DEATH NOTE is not mine. It belongs to Takeshi Oabata nad Tsugumi Ohba, so obiously I'm not making money from writing this story.

English is still not my first language!

Seishirou Hitsugaya - Thankyou for fixing mistakes!

I do not consent to have my work hosted on or accessed by any third party app or site. If you are seeing this fanfiction anywhere but archiveofourown or fanfiction net it has been reposted or accessed without my permission. Please let me know if you see it anywhere else.

- melissen

Chapter 1 (Chapter Beta-edited by shojen12 - Thank you, Shojen!)

Light Yagami wasn't used to not knowing things so he felt extremely uncomfortable. When did his life stopped being perfect? When did HE stopped being perfect? Maybe he never really was after all?

He would always wonder if there was a moment when he could do something to avoid the chain of events that had slowly but steadily changed everything in his perfectly settled life, turning it upside down. He would always wonder if he could stop it somehow after it had all begun. And then he would wonder if he would have tried that even if he could.

Light was finishing his dinner, sitting at the table with his mother and younger sister Sayu. The rain was pouring outside. It was one of the last moments of his life being perfect, of him being perfect. It was just an ordinary day, exactly the same as any other of Light's always perfectly planned days. Everything in his life was always panned so nothing could ever surprise him except this… This wasn't planned at all.

The door bell rang once. His mother excused herself and walked out of the kitchen. Light's heart skipped a beat. His father wasn't home yet and in his line of work everything could happen anytime. You could never know. Soichiro Yagami was the head of the Police Force and even though he wasn't patrolling the streets he was always in danger. Would Light do something to stop his mother from opening the door that evening had he known who was waiting on the other side?

He heard his mother's voice but couldn't hear what she said. The other voice coming from the door was very low and smooth. Light waited for his mother's reaction. Would she start crying or not? She didn't. From the noises Light could make that she took whoever it was to the living room. Who would that be? A moment later his mother came back and started to prepare some tea.

"Light, please, could you go to the living room and entertain your father's guest?"

Light was puzzled.

"Why me?"

His mother gave him a warm smile.

"He said that Soichiro will be here soon, don't worry. I guess he works with your father but he seems to be very young. I think it would be best if you were the one to stay there with him… Please, Light..."

"Of course, mother…"

Light didn't even try to hide his displeasure. He didn't feel like wasting even five minutes with some dense rookie, like this Matsuda Touta… Maybe Light was young but he certainly wasn't stupid and nothing annoyed him like stupidity. He sighed heavily and plastered a fake smile to his face. Then he took a tray with tea and chinaware and left the kitchen. What he saw in the living room almost made him drop the tray.

There was the strangest human being that Light had ever seen in his life. The man was indeed young but he was nothing like Matsuda. He was wearing baggy blue jeans and white oversized long sleeved T-shirt. His hair was black and messy and it hid the man's face from Light's view. He was strange but oddly enough he wasn't what first caught Light's attention. There were some strange devices and cables scattered across the coffee table. The weirdo was crouching there and looked like a child playing with his favorite toys. Light was watching him silently with sincere curiosity. The man's pale and very long fingers were toying with a small knob on one strange fitment. He was moving it slowly, carefully controlling what showed on the little screen.

He didn't pay any heed to Light.

The younger man didn't like to be ignored. Not just because he was used to people generally fawn over him but because he didn't like dealing with people who had no manners at all. A pale hand moved up and removed something from the wild mop of hair, most probably from the man's ear. It was a small earphone. Then the man stood up and looked over at Light. The boy met his gaze curious about what kind of strange face he would find behind the veil of wild black locks.

He liked to spend time reminiscing that particular moment, trying to remember what he thought and felt at the time. It was hard to tell. Maybe he was staring into the empty pitch black orbs for hours or maybe he turned his eyes away quickly before he mumbled.

"Good evening."

The man turned away from Light and started to act even weirder than before. He did answer Light's greeting though and even said something more, something irrelevant, like:

"Yagami-kun? You didn't have to bring me any tea, really, I don't want to cause any trouble…"

Or:

"What a lovely picture. Is this your sister, Yagami-kun?" He said that one looking behind the photo of Light from few years back but Light didn't really mind because the man didn't even look at the picture. He was walking around the room from one place to the other checking behind every picture frame and knick-knack, meticulously looking for something. It made Light think of James Bond looking for bugs every time he entered a hotel room. And then the realization came. The devices scattered all over the coffee table looked like some kind of detectors. Was the man really looking for bugs in their living room? Who was that psycho? Curiosity gave way to irritation. Light truly hated to be ignored.

"What are you doing?!"

Light unceremoniously dropped the tray onto the table, not caring if it sent some of the strange electronic devices to the carpeted floor. That got the weird man's attention. He removed his bony hand from behind one of the bigger frames and walked back to the table. He took the tea pot and slowly poured some of its content into the teacup. Then he put his hand over the cup and dropped something in. It was very small. Then he picked the 'detector' up from the floor and replaced the earphone in his ear looking once again exactly the same as when Light first saw him – crouching beside the table and fiddling with a knob.

"Was that a BUG?"

Black eyes pinned Light with a sharp scolding look but the words that came from the strange man sounded indifferent and calm.

"No, Yagami-kun, I believe that it was just a dirty spot. Nothing to worry about, I assure you."

He turned his eyes and attention back to the little device on the table and then removed the earpiece once again and looked around the room, clearly still not satisfied with the readings on the screen. This was the first time Light got the fairly good view of his face. It was unusual and Light couldn't take his eyes off of it. His skin was white, like a porcelain doll that looked just perfect. His eyes were big and very dark but droopy and underlined with shadows of obviously countless sleepless nights. His face looked tired even though he seemed kind of energetic and not at all sleepy. It had some sharp edges, nice cheekbones, straight, but just very slightly upturned nose and lips that for no particular reason completely captured all Light's attention. Those lips were also pale but slightly pink… This strange man was the weirdest creature Light had ever seen but his face was oddly attractive… Light kicked himself mentally for thinking such things and forced his eyes away… They went back to the pale lips in an instant, like they were forced to do so by some magnetic force. When suddenly dark eyes met his he hurriedly averted his gaze and attention from the man who stood up and started to move around the room again.

Not wanting to disturb the man's second session of bug-hunting Light took a step back to the door frame. The strange man's posture was terrible. He was hunched like an old man but when he came closer Light realized that he must be the same height as him. The man was getting closer and closer carefully examining every inch of the wall next to Light. Then he came even closer… Light knew that he had been staring again but there was something strange in the man's facial features that just riveted Light's attention.

Long spidery fingers moved from the bottom of the door frame up to its top forcing the man to straighten up and confirming Light's earlier suspicions about his height. Then he was even closer to Light, examining the brim with the careful and precise touches. His thin arms, clad in white cotton moved over Light's head. The boy held his breath for some unknown reason and fought the ridiculous urge to close his eyes. Stranger's pale skin really was perfect.

"Excuse me, Yagami-kun..."

"What...?"

Light looked up and nervously inhaled taking in the new smell, smell of the man in front of him. Like he had been burned he pushed himself away from the door frame and quickly strolled over to the couch. He sat down wondering what was wrong with him. This was stupid.

He had been sitting there going over and over again in his head through the events of the last few minutes until the second bug drowned in the tea cup on the table in front of him. He looked up to see the man, once again hunched over his equipment. He finally seemed satisfied with the readings, because he removed the earphone, wrapped the cable tightly over the 'detector' and put it, along with some other devices from the table, in the case that Light didn't even notice earlier.

"Who are you?"

The man didn't lift his eyes but was kind enough to answer Light's question.

"You may call me Ryuzaki, Yagami–kun." His voice was low and so soothing...

Then he pulled a small laptop seemingly out of nowhere and opened it on the coffee table, still crouching awkwardly beside it on the floor. This person and this whole incident were so unexpected and weird that seemed almost unreal. It just didn't fit in Light's routine. It was like a dream. The rain was still drumming against the glass of the windows and the dimmed light of the living room lamps created very strange and mysterious atmosphere. With all the strange equipment around and even stranger man right in front of him Light truly didn't know what to do or say. He was lost and it didn't happen to him often.

"Do you work for my dad…?"

Light needed answers. He needed to know more about the situation to feel more comfortable. As it had been stated before – Light wasn't used to not knowing things. The man – Ryuzaki - tapped on the keyboard, his black eyes focused, pale face glowing in the bluish light of the screen.

"No, I don't."

That was not enough information for Light's liking.

"Ok, so… were those things you dropped to your tea some kind of bugs?"

"Yes."

"How did you know that they were there?"

"I checked." One pale finger pointed to the case with the detector.

"Why? Why would there be things like that in our living room?"
"I only checked it as a precaution, Yagami-kun."

"Do you always check this kind of stuff while visiting someone?"

"This is hardly a casual visit, Yagami-kun, but yes, I tend to be careful when I'm about to have a confidential conversation in an unknown surrounding."

"Who put those bugs in our house?"

"I'm afraid that I can't answer Yagami-kun's question. Revealing this information would be unwise in the present circumstances."

"Where's my father? Is this about the Kira case?"

"As far as I know from Yagami-san and his coworkers Yagami-kun was supposed to be an exceptionally bright person. Does he really think it is wise to talk about such matters to a complete stranger that might as well BE Kira?"

Black eyes didn't move from the screen even for the briefest moment. Light felt extremely stupid. How could he be so careless? But there was something about this Ryuzaki guy that just made Light trust him. Curiosity and irritation in Light grew stronger with every passing minute.

"You're not Kira. You're here to see my father."

"Maybe I came here to kill him?"

"Kira doesn't have to visit anyone before he kills them."

"One point for Yagami-kun, but maybe I came here to gain something more than just Yagami-san's death. Maybe I'm here to keep his family hostage and force him to act for my advantage? I could kill Yagami-kun to show I'm serious and then threatened Yagami-san's daughter."

"If that was the case, then you wouldn't sit here un-bugging our living room."

"I would if I suspected that Yagami-san bugged his own house to check on his family."

"… Ok, one point for you. But you're not Kira, are you?"

"No, I am not. But even if I were I wouldn't admit it to Yagami-kun, would I?"

"You work for L!"

This earned Light a sharp glare from the enigmatic stranger. Black piercing eyes studied him for a long moment before they had turned back to the screen.

"So, Yagami-kun hacks his father's computer... not very nice."

Light gulped. How did this man know… ? Of course… That was how he learned about his father working under L. What was wrong with Light? He acted so stupid!

Ryuzaki was once again back to tapping on the keyboard.

"Are you going to tell my father?"

Black eyes looked up from behind the raven locks and seemed to study Light for another too long moment. Light didn't know why but he could feel his cheeks getting warmer. He felt uncertain and nervously fixed his already perfect hair.

"I don't think that Yagami-kun's knowledge of the case would be dangerous."

"Does that mean a NO?"

"Yes."

Light's irritation was increasing dangerously.

"Where is my father? He is working for L, isn't he? They work together at some secret location solving the Kira case. And you work for L too, aren't you?"

"I may change my mind about Yagami-kun not being a threat to the case."

Light tried to force himself to stay silent but it was hard. How was he supposed to be quiet when his curiosity was eating him up from the inside?! He had a man that worked directly for L in his living room! This man knew L! L! The greatest detective in the world! Light always admired L's work and dreamed about surpassing him one day. There was a time when Light dreamed about being his apprentice.

He always imagined L in a certain way. In Light's mind L's appearance was something between his own father and Sherlock Holmes. He dreamed about surprising the great L. He dreamed about countless situations where he would come up with something that even L couldn't figure out. He loved this particular dream of his, where L was using his tips to solve some particularly difficult and important case. The man would then hire Light to work with him as his successor and Light with his brilliant mind would succeed and surpass him in no time earning his admiration…

But reality was different. This strange man – Ryuzaki - was young and (even though Light wouldn't admit it out loud) very intelligent. Could it be that THIS was L's apprentice and successor? Was it possible that the great L would find THIS weird creature brilliant enough to be worthy of working alongside him? It was impossible and ridiculous. This pale insomniac couldn't be the one to steal Light's dream. He was one big mess while Light was perfect! L wouldn't make a mistake like that!

"So… who could bug our house? Who uses this kind of stuff anyway…?"

"Anyone could do it, Yagami-kun. Thanks to an explosion of miniaturized technology, the tools for bugging and other forms of eavesdropping have never been cheaper, smaller, more powerful, or easier to come by. There's an exceptional amount of those in the United States. You can't drive more than four blocks in any direction in midtown Manhattan without picking up an eavesdropping device. People rarely realize that the widespread availability of tools for covert surveillance represent a threat to national security information, law enforcement and other government operations, the confidentiality of business transactions, and – finally - to personal privacy."

Light found himself lost for words for a moment. What was that man?

"Alright… but we're not in Manhattan. Americans are crazy! We're in Tokyo. It's different here!"

"Actually, Yagami-kun, recognizing the threat, Congress passed the Electronic Communication Privacy Act of 1986 which makes it illegal for a private citizen to own, manufacture, import, sell or advertise any eavesdropping device, while knowing or having reason to know that the design of such device renders it primarily useful for the purpose of the surreptitious interception of wire, oral, or electronic communications, and that such device or any component there for has been or will be sent through the mail or transported in interstate or foreign commerce. BUT it is noteworthy that legal restrictions against technical surveillance have not been adopted by other countries. Japan does not explicitly recognize a right to privacy at a constitutional or statutory level; however, a right to… assurance that one's private life will not be unreasonably disclosed to the public has been recognized by the courts. The Act on the Protection of Personal Information was enacted in 2003 as part of a comprehensive set of laws that generally establish fair information principles similar to those in effect in Europe. The Acts set forth only high level principles, but these principles have subsequently been elaborated by a series of cabinet and ministerial orders. So…"

"Wait! Stop! Do you try to tell me that it's even worse here in Japan?"

"Not necessarily, but it is a fact that the majority of the illegal eavesdropping devices imported to the U.S. comes from Japan. Besides anyone with a soldering iron and a basic understanding of electronics can build and install an eavesdropping device. The raw materials to build such a device may be easily obtained from the internet, or salvaged from consumer electronic devices such as cordless telephones, intercom systems, and televisions."

"Are you some kind of specialist in that area? I mean… the eavesdropping methods…"

"No, I am not."

"Then how do you know about things like that?"

"I'm afraid I don't understand what Yagami-kun means. I know a lot of things. I was sure we were just having a polite small talk… Isn't that just the way people do it…? Talk about irrelevant things just to avoid an uncomfortable silence…?"

"You considered my question about our house being bugged irrelevant?"

"I recognized it as a courteous invitation to engage into a polite conversation on mundane subjects... AKA a small talk… I am sorry if I misjudged Yagami-kun's intentions. Social interactions are not my forte."

He didn't sound sorry at all.

"If I asked would you recite me what laws of every country say about bugging?"

"Does Yagami-kun want me to?"

Light hoped that he only imagined the hopeful accent in the man's emotionless voice.

"No. The way you talked about Manhattan made me wonder… if you work for American police…."

"No, Yagami-kun, I do not."

"A government?"

"I must ask Yagami-kun to stop asking me questions answers to which I can't provide."

"You know it only confirms my suspicions about you working for L."

Ryuzaki looked Light in the eyes trying to read his intentions.

"Why can't we have a pointless small talk, like any other normal people?"

Light couldn't stop the small smile quirking his mouth. He also made sure to make it a sexy one. Why? Just because.

"Because, Ryuzaki, we are not normal people. My IQ is far above normal and I'm sure yours is nothing less. We are different from 'other people' so our standards are different. What would be a 'normal small talk' for people like us? Casual discussion leading to solving a Kira case perhaps?"

"Yagami-kun has a dangerous trust to his own intelligence and skills. I can only hope he won't misjudge them. Nevertheless I must disappoint him. Yagami-kun and I are not as unique as Yagami-kun thinks. There are people as intelligent, or maybe even more intelligent, than me or Yagami-kun. I know more than a few truly brilliant individuals who I consider at least equal at certain fields of knowledge….I not only use all the brain that I have, but all that I can borrow…"

Light's smile widened.

"Woodrow Wilson. An excuse is worse and more terrible than a lie; for an excuse is a lie guarded."

"Alexander Pope. But it wasn't an excuse, Yagami-kun. You must understand that true wisdom comes to each of us when we realize how little we understand about life, ourselves, and the world around us."

" Socrates. I like this game. Do you know this one: You can never be overdressed or overeducated."

Saying that, Light gave Ryuzaki a blatant once over, fixing his tie and perfect hair. He really wanted to make Ryuzaki feel uncomfortable and self-conscious. He wanted to make Ryuzaki feel what he felt at the moment. He knew Ryuzaki was right, he knew he shouldn't trust his own intelligence as much as he did, but he couldn't help it. He didn't know anyone smarter than himself, so why wouldn't he be self-confident?! What was wrong with being confident and bold? Nothing! It was pissing Light off that this freak made him feel so weak and unsure.

"Oscar Wilde. I like his way of thinking, after all he also said, Be yourself; everyone else is already taken. We can't all be beautiful and perfect, Yagami-kun."

Light blushed furiously.

"Was that supposed to be a compliment?"

Ryuzaki raised one eyebrow and only then Light noticed that its line was almost invisible.

"A compliment? It was just my answer to Yagami-kun's evaluation of my appearance. It is a curious thing that Yagami-kun even considered the way I look and decided to criticize it. What happened to, don't judge the book by its cover…?"

"I did not criticize the way you look."

"Just the way I'm dressed, yes… Is Yagami-kun homosexual?"

Light saw red. He shouldn't be so pissed just because of a stupid remark like that one. He really shouldn't, but before he even managed to think about it he was already straddling Ryuzaki's thighs fisting his collar while his right arm was taking a swing to fit his fist straight into Ryuzaki's irritating face. He hoped it would break into tiny little pieces like a real porcelain doll and finally stop driving him nuts. Anger boiled in his chest like some liquid fire and he could feel his hands shaking uncontrollably. Why did it make him so ridiculously angry?

Something clutched his raised wrist and pulled him off of the other man. In reflex he tried to stop the movement and stay seated in Ryuzaki's laps by squeezing the man with his knees. He liked it there, he liked the feeling of domination over Ryuzaki.

"Light!"

That sharp voice brought him back to earth. What was he doing? He was supposed to always act like a perfect young man, a perfect son, perfect student. Never before had his father witnessed the slip of his mask of pure perfection. No one ever witnessed it before. He let it slip instantly the moment he first spoke to Ryuzaki and now he let his father see…

"Light! What are you doing!?"

Light stood straight and fixed his hair and clothes but an angry blush on his face deepened as the weight of the situation dawned on him.

"I'm sorry, father... Ryuzaki... I have no idea what came over me. I'm really sorry."

"But... but... Why did you try to hit... him?"

"I'm afraid it was entirely my fault, Yagami-san. Apparently I touched the sensitive subject. I am sorry."

"That's NOT true! Ryuzaki…"

"Light!" Soichiro Yagami was usually very lenient with Light but this was the situation when he had to be unrelenting, because THAT was L, the L, the greatest detective in the world and currently his superior. "Apologize to… Ryuzaki… and please go to your room. I'm sure you still have something to look over before the entrance exams."

Light gritted his teeth. No, he didn't have anything, but he still would do it. Just to be sure. But to apologize to… to this person… it seemed too much.

"Sorry… I have no idea what has gotten into me. I'll better go."

Light was sitting in his bedroom. He stopped trying to study. It was impossible. He was too angry and too distracted… too curious. That stranger was invading all his thoughts. Was he really L's apprentice? Obviously 'Ryuzaki' wasn't his real name. It was a JAPANESE name, while the man was clearly Caucasian (or Martian…).

"Light, could you come down?"

The boy walked out of his room and down the stairs.

"Yes dad? What is it?"

Soichiro looked horrible. He was visibly nervous. Ryuzaki was standing beside him with his hands in his pockets. He was ignoring Light.

"It's alright, Yagami-san. We can handle this."

"Light, I… Somehow I didn't notice… It seems that I have been followed. I… I need to ask you to help Ryuzaki to get out of here."

Light glared at the stranger.

"Him? Why?"

"Please, Light, you need to help us. They will see Ryuzaki coming out of here. If you walk him to… let's say a bus station, they will think he's just one of your friends."

"Ok, Dad. No problem." Light flushed realizing that he sounded way too eager to go. He nervously brushed his hair with his hand and sent a sharp look at the stranger.

"Yagami-san, I understand that you are aware that they may not leave it like that. I already sent two people to watch Yagami-kun after he leaves me at the bus stop but he may need someone to stay with him during days too."

"I know…. We'll take care of it."

After giving some warnings and instructions Ryuzaki went to the door. Light followed him like on some invisible string. When they were on the porch Ryuzaki loudly thanked Yagami-san for hospitality. And then they were off. They walked together in complete silence.

"They're in that car. My people are much more discreet. Can Yagami-kun spot my men?"

"Um… not really, but now that I know they're here I would say they might be in that building. That car over there wasn't there before. And I don't think anyone lives there… So…"

"Perfect. My boys are there, but the bad guys shouldn't know that."

"That's your bus… Ryuzaki… What's your real name?"

"Why would I tell Yagami–kun my real name?"

"You know mine. You should tell me yours."

Ryuzaki chuckled softly. "I'm afraid it's not that simple."

Ryuzaki entered the bus and waved to Light through the window. Only after the bus had disappeared from his view Light realized that his hand was up and still waving. His face felt weird. It was sporting a dopy smile. He scowled and quickly lowered his hand, suddenly well aware of the fact that Ryuzaki's people were watching him the whole time. He started to walk back home.

TBC