You glance over at the couch where L lay resting but awake. The two of you had spent a majority of your time in an attempt to catch up and you had managed to introduce him to a couple of your favorite shows, which to your surprise he sat through expressing mild interest. It was now early the following morning and you found that you enjoyed your time with him.
"I should go back to my room, Watari will be home in a short time and I do not want him to become angry with you for my actions." L said beginning to stand up, he swayed slightly before sitting back down. You rush to his side, unable to hide your concern.
"Ryuzaki, are you okay?" L gives you a faint smile.
"I am fine, you don't need to worry." He tries to assure you. You look at him skeptically.
"Please Ryuzaki, what's wrong, should I call Watari?"
"No. There is no need to contact him. Perhaps I got up too quickly. I will be alright." You gently push him down onto the couch and pull the cover over him.
"Lie down and rest, maybe It's because you didn't eat."
"I rarely-."
"If you don't eat, you might get worse, please try."
"I do not feel hungry." He says honestly. You reach out without thinking and begin to stroke his head.
"I know, but I think you should try, I can give you some toast , or you can finish the soup from yesterday. Please?" He looks at you for a long moment."very well (name) I will try some toast."He replies, clearly not happy about the situation he found himself in. You give him an encouraging smile as you go into the kitchen to make the toast.
Once you've started it, you go back to the living room.
"this time I want you to rest here, you can eat on the couch, I don't want you getting up and falling over or something. "
"I will be fine, if I do that, Watari may strangle the life out of both of us."
"Watari loves you, I doubt he'd strangle you over a couch."
"A couch probably not, his favorite imported Italian couch, he would be angry."
"What's more important to him, you or a piece of furniture?" You ask.
"It is very close." You scoff.
"You think he'd value the couch over your health?"
"I did not say that. I said it would be close. Watari loves this couch."
"Bet he loves you even more."
"That is a possibility."
"you know It's true. He would rather have you than some fancy couch." L looked down at the cushions.
"Yes, that would make sense, the relationship between us being what it is." You sit next to him, you've always been curious about that subject. You hope he'll tell you more.
"Yes, you are correct. My health is more important. Though I must be very careful not to drop anything, of you think I notice things no one else does, wait until Watari begins his own investigation of this particular piece." You chuckle at the comment.
"It is all fun and games until Watari finds crumbs on his couch.." L insisted.
"I'm going to go check on your toast, I'll being you some water too."
"Water?" The sadness in his voice pushes your decision you have no choice now. Watari will either have to understand and accept it, or as L claimed, strangle the life out of you. Your heart breaks a little more everytime the detective is upset. Watari can deal with you later.
"Sorry,I meant tea with..extra sugar." He smiles. You Love his smile, it always gives you butterflies.
"You do know if you bring me tea Watari-"
"Won't be happy, yeah. Tea's supposed to be good for you anyway when you're sick. I'll deal with Watari, you just get better and don't worry about me." You walk back to the kitchen and take the toast out of the toaster and place it on a small plate adding just a small amount of butter and turn your attention to making the tea.
Once the water is heating, you take the toast to L.
"If you can manage to eat some of this, it would really help me out." You tell him.
"I will try however I will not make promises. " he says sitting up.
"I can't ask for more than that." You say softly. L nibbles on the toast.
"If you don't mind my saying (name), I find you to be an interesting person." He says between bites.
You can't believe L is actually saying these things to you.
"H-how so?" You ask wanting-needing to hear more.
"There are several reasons, first, you never asked me about why Watari and I are the way we are with each other, you want to know,yet you do not ask."
"It's your secret to keep Ryuzaki, I would never try to make you tell me anything."
"I know. That was to be my next point. You do not pry as others have tried to do. I am able to speak to you in a way I cannot to others. I feel that if I were to trust you with my deepest secret, you would keep it and never use it against me in any way.
My third reason is that anyone willing to take on Watari for me is.. you are a special kind of person (name) thank you for all that you are doing."
"You're pretty special too. I mean aside from your many talents, you're a really nice guy. I'm glad I got the chance to work with you. I hope that in the future, if you need help on a case, or just need someone to talk to, that you know I'll be there for you." You touch his hand lovingly.
"Thank you. You have a very kind heart (name) and you are very brave. Should you ever need anything, Watari and I will be here for you as well." You want to to tell him that in your eyes, he is the sun, the moon and the stars. The first thing you think of in the morning and the last before you sleep.
"Thank you. " you say, thinking it maybe a little too much to tell him. After all he's expressing his gratitude for your help, not pouring his heart out to you. As much as you wish he would.
You excuse yourself and return with the tea just as before and hand him the cup. He drops in the sugar and sips it.
"Much better than water." He comments. Your phone rings suddenly.
"Hello?" You answer.
"Hello (name) how is everything?"
"Just fine Watari, Ryuzaki's having some breakfast."
"Wonderful, what have you given him?"
"Toast and... tea." Watari sighs.
"(Name), too much sugar will only make him more ill. Normally it would not bother him but- did you say he is eating toast?"
"That's right. He's almost done with his first piece, he didn't take to the soup very well but he's doing good with the toast.
"Well, it seems I've nothing to worry about when he's with you. It sounds as if you've handled him very well. I am calling because I'm on my way back and wanted to know if either of you needed anything from the store, I happen to pass several on my way home."
"Ryuzaki, Watari wants to know if you want anything from the store while he's out." You watch as L thinks it over.
"More tissues, and we are out of strawberries and cream for cake." He replies.
"He says tissues, strawberries and cream." Watari sighed.
"That boy and his cake, I should have guessed. I should be back soon. Thank you " you end call.
"Feeling any better Ryuzaki?" You ask noticing he has finished an entire piece of toast.
"A little better I think. I am sorry, I cannot eat the second piece."
"It's alright, you did very good." You say with a smile removing the plate from the couch. He begins to get up before you gently push him back.
"Stay there, It's okay."
"Watari will not be long, he will expect me in my room."
"I don't want you getting up until you're sure you're okay, wait for a while." You instruct placing your hand on his head. The fever is still there but you're happy that it just a small one.
"I-"
"Ryuzaki, give yourself time. Rest, I told you I'll take care of everything." Within the next hour, the door opens and Watari steps inside holding several bags.
"What are you doing out here?" He asked sternly looking at L who sat up and opened his mouth to reply.
"I-I said that it would be-" You begin before L interrupts.
"I am to blame Watari, Thank you (name) it is very noble for you to shield me, however I cannot allow you to do so. I was lonely in my room, I could not sleep,and so I came out here and made myself comfortable. Only moments ago, I felt dizzy and so remained here, my apologies." You were stunned, you had promised to deal with Watari yourself and yet he had stepped in.
"Dizzy you say?" Watari placed the bags on the floor and rushed to L's side.
"Yes. Do not worry Watari, you left me in good hands.
"I can see that. How do you feel?"
"A little better."
"Good. Lie down, you'll need the rest." L looked at him in surprise.
"On your couch?"
"Yes. if you feel better out here, I care more for you than this furniture. It can always be replaced, I can never have another you."
"Thank you Watari. That is nice to hear." The old man stroked the detective's hair.
"I am going to take the bags to the kitchen and make your cake, but you can only have it when you're well."
"Yes Watari." He answered sneezing. Watari handed him the tissues and set to work. You walk over and sit next to L.
"I told you, you're more important than that couch."
"Yes, you did. (Name). I feel as if I would like to trust you with some information that I have never told anyone." You feel honored that he would choose you.
"What is it?" You ask moving in closer.
"Watari is my father . He adopted me when I was very small. He told me that I was very different from the others he had worked with and that he found himself breaking the rule about attachments. I soon became his son. He never had children of his own. We must keep it secret however. When we are alone, truly alone, we can be more of a family."
"I'll never tell Ryuzaki." You vow.
"Also, my first name... It is Lyndel. Watari gave !e this name. I can't say I am aware of having one before this. I don't have many memories before Watari." He confided.
"It's a beautiful name." You can hardly believe that L has told you the answers to the questions you had. You were determined to keep the information to yourself at any cost.
"Thank you Ryuzaki, for sharing that with me, I'm honored to be trusted with this." He smiled.
"Thank you(name), for being you are the only person other than Watari that can be trusted with such classified information." There is a moment of silence between you.
"Perhaps if you are not busy, when I am well enough, you would help me with my new case?" He asked. You jump at the chance.
"Of course, I'm happy to help."
"This case is very special. It is the case of the legendary detective who wishes to express his gratitude to a very special person, though it may take some work to figure it out, I believe you and I can figure it out together."
"Oh Ryuzaki, you don't have to do anything special, just-"
"This is a safe place, if you would like, you may use my name." You feel yourself beginning to blush.
"Okay.. Lyndel." You say.
"One more thing if you do not mind."
"Of course not. What is it?"
"Please come here." You do as he asks lowering yourself to the floor beside him.
"Closer please." You lean in close and feel his soft lips on your cheek.
"Thank you (name) for being so different from everyone else. I believe you are a very valuable person to have in my life and I hope you will stay." Your heart melts.
"I'll be in your life for as long as you'll let meme. I would love nothing more than to always be with you." You admit.
"I was hoping you would say that." He replied allowing you to hold his hand. It is clear that neither of you are going anywhere, not for a very long time.