AN: If there had been an "obsession" genre, that's so what this would have been under because romance is really not the way to describe what I have in mind. This will pretty much follow canon from L's side of things and fill in some of those spaces in between. I'll try to keep L in character as much as possible but ... well, we'll see. :) Also, the rating isn't so much for now but for later events.

Since I was able to finish the first chapter for today and since it just so happens to be July, I have a particular update schedule in mind, which I'm sure you'll be able to figure out, and hopefully I'll be able to stick to. I'm planning on seven chapters, possibly (but not likely) with an epilogue.

All lyrics are Muse, the chapter titles the songs they come from. Sadly, I couldn't put "Time Is Running Out" in here anywhere (which I think is pretty much L & Light's theme song) but I worked it into the title. :)

Anyway, without further ado...

Hate This & I'll Love You

'Cause I was born to destroy you
And I am growing by the hour
And I'm getting strong in every way

.x.L.x.

In L's experience it wasn't that most criminals who eluded police capture were particularly clever but rather simply lucky. A lack of evidence, a muddling of the evidence, not enough clues to fix on a suspect or even suspect type, over-worked and under-staffed police forces…. Very rarely was it cleverness. So when that was the case, L took particular notice and particular enjoyment in the pursual of that person. It was why he was so selective. Most people thought it was because he could be – he knew it was because he had to be. Nothing else would have held his interest and nothing else would have been worth his considerably valuable time. A bored L was no good to anyone (although the monetary compensation certainly didn't hurt either).

So when the deaths of criminals around the world had started raising little red flags on his computer he began collecting data immediately. There was something behind this, something deep – L could sense it. More than the massive number of dead in such a short period, more than the curious mode of death, more than the lack of any kind of evidence…. There was purpose, drive, a strong will. And, undoubtedly, a keen mind, meaning a worthwhile challenge and the promise of entertainment.

It took him a day to root out the death of one Kurou Otoharada, leading him to conclude that the person (or persons, though, despite the number and various locations of the deaths, he doubted there was more than one person involved) was based in Japan. The next day L had Watari rent an unused and unfurnished office for him and he moved his operation to Tokyo with the barest essentials. There was a meager bathroom attached and a tiny washing machine had been brought in as well as a futon. Watari had also set up a food delivery service that left packages daily outside the seldom-opened office door and picked up the empty boxes afterwards, so that L could essentially function autonomously. It suited L well enough and he poured all his energy into gathering information and trying to form connections, patterns, anything that could be used to find and stop this person.

Within a week Interpol convened a meeting on the subject, the issue of "Kira" as the person had been first dubbed by the Japanese media, the appellation accepted world-round. Watari was there, of course, representing him and allowing L to monitor the conference. L was glad they'd picked up on the situation so quickly – relatively speaking – because although he was fairly confident only one person was responsible (about eighty percent), that one person had managed to throw the world into an upheaval and he was going to need a great deal of assistance to bring Kira down. Starting with a test of his theory on Kira's current whereabouts.

Lind L. Tailor. The incident was elating in so many ways. His first direct confrontation with Kira, confirmation of Kira's presence in Japan, confirmation that Kira did not need to be with a criminal to kill him, not to mention the knowledge that Kira would definitely end anyone representing an opposing force. And L had taken a kind of sadistic pleasure in taunting Kira to extinguish him, too, and promising Kira's death at his own hands. After all, he was L. And L did not lose. L was righteousness and just plain right and the likes of Kira would not be tolerated while he had the power to do something about it.

Moreover it had added another piece to the puzzle and L started to make tenuous connections. As odd as it was, it was beginning to seem like Kira could murder someone simply by knowing their name and their face and, alternatively, could not kill someone without those things. L began to use the Japanese police force in earnest, Watari acting as his liaison. Of course, a number of the investigators were not happy about the situation. It was a circumstance L ran into more often than not and one that he generally ignored. Some authority figures had difficulty in accepting the fact that L was in charge and they were beholden to his instructions, and in this particular case there were some qualms over his methods. Namely the sacrificing of a life – even though it was one that had been doomed anyway – merely to prove a point. But L really didn't care about their opinions as long as they did their duty. He valued people as a whole, otherwise he probably never would have been a proper detective, just solved cases purely for his own gratification without bothering to see that the criminals paid for their crimes; but as far as interpersonal relationships went … well, he just wasn't interested.

Then Kira had begun to play games with L and he experienced an annoying mix of emotions. On one hand he was intrigued and a little excited to learn that he'd been right – there was definitely a sharp mind at work, one that was willing to rise to L's challenges. But that didn't mean L enjoyed being mocked and that's exactly what Kira was doing, flaunting the fact that somehow his conclusions were being discovered and that Kira was not at all concerned about L knowing it. Well, he would make Kira concerned, make Kira anxious and let it be known that L was not someone to mess with.

Now his task was considerably more difficult. Instead of relying on the NPA to aid him with the investigation, L was forced to suspect a member (or members) of leaking the results of their work to Kira in some fashion. L didn't want to think that one of the police might be deliberately aiding Kira or even be Kira, but … if it brought him closer to finding Kira's identity, he would use whatever means he could. So L contacted the FBI and arranged for each detective and their families to be trailed over a period of a few days each. It would take some time, more than L wanted give, but only so many agents could be spared and L would take what he could get. After all, Kira was not resting.

.x.L.x.

Investigators began to drop out of the case for fear of their lives. L said nothing, but the meal boxes he left outside his door for pick-up were only partially emptied.

.x.L.x.

He needed a break. Most of those who "knew" L probably assumed that the man was some sort of robot that never ceased in its thinking and deduction, never needed rest or to occasionally take a step back from intense scrutiny of a puzzle, but that was far from the reality. Of course solving cases was what drove L and gave him purpose and satisfaction but he was still human. He'd been scouring not only a compilation of the criminals executed so far – cause of death, location, time of death, crime committed, apprehended or wanted, media presentation – but also the considerable number of files detailing the basic facts about each NPA member currently (or formerly, as the number continued to dwindle) working on the Kira investigation as well as their family members. The information was swirling around in his mind, constantly seeking answers and links, trying to put together a whole picture without all the necessary pieces.

Physical release tended to help – at times it could be something as simple as taking a walk, usually at night when he could most easily be inconspicuous. Clad in a hooded, zip-up sweatshirt, hands buried in the pockets, L became any other shiftless vagrant purposelessly wandering the streets. Other times – like now – something a little more strenuous was called for.

He had taken up the art a couple of years ago after being exposed to it by a woman who had assisted him with a case (her name had long since flitted out of his recall although she had left a lasting impression). Capoeira. It had come rather naturally to him though he wasn't surprised by that. L had an enormous capacity for learning and he loved to move. Plus, the art was deceptive, the movements fluid, graceful, even playful, but demanding a strong body to perform them. It appealed to his manipulative nature.

His shirt was tossed carelessly to the floor to keep the fabric from shifting and bunching annoyingly. The music pulsing through his computer's speakers was a British band he'd come across recently – L appreciated the power and clarity (not to mention the range) of the male lead vocal and the tones of the songs seemed to fit his routine, strange as they were at times. Not that it necessarily mattered what he listened to as long as it had an appropriate rhythm. But the music tended to soothe him as much as the motions did and so he was picky in his choices.

Kick kick spin dodge handstand twirl drop weave cartwheel kick flip twirl, on and on, the music cranked and resonating off the non-descript walls, no need to worry about disturbing or being disturbed – his room was in the midst of a block of un-let offices. The exercise was a little hollow without a target to spar against but it was still cathartic, still allowed L to lose himself in the workings of his body rather than his mind. At least until the chime of his computer let him know that Watari was contacting him. With a sigh, he dropped back onto his feet, pulled on his shirt and answered the call.

"Yes, Watari?"

"There have been some unusual prisoner deaths. I'm sending the information to you now."

What the hell? One of the files was a picture of a pentagram that the prisoner had drawn in his own blood before he died. The other was some sort of suicide note, poorly written and oddly spaced. L's hand wandered absently up to his face, fingers on his lips. Did this mean … could Kira actually manipulate actions as well...? He'd have to mull over that but first things first. He connected with the Kira investigation headquarters and instructed Superintendent Yagami not to reveal anything to the media other than that the victims had died of heart attacks.

Now, what was this all about? The two criminals were Japanese inmates which was typical of Kira's latest sprees – that was, ever since L had revealed that he'd narrowed his focus to the Kanto region. L called up the file for any other inmates that died of cardiac arrest on the same day – there were a total of six. Of the six, three had exhibited unusual behavior, the third having broken out of his cell to die in a restroom. So what was so special about those three? What was Kira trying to do?

His eyes wandered over the picture and the note again. They were so out of place…. And then he saw the message. The note was written in proper Japanese style, vertical, read right to left. But if he read the characters across the top, left to right….

L do you know?

Was that what this was all about? A taunt to him? But then what about the others? The questions spun around in L's head until he came to the conclusion that there was no conclusion to come to. At least not at this point. He would have to wait for Kira.

More capoeira practice followed but he worked off very little of his frustration.

.x.L.x.

The very next day there was another note. This one said, "shinigami" and left the rest of the statement hanging. The FBI agents had no suspicious activity to report on any of their subjects thus far. L took a walk late at night and didn't return until much later.

.x.L.x.

Then, disaster. L kept it together during his conversation with the FBI director. Really it wasn't that difficult; he'd been putting up fronts for years and where work was involved it didn't require any thought. And he needed all the information he could get immediately – this had been a big move by Kira and the chances were greater that a mistake had been made somewhere, which was precisely what L needed. Better yet, Kira had to have been in contact with at one of the agents, which could significantly narrow L's focus. But….

Twelve agents were dead.

The FBI was pulling out.

The NPA would be informed that they had been under investigation at L's command.

And….

"L, another victim has left a note."

L, do you know?

Shinigami…

…only eat apples.

"Damn it!!" The rage that had been smoldering in L now reached inferno and the better part of it was directed at himself. He'd allowed those stupid notes, those meaningless taunts to divert his attention and while he'd been absorbed with them Kira had taken the advantage and eliminated a perceived threat. Which just so happened to be twelve human beings. Twelve human beings who were not criminals. Twelve human beings who specialized in the capture of criminals. Twelve human beings who had been there only because of L. Kira was no longer just some hideous vigilante. Kira was now firmly in the class of people so methodically being executed.

Fine then. If that's how it was going to be, then L would play the game.

.x.L.x.

There was a great deal that needed to be arranged and planned in an incredibly short amount of time. It all hinged on the NPA task force and L didn't think they would take very long to make their decision. And if he was going to appear before them, not as some random character but admittedly as L, he needed to prepare.

The first thing he did was have Watari arrange for a suite in the Imperial Hotel. It was located near the investigation headquarters and so would be convenient when the task force decided to make their move. Extra was paid, as always, to allow for the coming and going of various persons at all hours, the discontinuation of any cleaning service during the length of his stay and basically for the staff to turn a blind eye to the fact that there was even anyone occupying the space. (If L had ever bothered to employ an accountant, the man probably would have offed himself after just a few months due to the way the detective carelessly ran through his considerable funds.)

However, such a situation could only be temporary and other reservations (under various names) were set up for future stays, each only a few days. The true solution, though, to the inconveniences required much more planning and a great deal more time. L didn't want to wait that long, but it wasn't as though he had a choice – buildings to time to construct. At least he didn't have to deal with the details. He told Watari what he wanted for their future headquarters – self-contained, security-laden, multi-floored and capable of serving as both an investigation base and living space for him and however many NPA members chose to stay with him (there was an eighty-seven percent chance it would not be more than ten at the outset) – and let the man handle the practicalities of obtaining the area and necessary licenses, hiring the designers and contractors.

That left L with his own personal preparations. They were things he'd done before, but never for such a long period of time (as this was likely to be). And if he was going to be appearing as the detective L, then he wanted his façade to be as polished as possible. Most of it involved modification of behaviors he already indulged in – it was both easy and insured that he wouldn't break character. Not that he should have any problem with that anyway. He was L after all.

His appearance was already on the slovenly side given his preference for wearing baggy denims and loose-fitting white pull-overs, both of which served to hide his trim but fit physique and had the added benefit of being extremely low maintenance. Never bothering much with the state of his hair other than to brush it back out of his face put the cap on L's careless personal presentation. And his dislike of wearing anything on his feet (except outdoors where such a thing would have been stupid) would be taken as a natural eccentricity.

Not exactly one with perfect posture anyway, he took the slouch to excessive levels, hunching his back and sinking his knees, actually taking a few inches off his not-terribly-considerable height. When sitting, he would pull his legs up into a sort of fetal crouch, reinforcing his apparent need to put up a defensive front and accentuate his … weirdness. L was also in the habit of putting his fingers on his mouth when in thought – that could be tweaked to actually putting a finger inside, like his thumb maybe. It would certainly look childish. Perhaps if he chewed on it as well…? Trying the nail first, he decided he didn't care for the sensation the action made on his teeth and settled for nibbling on the skin around it instead.

Finally, he altered the way he handled things, another modification of a preexisting oddity. This one actually caused him to laugh out loud at himself, especially when he attempted to write while holding the pen in a completely ridiculous barely-using-the-tips-of-his-fingers grip. The method took some time to perfect and L enjoyed a few more chuckles at himself before he had it reasonably mastered. So. That should be a good enough foundation to instill certain false impressions in the people he was made to interact with. The rest could be improvised and improved upon as he went.

Now for the precautions. A specialized timer was connected to his computer which was linked to Watari's own. The timer was set for twenty days. Every day, Watari would reset the initiation code. In the event of his failure to do so, the countdown would begin after twenty-four hours. If it was not disabled before it hit zero, a simple message would be sent to the cell phone of a man named Roger, currently running what was known as "Wammy's House." The message: L is dead. His last failsafe. Obviously, he himself would be unable to do anything while dead, but … there were others who could.

After he set up the failsafe, L sent a message off to Watari to inform him that he'd done so and also to instruct the man to look into procuring some special items for the members of the NPA that chose to remain with the investigation and with L. He also had Watari shift around some of his funds to a special account in anticipation of the members' future difficulties. Others might view L as difficult to work with – (for) – but one thing they couldn't complain about were his efforts to protect and provide for those who aided him. Even if he didn't always succeed.

Now he just needed to wait, though he doubted it would be long. In the mean time, L prepared to move to the hotel. Watari would already have any equipment and clothing available for him when he arrived so there was really nothing he needed to bring. And there was really nothing else he had, anyway. Except for the battered case that had been sitting in the corner of the office, untouched, ever since he'd first taken possession of the room. Which was how it usually went. L hardly ever touched the object and yet he moved it with him wherever he went.

He couldn't remember anymore who had given him the instrument or precisely why. Presumably because that person thought he would excel at it, perhaps prefer that method as an outlet for his creative energies. Probably a woman, then. And she had most likely chosen a violin because even as a nine-year-old boy, L had possessed long clever fingers that she no doubt assumed would be skilled to that particular instrument. Being as it was second-hand, it wasn't in the best shape and was a couple sizes too large for a boy his age, but he made do.

Whether it was out of obedient consideration – unlikely – or curiosity over the new device, L did learn to play. He was certainly never what could have been termed a prodigy, but he taught himself well and, despite the violin's shabbiness, was capable of producing pleasing and accurate melodies. (In particular, he favored Mozart and Bach, though he never really bothered to think about why.) For about a year he idly played and then he simply stopped. He would never be a musician and while it had been entertaining in a way – acquiring a new talent always was – he was done with it. Except….

L never did dispose of the violin. Which was unusual because L was not a sentimental creature by nature, not one to hang on to anything that didn't have an immediate use. And yet he'd kept this one thing for so many years. Granted, he hadn't taken the best care of it – it was no doubt in desperate need of a tune-up and at some point he'd lost the bow, which he'd never bothered to replace. But he occasionally bought new strings and every once in a while he would take the delicate wooden body out of its threadbare house and fiddle around with it (pun somewhat intended). Mostly he held it in his lap like a guitar and plucked at the strings, something he'd started doing long before he lost the bow. Strangely, like the walks or the capoeira, the mindless and largely tuneless things he strummed out let him leave his mind for a little while and lose himself in something else. Maybe that was why he'd kept it.

But he certainly couldn't take it with him now and there was no good reason to leave it here for an indefinite period of time. So when Watari came to pick him up, L had the case under one arm, handing it over to the man as he opened the car door.

"Please send this back to the House for me," L requested. "They may do whatever they like with it." And that was that.

.x.L.x.

On New Year's Eve the task force made their decision. Soichiro Yagami, Kanzo Mogi, Shuichi Aizawa, Hirokazu Ukita and Touta Matsuda elected to continue their investigation with L but only under the condition that they meet with him personally, which was exactly what he had been expecting.

"Watari, please go and pick up those items I had you prepare," L instructed once the details of their meeting had been given to the NPA members. "I'm sending the list of names to use to your cell phone. By the way, I will be using Ryuuzaki."

"Understood." As always, Watari was efficient and prompt. Leaving L with nothing to do but wait and let his thoughts mill around in useless circles. If Kira was connected to one of these five people…. Things would be even riskier for L. There was no way Kira would pass up such an opportunity. But … it would also be an opportunity for L. He was still safe, after all, even if he was no longer just a letter on a screen. If he simply let Kira come to him….

His fingers twitched and he realized that they were itching for the instrument they had barely ever bothered with anyway. Of course. Always want what you can never have. And it was long gone now; he'd surely never see it again. Oh, well. No doubt just one of many things he'd inevitably give up.

.x.L.x.

It was probably one of the worst first impressions L had ever given. Still, it was effective in proving his point and honestly he'd been annoyed at their carelessness. After all, they themselves had brought up the very valid point that L could conceivably be Kira. There could have been a pile of corpses right inside L's door. Not that he would want to deal with such a mess. And of course, he wasn't Kira. But his point remained. Although if he were truly truly honest (which he generally never was) L would have had to admit that he also felt the need to mess with the investigators, just a little.

He laid out the details of what he knew, what he'd deduced, the bare bones of a plan all while dealing with their rather irritating tendency toward over-enthusiasm which generally lead to interruptions. Which he hated. At least Yagami seemed to be reasonable – he listened, he had command over his men and, most importantly, he seemed willing to defer to L's authority. Even if the others proved difficult, Yagami's approval would bring them in line. Although he shouldn't need it. Just a simple curve of his lips and a rather corny line was enough to rally them into a justice-induced frenzy. Which L then deflated with his statement that he would be speaking with each of them individually to determine whether or not Kira was amongst their group. Starting with Soichiro Yagami.

"I'm glad, Yagami-san, that you don't seem to be concerned any longer that I might be Kira," L offered amicably enough after settling into his chair.

The older man adjusted his glasses. "Well, it seemed like an unlikely theory at best. And having met with you, I think it even more so."

"You're sure that I'm who I claim to be?"

Yagami considered that for a moment. "I suppose it's possible that you're not, that you could be a stand-in or some kind of imposter. But most of the police force is well aware of what happens to those who make such a claim falsely and I find it hard to believe anyone would dare it."

L nodded. "That's true." His thumb wandered up to his mouth and he leisurely began chewing on it. "So, Yagami-san, I'm curious about your take on this case. What would you suggest our course of action should be?" And then he waited.

Unfortunately, there was nothing worth waiting. And the same followed in the interrogations of the other four men. He supposed it would have been a little too convenient for one of them to be Kira. The game would continue then. However, it wasn't all for naught. He'd come to some conclusions regarding the members of the task force, now his task force.

Soichiro Yagami was an intelligent and dedicated man with a strong sense of justice and would do what he believed was right. This would largely work in L's favor although it could become an obstacle in the future given L's penchant for using somewhat questionable and at times less than legal methods. However, Yagami seemed to trust L thus far which would make him easier to manipulate. Overall, he should prove to be a valuable asset.

Kanzo Mogi, though a large man, was reserved but not from a lack of intelligence. On the contrary, he was the type to listen fastidiously, absorb information and then make a careful decision. As with Yagami, he struck L as being a diligent and dedicated investigator. Another useful resource.

Shuichi Aizawa, like Yagami, was a man with very clear morals, especially, it seemed, when it came to the matter of methods of investigation. As in, he would probably have a big problem with the way L ran things. He also appeared to have a rather more volatile temper than any of the other task force members, meaning he was most likely to be the biggest protester of L's plans. And he'd have no qualms about letting it known when he did disagree. Annoying, but handleable.

Hirokazu Ukita was undoubtedly not the brightest of the bunch but he was determined and hard-working and seemed perfectly willing to follow L's instructions. Always good qualities. He might not make any breakthroughs on the case but he would certainly be useful for the necessary gathering and organizing of data.

Touta Matsuda was enthusiastic, idealistic, naïve and largely an idiot. Like the others he believed strongly in what he thought was right which was probably the reason he became a member of the NPA to begin with, although that didn't explain to L how he'd actually succeeded in becoming one. However, another body was another body – a compliant one at that – and L needed as many as he could get. Hopefully Matsuda wouldn't get in the way too much.

Overall, it seemed a rather able group of people aiding him and L was confident that, now that he was connected in a much more direct manner with the task force, they would locate and identify Kira quickly. Especially after analysis of all the information they'd been able to gather after the FBI incident. No, it wouldn't be long at all now.

.x.L.x.

To L's disappointment, they'd only been able to get video footage of the deaths of three of the FBI agents. But, he thought later after scouring the tapes for hours on multiple televisions set up in their new hotel room, he supposed it didn't matter since one of those agents happened to be the one. Raye Penber. And the sudden disappearance of Naomi Misora, his fiancée (who L now remembered as the woman who had introduced him to the capoeira he so enjoyed) merely confirmed in L's mind that they'd found Kira. Now all they needed was a name and L could have his suspect. And a face to put on his hidden opponent.

And L found it particularly interesting that the two people, the two families that he'd immediately narrowed their search down to were Deputy Director Kitamura and Superintendent Yagami, both highly ranked officers. And Yagami, the head of the Kira investigation task force…. It added nicely to the profile L had gradually been building in his mind. But to be sure, intense surveillance would be required, in the form of hidden cameras and listening devices planted in both houses. Which, of course, the members of the team who were currently present did not approve of. Because it wasn't legal. Blah blah.

"You'll risk your lives but not your jobs?" he put to them a little caustically. That, and a promise that their actions would remain secret was enough to give the investigators pause.

"How sure are you, Ryuuzaki?" Yagami finally asked. "What is the likelihood?"

It was childish, no doubt, but L couldn't help having a little bit of fun with the detectives, especially since they had just annoyed him. So even though he was nearly one hundred percent certain that one of those two households was harbouring Kira, the reply he gave was, "Ten percent." And then, just to tweak them a little further: "No, five percent." Aizawa was positively indignant, Matsuda was gaping in what L was beginning to believe was nearly a permanent state for him, and Yagami … well, Yagami he did feel a trifle bad about. The man was visibly quivering in a commendable effort to contain himself. However, L wasn't surprised when it was he who insisted that they forge ahead with the surveillance and do it thoroughly as well. As a boon, L allowed that only he and Yagami would be observing that particular household while the rest of the task force was split up between monitoring the other, maintaining the front at the former task headquarters and continuing to delve through the tapes concerning Raye Penber's death.

The preparations would take a couple of days, both to install the devices and make their move to another hotel. But this time L didn't mind waiting. Very soon, Kira would be his.

AN: I think the song L was listening to while he practiced the capoeira was probably "Hysteria." I know, I'm sounding like some kind of Muse shill, but so many of their songs make me think of L & Light (although that could probably be true for any song if you twist it hard enough). Just think about it though: L, shirtless, doing those beautiful movements, Hysteria beating in the background... Mmm. Yummy. :)

I hope the violin wasn't too Holmesian. Really, it was just because that's what I happen to play. Tee hee. And all the intelligent people I know have some artistic way of expressing themselves which, in my circle, tends to be musically.

So, woot establishing chapter. Next time, spying fun! And some Light being naughty. 'Cause he's a cocky bastard like that.