So far, the day had been a slow one. Nothing interesting about Yotsuba Group had turned up yet—they'd just been scrolling through page after page of financial records, purchases, past employees, and other boring and probably useless information.
Light felt his eyes glazing over as he stared at the computer screen. He wanted to catch Kira, and would do whatever he could to make that happen, but he didn't see how knowing the price of Yotsuba Group stock in January of 1998 would help. L had dismissed the rest of the task force, giving them an hour-long break, but because he was staying, Light had to stay, too. Those handcuffs could be really inconvenient.
L's cell phone rang suddenly, startlingly loud after the long silence, and made Light jump.
"Who is it?" he asked.
L ignored him and answered the phone. He listened for several seconds, said, "Today will be fine," and then, after another pause, "All right. Good-bye, Roger-san."
He hung up the phone and turned to Light. "We will be having a visitor."
"A visitor?" Light stared at him. "You mean someone's coming here? Who?"
"His name is Mello," L said. "He is coming to learn about the Kira investigation."
"Why?"
"I can't be the only detective who knows about the Kira case—that would be irresponsible, as something could happen to me—"
"Nothing will happen to you, Ryuzaki," Light interrupted. Not only would that be bad for the investigation, but…Light found that he was beginning to almost like L. They were sort of friends, in a weird kind of way. "We won't allow it. And if it does, I won't let Kira get away with it. I'll catch him for you."
L gave a faint smile. "I appreciate it, Light-kun. But you are a suspect yourself. And anyway, Mello is…more of a detective-in-training. He's only fourteen."
"How exactly is it going to help to have a fourteen-year-old here?"
"Mello's mind works in interesting ways," L said. "Perhaps he will gain some insight. In any case, it's good to educate him about this. The experience will be good for him. He will arrive in five minutes."
"So, what's this kid like?" Light asked. "If he's only fourteen…he's got to be some kind of genius or something, doesn't he?"
"Something like that," L replied. He paused a moment, then added, "I should probably warn you, Light-kun—Mello is very…unique. Don't let him bother you."
Light could already picture the kid—a miniature L, probably, complete with uncombed hair, bare feet, and bizarre tendencies. He wondered, though, why L had said not to let Mello bother him…what would Mello do?
Several minutes later, the door suddenly banged open. A boy came racing across the room toward them, letting the door slam shut behind him.
"Ah, here he is," L said, standing up.
"L!" the boy yelled, throwing his arms around him. "I haven't seen you in foreeeeeeeever! I missed you!"
"Yes, Mello, it's very nice to see you too." L patted him on the back.
It looked, Light thought in irritation, like Mello was squeezing L half to death. Light wasn't jealous or anything, it was just…he'd never seen anyone hug L, or show any kind of affection for him, and it seemed strange. No, Light was not jealous.
Finally, Mello released L and stepped back, letting Light get a good look at him for the first time. He had a hard time keeping the shock he felt off his face. Mello certainly was very unique—he was wearing tight leather pants and a sleeveless leather shirt that showed off his stomach, and his blond hair was cut in a bob. Light had never seen anyone who looked quite like that before.
Mello narrowed his eyes, staring at Light. "Who's this?" He didn't sound friendly.
"Hi, Mello," Light said, keeping his voice polite and even. "I'm Light Yagami. I'm working with L on the Kira case, and—"
Mello cut him off. "Where the hell did this guy come from?" he asked L. "He's wearing a tie, for God's sake! A tie and khakis! Oh, and by the way," he added, glancing over at Light, "those pants are doing nothing for your ass. I'd reconsider that outfit if I were you." He turned back to L. "Seriously, can't you—"
"Excuse me?" Light interrupted, politeness forgotten. Who did this kid think he was, anyway?
"As I was saying," Mello said loudly to L, "can't you get rid of him and hire me instead? I—"
"In case you didn't notice, I'm the one who—" Light began.
Mello kept talking over him. "…could do better than a pretty boy like that any day, so I think—"
Light turned to L, too. "Ryuzaki, this boy is being disrespectful and—"
"Let's calm down, shall we?" L's voice was quiet, but both of them stopped talking instantly. "Mello, please behave yourself. Light-kun is my friend."
Light felt an absurd and juvenile urge to stick his tongue out at Mello, and barely managed to control himself. What the hell was I doing? he wondered, suddenly feeling embarrassed at his immaturity of the moment before.
"Light-kun—" L began, but was cut off.
"What's that?" Mello was staring at the chain that connected L and Light. "Some kind of bondage?" His eyes widened. "L, you're not sleeping with him, are you? Are you?"
It was the most ridiculous thing Light had ever heard. Him sleeping with L? That was…that was just…
For some reason, he could feel himself blushing.
"No, Mello," L said. There seemed to be a faint tinge of pink to his cheeks, too. "The handcuffs are because I need to watch him at all times, so that—"
"Oh, that reminds me!" Mello grinned. "Have you changed your mind yet?"
"Of course not. For one thing, that would be illegal, because you're underage and I'm an adult, and also—"
"Is that the only reason you said no before, then?" Mello asked gleefully. "Just because it's illegal? Screw that, L, it doesn't matter. Anyway, it's consensual. Come on, please?"
"I am not going to sleep with you, Mello," L said.
"You want L to sleep with you?" Light exclaimed, his voice shriller than usual.
Mello ignored him. "Just once? Come on, one time and I'll stop bothering you. Pleeeeeeeeeeease?"
"No, Mello," L said firmly. "Not only is that illegal, it is also very improper." Mello opened his mouth to argue, but L kept going. "You are fourteen years old and I am not a pedophile. No matter what you might think, Mello, the entire world does not want you."
"Does too," Mello muttered sullenly.
"And anyway, you already have a boyfriend. Would you really want to cheat on Matt?"
"Matt wouldn't care if it was you," Mello argued. "He wants to sleep with you too, you know. I mean, you're L. Hey, I know! We could have a three—"
"We are being rude to Light-kun," L interrupted loudly, "by excluding him from the conversation."
A small key suddenly appeared in his hand—Light didn't see where he had taken it from—and L unlocked the handcuff around his wrist. He closed it around Mello's and locked it again.
"This is your first lesson, Mello," L said. "Watching a possible suspect. I am going to go get something for us to eat, and the two of you can get to know each other. Please try to get along."
He hurried away toward the kitchen, glancing back apologetically at Light. Light glared after him. He did not want to deal with Mello alone. The kid was…totally unbelievable. No, Light wasn't jealous of him for knowing L so well…he was not jealous…
"He's mine," Mello said, glowering at Light.
"What?"
"L. He's mine."
"Why are you telling me that?" Light asked, trying to keep his voice casual. He didn't understand what it was about Mello's possessive tone of voice that irritated him so much…he shouldn't care that Mello was claiming L.
"Don't play dumb." Mello narrowed his eyes. "I'm not blind, Yagami. I saw the way you were looking at him, and I'm not going to let you do that. How long have you known L? A couple days? Well, I've known him my whole life, and—"
"L and I have been chained together for over three week now," Light interrupted, losing all traces of maturity. "I've spent every second of every day with him. That means we sleep in the same bed, and we shower together…"
"You do what?" Mello shrieked.
"That's right," Light said viciously. "Of course, it would work for us to take turns with the shower, because the chain is long enough, but L objects to that, for some reason…so we just have to do it together."
Mello was making an unpleasant hissing noise, and his face was turning red from anger.
Light was enjoying it immensely. "And L has a really nice body…but I guess you wouldn't know about that—"
"I do, actually," Mello growled.
"Oh, yeah?" L growled back.
Their faces were now about an inch apart as they glared at each other.
"L comes to stay at the orphanage all the time," Mello said. "And you know whose room he always stays in? Mine. Because I'm his favorite."
"His favorite of a bunch of little kids, maybe." Light had no idea what orphanage Mello was talking about, but that didn't matter. "There's no way you compare to me—"
"What the hell? You can't be much older than I am—"
"I'm eighteen, for your information, which makes me an adult—just like L. It wouldn't be illegal for him to sleep with me—"
"But he hasn't done it yet, even though it is legal. I think that says something—"
"Says what? That he cares enough about me to take it slow?"
"That he doesn't want to at all! He doesn't give a damn about you!"
"He does too!" Light snarled. "L…is…mine!"
"Light-kun, I was not aware that you felt that way."
They both whipped their heads around to see L standing in the doorway.
"L!" Mello exclaimed. "Tell Yagami that you love me more than you love him!"
"I love you both equally," L said calmly, obviously trying to prevent another argument, as he walked toward them. He was carrying a tray with three slices of cake on it.
Light could feel himself blushing. He was completely mortified. He'd made a complete idiot of himself in front of L—who knew how long he'd been standing in the doorway listening?—and he had no idea where the things he'd said had come from. L probably thought Light was in love with him now or something, and that was just ridiculous.
"Equally?" Mello sounded outraged. "But you've known me longer! I'm smarter, awesomer, and sexier than him, and I have a better fashion sense!"
Ignoring him, L set the tray down, then pulled out the key and took the handcuff off of Mello. He replaced it around his own wrist.
"Mello," he said carefully, "I think perhaps you should go now."
"What?" Mello exclaimed. "I just got here! I've barely seen you at all!"
"You can come back tomorrow," L told him. "The task force will be here, and you can meet them. And Light-kun will probably be busy somewhere else…"
"Sounds good," Mello said instantly, shooting a glare at Light. Light glared back. "I'll go call Roger and have him pick me up. Bye, L! See you tomorrow!"
He hugged L more tightly than Light thought he should have, then ran off toward the door. He turned back to wave at L, then left, letting the door slam closed on its own. L and Light were alone.
Light lowered his eyes, feeling his cheeks flush. He could tell that L was staring intently at him. He almost wished Mello had stayed longer—then he wouldn't have to deal with L yet.
"Light-kun?" L said softly, moving closer to him. "Did you mean it?"
"Is what true?" Light mumbled, looking away. He was never going to live this down.
"Light-kun said that I am…his." L cupped Light's chin in his hand and tugged his face up, so that he could stare directly into Light's eyes. "Did you mean it?"
"I…don't…know." Light meant to deny it, but something about being so close to L made it hard for him to think straight.
"I am yours," L said, and then suddenly his arms were around Light and he was kissing him, and Light was kissing him back.
When they finally broke apart, L gave a little smile. "I lied, Light-kun," he said. "Don't tell Mello—but I love you more."