Saving the Light Within

Chapter 7: Slow Change

AN: Had writer's block for a little while, but I got struck by inspirational lightning, so, here's the next chapter! Enjoy!


The next few days were extremely quite. Light hardly spoke since his last nightmare, and L knew for a fact that he hadn't slept since then.

L supposed he shouldn't have pushed him to sleep like he had, but Light was going to end up remembering it sooner or later, so it probably didn't matter.

Still, he wished he could get Light to stop acting so...dreary. It was like a bad day at Wammy's all over again. And most days at Wammy's were bad days.

He just wanted to see Light's bright smile, his happy eyes.

Or even his angry, frustrated glare.

Anything would be better than the frown on his face or his red, dead looking eyes.

L glanced back to where Light was on the couch, eating some sort of sugary snack. Something was definitely wrong.

And L had no clue as to how to fix it. Emotions weren't the kind of things L usually helped with, not really, anyways. And how was he to help with something he had no practice with? Help with something he never had help with?

When he was younger, when he cried, no one was ever there to help him...mostly because he never wanted any to see him. Well, Watari had seem him cry a few times... Anyways, now he didn't know how to help Light.

So, with his lack of knowledge in mind, he started a different plan to help Light.

Light seemed only slightly confused when L told him to get ready to go somewhere, but soon he sat next to L in the back of one of L's cars, "Where are we going?"

Though he had asked the question with nearly no enthusiasm, or care, L still took it as a good sign, "You'll see," L replied.

It wasn't a very long drive, and not long later the car was stopping outside of Light's house.

Light looked back to L in confusion, "Why are we here? You know you can't release me yet."

"I know," L nodded, "But I thought maybe you'd like to visit?"

Light stayed quite at that, glancing towards the house. L had hoped to see some sort of emotion in his eyes: happiness, sadness...but there was nothing.

Maybe later then, L thought with a very quite sigh, then he opened his door and got out, "Come on, Light."

L made his way to the front door, Light close behind, then L knocked on the door and glanced back to Light again, wondering how he'd get him to show some sort of emotion.

Maybe he would just annoy Light. At least he would get an reaction then.

"What is it?"

L stared at Light, happy that Light was finally talking again, but he remembered not to show it, "Your mother doesn't know who did it, yet. She only knows it was Kira. I think it's best if we keep it that way."

Light looked away, "She deserves to know."

L almost rolled his eyes, "If you care about her at all, you know you can't tell her. Really, Light, off your game, aren't you?"

Light sighed, "Should I bother acting...normal, in front of her?"

L pondered that, then shook his head, "She will assume you're still upset...that's natural. Plus, like I said, you're off your game."

The door opened then, the brown haired, brown eyed woman standing before them. She smiled when she saw Light, but she looked as if she'd been crying, "Light! I haven't seen you for-for a long time!"

Light gave her a small smile, but it didn't last, "I'm sorry."

L could tell the apology wasn't just for not coming by more often, and he lightly elbowed him before turning to Mrs. Yagami, "May we come in?"

"Yes," she nodded quickly, her smile starting to fade as well, "Of course."

L and Light followed her in, shutting the door behind them, then they stepped into the quite living room.

Sayu was sitting near the couch, on a wheel chair, staring into space.

L watched Light, sadness seeming to wash over him, despite how he'd seemed lately.

"Sayu..." Light said quietly, walking over to her, "S-Sayu?"

Mrs. Yagami looked down, pulling out a tissue from her pocket, "Every now and then...she just...sits there. The doctors have tried to...do something...but nothing helps. When she manages to speak...or to actually...look at people...it's a miracle..."

Light shook his head, his eyes growing watery, "No...no..."

L cleared his throat suddenly, "She is improving, though."

Mrs. Yagami nodded in his direction, but Light turned to angrily face L, "How would you know that?"

L hesitated, realizing Light was going on another emotion roller coaster. When he came off the roller coaster last time, he hadn't been okay...far from it.

"Well?!"

L shrugged, "I'm the one who's been paying for her treatment, since hers and your father worked so hard on the Kira case."

Mrs. Yagami gasped, staring at him, before quickly turning away, tears running down her face, "If we could...if we could not mention..." she suddenly walked out, quickly.

Light turned to glare at L then, "Are you an idiot?!"

L narrowed his eyes, feeling something flare up in him, "You had asked, I was simply answering."

"You'll never learn..." Light shook his head angrily, "You can't just say things like that, L!"

L tilted his head, keeping his gaze steady, but harsh, "You're getting emotional again."

"I'm sorry that I'm so human, L! Not all of us can be as heartless as you!"

"No, sadly, not everyone can keep their emotions in check," L paused, still glaring, something he didn't do often, "But you've been acting ridiculous! Crying and yelling, as if you were some sort of child!"

Light snarled, suddenly jumping at L and knocking them both to the ground, "Some sort of child?! Is that what I've been acting like?! You have no clue what I'm going through!"

Light moved to punch L, but L quickly dodged to one side, grabbing his wrist, "Oh, really, I don't? Because if I remember correctly," L kicked Light in the stomach, pushing Light onto his back, so he was on top, "I've been here the entire time. I've seen the pain you're going through!"

They glared at each other, and Light made the next move, pushing forward and knocking L into a small table, which fell over, breaking some pottery that had been on it, but they both ignored it, "If you understand, then why say I'm acting childish?! You're not making sense, L!"

"Alright," L paused, "Perhaps my anger is getting in the way, but you misunderstood. You are being emotional. That was my point. You need to make yourself think clearly. I hadn't intended to start a fight."

Light abruptly punched L, "You should have told me you were helping Sayu!" he punched him again, "And you can't go around mentioning my dad like that, or the Kira case! Did we really come here just so you could upset my mom?! Is that what you wanted?! You started this fight, damn it!"

L groaned, rubbing his face where Light punched him.

Sighing quietly, L took a moment to think, and he realized he had let his feelings out. Light did tend to make L genuinely angry...he was usually better at holding it in, though. Was he changing? He usually didn't spend a lot of time sharing his actual thoughts with other people, because other people were usually dimwitted...but with Light...maybe he had been spending too much time with him?

Light suddenly sighed, getting up and off of L, "Can we just leave?"

"Are you sure about that? I can stay out of your way for the rest of the trip."

"Alright," Light glanced back to him, "But you'd better not even talk to my mom!"

L nodded in agreement, then he stood up, moving to sit on a chair.

He stayed quiet, thinking about what had happened in the last few minutes, analyzing things from his memory, reading expressions from Light. He did this the entire time they were at Light's house, forcing his mind to stay focused. It was a good way to past the time, in his opinion.

They hadn't stayed for more than a few hours, and soon they were back in the car, on their way back to the apartment.

L supposed that they maybe the visit did help Light. L heard that seeing family was always nice...

He knew one thing was for sure, he got plenty reaction out of Light. Maybe the fight had also helped a bit. It made L feel better, anyways.