Title: Death's Hands
Series: Hikaru no Go and Death Note (crossover)
Author: Luce Red
Disclaimer: Characters are the invention of Hotta, Obata and Ohba
Type: General.
Summary: Hikaru sees dead people something scary.

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From the dirty looks given to him by the passing crowd, Touya was heavily tempted to disclaim any connection with his rival. Perhaps I could try walking a half-step behind, he thought. Shindou was still talking loudly about his most recent game, while waving the newest issue of Go Weekly in his right hand.

"But Shindou, playing that hand allowed Isumi-san to destroy your corner," he couldn't help pointing out what he felt were errors in Shindou's game. Shindou had played a game with Isumi only that morning. "It was sloppy."

Almost predictably, Shindou turned towards him, an indignant expression spreading over his face. "So? I still took his territory on the upper corner," he said, now walking backwards. "I killed his stones there, too."

"That doesn't mean it's a good hand," Touya argued. "In that corner, death wasn't all that useful... behind you, Shindou!" he raised his voice, spotting someone coming the other way.

His warning proved too late. Shindou, in trying to see what was behind him, only succeeded in colliding with the man who was walking in their direction, and both of them fell down.

"Ow!" Shindou yelled as he hit the hard concrete floor with a thump. The issue of Go Weekly went flying.

Moving a little faster than he would admit later, Touya rushed to Shindou's side. "Are you all right?" he asked.

Shindou rolled to a crouch, before standing up. "My ass..." he grumbled, rubbing the part in question. "And I bruised my elbow, and my knee. Other than that, I'm fine, I think. At least I didn't hit my head!"

Touya managed not to snort. "Not that it'd make any difference," he said, and ignored Shindou's protests at that. He turned to the other person in the collision, who had sat up. "Are you all right?"

The stranger was slowly climbing to his feet. "I'm fine," he said, sounding annoyed.

Touya belatedly realized that he was quite young, probably twenty or so, but carried himself with an air of possession that was strangely overpowering, as though he knew secrets that no one else did.

Shindou limped--exaggeratedly, Touya thought--over to them. "Sorry about that," he said to the man, brushing hair out of his eyes and adjusting his T-shirt. "Are you all right? Sorry I knocked you down-" he reached out a hand as though to help the stranger, and froze, his arm outstretched. He grew a little pale, and a frown appeared on his face as he stared at the stranger. His hand retracted.

Almost by reflex, Touya turned to scrutinise the stranger again. He wore a plain, short-sleeved shirt, and wore his hair slightly long, which emphasized his sensitive-looking face. But there did not seemed to be anything out of the ordinary.

Beside him, Shindou made a low, choking sound in his throat.

"Shindou," Touya said urgently. "What's the matter?"

"Bloodstains," Shindou muttered, his eyes still focused on the stranger, but not on his face.

"What?" Touya said, louder than he intended.

The sound of his voice snapped Shindou out of his daze. He met Touya's eyes for a moment, but his gaze slid away almost immediately.

Something about that gaze chilled Touya to the bone.

It was the stranger's turn to frown, when he heard Shindou's words. Touya noticed that his eyes flickered to the side, as though he was looking at something on his right. "Excuse me?" the stranger said. His voice was low, and almost too calm. He reached out, and touched Shindou's hand.

"Ahh!" As though he had been burnt, Shindou pulled back his arm, cradling it close to his body.

"What is it?" Touya asked, tugging at Shindou's hand so he could take a look. He thought for a moment that Shindou had been injured in some way, but all of a sudden Shindou grabbed his arm.

"What-" Touya began, and stopped when he saw that Shindou's face was paler than ever.

Touya turned immediately to the stranger, conscious of a need to explain Shindou's puzzling behaviour. "I'm sorry," he said. "He's..." crazy? Sees things that aren't there? Though Shindou seemed ordinary, and acted normally most of the time, there had been times when he behaved oddly, as though, Touya thought, he saw things that others could not.

The stranger was starting to look wary, but he asked, "Is your friend all right?"

"I'm sorry, he's-" Touya would have said more, but Shindou's grip on his arm tightened.

"Don't talk to him," Shindou said, pulling him back. Touya finally noticed that his gaze was fixed on the stranger's arms, which were bared by the T-shirt. They were pale and bare, with a silver-and-white watch wrapped around the left wrist.

Perhaps it was a trick of the afternoon light, but the stranger's expression seemed to turn ugly for a moment. "I think your friend needs to see a doctor," he said. "May I recommend one? My name is Yagami Light, and I know a doctor who has a clinic nearby-"

"No!" Shindou said. He looked up, finally, into the stranger's eyes. "You have blood on your hands," he said, clearly and distinctly.

If Touya had not been trained to observe his opponents' expressions, he would not have noticed it: Yagami's eyes widened the merest fraction, and it was enough to convince him that Shindou had seen something.

"Excuse me?" Yagami asked. The affront was almost too convincingly put on, Touya thought. The hairs on the back of his neck rose.

Shindou swallowed. "You reek of blood," he said to Yagami. "Your hands are already stained with blood. Don't come near me! Or him," he added, pulling Touya back as though to push him behind.

Yagami frowned. "I assure you," he said, his voice turning serious and official, "I have no intention of harming you."

"Don't come any nearer!" Shindou said. He was so pale that his blond hair seemed to gleam. "I-I mean it!"

Touya could not help looking at him in surprise. This was as close to hysteria as he had seen Shindou. They were beginning to attract a crowd; Yagami looked annoyed at the people who were starting to stand around, as though anticipating some sort of street show. He approached once more.

Shindou retreated. His hands closed around Touya's arm. "Let's go. Run!"

Without knowing why, Touya obeyed.

--------The end--------

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