Dammit, Rem. It was supposed to be L.
Light tried to make a quick job of gathering supplies from the hideout. After all, he was sure the rest of the gang had heard their leader's struggle, and he didn't know their names. It had never really occurred to him that L had made other enemies in the past. It had seemed even less likely that those enemies would attack L in his sleep. The slumped over form of his unconscious companion suggested that L hadn't expected it either. His bruised and battered body made him look so helpless.
So this is the L I've been fighting all this time.
L.
L Lawliet.
Rem's dying words still echoed in Light's mind. He finally had L's real name.
"Hey!" a call came from around the corner.
Light lifted Ryuuzaki onto his back and ran into the snow covered wilderness. He slowed down once he was sure no one was following him, and focused on trudging through the snow.
They really don't want to make escape easy…
Light's knees gave out, and he dropped Ryuuzaki and the supplies into the snow.
I can't carry this much, and leaving Ryuuzaki just isn't an option.
Light stood up again, this time without the supplies. He heaved Ryuuzaki up the mountainside until he found a small alcove to take shelter in. He slumped down and tried to find of bit of warmth. The world began to blur around the edges.
No! I'm going to become God. God can't die so easily!
Ryuuzaki looked whiter than usual.
No way! If I can't lie down and die then you can't either!
Light hugged Ryuuzaki to himself, trying to share what little body heat he had left. After sitting like that for a while, Ryuuzaki's breathing eased. Light tried to pick him up again, and fell hard on his back. L was strewn across his chest.
This is somehow your fault.
Light's stomach growled. He knew he wasn't going anywhere without something to eat. All he had was the death note and Ryuuzaki…
No. I will not resort to cannibalism.
That left…
The death note never runs out of pages.
Light got the page he'd torn out a little wet in the snow, and nibbled on it hesitantly. It didn't taste like paper. It almost tasted sweet. His stomach growled again, but he knew he would have to wait and see how it settled. After deluding himself into thinking he'd eaten, he lifted Ryuuzaki onto his shoulders and trudged back through the storm. About twenty minutes later, Light fell to his knees and wretched up his poorly thought out lunch.
What was I thinking?
Light turned back to Ryuuzaki. He was blue.
Did he die while I was carrying him?
Light tripped over to him and lifted him out of the snow.
No! You can't die now! Please!
"Ryuuzaki!" he screamed. He didn't respond. Light checked his pulse. Alive. Not breathing.
"Ryuuzaki!" he slapped him. No response.
"L Lawliet!"
Nothing. Light was loosing hope. This couldn't be happening.
"You know," Light said weakly, "There's this bakery in downtown Kanto, and they have the best desserts, but I never got to take you there, so see you can't die now…"
Light sobbed into L's chest.
"You were right, you know. I really am Kira."
He was willing to try anything.
"How come we never got around to another tennis match?"
His crying was echoing off the mountainside.
"When you first put these handcuffs on, do you remember what Misa said?" he rocked L in his arms, "I was hoping she was right. I think I love you…"
L coughed in a shaky breath. His eyelids fluttered open.
How much did he hear…?
"I thought you were…" Light hugged him. L coughed again.
"What's wrong?" Light looked at him.
"Sugar…"
Really? He's worried about sugar?
Realization hit him like a ton of bricks.
Of course! With the level of sugar he consumes, his body would be completely dependant on it! Withdrawal here isn't going to be the same as Ryuk doing funny handstands. L's body is shutting down. When was the last time he…
"L," Light said softly, "I'm going to get us out of here. It's going to be okay."
Ryuuzaki moaned softly. Light picked him up, bridal style this time. Ryuuzaki huddled against Light, clinging onto the warmth. After about five minutes, Light had to put him down and wretch again, although he didn't have anything left in his stomach. They repeated this drill for about a mile.
"Light…" Ryuuzaki said while Light dry heaved.
"Shut up," Light said weakly, "You're worse off than I am."
"But…" Ryuuzaki reached a hand over, trying to comfort his companion.
"I'm fine," Light said, deciding he had finished for the time being.
"You're sick," L put his hand in Light's.
"No I'm not," Light said, taking L into his arms again and standing up, "I just did something stupid."
L didn't question this. He wasn't sure he had the energy to do so. He let his eyelids fall, and he drifted into an uneasy sleep.
"L…" Light's voice sounded uneasy. L blinked.
"Can I have my finger back?" Light asked him. Ryuuzaki released Light's finger, realizing he had been chewing on it. Light wiped his index finger on his jacket, leaving a trail of red liquid.
"I am so sorry," Ryuuzaki apologized.
"There's a natural sugar in blood," Light murmured, "Every bit counts."
"How long did you let me…"
"As long as I could take it," he said honestly.
"Light," Ryuuzaki said, "If you…"
L cradled his chained hand, as if to say goodbye to it. Light's eyes widened.
"No!" he yelled, "Even if we had the key, we're staying together. Don't even think like that!"
"Light," Ryuuzaki pleaded, "The odds of my getting out of this alive are -"
"I don't want to hear it!" Light's yell echoed for miles, "I wouldn't cut your hand off to get out of these even if you were already dead!"
"Why…" L gazed up at him.
"Because there's this one bakery in Kanto, and you're not allowed to die until I take you there!"
A solitary tear slid down L's face.
"L," Light said, "What are you crying for?"
"It's just…" L buried his face in Light's chest.
"What?" Light sank to his knees, still holding L above the snow.
"It's just," he turned and faced Light, "I never thought, in all my wildest dreams, that you'd feel the same way."
"Ryuuzaki…" Light murmured.
"I wasn't sure if I dreamed it or you actually said it," he said, staring into Light's eyes, "But Light?"
"What?" Light asked quietly.
"I think," his cheeks turned an unfamiliar shade of pink, "That I love you, too."
Light leaned over and kissed L on the forehead, "You heard that, huh?"
"Was I not supposed to?" L asked innocently.
"L," Light whispered, holding him close, "Listen to me. We're going to make it out of this alive."
L looked away from him, "We'll freeze if we don't get moving again."
Light gathered his strength and stood again, trying for all he was worth not to fall down. He kept walking until he noticed a tree with its roots above the snow.
"Hey," Light said, "Ryuuzaki?"
"What?" he looked up.
"Roots are edible, aren't they?"
"I'd say it's worth the risk."
Light made his way carefully down the slope to the tree, being extremely careful not to loose his footing. He put Ryuuzaki down against a root parallel to the sloping ground.
"Don't move," Light said, "Or our whole operation's going to go downhill fast."
"Literally," Ryuuzaki added. Light smirked and peeled off a piece of bark. He tasted it.
It's sweet! I have to look this up when we get back.
Light handed it to Ryuuzaki eagerly. He took it, nibbled on it hesitantly, and then started to eat it faster.
"Ryuuzaki," Light moved next to him, placing a hand on his back, "I know it's hard, but you have to take it slowly. You'll make yourself sick otherwise."
L didn't say anything, but he slowed down all the same.
"Maybe," L glanced up at Light, "After we wait a while, I could try walking?"
"We'll try after we're off the slope," Light told him.
He doesn't look like he could even stand up…
"We should take some of this with us," Light said, looking at the roots. They began stuffing their pockets with everything they could.
"I think that jacket has pockets on the inside," Light said.
"Thanks for getting me this, by the way," Ryuuzaki gestured at the jacket he was wearing.
"Can I, er…" Light pointed.
"Yeah," Ryuuzaki responded. Light unzipped his jacket. Sure enough, there were pockets on the inside as well.
Light helped L stuff the pockets full, and accidentally hit L L's torso in the process. It was hard. Light ran his hand over L's diaphragm, letting his fingers bump over each of the clearly defined ribs.
"You're starving," Light murmured.
L removed his hand, "I'll be alright."
CRACK!
The sound of splintering wood filled the air as L and Light tumbled down the mountain. Light tried desperately to hold onto something. He finally got hold of a boulder, cutting his hands in the process. However, his hands were the least of his worries. The cuff around his wrist was slack. He turned, afraid of what he might see.