A/N: There is no foreplay here. Just cruel revelation and some sentimental junk.Some insights on Light sadism and L sappiness (?) I hope you still like it. I felt the need to incorporate the concept of distress among the three since they are undergoing change of hearts. The next chapter will be more promising than this one.

Fourth Instance: Ironic Stimulation

Misa picked up a pair of stilettos from her closet and could not help but dream of squashing that disgusting detective's face on them. She held them and stared at them viciously. Then she put them on, stretching her legs to see if it looks pretty on her. Of course everything she wears looks that way on her, especially on her. Yet Misa feels empty. Ever since she started living in this creepy estate owned by you-know-who, she felt trapped, imprisoned even. Well, she is a murder suspect. Needless to say she wanted to have some "alone" time with Light just so she could play with him. What did she get in the end? Some foreplay with the most abominable man on the planet.

She put her make up next. As she traced the vibrant pink lip gloss, she thought about the strawberry jam Ryuuzaki licked off her lips and she cringed horribly. Misa closed her eyes and threw the lip gloss at the mirror then she stormed to her living room and picked up a magazine. She tried so desperately to drown all thoughts of him. She scanned the pages hurriedly and knew nothing is going to make it go away.

Then her cell phone rang.

She regarded it in a sweeping, irritated glance. Then she put down the magazine and grabbed it. It was a text message from Light. Her features reflected joy as she read it.

-I hv been thinking abt u-

Oh, how sweet of him. Misa bit her lower lip and replied back.

-Ur always on my mind-

Misa eagerly held the pink cell phone on her hands, fidgeting. Most people think she didn't know that they assume Light was feigning interest in her just because he wasn't publicly affectionate with her. She never believed he was insincere. In her heart of hearts she knew Light does love her. He is just not emotionally accessible right now, considering that he is being constantly watched by that son of a bitch Ryuuzaki.

Her cell phone rang again.

-I wnt us to go on a real date next time-

Misa blushed hard. Her heart was thumping against her chest. Only Light could ever make her feel this way. She replied back.

-Misa wnts dt-

On the main room, Light continued sending Misa the text messages, yawning. The working days are starting to bore him and Misa could be a helpful distraction. Well, Misa with L could be a helpful distraction. He glanced at the fair-skinned detective who is happily and ritually munching on a doughnut.

"Ryuuzaki?"

"Something deviant on your mind again, Light-kun?"

"Why would you assume that?"

"You and Misa-chan are exchanging love notes with cell phones, am I correct?" L motioned a gaze at the screen where Misa is on. "It really is that obvious."

Light laughed. "Well, I am starting to be fond of her."

"Isn't that one of the requirements when a girl is intimate with you?" L locked his gaze on the younger man.

"Misa and I are not exclusive," Light pointed out with a small smile.

"Indeed. I forget Ms. Toudai, I apologize." L finished the doughnut and raised the coffee cup for a sip. Light watched him mildly.

"I know this may sound silly, Ryuuzaki, but you could at least put some effort on your social life."

L sipped on his coffee, saying nothing.

"Misa is delightful to have you as a friend."

L placed down the cup back to its saucer. "Is Light-kun pleased to have me as his friend?"

Light run a hand through his hair. "Of course, Ryuuzaki."

"Then must he preserve the spirit of our friendship by not disparaging me any longer?" L's eyes sharpened a little then he went back observing Misa on her room.

"I do not mean to mock," Light tried to keep a straight face. He looked down at the cell phone and read Misa's message.

-Light must knw dt dr is no day Misa didn't wnt hm 4 herself-

Light showed no reaction to that. He showed the message to his companion instead. L slightly looked at it and said nothing. The younger man offered. "Would you like to text her?"

L gave him one of his subtle you're-losing-intelligence-by-trying-to-outsmart-me-look and did not respond again. He was playing with the keyboard this time. Light tugged on the chain connecting them.

"Come on, can you text?" Light presumed the action must be difficult since he only did use two fingers. L said nothing to entertain him. Light tugged on the chain again, just to annoy him. L sighed and looked back at Light. "Of what purpose is this kind of behavior shows, Light-kun? Perhaps a sense of control?"

"Are you increasing the percentage again, Ryuuzaki? I hate repeating myself. I won't duck your accusations anymore but I won't admit to them. Here is some newsflash for you: you like Misa."

"Misa-chan is an endearment. She is rather smitten with you." L tugged back on chain.

"Misa is a cute girl," Light tried to keep a straight face with that. "She is just not my type. She is clingy and she has this annoying voice."

"It doesn't seem to distress you at some moments so why lead her into a false belief that you share something meaningful? That kind of deceit would also equate to my offer before that you should take her into your confidence—"

"Let's not go there again, Ryuuzaki. I'm just trying to keep her happy, that's all." Light answered. "Believe it or not, I care for Misa even if it doesn't bear romantic significance. You, on the other hand, seemed to like her company better than I do."

"As a rule, I choose not to trivialize things which are logical." L sounded a bit annoyed but he kept his face calm. "The logic is I plan not to do anything with these imaginary feelings you think I have for Misa-chan. Light-kun must understand that he is trivializing issues that must be none of his business."

"I'm your friend, Ryuuzaki."

"And don't you resort on playing that card again, Light-kun. It repulses me."

"Oh, does it?" Light raised an eyebrow. "You were the one who performed romantic acts on Misa."

"I would hardly call it romantic, Light-kun."

"Perverse?"

"You have condemned the very actions you have imposed on us, Light-kun, not I."

"I don't get you sometimes." Light knitted his eyebrows together.

"I never gave you the permission at all, Light-kun."

They stared at each other, both did not back down. Then Light cleared his throat and placed the cell phone in front of L. The detective barely glanced at it. Light proceeded back on his monitor, closing the conversation once and for all.

The cell phone kept ringing. It had been ringing forever and it is starting to get on L's nerves. Light refused to acknowledge it, still waiting for L to finally pick it up himself. L ignored it.

After the tenth ring, L knew he was defeated. He picked up the cell phone and read the text message.

-Did Misa upset Light?-

L felt rather sorry for Misa. He glanced at the teenage boy then back at the cell phone. Then he did something he never did before: he held the object with his two hands and began pressing the keys. Light, with his back turned, grinned in victory.

-not at all, Misa-

He was not sure what he was doing. Then he almost jumped when the cell phone rang again.

-does Light still wnt 2 be wd Misa. Misa feels lyk Light avoids her-

L sighed. He was not sure how to answer. He won't pretend to be Light because that's exactly what his "friend" expects. L decided to play itself.

-you dnt upset me-

-does Misa stl make Light hapi?-

-always-

-Light is sweet-

L glanced back at Light who pretended like he was interested on the Yotsuba account when he was secretly watching the progress of this supposed "courtship."

-Do u h8 Ryuuzaki dt much-

-Sumtyms Misa does-

-why-

-cuz he gets in Misa's way 2 b wd her Light-

-maybe he nvr wntd dt at all-

-hu cares wt goes on his perverted mind-

L stared at the message for a long time before replying back.

-Ryuuzaki wnts 2 b ur friend, dts all-

-is he stl dr wd u-

-wir chained-

-oopsie! Misa 4gets!-

-dts ok-

-Misa thinks Light really lyks Ryuuzaki so Misa will be Ryuuzaki's friend...4 Light-

L placed down the cell phone and bit on his thumb. Light gave him a questioning glance.

"Light-kun, you really should try to at least put an effort in wooing Misa-chan. She is deeply attached to you."

"In that case, you're already losing hope?"

"I don't like the tone of your voice or the context of your statement. My only interest with Misa-chan is her friendship. You could go forming ideas, Light-kun about that but it is getting tiresome and unbecoming of you."

Light glared at him. "I ought to punch you for being so ungrateful."

"And I owe you gratitude? My, Light-kun is vain." L glared back then he softened his expression. He shifted on his seat a little in case he needed to kick Light on the face again. Light did not move. He kept glaring. Then he cleared his throat again.

"You should have seen how you looked at her." Light spoke softly. "And don't deny it was nothing more but casual interest on her friendship. You don't fool me for a second."

"I must ask, Light-kun, if this goal of yours to push Misa-chan to me so we could be a solid couple a product of your latent homosexuality."

Light glared once more. "I'm afraid I am going to ask you to withdraw that question."

"I will not," L smirked a little. "You have said you were attracted to me."

"Or maybe you wish to assume that because you really do want to sleep with me instead."

"Now you are contradicting your theory, Light-kun. Am I interested in Misa-chan or am I interested in you? Which is it?" L challenged.

"You're a distasteful man." Light grabbed his cell phone back.

"And you are a ray of sunshine." L sipped his coffee in a languid manner.

Light knew that he hated L for his guts. After the imprisonment and the torture he had to go through just to prove his innocence, L still find it necessary to handcuffed them together? This is unacceptable. He is going to make him pay for it. The stakes are high now and even though it is against his moral principles, he is going to have to use Misa after all to tame L to submission.

Then L will be grateful for Light since he is candid with his motives. That's what friends do.

The following night before Misa went to bed, Light and L entered her room just to say good night. Light allowed her to peck him on the lips. Then Misa smiled at L and L couldn't help but remember what she said in her text message; that she is only being nice to him because of Light. L didn't return the smile but maybe somehow he thought that he does have to be grateful to Light after all.