Death Note Fan Fiction ❯ True Affection ❯ A Disarray ( Chapter 8 )

True Affection

Chapter 8

 

--

 

It was done.

 

Their cause of death; an absolute promise engraved in black sank greedily into the ethereal pages of the Death Note.

Not taking any time for granted, L swiftly continued to manipulate the life that had been bestowed upon them at birth into this world and crafted the details to be conjured.

Like a being possessed by a vengeful spirit, his writing malformed from calm to frantic.

 

With each passing second, his somber eyes fleeted between his scribbled handwriting and the door to his bathroom.

 

The water from the shower was still clearly audible as it spattered against the bathtub, but L was certain Misa had not gotten in yet.

 

Misa...

 

She was the sole reason for such a risky action. Each thought of her only heightened his determination.

All of this was for her benefit.

If the two of them had never met, L would have never witnessed what it was like to be cherished by such a woman. Nor how powerfully satisfying it felt to have the chance to return that emotion.

 

He had fallen for her.

And fallen hard.

All he desired now, more than to be at her side for as long as she could stand, was her secured safety.

 

6 minutes and 20 seconds had passed.

 

His scribed pact was sealed.

 

Aimlessly, his emotionless eyes remained rooted on the drying ink of their names as he contemplated over what he had just set into motion.

 

Then one solitary thought crept into his mind.

 

Without a second thought, he pushed himself up from the mattress and walked briskly to the bathroom door.

And counted.

 

40 seconds...

 

“Misa, I apologize, but I need to come in.” he informed loudly to be heard over the rushing water.

“What???” her light voice called back.

“I said I'm coming in!” he announced; his tone slightly faltering as he turned the knob.

If the two of them were to lose their lives by his hand, he would be at her side the entire time.

 

30 seconds...

 

An airy haze of steamy mist drifted up from the tub and sprinkled the bathroom with a haunting, yet delicate ambiance.

Standing in the middle of the floor, clad only in an ebony corset and matching panties, was Misa.

Thick locks of blonde spilled over her shoulders as she drew in a breath from the sight of L.

Stray strands of her tresses were softly matted against her porcelain skin due to the mist and lightly skimmed over her parted pink lips.

“R...Ryuzaki?” her confusion echoed throughout the small room as the very man she named took swift, yet hesitant, steps towards her.

 

20 seconds...

 

Puzzled, Misa opened her mouth wide to speak but found her words lost within L's serious obsidian eyes.

A perplexed expression of pain and desperate need contorted his features as he neared closer to her, arms outstretched.

“Misa... forgive me...” She thought she heard him utter, but the sound of the water stifled every other sound around her.

But the only sound she was able to catch was the rapid beat of her heart pounding in her ears.

And the startled gasp that tore from her when L suddenly draped his arms around her. Protectively.

Her body shuddered from the attention he was giving her but her arms instinctively found their way around his back.

Nervously, her fingers curled around the fabric of his shirt as she nuzzled against his chest; his irregular breathing striking a drop of fear within her.

 

10 seconds...

 

“Ryuzaki, what...what's wrong?” she uttered in a voice she hardly recognized as her own.

L said nothing.

Silently, he rested his chin atop her head and brushed his lips against the top of her head while gliding a hand through her feathery hair and resting it against the back of her head.

He was certain he made no mistakes in the otherworldly covenant, but he was not taking any chances with letting this moment just slip by.

When he gave no verbal answer, she tried to look up at him but he restricted her by hugging her tighter.

“Don't let go...” Was all he said. His tone teetered on the verge of an emotion he never dared venture before. “...I refuse...to let you go...”

 

Time's up...

 

The wrenching 40 seconds had finally ceased its painful duration and slipped stealthily through the fingers of time.

 

Although the time has passed, and he and Misa were still standing, L did not let go.

He was acting so strangely, stranger than usual, and that frightened Misa.

But now, for some reason, she felt the tension between them and the fearful swell in her heart starting to rapidly melt away. It was as if a hefty weight had been lifted from her shoulders and assimilated into the effervescent mist.

And as if L could empathize with the lifted burden, he slowly pulled away from Misa and looked her directly in the eyes.

Her hair was slightly scattered about her face, with stubborn strands sticking out everywhere.

The watery trepidation that had once dwelled within her honey-brown orbs was now replaced with a warm welcoming twinkle.

 

The longer he beheld her, the brighter her features became. And it wasn't until she giggled, that he realized he had been smiling as gratefully as she was.

The delicate mist floated about her, enhancing her beautiful features and giving the illusion of a halo around her.

 

Although he believed horns and a pitchfork suited her better than a halo any day, L was was overjoyed she was still with him.

And because of his actions of writing in the Death Note, her genuine smile was a both a reward and a well-needed reassurance.

As well as a realization.

He needed Misa.

As long as he was still able to remain within her life, he would chance death as many times as it took.

For her.

 

A brief moment of insecurity licked at his spine as he wondered if Misa felt as strongly for him as he did for her.

But the sensation soon vanished the very moment it was spawned.

 

Despite her lack of appropriate clothing, Misa took his large hands in hers and cutely tilted her head to the side in inquiry. She had been so focused on his ranging expressions, she failed to notice the change in the scattered numbers above his head that indicated his lifespan.

“Ryuzaki? What's gotten into you? You scared me just barging in here like that!”

“I... w-well, I...” he stammered, actually too ecstatic for the right words, while his eyes darted intently between hers.

“Well? Tell me! Were you... worried about me?”

“Yes, actually.”

“And why is that??”

“Because...” he trailed off. His mind danced around the answer.

He knew why, but he dared not speak it.

Not yet.

“Ah... I guess seeing that shinigami again just spooked me a little.” he lied.

Although this this fib deemed L a hypocrite from what he told Misa about telling Rem the truth earlier, he was still human nonetheless.

 

Misa's eyes glinted at the mention of her friend.

 

“Rem's just mysterious like that. She's really very considerate and compassionate.” she giggled “Kind of like someone else I know...”

“Oh?” he questioned, beginning to slip back into his usual monotone demeanor. “Like who?”

She laughed and placed both hands to his chest to start pushing him out of the bathroom. “Certainly not someone who's a peeping tom like you!!”

“I wasn't peeping.” he uttered in his defense; his lips barely moving, “I'll have you know that my eyes remained at a respectable level. But, if you're going to accuse me of peeping...I may as well...” he insisted, letting his eyes casually drop to the lacy rim of her dark panties.

 

“Hmm...into V-strings, are you, Misa?”he mused, touching an amused finger to his lip.

Misa's pupils shrank as a deep shade of red rushed to her cheeks and she clenched her fists.

 

“OUT OUT OUT OUUUT!!!” she cried, throwing random bottles of shampoo and wrapped bars of soap at him.

Perplexed, L simply turned his back to her and scratched the back of his head while he stepped out into his bedroom.

With a grunt, Misa gave him one good playful shove. “And STAY out there until I'm ready to come out!! PERVERT!”

 

Curiously, L risked a look over his shoulder; a cute look of mock innocence on his face.

“Pervert? Why do you insist on calling me that? I'd much rather not take advantage of this situation.”

She pouted. “Why not?” she whined in a huff she hoped he didn't catch.

 

But, of course, he did.

 

Instead of answering right away, he stared blankly at her.

 

Nervous, Misa bit her bottom lip and fidgeted a bit. Her heart slammed wildly against her chest and her breathing hitched in its pace. “A-anyway, the water's probably going to get cold, so...”

“Misa...” he called softly, a hint of urgency in his voice.

 

Gasping lightly, Misa's body straightened and she gave the detective her full attention, not knowing what to expect. “W-what is it?”

Eying her tenderly for a moment, L took two steps towards her. Leaning down, he met his studious eyes with her anxious ones.

Parting his lips, he began to speak. “Please be ready to assess any knowledge you have regarding being the Second Kira when you emerge.”

 

A low dispirited sigh tumbled from her mouth as the anticipation she held within her body loosened and dropped to the pit of her stomach like a rock. “Oh... is that it....?”

 

He continued. “And please be ready to answer all questions directed to you.”

Disappointed, she adverted her eyes from him to an empty spot on the floor and nodded. “Yeah. Sure.”

 

A second passed between them as he gathered his next statement.

 

“Now, please inform me as to where you keep your... intimate apparel so that I may--” he stopped abruptly as the bathroom door suddenly slammed in his face.

“Ow...!” he groused, rubbing his nose. “...get you some clean clothes...” he concluded to himself.

Then sighed.

Muttering redundant nothings under his breath, he trudged back to the bed and picked up the Death Note.

Silently, his eyes flitted over the book's cover and odd lettering as the remembrance of his writings fluttered back into his mind.

 

His deal with “death”.

 

“Misa Amane and L Lawliet will both die quietly within 21,900 days, or when whomever between the two of them past the age of 70 dies first and not a moment sooner. Because of this, neither Misa Amane nor L Lawliet will continue to show their age past the numeric age of 24.

 

Only death by natural causes apply.

 

If Misa Amane is the first to die by natural causes, then L Lawliet, regardless of numeric age, will die painlessly at her side.

 

If L Lawliet is the first to die by natural causes, then Misa Amane, regardless of numeric age, will be given the choice to choose between miracle or calamity before painlessly falling into a peaceful slumber, assimilating into a silent death.”

 

 

The night Misa was taken to prison, L had removed the Death Note from her overcoat and was only able to examine its inside cover before the shinigami known as Rem appeared to him.

 

Her presence gave him quite a scare, but her visit was not very long.

She warned him about using the notebook and made mention that it belonged to Misa.

When L questioned the death god's association with Misa, the ethereal being said nothing in correspondence to the subject and changed it.

After she said her final piece, she departed from L's sight.

 

After her departure, he inspected the book from front to back cover beneath the glare from the many monitors spread out before him.

As he pondered the book's validity and power, his eyes darted up to the screen that showcased Light Yagami's cell.

 

The intellectual criminal remained on his cot, still and collected.

He appeared rather calm for someone who was guaranteed to have a death by execution.

 

Almost too calm.

 

But L had placed that thought in the back of his mind and focused on a hypothetical theory in its stead.

 

If the Death Note held the power to take the lives of people with just the stroke of a pen, while giving the choice to manipulate their time, cause and place of death, then perhaps he could take advantage of that in the opposite direction.

Perhaps he could utilize that manipulation to extend a person's lifespan and, in a way, have them “cheat” their “predetermined” time of death.

 

Expressionlessly, he eyes had drifted to Light again.

 

To Kira.

 

Even with Kira captured, L still didn't trust his former teammate. He placed himself in Kira's shoes and knew that somehow, someway, Light would find a way to escape from his confinements, despite his actions being monitored by himself and Watari.

Still, L was aware that when and if Light escaped, Misa was bound to be his initial target.

 

So, to prevent Misa's untimely undoing, L had decided it best to tap into the Death Note's power and make it so that she would be “immune” to Light's murderous advances by having her death occur at another time and age.

 

And because L had grown so fond of Misa Amane over the short half year they had currently come to know the other, and was certain that she had come to feel the same for him, he had declared it best that he die with her.

 

Together.

 

 

 

And from the time he specified in the Death Note, he felt reassured that he would have plenty of time to not only spend with her, but to watch over her as well.

Since this was his first test with using the Death Note, he wanted to be sure that Misa didn't die prematurely within the first 40 seconds, which was he reason for running into the bathroom to check on her.

Once the time passed, and they were both still alive, his theory had been proven correct.

 

But unfortunately for L, he had no idea of Misa's extended lifespan to exist beyond the life of a normal human being due to Gelus' sacrifice. Ultimately, L had tampered with a gift she was given that he had no idea about.

 

Yet, he had no intentions of enlightening her on his actions. Only if her life were threatened enough to the point of her demanding an explanation, would he comply.

 

 

With these confirmations in mind, L returned the notebook to its previous hiding spot within his mattress, making a mental note to find a better place for it later.

 

Mutely, his wary gaze traveled over to the closed bathroom door. Countless uncertainties and questions seeped into his mind, teeming with supernatural thoughts. But he made himself believe what he did was just.

 

Protective.

 

He was justice after all.

 

That's right.

 

Justice.

 

But for the holder of such a valiant title, L couldn't quell the twinge of dubious guilt that tugged at his heart.

Yet, he would deal with it later.

 

Slipping his hands in his pockets, he made his way to the door of his bedroom and exited into the hall.

With the mindset to get Misa some clothes in motion, he steadily began heading towards Misa and Light's room with a disquieted mind.

 

And a weighty heart.

 

-To be continued!

 

-Mel