the world is not enough ➔ DEATH NOTE X READER

14. stalemate

May 28, 2004

Kiyomi had been hanging off of him like a leech. No matter how many times she assured him she was simply concerned for her friend, who neither of them had seen for a few days now, or that she was just looking to get to know him, they both knew the truth: that Kiyomi Takada was transfixed with Light Yagami.

He allowed it, others be damned, though it wasn't clear just why. Perhaps because he was flattered that a girl like her was infatuated with him, or possibly because he had grown to miss the human companionship (Y/n) provided. Maybe, even, to make her jealous.

The two walk together across campus, having just finished their one shared class. Kiyomi clutched her textbook to her chest as she recounted some story from a guest lecture Light wasn't at all interested in. Nonetheless he smiled and nodded at lull points in the conversation.

His eyes fell upon the familiar, almost infamous, figure of L– crouched in his usual seated position atop a wooden bench. His shoes discarded on the brick path, a book pinched between his spindly fingers and held up before his face. Light almost hoped it was a hallucination. But he'd never been that lucky.

"Oh, Yagami-kun." L looked up from his book with perfect timing. His words stopped the two in their tracks. "Hello." He took a short, passing glance at Kiyomi. Her face twisted up in confusion. Disgust maybe? He turned back to his book.

Light, sensing Kiyomi was about to say something, spoke, "Takada, I'd like to talk to him in private for a moment. Can I see you later?" She blinked.

"Huh?" Her lips pursed into a frown. A knee-jerk reaction to Light's rejection. "Oh...sure." Despite her words she still seemed sour; she gave the two a short wave before walking off.

"You sure that was okay?" L fully dropped the book this time around, no longer hiding behind the pages to obscure his face.

"Never mind her. Are you sure you should be out here? I thought you were worried about being seen."

"I realized it would be fine as long as you're not Kira." There it was. Yet another indicative of his crimes, a sly few words to remind Light that no matter what he does he will always be a suspect. "Since you're the only one on the outside who knows I'm L. And so, if I'm killed during the next few days I've told Yagami-san, the task force members, and the other L's to assume that "Light Yagami is Kira"." Light's eyes widened momentarily before relaxing– but it was enough for L to notice. "Oh? I didn't tell you? I'm not the only one who calls himself L. Let's just say that L is a whole group of investigators."

"Let's just say". Is he messing with me?

"You were saying how you missed me at school, so I thought this would be a good change of pace. College is fun as long as you don't die."

Light forced a smile onto his face. "Yeah, it's boring without you. Intelligent conversation is hard to come by."

"And thus the brilliant Takada-san?"

"Something like that."

"L is a group". That's a total bluff. But should I really kill him today? The L on the other side of the laptop...it may be true that he's not the only L. Plus there's my dad.

L shifted to drop his legs off the bench, moving with the same slow precision as a spider tip-toeing across a web. "Shall we get some cake from the cafeteria?" He slipped his feet back into his shoes– not bothering to tie up the laces.

The two walked in silence. A comfortable understanding between good friends, if looked at by any other passerby. In reality it was a cold war; the two debating each movement as if their life depended on it. Which, for L at least, it did.