Light, Now Turn Back and Die (Lawlight)

Conceal

Classes are canceled today. This isn't a surprise to anyone, word has gotten around about the murders quite fast. The entire school is assembled on the football field for a memorial and a warning. A strict curfew is imposed. No student is to be out of school grounds past six, all are to be in their rooms by eight, and none are to go anywhere alone. L only hopes that won't extend to him as well. It would be pretty difficult to lead a police investigation if he has to lug someone else around. A few words are said about the two students. L learns that the girl was called Katie Finch, and the boy was Zachary Greene, no relation to Abigail. Roger delivers the speech, cold and clinical. L sees two girls sobbing quietly into each other's arms. They're friends of Katie's if he had to guess. After the assembly everyone is sent off again. Just like that, the mourning is over.

As soon as everyone leaves the football field the chatter starts up again. The students are rattled, and L catches bits of hushed conversation, but not many seem to be particularly sad. Katie and Zachary were not very popular, it seems. It feels wrong to just dismiss them out of hand like that. Their lives meant something, however little L knew them, and he burns with the unfairness of it. If he'd been in the know from the start, maybe he could have saved them. It's not logical to think like that, yet the guilt lingers heavy in the back of his head. L shakes himself roughly and stalks towards the dorms.

"Ryuzaki wait!" Abigail's high voice carries over the crowd. She staggers to a stop in front of him, panting with her hands on her knees. Sweat sticks her wavy hair to her forehead. "You walk so fast, jeez."

"Do you intend for all our meetings to be like this?" L teases. Abigail glares at him without malice.

"Not my fault you're impossible to reach. I should just start sending Light after you, that guy has an impeccable sense of where you are."

"It's unsettling," L agrees. "But I assume you didn't sprint after me just to chat." Abigail straightens and pushes her hair back. The bags under her eyes have gotten worse, now deep hollows that sink into her skin. She's nearly as pale as he is at this point. He wonders if it's the stress of the play or something else entirely.

"Y'know I do like talking to you just because, Ryuzaki, but you're right. I... you're technically my second in command here, so I want your input."

L turns fully to her, giving her the mercy of his attention. Anxiety is written clear in Abigail's body language. She twists her hands around her tie and regards L with what is almost panic. "I'm thinking of canceling the show."

Well, he should have expected that. "Is someone in the cast a friend of the victims?" He asks. It's hardly innocent curiosity but Abigail doesn't need to know that.

She shakes her head. "No, I don't think so. It's just... I mean, it feels a bit tasteless, doesn't it? I'm just not sure."

L mulls it over. Abigail wants his thoughts on the matter, and he knows she'll most likely follow any suggestion he gives, she looks like a wreck. It would be nice to get the responsibility of the show off of his back too. But... he sighs deeply. "Abigail,"

"Abby," She corrects.

"Abby." L nods, "You're a senior, this will be your last chance to do a show at Wammy's, you'd lose out on the experience. I'm sure this is all frightening, but there are people on the case now and they're going to catch the culprit. The theater is a safe place for many people, are you willing to give that up?" He cannot believe himself. This softness is ridiculous. L rationalizes that it could be beneficial for him as well. He can question the cast members to see if anyone knows anything. That's why he's saying it. Definitely not because Abby's miserable face makes his gut twist unpleasantly. Nope.