Futatsu no Tsuki

Futatsu no Tsuki

Chapter 8

Slender hands tore the finger from L's lips and a warm mouth descended upon his. The kiss energetic as Yue pressed his body against the detective's, hands holding their bodies close. The heavy crates creaked with their combined weight leaning against it, the sound echoing.

Yue slipped his tongue pass L's lips, smiling as he tasted strawberries and cake. His left hand snaked up L's side, under the shirt - his tongue dived deeper into L's mouth as he pinched a nipple between forefinger and thumb. The resulting moan vibrating on his tongue sent a pleasing chill down his spine, the heat between his legs tingling.

"Umm, Yue-san…." L broke away from Yue's lips, gasping for air as the younger male tried to reclaim his mouth. He withdrew from the hungry lips, trying to draw in enough breath so he could speak - the next second trembling as Yue began nibbling on his ear. The warm mouth slowly trailed caresses down to his neck, leaving the assaulted skin tingling with heat. "Yu….Yue-san…."

'This….this isn't professional….if Yagami-san or Light-kun find out….'

L fought against the urge to close his eyes and bask in the pleasure the tongue and lips provided, and instead pushed Yue away. Memories tore through his consciousness, pleading for him to allow the younger man's ministrations, every bit of skin remembering Yue's touch from two years back.

"Yue-san. This isn't right. We must abstain from…."

"Come on. You remember me from two years ago, don't you? How perfect…."

L felt his cheeks grow hot, his stomach bubbling from a mix of pleasure and guilt. He pursed his lips and averted his eyes from Yue as he tried to hide his body's instinctive response to their kissing bout.

'I remember every vivid detail….now along with the knowledge that you were underage at the time…and that you're Kira's younger brother.'

"Yue." L began as Yue attempted to pull him back into another make-out session, his serious tone causing the younger Yagami twin to pause. "This will not work out. Your brother…."

"….do you have an interest in aniki?" Yue frowned and backed away, kicking the storage room floor dishearteningly. Inside he felt envy bubble up, rising to his caramel eyes - those sensuous orbs narrowed as his lips twitched.

"I…have an interest of sorts, but not the kind you mean." L chewed on his forefinger, refraining from commenting on the cuteness of Yue's expression as he noticed the flare of jealousy that arose on the younger twin's features. 'Maybe I should've picked a different venue for talking with Yue…somewhere not quite so private.'

"Then what about aniki forced you to stop me? I'm of age and we're alone - if you'd rather go to a hotel…."

"No…no, I'd rather not…." L nibbled on the edge of his thumbnail, his black eyes staring unblinkingly at the crates and boxes piled around them. 'Should I reveal who I am now? Or wait until I have a better feel for his character? If he finds out I am L and that Light is my Kira suspect….will his grudge against Kira overpower any familial ties he has to Light?' "Since it will no longer be a one-night event, I'd rather learn more about you first."

"Ah. I see. So what do you wish to know? You've probably learned a bit from listening to aniki and me arguing….I'm Yue Yagami, the always second best younger brother who absconded from home five years ago."

"Oh…interesting word choice, as absconded implies fleeing from arrest or prosecution….are you in trouble with the law? Since you said you knew someone killed by Kira…."

"Kira killed FBI agents, thus it is not 100% assumable to think I knew a criminal or broke a law myself."

"But the chances of you knowing a FBI agent are .3%. Even if you knew someone in the FBI by chance, the names of those agents killed were never released to the public. Thus it is reasonable to assume this person you knew who Kira killed was a criminal. Which begs the question…why seek revenge for someone who might have deserved…."

"Taeku-san did not deserve to die! He was innocent…falsely convicted of the crime that….that…." Yue glared at L, slicing through the detective's words as his own trailed off once he realized where they led to.

"To my knowledge, Kira hasn't killed a criminal who was innocent or whose conviction had doubts surrounding it. If this Taeku-san didn't have a criminal record…."

"I didn't say he didn't have a criminal record, but he paid for those crimes - repented. His most recent conviction was a false one, he was close to winning his appeal when…."

L tilted his head, lips frowning as he turned Yue's words over in his thoughts. The percentage of truth to claims of innocence from criminals or their friends or relatives he'd always found minimal, especially with the cases he handled. There were occasions when such claims were true - he had aided enough falsely accused prisoners in receiving pardons to know the justice system wasn't perfect - but so far he hadn't found a criminal killed by Kira who was clearly innocent. Yue's claim fought against his reason, but the certainty in Yue's voice fought against that doubt.

"Are you saying you know for a fact that this Taeku-san was innocent? Or was it just what he claimed?" L watched as Yue stared straight into his eyes, conviction shining in those caramel orbs that chilled his spine.

"I know he was innocent. Taeku Takashima-san died for a crime he didn't commit. The only thing he was guilty of was pleading guilty to it." Yue swallowed back the rest of the words pushing to escape his throat, those words he'd forever wish he'd said before Taeku died. Those words were the foundation of his conviction.

'I sense the truth in his words. I believe them. But that would have to mean that….'

"You must know who really committed the crime if you know he was innocent. That he plead guilty means he didn't tell you who it was in an effort to be freed, yet you care enough to seek revenge against Kira…." L studied Yue's facial expression closely, noticed the flicker of his eyelids and the twitch of his lips, his brief swallow.

"You must be a detective." Yue uttered with a exhale of air. "I don't think I have to say it, since there is only one way anyone could be certain in this type of situation."

"Yue-san." L felt the last of the pleasurable atmosphere from earlier evaporate; the heaviness seemed to crowd out the light peeking from the entrance, and silence filled every crevice of their surroundings. 'You…you committed the crime Taeku plead guilty to….most likely a crime of murder if Kira killed him even though evidence existed that could've won an appeal.'

"Ryuga-san, who are you really?" Yue's words broke the silence, his expression one of intrigue and suspicion, with the desire to be wrong mixed within. "From your interest in checking my fake-ID two years ago I figured you'd be over 18 then, making it less likely that you are a first-year college student this year. And the name Ryuga Hideki is the same as that celebrity….so…."

'With the likelihood of dad being involved in the Kira investigation, and the possibility of Kira being connected to the police or their families….'

"Perhaps you should consider being a detective yourself, Yue-san. I can read your deduction through your expression….as well as your wish for it to not be true. I'm afraid I must say it is true - both parts - and I must ask what you will do knowing this."

"….L…." Yue's cold caramel eyes locked on the detective's face, throat going dry when the dark haired man didn't blink and just continued to calmly study him. The detective waited patiently as Yue inhaled and swallowed, the next words hindered by their heaviness. "Then….aniki…."

"…is suspected of being Kira. Yes. Now, what will you do knowing this? I cannot let you into the investigation because of the risks, but…."

"Aniki….I'll…." Yue closed his eyes for a moment, memory and thought swirling together. He inhaled and exhaled, hands in his pockets as his stomach settled and conviction solidified in his eyes and face. "I'll investigate on my own….to find proof that aniki is innocent."

"Ah, interesting. But the point of an investigation is to…."

"….is to find out the truth, not a way to place guilt. Eliminate the impossible and what remains is your answer - no matter the improbability."

"Paraphrased from Holmes. Yes, either way it's investigated, the truth of this case will be revealed. Just…be careful, Yue-san. Whether Kira is your brother or not, he is dangerous and you will not have the protection of the taskforce while you investigate on your own."

"Yes." Yue turned toward the storage room exit, his footsteps hardly audible as he approached the door, pulling it open. He stepped out into the brightly lit space and paused, making no motion to glance back at the dark haired, dark eyed detective. 'Though, those who view death as a punishment are generally those who fear death themselves….or believe it will never happen to them.'

0

Light spotted his brother coming from around the corner of a building as a sharp breeze rustled the cherry blossoms floating through the air. His chocolate eyes studied Yue intently, his lips pursed - he swallowed back the question that lingered in his thoughts, and allowed his legs to carry him closer to his brother.

"Aniki…." Yue half-smiled at his brother, recalling a scattering of early memories during Elementary school - memories of Light waiting by the school gate for Yue or of Yue waiting for Light. During those early years they'd been inseparable, enjoying a bond only twins could share. 'It'd be nice if that could've continued…maybe I wouldn't have left then.'

"It's time to go home. Did you speak with the school advisor? It didn't seem to have taken that long." Light felt his mouth speak the words as his mind formulated all the questions he really wanted answered - namely 'did Ryuga speak with you? What did he say?'

"….I got about halfway toward the main building before realizing he wouldn't have time today. He's to meet with me tomorrow anyway."

"Ah, so you just used that as an excuse to leave. Probably to sneak away…."

Yue glared at Light, silencing the older Yagami brother. Around them another breeze swooshed, carrying a pink blanket of blossoms twirling towards the ground. After a brief moment they began walking toward the campus gate, Yue's voice the next one to speak.

"I mentioned earlier, if you wish to make trouble, you'll be the one left explaining to our family why I refuse to live at home. I'd rather not cause more grief to mom, dad, and Sayu - but I will not tolerate your degrading assumptions, aniki."

"So you'll make me out to be the bad guy, huh? I'm not the one who ran away for a duration of 5 years. That was you."

"Do you still follow a black and white philosophy? Ah, it doesn't matter. I just refuse to take responsibility for things that are not my responsibility. And, I'd rather keep things at home as comfortable as possible - I have no inclination to interfere with your studying and whatnot at home."

'Black and white philosophy? Is that a question aimed at gauging the percentage of my being Kira? No, I don't know yet if L did meet with Yue - no, I should treat things as though L did tell Yue about the investigation. I can't reveal my suspicions though. Not yet.'

"'No inclination to interfere?' Does that mean you're going to focus on your search for Kira solely? Something so dangerous….dad would never allow it, you've only just returned. If you misstep and become Kira's victim…."

"Ah, no sweat, I'll just pass myself off as you - change my hair, maybe wear contacts. We share the same name so…." Yue replied nonchalantly as they passed through the gates and onto the sidewalk just outside school grounds. He bit his inside cheek as he heard Light stop and sensed the brunette stiffen.

"…that is not funny, Yue. Kira is not a joking matter." Light narrowed his eyes sharply at his brother, his otherwise impassive face exhibiting a scolding expression. 'Does this joke mean Ryuga didn't say anything? Or is it to gauge my reaction? To see if such a thing would cause me fear?'

"Did I say I was joking, aniki?" Yue countered, his eyes slightly narrowed with a small smirk on his lips. He placed his hands in his pockets, elbows jutting out as he studied Light. "I said before I wanted to find Kira - I don't take him as a joke."

Light blinked at the serious expression on his brother's face, the response he had planned pushed back by the slightly veiled, if useless, threat. 'He said that so believably, if I wasn't Kira, I'd actually be scared. So familial ties wouldn't mean anything to Yue now? Or does he just hate me?'

"I prefer to believe you are just joking. Yue….I also prefer to doubt you having a connection to a criminal enough to want to capture Kira to avenge their death…."

"I did not say I wanted to avenge anyone's death…."

"Heh. You implied it. Don't try to deny that."

"I implied I want to find Kira because he killed someone I knew, but I didn't say that person I knew was someone I cared for - here's a theory, perhaps I want to find Kira because he killed someone I wanted to kill myself."

'What….Yue….does he seriously expect me to believe that? Or is it to cause doubt to somehow manipulate me? It isn't impossible, yet it's more likely not….wait, there's a chance this could not be because of Ryuga, but an attempt to….' Light glared at Yue suddenly, his eyes coldly observing his brother.

"Yue, quit it. I will not engage in such a mind game with you. Are you trying to bond as brothers again by playing such a game like when we were younger? Your favorite game of guessing possibility and probability?"

Yue stared at Light for 2.3 seconds before he sighed and relaxed his arms at his sides.

"Can't blame me for trying, right? It was our favorite pastime growing up - trying to outthink the other. We kept a tally of how many times we successfully tricked the other - I believe it was left at a tie when I ran away." Yue resumed walking toward the bus to take home, his black hair shadowing his eyes as he felt Light watching him. His heart beat rapidly in his chest, a chill threatened to run up his spine. 'Light…aniki….if it turns out that you are Kira….'

"No, I remember the tally left me in the lead before you disappeared. But I have no desire to resume keeping a tally again or playing such a game. There are much more important things I must focus on." Light replied as the bus pulled up and they boarded it - the crowdedness of it forced them both to stand, and Light cursed inwardly. He'd planned to take the less crowded train on his way home, or a less heavily packed bus. His determination to guarantee Yue returned home promptly, along with his desire to delay Yue's investigation on Kira had forced him into this inconvenience.

'Yue, I will not allow your return to dampen my plans as Kira. But I won't kill you unless it becomes necessary. I need to find out how much you know about the investigation, if L told you anything….'

Chapter End