I can't remember where or why this little plot-bunnie emerged, but no matter how out-of-canon/character it was it wanted to be written. And so I - the helpless author - submitted. And here it is.

Spoilers: L's real name, affects of the Note.

Disclaimer: Death Note and its characters aren't mine. This story is.

...if there were music and colour we could be a modern-day Romeo and Juliet.

REDEMPTION

By Just Akiko

"It's stalemate L! Accept it, we both lost."

"What is that?"

The door slammed closed, far earlier than he expected, startling him from his thoughts and causing his pale knuckles to tighten even further around the object in his grasp. He could feel an accusatory amber gaze travelling the length of his crooked spine and tried valiantly to suppress the shudder it provoked; but he knew he'd failed the moment a floorboard creaked as Light took a confident step forward.

"What are you hiding L?"

Not even 'Ryuuzaki' now? The detective felt his lips almost-curl as he pictured the look of righteous defiance that no doubt painted Light's handsome face. Still his hands refused to relinquish their prize and he almost thought he heard the cover creak, before he relaxed his death-like-grip with a careful breath. With slow, measured steps, he finally turned around.

"I'm not hiding anything, Light."

He left out the honorific on purpose, perhaps hoping to shock the younger boy into forgetting his previous line of questioning. Or perhaps just curious to hear how it sounded, just once, rolling off of his tongue.

… almost sweet…

Just like the momentary relief that coloured the boy's wide brown eyes as he took in the stack of colourful papers tucked carefully to L's chest. The yellows and blues had been in their printers for months, allowing them to coordinate evidence and sources with less hassle. Unfortunately Light's ignorant relief didn't take hold for as long as L would have liked. Before the eccentric genius could so much as smirk at his little trick, the other's gaze was hard and accusatory once again, burning into his dark retinas now, rather than his back.

"Drop it."

The words were just the right side of an order, but L could tell that if he refused the younger genius would have few qualms about manhandling the pile from him. Still he allowed his fingers to tighten reflexively around their bounty and the slight pout that slipped onto his face was genuine enough as he forced his eyes to take on a steely determination of their own. But Light would not budge and L was running out of time so - pout firmly in place - he resigned himself to relaxing his grip and praying he'd picked up enough sheets to hide his deceit just a little longer.

But Light, it seemed, was unwilling to even give his little ruse a chance. As soon as the papers began to slip through his fingers and gravity had just about taken control, the young student - once suspect - first ever friend – lunged forwards, reaching out to catch the falling prize.

L, thank god, was quicker and got there first. Unfortunately the papers – being lighter and more susceptible to the changes in air current and somewhat more slippery in the heat of the moment - scattered onto the carpet beneath, leaving his pale fingers curled in startling relief against the solid black notebook's cover. The look in Light's eyes was the closest he'd ever seen to murderous. He tightened his grip anyway.

"H…How?"

The demand – for it was a demand this time – came out weaker than L had expected and most likely more desperate than Light would ever have wanted to admit. Still the younger boy's – once suspect, first ever lo… – eyes were strong despite being filled with surprise and disbelief. So much so that L felt himself taking pity on him, giving Light an almost apologetic smile as he took a small step backwards, clutching the Death Note firmly to his chest.

"It's not important how. All that matters, Light, is that this case is now closed."

"B-but Kira…"

The younger one's stammering grew worse, as his genius seemed to fail him, his eyes widening like saucers; L smiled almost kindly.

"Kira will die with me." He said and reached into his pocket for a small memory chip. "A full confession," he explained calmly, "written in full and digitally signed with witnesses in order to confirm its authenticity." He threw it towards Light but it seemed the boy's athletic skills had also diminished and it fell silently to the thickly carpeted floor. L's smile faded.

"Light." He tried to breath deep but his throat was too tight. "It's for the best."

He winced at the shiver in that final statement, but it couldn't be helped; after all, no matter what people thought he was human and all humans, to some degree, feared…

…He fought not to look back to the desk where he'd so recently sat; to the pen lying tellingly on the shining mahogany surface and the empty space the note had so innocently filled. But it seemed that once more his resolve failed him, because now Light's eyebrows were seeking refuge beneath his hairline and his eyes were panicked and resting on the traitorous pen.

"…You didn't." He finally chocked, pleading eyes flickering back to the detective's face. "You wouldn't…"

L nodded slowly and opened the Note to a single white page. Light flinched visibly; as if waiting for the death blow to come straight from the page; eyes alight with fear and betrayal. L felt his heart flinch with regret as he realised Light's obvious assumptions and the confusion he'd placed on that handsome face. But there was still fear clenching his own throat, so he could not apologise; just look at the page and wait for him to see.

L. Lawliet

The gasp was almost silent but L felt it hit him square in the chest. Before Light could comment – or worse try and grab the Note to prove his eyes right, to prove that he was indeed taking the fall for the crime Light was knowingly committing – L reached into his pocket and pulled out a lighter. Within seconds the corner of the page bearing his own name was flickering and he quickly dropped the whole thing into the metal trashcan before the flames consumed it entirely. Then he watched Light's disbelieving face grimace and freeze in an expression of pure agony before those wide amber eyes fluttered and the young – and innocent now, innocent - student began to crumple to the floor.

L lunged, catching him before he could hurt himself and lowered them both slowly to the ground, listening to the crackling burn of paper and feeling the useless blue and yellow sheets crinkle beneath their shared weight. He had a second to commit a peacefully unconscious face to memory before there was a surge in his chest as his heart missed a beat…

… and another…

… and another…

… and…

…and then he was falling, mind idly hoping that he wouldn't crush Light beneath his deadweight. Then all he could feel was the faint press of warmth that was the other's body, comforting him even as all his extremities turned cold. Over the buzz of acute cardiac arrest L ran through his preparations one last time. Finally, he smiled; he had been thorough.

Darkness took him just seconds before the younger genius opened his unfocused eyes. After a few dizzy seconds of confusion, Light pulled himself into a sitting position and glanced around. It didn't take long for him to register the faint smell of burning paper or for his gaze to rest upon the prone figure beside him. Those familiar black eyes were unfamiliarly closed, but even then Light knew he wasn't sleeping. Not bothering to check for a pulse that would not be there, the boy instead whipped his head around frantically, searching for some sort of answers to the thousand questions thundering in his head. He'd had them once, he was certain, but now he could not comprehend what was going on!

The answers never came. And in his panic he did not see the memory chip resting beside him and his dead friend on the cream carpeted floor. All he saw was the glow of fading flames flickering from the wastepaper basket and the ghost of L's wistful face, peering out of a rainy forty-storey window, eyes narrowed in thought.

"It's stalemate L! Accept it, we both lost."

(and they had lost and it was over and Kira was never meant to fall in love but)

"Do not worry, Light-kun. I have an idea."

There we go! Please click REVIEW and let me know what you thought; good or bad I don't mind.

Just a brief explaination of the setting, in case it wasn't clear enough. I didn't want to put this at the start because it seemed a little too much info to into reading with. Anyways, the scenario is basically that Light has regained his memories but during the handcuff period had unavoidably fallen for L and vice-versa; a set-up that's been played with many many times before. This is my take on what could happen, if Light is at a loss of how to deal with his new memories and how L might give everything to save the first person he cared about. It's over-the-top and a little unecessary but this is what the muse wanted! hehe I hope you enjoyed reading this little AU!

Ja x