Misa Amane stared at he phone, dithering helplessly. She wanted to talk to Light, wanted him to want to talk to her. He hardly ever called her anymore, and cut her short when she suggested they meet up. "I'm not going to call him. He can ring me if he wants." she thought huffily, turning up her stereo to maximum volume and slamming her box of nail polish down on her desk, applying a fresh coat of deep blood red over her long, perfectly shaped nails.

Light had been weird recently. All he did was hole up in the Task Force Headquarters, chained to that freak Ryuzaki.

"Bet they're just.. just.. gay for each other ." Misa burst out crossly, and then giggled at the very idea. It was hard to believe Ryuzaki even had genitals never mind any active sexuality. She blew absent-mindedly on her sticky nails, still laughing inwardly. Light and Ryuzaki. She smiled at the absurdity of it all.

As these thoughts were running through Misa's pretty blonde head, L sat gazing at Light, who was sleeping contentedly, giving little soft snores every now and again. He stroked the boys tousled hair, and decided to allow him sleep for once.

A mere ten minutes passed, and L was considerably less patient. He wanted Light to be awake whenever he was. Which, incidentally was most of the time. The detective sighed and lay down again, fidgeting restlessly with the bedclothes, percentages and probabilities whirring around his active mind, making sleep an impossibility.

His thoughts wandered to his original plan. When his feelings for Light had begun to develop, L thought they could be, perhaps, used to his own advantage. The boy was still not cleared completely of suspicion, and if there was some way, he could somehow force a confession, wouldn't the easiest way, surely, be to heartlessly exploit Lights own emotions and sexual urges?

L was ruthless when it came to his job, something which, combined with his intelligence had led to his success. But somehow, it was hard for him. Each time he tried to push the boy away, put himself back in the driving seat, so to speak, he had been tripped up by his own feelings and had fallen headlong into Lights lap. His mind worked furiously, and he chewed hard on his own fingernails, trying to solve this latest problem which had been presented to him. L needed this confession. And he would get it, even if it killed him.

He chewed harder, and was suddenly pulled from his thoughts by a sharp burst of pain in his left thumb. He watched disinterestedly as a droplet of scarlet blood rolled lazily over his nail and splashed Lights wrist. Mesmerized he watched drop after drop spatter the boys pale hands, enjoying the contrast of crimson on white.

It was nine thirty, as the sun grew brighter in the sky, casting pale, chilly sunlight through the thin curtains. Light awoke and sat up, rubbing his eyes sleepily.

"Good morning, Light-kun." came L's voice, monotone and expressionless, breaking the spell of sleep.

"Morning." the boy yawned loudly, stretching. His gaze fell upon his companion, who lay completely still on his side, staring up at this ceiling. It was odd seeing L without his usual outfit of cotton and denim. His bare chest and arms were eerily pale, contrasting with his jet hair, lending him a curiously ethereal, immortal air. The bones of his rib-cage and elbows showed alarmingly through his papery skin. He appeared scrawny and childlike, this unsubstantial frame seeming an unlikely host to that brilliant mind. Lying there, he looked like a solemn, marble statue, an angel on a tombstone. L looked and behaved like a child in many ways, but those serious dark eyes, which always seemed too large in his pale, pointed face, held unmistakable depth and knowledge. He was wise beyond his years, and yet somehow far too young to be facing Kira, tangled up in this intricate battle against death.

Light watched at the detective with a new affection, wanting to shield him from all harm.

"Light-kun." L's eyes did not move from the ceiling. "Please stop staring at me. It makes me most uncomfortable."

"Oh. Right. Sorry." the teenager averted his gaze, a slight flush creeping up his neck. He had presumed L to be oblivious to being watched. He looked down.

"Why the hell am I covered in blood?" he held up his stained hand, a shrill note of panic in his voice, and drops rolled down his arms on to the crisp sheets.

"Oh, that." L continued to study the ceiling. He held up his cut thumb expressionlessly. "Allow me to help you with that." He sat up, his face deadpan, and took hold of his wrist. Bringing it to his mouth, L stuck out his pink, pointed tongue and licked the length of his arm, much like the way he licked lollipops.

Blood stained his mouth, making him look astonishingly beautiful, his black eyes deep and unreadable. Light felt queasy.

Am I getting to you Light-kun? his eyes were saying. I know you're a murderer. You're hands are already awash with the blood of hundreds of prisoners, if only you knew my name, your biggest obstacle would be gone. You could admit to me, to yourself, that you are a monster. You are Kira.

The room began to spin, his vision blurring slightly. What was happening to him? He knew L was not really saying these things, they were the workings of his own brain. The teenager struggled to quiet the voice in his head, shaken to his core.

"That's disgusting." Light reprimanded faintly, clumsily pulling his arm sharply out of L's cold grasp.

He wasn't Kira. He knew that. But.. Something didn't feel right. He needed to clear his head.

He went to get out of bed, L tugged suddenly at his wrist. "Wait, Light-kun." Light turned and was met half way by the detective, sinking in to the kiss which was all too welcome.

When they both fell back against the pillows again, panting and sweaty, Light spoke.

"Ryuzaki?"

"Yes?"

".. Do you still think I'm Kira?"

L did not hesitate. "Yes, Light-kun. There is between two and three per cent chance that you are Kira."

"Oh." Light was hurt, but somewhere, deep inside he felt.. worried.

"I am not going to lie to you, even if we are involved. My job always comes first. Now, come, we must get up.

"I'm tired."

"I'm not."

"Oh, and if you don't want to sleep nobody else can, right?"

L smiled a chilly, unpracticed smile. "Precisely."

As he dressed, Lights eyes fixed on the deep red stain on the sheets. Unnerved, he tore his gaze away from it and left the room.

The office was buzzing, everybody working hard. Everybody, that is apart from Matsuda, who was banished to the menial task of sorting documents into their correct folders. L was in foul humor and Light was equally subdued. The detective was crouching on his seat, moodily sipping tea and barking out orders.

At one thirty, Aizawa announced crossly that he was going for lunch would anybody like to join him? Matsuda and Mogi rose eagerly to leave, hurrying to leave behind the dense atmosphere in the office for an hour.

Light stood up to leave also. L showed no sign of moving. He stayed where he was, swinging slightly on his chair, meticulously coating a lollipop in sugar and licking it off with the same tongue which had, hours earlier, sucked his own blood from Lights arm.

The teenager sighed and sat back down. Chief Yagami noticed.

"Coming, Light?" he asked loudly. L did not stir.

"No, I guess not." he answered. "It's okay, you go on without me."

The Chief looked from his son to the detective. There was something between them. Something he could not quite detect. Whatever it was, he did not approve of them spending so much time alone together. Before he knew it, Light would too have a vendetta against shoes and socks, or terrible posture. Soichiro Yagami believed Ryuzaki was a bad influence. Sighing, he followed the others out the door.
The two were alone. Wordlessly, L ambled over, dropped a lollipop in the teenagers lap and returned to his seat.

Light eyed it with disgust. "So this is your idea of lunch, right?"

"Mmm."

"Did it never occur to you that I may have wanted to go out?"

"Mmm."

"Are you listening to me?"

"Mmm."

"Nice to know I have your full attention."

Silence.

"You know, some people might be offended by your blatant disinterest.."

L began to type.

"Do you want more tea?"

The tapping of the keyboard grew more insistent.

"I'll take your silence as a yes." Light continued, pouring tea for both of them.

The detective promptly added six spoonfuls of sugar to his cup and stirred thoughtfully, the spoon clinking gently against the china.

"I guess no answer means yes, then. Are you the worlds worst detective?" Silence.

Eyeing L, the teenager chuckled, enjoying the sheer ridiculousness of his game.

"Are you going to obey my every command?" L again, failed to reply.

The older man carefully set his teacup back on the table and unfolded his legs. He padded across the tiled floor on his unclad feet, dragging Light with him. Exiting the office, he headed for the first floor bathrooms.

As they entered the bathroom, Light lagging behind, he called laughingly. "Great, I'm in complete control."

L suddenly turned on his heel and slammed the boy to the wall, kissing him furiously, as though channeling all his restrained aggression into that one kiss. Stony hands gripped Lights neck, nails digging hard into the soft skin.

Light gasped for air, trying to wrench his face away from the violent attack. "Ryuzaki!" he panted, struggling with the crazed detective.

"What're you-"

"What am I doing, Light-kun?" L's breathing was ragged, his voice contorted into a malicious whisper and he kissed his way down his face and across his throat, licking, kissing, biting the sensitive skin, and it fucking hurt, Light thought, but it felt so good too-

"I am showing you," L continued. "That you are never in control. You are chained to me, don't you understand?" He looped the chain round and round Lights wrist, pulling it tighter as he spoke. "You are my prisoner. And that is how it will stay."

He moved down suddenly, cold fingers at the waistband of Lights trousers.

Minutes later, L casually wiped his mouth on the sleeve of his shirt, staring at Light, who was slumped against the wall, breathing hard.

"That was interesting." he remarked blandly.

"Interesting.. would be.. one word for it.." the teenager struggled to regulate his breathing.

"Hmm. Well, there is work to be done. Come along, Light-kun."

Five minutes later, the rest of the Task Force arrived back from lunch, Matsuda chattering and laughing too loudly. L fixed him with a glare that would melt metal.

Chief Yagami noted how Light deliberately looked everywhere but except at the Ryuzaki, noticed the red flush to his cheeks and his slightly tousled hair.

In that moment, something clicked, so to speak. An unwelcome realization hit, and the Chief did not like it. He did not like it one bit.

x x x

This chapter, has literally been the bane of my existence for the past few days. I had planned to update last night, so I spent two hours finishing the chapter, with plenty of content. I posted it, and realised (because I'm pretty fickle) that I didn't like what I had done. So, I erased a good half of the chapter, saved that writing for a different chapter, and wrote that saucy little bathroom scene.. xD Anyways, I hope you enjoyed this, thank you so much for reading! Don't forget to leave a review! Have a good week, guys, talk to you all soon.

- Dee. x