Zetsubou

[sayuri2023]

Title - Zetsubou
Pairing - Light/L
Rating - M
Beta - rocks_not_dead

Summary - Light is in prison, and will pay any price to run away to his lover Ryuzaki.

But is Ryuzaki waiting for him? What other plan do the Shinigamis have for

the two of them? Beta'd and re-posted. Warning-OOC.

Disclaimer: I don’t own any of the characters, except the prisoners and the warden.

A/N: Thank you so much rocks_not_dead for beta-ing.

Warning : OOC, swearing

Light paced up and down his narrow rectangular cell, cursing at his every breath. He hated these four walls, he hated the inmates, the stinking food, the guards, hell; he hated the very air he breathed. He sat down on his bunk, which squeaked under his weight. Somehow he could feel the bugs underneath the mattress, and he cringed with disgust. With one pull, he took the mattress off from his cot.

Pablo stared in disgust as he entered his cell, and saw his cell-mate, the illustrious and notorious Kira, banging his mattress with his naked feet. He felt tired after coming back from his carpentry workshop, his arms ached, and on top of that he saw Kira having one of his ‘spells’ again. There was a limit to what anyone could take.

“Damn it, Kira,” he said, pushing Light away from the mattress, “What the fuck do you think you’re doing? You tear this apart, and you’ll have the bare steel cot to sleep on.”

“But,” mumbled Kira, pulling the bedspread towards himself again, “I heard bugs. Don’t you understand, I can’t live with bugs. I never-”

“Look around you, Kira,” said Pablo, exasperatedly, “We are all bugs in this shit-hole, man.”

“Maybe you are,” interrupted Kira, “But I’m not. I’m – I’m-” Tears ran down his cheeks.

Pablo shook his head. All these years in prison, he had come across numerous murderers, rapists, assaulters, even muggers; none of them came close to what Kira was. He was the vilest and the most innocent-faced criminal he’s ever laid his eyes on. Looking at him, he wondered, if the sniffling boy that stood over there, beating himself up over a torn mattress was really Kira. Maybe it was L who was loosing his touch.

Light watched as Pablo took his mattress back to his bunk, and laid it down. Over it he laid down his blanket and bed-sheet, neatly as he does his own every morning. Finally his task was completed and he sat down on it.

“Tell you what,” said Pablo, “Maybe you can take the upper bunk. I think it’s better than this one over here.”

Light stared at the half Spanish-Mexican guy, but said nothing. “Why are you here?” asked Light.

“What do you mean?” asked Pablo, curiously, “You very well know that. Two life sentences-”

“Not that,” interrupted Light, “This is a prison full of”, he paused, “Criminals. Each one of them wants to kill me, hurt and rape me for what I did to their brethren. Some want revenge, some want the pleasure of just banging Kira. Why not you?” He stared at Pablo, looking him directly in the eyes. “What’s so different about you?”

“C’mon, kid,” said Pablo, snorting, “Don’t make a mountain out of molehill. Just because I don't lust after your sorry ass doesn’t mean-l”

“How much did you get paid,” asked Light, “to be my bodyguard, Pablo? Did Ryuzaki send you? Tell me Pablo, what did he offer you?”

Pablo looked dumbfounded. “Who the hell is Ryuzaki, and how the hell did he – Damn you, Kira!” cried Pablo, standing up, “This is a Federal Prison, not your momma’s house, that anyone can just barge in and offer me money! Besides, what good are dollars in a prison, anyway?”

“You’re right,” said Light, “What good is money in a prison, where the majority of the deals take place through grass and cigarettes? That means- it wasn’t you who was offered anything. Who is it? Your family? Children? Girlfriend?”

Pablo stared quietly at him, though fury was evident in his eyes. This was not the time to loose control. He was warned beforehand, that Kira or no Kira, this boy was a genius. Intelligence and power shone from him, like a beacon amongst the dirty, fucked up people around him.

He looked at Light and said, “You should have gone to dinner tonight. They made soup, good potato soup. It was delicious.”

“Fuck you,” cursed Light.

Pablo smiled, as he climbed up to his bunk. “Potato soup,” he said, pulling over the covers, “Is the best soup around here, and it’s the best food you’re ever going to get. You should eat it all while you still can.”

Light understood the analogy. “I’m the best protection you’re ever going to get around here. Enjoy it while you still can. If I die tomorrow, you’re dead meat.”

As night passed on, Light just couldn’t sleep. It had been seven months, seven damned months since he was brought in here. He remembered the first time he was brought through those prison corridors, amongst cheering and catcalls amongst the on-looking prisoners. For the most part, he had averted his eyes from those vultures, who wanted to claw at him the first chance they got. It was sheer pain and humiliation.

During his early months, he remembered not going down to the mess for his food, and Pablo, his six foot muscular cell-mate with bright twinkling eyes, always smuggled him something or other to eat. Being labeled a Class 5 prisoner, he was denied certain facilities, which included prohibition to access to the various jobs in the prison. His every single movement was monitored, and he had to wear an electronic band around his ankle all the time. If ever he tried running, or rather even thought of escaping, millions of volts would pass through his body, electrocuting him on the spot, at the switch of a button. This was said to him the minute he was confronted with the Warden.

Light pondered the Warden for a while, who, he thought, considered it an honor to have Kira brought to his prison. The Warden, whom he later referred to as J C, was a huge ally. Despite everything, J C dealt with these animals twenty-four hours a day. If anyone, he knew at least JC felt the need for stricter death penalties amongst these unforgivable miscreants. Not just that, Kira had punished JC’s three year daughter’s rapist using his trademark ‘heart-attack’. Light didn’t even remember who the guy was, but it made JC a strong supporter of Kira’s justice.

Light knew that Pablo was both his best and his worst friend over at the prison. Best, because he knew he would protect him. Worst, because he knew Pablo would be the biggest hindrance of his plans to escape. Pablo was an asset, also a liability. Maybe it was time to give JC a visit.

His mind went back to Ryuzaki, and to the fact that he had cared enough to install a full time bodyguard to protect him. Maybe… despite what he said, he still loved him. Light smiled, maybe if he went back, Ryuzaki would take him in. Come to think of it, when Light confessed, Ryuzaki had had no choice but to arrest him. After all, he confessed in front of a room full of Task Force. But then, wasn’t it true that it was Ryuzaki who had made him, or rather had tricked him, into confessing?

Whatever it was, he was going back to Ryuzaki, and he knew in his heart that Ryuzaki would forgive him.

0000000000000

The next morning after breakfast, Light decided to give the Warden a visit.

“Looking healthy, I see,” said JC, as Light was ushered in by one of the guards, “What brings you here?”

Light stayed silent until the guard went out and closed the door behind him. “I need some information about someone in the prison; can you do that for me?”

JC smiled. “I’m guessing that you want to know about Pablo?”

Light laughed. “What the hell… apart from cameras in my cell, did you plant bugs too?” He went quiet for a while. “No… I wanted to ask you about something… that happened last month.”

“Are you talking about the fight? The fight which killed one of the guards and a prisoner?”

“You know as well as I, the whole thing was a set-up,’ said Light.

“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” said JC, pretending to go back to work.

“Stop it,” said Light, voice gentle with a hint of cunningness, “I don’t need to know the details. I just need to know the name of the instigator. Not the one who wanted the criminal to die, but the one who arranged the fiasco? Just the name, that’s all I ask.”

“What do you want to do with him?” asked JC.

“I want him to be set up as my cell-mate,” said Light, “I’d like to live with him.”

“That’s not possible,” said JC, “Your cell-mate was not-”

“Decided by you,” completed Light, “I know. But how can I overrule that?”

“Well, there are conditions,” said JC, “If you, maybe, filed a report for assault, any form of assault, such as rape, against the prisoner you are living with, but then- you’d have to be examined by the medical officer- and-”

“Surely you can manage that,” said Light, “I assure you, I won’t touch him or any of the guards. Just the guy... I just want to talk to him. Please. I know L means to keep a tab on me through Pablo, I know it. But- But- Don’t you think I’m suffering enough, as it is?”

JC looked at Light perplexed. “Why do you want to shack up with Romero anyway?”

Light smiled. “I told you, I just want to speak to him. It’s tough approaching the guy in the yard. Plus he works at the kitchen most of the time.”

“Besides,” thought Light, “Pablo’s going to be suspicious. He still thinks I am a stupid, naïve, scared kid anyway. A move like that won’t go unnoticed. I need to get back to Ryuzaki somehow. He’ll never turn me down. He loves me.”

“Let me tell you something straight,” said JC, “It will be impossible for me to permanently remove Pablo. But… I could arrange for him to go to the Bing; for, let’s say, a week. Since you need to be on constant human surveillance, I could put you up with Romero. But a week’s all you’re going to get.”

Light smiled.

“Think of it as repayment,” said JC, as Light got up, “You may expect no other favors from me in the future.”

00000000

Ryuzaki grumbled, as he felt a thousand needles poking his arms and legs. “Remind me Watari,” he said, “Why the hell am I doing this?”

“Because all weddings deserve new suits,” said Watari, watching as the tailor poked one more needle, this time near his thigh.

“And I doubt Simone would prefer you showing up at her wedding wearing a bleached white T-shirt and jeans.”

Ryuzaki sighed. “This is all wrong –very wrong, Watari. Wrong to her, wrong to me, wrong to everyone else involved in this.”

“Simone will be the perfect wife for you,” said Watari, switching on his phone and dialing a number, “A least, it’s too late to back out now.”

“It still doesn’t make it right,” muttered Ryuzaki, as he got a nasty poke in his arm this time, “It just doesn’t.”

00000000

Light smirked as he saw guards enter his cell that evening. They took out Pablo in handcuffs and walked him towards the Bing. The Bing was what they called ‘solitary’ in prison. Light may have been ‘unreasonable’ at times, but he had never been a mischief-maker. In-fact, according to JC’s books, Light was a ‘model’ prisoner.

But, then, so was Pablo.

0000000

Ryuzaki stared at Watari angrily, and then looked back to his computer. He had just confirmed the information from the present L, Nate Rivers. “Why?” asked Ryzaki.

“I don’t know,” said Watari, “They said Kira was assaulted. When such a charge comes up, the assailant is usually punished and then transferred to another cell.”

“Pablo isn’t the type,” said Ryuzaki, typing furiously, “I checked him, his record, everything. There was a reason I put him in there with Light. That’s because, violent behavior is just isn’t in his nature. I may not interact much with people but I am never wrong about their character. Look at Kira, for instance!”

“How can you be so sure about that?” asked Watari, “Pablo was convicted of-”

“Please don’t lecture me, Watari,” said Ryuzaki, “You know as well as I, the case against him was ‘Wrong place wrong time.’ Every single circumstantial evidence was stacked against him. The DA had nothing to go on.”

Watari took off his glasses and rubbed his temples. He felt he was too old to do this job. “There’s nothing that can be done about it now,’ he said, “I’ve requested for Pablo to be transferred to the same cell after his one week of solitary. Hope things will be fine until then.”

Ryuzaki picked up the file named, ‘Vincent Romero’, and started rifling through it. “Does his new cell have cameras?”

“I doubt it,” said Watari, “But I expect them to have put them up by tomorrow morning. Why?”

Ryuzaki stared incredulously. “Come on, Lawliet,” Watari groaned, “Don’t be paranoid. It’s just one night. It’s not like Kira’s going to start killing tonight. C’mon.”

Ryuzaki didn’t say a word, but continued thumbing through Romero’s file.

0000000000

“It’s just one night,” thought Light, as he looked around the cell. It was perfect. His cell-mate wasn’t back from dinner yet. Above all, no cameras, no bugs in it, yet.

“Ryuk,” he cried softly, “Ryuk, are you here?”

“You have good apples over here,” said Ryuk, appearing from the ceiling, munching the forbidden fruit, “You should try to get a job at the orchard.”

Light smirked. It had been a while since he last saw the Shinigami. Ryuk refused to leave Light’s side no matter how much L tried to persuade him. It was Light who had purposely asked him to stay away, at least for the time he was inside those walls. But there was no time for idle thoughts now. He needed to do this quickly before his bunk-mate came in.

“Listen Ryuk, I need a page,” said Light, “A Death Note page, or rather, a piece, a very small piece, just big enough to write one name.”

“Sorry Light-o, Hyuk Hyuk” said Ryuk, laughing, “Can’t do that. If I give you a page, or even a piece, I loose my ownership. If I don’t write in my note, I will die.”

“Surely you can arrange something,” insisted Light. “Just a small piece. You can easily steal away another note if you wanted to. Think of the fun we had last time. We may have that again, I promise.”

Ryuk cackled. Light could hear the door opening. “Get me a piece tomorrow morning, before my cell-mate wakes up. Put it near my hand. And I promise you the excitement of a life-time.”

Ryuk disappeared as the door opened and the new cell-mate came in.

“Look what the stork brought in,” he drawled. Light stared at him. Vincent Romero - somewhere in his forties, bald head, muscled, sporting a well trimmed goatee. He grinned, and Light smiled back at him.

“This must be your lucky day,” Light retorted. “But I have no time for formal chit-chat. We have exactly a couple of minutes before the lights go out. And this is the last night before they install bugs and cameras here.”

Romero smirked. “And why the fuck should I listen to you?” He brought his face closer to Light, “Tell me a reason why I shouldn’t smash your pretty face up.”

“For starters, I’m Kira,” said Light, no fear evident in his voice, “You have no idea how I can kill, or if, if those powers I possessed have really disappeared as the cops say.”

“If you still had your fucking powers you wouldn’t be here,” said Romero, “Don’t take me for a bloody fool.”

“What if I can prove you otherwise,” said Light, stretching out on his bed. “Give me a name, and I’ll prove it to you.”

“Why?” asked Romero, taking out a pack of cigarettes and a matchbox from under his cot. He took out a cigarette and lit it for himself, without offering Light any.

“You’re the type who organizes every single riot around here without getting his hands dirty,” said Light, sitting down on his bed, “You have resources, both outside and inside this prison,” he continued, “And I need your help.”

“And what the hell do I have in it for me?” asked Romero, putting his huge hands on Light’s thighs. The hands slowly moved up, but Light didn’t flinch.

“I can kill for you. You can get rid of one of your strongest opponents over here,” said Light, ignoring the hands, which stopped at the hem of his pants, “The prison becomes your turf, you can play with it all you want.”

Romero smirked, “And what is in it for you?”

“I want out,” said Light, removing Romero’s hands with a twist, “And you can get me out.”

Romero stared at him incredulously, and then laughed. “Are you kidding me? Do you even have any fucked up idea where we are?”

“I know,” insisted Light, stretching himself out on the bed and pulling the blankets over himself. “I have everything planned out. But, I need to know, do we have a deal?”

Romero sighed. “You drive a hard bargain,” he said, as the lights went off, but he continued sitting on Light’s bed.

“But I know of something else that might give me the upper hand,” he said, his voice soft and hoarse as he pulled off the covers from Light’s body. “Fucking Kira.”

00000000000

Light was outraged as he opened his eyes the next morning. But then, who was he fooling? He knew something like this would have to happen to him sooner or later, it had just been a matter of time. Every single inmate in the prison, including some of the guards lusted after him. He was Kira; beautiful, luscious and powerful Kira. Still, he couldn't help feeling disgusted at the moment. His entire body hurt. There was no mirror to see himself in, in the mornings, but he was sure his skin was covered in scratches. As Light lay there, unable to move, he contemplated his recent actions.

He needed to think forward and get the hell out of here. Maybe he should go back to the Warden, beg him to take the deal off, get back Pablo, and then everything would be fine. But also, his chance to vanish from this hell-hole would be over. No – No – he couldn’t do that. He needed to get out of here and see Ryuzaki. His Ryuzaki would surely know what to do.

But – What now?

His left hand touched something, and he felt a surge of power run through his body. The Death Note! Ryuk had kept his promise.

He looked to over where the bastard rapist was sleeping. He had miscalculated his actions, and because of that he had to pay the price. His first instinct was to write his name down, but no – he had to play this calmly and coolly. He needed Romero as his ally, even if it meant being his bitch. He mentally cringed. Kira was nobody’s bitch, except maybe Ryuzaki’s.

He stumbled around for a pen, which he found underneath the blanket. Slowly he wrote the name. Forty seconds later, he went over to Romero’s bed, and with all his strength, yanked his arm and pulled his sorry ass out.

Romero gave a yell as his butt hit the ground. “WHAT THE FUCK!”

“He’s dead,” said Light, grinning wildly, “Do we have the deal or not?”

0000000

Comments

[pulvis-sum.livejournal.com]

Thank you for the interesting beginning. I just wondered what exactly triggered Light's decision to escape. As though he felt somehow that it was now or never and L would settle his life without him. I'll be waiting for the next chapter!

[sayuri2023.livejournal.com]

Thank you for the lovely comment!
I'll update soon!

[sueona.livejournal.com]

The fic is very interesting. I find Light would want to escape badly. I hope L doesn't get married at all (at least that is what I thought was going to happen.) Love it and can't wait for more. ;)

[sayuri2023.livejournal.com]

Thank you so much. XDDDD
I had made up my mind to quit, but I think I'll start with the second chapter today.
Thank you!

[gabriel-isnt.livejournal.com]

wow! this beginning is very good and i look forward to reading more of it. update soon please! perhapsmaybeyes? x

Jack

[sayuri2023.livejournal.com]

Thank you so much!!
*hugs*
I'm glad you liked it.
I've completed the second chapter, and will be forwarding it to my beta. I hope to update it by next two or three days :)