#ocxl

Zzzzz. 

The phone buzzed again in his pocket, demanding Light's attention for a second time. He narrowed his eyes, his gaze never leaving the paper in front of him. Light kept still, his mind was elsewhere, but on the outside, it appeared he was focused on the task at hand. A skill he had learned to master, something he had grown rather good at while acting as Kira. It was a fulltime job, one that he took great pride in. 

A second text, eh? Only a few minutes apart, too… 

He set the papers down, seeing no new patterns with the victims. Nothing to see here, nothing new nor strange about the sequence with Kira’s killing. As was planned. Nothing unexpected meant that Misa had done a good job staggering the times of the killings. He had trained her well, which was fortunate enough for him. Despite this, she was still a liability, someone he had to get rid of in order to further his future plans. 

All right then. Let’s see. A second text means that there’s no mistaking it, it has to be either Mikami or Misa reporting in… 

A quick glance at the clock on the wall told him everything that he needed to know. After all, today was the day, the great and long awaited exchange. Light had been careful in instructing Misa and Mikami what was expected of them, and how they would keep in contact, both with him and with each other. It was imperative that they left no traces, not a single clue behind that L or someone else on the Task Force could use against them. Despite this, Light was pretty confident in his plans. It seemed rather silly, but sometimes the simplest of plans could work better than anything intricate. 

Light thought the whole idea was rather interesting. He had originally thought it was a bother when Rem brought about her demand to let Misa go as the Second Kira. However, despite how annoying it was, Light was now grateful for a reason to be rid of her. On another note, working with Mikami seemed promising. A quick search through several databases revealed that Mikami worked in law and that he had some connections in high places. Light was not one who liked to get his hands dirty, but he recognized that he seemed rather useful. Unlike someone else he knew. 

Hm. Speaking of Misa… 

Misa’s photoshoot had begun almost two full hours ago. An hour into the photoshoot was when the plan would be put into action, it was when Misa was set to get rid of her ownership of the notebook. Around that time, Mikami was due to sneak into the locker rooms and grab the death note for himself, safely transferring the ownership. He would then be the one with Ryuk’s notebook, Lights’s new pawn until he could safely take over his role as Kira once more. However Light supposed he could keep Mikami on board as long as he was trustworthy and followed through with all of his plans. Light could feel himself smirking a little as he shifted on the couch. He spared another quick glance at the clock, double checking the time. 

Good good…it’s about halfway through the photoshoot…which means… all should be going well. After all, everything was well thought out. It would stand to reason that everything is going according to plan. If I am correct, it must mean that Mikami has acquired the notebook and is in contact with Ryuk right now. Meaning that Misa Amane is no longer the Second Kira, assuming I am correct. 

Despite having two phones hidden on his person, he was almost certain he knew which phone the vibrations had been coming from - the burner phone, which he had been keeping locked away in his left pants pocket. It was secure there, buried deep, and inconspicuous. He was thankful that men’s pockets were rather deep. 

If that’s the case then…perfect… 

Light gave a silent chuckle, keeping his composure despite the multiple notifications burning a hole in his pocket. He was sitting by himself on the couch on this particular day. A choice he had begrudgingly made in order to be extra cautious; that way, he could be positive that no one else would be able to hear the faint sounds coming from the burner phone. It was not without its consequences however, as Keiko and L were positioned across from each other at the main table. This was something that would typically bother Light, but today, he needed the space alone on the couch in order to ensure that the exchange had gone as planned. He had almost kept his burner phone on silent so that he could sit next to Keiko, but against his better judgment, he had decided against it. It seemed too risky for a multitude of reasons. 

Above all, Light wanted to stay informed, his role as Kira was at stake here. On the off chance that Keiko sat next to him and heard his phone vibrating, she could think that he was still in contact with Misa. He didn’t need her to wonder who was texting him, nor to doubt him, especially as he had no plans of contacting Misa after today. It was best that the two did not contact each other, not unless absolutely necessary. He did not need any more suspicion on him, he had gotten more than enough of that from L alone. Keiko was someone he needed on his side, someone he needed to trust him. 

Keiko’s only started to trust me again… and it’s probably fragile right now, so I need to play it extra safe. At least until I can ease more suspicion and potentially get rid of L. Despite Misa’s demand for a date, it’s way too risky…especially after I did this all to ensure her safety so that I could get Rem off my back…anyway…considering the time, it has to be either Misa or Mikami…if all went well, then it should be Mikami informing me that he’s properly received the notebook. I can’t just sit still, I have to confirm this for myself…if all went well, then it’s time to continue on with my plans…  

Light raised his arms, giving them a nice stretch in the air as he yawned. As was planned, he got both Keiko and L’s attention with minimal effort. Not that it took much acting, he was already tired from countless nights getting little sleep. Sleep was hard to come by on such an investigation, not when so much was at stake. Despite the rest of the Task Force taking a short break, L, Light, and Keiko had insisted on working. 

“Are you okay, Light-kun?” the detective asked, not looking up from the stack of papers on the table in front of him. He watched as Keiko glanced in his direction, a concerned expression on her face. The two of them had been going over previous killings to check to see if they had missed anything, any sort of pattern or connection. 

Too bad they won’t find anything, Light smirked, making sure to look away as to not arouse suspicion. I always do a great job covering my tracks. They’re just wasting their time while I'm the one getting ahead. Just you wait, L. I’ll be coming for you pretty soon…speaking of, it’s go time…and this is the best excuse I have.  

“Yeah, I’m fine, but I’m gonna take a short break,” Light was casual as he spoke. He gave a soft shrug, wanting to appear nonchalant as he stood up from the couch. “Y’know. Nature is calling me.”

Yeah, that’s right. You heard me correct, I’m just getting up for a quick bathroom break, nothing unusual about that. No tricks or anything to catch me in a lie there, L. Despite you not looking at me directly, I know exactly what you’re thinking. You’re always so suspicious of me, but you can’t prove anything. You haven’t yet, and now you never will. Good luck trying. It’s all in vain, especially now.  

Keiko looked up at Light as he walked by, his hand grazing her shoulder. He gave it a light squeeze. She gave a small hum in surprise as she realized she was being touched by someone, “eh?”

“Bathroom time,” Light clarified once more, looking down at his girlfriend. An amused expression was on his face as he met Keiko’s gaze, “But I wanted to stop by and check on you first. See how you're doing.”

He watched as Keiko gave him a soft smile, and he fought not to get lost in those soft brown eyes of hers. She gave the hand resting on her shoulder a squeeze in return, and he could smell a hint of what he supposed was the scent of her strawberry body wash. Whatever it was, she smelled good, which was another thing he decided to ignore as she continued on, “right. Well, there’s nothing new yet, but I guess that’s to be expected. I think I may need a break here soon myself.”

“It appears that this Kira is still covering his tracks well,” the detective mused. It seemed he had finally decided to grace Light with a glance in his direction. Light then watched as the detective’s gaze slowly went from Light to Keiko. It stayed there as he continued on. “At this rate, who knows if we’ll ever catch him. Seems like it’ll take us a while to find any leads.”

Despite speaking to no one in particular, Light knew it was some sort of challenge. He wanted a rise out of him, to get a reaction of sorts. A reaction that Light was determined not to give. He was better than that, he wouldn’t let the odd detective feel like he was above him. Not when Light finally had the upper hand. He had L right where he wanted him. In the same note, Keiko was seemingly his once more as well, and with Misa out of the picture, getting her to trust him again would be much easier. He supposed it would take a little while for things to go back to normal, but things were at least on the right track. 

It’s such a shame Keiko is similar to L in her beliefs, it would be nice to have her on board, but alas…such is life I suppose. As long as she stands out of Kira’s way, I won’t have to do anything to her. L is the only one who still suspects me it seems, so I should be in the clear.  

“Ah. Let’s not work too hard,” Light gave a nod, removing his hand from his girlfriend’s shoulder. “I’m sure something new will come up sometime soon. Don’t forget, Ryuzaki-san, we’re Japan’s best and brightest…but in the meantime, I’ve really got to go to the toilet.”

“Don’t fall in,” was Keiko’s response as Light took his cue to walk away. He gave a chuckle at his girlfriend’s wittiness, it was something he admired about her. Another reason he was glad to have her back on board. With her on his side, his future plans were one step closer to becoming a reality. 

Speaking of reality… it’s time to finally check my messages. I’m certain that I’ve received a text from Mikami, considering the time and circumstances of the plan. All should’ve gone well, the margin for error was slim according to my calculations. 

Light entered the stall of the bathroom, fishing the burner phone out of his pocket with a quiet intensity. He had waited far too long, he had to see the messages for himself. With a few clicks, he opened the first text. 

Wonderful. Just as expected. 

His lips curled into a smirk as he read the text that confirmed his prior thoughts. A text that he had received from his new Second Kira, Teru Mikami. It was official, Misa Amane was no longer his Second Kira, and he would have no further reasons to keep in contact with her. It was the start of a new era for Kira, one without outside meddling and annoying squealing. 

‘Kira, Teru Mikami reporting for duty. Exchange a success. Will keep in contact.’

Light reread the text once more, Mikami had kept his texts short and sweet. It was something Light didn’t know he had appreciated until then, as Misa’s texts were always filled with unnecessary ramblings and emoticons. Worst of all, she always had some sort of new pet name for him. After dealing with all that, Light was looking forward to a better texting partner. It seemed he had lucked out. 

Good good. He’s like me, simple and concise. I think I will like working with him, he seemed intelligent enough…though I’m sure the bar was low to begin with after dealing with Misa Amane.  

The smirk on Light’s face grew as he opened up the second text. Once again, his words were to the point, and it appeared that everything was all going according to plan. Another plan perfectly executed. Light relished in this small victory. 

‘Will carry out your orders as planned. Met Ryuk. Talk soon.’

Light clicked away at the burner phone, crafting a response to his new Second Kira. The notebook was now in Mikami’s hands; Light could breathe a sigh of relief, he now had someone trustworthy enough to do his dirty work. Someone that wasn’t a headache like a certain Misa Amane. Someone more on his level. 

Nice to meet you, Teru Mikami…let’s work well together. 

Once the text was sent, Light figured it was time to actually get down to business. His burner phone retreated safely back into his pocket, and Light took a moment to bask in the silence. He was now one step closer to his final victory. 

Well…may as well check to see if I have to use the bathroom while I’m in here… 

Keiko’s POV:

As soon as Light left the room for his little ‘bathroom break’, Keiko locked eyes with the raven haired detective. Despite his expressionless face, she was almost positive that he was thinking the same thing she was. After all, today, assuming their calculations were correct, was the day Rem had instructed them about. The so-called ‘exchange’. Needless to say, Keiko was feeling a little on edge. While they did have some advantage, they only had a matter of time to find out who Light would now be working with, who he had chosen to do his dirty work. Meaning L’s life was unfortunately still in danger. 

That was definitely weird, wasn’t it? It was odd enough that he was sitting away from me on the couch, but that little performance…he usually gets up for the bathroom without saying much… and on today of all days…Matsuda even convinced both the chief and Mogi to take the day off today, a suggestion that Light had initially made…it can’t just be a simple coincidence, it’s too thought out, too planned out. In other words, way too suspicious, it must mean that something happened right? Light had this all thought out from the beginning, he planned every aspect of this ‘exchange’, he knew exactly what he was doing, Keiko gave a shiver, he’s always known exactly what he was doing…he plans everything out methodically, even me. I was a part of his plan. But not anymore, I refuse to let him fool me. I know he’s up to something. Nothing good at that… he’s Kira, a monster.

“‘Don’t fall in?’” L was the first to speak, pulling Keiko away from her thoughts. His lips pulled back into a small yet amused smile, a rather rare expression for him. Her heart gave a small lurch, which she promptly ignored. She gave a slight cough, her eyes not quite able to withstand the detective's gaze any longer, as evidenced by the tinge of red that stained her cheeks. Something she hoped the detective hadn’t seen. Although she had a sneaking suspicion that he had seen, something which she tried to ignore. Somehow that man always had that effect on her, which sometimes made it hard to get any work done. 

Whatever. Not now, heart…now isn’t the time for romance…not with L’s life on the line! Come on, get a grip…this is all for him anyway. 

“It was all I could think of at the moment,” Keiko grumbled, hoping her cheeks had returned to their normal color. She looked around, her gaze lingering towards the door, where Light had left mere moments ago. It was quiet for a moment, Keiko was certain that L was also paying attention to the exit. Their conversation, though short, had halted. It was clear that they both had something else occupying their minds, or rather, a certain someone else. 

Light Yagami… no, Kira… just what are you up to? I know you’re up to something, and I think I know what it is. 

“He’s acting strange, isn’t he…” Keiko murmured. It was more of a statement, sort of to herself, and sort of to the odd man sitting across from her. 

Or am I just on edge…? I admit, I am on edge, but even so, it’s better safe than sorry. And safe is to assume that the exchange went as planned…Light was looking far too happy earlier, he was loud in announcing he was leaving too. That definitely has to mean something, he was too suspicious. I feel like I’m too much like L in that way now, overanalyzing every little thing, but it is for good reason. I know better than to let Light fool me now. I will never let him fool me ever again. For myself and for L’s sake. 

“He is,” L agreed, shifting a little in his chair. He was always in that weird position, but Keiko had grown used to the detective’s antics by now. After all, it boosted his “critical thinking and deductive” abilities, or whatever explanation he had given prior. Keiko had to admit, she hadn’t really been listening at the time. Instead she had spent the time just staring and wondering how he managed not to get a leg cramp sitting that way. She was certain it was bound to happen at some point. It probably already had, she figured he was the type who would be too prideful to admit they’re in any sort of pain. 

Well. Speaking of acting strange…look at exhibit A right here. 

The detective glanced over at her once more, as if he knew she had been thinking about him. She expected a look of amusement, or for him to tease her. However he looked as pensive as she did. “He is acting rather odd, yes.” 

“Do you think…?” Keiko trailed off again, her thoughts wandering about. There was much to consider, so much was at stake. Making a wrong move could be critical, she had to be certain that the detective agreed with her assumptions. While it was a safe bet, once again, it was still better to be safe than sorry. 

“Yes,” L gave a nod. “Yes, I think it happened. And I think it was a success, at least in Light-kun’s eyes. He was practically gloating before he left the room, taunting us with that little performance of his, putting his hand on your shoulder and touching you like that, well…” he paused, giving a little cough himself at his words, and for a moment Keiko wondered if he had meant to say that. She fought hard to ignore the happiness she felt at the thought of L being jealous. “But anyways, it’s clear he thinks that with his newly appointed Kira that he’s in the clear…”

So that basically confirms it…the exchange was a success…Misa Amane is no longer the Second Kira then…not that we could officially prove it in the first place, but now she’s really off the hook, so to speak. For the time being, the most important part is finding out who his new partner in crime is…and find them soon before Light decides to try and get rid of L once and for all. We need all the evidence or leads we can get…speaking of which… 

“That means we should be hearing from Wedy and Aiber again soon, correct?” Keiko questioned, “they should be able to help us with finding new leads and evidence against Light and his new Second Kira, yes?”

Evidence we really need… more than just a shinigami’s word, though Rem was surprisingly helpful so far. Something concrete. Something that Light and his Second Kira can’t refute. And for that, we really need their help. As funny as it is, I’d never thought I’d need a conman or a thief on my side. Though I suppose connections like that do come in handy. Like right now, for example. 

L gave a slight nod, “yes, we’ll have to keep working with them a secret from the others, of course, but yes.  Assuming all went well on their end, we should be one step closer with our own plans.”

Thank goodness, but also…I can’t believe it. How is it I’m more relieved yet scared the farther we get into our plans? There’s a lot of risk, I knew that going in, but living it. It’s another thing entirely, and Light thinks he’s winning. There are a lot of lives on the line… including L’s…no, especially L’s.

Keiko shivered as she realized once again how much was at stake. Light Yagami was something else. It wasn’t fair, first he had lied to her, then he had broken her heart, and then it turned out he was Kira. All this time she was playing defense and hadn’t even realized it, but now, it was her turn to strike back and to strike first. Keiko had come this far into her plan and she wasn’t about to back down. 

Just think, at the start of this whole thing, I had to convince a shinigami to work with me! A so-called ‘god of death’, Rem. Absolutely insane, I know, but desperate calls for desperate measures. And look at how far we’ve come. With a bit more patience, and a lot of luck, we should be able to knock Light down a peg…we can defeat him, right…?

“I assure you, they’re the best at what they do,” L said, as if he was able to sense her anxiety. Not that she was trying hard to hide it. It wasn’t like she could hide anything from the detective, not when he was usually able to read her like a book. “They’ll be able to dig something up on them…”

I’m sure he’s feeling the same way right now, if not way more so than me…unfortunately, for the time being, he’s still a sitting duck. But at least now he’s a more prepared duck, what with my plans and all. 

Keiko let out a soft sigh, glancing over at L. His eyes were glued to hers, once again his expression unreadable. “Hmm…now, who are you trying to convince, me or yourself, Ryuzaki-san?” 

That earned what Keiko suspected was the tiniest of chuckles from the great detective. Unfortunately, it was short lived, stopping almost as soon as it had started. He raised an eyebrow, his gaze still lingering on her, “What, don’t you usually call me ‘L’ when no one else is around, Keiko-chan? How disappointing…” 

Ah, now look who’s trying to be funny…but, Keiko thought back to the last time they were truly alone, a few days prior. Like clockwork, she could feel the pink begin to spread around her cheeks, the way I recall things, he had called me ‘Keiko’ last time, hadn’t he? When he and I were…holding hands…nonono, Keiko. Don’t do this to yourself, no distractions, remember? If you truly love L, you need to be strong for him, and keep your distance as much as you can. It’s too dangerous with Light around… but Light’s not here right now, is he? But…you don’t know when Light is going to return from his ‘bathroom break’. 

“Fine, then, who are you trying to convince, L?” Keiko heard herself retort, but her heart and her mind were somewhere else. “Are you happy now?”

“I’m always happy to be around you, Keiko,” the detective mused. The look in his eyes had softened some, and Keiko wondered, despite her better judgment, just what exactly was going on between them. She wondered if, perhaps, he was wondering the same thing if he was also lost in thought whenever he was around her. He was so close yet so far away, and she was almost tempted to reach across the table to touch him, to hold his hand once more.

But…I can’t….not with so much on the line…but…he’s truly happy to be around me? Does he mean that? Does this mean…? No, no, once again, don’t let your thoughts linger…self control…or as much self control as you have…  

“Now come on, it’s not like you to flatter me,” Keiko replied after a long moment. She gave a small laugh, still hoping to squelch her desire to hold the raven haired detective. Her efforts were futile, she still longed for his touch. 

Wonderful. He must know he has this sort of effect on me…it’s like he says stuff like this just to get a reaction out of me, I swear.  

“It’s not flattery if it’s a fact,” L was deadpan, his face far too serious to be merely teasing her. His gaze still had never left her own. “And it’s a fact.”

“Ryuz-” Keiko was cut off, the detective had leaned forward a tad. The space between them had lessened slightly, though the table was still keeping them locked away from each other. 

Probably for good reason…if he were right next to me right now, who knows…it’s hard enough to keep my composure right now…   

“L,” he corrected. He was looking far too calm, making her wonder where he was going with this. Although he appeared unaffected on the outside, she wondered how he was feeling on the inside. He was always so hard to read, and his words only seemed to confuse her. “Please, always call me L whenever we’re alone. I do believe we just went over this.” 

‘Always call me L whenever we’re alone’?! He may not be Kira, but he’s still giving me a heart attack…but…wait, does this mean he feels close to me? Knowing L, he wouldn’t ask this of just anyone…I suppose, in that way, it’s even more flattering. But still, what does this mean exactly? What does this mean for us? I suppose I’m getting ahead of myself, there isn’t even an ‘us’ but…it’s just nice to have some validation that he cares for me, that must be what this is, right? What else could this mean? 

“L,” Keiko repeated. She had given up on trying to hide the fact that her face was cherry tomato red. Not like she could really hide from him anyway, not when he was leaning over the table to get closer to her.  “We really should…Light…he could be coming back here at any moment, you know…” 

“Am I making you nervous?” 

His sudden question made Keiko pause a moment, she was almost stunned that he asked such an obvious question outright, what the hell kind of question is that?! What do you think?! You’re the world’s greatest detective, you’re the genius here! 

“Yes,” she admitted. There was no point in lying, not that he would believe her anyway. This was L she was talking to, he had to have asked to get a reaction out of her or something. It couldn’t be just a simple question.

Right?

“And why is that?” The detective’s follow up question only confirmed her suspicions. However she kept silent, wondering exactly what his intentions were. Keiko let out a breath, but she felt anything but relieved. 

Is he…genuinely asking though or is he trying to get a confession of sorts out of me? What do I even say? He should already know how I’m feeling, there’s no doubt about that. What’s his real motive here? 

“I’ve…well…I think…” she started to answer, but paused as soon as she heard the sudden noise in the distance. Footsteps. Footsteps that were closeby, soon to reenter the room. Keiko leaned back in her chair, not wanting Light to see how close the two of them were. As if on cue, L also returned to his normal position, crouched over his chair, looking deep in thought. If Keiko had to guess, he almost looked disappointed by the interruption, though that look left his face almost as quickly as it came. On the other hand, Keiko let out a little sigh of relief, glad to now have a reason not to answer. 

Well…saved by the Light…which is something I’d never thought I’d say, especially after finding out he is actually Kira…but in this case, this interruption is welcome.   

The detective raised an eyebrow, and Keiko wondered if he meant to return to this conversation another time. The thought of that made her even more anxious. Perhaps a little excited at his curiosity as well, but mostly anxious. 

Either way, it won’t be anytime soon. I’m safe, for now…let’s just focus on the plan for the moment…right right, the plan…   

Light’s POV: 

After a few moments had passed, Light figured it was safe to return without any suspicion. With a swift motion, he opened the door and walked through. The burner phone was securely back in his pocket, no longer burning a hole. Everything was all under control. It also appeared that Keiko and L were still at the table, exactly where Light had left them. He smirked, but quickly hid his expression when he was greeted by his girlfriend. 

“Welcome back, Light-kun.” Keiko gave a small wave when she noticed his presence. Like earlier, L didn’t bother to even glance in his direction. Light waved away the detective’s rudeness, he was in a rather good mood knowing that he now had a new Second Kira on his side. 

“Did I miss anything?” Light questioned as he walked through the room. Keiko shook her head no, which was no surprise to Light. He was more than aware that things would turn out like this. 

Exactly as planned… 

Instead of going back to the couch, Light made his way over to the table where the two were sitting, taking a spot next to Keiko. He had to admit, he was more relaxed than he had felt in a while. Which was something he supposed he had to keep on the down low. Better to match the atmosphere of the room around him.

Speaking of…how is everyone looking? Light first looked over at Keiko, who seemed rather deep in thought. When she realized she was being looked at, she returned Light’s gaze. There was a light dusting of pink on her face, which only grew deeper when Light reached onto the table and intertwined his fingers with her own. 

Light gave a nod, acknowledging her concern. “Well, let’s not worry too much. We’ll find something eventually.”

He was mostly talking to Keiko, as he was certain a certain raven haired detective still suspected him and would stop at nothing to prove his identity as Kira. Keiko, on the other hand, seemed to have accepted once more that Light was ‘innocent’, or at least innocent enough. Light looked over at L, expecting to catch him staring. However, he found that L wasn’t looking in his direction at all. Instead he followed his gaze, realizing that L was staring at the table, or more specifically, their intertwined hands. For someone who usually seemed so emotionless and robotic, he seemed to be staring pretty hard. 

What’s his deal…? Is he really bothered by this? He usually doesn’t seem to react much to skinship. It’s not like I skimp out on holding hands or hugs whenever Keiko’s around. I’m not taking her for granted, not this time. 

“You’re right, Light-kun,” was Keiko’s response, breaking the sudden silence that had filled the room. “Maybe we should take it easy like the others today…relax a little bit, maybe turn in early tonight as well.”

At the sound of her voice, both L and Light snapped back into action. Light looked back at the detective, who was no longer focused on them. Despite Keiko’s words, he seemed to have resumed his work with the papers in front of him. 

“You two may do whatever,” the detective murmured. “Take another break if you need it, but I’m going to keep working.” 

Ah, there he is. Back to his normal jerkish self. Whatever…not like it matters, anyway…it’s not like L would be jealous or anything…yeah, that idea seems almost laughable. And anyway, if he’s going to give us a break, may as well take advantage of it. It’s not like I have anything to worry about for the time being. May as well spend some time alone with Keiko, romance her, get her to feel more at ease with me again. That’s right. I’ll romance her.