Both men gave up on their failed plans shortly after discovering that they had ulterior motives that they themselves had not realized. Disgruntled, exhausted, and mentally drained, they headed up to their room.

Falling into a quickly learned routine, L removed the cuffs for a few seconds while they dressed into their PJ's. The chain fell to the floor with a metal sounding clackity-clack, and then lay still. It was the only time they were ever freed from each other, well, that and showering. But even if they weren't chained together, L insisted on being in the same room where he could keep an eye on Light.

At first, Light had made all sorts of perverted jokes. But those had grown old quickly, especially since L seemed unfazed by them, and didn't give Light a rise with a reaction. Besides, after a while, it got rather creepy, considering he was chained to another man.

The two dressed with their backs to each other in complete silence. Nothing was said. Well…that was almost a given, since L couldn't speak. Light was starting to wonder about that. Normally a person would at least attempt to resuscitate their lost voice over the coarse of the day. L had not. He had seemed content to be mute.

Hmm…

After finishing up by pulling a white tee shirt on over his head, Light glanced over his shoulder to the creepy detective. Light was surprised to see dark, deep, purple-gray skin spread in patches over the pale man's skinny back. The bruises looked vicious. But it made perfect sense; they'd been through a lot that day. But Light had been unaware of the extent of the damage. One of the bruises was in almost a perfect shape of a shoe. When had L been kicked in the back?

Light looked to himself. He had a few of his own bruises, of course. But none looked as cruel as L's. Light quickly assessed to as why. L was skinny, pale and unhealthy. He would of course take abuse more heavily then Light, who ate healthy regular meals, slept regular hours…or used too, and got outside into the sun for exercise. There should have been no surprise. Light looked away and let his roommate finish changing in private.

When both were done, L did not hesitate to snap the handcuffs back on. Clack! The cold metal closed around Light's left wrist. But he was oddly getting used to its weight. L, as silent as the dead, shuffled over to his twin bed. He reached out, grabbing at the blankets. Pulling on them, he proceeded to start rumpling them up. Light had only witnessed this once before on the first night they were chained together.

He continued to stare as L purposefully rumpled his quilt and his sheet. He undid the hard work of the maid by yanking the nicely tucked corners out from underneath the mattress. He made sure it was free and loose. Then, when it was as much of a mess as possible, he went to climb in.

Tug. The chain was just a bit too short with Light standing where he was. L turned and gazed at his friend.

"Why do you do that," Light inquired. L blinked at Light once, then looked quickly around the room. The notepad and pen he'd asked for earlier were resting on the nightstand. He took them up into his hands and began scribbling. The chain sang ever so softly with the movement of L's right wrist. When L finished, he held the pad out to Light.

I don't like the blankets tucked in like that. It makes me feel like I'm being pinned down.

Pinned down? Like as in trapped? Light supposed that made sense. But did L have to make such a mess of his bed before climbing in? Light shrugged. He'd have to get used to L's little quirks if he was to survive with his sanity intact. He went over to the other bed and climbed in, the chain loosening as he did so. L followed suit and climbed up in the same way he climbed into chairs. He curled up almost like a cat, then grabbed the blankets and pulled them up and over himself. Utterly buried with exception of his dark head, he settled down.

"Maybe you'll have your voice back tomorrow," Light said. He reached out and clicked the lamp off, plunging both of them into darkness.

Light had been hoping that it was a one-time occurrence, but apparently, it wasn't, because L did it again the second night too.

Light was jostled awake by a timid hand that shook his shoulder lightly. Light groaned miserably. He knew it was L, and he knew exactly what L wanted.

"Mm mmpph mph," Light mumbled into his pillow. He didn't move right away and in fact thought about ignoring the little pest. If he did, maybe he'd go away. L shook his shoulder again, equally as timid as the first time, but just as persistent. Light groaned again out of annoyance, then bothered to turn his head enough to free his mouth.

"I hate you, L. I really do." He mumbled. He had been waiting for an explanation from L, but then remembered why he wasn't getting one. L couldn't talk. Instead, he was shoving a notepad into his face. Light really wasn't quite awake enough to focus on a scribbled message in the dark, so he instead lashed out, haphazardly smacking the notepad away.

"You and your damned metabolism! If you didn't eat raw sugar maybe you're body would be able to get you through the night without needing to eat snacks!" Light was aware that he was a demon to deal with when he was woken before he wanted to be. He didn't care about pretending to be L's friend when the pest was waking him up every few hours every night just for some snacks. If he wanted to be a heartless jerk, he could be. It would fit a regular man's personality. Anyone would be pissed, not just Kira.

L wore an apologetic expression, with a pair of large black eyes, but Light simply didn't care. He pushed up on the mattress, raising his head up off the pillow so he could send a glare of death L's way.

"Stop trying to look like a damned kitten! You're a grown man for God's sake have some respect! What if I decided not to go with you to the kitchen huh? What then? Would you starve to death? Would you wither away to nothing?" L seemed to be keeping his cool as he had the night before when he suffered Light's wrath. Tongue-lashings rarely seemed to affect L much, at least on the outside. Light hoped it at least hurt him inside where he couldn't see it. L raised his hand and pointed to the door.

"Yeah, I get it! You want to go get some cake! And you need me to come with you because you refuse to take off the hand-cuffs and let me rest in peace!" Light pushed back his covers, feeling all the rage that he kept inside all day in order to pass as L's pathetic friend, build back up inside of him. He had little self-control when woken at…what time was it? Light glanced at the bed-side clock.

"Three in the morning! You're a piece of work L! A real piece of work! How many times are you going to wake me before morning? Maybe I can at least be prepared if you tell me now!" L waited quite patiently for Light to clamber out of bed and get to his feet. He seemed unfazed by the younger man's insults.

Light begrudgingly rose to stand on two legs. Once upright, L started to the door. He moved eagerly for the exit, pulling Light unwillingly along by the chain.

Light entertained the thought of killing L now. If he did it the improper way with his hands, would it really be so bad? He could move to some other country, and with L out of the way, who would be smart enough to come after him? Yes…strangle the detective. The job was half done already. The bruises were still there from the chain. Yeah…strangle him.

But Light knew better, and by the time they had gotten to the kitchen, most of the heat from his anger had dwindled. Sighing heavily, he plopped himself down in a seat near the fridge so L could still have access. L opened the door, letting out a rush of cold air, and then stuck his nose into it. Light glanced at him; a bit amused that L seemed to put his entire body into the fridge when looking for a snack.

Light waited a few more moments, and then heard L close the refrigerator door. He watched him move around the table and sit across from himself. He was holding a large piece of angel cake covered in chocolate syrup and a fork.

"You're going to get diabetes." Light's spite flew right over L's head as the detective sunk his fork into his first bite of cake. He reverted to that child-like state Light always observed when L ate sweets. L's eyes simply lit up like sparklers. He could hardly contain himself.

It was then that Light decided to test his theory that L could indeed speak. He sure as hell was going to get him too. Light might have let it go for a little while longer in order to figure out why he had decided to become mute in the first place, but now it didn't matter. What mattered now was getting revenge for being woken up at three in the morning for snacks.

Light reached out suddenly, grabbing L's cake and yanking it away across the table. L actually let out a little gasp of shock. Having caught him in his child-like state, Light watched with utter satisfaction as L's entire face fell to the most pathetic expression of remorse he'd ever seen. Light grinned internally, but scowled outwardly.

"I know you've been faking it. You can talk L. If you truly couldn't, you would have tried to say something every so often today to test if your voice had returned. And more likely then not, even if you had lost your voice, some sort of sound would come out, not matter how strangled and pitiable it would sound. The only reason for you too remain entirely silent is if you're faking it!"

He got me! L thought. But even being caught didn't really make him want to start speaking right away. So Light won this round. That was fine. L had won the round with the key. And that had been much more productive. So they were tied again.

Now it was simply a battle of spite. Light was mad about being woken up at three, L was mad about having his cake taken away. It came down to pittance. But even pittance was something to fight over. Neither wanted to admit to being the looser. As such, L refused to give in.

L's crushed face hardened and suddenly his glare seemed almost as wicked as Lights. That was his cake!

Light grinned viciously.

"Still won't own up to it huh? You hate to lose almost as much as me. But not admitting it after you've been caught is just pathetic! Besides, you must realize that you can't win this battle this way. Without a voice, all you can do is sit there and take whatever I dish out! Do you really think you can stand up to it?"

L did indeed stand up to it, literally. He rose to his feet and suddenly lunged across the table, making a dive for his cake. Light jerked backward and barely swung the little plate out of the way just before L's hands closed around thin air. Light leapt out of his chair and to his feet. He spun around to face L who was standing rigidly on the linoleum floor.

"You want some cake Ryuuzaki? I'll give it to you if you speak for me." L's eyes narrowed. There it was again. Those games Light liked to play. Those sadistic games! L hated it, more then anything. He hated it when Light tried to dominate him and prove superiority through stupid little games of power. It made L feel like a plaything. It was infuriating! He couldn't stand being derogated!

Suddenly, L didn't care if it was childish, or immature, or plain and simple, illogical. He just wanted to punch Raito-kun in the face! No one could make him feel so helpless. No one had the power to make him feel so pitiful, so angry! Why? Why could Light Yagami do these things? It was maddening! He lunged again.

Light was shocked at L's speed. Considering L wasn't athletic or in shape, he sure as heck was quick! Light barely had enough time to dodge to the side before L slammed into him. Narrowly missing L's attack, Light spun around to face his opponent. With cake in one hand, and a handcuff around the other, Light was aware of the limitations to this fight. But he really didn't care. L was able to infuriate him like no one else! He wanted nothing more then to punch his lights out, to force him into submission.

"You missed L! What's the matter? Didn't you want your cake?" L suddenly grabbed the chain that connected the two, and yanked on it, hard. Light, unprepared when sprawling forward. He stumbled and dropped the cake onto the floor where it landed with a splat. Light was stumbling toward L when he saw a barefoot raise up into the air and CRACK!

A sharp pain exploded in his chin and the next thing he knew he was flying backward. The chain grew taught and with the force of his fall, L was suddenly yanked off of his feet as well. Light's back slammed into the cabinets, and L landed directly on top of him.

Pissed beyond all reason, Light saw his chance and curled his fist into a rock. BAM! He dug his knuckles deep into L's soft mid-section, causing his opponent to let out a gasp. L fell backward onto the linoleum, clutching his gut. Light, breathing heavily from their fight, stood upright and loomed over his downed enemy.

"Admit you can talk L! It's ridiculous to continue this charade!"

"I'm only playing charades because you want too!" L screamed so suddenly and with such emotion that it took Light back. At first he thought he had won because L spoke out. But what L had said made it clear that he had not won. Not by a long shot.

"What do you mean, because I want too?"

"You know exactly what I mean! There'd be no games at all if you didn't initiate them! If you want to stop playing charades, then all you have to do is forfeit! Then we can both be people instead of chameleons!"

"Forfeit? What're you talking about? Is that another Kira crack! How many times do I have to tell you L? I'm NOT Kira! I'm not! There IS no game! I've been playing as myself this entire time! You're the only one playing games! I've never lied to you! I've never hidden anything! You're the only one doing things like that!"

"Don't lie to me Light Yagami! I know you're hiding something! If you weren't, do you think I'd take such extreme measures? I know you!"

"Well apparently you don't know me! You don't know me at all if you think I'm capable of all those horrible things Kira's doing! I can't believe you Ryuuzaki! I can't believe you can call me your friend and then pull shit like this on me! Friends are supposed to trust each other!"

"I do trust you!"

"Bull shit! How can you say that after what you just did?"

"I trust Light Yagami!" Light froze. The way L had shouted that. It was…somehow very powerful. Still seated on the ground, hands clutching his gut, L stared up at Light with intense dark eyes. "…I trust Light. I'd trust him with my life. But I do not trust Kira. Kira is a demon! He wants to pass judgment on the entire world. He wants to pass judgment on me. He wants to hurt me. And then he wants to kill me…" L's breathing was increased due to their activity. It made him sound exasperated and desperate as he spoke. Or…was he truly feeling those things?

"How can I get through to Light? How can I tell Light these things, if Kira is in the way?" Light stared at L. There was no question anymore. L's confession about Light being his first and only friend had to be true. It was in his voice, in his eyes. Light was his friend. Despite their volatile relationship, there was a warped friendship here…at least; L truly felt there was. Whether Light returned those feelings was up to him.

One thing needed to be done right now. L's entire heartfelt speech was still an accusation. And Light needed to turn that down immediately, or L would read into it.

"I'm sorry you're so confused Ryuuzaki. I'm sorry that you feel like you can't trust me. But I am not Kira. You're reasoning is wrong." L's chin lowered and his black hair fell in front of his eyes. All Light could see now was the pained line cutting across his face. The florescent light above them flickered briefly, and only once as L took a hesitant breath.

"If…Raito-kun…stopped playing charades…and promised to never play that game ever again…or any other game he may be playing…maybe…maybe I could…" L hesitated again. Light stared. What was this? What was L trying to say? "…maybe I could try to…wipe the score card clean?"

L lifted his gaze to meet Light's. Light stared, his eyes large with shock. Was L saying what he thought he was saying? Was L saying that…if Light admitted to being Kira…and promised to stop being Kira and stop the killing…L would turn a deaf ear and pretend he wasn't aware of Light's confession? Was he saying, he'd forgive him, and help him remain a free man, if he only stopped the killings now?

Was L that serious? Was he that desperate for his friendship? Did he really care that much, that he would sacrifice his career, his very life? If L got caught doing such a thing, he would share the same fate as Kira. Would L really do all that for him?

For just a second, Light thought it was true. His heart leapt at the chance. He could stop now and get a full pardon! He could stop and…

No… His mood darkened as suddenly and as powerfully as a tsunami. No of course not. This was a very risky and elaborate trap set by L. Ooohhh, he almost had me. But I am not a fool L. I won't fall for such underhanded tricks! Light couldn't believe that L went so far. What an accusation! L was bold. Very bold. It bordered insanity what the detective had just tried to do. It was so outlandish that Light had almost fallen for it. But not this time. This was not a battle L would win.

Light allowed his anger to show on his face. His eyes narrowed and his hands trembled with rage.

"I won't confess to crimes I have not committed Ryuuzaki. You're disgusting for even trying to blackmail such a thing out of me by offering a pardon! You're revolting!" L flinched ever so slightly. Light saw it and grinned inside. Maybe the offer had been real. Even so, he would never bite such a hook. He was Kira, god of the new world. And to rein as god, L needed to suffer, and then die, just as L had predicted himself.

"I'd hit you again, but I don't hit men who are already down. Besides, I'm not sure you're even worth the beating!" L remained silent, and Light knew he'd hurt him. Good. Maybe that'll stop him from waking me up again. Light turned for the kitchen door, but L did not move from his seated position on the kitchen floor. Light yanked on the chain.

"Come on…let's go back to bed. We can fight some more in the morning if you really want too." L staggered to his feet, looking quite wounded. He glanced at the crushed cake on the floor with something like remorse. He seemed frozen. Light pulled on the chain a second time.

"Come on!" L kept his back to Light, nothing visible but his white tee shirt and his black mess of hair.

"…you sure are good at this game…" he finally whispered softly. Light didn't like that response at all. It meant L still suspected him, even after such a spectacular performance of innocence. What would it take to clear his name?

"L…let's not do this now. It's late. I'm tired. You must be too. Come on…" Light's tones were gentler now, moving back to the friend zone. He really did want to get back to bed. Finally, L moved. He turned away from his cake and started after Light a bit numbly. Light sighed with relief. L looked as normal as always, his face stony and dead, eyes sunken and black with rings of sleeplessness. There would be no more fighting tonight. Light had won.