Arachnophobic [Death Note]

Arachnophobic

Ryuk has learned two vital things about humans since dropping his Death Note.

One: They're very emotional.

And two: They're very reactive when emotional.

Light Yagami is certainly no exception. Though he's got a talent for hiding his reactions around other humans, Ryuk can see things that no one else sees. Just like everyone else, Light feels things, and it makes him laugh and cry and throw things… mostly throw things, really, but that's beside the point. (This boy has anger issues. Ryuk tried pointing it out once, and… made Light angry.)

Outside, Light Yagami is nothing more than a file cabinet of memorised lines and choreography, ready to be used at every opportune moment in order to maintain his appearance as the perfect student, the perfect son… you get the point. But Ryuk learned very quickly that there's no telling what he'll do when he walks into his room and locks the door. He's not the same after that. He's not perfect anymore; just another human.

It is for these reasons that, when Ryuk hears him suddenly gasp and stumble out of his chair one night, he's not entirely surprised. What is it now? he wonders instead, sitting up on Light's bed to look. He had just been writing names, as usual, but now he seems to be staring at his desk with wide eyes and gripping the back of his chair tightly.

But… why? There's nothing wrong with the desk. It's just Light's computer, his TV playing the news, and the Death Note laying open, his pen resting across one page. What could have caused such a random reaction?

"R… Ryuk!!" Light gasps. "Kill it!! Get it off the desk!!" His voice wavers in a way that Ryuk has only heard a few times, namely: when he's crying (which he's currently not), and when he's scared.

Ryuk blinks, confused. "What on Earth are you talking about, Light-o? I don't see anything."

Light flinches, his eyes still trained on the desk. "It's- just come over here!! It's moving!!"

Ryuk must admit, whatever this is, it's rather amusing to see Light act this way. He seems endlessly annoyed as Ryuk takes his time, rising from the bed and stretching before sauntering over to the desk and looking at… whatever he's supposed to be looking at.

Atop the desk, about an inch away from the Death Note now, is what Ryuk recognizes as Light's only possible source of apprehension.

...It's a spider. A tiny creature with eight spindly legs, sitting there and minding its own damn business. And Light is losing his mind over it.

Ryuk had heard of humans being scared of spiders before, but he'd never seen it till now. It makes absolutely no sense to him, and honestly he finds it hilarious; he can feel Light's glare on him as he throws his head back laughing.

"Is the God of the New World afraid of spiders!?"

"Don't condescend me, Ryuk!!" Light snaps, his cheeks becoming dusted with a soft shade of red from embarrassment. "Just kill it!! Please…"

"Why should I?" Ryuk asks. "It'd be more interesting to watch you try and get rid of it." Yes, it'd be very entertaining. The concept of a human, who is about a million times bigger and stronger than a spider, struggling to even get near it out of fear is funny enough; but make Light that human and it gets even better.

"Ryuk!!" Light pleads. "I'll- I'll get you extra apples tomorrow, I don't care, just get it away!!"

"Mmmmh…" Extra apples, eh? That's not a bad trade, he guesses… "Well, alright. But you better get me a lot."

Ryuk grabs the spider between two claws, picking it up off of the desk. It curls in on itself, probably terrified that it's being lifted up by something it cannot see; see, Light-o, they're harmless. Deciding to have one last bit of fun, he quickly moves his hand in Light's direction, bringing the spider close to him.

"Ghk-!!" Light stumbles backward, raising his hands in front of his face. "Stop it!! Don't touch me!!"

Ryuk cackles, wheezing as he turns to take the spider outside. No point in killing it; who knows, it might come back and cause another of Light's very entertaining reactions. Boy oh boy, the things he could do with this information…

~~~~~

Light trudges through his front door, thankful that no one is home right now to question why he's brought home a large paper bag full to the brim with apples. He knows Ryuk will likely eat them all in one sitting, so he takes it up to his room and sets it next to his bed, watching as Ryuk displays zero hesitation in grabbing the first one off the top and munching on it. At least now he'll be quiet for a while. Light closes his bedroom door and locks it, shrugging off his uniform jacket and hanging it on his chair before turning on the TV and sitting down. He's unscrewing his pen to get in the hidden compartment of his drawer when Ryuk speaks up.

"Watch out for spiders, Light-o." He chuckles, and Light ignores him as his face flushes with embarrassment.

God damn it, he's never gonna let it go.