L x Reader oneshots 1 // series 3 • Death Note

The outside

TW: abusive parenting and medical stuff.

For 20 whole years, you were told you were sick. And well, you'd been taking medication since you were 4, it was so normal to you that you believed you were sick. Every day you woke up dazed and in pain, every other week you'd end up in a doctors office, you'd thrown up, fainted, seized more times than any other human had. But on your 24th birthday, you woke up to find your parents who you still lived with due to being 'sick' getting arrested.

Why? Because you were the victim of a covert abuse tactic known as Factitious disorder imposed on another or better known as munchausen by proxy. It turns out, you weren't actually sick at all, well... now you were. Being on perception medication you didn't actually need is bound to fuck you up. But you weren't sick with what you were told you were, the only offical diagnosis you had was the effects from being on medication you didn't need. As soon as you were weaned off the medication, you felt alive. You could walk long distances, you were more awake and energetic, you were alert, you were able to think clearly and your appetite came back. Your life taking such a harsh 180 had its effects though. You'd been co-dependant your whole life and now your parents were in prison and you had no degree, no job and no social skills.

Just when you thought things were about to get worse, on your last day of being in treatment for the effects of the medication, you were told that the detective who lead this case would be taking you for an interview and providing you with housing and the further assistance you needed to get your life on track. You'd never heard of something like this happening before, but then again you were drugged you and not allowed out of the house half your life so who knows what really happened out in the world.

You'd never actually heard of this L guy, but when you learnt he was the world's greatest detective, you almost got whiplash. What about your case had attracted the best detective in the world? And he was willing to help you post case? What kind of lucky wizardry was this?

And that's how you ended up here, sitting across from the detective who was so much younger and casual than you thought, eating food with sugar in it for probably the first time in your life. It tasted so damn good, no wonder L ate so much of it.

"I don't understand why you took my case of all cases, no one died, no one was kidnapped or anything. Wouldn't someone of your status work on much more extreme cases?" You asked.

"Your case is extreme. If this had continued you'd have certainly died, being on medication you don't need can lead to overdoses or permanent physical ailments. The fact you managed to make it out of this with nothing but some tremors is incredible" L replied.

"I feel... born again. Like I'm so much lighter and energetic than I was. I can see clearer and I can talk properly... it feels odd. But in a good way"

"20 years of being high off prescriptions you don't need will do that to you"

Even with your co-dependant nature on your parents thanks to them keeping you drugged up and brainwashed, you did have some moments of clarity between the effects of medication when the dose started to wear off for the day. Something did feel very odd about the way they treated you, but you never knew what it was. The only source you could compare your life too was what you saw on TV and passing families by when your parents took you out shopping or to the doctors. You'd never really interacted with other families before to know what was right and wrong. But even then, you could still tell something was off.

"How did you even find out about me anyway?" You asked.

"The hospital altered authorities there may be a case of munchausen by proxy, they'd noticed how many times your parents had changed doctors and hospitals. Which is a red flag for the abuse tactic, as when it seems like doctors are catching on that there's actually nothing wrong, the abuser will swap to a new doctor and start again at square one to avoid suspicion" L explained, taking a bite of his slice of cake.

"So that's why we always moved doctors..."

So much about your life was starting to make sense now you were off those meds and out of the abusive situation. You may not be sick physically, but the mental effects of all of this had really taken their toll. You felt so numb, you wanted to scream and cry and punch your parents in anger for stealing 24 years of your life from you. But you were also relived, exited and curious about the world now you were free.

"I came into the case because local police we're having trouble proving the suspicions, in cases like this it's hard to provide evidence that'll hold up in court as so much of the abuse is covert and the victim is often at least a little sick from the effects of unneeded medication" L explained.

Makes sense they'd turn to someone like L for the task of getting enough evidence in a case where solid evidence that's like pulling teeth from a baby.

"That, and these kinds of cases have always intrigued me. They're uncommon, and the exact causes of this behaviour is still not fully understood. Some say it's a mental illness, some say it's an abuse tactic. It's more likely abusers with certain mental issues pick this as an abuse tactic because it soothes their need for control and power. Not all abusers are mentally ill. Sometimes mental issues can effect the way an abuser acts yes, but abusers abuse because they're bad people. Not because of any particular diagnosis" L added.

The more L talked, the more you realised just now smart he really was and it was no wonder he held the title he did. He was right, mental illness doesn't automatically equal bad person. Sometimes a bad person is mentally ill yes, but that's not the soul reason they're a bad person. They're a bad person... because they're a bad person. And in unique cases like yours, the source of the bad behaviour was allusive and undetermined.

"Yeah... you're right. Thank you for actually helping me, not just you know... leaving me to figure life out on my own after being co-dependent for my whole life. I have absolutely no idea how to socialise..." you said.

"Neither do I" L replied.

You gave him a confused look, placing your empty tea cup down on the table between you. He seemed unfazed and completely serious.

"You're talking to me fine?" You asked.

"We get along because we're both socially awkward. Albeit for different reasons, but our interactions seem normal to us. To anyone else, we'd seem like total weirdos" L said.

"Really?"

"Yep, people tend to think I'm some kind of enigma. It's the helping you learn and find a passion you can make into a livelihood I can help you with. Talking to others? Not so much"

Well... he was still helping you. You definitely needed it, you needed to get and education and make money somehow and if one of the smartest people in the world was willing to help, you sure as hell weren't turning that down.

"Well... we can be socially awkward together then. You're probably the first friend I've ever had" you said.

"Funny that, you're probably the first friend I've ever had" he replied.

If your first taste of the outside world was watching L solve cases like yours and help other victims escape a life of abuse and early graves, you'd sure as hell gotten lucky. And L was definitely one rather unique person you were glad to call a friend. Your first friend.