A/N: I can't believe I'm actually writing a DN fanfic…!!! This might just be either the best or the worst idea I've ever had…I'm not really sure yet. :D This fic was inspired by my oneshot, Hopelessly Hopeful, and I may or may not incorporate it into the story. But I do have an idea for this story, and I'm really hoping I can make it work. A word of warning, though: this isn't going to be a happy, fluff-filled fanfic. There will be fluff, because I believe that no fanfic is complete without it, but there will be some sad stuff, too. I'm not yet decided on the ending, though. It may or may not be happy, depending on how this goes…

Anyway, hope you enjoy! :)

Disclaimer: Light and L are not mine. :(

[Light's POV]

Tap-tap-tap-tap-tap-tap…tap-tap-tap-tap-tap…tap-tap-tap.

Light groaned and rolled onto his side. What was that noise?

Tap-tap-tap…Pause.

"Good morning, Yagami-kun."

Light opened his eyes slowly, unwillingly, letting them adjust in the darkened room. Ryuzaki was seated next to the bed, typing away at a laptop that sat perched on his knees. "Have you ever heard of sleep, Ryuzaki?"

"Did Yagami-kun rest well?" The detective asked in his usual monotone, ignoring the annoyance in Light's voice. He turned to look at Light, the bluish light from the laptop casting an eerie glow onto his pale features.

Light sat up, rubbing his eyes, and glanced at the alarm clock. 4:17. He turned back to the detective, whose scrutinizing gaze bore into his with unusual intensity. "Not really," he replied, stifling a yawn.

"Why not?" Ryuzaki asked, his eyes returning to the glowing laptop screen.

Light yawned again and slid off of the bed. The soft thud of his bare feet hitting the carpet was drowned out by the noisy clank of the chains on his wrist. He eyed them disdainfully before returning his attention to Ryuzaki. "I couldn't stop thinking about the Kira case," he admitted in response to the other man's question.

"Did you have any nightmares, Yagami-kun?"

Light was silent for a moment, remembering the dark, twisted dreams of the night before…they had been so real, so vivid, that even now, fully conscious and aware, it was hard for him to believe that they had been little more than the product of imagination. Worst of all, though, was that he'd seen every second through the eyes of Kira himself. He'd had no choice but to watch, horrified, as the innocent fell before him, hear himself laugh as their blood seeped through his hands…An involuntary shiver traveled down his spine, and he fought to repress the violent memories. Just dreams. Nothing more. "Yeah…nightmares," he echoed. Just dreams…"How did you know?"

"You were talking in your sleep," Ryuzaki stated matter-of-factly.

"Really?" Light mused, careful to conceal his surprise. "What did I say?"

"Mostly muttered incoherencies…although…" Ryuzaki paused, turning to look at him. Light was surprised to see that his dark, obsidian eyes held some unfamiliar emotion in them, and he wondered what it was that he'd said…

"What? I didn't admit to being Kira, did I?" he asked, hoping his attempt at humor would disguise his apprehension.

"No…although, that would have been rather…interesting," Ryuzaki murmured.

"So, what did I say, then?"

Ryuzaki was silent for a moment. He turned away from Light and shifted slightly in his seat. To Light, he seemed almost uncomfortable. How…uncharacteristic.

"You…said my name…once or twice…," Ryuzaki admitted softly. Light thought he could hear a faint trace of emotion in the other man's voice, and he had to keep himself from straining to see Ryuzaki's expression.

"Oh…," he replied, an unusual warmth spreading across his face. Was he…blushing? Light turned his head away, glad that Ryuzaki hadn't seen him. "I…I don't remember you in any of my dreams…" Light mulled over the previous night's dreams in his head; he could remember the details of his nightmares all too well, and he was certain that Ryuzaki had not been a part of them. But there had been other dreams, better ones, mingled with the nightmares…those dreams had already started to fade, dominated by the presence of reality. "You can't leave me be even in my sleep, can you, Ryuzaki?" he joked, jingling the chain for emphasis.

"I don't want to be chained to you any more than you do to me, Light," Ryuzaki replied. His voice was its usual monotone again, devoid of emotion. Had Light just been imagining things?

"I was just joking," he said, gripping the edge of the chair. His fingers brushed against the other man's knee, and Ryuzaki tensed up as if he'd been shocked. Light pulled his hand away immediately, surprised. What was going on? "Are you okay, Ryuzaki?"

"I'm…fine," Ryuzaki replied, relaxing slightly. "Thank you for your concern, Yagami-kun."

"I…uh…," Light responded, a bit flustered. Since when did Ryuzaki say 'thank-you'? "Err…you're welcome, I guess."

Ryuzaki turned back to him, his face expressionless as usual. Whatever was bothering him a moment before seemed to have disappeared. How…strange, Light mused silently.

The two men lapsed into silence, Ryuzaki staring intently at the laptop while Light stood awkwardly at his side, unsure of what to do.

"Would Yagami-kun like some breakfast?" Ryuzaki asked without looking away from the screen.

"At…," Light glanced at the clock, "4:22 in the morning?"

"Yes."

"I'm not really hungry right now. Maybe a cup of coffee, though."

"Of course." Ryuzaki stood, setting the laptop on the chair, and followed Light as he headed toward the kitchen.

"Would you like some?"

"Hmm?" Ryuzaki looked up, distracted, as Light interrupted his thoughts.

"Would you like some?" Light repeated. "Coffee?"

"Oh. Yes, thank you." He said before returning his gaze to the floor.

Light regarded Ryuzaki's hunched-over form for another moment before he turned to fill the measuring cup with water. The detective seemed deep in thought, and Light wondered absently what he was thinking about. Maybe the Kira case…? But he seems so…Light struggled to find a word to describe the subtle change in Ryuzaki's behavior. He doesn't act this way when he's talking about the investigation. Light had worked next to him long enough to know when he was thinking about Kira. There was a determination in the way he spoke, in the way he acted, as if his every word would bring them closer to finding the vile murderer. It was an entirely different kind of intensity than that which had seemed to encompass him now.

Light's eyes traveled back to Ryuzaki, and he watched quietly as the raven-haired man shuffled over to the table and sat in his usual position. The detective placed the tip of his thumb into his mouth-something he did when deep in thought, Light had noticed-and curled his toes over the edge of his chair. His gaze never strayed from the table as Light continued to observe him.

Reluctantly, Light turned back to the counter and finished preparing his coffee.

A/N: Horrible ending, I know. And if you lived through this chapter, you deserve an award! :) I'm sorry it's so boring, but I have to start somewhere. I promise the next chapter will be better.

Next chapter: Ryuzaki contemplates his feelings for Light, as Light continues to wonder what's making Ryuzaki act so differently.

Review! More reviews=more fluff! ^_______^