Chapter Text
WHEN someone dies, most people think the scent of the rotted corpse would linger. Light learned that no true crime podcast or his own police chief father’s gripe about the clinging odor not coming off in wash prepared him for the daunting smell.
It was the kind of smell, you couldn’t help but smell. No mask, bleach, or water could wash the stank that just seemed to engulf everything it came into contact with.
But that was yesterday, Light assured himself. By now Naomi, the head of the hosts at The Death Note, should have the place spotless. They work with upscale clientele and there’s no way in hell they’d spend money at a place that smelled like a sewer.
“We gotta keep this under wraps.” Naomi had told them after the police had drugged the corpse away. “No one can know about this. Do you think anyone is going to want to come here, if they knew the murderer had been among them?”
Yes. The Host slayer was what they’re calling this mysterious killer that had a knack for murdering male host and leaving their body to be found in the most disturbing positions.
Lind L Taylor, who wasn’t very kind and most hated by those he came in contact with, didn’t deserve the hand he’d been dealt. Light, Matsuda, and Naomi found him on a table naked and stabbed eighty times. How? How did this happen? Who would do such a thing?
“There’s no need to connect it to The Host Strangler.” The owner of the host bar, Ray Penber told the police. “Lind wasn’t liked by so many people...I mean it would be a shame to link their deaths like that...” No what he really meant is that it would be a shame to loose business because no one would want to visit a bar where someone was brutally murdered.
There is a weird fascination with death that all human have, but honestly, when they confronted with the real thing, most of them run. Light, himself, felt an urge to quit and find a new bar. But where would he be safe? It seemed no bar in the city was immune to the grubby hands of this “sick fuck.” Those choice words came from his father’s mouth before receiving that annoyed look from his mother.
“You’re retired. You promised...” She’d plead and then he’d change the subject.
Everyone seem trepidatious today. No one wanting to say the wrong thing or even the right thing. Everyone meandered, moved without a sense of urgency. Light found the dance to get dressed felt more like a chore than it usually did.
Even now, as he sat in front of the mirror applying small amounts of make up to make their guest believe they were perfect in every way, all he could see was Lind. Bright, destructive, annoying Lind. Face all cup up...
“It’s going to be a good day.” Matsuda pulled Light from his day-nightmare with his words.
“I don’t know about that.” Light responded adding some sleek black eye liner under his left eye.
“It will. My mom says the day after something bad happens, nothing bad can happen again.” Matsuda said.
“What?”
“Well she worded it differently. It was a bell that’s been rung can’t be rung again until it stops ringing, but it all means the same thing.”
“Did you apologize to your clients for the closure?” Light asked, desperate to change the subject.
“Yep. They were kinda...sad. Well Namikawa was...” Matsuda nervously laughs it off. Namikawa Reiji was pretty much Matsuda’s prize customer. Bringing his buddies from Yotsuba in and spending thousands of dollars on bottles. He liked that Matsuda was air headed and found him charming in his own special way.
That was probably the only reason Matsuda wasn’t let go after his first six months.
“He asked me to meet him outside the bar...” Matsuda flashed those innocent puppy dog eyes. “I don’t know why? I told him host can’t meet with clients outside of the business.
Light knew why. “He wants to sleep with you.”
“No.”
“Yes. You can’t be this dense.”
“Dense...Have you ever met anyone outside of work hours?”
“No.” Light would never consider such a thing, as he already made enough money smiling and charming the business men in the bar. No need to share his body with them if he didn’t have to.
“Should I have gone? Do you think he’ll be mad at me?”
“What did he say?”
“Uhhh...he said I was a cute little puppy...”
“God.” Light chuckled. “Yeah he wants you Matsuda, but play it cool. You don’t have to meet up with ‘em if you don’t want, but just show him a little more attention tonight, keep ‘em satisfied.”
No one would be able to tell that a body was found in the bar only twenty-four hours earlier. The place felt lively, and even some of the host massaged business men shoulder. It was okay for the host to touch the guest, but the guest could only touch the host above the waist, or they’d face the wrath of Naomi.
It seemed by all estimates a normal night. Light, between guest, spotted Matsuda who waved him over. Approaching the table, Light noticed Namikawa and another raven haired man who eyes zeroed as a hawk would, and his hair a jittery lions mane on his head.
“This is Light.” Matsuda introduced the brunette. “He is one of our prize host.”
“We’ve met before.” Light bows to Namikawa. “And you are?”
“I am Higuchi Kyosuke.” The Hawkeyes stranger smirked, as if Light was a rat and he was ready to devour him whole. Light was used to this. Men communicated in this fashion in this line of work. Maybe he could be another one of Light’s ever revolving regulars.
“Would you mind taking Higuchi away for a while.” Namikawa smiled at Light. “I’d like to have a little one on one with Matsuda. I’ve missed his smile so.”
“Sure. I have a client in half an hour.”
“How much is he paying?” Higuchi asked. “I can triple it if you stay by my side.” Oh yes. Loaded like that, he would definitely make a great regular.
They couple of sorts found themselves isolated in one of the private rooms sitting on a long couch. Higuchi’s intoxicating earthy Cologne hung like a cloud in the air, and it was all Light could smell. They just sat here for the past hour, and it wasn’t unpleasant. His arms stayed right above the waste, clinging to his love handles. He kept Light close like a dog, afraid he might jump up the second he let go.
They just watched a basketball game. Light loathed most sports, except tennis, but he feigned interest and acted just a little dumb. Men love that whole explain it to me attitude.
“Did you grow up in the country side?” Light could tell by his rough hands.
“I did.” He smiled at Light. “How did you know?”
“You hands.”
“Lotta men come in and out of these rooms, huh?”
“Yes, but not with me.” Light turned to him, a sinful seductive energy goes from his eyes to Higuchi, and Light knows he’s hooked.
“Oh, so I’m one of the lucky ones.”
“One of the only ones that could afford it, Higuchi-sama.”
There it was. Higuchi tongue darted out to lick his lips. Light could only imagine the commotion going on inside his head.
“Go on. Tell me you can take me away from all this.” Light bantered.
“I could, but do I want to.” Higuchi pondered the thought. “You’re a great piece of arm candy.”
“Would you like another shot of sake Higuchi-sama?”
“Please.”
Light sauntered out of the private room, making sure to give a coy look over his shoulder to see Higuchi’s expression. One word: Enamored. “As you should be.”
He returns with a top shelf bottle of sake, and pours them both a shot. They spend the next hour in comfortable silence, making small talk here and there.
He asked Light about his life. Light held most of his cards close to his chest, so he only offered that he was single and was only looking to make a living. That was the furthest from the truth, but what they didn’t know couldn’t hurt them. Right?
The game came to an end, and whoever Higuchi had been rooting for lost. “I’m blowing so much money on this gambling-bullshit.” Higuchi shrugged it off taking another shot of Saki. Although his arm wasn’t wrapped around Light, their thigh’s touched. “You ever had so much money you don’t know what to do with it?”
“No.” I wish.
“Yeah, you probably wouldn’t be doing this.” His voice was velvety, full of sake. “God. You’re beautiful.”
Light shrugged it off, trying to play coy.
“I swear...how did Namikawa let a catch like you slip through.” His hand comes up to brush his hair out of his face. “Too busy with that fool.”
“Matsuda is lovely company.”
“Head’s full of air, but you...” He held Light’s chin between his thumb and index finger.
“Careful...” Light told him, a hint of mirth tugging at his voice. “Don’t wanna get kicked out for touching the host.”
“Yeah.” He moved his hand down back to his side. “You’re great company. I know they pay you be, but you actually are.”
“All this flattery, I might let you touch my ankle if you’re good.” They chuckled at Light’s comment.
The door opens, and a mop of messy raven hair peaked in. Matsuda. “Hey. Namikawa is ready to go.”
Nice.
“Goodbye.” Higuchi grabbed Light’s hand and kissed it. “Till next time.”
“Next time.” Light smiled as the man headed off.
“Everything okay?” Matsuda asked.
“Yes. Perfect.”
The rest of the night came and went like a tumble weed through molasses: Slow, rough, and messy. Light’s other clients bored him with talk of their work day and how much they hated their spouses.
At closing time, all the host waited for each other, not letting anyone stay behind like Lind two nights earlier. Matsuda accompanied Light home as they lived a block separate from each other.
“I think you were wrong about Namikawa.” Matsuda muttered as the empty train tugged along. “He was really nice to me.”
“Oh. I’ve been wrong before.” Light shrugged it off. Of course Namikawa wanted to bed Matsuda only a fool would think so.
Matsuda chatted Light’s ear off the rest of the train ride and as they walked to their destination. Light tuned out half way through Namikawa this and Namikawa that. Did he have any other clients? But who cared. Light was home now, and he waved Matsuda goodbye.
He entered his quaint home to find his father on the couch, asleep. He stirred, hearing the door close. All that detective work? Huh?
“Light. How was waiting table?” Yeah. His parents didn’t know he was a host.
They’d probably loose their mind, as they consider it one step above prostitution. It was actually quite a reputable job. Great for connections, but his dad claimed to have seen the seedy underside of host bars.
Still how else was Light supposed to make enough money to contribute to his father mounting medical debt.
Two years ago his father was diagnosed with lung cancer, and six months ago he had to step down from his job. No matter the treatment, it seemed that nothing worked.
It would crush everything Sochiro, his father, had left if he found out that
“It was okay. Nothing really interesting.” Light shrugged it off.
“Lotta drunks.”
“Yep. Monday hit hard is what everyone said.” Light said. “I’m going to head up stairs, can I get you anything?”
“No. No.” Sochiro said. “Rest. You need it. You got school...” He coughs. “In the morning.”
“You need a water.”
“Your mom’s given me enough water, thank you Light.” Sochiro smiled. “I love you, Light.”
“I love you too, dad.”
That night sleep dragged him under, and when he woke it seemed he was in another time entirely. It was too soon, Light thought as he alarm sounded.
Brush! After a brush and shower, Light joined his mother and sister for a quick breakfast.
Sayu, his sister, shoved her face with cereal while Light’s mother, Sachiko brewed a cup of coffee. She offered Light his thermal cup full of Coffee.
“Thanks mom.” He offered her a smile.
“Do you work today?” His mother asked.
“Yep. But I get off early. Early night, tonight.” He smiled.
“Okay. Be safe.”
“I will. Bye Sayu.”
“Bye Light.” She said, as she stuffed her mouth with cereal.
The day slipped through Lights grasp like water in his hand. He spent the day mostly out of it, not even able to answer a simple question in law studies class. Something about how sentencing guidelines and getting around them. He was too tired to think of anything.
Something must’ve knocked him off his game last night. He couldn’t think of it? Maybe it was going to school for hours then being at the bar till 2 am some nights. Maybe it was finally catching up with him.
But he couldn’t quit. His father-his family depended on him. Even his mother had taken to doing ride shares to help squash some of this mounting debt. He really didn’t understand it.
His father gave thirty years to this city and all he got back was what? A plaque and a couple of meaningless awards. He couldn’t even get his cancer treatment fully covered by insurance?
The bar seemed like more of a chore tonight. Even Higuchi, the man from last night didn’t stop by. Instead he sent Light a text saying he would be working late. Tuesdays were always the slowest.
That didn’t stop Light from seeing some of his old reliable clients, who talked his ear off about sweet nothing. But Light, the charmer that he was, smiled through it all. He kept track of their pets names, their hobbies, their children’s names, their spouses names, and whatever else they told him. It was his job to work these bozos until they gave him every drop of their money.
Most of it came from their companies anyways. It was a great spot to take clients, especially if you wanted some discreet homosexual affairs. The secret to a successful club was discrimination. Only men of a certain tax bracket would even be allowed through the front door.
“I hate Tuesdays.” Light mumbled to the bartender, Ryuk. A tatted up god that was very popular, probably for his proclivity towards making a spectacle.
“It’ll pick up.”
“It won’t. None of my regulars can make it tonight.”
“Too busy at dinner with their wives?” Ryuk smirked, proud of himself for his little quip.
“If I’m not making money, neither are you.” Light sighed.
“That is true.” Ryuk said as he cleaned out a couple of glasses and loaded them into their places.
Out of the corner of Light’s eye he spotted a raven man with glasses and a soft smile. “Mikami.” Light waved and strutted over to him.
“Light. Lovely to see you.”
“No. lovely to see you.”
“You look exquisite tonight.” Mikami noticed the way Light’s black slack caressed his ripped-slim figure. “The red shirt.” There it was-the flicker of the tongue.
“How was court?” They sit.
Over shots of Sake, he tells Light about the criminals that he put away that day. A murder...made some sort of plea deal with a robber. It all sounded very interesting, and Mikami knew it was the career Light longed for. To be the right hand of justice.
“How’s school?” Mikami asked. He was the only one of his clients to know he was studying law.
“Great. Top of my class currently.”
“When it’s time for you to intern, you know all you have to do is send me a text.”
“Of course-”
Light was cut off by a hand on his shoulder, and he turned to see the face of Matsuda.
“Light, please go see Naomi. I will take over.” Light was a little taken aback, but he knew if Naomi called he must go. Mikami, familiar with host bars, should understand.
He bowed to Mikami and was off.
“What happened?” Light gripped as he met Naomi in the back.
“I have a special client-”
“I was with a special client.”
“He doesn’t have as much money as this one?”
“Higuchi?”
“No. No.” Naomi waved him to follow her to one of the backrooms. “You work your magic, and he better not leave here dissatisfied.”
Who could be in there? Royalty? Light opened the door and closed it softly.
He turned to find a young man, who could be no older than twenty-five sitting in the most strange position as he popped sugar cubes in his mouth. Was he a horse?
Light head turns, trying to take in the entire situation. THIS CAN’T BE THE GUY NAOMI CALLED HIM FOR? What the hell?
“Oh. I didn’t know they’d grab me someone so easy on the eyes.” His toes wiggled, strangely. Why was he barefoot? And was perched like a bird. But if Higuchi was a hawk, then guy had to be raven, with those sunken in obsidian eyes. So dark it seemed he had no pupil. Then there was the goth black hair that only could’ve come from a box. No...No...it probably only looked so black because his skin reminded Light of heavy cream. Did he get out into the sun at all?
Light didn’t know what to do. Stay, run?
“Please have a seat.” He gestured to chair across from him and Light took a step forward and a seat. “Wow you have really pretty eyes.”
For the first time ever, Light was so completely thrown off his game he didn’t have a quick flirty response. Satisfy him.
“You must be quite the host here?” The young man pondered on the idea as his pointer finger met his chin.
“I-I am popular.”
“I see why. How lovely those slacks look on you, Light.” The young man smirked. “I asked her to bring me the finest host and she exceeded my expectations.”
Light couldn’t help the rose that flashed across his cheeks, but this time it wasn’t an act of his own.
“And you’re so innocent to, aren’t you Light?”
“What’s your name.” Light gathered himself, finally able to speak.
“Ryuzaki.”
“Ryuzaki?” Light tried on that name, but it didn’t seem to fit the man in front of him. He couldn’t explain why, but he knew it didn’t.
“I have a task for you, Light?”
“What is that?”
“I want you to help me catch The Host Slayer.”