Posted originally on the Archive_of_Our_Own at https://archiveofourown.org/
works/13743543.
  Rating:
      Explicit
  Archive Warning:
      Choose_Not_To_Use_Archive_Warnings, Rape/Non-Con, Underage
  Category:
      M/M
  Fandom:
      Death_Note, Death_Note_&_Related_Fandoms, Death_Note:_Another_Note
  Relationship:
      Beyond_Birthday/Yagami_Light, Yagami_Soichiro_&_Yagami_Light, Amane_Misa/
      Yagami_Light_(one-sided_relationship)
  Character:
      Yagami_Light, Beyond_Birthday, Yagami_Soichiro, Amane_Misa, Matsuda
      Touta, Original_Male_Characters
  Additional Tags:
      Trans_Light_Yagami, Neko_Light, Trans_Beyond_Birthday, Alternate
      Universe, Neko_Beyond, neko, Cuddling_&_Snuggling, Childish_Light
  Stats:
      Published: 2018-02-20 Chapters: 1/? Words: 1645
****** Hunt ******
by Ill_Ratte
Summary
     Nekos have no rights. And when Misa Amane won't take no for an answer
     in her quest to have Light as her very own neko, Light is forced to
     flee the country. But even in England, on his way to the famed
     Whammy's Sanctuary, is he still safe from anyone else trying to bring
     him back to Misa?
Notes
     Some stuff in this chapter could be triggering, so read at your own
     disgression. Also, please comment
Light’s ears stood perked and alert, flicking as they scanned the airport for
any signs of danger. Right now, he stood in the airport, his Daddy’s hand
clasped in his own as he surveyed the crowd suspiciously.
“Light?” Light glanced up; his Daddy looked worried, the lines that had begun
to crease his skin when Light turned five disturbingly distinct in the planes
of his face.
“Yes, Daddy?” Inwardly, Light winced at the pitch of his voice; nekos’ voices
naturally ranged higher than their fully human counterparts, as his Daddy often
reminded him, but it still stung hard.
“We can't dawdle, Sweetie. We don't want anything happening to you, ok?”
Soichiro's voice turned painfully gruff, and Light winced. At the edges of
Light’s vision, he could feel darkness creeping in. Even the barest hint of her
set him on edge.
A calloused hand almost absent-mindlessly stroked his hair, the thumb digging
into the spot where his ear met his skull. “I don't want her getting anywhere
near you ever again.”
With those words, it was like he was underwater. He could see her. He could
smell her. And all of a sudden, he wasn't in the airport, Light wasn't with
Daddy, Light was-
Light was walking home from school. He wore his large jacket, his favorite one
with the white trim that he could sink into and peek out of and that made him
feel safe and protected. And it was raining.
He was just walking home. Kicking the puddles with the bright red rubber boots
on his feet, a gift from Daddy. He was just a kid, and it was a normal day and
he was having fun, even if his coat was getting soaked. And then the car pulled
up.
It was big and white, with shiny but solid black windows that Light couldn't
see anything through, until the windows rolled down and a lady was looking out
at him. A human lady.
“Hello, sweetie!” She sounded nice, with her voice almost as high as a neko’s
was, but not quite that high. Like a bell ringing, Light had thought. She
looked pretty as a bell, too, or prettier, because could bells really be that
pretty? She had long, golden hair. Light would only later realize that it must
have been dyed; the soft gold suited her so well he thought she must have
always looked like that. Framed by the hair was a snub button nose, like the
dolls he used to play with, and two, glassy blue eyes like bright sapphires. To
Light, she had looked like a movie star.
“H-hello!” He had squeaked back, waving one hand, claws sheathed like his Daddy
had taught him.
“Tell me, what's a cute little girl doing out here all on her own? Why don't I
give you a lift, so you won't get rained on?”
Light had fluffed up at that; he was 13 years old, and he was a boy! “I'm not
little, and I'm not a girl! Besides, Daddy says I can't take rides from
strangers…”
Something in the lady’s eyes had narrowed at that. Her blue eyes seemed to
study him. As she stared, something icky had crawled in Light’s stomach. Then,
she had laughed, and her face returned to normal. “That's only for strange men,
silly! Everyone knows all ladies are nice! Besides, a little neko like you
shouldn't be out all alone!” Light didn't think to ask how she knew he was one.
From what Light could see, the car had looked big and nice, like the cars on tv
did. Certainly much better than walking home in the rain. So…
Light had gotten into the car. He was only a kid, a silly kid worried about
getting his favorite coat even wetter, and besides, all ladies were nice,
right? Especially a lady as pretty as her.
The seats were large and brown, padded and squishy where he sat. They made a
funny noise when Light moved on them.
The drive had passed in silence, except for when the lady asked in her nice
voice “Where do you live, sweetie?”
Light had told her right exactly where he lived. Hadn't even thought to have
her let him off at the end of the street. Not that it would have mattered.
When they stopped outside of his house, he had reached for the door handle,
pulling out on the bright white latch. But it didn't move.
“It's not opening!”
“Oh? How silly of me! I must have left it locked.” The lady’s voice had sounded
funny, like she was all far away. And she didn't unlock the car.
“I need to see my Daddy!” He had sniffled. Tears had begun to track his eyes.
“Give me a goodbye kiss, right on the cheek. I did go out of my way to drop you
off, and it's the least I deserve.” The lady sounded less far away now, but she
didn't sound like she did before. She sounded almost scary.
Light had leaned over, the icky feeling stronger in his stomach. He tried to do
it quickly, just quickly press his lips into her cheek and be done, but somehow
the lady was holding his arm, her nails sharper than any neko’s claws could
have been, and the tears were hotter now on his cheeks and she was touching him
and all he wanted was for Daddy to save him and-
Something sharp dug into his skin, nails, human nails, but much rougher and
shorter than the lady's, than Misa’s, had been. Because he wasn't there, he
wasn't in the car, he was safe and he was in his Daddy’s arms now in an
airport. But he wouldn't be with Daddy for long.
“Please don't leave me!” He wailed, pushing his face right into Daddy’s jacket
and breathing in deeply. Soichiro only patted his ears, gently stroking them.
“You had another flashback, didn't you.” Soichiro sounded tired.
“I was in the car, Daddy. She wouldn't let me leave.” He whispered. If he
didn't fight it, he knew he would slip back there again.
“But Daddy got you out of the car, remember? He made her leave. So see, Daddy’s
here now, and he can make her leave. She can never hurt you again.”
But she hadn't left for long. The calls had started after that, at first
polite, then insistent. The lady, who Light would later learn was Misa Amane, a
model (not quite a movie star), wanted to buy him. Because he was a neko, and
nekos didn't have rights.
And then, when it was years later and Light thought he could finally stop
freezing in fear whenever he heard the phone ring, someone had followed him
home. Had almost broken into his room and stolen him away, if his Daddy hadn't
been there.
The police, even at Soichiro's insistence, had done nothing. Because no one
cared about nekos. And now Light was being sent on a plane, far away where Misa
couldn't get to him at all.
“She didn't leave, Daddy. And you said you're not going to be going with me. So
how can you help me then?”
Soichiro's arms tightened. “I'll be there later, alright? And you'll have
Matsuda to look after you. In fact, he's waiting for us right now.” With a last
squeeze, Daddy let go of the hug, gently pulling Light across the busy airport
to their terminal.
“Matsuda! We're here!” Soichiro said. Dropping his paper, Matsuda beamed up at
both of them. He turned to Light, who had already pressed himself into
Soichiro's side in an attempt at camouflage. “Can you say hi to Matsuda, baby?”
“Hello, Light! I'm so happy to see you again!” The man proffered his hand for a
shake.
Light nodded slightly at him. “Hi.” He didn't take the hand.
“He's a bit nervous around full humans, but if you pet him behind his ears
he'll warm up to you quickly.” Soichiro hummed, petting at Light. Light
sniffed.
“That's fine!” Matsuda hardly seemed fazed. Undoubtedly, he knew the
circumstances surrounding Light’s departure.
“Now, let me show you what you need to care for Light.” Soichiro pulled the
large carry-on from his back, opening it and showing Matsuda the contents.
“This is his favorite stuffed animal; he needs it for when he's anxious,
especially when he's having an attack. This thing is his favorite nightlight;
there's a backup too, but he prefers this one, and it'll get him to sleep in no
time at all.” As Soichiro explained the contents of the case, Light found
himself drifting.
He felt free now, almost. For the last four years of his life, he had spent his
days cowering in fear, peeking around every corner while terrified that he'd
see her, see her glassy blue eyes again. Although the marks on his arm from
where her nails dug in had faded long ago, he still felt them clearly. But now,
mere minutes away from boarding a plane to the Whammy’s Sanctuary, he could
already feel his breath coming easier. She couldn't get him here, not now.
“You'll be boarding in just moments, Light.” Soichiro looked very old and very
tired as he said it.
“Ok Daddy.” He pressed his face into his lapel one last time, letting his mouth
open minutely to taste his scent. He smelled warm, like home.
“I love you lots, ok? And you'll see me in two months at the most.” Daddy
squeezed hard, rubbing behind Light’s ears just the way he liked it.
“Love you too, Daddy.” Light whispered.
The soft press of Matsuda’s hand against his back finally broke then apart.
“It's time to go, Light.”
Reluctantly, Light nodded. He disentangled himself from Soichiro, and followed
Matsuda to the plane. Whatever waited for him in England couldn't be worse than
what he had already gone through.
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