Chapter Text
The death notes have been swapped, and one of them buried. Almost everything is ready. This is the last thing Light needs to do before wiping his slate clean.
"So, I get the rest of it," Ryuk says, "but what is all this writing for?"
"It's simple, Ryuk," Light explains as he writes. "I'll write myself this note, with a list of some of the dates I won't remember and confused links to the Kira case. After I give up the death note, I won't remember writing this. My confusion will be genuine. If I know myself, I won't dismiss it. I'll go directly to L and my father. I'll show them this note and demand that they lock me up to see if the killings stop."
"Won't you just be incriminating yourself?" Ryuk muses. He bites into an apple. Probably his last one for a while.
Light shakes his head. "No, because criminals will continue to die once Rem finds someone to give the death note to. And this other column here also links the worst of my memory gaps to events like the entrance exams and my father's heart attack. When it becomes clear that I'm not Kira, this will be the reasonable explanation. Simple stress. L will have no choice but to back off completely once it looks like his investigation was a factor contributing to my stress-induced amnesia."
It hurts his ego a little to set himself up to look crazy, but it's medically possible for it to happen to a person in his position. Even if it could never happen to him.
"But what about joining the investigation? Won't your dad forbid it, since L made you crazy and all?"
"L will still want to keep me close, and I'll want to catch Kira to prove my innocence. I don't think my dad will be able to stop me."
He finishes writing, checks over his work, and rips the page out of the notebook. He folds it and places it on his bedside table, sitting on top of his alarm clock so that it's the first thing he sees in the morning.
He settles down in bed, still in the clothes he wore during the day save for his shoes. Now for the final touch. He takes a moment to hyperventilate, try to bring some tears to his eyes, muster up some panic. Once he sounds distressed enough, he dials L's number. He takes an annoying amount of time to answer. Light almost thinks he won't pick up.
"Light? It's pretty late."
"Ryuga?" His voice cracks. Perfect.
"It's Ryuzaki now. Please try to remember."
"Sorry. I'm sorry," Light manages a sob. "I know it's late."
"What do you need, Light?"
"Do you think..?" Light pauses for effect. He takes a few loud, shaky breaths. "Nevermind. I don't know why I—I'm bothering you for nothing. Nevermind. I shouldn't have called."
"Do I—" Light hangs up on him mid-sentence.
He looks up at the ceiling and smiles. His plan is flawless. He's accounted for everything.
"Okay, Ryuk. Get rid of it."