down into a crouch. “Girls used to tease me when I was in high school.”

“But you're not in high school anymore.” Raito leaned forward. “Order some room service and let's play.”

“All right.” L crab-walked to the phone. “I'd like coffee and dessert for two.” He listened for a moment. “What kind of cake do you have?” He listened some more and nodded. “Yes, one each of the almond cake, the strawberry lemon cake, the chocolate puff pastry with raspberry sauce and the kiwi-ginger cake. Yes, thank you. Oh, and extra sugar.”

Raito lifted an eyebrow. “I thought you said dessert for two.”

L blinked rapidly. “I like cake.”

“Apparently.” Raito leaned forward and moved a chess piece.

L's large eyes swiveled to the chessboard. He leaned forward, his hands resting on his knees. After a moment, he reached out and moved a piece. Raito sat forward to study the move for a moment before moving a piece himself. They were deeply into the game when the room service waiter knocked on the door. It was L's turn, so Raito waved at him to stay where he was and got up to answer the door.

“Good evening, Sir,” the waiter said with that curious mixture of familiarity and formality used by someone whose job required him to walk into rooms where people could be engaged in activities from the mundane to the lascivious. He was carrying a tray on one shoulder containing several covered plates with utensils wrapped in cloth napkins, a coffee pot and two cups with saucers, a small pitcher of cream and an enormous bowl of sugar cubes.

L's eyes lit up when he saw the sugar cubes.

The waiter set the tray on the other end of the table from the chessboard. He straightened up holding the order receipt and looked expectantly from Raito to L.

“I'll take it,” Raito said. He signed the receipt and handed it back to the waiter with a generous tip.

“Thank you, Sir! Good evening.” The waiter left, closing the door behind him.

L was busily uncovering the dishes. “Oh! This all looks so good!” He unfolded a fork from a napkin and cut a large piece of the almond cake. He shoved it into his mouth with a wide smile and closed his eyes. “Mmmm….”

Raito smiled affectionately at the sight of L enjoying his cake. “Do you mind if I share?”

L opened his eyes and smiled at Raito. “Please do.”

Raito resumed his seat and picked up a fork. He tried the kiwi-ginger cake. “This is really good.”

“Um hmm.”

Raito leaned forward and wiped a crumb off of L's cheek. “You're making a mess, L.” He put his finger in his mouth, licking the crumb off.

L flushed and reached for the coffee pot. “Do you want some coffee?”

“Please.”

L filled both cups. He put a little cream in his and then dropped in six sugar cubes.

Raito lifted his eyebrows. “Isn't that going to be too sweet?”

L shook his head. “It's never too sweet.”

“I see.” Raito watched L sip his coffee and then add three more sugar cubes. Raito pursed his lips and proceeded to put just two sugar cubes into his own cup. “Your lips must be very sweet.”

L rubbed his toes together but he didn't say anything. He took a large bite of the strawberry lemon cake, getting cream on both sides of his face.

Raito shook his head and reached out to lift L's chin with one hand. “I suppose I could use a napkin,” he muttered and leaned forward to lick the cream off of L's face with slow delicate strokes of his tongue. L went completely still. Raito looked into his eyes. “You're like a little boy. And you really are cute.”

L shifted uncertainly. “Are you… flirting with me?”

“Maybe.”

L stuck his fork in his mouth and stared at the table. “If we don't finish the chess game…” he mumbled softly.

“I can't kill you,” Raito concluded. “But you might win. How will you know if we don't play to a conclusion?”

“It could be a draw.”

“True.” Raito's eyes sparkled. “But we didn't agree what we would do if neither of us won.”

“But…”

Raito sat back and grinned. “If we play to a draw, I'll spend the night with you.”

L's eyes went wide. “You mean…?”

Raito nodded slowly. “The one who takes more pieces gets to be on top.”

“Oh.” L pondered this silently for a few moments. “All right, I agree. Let's resume.” He shifted his attention back to the board. “It's your move.”

“Right.” Raito moved closer to the board and play resumed. The advantage shifted between the players, with first Raito having the upper hand and then L. For a while, L had captured more pieces, but as the game wore on, Raito captured several in return. After several hours, both the cake and the coffee were gone and only a few pieces remained on the board. Raito studied the board carefully and finally made a move.

“Check.”

L regarded the board fixedly. “Ah.” He planted his hands on his knees and looked up at Raito. “I can escape that move and check in return, but it will be stalemate in three moves after that.”

“I know.” Raito smiled. “It's a draw.” He glanced at the collection of black pieces in front of him. “And I have more pieces.”

L nodded slowly. “Yes.” He was staring at the collection of white pieces he had taken. Then he looked up at Raito. “This was your idea, so I hope you brought the lube.”

“Of course.”

“You were planning this all along.”

Raito grinned. “I told you I think you're cute.” He stood up and held out his hand. “I promise I'll be a gentleman. And I tell you what. Since today was a draw, we should play again another time. Same stakes.”

L stared. “You haven't even done me yet and you're already planning the next time?”

Raito pulled L to his feet and put his arms around his waist. “That's how I stay ahead of you, L. I'm always planning the next step.” He kissed L warmly. “Mmm… Your lips are sweet, just like I thought.”

“You are the oddest criminal I've ever pursued.”

“And the smartest and best-looking.”

L finally smiled. “You forgot `and the most humble'.”

“Oh, right.” Raito kissed L again. “Let's put the early breakfast card out. I want toast and tea.”

“They have a very nice pastry tray at this hotel.”

“More sweets?”

“You can't have too many,” L said simply.

Raito looked into L's eyes and smiled. “You have that right.” And he kissed L very deeply.