Archive of Our Own ^beta

Misa sat in the hard-backed chair of Light’s hospital room, waiting for him to wake.

An emergency appendectomy had happened that day. Light, who had been feeling unwell for a while, and Misa had insisted upon taking him to the hospital despite his constant objections that he was fine and it was just a stomachache. She didn’t believe him for a minute. As a last resort, she used her “Mom voice” to get him to comply. Mercifully, it worked. The doctor had told her that he needed his appendix out right then. She’d signed the paperwork since his father was unreachable at the moment and both his mother and Sayu were both out of town looking at universities. When the doctor told her there would be anesthesia involved, and he explained that he might be a little loopy for a while after, she decided it would be best to explain their unique situation in case any complications arose from it. The doctor, to his credit, kept a straight face and promised to let her know if anything happened. With that, he was whisked off to surgery.

Though she hadn’t wanted to leave, Misa had thought it best to go home and pack some of Light’s little boy items in case he wanted them in the aftermath. Bobo, his blanket, his pacifier, and a few diapers just in case were hurriedly stuffed into a small duffel bag before she made her way back. She’d sat in the waiting room for what seemed like hours, hoping and waiting to know that he would be okay.

She didn’t know how long she’d been there when a doctor finally came to get her.

“The surgery went well. He should be free to go home in a few days.”

“Can I see him?”

“He’s still asleep right now, but you’re more than welcome to come and see him.”

She’d followed the doctor to Light’s room, and was happy to see him looking normal. A bit pale, but otherwise alright. She perched herself next to him, and sat there, watching him breathe and waiting for him to wake up.

Ryuk hovered beside her chair, not talking for the moment. However, Misa chose to talk to him.

“The anesthesia they gave him might still be in his system when he wakes up, Ryuk. If it is, he’s going to be more than a little loopy. You’ll have to be careful with when he sees you, and make sure there are no doctors in the room when he does.”

“Sure. Fine.” The Shinigami said, waving it off. “Are there apples here?”

“Go look in the cafeteria for some if you want but be smart about it. Don’t cause a panic.”

“Alright.” He said, before dematerializing through the walls and going on his merry way.

It was right about then that Light opened bleary eyes to bright lights as his head leaned to one side. Misa took notice immediately.

“Hey. There you are. How are you feeling?” She asked.

Light mumbled something unintelligible.

“What?”

“Why there’s a spaghetti in my arm? Am I a meatball?” He asked, clearly out of it from the anesthesia.

“No, Light. You’re not a meatball, and that’s not a spaghetti. That’s an IV.”

“I’m a plant?”

“No, you’re-“

He started to cry, tears running down his face. “I don’t wanna be a plant! How am I supposed to eat?! I don’t wanna eat with photosynthesis!”

“Sweetie, you’re not a plant.”

“What?”

“You’re not a plant. You’re still you.” Misa assured.

It was then that Light finally looked up at her, eyes glazed over as she’d ever seen them. “I don’t wanna be a plant or a meatball.”

“Okay.”

“I don’t want this spaghetti in my arm. I can’t even eat it now ‘cause it touched me.”

“You need to keep it there, silly. It’s helping your body feel better.”

“Feel better? But I… I don’t feel bad at all. I feel like I could run a marathon.”

“Well, let’s not try that today, okay?” She smiled. “Do you know where you are?”

“Where am I? ‘M on a spaceship.”

“You’re on a spaceship?”

“Uh huh. I’m going far, far away.”

“And where is it you’re going?”

“To get some fried chicken.”

“You’re going to get some fried chicken in a spaceship?”

“That’s what I said."

“Okay, baby.”

She patted his arm soothingly. He looked at her.

“You’re really pretty.”

She giggled. “Thank you.”

He leaned his head on her arm. “I love you.”

“I love you too, sweetie.” She smiled, stroking his hair.

“Are we married?” He asked.

“Not yet. We will be soon.”

“I should marry you. You’re pretty.”

“Thank you, sweetie.”

“I hit the jackpot, like woah.” He remarked, and she kissed his cheek.

“So did I.”

He saw a lock of her hair hanging down and began to stroke it. “Pretty.”

She giggled. “Oh, baby, you are high as a kite right now.”

He started humming, and it took her a moment to realize he was humming “Let’s Go Fly A Kite”.

“Mama, I wanna fly a kite now.”

“You wanna fly a kite?”

“I wanna tie a string around myself and fly around space.”

“You wanna fly around space? But I’d miss you if you did that!”

His face crumpled and he started to cry again. “I don’t want to.”

“Well you’re not going to fly a kite today, so it’s okay."

“What?”

“You’re staying in bed today, so it’s alright.”

"I love you."

"I love you too, sweet boy.”

“Sweet? Am I… Am I made of candy? Oh my god… I don’t want to be a jawbreaker!”

“You’re not a jawbreaker, Light."

“Am I a mountain?”

“What?”

“Like the song. Am I the candy mountain?”

“Sweetie-“

“Sing me the song, Mama.”

“What song?”

“The candy song.”

“Big Rock Candy Mountain?”

“Sing!”

She smiled, and obliged him.

"One evening as the sun went down

And the jungle fire was burning,

Down the track came a hobo hiking,

And he said, "Boys, I'm not turning

I'm headed for a land that's far away

Beside the crystal fountains

So come with me, we'll go and see

The Big Rock Candy Mountains

In the Big Rock Candy Mountains,

There's a land that's fair and bright-“

“Mama are we going to the fair?"

“What?”

“I wanna go to the fair and win a fish.”

“You want to win a fish?”

“His name will be Norbert.”

“Norbert?"

“He’s gonna be like the best swimmer. Oh my god, we could swim in the ocean.”

“You’re gonna swim in the ocean?”

“We’re gonna see a mermaid."

“A mermaid?”

“She’s gonna be my girlfriend.”

“She is? What about me?”

He gave a horrified gasp. “I forgot! I’m sorry, Mama!”

“It’s okay, sweetie.”

“I can’t replace you.”

“I know that. It’s okay.”

Light went back to humming so she used her free arm to open the duffel bag beside her chair. “Light, do you want to see Bobo?”

“Bobo?”

“Bobo.” She nodded. She pulled him out, and Light gasped and held him.

“Bobo! You’re here! Oh my god, Mama brought you here by magic.” He looked up at her. “Mama, are you a magic witch?”

She giggled. “No, baby, I’m not.”

“That’s like something a witch would say. Prove you aren’t a witch and count backward from ten.”

“Ten, nine, eight, seven, six, five, four, three, two, one.”

“Okay. You’re not a witch.” He nodded. “Oh my goooood.” He said, pulling Bobo close. “Bobo’s so sooooft. Did you- Did you know how soft he was? Like a cloud.”

“Yes, Bobo is very soft.”

“Soooo soft.”

“Are you thirsty?” She asked.

“Yeeeees.”

“Alright. I’ll have a doctor come and see if you can have something.”

She hit the “Call doctor” button at his bedside. 

“I wanna go dancing.”

“You want to what?"

“I wanna dance. Like that guy on TV."

“What guy?”

“Hideous.”

“Hideous? You mean Hideki?”

“Yeah, Hideous. I wanna daaaaance.”

“Well, no dancing today. Maybe in a few days we’ll go dancing.”

“You can’t stop me!” He said, trying to lift himself up.

“No, baby. You need to stay in bed.” She said, gently pushing him down.

“But dance-“

“We’ll dance in a few days, I promise. Just lay down for me.”

“Mmmmmmkaaaaay.”

The Doctor came in. “Hello Mr. Yagami.”

Light turned to him blearily. “Who are you?”

“My name is Doctor Nakamura. How are you feeling?”

“What are you doing in my spaceship?”

“You’re in the hospital. You just had your appendix removed.”

“What?”

“We successfully removed your appendix.”

“My appendix? Oh my god, are you experimenting on me? Are you an alien? I don’t wanna stay trapped in space! I wanna go home!” He said, starting to cry.

“Shhh. Sweetie, you’re not in space, he’s not an alien, and it’s alright.” Misa said. She looked to the doctor. “He wanted to know if he could have something to drink.”

“How long has he been awake?”

“An hour.”

“Give it one more hour and then he can have some water.”

“Okay. Thank you.” She smiled.

“Certainly.” He nodded. He went about checking Light’s vital signs, making sure everything was stable, before going out of the room.

Misa then turned her focus back to Light, who was fiddling with Bobo’s ear and sniffling. “Baby?”

“Hmmmmmm?”

“I think it’s sleepy time for you.”

“No it’s not. It’s the end of time.”

“Oh really?”

“Uh huuuuh.”

“Then I guess you need to get your sleep before time ends, don’t you?”

“Yeah.”

“Alright then. Into bed.” She said, helping him lay more properly on the pillow. “Do you want your pacifier?”

“I want a lollipop.”

“Do you want your pacifier?”

“I want to hear you sing.”

“Alright. Close your eyes for me and I’ll sing.”

He did so, very slowly, and she, as promised, began to sing. Soon, very soon, she heard his steady breathing, and smiled. It was going to be a very long day, but she was glad to at least have some funny memories to carry her through it.

Just then, Ryuk came back, having eaten his fill of Apples. “What did I miss?”

Miss just smiled at him. “A whole lot of craziness.”