Cloak and Dagger

Chapter 38

I sit in the main room allotted to us by the NPA, staring at the Death Note in the glass case on the table. It's Kira's. We have in this case the means to send him to prison. L sits to my left, holding my hand under the table. Watari stands to L's left. Mello, Matt and Near are at the computers, though it doesn't sound like they're doing much. Even Matt's Gameboy is quiet. On the computer screens, from all different angles, I would see Kira. But I don't face that direction, for the sake of my sanity.

Misa is also on screen, still being under surveillance for her own safety. Rem is now quite pleased with the way she's being treated, knowing that we don't intend to accuse her despite being more than able to get a confession.

"Ryuk-sama." Tastes like poison to say his name, particularly with the honourific. He gives a grunt of acknowledgement. I refuse to look at him – I may be sick if I do.

"If the Death Note is destroyed, are the effects the same as forfeiting the notebook?"

"Maybe."

"Yes, Ellen-chan." Yiru supplies.

"Thank you, Yiru-sama." I murmur. "But Kira, as he is now named, has been entirely re-shaped by this Death Note. What effect would it have to destroy it without executing him?"

"Are you trying to save him?" Ryuk asks, voice laced with mischief. I turn away from him.

"How can you still feel affection for the man who abused you, harmed your friends, and attempted to kill you all?"

"I want to believe that Light is still alive in there." I mutter. "The same Light who picked up my unconscious self at Yellow Box Warehouse, carried me all the way to his house, and convinced his parents to call the doctor to make sure I was alright. The Light who helped me read Japanese characters, catch up with his classes, kept bullies off my back... Dammit, we were siblings for a year. If there's any chance that Light's still there, of course I want to save him! Of course I feel affection for that man!"

"After he betrayed you?"

"I know. How fucking stupid can I be?"

Ryuk laughs raucously. I cringe, hiding my face in L's shirt. He strokes my hair gently in an attempt to soothe me.

"That Light-o is long dead." Ryuk reminds me. I can hear the grin in his voice, even as I don't look at him. "You can't save him. He's a marked man, as all who carry Death Notes are. Kira wants to destroy you, and your precious ones."

I feel L move before I see it. He twists around, pushing me to the side with one hand as the other lobs an empty teacup at Ryuk. Of course, it goes straight through the Shinigami.

However, he lets out a grunt. I turn back and, for the first time, I look at him. Ryuk presses a clawed hand against his chest, a bit to the left of where his heart would be. Everyone stares at him for a few long moments.

"... Y'know, it makes a bit of sense." Near comments. "That Ryuzaki would be able to make an impact on a Shinigami."

"After all, he has mixed heritage of a never-before-seen kind." Mello smirks. "So, Shinigami, how did it feel?"

"Burned." Ryuk mutters, rubbing his chest. "That was decidedly not fun."

"If you continue to antagonize my lover, there will be more decidedly not fun events for you to endure." L states, pulling me into his chest once more. "Cherry, it would be better not to look."

"I'm worried about Touta-kun." I admit, knowing that the young detective is interrogating Kira. "Even though we were very thorough in making sure he didn't have anything..."