Failure (A Death Note/L Love Story)

Chapter 36

Take deep breaths, I told myself. Don't get upset. Try not to think about what has happened. Don't start getting angry. My focus had been intently on a puzzle I was doing since that morning, day fifteen of Light's confinement. L stared at the TV screen. Aizawa read the newspaper. And Matsuda ran in reminding us of why we were all distressed.

"What's going on? I just heard two week's worth of criminals were just murdered at once! It happened yesterday," he said.

"Yeah. Kira is back," Aizawa said in a low voice.

I fit a piece into its spot and mumbled, "I don't wanna talk about it."

"So, did you guys already tell the chief?" Matsuda wondered.

Aizawa answered, "No, not yet."

Matsuda ran over to L and picked up the mike connected to Yagami's cell. He smiled, "Guess what, Chief? Kira's started killing again!"

"What?" Yagami gasped, looking at the camera. I turned my attention to the TV. That was the liveliest I had seen him since he got mad at Ryuzaki and I. Other than that, he still looked like a wreck.

"It looks like Kira was only resting, but now he's started punishing criminals again."

"Is that true, Matsuda? Then, that means my son.... I shouldn't be happy that the people have been killed... but at least Light's name was finally been cleared," he looked relieved. Then, he said, "Wait. Knowing Ryuzaki and Hikari, this won't be enough to clear him."

Aizawa and Matsuda stared at L, and he was forced to say, "Well, he's in the gray."

When they looked at me, I sighed and stood up, walking over to where the three were gathered. I grumbled, "Yeah, he is. But more like the gray part closer to the black." This was all so bittersweet that it was making me sick.

"Did you hear what they just said, Chief?" Matsuda asked excitedly.

"Yeah. It's a hell of a lot better than being completely guilty. Thank, God," Yagami grinned a bit.

"I'm sure their gray is. He's a shade closer to being cleared," Matsuda put down the mike and started for the one that went to Light's room. "Let's tell, Light."

I reached to stop him and shouted, "No! Hold on, Matsuda!"

L just slapped his hand away, "Matsuda!" That was the first time I saw the anger I knew he was feeling come out. He regained composure, even though he couldn't keep it out of his voice, "I mean, please don't, Mr. Matsuda."

Matsuda was cradling his hand to him with the expression of a child being told off by his father. I felt a little bad for him, but that could have easily been a crucial mistake if L hadn't taken action. "Matsuda...." was all he could say.

"We shouldn't tell him about this," L told him.

Matsuda stuttered, "B-But why not?" I looked at Aizawa and tilted my head slightly, but not so much that Matsuda would have noticed. He nodded and took Matsuda away from us. I heard him saying something about us just being extremely frustrated by all of it, which was the truth. I sunk into the chair next to L.

"Hello, Light?" L said into the mike, his voice now completely even.

Light lifted his head, "What is it, Ryuzaki?"

L lied, "You've been in there just over two weeks, and not a single new criminal has been punished. Now, why make this harder than it has to be? Are you ready to confess?"

"Don't be ridiculous. I'm telling you that you're wrong. I understand why you feel that way, but even if the evidence does point to me, I swear to you this is a setup! I'm not Kira! Zoom in on me if you want. Go ahead. Look in my eyes. You tell me. Do these eyes look like the eyes of someone who's lying?" Light challenged.

"Shit," I cursed without thinking. They didn't. Ever since he started acting differently, he looked completely innocent in the things he said and did.

L switched over to Misa's mike, "Amane, are you ready to tell us who Kira is or not?"

"Huh? That again? I wish I knew, but I don't. Because if I did, I'd thank him for punishing the burglar who killed my parents. To me, Kira is a hero," Misa revealed. I balled my hands into fists. She fit my profile exactly. Right down to a tee. Why was this happening? Why were they both suddenly claiming innocence? I couldn't fathom what was going on anymore.

L placed a hand over my fist, and I uncurled it to hold his. "I feel like crying. I honestly just feel like crying." I swallowed and looked at him. "Is that wrong?"

"We're going to figure this out," L told me.

"You promise?"

"I promise," he nodded.

I looked away and laughed bitterly, "You're such a liar."

He brought my hand to his lips, making me glance back. He convinced me, "I'm not lying to you this time, Hikari. We'll find out what's going on. I swear on my name." My lips parted in a gasp. It was this thing he, Beyond, and I started when we were kids, not too long after we first met. Since our names were so important to us, it was the one thing we knew we couldn't tell. We swore on it because we knew we couldn't break our promise or else we'd have to tell, no matter what. And we never did. I couldn't even remember the last time any of us used that, let alone the last time L used it.

I released his hand and stood up, saying, "Move over."

He started, "What are you-" I sat next to him in his chair.

"Sitting next to you, stupid. What else?" I kissed his cheek and rested my head on his shoulder. "Thanks for being sweet."

I felt him tense up, and I feared he'd just get really uncomfortable like he normally would. Then, he relaxed and put an arm around my shoulders, pulling me closer. I smiled. "There's nothing to be thanking me for."

And that was why I liked him, something I couldn't even try to dismiss anymore. Because he could make me feel better without trying. It was natural. Everything we did was natural to us. And it made me happy. So, I believed him, even though that was probably silly of me. We were going to figure things out.