Chapter 1: Friends

Light had very mixed feelings at the moment.

He was finally freed from confinement in that small jail cell. Immediately after being freed, however, he found himself in the back of a car with his father waving a gun at his head! It had turned out to be an act orchestrated by L, and while that was a relief, he couldn't help being angry at all they had put him through. Wasn't being confined for months enough? Wasn't putting him at the receiving end of his father's scary charade enough? Apparently it wasn't, because as soon as he arrived at the investigation headquarters he found himself being handcuffed to L.

"Ryuuzaki, why is this necessary? I'm obviously not Kira." Light argued.

"Light, until I feel absolutely convinced of that, I will not let you out of my sight. Therefore, you will just need to deal with this," L answered.

Light's face fell as he realized his freedom truly wasn't restored. Oh well. At least he would truly be able to work on the Kira case now.

One day after a particularly disastrous date with Misa, L and Light sat together at their computers poring over data from the case. The date had taken away a lot of their energy due to Light and L fighting, Misa complaining a lot, and Light giving L a pep talk. Neither one of them felt like talking, but Light had to ask L something, even though he had a feeling he already knew the answer.

"Ryuuzaki, I know we need to keep Misa under supervision and surveillance, but since I've already told you I won't use her to investigate the Second Kira, do we really need to continue going on dates with her?" Light asked.

L blinked, looking surprised. "Of course we do. Otherwise she'll just hassle Matsuda to take her to headquarters every day just to see you. That would be a big distraction and nuisance. It's best to have these weekly dates to keep her satisfied rather than have her bothering us while we're trying to work."

"I understand that, but if I just break up with her then not only would we not have to go on these dates, we also wouldn't have to worry about her coming over and bothering us. I doubt she'd want to see me if I tell her once and for all that I'm not interested."

To tell the truth, Light couldn't even remember why he had agreed to a relationship with Misa to begin with. He found her stupid, annoying, whiny, shallow, and boring. On top of all that, he was too busy to have a girlfriend. How was he supposed to be a college student, an investigator, and a boyfriend all at the same time? No, it was just pointless to even pretend with her anymore, especially now that he had to catch Kira. I just don't like people. Especially not dumb people. Or boring people. Pretty much everyone in the world. I guess I'm just not a people person. Oh well. At least I'm good at acting like one…

"Light? Light! Pay attention! You want to break up with Misa? I thought you said you didn't want to mess around with people's hearts." L looked confused.

"I don't and that's exactly why I should break up with her. I really can't stand her, to tell the truth. It's not fair to lead her on like this." Light reasoned with L.

L paused, with a strange look on his face. Light was unable to read him sometimes. Finally he responded.

"Hmm, you are right. Then, if you want to break up with her, go ahead, but please inform her that that still does not change our role in her day to day activities. She still needs to live at headquarters and Matsuda will still be her manager." L's tone had changed from slight confusion to something close to sympathy.

"Try to be nice when you do it. I'm sure she will be distraught beyond belief. If there's one thing I concluded for sure during your confinement, it's that Misa really does love you. I doubt she will ever recover from heartbreak, if you go through with it. Try to break it to her gently, if you must."

"Ok, then." Whew, that's a relief, Light thought. But why does he care so much about how Misa feels?

L was right. Misa did not take it very well at all. In fact, Matsuda reported in the following days that she had refused three high-profile leading roles and hadn't eaten for several days. After a week of worrying about Misa, Matsuda finally reported to the team that she had gradually started answering her friends' phone calls, accepting roles, and eating again. Although it was rough, it looked like she was on the path to recovery. Matsuda had an explanation for her astonishing turnaround.

"It looks like she's just resorted to treating Light like he's an unattainable movie-star! There are blown-up pictures of him everywhere and whenever she talks about him, she acts like she's never even met him before!" Matsuda informed them.

"That is just her way of dealing with heartbreak, I suppose." As crazy a method as it is… L thought. "At least she will be able to cope with it now."

"I'm just glad it's all over," Light piped up.

"Light, maybe you should reconsider. Misa is an adorable girl, after all," Matsuda replied defensively.

"If you think she's so cute, maybe you should go out with her, Matsuda," Light retorted.

Matsuda blushed. "I could never do that. It's obvious how much she loves you. I doubt she'll ever get over it. Besides, I'm too old for her."

"Not really, Matsuda. I think Light is onto something," L chimed in, giving Light a sidelong glance. Light also thought he noticed a smile, but no, that was too unlike L. He was probably imagining things, he reasoned.

Weeks had passed and while Light had restored L's hope and motivation somewhat, he still couldn't help but notice L's lingering moodiness.

"Ryuuzaki, are you still disheartened by the fact that I'm not Kira?" Light asked while looking at L twirling his coffee spoon.

"No, I just wish I could find another lead. At least when I thought you were Kira, I was happy because there was so much to go on. You're Japanese, a student, related to a police officer in the investigation team, and on top of that, when I met you, you had the exact personality that I pictured Kira having." L sighed.

"Now I have nothing."

Light looked at him with a mixture of pity and annoyance. "I thought I was your first friend, though. Why would you be happy thinking I'm Kira?"

L turned to him, surprised and nibbling on his thumb. "You are my friend." He gave a rare smile then. "Maybe it is better that you aren't him after all, Light."

L turned away again and resumed typing away furiously on his keyboard. Light stared at him, at a loss for words. He never expected L to actually agree with him. He honestly thought the whole "friend" thing was just a facade that L put on in order to get close to him and find out if he was Kira. To tell the truth, it made Light a little happier to know that he wasn't completely being lied to. After all, L was the first person Light felt he could truly relate to. He was also the only interesting person Light had ever met. He could actually respect L and admire him rather than look down at him like he did to everyone else. No one else in this world seemed to match him in smarts; only L. Light had many "friends" at school, but he never really liked any of them. It was starting to become clear to Light that L could truly be the first person he enjoyed spending time with. Not just that; he also felt a sort of appreciation for L. Almost like he was a member of his family.

He was sure that he'd never had feelings for anyone other than the 3 members of his family, so that must be it. L was like a brother to him. It alarmed Light slightly that he actually had come to care for someone who had so cruelly confined, tricked, and suspected him for so long. Unfortunately, the situation was that despite all that, Light genuinely liked L and as long as L returned those feelings as he claimed he did, then Light could live with it. I suppose I can, anyway…

"I thought this would all end quickly once you joined the task force. You were so eager, I was so sure of myself, and everything seemed to be so perfectly in place. What happened?" L asked Light one evening while staring out of their bedroom window gloomily.

"You still remember the dream we had that day, don't you?" Light answered with a question.

"What day?"

"The day you let me join the task force," Light answered. "Both of us had the same dream, didn't we? To catch Kira. I was so mad at him for putting my father through so much stress. Remember our phones ringing at the same time?"

L looked at Light with a long face. "That was frightening, wasn't it? I thought for sure that Kira had killed him. Who knew Kira had so much indirect influence over our lives? I'm getting pretty tired of chasing a ghost."

Light was worried. He thought that the fist-fight he'd had with L the other day had ended the detectives pessimism. "Don't worry Ryuuzaki, we can still catch him. We know he's out there somewhere, and that he's human. He will be caught, and we will be the ones to catch him. Stop being so pessimistic, please."

"All right, Light. I'll try to be motivated again, if it will make you happy. Good night"

And with that, L turned the light off and climbed back to his computer desk, leaving Light on the bed wondering when this would all be over.

When Light was trying to cheer L up, he just wanted the motivated, relentless, and cocky detective to come back. Rather than sharing his motivation with L, however, it seemed he'd just given it all away.

"Maybe we should take a break", Light suggested after they had been at work non-stop for a whole week.

"Light, if we take a break do you think Kira will take a break from murdering?" L replied obnoxiously.

"No, of course not, but we never stop! The rest of the team sleeps, eats, and has free time. Meanwhile, I'm stuck on a chain with you and the only time you ever stop is to sleep for about 4 hours. How do you live like this? Is this how you always work?!" Light asked, exasperated.

"Yes, it is; for this case, anyway. I've never had to work so hard in my life because all the cases I've had up until now have been a piece of cake compared to this. Speaking of cake, can you hand me a slice off of the cart behind you?" L asked.

Light handed him a piece of chocolate mousse cake with a strawberry on top. L resumed.

"If I am able to eat while working, then I shall. If I can work at full potential with only 4 hours of sleep, then I shall. Truth be told, I wish I did not require any sleep, but then of course that is not possible. On top of that, I don't know what I would do with free time even if I wanted it. " L waved his fork in the air.

"I'd probably just be too busy thinking about the case to have fun. Honestly, I think working on the case is my version of fun. Aren't you having fun, Light?"

No, I'm being suffocated by this. And you're driving me crazy with your idea of fun, Light thought. Instead of saying those words aloud, he said, "Ryuuzaki, I find police work to be intellectually stimulating, and the Kira case is the most interesting case anyone could ask for. BUT, I really think we need a break from all this. It might help us rejuvenate and when we return to work, we might have a fresh perspective on things. Why don't we at least go out with the team to a restaurant or bar, or maybe just go to my house for dinner. My mom is a great cook. I actually miss my sister, too. For gods sake, let's just get out of this building, at least!"

"Light, I don't understand. If you wanted to be entertained, then why did you break up with Misa?" L inquired.

"That wasn't entertainment; that was torture! Besides, I thought you were glad that everything was so peaceful lately!" Light was getting very frustrated. He didn't want entertainment, necessarily, he just wanted to refuel; to relax and look at things over again from a new perspective. This case wasn't going anywhere at the moment.

"I was glad", L replied. "And I still am. YOU are the one who's complaining about the state of things. Not me."

Light didn't have a reply. He just crossed his arms and stared angrily at L.

L looked at him kindly and sighed. He is so childish sometimes. "All right, Light. When I was going through a rough time you helped me get motivated again. I guess it's only fair that I return the favor. If you are really that frustrated and bored, then I suppose we can take a break. I have a beach house in Okinawa that we can all go to for a few days. I will of course continue working, but since we are chained together, I will accompany you and bring my laptop. That way we both win. You get a break, and I get to continue working on the case."

Light looked at L, taken aback. "You have a beach house? You actually go out in the sun?"

L looked at Light, with a seriously aggravated expression. Eyes narrowed, he answered him.

"Yes. I get sunburned easily, so I don't stay out too long, but yes, I am able to enjoy sunlight in small doses, Light."

Light backed down, smiling. "Sorry, sorry, I was just joking! Ryuuzaki, thanks, I think that would be a great idea."

Although L was paler than snow, Light actually thought his complexion was almost angelic. He would never say that out loud, of course. I bet his skin is softer than any girls', what with him never going outside. He probably stays inside while he's at the beach, too. Weirdo.

L interrupted Light's random thoughts. "I will inform Watari and ask him to make the arrangements."

L got up and Light followed him, excited for the first time in a very long time. This was definitely a needed reward for having to endure confinement, suspicion, a crazy girlfriend, a terrifying act by his father, and above all, having to be chained to another man for an indefinite amount of time. Yes, Light was finally starting to feel like god (if he even existed) wasn't totally trying to ruin his life.

"I'm holding a drop of time in my hands…"