As Nas

Author’s Note: Spoilers up to the seventh volume of the manga, as the action is set during that particular (volumes 1-7 ) period of time (had it been up to me, the DN would have had seven volumes instead of 12 and a different ending).

Title: AS NAS

Main Characters/Pairings: Ryuk, Rem, Yagami Light x L, Yagami Soichiro (Light’s father), Yagami Sayu, Asane Misa; mentions of Misa + Light

Summary: Turn on the lights, set the table, bring the chairs. Shuffle the cards... Let’s play. The bet is your soul. Fighting the temptation might drain all your strength. Is it truly better to comply?
Rating: R + NC-17

Status: Incomplete [three more chapters (each divided in two parts) in progress]
Genre: Romance/Anxiety/Dramatics

Warning: Serious anxiety, both as state and trait. Sexual innuendo – two men having it away with each other. Light being a typical arsehole and a hypocrite as well as a bum bandit. Author’s cynicism and obsession with Japanese medieval and Edo history. English is not my native tongue.
Dedication: to Lena – being your friend is an honour.

Disclaimer: "Death Note" does not belong to me. At all.
Motto: "The true extent of this morass of mix-ups is marvellous to behold" (Norman Davies)

The King of Diamonds and the King of Clubs
(chapter 1 - part 1)

Per aspera ad astra (Lucius Annaeus Seneca)

Inside the school building, in one of the classes, the teacher was in the middle of a history lecture, telling his students about Toyotomi Hideyoshi. Most of his auditorium was already half asleep, only a few of the students seemed to pay attention to the teacher’s words. The best and the most intelligent one pretended to be listening as well, although his thoughts wandered elsewhere... He knew all about Toyotomi clan, more than his teacher intended to tell, actually. Probably even more than the teacher himself knew. Moreover, he always considered Toyotomi Hideyoshi’s life story rather inspirational: despite being a son of a poor ashigaru (the lowest class of bushi, neglected and despised by the others) and having the nickname Kinoshita, not only did Hideyoshi manage to rise in military ranks, but also to become one of the most famous Japanese dictators and head of bakufu after Oda Nobunaga had been murdered.

The student’s name is Yagami Light. A long, long time ago his mother told him that his name was meant to signify hope and joy his birth brought to their family.

As a matter of fact, his knowledge was far above the level expected of an average high school student. He didn’t even have to study much: his intelligence, excellent memory and cognitive curiosity were more than enough to become the best university student and a famous scientist or a brilliant businessman afterwards. Was he afraid of anything? Although his appearance and aura of confidence said otherwise, within his heart lived a terrible, soul-consuming anxiety of becoming a meaningless, insignificant follower of the schemata and daily inhaler of routine, another words: yet another suit-wearer, a standard member of Japanese society. He acknowledged the fact that he fulfilled his father’s expectations and that his mother considered him a shining diamond of the future, and that his sister thought that he was the wisest person in the entire world, but... With the exception of his father’s, those opinions did not count much. It wasn’t difficult to impress those you surpass without even lifting a finger, after all. What he needed was a challenge, a final and definite test of his both intellectual and social abilities and skills, something more demanding and enthralling that the usual school tasks which could only confuse the stupid and the average! And so on that day he looked out the window both in vain search for the answer to his prayers for meaningfulness and deliverance from impending boredom that made his brilliant mind fall asleep...

'I cannot stop thinking... How sad and pathetic this reality of ours has become. This whole world is rotten... Just like wood eaten by borers, it slowly turns to dust. No one seems to care, no one wants to think about tomorrow anymore. What the majority of people my age think of is pleasure and entertainment. Honestly, no sense of responsibility not only for their own lives, but no consideration of others’ wellbeing and world’s future, obligations and setting an example. Per aspera ad astra, the Romans used to say... Alas, there’s nothing left of their wisdom and logical reasoning. We could learn so much from them: the clarity of the law they’ve established, the organisation of society, the military system. Our nation used to have so much in common with them – our ancestors were brave, fearless, capable of making quick and right decisions... Yes, the bakufu knew what was best for people, its members had will and ways to protect the simpletons from their own mistakes...'
And just as he said it within the depths of his mind, he saw something more than unusual.
Something thin and black had been falling graciously from the sky. 'Impossible. Someone must have dropped it by chance. Yes, that must be it: it’s the only reasonable explanation. Notebooks do not fall from the sky, no matter what colour their covers might be.'
Clap.
It just lay there, on the grass, so peacefully as if being unnoticeable, as if purposefully displayed for his eyes only, visible due to the sole reason for him to see it, to acknowledge its existence, tempting him to pick it up from the damp, green surface and open it, leaf through its pages, maybe even read it secretly?

As the lesson ended and the classroom door finally opened, he did his best to hide the curiosity rising in him, and walked slowly to reach the school surroundings, cautious not to increase the speed of his steps. Pretending to watch the clouds drift through the immeasurable bluish lands of the sky (he knows that the colour he sees is just an illusion, the wave of light being reflected), he picked the notebook from the grass absentmindedly, but careful not to draw attention of his classmates to himself.
As soon as the door of Yagami house closed behind him and the outside world stopped bothering him, demanding his attention, a small sigh of relief escaped his mouth. Upstairs in his room he began to study the mysterious item that was hidden in his briefcase up until now.
The fonts seemed hilarious, the colour of the cover more ridiculous than creepy, and the things written inside (supposedly being a kind of user’s manual) nearly made him laugh his lungs out. Therefore he decides to put it aside and makes a mental note to throw it away in the morning.
But as the sun rose, his decision had changed.
The days went by, flowing with the golden sunrays of spring, the trees bloomed and life kept going on. Each moment was similar to the others, but Light’s curiosity was awake and grew.
'Maybe I should try to use it... But there must be an opportunity, a good moment, a reason. Am I... becoming a murderer? No, I must not think that way. The world is rotten, its wounds suppurate and the best way to treat this illness is to burn them. The pain, infection and odour will cease, the body will be healthy... What should I do? These are lives!
And what did Otoharada Kurou do to deserve his existence? Nothing. He threatens others, and I am the only one capable of stopping him.'
His hand moved by itself, writing down the culprit’s name.

The second judgment was much easier: being a witness of a crime strengthened Light’s determination and the voice in his mind spoke louder: /Kill him! Kill this worthless, loathsome animal wearing human’s body as disguise.../
'Of course I will. Even if it means me losing my mind, my heart and my sanity. I cannot decline – I am the only person suitable for such mission. I am a son of the chief detective of NPA, I know more about law and justice than any average citizen.
Change the world. Make it a better, safer place. Logical, predictable, like ancient Rome, like medieval Japan... The dream come true.'
Another one bit the dust, and the names kept multiplying.

/-Ha-ha, told ye he would think that way! Wonderful, now we may enjoy our little charade... Let’s see what his reaction will be if we expose him to a different sensor.../
/- Bringing it in for four days./
/- Raise to eight days./
/- Call./

“Hey, Light! You coming or not?” he heard someone call him from behind his back. It was Hyorita Kenji, student rated second (behind Light) in their class.
“Yes, Kenji, I’ll be with you shortly” he replied with a small sigh, pretending to adjust his right sock and shoe. After a few more seconds, he straightened and walked, unhurriedly, in their direction.
All the way home he kept pretending to listen to the conversation his classmates were having, occasionally uttering a monosyllable or two, accordingly to the prosody of the speech. Buried deep in his own thoughts, Light kept wondering what other kind of power – if any – this black notebook might possess.
He entered home and took his shoes off, only to be noticed by his mother, who came into the hall saying “Welcome home” and smiling expectantly. Light, already knowing what she’d been waiting for, handed her a piece of paper and, not listening to her apprising him, he announces that he’s going to study and shall not be bothered.
I already have what I want. Taking the notebook out of the drawer, he sat at his desk and began to read the words he already knew by heart.
/Looks like you’re having fun with it/ the voice spoke out of nowhere, loud, clear and seemingly amused.