Author's Note: This is my first "Death Note" fanfiction. It is written first-person through the eyes of L.

It's raining. I upturned my pale face towards the darkening heavens, closing my tired eyes as cool droplets of water splashed against my face. Everything around me seemed to dissipate in to nothingness, a familiar feeling of absolute loneliness cloaking my world and I in its dismal sensations. You would have thought that an enigmatic being such as myself would be used to this dreadful state, but Light had managed to pull me out of its depressing depths in to a new world, a world that I assumed everyone else lived in. I had grown accustomed to this new, brighter universe, where I worked all day with an actual friend, Light, and life was sweeter than any of the sugar-laden cakes Watari served me. Although the work was increasingly morbid and I had suspected that Light was the culprit all along, it was still a hell of a lot more enjoyable than the days I had spent working alone in my office, hunched over a pile of seemingly-endless police reports and a platter of Japanese delicacies.

Even though I was thrilled to solve the Kira case, I still considered it a shame that I had happened upon the information that would ultimately result in the execution of Light Yagami, my only true friend. Suddenly, a recklessly loud voice pierced through my clouded world, traveling a great distance in order to reverberate through my ears, making itself known. The words were indecipherable, their meaning lost in the deafening splatter of rain upon cement. I turned, looking through my dripping bangs to see who interrupted my thoughts. I wasn't angry, but grateful. A man left alone with his thoughts is often a madman, something that I knew for certain I didn't want to become. My eccentricities were enough; I did not need additional abnormalities in my carefully-constructed routine of life. After a bit of squinting against the freezing water droplets obstructing my view, I realized that it was Light Yagami himself who had spoken. An unusual, painful feeling began spreading over my body, like a blow to the chest. Light had no way of knowing that he would be executed within the hour. Could this feeling be guilt? Perhaps dread? I stared down at my bare feet, water gliding down their long surfaces and sliding to become one with the growing puddle surrounding my tall figure. It seemed as if everything on Earth, living or not, desired to be a part of some sort of group, to join others like them in different functions.

Through my thoughts, I could still hear the incoherent exclamations of Light Yagami, waiting patiently by the door leading back in to the building we refer to as "Headquarters". For a moment, I could not bring myself to meet his brown eyes, the eyes that I knew widened when innocent and squinted when their possessor was not pure of heart. I had seen this transformation in Light not too long ago, when he was held in an isolation cell under surveillance for days on end. It was almost as if his mindset had changed completely.

Feeling as if I could not ignore his cries for much longer, I lifted my head and cupped one large, over-grown hand to my ear, showing that I could not understand him. Something similar to irritation showed in his face, and, after attempting once more to get my attention, he finally joined me in the pouring rain. I am not exactly sure what I did during the moments that followed, only that it resulted in my joining the killer back in the building, where I proceeded to assist him in drying off, as it was my fault he had become soaked.

Only a few minutes later we were back in our usual investigation room, joining a few others who had helped in attempting to solve the Kira case over the years. A few words were said, and, before I knew it, both Watari and I were lying on the floor, a horrid pain flooding my chest. I looked up, but my vision was clouded with tears and pain. Light was soon by my side, his face first expressing a look of concern, but then, when no one was watching, it was replaced by a look of devilish pleasure. Words could not express the feelings souring through my body, the pain I was in, or my confusion. Even though it was Light's fault that I had fallen victim to his hellish games, I knew in my heart that I could not hate him. He was such a truly interesting individual, his mindset so much like mine, yet so different. I caught one last glimpse of the cruel sneer upon his features before slipping in to unconsciousness, the world slowly ebbing away. It was replaced by a white world of nothingness, something so very similar to the loneliness I had felt my whole life. Now all I had to do was wait for Light to join me.

Author's Note: I'm sorry that the paragraph structure isn't the best, but I'm used to creating a new paragraph every time a character speaks, and there was no dialogue in this short story. Regardless, I hope that you enjoyed reading this! Instructive criticism, corrections, questions, and reviews are all welcome! Also, I'd like to thank "XStrawberryDuckFeathersX" for bringing my attention to an error within this short story and for suggesting a sequel idea. I intend to write this sequel as soon as possible, but, as I am often pressed for time, it may be awhile before I get around to posting it.