tampered | Log; Ongoing

Current Location: Building 5; Apartment 39

Log; Ongoing

When; Shortly after B's arrival.
Rating; R
Characters; L (

xatrophied)
Summary; L meets his mad successor for the first time.
Log;

L removed his heavy black cloak as he entered his apartment. Despite the freedom from that weight, he felt a pressure on his heart. Vash was just behind him, and soon he would be coming. Beyond Birthday...

....BB...

Not someone L ever wanted to hear from again.

Beyond...was an embarrassment. He represented L's own sins and the faults of the House. A prototype replica. Designed to fail. He had never truly been given a chance, was it really a wonder that he went mad?

But B was a killer. He had challenged L directly and lost. That could not be forgiven.

L flopped on the couch and moaned like an upset child before curling his legs beneath him and sitting in his customary position. For now, he simply had to meet with B. There were no other options.

Like Light Yagami, it was safer to have him close than it was to have him at a distance.

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Vash followed L cautiously into the apartment, fairly accustomed to keeping a measured distance from his charge when they went places. He was still sore, and he was still without his left arm, but he was far from useless when it came to protecting L.

He really hoped it wouldn't end up in some sort of violent fall-out, though. From what L had told him about this person, Vash knew he would be...troubled. This could turn out to be pretty interesting.

He moved to the other side of the room so he could be right there if L needed him, but out of the way otherwise. Then he sent L what he hoped was a reassuring smile.

"...It'll be all right," he hoped aloud.

"Ah!"

It was confusing, to say the least. Unable to see, but still able to hear perfectly. There was an exchanging of words, of flowers, and then the room was quiet again and B just sat there on the floor, unmoving.

His head was turned in the direction of the couch. He heard two voices over there, but he could tell right away which one was L.

"I expected you to sound more British, L."

L stared at his Child as he closed the door behind Wolfwood.

"...More British?"

He had a lilt, but it was soft. L was hardly able to pinpoint what exactly his accent was anymore. It felt more Americanized but sometimes he caught himself sounding Japanese as well. A side effect of a wandering life.

British was strongest. But how had Beyond known he would sound British? He had never heard L speak.

...No...Whammy House was in Winchester. It made sense.

L moved forward slowly and squatted before B, brow furrowed. He knew B had the Eyes. He had pieced it together during the Kira case. Naturally, he was resistant to the idea of removing the blindfold. What would B do? L's name was his safety. And his lifespan...

.....He did not have one. His heart had not been beating for months now, how would B react to that?

The young detective sighed. He could not keep B close and blindfolded, it would never work.

L lifted his white hands to the dark strip of fabric and tore it away from his Child's face.

His heart sank when he saw his own face staring back. Like a skewed mirror.

"...Hello, B," he said softly.

Vash watched the two in silence. They were so...alike. It was almost scary. But there was something different between them. Something in their eyes that revealed two very different souls.

He decided that it'd be in everyone's best interest if he just kept his mouth shut for now. There was no telling where this would go, but he had to be ready in case it went sour in a hurry.

B heard the shuffle of steps towards him, and his body began to shake with anticipation. Briefly, he reached a hand out but withdrew it right away and just waited. Waited. And then he felt a pressure on his face and once again he was able to see and...

There was L. His heart swelled when he saw his own face staring back at him.

"I did it perfect!" he exclaimed when he saw just how similar they were.

And then his eyes zeroed in above L's head, the letters floating there and the num--

But there were no numbers. Just letters. B thought on this for only a few seconds before he realized what had happened. And he reached out to finally touch L. His fingertips briefly grazing over the fabric covered chest and then back up before he gripped on to one of L's shoulders, looking like the definition of madness as he stared in to L's eyes.

"Who did this to you!?" He yelled at what he presumed was some odd ghost-like creature that was once L.

L's body locked up when he felt the touch. He had been expecting it, but that did not make it any more comfortable.

Unable to kick B away, he just trembled.

"The adversary I spoke of earlier. He's here in the City too but I will..."

have my revenge

Justice will PREVAIL

L thought momentarily of Enma Ai.

"He will not defeat me again. He has already changed the rules of the game too many times. He is panicking, now."

A finger nail drifted to L's lips and he nibbled upon it pensively. "The dead walk here, B. I am dead, but I am here."

Someone had... beaten L.

B just stared at his idol blankly as he spoke. No, that was impossible. No one could beat L accept for him. He was the only one deserving of that glory!

"The one that Ryuzaki and Rue needs to defeat together?"

A small smirk crept up on to B's face, upturning the corners of his lips in an odd way. The thought of them being a team, under his own name... that was exciting, and B wanted to work alongside L almost as much as he wanted to crush him.

"I want to defeat him, L. I want to get rid of him and then it will be a fair game."

He giggled as he spoke, the hand on L's shoulder sliding softly over to L's neck and then up to the side of his face, feeling L's features.

It really was L. Dead or not, this was L in front of him.

"Yes...The one we must defeat together..."

L stopped trembling and went still as rock when that hand slid up the side of his neck to his face. This was far too much contact.

"He won by..."

By cheating.

It was true. L fought with all of the power he possessed while Light fought with a Shinigami and its murderous notebook. On his own Light held nothing in his hands. What he had was given to him. It could have been just as easily taken away.

L knew that secret now. And that was why...

He smiled slightly at B. "My Children beat him in the end. He is dead too but active. Desperate."

His fingers curled into the fabric of his jeans.

"I think it is time that the dead opponent is buried."

"Children? Is that how L always saw us?"

B had to laugh at that. That term was far to endearing for the lack of care L had always showed them.

His laughter softened when L finished speaking. There was a spark in those blood-eyes of his at the thought of burying this opponent.

"Ryuzaki and Rue can definitely do it together." B said with an excited grin on his face.

His other hand finally joined the other and they cupped both sides of L's face. He leaned in close, far too close, and whispered, "And then I can bury you, L. Six feet won't be far enough. Let's make it ten."

"That was what the House called you. The Children of L."

When B reached up to cup his face he growled slightly. B would not defeat him. He failed to last time, he'd fail again. But now was not the time to mention this, he needed to keep B close and loyal...As loyal as a madman could be.

When B leaned in the growl slid down his throat and deepened in pitch. "Before you bury me my current adversary must be dealt with, B. But I cannot have you running off to attack him on your own or things may fall apart. You must be willing to act on my command and never outside it, can you do this?"

L doubted it. He'd have to keep a close eye on this particular Child.

The growl L emmitted did little to stop Beyond or make him move away. If anything, his smirk only grew wider.

"Yes, L. Of course L. I will be the best child you've ever had."

And with that he leaned in just a tad bit more and let the tip of his tongue swipe quickly near the right corner of L's mouth, tasting some sweetness there still.

He could go for some jam about now...

L jerked at the tongue, this was getting to be a bit too much.

"...Please don't touch me," he said softly.

"But you're so soft. And so cold..."

His hands slipped back down to L's neck and he squeezed softly.

"No pulse. Scary."

L's eyes widened when hands grasped at his throat. For a moment he was worried he'd be strangled but...No...there was no breath left to choke out of him.

"It is as I said, I am dead."

He took B's wrists in his white fingers and drew the hands away from his neck.

"Given your appearance people will likely mistake you for me. Please correct them on this error. It is important."

"No. I want to be you."

B fisted and unfisted his hands in L's grasp, a slight pout on his lips.

"Wouldn't it be smart to use me as a body double?"

"It is likely that I will...but B, you are not me."

He considered this.

"Or I should say you are not me yet. It would be best if you would dress differently than I and let your hair down. Then, when I do use you as a double, nobody would notice. But seeing two of us would only raise suspicion."

He released B's hands.

B's hands went right back to touching L. No real purpose to the touches aside from just wanting to keep feeling to make sure he was real.

"I need new clothes anyway. I don't want to smell like a fuel station anymore-- Oooh...." B's gaze turned to Vash for a moment. "His clothes. I want those ones."

L resigned himself to the touching. It was not welcomed touching but at least there did not seem to be ill intent...for now.

"B I need your focus for a moment. My adversary is Light Yagami, and he has seen you active here in the City already. I have little doubt that he will try to manipulate you and use you to get to me so do not listen to a word he says. I'm sure you'd hate to be reduced to a simple tool."

And if B did join Light...well...L knew enough about B to raise a defense. Still, he would rather keep his Child close, he felt it was his duty to so.

I will not abandon you again...

Edited 2008-02-28 21:15 (UTC)

"Light Yagami..." B broke off in to laughter. "I won't allow that to happen. L, when I beat you it will be me and me alone. That is why I will definitely get rid of this Light Yagami."

B grabbed L's shoulders quickly, and pulled L against him, holding on to him tightly in an awkward embrace.

"Let me just kill him, L." B said quietly, malice dripping in his tone. "He killed you so he deserves it...I could do it to, L. You know how good I am."

L felt his body go cold, despite the natural chill. A raw, terrified feeling. He went rigid, arms close to his chest, staring.

"No, B," he said. "I cannot condone murder."

B's spindly fingers reached up to pet the top of L's head as he continued to hold on to him.

"I didn't ask L to condone it." B said flatly. "Well... I guess I did. but he doesn't have to. I want to do it. Isn't it a little late to play papa and boss me around?"

L stretched out his legs and placed his palms down against the floor, ready to quickly lever himself upright if he had to.

"This is a new world. L had to start over here. It is only fair that he starts over with his Children, too."

The truth was that he couldn't bare to see one of his Children succumb to Kira or do anything that may work in Kira's favor. What if they felt guilty about it later? What if Kira hurt them?

L had let far too many terrible things happen to his succession through his own negligence. That was why he took that name.

Ryuzaki.

A reminder.

For a moment L wondered if he should point out to B that Light would only come back a day later if killed. But that was not a rule he particularly wanted B to know about.

"If he is murdered, his allies will likely think I was responsible. No good can come of it. No, we must use the system to defeat him. Use our rules, not his."

"That's boring, L."

B didn't want to play by L's rules. Or Light Yagami's rules. B liked his own rules. They were best.

"If we have to do it your way, then let's do it fast. I'll get bored if it's a slow game."

"Patience is a virtue," L breathed.

It was a meaningless breath. Habit.

He had to tell B something he wanted to hear.

"Until the day we defeat him you will be staying with me..."

Edited 2008-02-28 21:53 (UTC)

B's heart began to race again, and he let go of L, pushing him back a bit to look him in the eyes.

"Really?! I can stay with L? Be with him all the time??"

He was like an excited puppy having a treat dangled just above his nose. Staying with L all the time, seeing him all the time. Well, that was truly bliss wasn't it?

B looked into L's eyes.

L looked back.

"Yes, that's right. I will not abandon you again."

Without warning, B crashed in to L, clinging to him like a small child because that's how he felt. Like a child at christmas.

"I'll be good while I'm with you, L! The team of Ryuzaki and Rue! We can win together, L!"

L froze up again and slowly placed a hand against B's back.

"...Yes," he said and looked at Vash with something akin to marginal panic. The expression of a new mother.

Vash stared for a second at the bizarre scene before catching L's eye and deciding he should probably try to help the poor introvert.

"Well, that's great!" he said, stepping forward and getting ready to pull B off of L if he had to. "You'll have to tell me what you like to eat, Rue, so I can pick some up on our way home."

When it spoke, B was mildly surprised. Even more so when it came forward and towards them. His first instinct was to hold the man tighter, but at the mention of 'to eat', B's grip on L actually loosened.

"Ah... Jam. Strawberry would be preferable."

L shifted, trying to get himself into a more comfortable position when he felt the grip on him loosen.

He pressed a palm against B's chest and pushed gently.

"Please don't touch me," he said firmly.

"We can definitely get jam!" Vash said brightly, still hesitant to touch B and hoping he would back off on his own. "Should we go ahead and start back?"

B just stared at Vash for a few moments, ignoring the hand on his chest and L's words.

Ahh, this man was going to provide him with jam. And B was very hungry. Especially after tasting a small bit of sweetness on L's skin.

"We should definitely go!" He said and let go of L all together before jumping up to his feet to stand in front of Vash. He looked down at L, pointing a finger at Vash.

"Can I have his coat?"

L felt his muscles unclench the moment he was released and sagged forward, resting his face in his palm.

"...No, B."

Vash blinked at B in slight surprise and glanced at L for a second before smiling a bit nervously back at B.

"Then let's go!" he said cheerfully.

"Can I take a shower when we get there?" B asked, hand dropping and a look of disappointment on his face at the fact that he would not be allowed the coat.

L walked over to his cloak and shouldered it on. He glanced at Vash, unwilling to answer B's question. He had already done quite enough inviting B to stay with them without asking Vash first.

"Absolutely," Vash said kindly. "I don't think it'd do you any good to go without one, after all."

He briefly wondered how the others who went in and out of his apartment would think. With any luck, B would be as withdrawn as L, for his own sake. ...And with their similarities in appearance, this could get interesting.

"Ryuzaki, you want to lead the way? I'll follow both of you back if you like."

B blinked when l didn't answer him, and then looked to Vash when he spoke.

"Heh... I like you." B said with a smile, waiting for someone to lead the way.

"Of course."

L rose from the couch again and walked into his bedroom where his closet door hung open. Silently, he hoped Excel hadn't rifled through it but a quick search showed nothing out of place.

He retrieved a dusty old hooded trench coat and carried it out to B, handing it to him.

"Please wear this and keep the hood up until we get there."

Edited 2008-02-29 04:11 (UTC)

Vash couldn't help but smile back at B at his remark. Even if he was a little creepy.

"Well, thank you!" he said brightly. "I'm sure I'm going to like you too."

He nodded to L and stuck his hand in his pocket.

"You go on ahead. I'll be behind you."

"But I want to wear the other coat." B said, pointing to Vash again as he took the trench from L.

He pulled it on with a less than pleased look on his face, and pulled the hood up as L instructed.

L pulled up his own hood and slid out the door.

"Keep me in your sights but try not to look like you are following me," he said sternly and headed down the hall.

"I think my coat would be a bit big on you, Rue," Vash remarked pleasantly, waiting for him to go after L.

Oh, yeah. This household was going to become a lot more interesting. Especially if B kept trying to lick L in the future.

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Log; Ongoing

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