A/N: Whew! I did it! :} This is a gift for Author of Scifi. Here you go, Scifi, hope you have a Merry Christmas. :D I tried, really, to make this as sadistic as possible but remember that I'm scared of Beyond and therefore probably not very good at this. Sorry. XP Oh, and sorry it's short, but I like how I made it. X} Follow my Three R's. Read, relish, and review please! :}

Different Torture

Sometimes, L didn't like Wammy's.

It was his home, yes. The only place in the entire world where he was comfortable. He had Quilish to keep company with and fetch him sweets. There were plenty of other kids there to play with. Most of them looked up to L, and it made L feel good inside. Most people would think that his home was great for an orphanage.

L knew better.

There were some people- some kids- who were jealous of him. They would always be jealous of him and anyone that L chose to be his replacement.

Beyond Birthday was one such kid.

The younger boy would usually find L when he was alone and torture him. There were many different ways he did this, and he never did the same way twice. He would punch, kick, bite, and cut L whenever he had the chance, and L would let him do it.

It wasn't out of fear that L would let Beyond hurt him. No, he was smarter than that. It was the threat Beyond would throw at L when doing it;

"Try to stop me and I'll make sure A dies."

And L couldn't let that happen. A was his best friend. He would never let harm get to him.

But how much torture can one person take?

--

L was sitting in his room. His legs were curled up to his chest, his arms hugging them. His head rested on his legs with his eyes close. It was peaceful to sit like that, trying not to think and just be himself.

The door opened and it was silent.

"Hello Beyond." L opened his eyes to see Beyond standing there with a wicked smile planted on his face.

"L."

"Do you want to get started or what?" L asked.

"I've been thinking, Lawliet. I think I finally figured this whole number thing out." Beyond explained, leaning against the wall and taking out a knife. He started cleaning it.

"What number thing?" L asked.

"You know, the ones above your head. I figured them out." Beyond continued, still inspecting the knife. "The numbers tell the exact date you are going to die, end of story. I know that date, L. Yours, I mean. The numbers above your head just keep ticking away..."

"What did you figure out about these numbers?" L interrupted, turning the conversation another way. Beyond grinned.

"I've been trying to figure out what was different about numbers for people. Your numbers, no matter what I do, stay the same. It's a simple fact. I can cut you," Beyond took a step. "Or hurt you," Beyond crept closer. "And maybe even poison you," He was just about to L's bed. "But you would not die because it is not your day."

"So you have been using me? As a test?" L asked.

"Of course, Lawliet. That's what you taught us, isn't it? Find out how everything and everything works by all costs, correct?!" Beyond's grin grew, he put the knife to his mouth to lick. "But that wasn't the only part of my, shall we call it, test? Yes, you weren't the only one I was hurting. There was one other person."

"Who was it? Who did you hurt?" L stood, facing Beyond. L was angry. Furious. It was his job to protect everyone and he let them down. "How did you hurt them?!"

"Calm down, L. I thought you never lose your temper." Beyond chuckled slightly. "I tortured this person much differently than how I torture you. I didn't use knifes or any objects, not even my own body. No, L, I tortured him mentally."

"Who is it?"

"And what's great is that he is so unstable! One minute he'll have two more minutes to live but one conversation brings it up to years! From minutes to years, L! I've never seen anything like him before. That's why I had to have him." Beyond explained.

"Tell me who he is!" L ordered, throwing a punch at Beyond. Beyond blocked the punch and took the hand. He pulled L to the ground and sat on top of him, pinning both of L's hands above his head with one hand. The other still held the knife.

"What's this? Did I finally crack the mind fortress that is L Lawliet? Did I really manage to get you angry and in such an easy way?" Beyond asked, bringing the knife to L's skin. The knife slowly worked it way past the porcelain skin. "You know, I always thought it could never be done. That you were too far lost in your mind for me to be able to cause any sort of damage there. To know that all I had to do was something so simple as hurt someone else to break you..! It gives me chills."

"Who... Is... It?" L asked, tears sliding down his face. The pain hurt. The knife was moving so slowly into his stomach.

"You really want to know? Alright, L, I'll tell you." Beyond leaned so his face was close to L's, their noses barely touching. "I tortured A."

To L, everything froze. Beyond, himself, even the knife. It all froze.

"Where is he? Is he okay? Is he hurt?" L asked starting to panic.

"Shh, L." Beyond leaned down to lick the bit of blood that got past the knife. He savored the taste and how beautiful the crimson red looked on milky white skin. "I told you I didn't physically hurt him. Although, the mind is a powerful thing. Who knows what I did to him..?"

"Is he okay?" L asked, gasping as the knife made a sudden turn and slice, exiting his body. Beyond looked at the blood on the knife.

"There is no way to answer that. Okay can mean many things. Let me tell you what I do know," Beyond licked the knife, cleaning it in between sentences. "I saw a glimpse of A's numbers before I came after you. I told him about how you hate him and that his life isn't worth shit. I told him how nobody cares about him and that L can find somebody else to take his place."

"You-"

"I told him all of this and I watched him cry, much like you are. I watched him break down. I watched him take the nuse from my hand as I left. I watched as his numbers ticked down to say one minute left." Beyond locked eyes with L and made his face unemotional. "That was two hours ago."

L chocked on a sob. A was gone. Really, actually, gone.

Beyond stood.

"And I'm not going to kill you, L. Your not worth it. Everyone thinks your amazing, and your not. It seems that I'm the only one who knows that and so I have to show everyone. I have to beat you, L. I am going to beat you." Beyond explained, as he walked towards the door. "I'm going to unmask L, and show the world that L Lawliet is really weak. Nothing more than a crying child. And the world is going to know that it was me- Beyond Birthday- who was able to do it. BB was the one to beat L!"

"And... Why... Are you telling... me..?" L forced out, his mind going light headed from blood loss.

Beyond grinned.

"Because, L. I want you to be ready." Beyond answered, shutting the door behind him. His laughs were loud enough to hear through the door, and L couldn't stay awake anymore. He fainted.