REVIEWS PLEASE? *puppy dog eyes, L style*
...
Light's hands were clenched so hard that he was close to drawing blood with his fingernails. He could actually feel his teeth grinding, and his shoulders shook with rage.
He had done his best to take it. L had needled him, baited him all day, no doubt testing to see if he would acquiesce and comply with his portrayal of the abashed, apologetic young man he was supposed to be.
You want to see if I'm Kira, L...you want to see if you've stung my pride, if I'll retaliate, rather than roll over and expose my belly like a submissive dog...
Well I will retaliate! It's possible that you think Kira would stick to his passive role, no matter what the bait. After all, Kira wouldn't expose his hand so recklessly with needless rage, now would he?
It doesn't really matter. I won't be toyed with. I am mad.
The men entered their apartment, the elevator door closing behind them.
"There's some strawberries in the fridge, Light," said L, as he shuffled towards the kitchen. "Let's go get - ah!"
He nearly stumbled as the handcuff cut sharply into his wrist. He turned his head in confusion.
Light was still as stone, his face cold, his eyes mere slits. The only movement was the swinging of the chain that he grasped in his hand.
"What do you think you're doing, Ryuzaki," he whispered.
"I was going to the kitch-"
Light yanked the chain again and L stumbled forward.
"You - you've been toying with me all day. Provoking me. Harassing me. Humiliating me. I never knew you could be so needlessly cruel."
L quirked his head to one side. "I'm sorry?"
"You know what I mean! Rejecting all of my work out of hand - insulting me in front of the others! You made me feel useless!"
L stared unblinking into Light's eyes.
Then, with a shrug of his shoulders, he answered.
"Call it an experiment. I was curious to see how my friend Light would react."
Light lunged forward.
"You shit! Did you ever, for one moment, consider how I might be feeling? That I might be feeling anxious, vulnerable, ashamed? That I slept with a man - that I slept with you?"
"No, I didn't attribute those feelings to you. Remember, Light, you started all of this. You certainly showed no hesitation yesterday. If anything, it was the opposite."
"Ryuzaki!"
"I actually find your supposed bashfulness fairly incongruous with yesterday's events. You revealed an exceedingly dominant nature...I can only think that you're trying to obscure this fact once more, and you are irritated because I haven't fallen for it."
"What are you saying?"
"I'm saying that the chance of you being Kira has risen from 58.2% to 67.4%"
Light's eyes grew wide, and his breath choked in his throat.
"You - you think - after all that - "
"I'm simply following a logical process Light. I think you can agree that - "
"Damn you, L!"
Light hurled forward and punched L in the face.
L fell back, crashing into the wall behind him, crumpling into a heap on the floor. However, he soon righted himself. He gingerly patted his nose, coming away with daubs of blood.
"How dare I?" he whispered, his voice uncharacteristically rough. "Oh no. You were the one who started groping me. You were the one that pinned me down. You started this whole mess!"
"Mess, is it?" yelled Light. "You're damned right it's a mess! What was I thinking? How could I have ever wanted a freak like you?"
L hissed.
"A freak like me? I've never pretended to be anything else, Light, and you knew that from the beginning. It was an obvious manipulation tactic. Do you think I'm a fool?"
Light roared and charged into him headlong, hurling them both to the floor. He quickly pinned L's arms to the ground.
"You! You don't know anything! You're a machine, L, a cold, spindly robot! No wonder Kira hasn't killed you - you're not even human! You don't have a heart in the first place!"
With a sudden burst, L broke free. He threw Light off and viciously backhanded him.
"Maybe I do, and maybe I don't," he panted. "Either way, I don't appreciate people trying to tinker around with it. Especially in such a clumsy manner!"
"Clumsy? Clumsy?"
"One of the oldest tricks in the book - "
"Oh! I guess I didn't hear you say that yesterday over the sound of you calling out my name -"
"I never wanted this - "
"Really L? Really?" said Light, clutching at L's shirt. "It sure looked to me like you wanted it. You were dying for it. You were gagging for it - "
Once more L threw him off.
Light wrenched at the chain, pulling L to the floor. L, however, quickly did the same. For a few minutes they scuffled, but after the fatigue of the day and their own emotions they soon reached a stalemate. They settled for sitting across from each other on the floor, scowling vaguely in the other's direction.
"I hate you, L," Light panted. "I really, really hate you."
"I have to admit a certain animosity at the moment as well. Never mind, it will pass soon enough."
Light looked up sharply.
"How can you say that? After all of this?" Light murmured.
There was silence as each man caught his breath, and a meditative stillness settled over them. But then L spoke.
"Light," he whispered, "I'm not going to apologize for what I said. It's true enough as far as it goes. However, you've reminded me of one element which I forgot to factor in."
"Oh, really. Pray tell," said Light.
"You may be Kira," said L slowly. "You may not. Regardless, you are a young man - and a strong, vigorous one at that. It's entirely possible that such, er, feelings, which you expressed yesterday, may have arisen naturally. The chance is certainly less than 25%. However...I should respect you enough to recognize it's existence."
A rough bark escaped Light's throat. "Oh! Thanks ever so much for the vote of confidence, Ryuzaki!"
"Of course," he responded, no trace of irony in his voice.
There was silence once more.
"I suppose you want me to apologize for calling you a freak?" Light broke in suddenly.
"If you wish to," said L quietly.
"No."
"Mmm. I suppose it's the thought that counts."
Light huffed.
L gave him a quick glance. "Tell me Light - has the blood from my nose reached my chin?"
Light gazed at the detective. For some unknown reason he felt a stab of pain as he watched a red droplet splash onto L's shirt.
"Yes," he growled. "What's more," he added, "you've never looked better."
"Never?"
Light lowered his gaze to the floor and said nothing.
L cleared his throat.
"Well, I'd appreciate the chance to take a shower. Would you mind?"
Light sighed.
"I...I suppose that would be fine."
They raised themselves up. Light watched in annoyance as L vaguely rubbed at his face with his forearm.
"Here, Ryuzaki," Light mumbled, as he plucked a tissue from the box on the table. "You don't want to get blood all over your clothes when you take them off."
L looked at the tissue in front of him before pinching it gently between his fingers.
"Thanks, Light."
...
L disrobed quickly. Light averted his eyes, and he heard the click of the handcuff open and close in record time. Once he heard the slide of the closing shower curtain, Light sullenly took his customary place on the toilet seat. He leaned forward, massaging his temples with the bony heels of his hands. He was tired. He was frustrated. And in some far off corner of his brain...he was sad.
"Hey, Light?"
"What."
There was a pause.
"I was just going to say that you're not useless in the investigation."
He growled.
"I know. That's why I was so pissed when you pretended otherwise today."
"Gotcha."
The patter of water created a soothing background, and as Light inhaled the steam from the air he slowly felt the tension leave his shoulders.
Maybe I shouldn't have gotten so mad, he thought. L is clever, as clever as they come...I should have been more on my guard...
L's voice startled Light out of his reverie.
"Are you bored out there?" he asked. "You usually are."
Light sighed and rubbed the back of his neck.
"Honestly, I think I'm still too angry to be bored, Ryuzaki."
Another pause.
"Well...if you were bored...I just wondered if you'd help me."
"Help you?"
"Well...yeah. I owe you a chance to be useful today."
"Help you with what, exactly?" Light murmured.
"Er...in here."
Light's breath hitched.
"Ryuzaki?" he whispered.
"See, there's this one spot in the middle of my back that I can never seem to reach - "
What moments ago was an empty shell suddenly flamed to life.
"I understand completely, Ryuzaki."
"You do?"
"Yes. It sounds serious...I'll be right there."
...
"I can't say how sorry I am, Light..."
They both sat on the bed, L holding ice to Light's quickly swelling toe.
Light allowed a small smiled.
"You've already apologized enough, Ryuzaki. Anyway, it wasn't your fault. It was a pretty awkward angle..."
"Still, I should have factored in the effects of the soap. Look, your toe is blue, now."
"Yeah...but don't worry. You'll find a way to make it up to me."
"Oh?"
"Yeah."
Light reached out his arms.
"Come here, Ryuzaki."
L crawled forward and wrapped his arms around Light, planting a quick kiss on his shoulder.
Their usual calculations could wait. For the moment, they were content to lay together in the soft glow of lamplight, the warmth of their bodies intermingling with the clean scent of apricot guava.