Tears filled his eyes.
"I'm sorry."
His bottom lip began to quiver.
"There was nothing we could do."
L looked up at the old man, his carer, Watari.
"Why?" he whispered.
"It just… happened."
L dropped his head. The task force surrounded him, each offering their condolences to a man who could not be comforted.
Standing up, L made his way to his bedroom, the bedroom that was never used… until now.
"Light-kun, would you please leave?" L requested.
"I would, Ryuzaki, but…" Light held his hand up and jiggled the handcuff chain that held them together.
L looked from the chain to Light. "Then I guess you'll have to stay while I mourn," he said, sadly.
L started to move the furniture around the room; he dragged a small table into the centre of the room and pushed all the other furniture to the outside edges before getting a silk cloth from the small lining drawer in the corner.
L left the room and made his way up the stairs to Misa's room.
"Light-kun! Do we have a date tonight?"
"No, Misa-chan, you and Light-kun do not have a date tonight. I am here to ask you something. Misa-chan, do you have seven white candles please?"
"Of course Ryuzaki," Misa replied, confusion evident in her voice. She got the candles for L and he took them.
"Thank you Misa-chan," he said as he left the room, dragging an unwilling Light behind him.
Back in his bedroom, L began to arrange the seven candles on the table. "Watari," L said as he noticed the old man enter the room. "Can you get me some strawberry cake please?"
"Of course, Ryuzaki," Watari answered as he turned to leave the room.
L turned towards the drawers and pulled out a photo in a very ornamental frame and placed it on the table in the middle of the room. Light now saw he was making an alter.
"Ryuzaki… why are you…?"
"Quiet please, Light-kun," L said, looking up at the teenager. L's eyes widened. The chocolate brown hair of his adversary looked silky, almost liquid like; chocolate like.
"Ryuzaki. This is ridiculous. It's just…"
"Light-kun, please stop talking."
L's eyes began to follow something invisible around the room. As his eyes began to wander, he began to sweat. Beads of sweat run down his face. He reached out his hand, which was shaking madly.
"Ryuzaki, here is the cake you wanted," Watari said as he hanged L a plate.
L tore his eyes away from the spot of thin air he was staring at and took the cake from Watari.
"Thank you," He said as he sat in his usual position in front of the alter.
One by one he lit the candles. Next, he placed the picture behind the candles. Finally, he took the piece of cake and placed it at the front of the alter.
"RIP," L said. "Cake & Co."
The End.