The compound was mostly empty; everybody except L, and (literally) by extension Raito, had either gone back to the station or home. Misa in her own suite had been asleep for hours. Mr. Yagami had gone back to the Yagami household. The other men had gone home as well. Only L and a worn-out Raito were left in front of the giant monitors. They were alone, and it was quite gloomy. The only light came from the enormous monitor that L studied.

Raito was sitting as far away from L as the handcuffs would allow, reviewing some of the files. He'd already been over them several times before, but he had that feeling that he'd missed something the first couple times. His brain was tired. His fingers kept kitting the keys, making that annoying clack-clack-clackity noise, but his mind wasn't really on his work.

With an irritated scowl and a sigh, he turned to look at the boy on the other end of the chain.

L's face was brightly lit up by the screen. Only his eyes were shadowed. He was studying the files intently, his fingers moving restlessly over the keyboard, pausing only when he thoughtfully ran one thumb over his lip.

It gave Raito a strange sense of comfortable familiarity to realize that L was as stressed over the case now as he was. There was a plate of cake on the table at L's elbow, but L hadn't touched it yet. The corner of Raito's mouth twitched up. L must be tired too, if he wasn't eating cake.

"L. It's late."

L's fingers froze, fluttered, and then lay still on the keyboard. There was a long silence. Only the faint whir of the computer fans could be heard.

"I keep thinking," said L at last, his voice quiet, "I've missed something. There must be one critical detail here that will solve everything. All I have to do is find it."

Raito could see the sideways look that L gave him from under his hair, and he knew that L still suspected that he was Kira. I have to get him to trust me, to believe that I'm not Kira, he pondered. But… how do you convince…?

He sighed deeply. What did it matter? He pushed himself out of his chair and walked over to L. The chain connecting them slid to the ground and was dragged over the carpet. L looked at him as he pulled over a chair and sat down. Up close, Raito could see how fragile L looked: his knees tucked up to his chest, wild pieces of hair falling into his face, and dark half-moons under his eyes. Raito could see tension in L's shoulders and neck by the way he was sitting.

With a pang, Raito realized that he had noticed L's tension. When had he become so familiar with L that he noticed how tense the other boy's body was?

Focus… I'm tired…I just need to get L to let me go to bed…

Raito picked up L's unused fork, cut off a piece of cake, and then he put it on the fork and held it out.

L turned and looked at him. "Raito-kun. What are you doing?"

Raito leaned his chin on this other hand, trying to look bored and uninterested. "I'm tired and I want to go to bed," he said. "You're not leaving the desk while there's uneaten cake here, and since we're chained together, I'm not either. Your hands are busy, so I'm helping."

L lowered his eyes sadly for a moment. "I'm sorry, Raito-kun. My suspicions that you are Kira must be very inconvenient for you."

Raito stared at him, his mouth tightening angrily. Seriously?! Of course they are!

"The probability that you are Kira is now only about…" L ran his thumb over his lips again. Raito found his eyes watching the progress of the thumb. "…four percent, but I would still like to keep you close." L lowered his hand, his eyes watching Raito.

"I see…"

L leaned forward suddenly. His mouth closed around the fork, and he licked the cake off.

THADUMP.

Raito's heart beat so loudly that he froze, shocked. What the hell?! Did L hear…?

L was still watching him. "Are you all right? Your face turned red."

Raito looked away quickly; his hair fell forward to cover his eyes. "It's nothing. I'm just tired because of the case." He could feel how hot his face had become; he quickly took a deep breath to compose himself, then looked back at L. He cut off another bite of cake and held it out.

L ate it off the fork obediently, even though he had quit looking over the files, and his hands were no longer busy.

So far, so good…

Raito's heart was still beating loudly in his ears. "L… what if I really was Kira?" Raito's gaze was lowered to the floor. "Do you really think I'm the type of person who could kill other people?" He'd asked L the same question earlier, but now he hoped for a different answer somehow.

"I do."

Raito's face jerked upwards. "What?!" he snapped. His fist, with the fork in it, came down hard on the table. He stared at L angrily, his mouth hanging open. "Ryuuzaki- how-"

L took the fork from Raito's fist gently. "You are the type of person with rigid ideas about good and evil. You must have a very idealistic view of utopia. I believe if you thought you could make this utopia by killing people you call evil, assuming you had had the power, you would." He picked up the cake plate and continued eating on his own.

Raito drew hand back slowly. "And that's why you're still suspicious of me." He was hunched over in his chair, his mood darkening.

"Yes," said L through a mouthful of cake. "You know, Raito-kun, if it makes you feel better, I hope that you're not Kira."

"Huh?" Raito's head came up.

"I told you before you were my friend. It would be depressing if I lost you."

For the first time that evening, Raito gave L a small smile. "Not to mention that would mean you have horrible taste in friends."

"Hmmm, the likelihood of that is very high. I'd say seventy-two… no, seventy-three percent." L licked the last bit of frosting off the fork and set it back on the plate. "I'm done, so we'll go up and you can sleep."

The suite that L and Raito shared was the floor above the main room. L waited outside while Raito cleaned up in the bathroom; it was weird doing things like brushing his teeth while the chain under the door still connected him to L. They briefly swapped places, and then Raito practically dragged L over to their beds and collapsed in a heap on his own. L simply sat hunched up on the other bed, not sleeping.

Raito had thought he was tired. He felt tired, but he couldn't get to sleep. He lay smothered under the thick comforter, in the dark, feeling too hot. After a while, what felt like hours, he rolled over onto his back. When he glanced over, he saw L was still sitting on the edge of the other bed, and he was watching him. L blinked slowly at Raito. Raito scowled uneasily and pulled the blanket over his head.

A moment later, he felt a pressure on his legs and realized that L was straddling him.

"What the hell?!" He threw the blanket off his head. The shock of L sitting on top of him made him feel a little shaky. No way.

For a long moment L didn't say anything; he just stared down at Raito with those enormous, unnerving eyes. Raito didn't move.

Then suddenly L's face was right up next to his. "What if you were Kira? Would you kill me?" L was so close that Raito could feel him breathing, could smell the mouthwash he'd used not long ago. Minty.

Raito tried to scramble back, but his head ran into the wall. "Of course – that's Kira's main goal, isn't it? Anyway, what's this about? You're acting really weird, L"

"Hmm." L pulled back and pillowed his head on Raito's chest. Raito couldn't move. L's sloppy hair hid his face, but his low voice was clear. "Even if you are Kira, will you miss me when I'm dead?"

"L!" Raito struggled to prop himself up on his elbows. "What are you talking about?! You're not going to die! I'm not Kira!"

"No one else I've ever met has been like you," L went on, ignoring Raito. "You're the first person I've been able to identify with. Even felt close to."

Raito wondered how L could say stuff like that so calmly.

THADUMP. THUD-THUD-THUD…

L's head was still on Raito's chest. "Your heart is beating very loudly, Raito-kun."

"You're freaking me out. I told you I'm not-"

Raito's words were cut off as L's mouth came down hard on his. Briefly, Raito was frozen in shock, his eyes wide. L's lips were soft, and warmer than Raito would have expected. Then the realization that L was kissing him caught up with him.

He shoved L off. L fell off the edge of the bed and landed on the floor with a loud thud. Raito's heartbeat was fluttering like a bird in his ears. As L slowly got up off the floor, Raito reached and yanked him up by the front of his shirt.

"What the hell was that?!" he yelled in L's face.

L hardly blinked. "Your face is red again, Raito-kun."

"You idiot!" Raito's arms were shaking. He shook L, just a little roughly. "What do you think you're doing?!"

"Even if you were, are, or will be Kira, I think you're a good person. Even as a mass murderer, you care."

Raito's eyes widened. Slowly, he let go of L, and L stood there brushing the wrinkles out of his shirt. Raito wasn't sure what to do.

L reached out. His cool fingers slid under Raito's shirt, up, over his ribs. Raito's heart sped up at the contact, and he involuntarily inhaled sharply.

Damn it. No way L hadn't noticed that. Well, if he was going under, then he was going to do it his way.

Angrily, he threw L onto the bed and crawled on top of him. L's face was open and surprised as Raito pressed him down into the blankets. Raito leaned in close to him, his eyes and stance almost predatory as he stared into L's eyes.

"What happens now must be kept a secret," he said, his voice low and harsh. "Don't tell anyone – especially my father."

"Of course," said L. "It seems logical, since both out reputations would be at stake."

This time it was Raito who pressed his lips to L's, aggressively, hungrily, and without restraint. His tongue parted L's lips slightly and then slipped in between them. He probed farther in, and L responded, kissing him back fiercely. Then he felt teeth on his lower lip.

"Mfph!" L had nipped him. For a second, he pulled back, but L followed him, sucking at the spot and keeping them together until Raito realized he didn't want them to be apart. His hands came up. His fingers curved around L's head, winding in his hair and forcing them even closer together. They were molded to each other, so close they could feel each other's hearts beating.

They needed to breathe. Raito finally pulled away to look intently at L. L's breathing was ragged, his eyes half closed as he gazed at Raito from under heavy lids. Raito was panting.

He slipped his hands under L's shirt, pushing the fabric up over his torso, taking in the feel of his smooth, cool skin. L's breathing hitched; he rolled his head back in pleasure and Raito took the opportunity to trail hot kissed down his neck. When he sucked hungrily at the skin over L's collarbone, L let out a gasp that was absolutely infuriating. Raito sucked harder, pressing into L's flesh with his teeth, and L writhed under him.

"Don't leave… a… mark… you idiot!" he gasped.

Raito pulled back, dragging L's shirt off, but he could get it all the way off because of the handcuffs.

"These are getting annoying," he said angrily, rattling the chain.

"They are… in the way," L agreed. He sat up, slipped his hand free of the cuff – without the key! – and finished peeling off his shirt. It landed in a pile on the floor. While Raito was staring at him incredulously, L took advantage of his surprise, peeled off Raito's shirt, and pulled it off the end of the chain. It joined L's shirt in a heap. L slid his hand neatly back into the handcuffs.

"You-!" Raito's mouth was hanging open. "You're putting the cuffs BACK ON?! You're not –"

L leaned forward and kissed him, cutting off his protests mid-sentence.

THUD-THUD-THUD-THUD…

L's hand cupped the back of his neck, holding him close, his other hand resting on his chest. Raito was sufficiently distracted. He's never going to stop doing this to me, he thought.

After a moment, they broke apart.

"Regardless of our personal feelings," said L calmly, "there is still a chance that you were or are Kira."

"Fine," said Raito. "Leave the cuffs on. But…" He bit L hard on the collarbone as he shoved him back down. A muffled yelp escaped L, though Raito could see he tried to swallow it down. "That's for suspecting me."

Raito licked and nibbled his way down L's chest. L's skin wasn't cool any longer; his whole body was heating up as Raito's mouth covered it. Under Raito's touch, L squirmed, sweated, and shuddered. Raito's tongue flicked briefly over L's nipples, over the hollows of his ribcage, and downward. He paused in the middle of sucking at the swell of L's hip, and looked up at L with a sly smile on his face.

His slender fingers dipped into the waistband of L's jeans. L was already hard and swollen down there; Raito wrapped his fingers around the shaft of L's erection and began to rub him in every way that was good.

"Ah-hah-ah-aaaaaaah…" L panted and shivered. "Uh… Unf…"

Raito's own body was responding to the muffled seductive noises L was making; the room began to feel hot. He looked up at L. A faint pink flush lay over L's face, and as he tried to stifle his groans, his teeth clamped down on the soft flesh of his lower lip.

Raito didn't think he could stand it. He wanted that lip. He wanted all of L.

He leaned up and captured L's mouth with his own. The tips of their tongues swirled languidly around each other while Raito unbuttoned first his own and then L's jeans. Denim slid over skin, and the rest of L's clothing ended up on the floor. Now there was nothing left to keep Raito from L. He moved down L's body again. His mouth closed around L's erection; he began to lick and suck at the flesh, relishing the feeling. L writhed. His fingers curled into the sheets, straining to hold on.

"Not so… aaaah…. fast!" he gasped. "I'm going to… you're not even… you're still wearing pants!" His fingers twisted in Raito's hair and he yanked his head back.

"Fine," said Raito, letting go.

L released him and sat up. His hands brushed over Raito's chest, down his sides, and over his hips. He reached Raito's pants and pushed at the fabric, but Raito shoved him off roughly.

"Oh no you don't," he growled. "I'm in charge here! You're just supposed to lie there and do what you're told."

L glared at him while he kicked off his own pants, and when he crawled back on top of L and pressed them together, L bit him on the lip.

"Mfph! Damn it, L!" Raito scowled down at the other boy, whose face looked perfectly innocent. "That does it."

He put his hands on L's thighs and forced his legs apart, lining himself up to penetrate L. L's entire body was tense. He squeezed his eyes shut.

He's scared, Raito realized. That's what this is about.

L's fear touched his heart, and he suddenly leaned down and kissed L fiercely, while at the same moment sliding completely into him. L's scream was muffled against Raito's mouth. He jerked involuntarily but Raito held them together, keeping L from crying out aloud. After a few moments, when the scream in L's throat died, Raito released him, but L still clung to him, breathing hard. They stayed close like that for a while, with Raito letting L adjust to the feeling of being penetrated.

"Oh god…" L panted, burying his face in Raito's neck. Raito looked down at him, all curled up underneath him.

"You okay?" he asked. L nodded mutely.

Raito began to slide in and out of L, slowly at first, feeling every inch. Small beads of sweat had broken out all over L's skin. Raito wrapped his fingers around L's erection and began to pump him as he pushed into him rhythmically, faster and faster. As he picked up speed, L's arms came up, his fingers dug into Raito's back and he wrapped his legs around him. They were so close. There was so much skin on bare skin.

L's entire body was wrought with tension, his head thrown back in a sort of pained ecstasy as he gritted his teeth and gulped down his cries.

"Mfph… ah…. Ah-ah-ah-AAH!" suddenly L convulsed, curling up as his muscles spasmed, his limbs tightly clenching Raito. It set Raito off. He pulled L closer to him as he came. L dug his teeth into Raito's shoulder, and Raito had to swallow down his own scream with difficulty as they both rode out the rest of the double orgasm.

After a long moment they collapsed, gasping for air. Raito pulled out and lay on his back, exhausted. L curled up next to him, and they both fell asleep.

Raito woke up early the next morning. His eyes fluttered open to see pale, pre-dawn light leaking through the window blinds. The alarm clock on the bedside table told him it was only a few minutes past five. There was still time to sleep. Contented, he wriggled deeper under the blankets and clasped L closer to him. L's body was soft and warm in his arms, and he shut his eyes.

His eyes flew open suddenly as he realized he'd been spooning L in his sleep. Their bodies were perfectly aligned, Raito's arms wrapped around L's torso, his face nestled against L's hair.

Was L awake? Did he know what Raito had been doing?

But when Raito carefully lifted his head to peer at L's face, L appeared to be sound asleep. That was fine, then. It would have been hard for Raito to move anyway; one of his arms was pinned by L, and L had his hands stubbornly clamped over Raito's. Raito sighed. He would have to disentangle himself before L woke up, but for now… he pressed his lips gently to the alabaster skin of L's exposed shoulder.

Raito stayed there a while, breathing softly on L's neck, until L finally shifted in his sleep and moved his hands off Raito's. Careful not to jingle the handcuffs too much, Raito disentangled himself and climbed out of the bed. The room was cool, and he shivered slightly. Moving quietly, he began to pick up the piles of clothing left from the night before. They had left something of a mess and would have to clean it all up before getting back to the case. He turned and looked at L.

L was watching him from the bed, his eyes large and open. There was a small smile on his face.

"Hm?" Raito blinked at him. "How long have you been awake?"

L's eyes were almost luminous in the early morning gloom. "I've been awake for hours. You of all people know I hardly ever sleep."

Then… he knows I…

L continued. "I pretended to be asleep so as not to disturb you. Actually, it was rather enjoyable. Raito-kun is very affectionate the morning after."

Raito's eyes narrowed. "You!" He could feel his face heating up.

"What? What's the matter?" L sat up.

"Nothing," said Raito darkly, and he turned away and began picking up the rest of their clothing.

L seized the chain connecting them and yanked hard on Raito's handcuff. Raito stumbled back and landed on the bed next to L. He scowled at L, who looked completely calm, staring at Raito as if he did this every day.

"What?"

"You left quite a mark on me," said L, tapping his collarbone. The skin there was a bruised rusty color, darkening to purple where Raito's teeth had sunk in. "But it looks like I did the same to you." His hands brushed over Raito's shoulder, where a nearly identical mark had blossomed on Raito's skin. Raito watched in surprise as L bent his head towards it; L pressed his lips gently to the bruise. Raito stared at him, startled, as he sat back up and looked at Raito from under his hair.

"An eye for an eye, Raito-kun."