A/N: two chapters at once ! and this one is technically early since it isn't Sunday yet- not for another two hrs lol

fun stuff ahead ! relationship development (hehe)

this chapter was a bitch to edit ! so stressful djaklfdaj

August 31st 2004– Morning

The push and pull of hot breath at his nape coasted over his bare shoulders like gentle waves against a craggy ocean shore. It mussed through the silky tresses of his auburn hair, creating disorder against the stark white casing of his pillow. A warm body pressed flush against the expanse of his back, his midsection locked in an wrought-iron grip that pulled him impossibly close.

Light was still asleep, yet his unconscious mind was vaguely aware of the protective hold coiling around him from behind. It provided him with security and comfort even while he was lost in the throes of sleep. Craving further touch, he rolled over with an inaudible mumble in a blind search for protection. Blessed warmth continued to envelope him as the sea of blankets began to fall away from his waist.

There was a startled gasp as he nuzzled his face against sweet scented cotton. The fabric was kept warm by an erratically beating heart, and the tender embrace he was caught in suddenly became bone-crushing and desperate. Light choked out a gasp of his own as air was forcibly squeezed from his lungs. The grip around his middle immediately loosened into something much more comfortable, and any aches he had were quickly soothed away with gentle rubs.

Light opened his eyes a crack, first rays of dawn peeking through the curtains and teasing his exhausted eyeballs. It took a moment for his sleep addled brain to catch up to what he was seeing. His vision was blurry, streaked with moisture and he blinked awkwardly through a deep haze of confusion.

L's eyes were staring into his own, wide and probing with the barest hint of alarm touching his stormy irises. He lay close beside him, close enough that Light could feel his rapid pulse through his shirt and it immediately struck him that the warmth he felt, the all encompassing heat, was due to the detective's proximity.

Light was paralyzed, limbs locked tight as his friend continued to hold him close. His fists, which had found themselves clutching the front of L's shirt in his sleep, loosened their grip as he was overcome with surprise. The detective's eyes betrayed no emotion, unblinking and dull as the seconds crawled by.

Light felt a rush of fire licking at his skin under the detective's heavy gaze. He felt like he was radiating heat, his face was burning so badly. He knew he probably looked ridiculous.

Something raw and unrecognizable flashed through L's eyes as he continued to stare uninhibited. They were alight with a mysterious energy, twin pools of liquid starlight that Light momentarily found himself wanting to swim in.

With a steady breath, L slowly retracted his arms and pulled away from the younger man. The silver chain connecting them dragged noisily in his stead, drawing further attention to their previous position as he rolled onto his back.

He offered no explanation. He kept his eyes heaven-bound as the silence around them grew thick and heady.

Light continued to lay there, vision trained on L's sullen profile. He took note of the way his lips trembled ever so slightly, as if some forbidden emotion was hiding just beneath the surface. He looked so fragile, so unlike himself that his expression alone had taken Light more off guard than his initial embrace had.

Light knew that he had to break the silence or else it would stretch on for an indefinite amount of time. They couldn't afford that.

"...Good morning, L." He breathed, the foreign letter tasting that much stranger on his tongue after having used the detective's other pseudonym for so long. L, the letter, the name, felt so much more personal than any of his other aliases. The intimacy of it made his heart quiver behind his breast bone.

"Good morning, Light-kun." L replied in kind, just as quietly for not a touch softer. A hush fell over them then, adding weight to the already heavy atmosphere. L's hands twitched at his sides, and he hesitated briefly before pushing himself up into a low crouch. He pressed his thumb between his parted lips with a thoughtful expression, scratching his ankle with his free hand.

"We really should begin the process of starting the day. It's already well past six."

Light glanced at the wrist watch sitting on his night stand. Its face read six-forty-five, well into the six o'clock hour and well past the time he usually woke up. With a derisive sigh Light pushed himself upright, rubbing his eyes tiredly before running his fingers through his impressive bed head. It tamed itself quickly, falling flat against his skull after a few quick shakes of his hand.

"Oh jeez, I'm sorry." Light huffed embarrassedly, adrenaline from his earlier wake up call slowly fading into the background of his mind. "You must've been super bored, huh?"

"Not at all." L said quietly, glancing at a particularly interesting pull on their otherwise pristine duvet. "I've just woken up, myself. It seems that I neglected to set an alarm before falling asleep."

Light nodded, but found it difficult to look L in the eye after waking so snugly in his arms. L had obviously clung to him in his sleep— that in itself wasn't too odd, nor was it was it unwelcome as it provided Light with a sense of comfort for a brief time.

It was human nature to seek out warmth and protection, after all. Even while unconscious. The revelation served to give Light a bit of relief.

"If that's the case, then I guess I'm not sorry after all. You needed the extra sleep." Light teased airily, finding it a bit easier to smile after letting his mind wander. He peeled back the covers and motioned to stand. "Come on, then, we're burning daylight."

L nodded and disentangled his arms from around his legs, scrambling like a spider to climb off the bed after the younger man. They dressed themselves, cleaned themselves up a bit in the bathroom and made their late start for the day.

Watari had been in the kitchen recently, with breakfast already waiting for L on the counter. A kettle was sat cooling on the stove, steam pouring from its spout in perfect little tendrils. Two tea cups sat before it, tea bags steeping in the hot water.

The old inventor must've seen them on the monitor in the control room and acted accordingly. Light felt a dark flush rise to his face as he realized that Watari had also probably seen him and L spooning each other in their sleep. What kind of thoughts had crossed his mind, Light wondered.

Although he was pretty sure he didn't want to know, otherwise he'd die of embarrassment.

L sat down at the counter and began eating his breakfast of cherry pie and vanilla ice cream. Light worked on preparing L's tea. He didn't need any prompting— they'd gotten into the habit, briefly, before the stupid argument that led up to a week of Light giving L the cold shoulder.

He handed the teacup to L wordlessly, slipping into the seat beside him. The chain between them hung loose, no longer taught from Light's maneuvering through the limited space.

"Thank you." L said automatically, taking a sip once the teacup was in his possession. L was never one for manners, but he somehow always made a point to thank Light whenever he did something for him. Nervousness fluttered in Light's stomach at the idea of being deemed important enough to receive gratitude.

He knew it was trivial, maybe even a little stupid, but it meant something to him. L was the only person who brought this feeling out of him.

"You're welcome." Light said into his own cup, left unsweetened. The tea was floral, with a hint of something naturally sweet, like honey. It was decadent, and it warmed him from the inside out.

Breakfast was uneventful after that small exchange, and soon they were on their way to the investigation floor to get an early start. It was late by their standards, but they still had a good hour until the rest of the task force started to arrive.

The atmosphere was noticeably brighter and more open throughout the day, despite the circumstances of why they were all there. Everyone had noticed that Light was in higher spirits, because for an entire week he was completely frigid, withdrawn and unhappy.

Now, Light was smiling. It radiated like the sun, too bright and too beautiful to look at directly. L stared at him oddly, awe sparking in his gaze, looking as if something golden and holy was being presented before him. Light didn't understand that look, and it made his palms sweat.

There wasn't much in the way of progress, as far as the case went. That was unsurprising. What was surprising, however, was the appearance of Misa when the lunch hour rolled around. Light felt something akin to dread form in his gut, praying to anyone who'd listen that Misa wouldn't approach him. Why was she being allowed inside?

L was rigid in his chair, back turned to the open door. His expression looked strained, annoyed even, before something even more surprising happened.

Misa, the woman who had fallen all over Light the moment he met her, completely bypassed him and went straight over to Matsuda's desk. She had a package of something delicious nestled in her arms.

It didn't take a genius to figure out what was going on. Matsuda's elated expression upon seeing the beautiful girl was enough. While there probably wasn't anything overtly romantic going on between them, it was obvious that the two had taken a liking to each other.

Light wasn't all too concerned about what went on between them, but he did find it a little unfortunate that they likely would never be permitted to enter a romantic relationship, so long as the case was going on. Misa was suspected as being the second Kira, and while Matsuda's role in the investigation was minimal at best, he was still an officer of the law.

Yes, it was indeed unfortunate. But at least Misa was finally off his case, for the time being. Light did feel a little guilty over his selfish train of thought, but he felt he was allowed at least that one small luxury. His thoughts were his own, after all; no one needed to know how he truly felt at all times.

L seemed to have relaxed as well when he turned and noticed a distinct lack of Misa in their general proximity. He then noticed Misa, sat at Matsuda's desk, sharing a bento box with him.

"That is unfortunate." L intoned softly, voicing Light's exact thoughts. Light snorted, and quickly covered his mouth with his hand. A rush of embarrassment surged through him, and he let out a nervous laugh.

God, he'd actually snorted while he laughed.

L's face lit up with a surprised smile. He bit down on his thumb, eyes crinkling in amusement as his grin widened. Light very much wanted to explode.

"Please shut up."

"I haven't said anything yet, Light-kun." L replied, resting his chin on his knees with a little pout. Watari arrived not a moment later with their lunches. Something simple and green for Light, and something weighted down by several pounds of chocolate for L.

The detective didn't give any indication that he noticed his older companion, not that he needed to. They seemed to have an understanding of each other, and words weren't always necessary when there were other, more important things to do. L continued to stare at Light, smile firmly in place, as Light offered a quick thanks to Watari.

"Well this is me preemptively telling you to shut up, Ryuuzaki." Light hissed once Watari was out of earshot. L laughed airily behind his fingers, and the two soon began eating their lunches in companionable silence.

The day continued at its leisurely pace, and soon enough it had reached its end. The task force had departed at 8:30, as was typical, once again leaving their two youngest members alone in the investigation room.

It wasn't late by any means, as it was only 9:30 at that point, but L had decided it would be best to continue from their bedroom.

"It would be best for Light-kun to have a break from sitting in his computer chair." L said as he rose to his feet. His bare toes curled into the carpeting, stretching pleasantly against the soft material. "I've noticed that his posture is starting to slacken. I'm afraid I've been a terrible influence."

Light blushed a little at the comment about his waning posture. He had to admit, though, that his spine wasn't thanking him for his poor treatment of it. That must've been what L had been so focused on when he was staring at him. The man was analytical to a fault.

"Ah, my back is just a little sore, I'm fine." He said, straightening his back a little painfully. All of these hours spent sitting at a computer weren't doing him any favors. L surprised him by lightly brushing his shoulder, running his fingers against his upper back.

"I can give you massage, if you'd like." He offered quietly, voice almost a whisper. Something stirred in Light's gut at the prospect, startling him a bit. L walked up behind his chair and placed both hands on Light's shoulders, thumbs rubbing into his upper back and between his shoulder blades.

Tingles ran through Light's system, starting from their point of contact and ending in his fingers and toes. L hadn't waited for a response, but Light's pleased sigh was answer enough. Light felt nearly every muscle in his body go lax.

L's hands were talented, that much Light was completely sure of. He sighed again, breathy, and L's hands stilled.

"Better?" L asked, removing his hands from Light's shoulders. Light hummed, head nodding dazedly. "Let's go, then."

Light got to his feet, boneless. His back held little of the tension he had been carrying. He rolled his shoulders experimentally, reveling in their loose movements.

"Thank you." Light said as he followed L into the elevator.

"Think nothing of it." L replied. Then, as an afterthought, he said "Please let me know if you ever require another massage. I'm quite well-versed in the art."

Light's pulse spiked at that, sending pleasant heat rising to his neck and cheeks.

"Uh, sure." He said, heart thrumming in his chest. He was sure the other could hear it, even if he gave no outward sign that he had. L's lips quirked into a grin as the elevator doors opened, and then they were off to their quarters.

Light wasn't tired enough to sleep just yet, but he readied himself for bed regardless. In his relaxed state, it was only a matter of time before exhaustion caught up with him. The cuff fell away easily once L unlocked it, and Light made quick work of unbuttoning his shirt.

He noticed L's lingering glance. He didn't know what it meant, but it made him nervous. He finished disrobing. L remained in his day-clothes, likely opting to sleep in the comfortably worn outfit out of necessity. His pile of dirty laundry had yet to be collected by Watari, and he had nothing left to change into.

They went about their nightly routines, made use of the restroom, and settled into the bed. Light plopped into it with a tired sigh, stretching comfortably against the clean sheets.

L had his laptop open, settled between his feet on the bed, his knees pulled upright on either side of it. The lights were turned off, and the room was left dark save for the light of L's monitor. It bathed him in a sheen of bluish-white, and he looked eerily beautiful. Like a ghost, pale white against a sea of black shadows. His eyes were gaunt, staring into nothing on his screen.

Light was captivated, and watched the other man for a while before letting his eyes drift closed. His breathing soon evened out, and it felt like hours before he started feeling the stirrings of unconsciousness.

He wasn't asleep yet, though.

Light heard L pause beside him, and then the sound of his laptop clicking shut. The room was now encased in darkness. It was another few minutes before he felt L shift beside him, and begin to lie down. Light relaxed into the bed, pleased that L had decided to put his own needs before his work and settle into bed.

The insomniac was choosing to sleep, once again. Maybe this was a sign that something good was to come. Change wasn't necessarily bad.

Or maybe it didn't mean anything at all, and the detective was merely bored and had nothing left to stimulate his mind.

Before Light could ponder too much on the subject, his train of thought was immediately halted when he felt L sidle up next to him. It couldn't have been accidental, but he kept his eyes closed and breath even.

He was so close to falling asleep, it wasn't as if he was really pretending. L shifted a bit more, the chain between them jingling quietly as he rolled onto his side. Light was on his own side, facing the detective, but with his eyes closed he was unable to tell just how close their faces were.

He felt a warm hand brush against his side, an innocent enough gesture that nearly made Light suck in a gasp. The hand was hesitant, almost waiting, before L drew even closer to press his face into the crook of Light's neck. His hand moved upward, and he draped his arm over Light's waist to pull him flush against him.

It was awkward for many reasons, and thrilling for countless others. Namely, he was wearing nothing but a pair of boxer shorts and L had no qualms with entangling their legs.

Light was frozen, not out of fear but out of confusion. This didn't make sense. L wasn't a tender person, he had no reason to be holding Light as if he were the most important thing in the world. He couldn't stop himself from shuddering a shaky breath.

L immediately drew away. Not completely, as their legs and fronts were still touching beneath the covers, but he was no longer holding him. Light regretted the loss of contact, despite his confusion. While unfamiliar, it felt safe. Now he felt cold, even in his bed, even in the small space they currently shared.

Light swallowed thickly, pulse quickening in his throat, and brought himself closer to L once again. He didn't know why he wanted it, this closeness, but he knew the yearning he felt was real. It had to be, since he'd never felt it before and had nothing else to compare it to.

L's breath, still smelling of his cupcake flavored toothpaste, fanned over Light's face, brushing his bangs out of his eyes. Light couldn't see his expression, but he assumed it was on the cusp between startled and unnerved. L's hand returned to Light's side, hesitantly sliding around him until his arm was once again pulling the other boy close. His other hand, curled into a fist at his front, reached to touch Light's hair.

He moved his fingers through the tresses in a soothing fashion, gently brushing and pushing it away from his forehead. Light leaned forward into the gentle touch, rendered mostly immobile in L's one-armed embrace.

"Light.." L whispered, voice but a whisper ghosting over Light's lips. Light nearly trembled, which was completely at odds with how he usually conducted himself. He'd never trembled, never felt so weak around anyone before.

L continued, "Light, I must apologize in advance, but there is something that I'd like to try."

He felt, rather than saw L lean closer to his face. He was radiating heat in waves, his nervousness palpable. Light felt uneasy in the presence of a nervous L. He didn't have any protests to voice, so he simply nodded against his pillow.

L must've seen it, even in the dismal light, because he finally closed the distance and pressed a soft, chaste kiss to Light's forehead. It lasted for only a few seconds, and then L pulled away. Light could feel the spot where L's lips touched his face, burning as if licked by fire.

"What was that?" Light asked quietly, voice raw and the most exposed it had ever been. The arm around his waist disappeared again, and L offered a few inches of distance as he shimmied back. He radiated an aura of shame, which served to feed into Light's anxieties. "L, what was that?"

"A kiss." L said, his own voice adopting a strained quality. "I realize that it was inappropriate, given our current situation, and that you hadn't given me express permission. I'm sorry."

Light's heart stuttered in his chest. This was unfamiliar territory for him. He was a mere boy of eighteen, with only a small amount of past love interests to speak of.

He'd never had a real girlfriend, as he didn't believe Misa had ever truly counted. The two girls before her only ever cared for his good looks or his stellar grades, each hoping to gain something from him rather than give and receive. Neither of those relationships lasted more than a week.

He was at a loss on how to proceed. L had started to withdraw even more, rolling onto his back. Light stopped him with a hand on his arm, gripping him above the cuff around his wrist.

"Why are you sorry?" Light asked, gently pulling L's arm back around himself. It startled a breath out of the detective, but he didn't protest. Light could feel the other's heartbeat hammering against his chest.

He wrapped his own arm around L's middle, mirroring his hold. He was feeling brave.

"Because I acted on impulse—"

"You gave me plenty of warning." Light interrupted quietly. Something mischievous stirred inside him, then, and he smiled a little. "I'm just surprised that your aim is so terrible."

L's breath caught.

"Pardon?" He asked, voice slightly pitched up in alarm. Light felt a bit giddy upon hearing the comical sound, and laughed a little under his breath.

"You were aiming to kiss my mouth, right?" He asked, almost in a teasing manner. The nerves he had been experiencing earlier were replaced with a sort of weightless elation. Was this flirting? It had to be, given the context.

Light, while naturally charming, wasn't naturally flirtatious.

While he couldn't see, he could try to envision L's shocked expression. Light took the opportunity to close the gap between them, pressing his lips fully against the other's. It didn't take long for something to click in L's brain before he was fervently kissing back, pushing himself up to lean over the younger man.

Light moved his arms to wrap around L's shoulders, dragging the metal chain with them. He felt L's tongue prodding at his lips and he gladly allowed it entrance into his mouth. L was surprisingly domineering in his administrations, which only served to feed the fire in Light's gut.

He let out a pleased sigh, and they broke heated kiss only briefly before L started attacking Light's neck with bites and licks.

It was the furthest Light had ever gotten, as far as kisses went, and his head was positively spinning with the new sensations. He locked his fingers through L's messy raven hair, pulling slightly as he let out a shaky whine.

L moved back up to Light's face and placed a much gentler kiss to his swollen lips. One hand traced the sharp edges of Light's angular face, and the other kept himself propped over the younger man. He then pulled away, slightly, before once again placing a kiss to Light's forehead.

Light was panting slightly, twitching beneath L's towering form. He was being pressed into the mattress by the other's weight, and he found that he didn't mind in the slightest.

"L.."He whispered hoarsely. He felt L's hand leave his face to search for something in his jeans pocket. He then heard a metal clink, and felt his silver cuff fall away from his wrist. If he hadn't been in that euphoric state, he would've been rendered speechless by that act alone.

L kissed him again, softly on the cheek before finding his lips once more.

"Handcuffs are no longer necessary when we're alone." L said by way of explanation, removing his own cuff before tossing them haphazardly over his shoulder and onto the floor. He let himself relax into the bed beside Light, pulling him against his chest. Light was as limp as a rag doll and was easily maneuvered.

"Perhaps my judgement's been impaired, but I'm finding it increasingly difficult to watch you through a critical lens." L's voice was soft, and he ran his slender fingers across the ridge of Light's spine.

Light's blood was singing and he felt as if he were coming undone under L's gentle ministrations. He buried his face into L's neck, clinging to him as he stroked his back like one would a cat's. He didn't say anything, as there wasn't really anything left to say. It was late, and Light was exhausted.

"Sleep now, Light." L whispered into his hair, pulling Light that much closer in his hold. "You've had a long day. We can talk more about this in the morning."

Light, needing no further prompting, did exactly as he was told and fell asleep after a few minutes of hushed breathing.

—

The next morning Light was awoken with a kiss. He blinked the sleep from his eyes, tired brain needing to take a minute before delving into his memory of the night before.

L was kissing him, and it felt more normal than anything else going on in his life. He kissed back automatically, the thrill of something new and exciting happening to him filling his young heart with vigor.

The kiss didn't last long, nor was it heated, but it left Light breathless. What was becoming of him, he had to wonder. And if he liked the way it felt, then did it really matter? L was the first to pull away, as he was the one who had started it, and gave Light an almost wistful smile.

"Good morning to you too." Light said, fingers locked at the base of L's neck to keep him in place. He grinned up at him from under his fan of eyelashes, the low lighting of the room doing wonders for L's expression.

"It seems I'm no longer able to control myself around you." L said, the words seeming to pour out of his mouth of their own accord. He swallowed, licked his lips and continued speaking in a hushed whisper. "I don't know how this happened."

Light stared up at L, at the raw emotion in his hallow eyes, and felt something inside his chest go soft. He realized it was his affection for the older man, all encompassing and it filled him with a sense of right-ness. He was at just as much of a loss as L was.

"I don't know, either." Light said quietly, and he loosened his fingers to run them over L's neck and fist themselves into his messy hair. He decided to take a chance, and he felt his pulse quicken with nerves. "I do know that I like you, L. Probably more than I should."

L quirked his mouth into a grin, pearly white teeth showing just the tiniest bit. How he managed to keep his teeth in such good health was beyond Light.

"I can't say I know exactly what I feel," L whispered, bringing his face down to nuzzle against Light's neck. "But it goes beyond merely 'liking' you. I can say that much for certain."

He pressed a kiss against Light's throat, earning a startled and embarrassed gasp from Light, straight from the source. His kissed the same spot again, gently this time, and began to lick across the skin languidly.

"Are you trying to one-up me?" Light asked breathlessly, his words missing their usual bite to them as he craned his head to allow L further purchase. L breathed heavily against Light's neck, causing the younger man to shudder beneath him.

"Of course not, Light-kun." L said, pulling back once again. He was smiling fully, and it touched his eyes. "I was only speaking my mind. There's no need to compete."

Light eyed L knowingly, a single perfectly groomed eyebrow raising in disbelief. The detective was competitive to a fault, even during the most mundane activities. This couldn't have been an exception.

"Sure." Light said tonelessly. L's eyes remained locked on his. He cleared his throat. "Uh, what time is it, anyway?"

"A little after 6:15." Was L's immediate response. Light wanted to laugh, so he did, albeit quietly. "I had originally intended to wake you quickly, but it seems I got a little carried away."

L sat back on his haunches, allowing Light the space he needed to sit up and stretch out his tired muscles. He then looked down at his chest and felt his mouth go dry. He had a few hickeys littered across his otherwise flawless skin.

He felt his face heat up instantly.

"L, please tell me you didn't leave any bite-marks on my neck!" He nearly shouted as he touched his throat with trembling fingers. L grinned at him impishly, and all fuzzy feelings drained from Light, forgotten in the heat of his embarrassment. "L, for God's sake, my father works with us! What the hell is he going to think?!"

"Light, please don't work yourself up over something I have had yet to confirm." L said placatingly. Light narrowed his eyes.

"So you're saying that you DIDN'T an obvious hickey where literally everyone at work could see it?" He asked, not allowing any hope to bleed into his voice. L hesitated, and that was enough.

"Hmm, not in those exact words, no."

"L!" Light snapped, falling back into the bed with a distressed groan. He buried his face in his hands, and rolled onto his side in a pathetic heap. "I take everything I just said back. I hate you."

L laid a comforting hand on his bare shoulder.

"If it's of any consolation, I believe you own a rather flattering turtleneck sweater that will cover them up quite nicely."

"I'm going to bite you in the face." Light hissed, not missing L's use of the plural. He didn't reject the other's contact, though, and L began to rub soothing circles agains his arm.

"I was beginning to wonder just how docile Light-kun really was." L said offhandedly. "It seems that he has quite a bit of a temper when provoked."

"Thanks for the info." Light muttered darkly, removing his hands from his face to gently prod the bruises over his chest. They didn't really hurt, but they looked angry and it was obvious what had happened for him to earn them. "I'm going to take a shower."

He nearly forgot about the handcuffs left prone on the floor. Being without them for any length of time was novel.

L followed him to the bathroom, as was customary due to his constant surveillance of the other. Light had a feeling that he was accompanying him for other reasons, now, since there wasn't anything physically holding them together while in the confines of their room. It sent a pleasant tingle running down his spine.

When they entered the bathroom, the extent of L's damage to his person was plain as day. There were a couple of small, bite-sized bruises on Light's throat, almost conveniently placed in a spot that would be difficult to hide. There were another few on his collar bone and left pectoral. The rest of his skin was as pristine as ever, left completely unmarred.

Light sighed and ignored his reflection, instead heading for the shower cubicle. L sat down on the stool provided just outside of it, perched awkwardly atop it like a gargoyle on its post. Light turned on the tap, quickly shed his boxers and stepped under the spray of blissfully hot water.

He took his time, washing his hair and body thoroughly before turning the water off. He wiped stray droplets away from his eyes, and his vision was immediately overtaken by something white and fluffy. A towel.

"Thanks." Light mumbled, grabbing the proffered towel from L's outstretched hand. The other man was standing just outside glass door, head raised skyward as if to offer Light a semblance of privacy. He dried himself quickly and wrapped the towel around his waist.

There was a set of clothes sitting for him on the countertop. Light assumed that L had called Watari for them, seeing as it was doubtful that L had left him alone in the bathroom for any length of time. Regardless of their relationship to one another, Light was still a Kira suspect in L's eyes.

Light tried not to feel bitter about it. He dressed his lower half, back turned to the detective, and worked on drying his hair. When he turned around, all of his thoughts halted in their tracks as he noticed L's leering eyes on his upper body.

He blushed a little, but was still able to manage a little smirk.

"Like what you see?" Light asked coyly, adopting a flirtatious smile as he gave the other a more frontal view. L's fingers twitched at his sides, his toes curling and uncurling against the wet bathroom tile. His pupils were blown wide, making his already impossibly black eyes that much darker.

"Yes." L replied, stepping forward to press a kiss against the underside of Light's jaw. Light swallowed audibly, and L gave another kiss to his ear, wrapping his spindly arms around Light's waist.

All pretenses of flirtation were abandoned as Light melted against the other, allowing him to kiss at his neck to his heart's desire. He didn't care about the additional hickey forming at his jugular, he just wanted more of whatever he was feeling.

Light's lips were captured when he let out a gasp, and soon found himself being pressed bodily against the countertop where his green turtleneck sat, forgotten. He wrapped his arms around L's shoulders, pulling him close as his mouth was essentially brutalized by the other's teeth and tongue.

"L," Light breathed as the detective bit down on his bottom lip, hard enough to sting but not enough to draw blood. His mind was swimming, inklings of pleasure from their prolonged contact setting his nerve endings ablaze. He thought his heart was going to explode, truly, even though he knew that it wasn't possible.

L's fingers traced patterns into Light's lower back, causing the other to squirm in ticklishness and poorly concealed want. L hummed into the kiss, sending vibrations straight to Light's gut, heat pooling even lower.

"L," Light tried again, fingers knotting themselves into the other's hair. His breath didn't come easy to him, and he knew he must look completely disheveled. L pulled away, seeming to admire his work, and he was most certainly pleased with the result. "I need to finish getting dressed."

"That's a shame." L said, a rueful smile adorning his lips. His face was completely red, which was a far cry from his usual pasty complexion. Light could understand feeling rueful after seeing what had become of L. He wished he had kept his mouth shut, busied it with something else rather than talking. "But you're right."

He released Light from his hold. Light felt a distinct lack of stability and balance on his own end, and cursed himself for being so easily overpowered. His knees were a little weak, and he reached beside him to pull the sweater over his head.

It was comfortable, but did little to cover his most recent love-bite on his jugular.

"Shit."

L did a rather poor job of covering his smug grin behind his hand. Light doubted that he was even trying to be subtle. He turned an angry glare towards L, adjusting the collar of his sweater.

"I can have Watari procure you some concealer, if you wish." L offered, tone oh so helpful and accommodating. Light wanted to shove him and watch him slip on the tile.

"You do that." Light snapped before storming out of the bathroom, a strange mixture of irritated fondness for the detective plaguing his insides like a disease. He heard L make the call as he followed him out of the bathroom and into their bedroom.

It was 7am, and things were already vastly different between them.

When Watari arrived a half hour later with Light's concealer, the handcuffs were already firmly back in place. It was as if nothing untoward had happened between the two of them. The older man didn't seem to concerned with his employer's odd request, which posed a question.

Was he aware of what had transpired the night before? Or even a half hour ago? It didn't seem that way, which only served to raise Light's suspicion. Maybe Watari was pretending to be none the wiser in order to save face, much like Light was.

He hoped against all hopes that it wasn't so, and that Watari hadn't seen anything at all even though it was his job to be an all-knowing spectator. He was in charge of the security footage, and Light knew that there were cameras and mics throughout their apartment in addition to the rest of the building.

Light's palms began to sweat as the older gentleman handed him his tiny plastic shopping bag.

Watari left with the promise of tea waiting for them on the investigation floor, along with breakfast. They were having a late start as it was, so they'd be eating in the office so as to not waste any more time.

L insisted that he be the one to cover Light's hickeys. Light didn't understand why he was so adamant about it, but he allowed it anyway. L applied it much the same way that someone would apply medicine to a burn or a scrape, and was extremely gentle in doing so.

It wasn't a seamless fix, but it was far less noticeable than it had been a few minutes prior. L blew on it a little, maybe to help it dry, but it was more likely that he was simply trying to get a reaction out of Light. Too bad for him, since Light was having none of it.

"Thanks." He sighed, adjusting his collar once again. He hated turtlenecks, and loathed that he had to wear one inside of the stuffy, over-heated building. He only owned the one he was wearing because it had been a birthday gift from Sayu, and she was also well aware of his distaste for them. He gave the chain a little tug, and started walking towards the door.

"Let's go, then."

L trailed after him loyally, even going so far as to grab Light's sleeve and hold it for the duration of their trip to the investigation floor. As Watari had promised, a fresh pot of tea was waiting for them at their shared desk, along with their breakfasts.

They ate quickly, began their work, and soon enough 8:30 rolled around along with the rest of the task force. No one had noticed Light's change of wardrobe, and no one commented on the newly charged energy between him and L.

Work was steady, in that it was uneventful and uninspired. It remained the same as it had for the last month, and when L had finally grown bored of the monotony he sent the task force home early for the second time. It was better received this time around, and at 5:30 Light and L were alone once more.

L wasted no time in hauling Light to his feet, and proceeded to drag him out of the room by his hand. Light protested the manhandling, wondering what exactly L was up to. He received his answer in the form of a heated kiss the moment the doors to their apartment were sealed closed behind them.

Light was pressed heavily against the door the moment he kissed back, L's hands fisting the front of his sweater almost possessively. The cuffs fell to the floor in a tangled heap of metal. L was practically licking at his skin, delving his tongue into Light's willing mouth with flourish.

Light was later informed about the cameras being disabled in their rooms. L had taken the liberty of doing so himself from the inside a few nights ago. Light almost laughed at the admission, but he was relieved that at least some part of the situation had been taken care of.

He was still unclear if Watari knew the reasons behind L's actions, but he found that he didn't care. Without prying eyes or wandering ears, he was able to completely let go and allow himself to be worshipped.

The week proceeded that way.

Light and L would take their breaks in secrecy, hiding away in every blind spot they could when they couldn't keep their hands off of each other. Light never got to act like a real teenager before, as it would've surely sent his parents into a tizzy, so the act of sneaking around like a couple of kids was extremely appealing to him.

L was always so careful with him, even when he was being "aggressive." If he bit, it was quickly soothed with a kiss. He never scratched or bruised in any other way, and Light was reduced to putty in his hands.

L could destroy with those hands of his, if he wanted to, but instead he chose to build Light up with tender affection.

Light could feel the ground under his feet beginning to crumble.

A/N: i mentioned this on ao3 but i havent here yet- i might have to put this story on hiatus after i've finished posting what i already have written. i have really terrible writer's block right now and haven't been able to write anything lately. ive just been editing what ive got 8/ and its driving me nuts. it wont be a long hiatus, like it wont stretch on for several years or anything. it'll be a few months at most.

please leave me a review ! thanks !