"Sometimes I wonder about you, Light Yagami."

The familiar voice came drifting to me while I was on the brink of sleep. I stirred, my dreams interrupted. The cold chain around my wrist tugged slightly, as if someone was twirling the other end.

"You look so peaceful," the voice continued. "It's hard to believe that I'm looking into the face of a killer."

Ah. L. What was he doing, talking to me in my sleep? Trying to get across some kind of sub-conscious message? Knowing him, it was likely.

"I'm very interested to know your reasoning behind this, Kira." His voice was almost mocking. "Is it justice? Or is it something less noble…? Power, maybe? Pride? Vanity?"

I kept my eyes closed, seething. What did he know?

"Perhaps you want to be seen as some kind of God…You'd like that, wouldn't you, Light?" I could almost hear the smirk on his lips. "And when you think about it, I'm the only one standing in you way…" I felt his breath close to my ear, the warmth tickling my skin. "Why don't you kill me right here, Light? Go on. While nobody's watching."

God, what was he doing? What did he expect me to do?

"I see." L sighed. "You can't kill me…Or is it that you don't want to? Is there a reason you're keeping me alive?" He hesitated. "Do you love me, Light?" he asked in a soft voice.

I almost jerked upright. Love L?

As if!

"You know what? I think you do." I could feel his fingers tracing my jaw, my cheekbones. "So strange that the first person to love me is also my worst enemy…Ironic, really." He paused for a while. "And please don't pretend that you don't. I've seen the way you have so many beautiful women throwing themselves at you and you won't even look at them unless they're useful to you. And I'm 100% certain that those magazines were just for the benefit of the cameras…" He was close now. Too close. "I'm right, aren't I? And you know what, Light?" His lips brushed against mine. "I might just like you too."

A bolt of adrenaline shot through my body.

What was happening to me?

"You can open your eyes now, Light," he whispered. "I know you're awake."

Slowly, I opened my eyes.

L's face was inches from mine. He smirked and kissed me hard on the lips before pulling away.

"It's a shame that you're Kira," he said, standing up. "I could really have fallen for you there."