Hey, this is my first Death Note fanfic... and well, my first story on fanfiction. Please read the warnings before reading as this sort of thing isn't for everyone, and if you flame me I will just say; "I told you so."

**WARNINGS**

This is rated "M" for a reason, it contains Yaoi, Non-Con, as well as blood, torture, and teen angst. So if this isn't your thing please click the back button on your browser.

This is set during the Yotsuba arc, although there is some AU involved as well.

So, if you're still with me, then on with the story!

*edit* April 12, 2009*

Walking Contradiction

"Did your parents have a problem with candy when you were a child?" Light's honey brown eyes flicked to the detective's in question.

L looked over his spoon that held neatly stacked sugar cubes.

"And what kind of problem would that be, Light-kun?"

Light sighed, leaning back in his chair, and running his fingers through his hair. "Oh, like ban it from you, make it restrictly off limits. You seem like the kind of person to hold a grudge and rebel like…" he gestured to the cubes of sugar now stacked precariously on L's spoon, "that."

L let his spoon tilt and all the sugar cubes fell into his tea with a loud splash.

"I don't have parents, Light kun." L said emotionless, not looking up.

"You… you… don't… I..I'm sorry." Light stammered, quite shocked.

"It's quite alright." L replied in that same monotone voice.

There was an awkward moment between the two, the only sound being the clink of L's spoon as he stirred the sugar cubes in.

L broke the silence first. "I guess it's alright if you know," he said quietly, weighing his words. "My parents got into a car accident when I was very young. I don't remember them."

"But… then –"

"Yes," L interrupted, "I am an orphan."

"I'm sorry." Was all Light could think to say.

L brushed him off, standing up and beckoning Light to as well. "Come, break is over, it's time to work." Light nodded slowly and got to his feet. He wordlessly followed L out the room, the detective's sugar addiction all but forgotten about.

The day dragged on and Light found himself unable to focus on his work. It was getting late, but looking over at L, it didn't seem he would be done any time soon. But then… he would work all night if Light would permit it. As it was, he usually did, sitting up next to Light in bed with his laptop and any treat he was working on at the moment.

"Ryuuzaki?" Light ventured.

"Yes, Light-kun?"

"Could we… go to bed?" he watched for L's reaction, which was usually negative, and would follow along the lines of; 'but Light-kun, its only 12 o'clock.' Or, 'Stop acting like a child, we have work to do.'

He saw L's eyes flicker to the bottom right of his screen, obviously checking the time. It was 11 Light knew.

"Yes, of course." L's reply came as a shock.

L saved his work and shut down his computer, looking in Light's direction, who was just staring at him in disbelief. He was almost being… nice.

"Is something wrong, Light-kun?" L asked with almost concern in his voice.

Light immediately shook his head, "No, no, everything's fine, Ryuuzaki."

L seemed to accept that, for he turned away and got out of his chair, then waited for Light to do the same. Was this really happening? Would Light actually be able to sleep tonight?

Light fought the smile that was burning to show on his face, reasoning that L might change his mind at any moment.

But he didn't, for 5 minutes later when they had reached their room, L had simply taken out his laptop and sat on his side of the bed. Leaving Light to do whatever he wished, even if his freedom was restricted to 6 feet of chain.

Light fell asleep almost as soon as his head touched the pillow.

"Light-kun" L's emotionless voice penetrated through Light's dream, almost shocking him awake.

It was early in the morning, Light guessed, as the room he shared with L was still dark. Although L had let him go to bed earlier, it was still late, if you took into account that the rest of the investigation team got to leave at 5.

So, Light, still exhausted rolled back over and ignored the detective, and pulled the blanket up over his head as his only way to block out the noise.

A brisk pull on the chain caused an annoying ringing in Light's ears.

Or at least muffle it.

"Wake up, Light-kun."

"Go away" Light ordered not bothering to look at L. Maybe if he ignored him –

He felt movement on the bed and L's voice interrupting his thoughts once again.

"Come, we have work to do, Light-kun"

Light threw the blankets away, extremely pissed off at the detective, who was sitting in his usual position on the bed staring at Light. He glared at him, "look! Just because you are inhuman and don't sleep, doesn't mean I am!"

L gave him a blank stare, "sleeping is a waste of time." L said as if trying to somehow prove he was above basic human needs, while at the same time pulling candy out of his pocket.

Candy?

Oh! Light's mind screamed as he looked at the candy in L's hand, to his eyes, his abnormally dilated eyes. "You...." Light trailed off, trying to think of a time L had eaten anything that didn't have sugar in it. Of course, he couldn't.

"Yes, Light-kun?" L said while placing a hard candy in his mouth.

"You... purposely eat candy to stay awake!?!?"

A bit of amusement tinted L's eyes, "That is very deductive of you." L bit down on the candy, which made a crunching sound in his mouth.

Light was speechless, he mentally kicked himself for not realizing it earlier; it seemed so obvious when he thought of it now! He had always just assumed he was like an immature kid who –

"Although, Light-kun, it is not correct."

Light ignored his last comment.

It was, Light knew it was. No one in their right mind would make a diet that only consisted of candy. Light knew L was a genius, surely he would know the stupidity of that choice. Which meant that he must have come to the conclusion that the benefits (of having more time) outweighed the risks: diabetes, poor health, early death.

Light felt his left eye twitching.

"You've been staring at me for the last minute, is everything all right?"

"It is correct." It wasn't a question.

"Perhaps," L replied casually, his eyes training themselves on the ceiling.

Then, that was it! That was the detectives secret! He hadn't trained his body to go without sleep! Light almost laughed out loud. What would he do without candy?

Light smirked in spite of himself, he would find out. He looked at the chain that connected the two, yes a sugar-crashed L would be a very nice break.

L and Light walked down the hall in comfortable silence for awhile. L had his hands in his pockets and was deep in thought on their current findings into the Kira case.

He had pages and pages of information on the deaths of new criminals, and it was disconcerting, really, that he had them. He knew he should feel relief that it basically proved Light was innocent. But he didn't feel relief, instead he felt a well of emotions, mostly frustration that he still didn't know who Kira was. Every day Kira went uncaught he knew he was letting the world down. No case had ever taken this long, not even the LABB case.

He was doubting his ability as a detective.

And that's why he was up 24/7 researching into the Kira case… well that and –

"Ryuuzaki?" L didn't look at Light.

"Yes, Light-kun?"

"Well… I noticed, and I was just wondering… because it is kind of strange…" Light trailed off, causing L to glance in his direction.

"What is it?" L inquired.

Light was staring straight ahead. "Why do you always wear the same clothes?"

L was shocked, his eyes widening a little. "Where did that come from Light-kun?"

"I was just wondering."

L was silent for a few seconds, his gaze refocusing on the hallway in front of them. They were almost at the elevator.

"I don't like change." He said honestly, taking a moment to gage Light's reaction.

Light looked thoughtful for a moment, before he nodded. "Yes, I guess that makes sense."

L turned from the elevator, taking a different route.

He could feel Light's question in the air between them.

"Come, Light-kun, we're taking the stairs today."

Just like L, to be so contradictory.

Later that day, as Light sat at his computer, sifting through the same information he always did. He looked over at L, who was sitting in his usual position, and wondered if he was really that simple. Was that it? He didn't like change? (The stairs scene aside, it would be like L to purposely throw him off.) It would make sense in regarding the Kira case, if that was why L was so desperately trying to stop him, because he didn't want the world to change, even if it possibly would change for the better. Light wasn't Kira, but he certainly could see his reasoning.

Besides, Light couldn't fathom that L actually gave a damn if people were dying or not. He seemed pretty emotionless as he read through the pages and pages of information on the deceased as if he were reading a list of all the different kinds of candy. No, Light corrected himself, he would show emotion for candy.

"Light-kun?"

"Yes, Ryuuzaki?"

"Please stop staring at me."

A blush formed on Light's cheeks, and he quickly snapped his head back to stare at this own screen, muttering an apology.

"It's okay, I just don't understand your fascination with me." L replied back, still keeping his eyes glued to the screen.

"I am not fascinated with you." Light defended

"Then stop acting like it."

Light shot L a glare, but he was more focused on the screen than anything to do with the younger detective.

Light briefly shut his eyes in frustration, regretting so immediately as it made him remember how tired he was, made him wish he could just go crawl under a rock and sleep forever.

Well, not a rock…. That would be uncomfortable.

He wasn't fascinated with L, as he claimed. He just couldn't understand how someone so confusing could actually be so simple and hide it so well… even if he wasn't really hiding anything.

It was all cats in the cradle and Light had to stop thinking about it, lest he drive himself insane.

It was a relief to unlock the "secret" of L. but at the same time, Light was disappointed, he wished there was something more there. Something more to L than just sugar cubes, bad posture, child-like mentality, and the dislike of change.

There just had to be something…