Thanks for the reviews you've been feeding me, they are like sunshine and rainbows. Or something. I like them, anyway. Please can I have some more? Hope you like this chapter. I was going to give you a HUGE cliffhanger at the end, but I added another scene inbetween, which sort of sucks because it went so well there, but it has to be there for the sake of the stupid plot. So no cliffie yet. But I did drop in a few hints about the case and some more lovely Wammy's boys bits and bobs, cos I love them. And a bit more L/Light action, hehe. Ok, anyway, read, enjoy, review. In that order.

"You two," came a slightly acerbic voice from somewhere above Light's head, "look far two comfy for two men tied together."

Light cracked open his eyes, and saw the slightly triumphant looking Mello standing brazenly at the foot of the bed, surveying the two of them. He glanced at L. He was snuggled into Light's side, still fast asleep, and snuffling slightly into Light's shoulder. That was definitely not how they had fallen asleep. Light scrambled quickly out of bed, to appreciative sniggers from Mello and Matt, who had been lurking in the doorway.

"Near told us to leave you alone," said Mello frankly, "but I knew you'd never admit it unless we caught you at it. The chain isn't just cos he's a suspect, right?"

"I've been meaning to ask about that myself," Light said absently, rubbing the heel of his hand against his arm and peering down at Ryuuzaki, whose eyes had fluttered open at Light's sudden movements.

"Are you suggesting the only way I could be successful with a cute man is to chain him to me?" L asked resentfully. Mello raised his eyebrows in a look that said yes, yes I am as plain as day.

"Did you want something?" Light prompted after a few seconds of staring, carefully ignoring the 'cute' comment and filing it away for a quiet hyperventilation session later on.

"Oh, yeah, Watari sent us to tell the two of you he's looking at the other two scenes since you both need to look through the letters," Mello rattled off. "Actually, he sent Near, but he was too chicken to go in when he saw the two of you snuggling so me and Matt came."

"Matt and I," Light corrected automatically, practising his newly acquired skill of selective hearing. "And I'm guessing you didn't have the same problem invading somebody's privacy?"

"Nope," Matt said cheerily. "Just be thankful it was us and not Linda's lot."

"They're like us without the looks, charm or intelligence," Near put in, his white head bobbing around the door, his wide-eyed innocence uncannily similar to L's. Apparently he thought it safe to venture forth once Mello had already broken the ice.

"Which one is supposed to have which?" asked Light smoothly.

"Light-kun has spent too much time around these three already," L interjected blithely. "He himself used to possess all three."

Light spun around, looking hurt, whilst the three teenagers laughed ruthlessly at his misfortune.

"He's insulting you, too, you know," he pointed out to them. They ignored him completely. Apparently two could play at that little game.

"For your information, Mello, the only person Light-kun harbours romantic feelings towards is the main suspect of our current case," L lied easily, masterfully throwing the rabid teenagers a blackmail chip and causing Light acute embarrassment whilst conveniently neglecting to incriminate himself. Bastard. "Perhaps criminal minds attract like?"

"How many times do I have to prove I'm not Kira before you believe me?" Light sighed. L ignored him. Damn it, three could play. Light was running out of counters.

"Can we see the letters?" Near asked directly; he had crept into the main room and was sitting on the floor arranging L's stuffed animals, which had scattered to the floor as the two men slept, into groups of species. Light kept an eye out for how he would categorise the strangely deformed pink thing which looked like a cross between an octopus and a pterodactyl.

"Yes," L decided. "There are quite a few. It would be useful to have your input."

The boys all looked delighted, and Light sighed internally at the prospect of being in their challenging company for the better part of the day. He was not sure how much more ribbing he could take before his insides fell out in a heap on his spotless socks. Once sufficient cake had been procured, the five of them sat on bed (Matt), chairs (L and Light), desk (Mello) and floor (Near) with a heap of letters, looking through to find a hint of their copycat murderer.

"Listen to this one," Matt piped up half an hour into their search. "'Dear Jen, I love your books, and I want to know if Zach Corner would be willing to consider going out to dinner with me? Lots of love, your number one fan Danielle Walker.' Jeez, what a psycho. She does know he's a character in a book, right?"

"As insightful as that is, Matt, I think it unlikely that it has any relevance to the case," L remarked, picking up yet another letter between thumb and forefinger and studying it with a look which seemed to insinuate it had done him some singular and particularly disgusting ill in the recent past.

"Just saying," Matt shrugged, unabashed.

"How about this one?" Near asked, offering a letter written on torn-out notepaper up for inspection. L took it, and an impish smile spread across his face.

"Almost exactly what I expected," he said smugly. "'Your murders inspired me, they are like works of art' .... 'art like this needs to be shown to the world, as does your pretty face'. Yes, this is ideal."

"You think it's a plant." Light stated.

"Naturally," L acknowledged. "The profile of the letter-writer is classic cult imitation material, exactly the type of thing I as an intelligent detective or detective novelist would write as a cover story. No real name, no return address and everyday paper and pen all make it nearly untraceable. Besides, the leading comment about her 'pretty face' is designed to give us a false lead; the number of people familiar with her face are, by her own account, very few. It seems, as they say, that the plot thickens."

"You know that would have sounded much more impressive if you weren't still wearing pyjamas with little pictures of teddy bears on them," Mello chimed in helpfully. Light tried not to smile. Although his pyjamas were a more sober black, he was not in much of a position to comment.

"It was not said for shock value, Mello," L replied gravely. "It is merely the truth."

"Or," Light contradicted, passing L another letter, "It could be a decoy sent by the real criminal to mislead us."

"Light-kun thinks this is the real criminal?" L considered, scanning the letter Light had passed him. "I see."

"What?" Mello asked, hand twitching, obviously only just restraining himself from grabbing the gingerly held letter. "What does it say?"

"It appears to contain hints about the second murder," L said cautiously. "I expect that we will find similar letters about the first and third murders, and possibly the three as yet uncommitted murders."

The letter was passed around, and the five of them burrowed through the remaining letters for further clues. An hour later, four letters were on the table in front of them; three in the same hand and referring to the three murders which had already been committed, and the one letter Near had uncovered making more blatant allusions to the crimes.

"Well?" Light asked L, who was hovering on his chair, thumb captured firmly between his lips, eyes blank obsidian with the merest hint of stormy grey. "The writing isn't the same in the first letter as the other three, and all four are written on different materials."

"I think we'll find," L said, "that these three letters are all written on material taken from the victims' person or from the corresponding crime scene. The first one is written on a memo from the office of the victim. The second is written on pages torn from a notebook which the victim had on his person. The third is on the inside of the label of a paint can which was found at the scene. I wonder how Miss Ainswright failed to notice this third one; it must be unusual to receive letter written on such material."

"One of the letters I read said the person enclosed a pair of panties," Matt said baldly.

"Perhaps not," L reconsidered.

"Did you find the panties?" Mello asked curiously. Matt shook his head in a manner which made it clear that he had spared no effort in looking.

"Light-kun?" L asked casually, not looking up from the letters.

"What is it, Ryuuzaki?" Light asked.

"I think it might not be such a bad idea for Light-kun to get close to Jen-chan after all," L continued, reaching over to take a chocolate from the box to his right.

"What?" Light asked, surprised. "Why?"

"At least one of these is a fake," L pondered. "But I cannot decide which. I am 83% sure Miss Ainswright forged one herself. The first one is very obvious, but the second ones are far more incriminating. If I am correct in my assumption that Miss Ainswright is the murderer, or more accurately complicit in the murders, then the second three are either to prove she could not be, since she has alibis for the crime scenes, or they were created to mislead us."

"Is there any third option which means she could be innocent?" Light asked in slight exasperation. Ryuuzaki really did play favourites with his suspects.

"Yes, but it is not nearly as interesting," L said dismissively, "The letters are all real and the second set is from the murderer. There is only a 23% chance that this is the case."

"What makes you say that?" Near asked, looking intently at L.

"I really want the murderer to be Miss Ainswright," L said frankly.

"But shouldn't we follow up all the leads?" Light prompted. "It's not like we don't have the time."

"That is true," L acknowledged. "But currently I wish to compare these materials with materials at the scene."

"If Jen did the murders," Light said reluctantly, speaking L's thoughts out loud, "She must have had access to the materials or the murder scenes beforehand."

"And she probably already has whatever she is planning on writing the fourth letter on," chimed in Mello, looking pleased with himself.

"Perhaps," said L repressively.

"Working on this assumption," Light ventured, "We can probably work out what the next letter will be written on and search her house."

"First we should test the theory, Light-kun," L decided. "I will call Watari and ask him to take samples. Light-kun, I think you ought to call Jen-chan and arrange a date."

"No problem," Light said, pulling out his phone. Matt and Mello were both smirking behind their hands.

"Thank you, you have been very helpful," L told them. His tone was an obvious dismissal, and the three teens skulked out of the room. Light noticed the pink octo-dactyl had been placed reverently in the centre of the little groups of stuffing-filled species. He was somewhat relieved to learn that the thing had defied category.

"L," he began hesitantly. "This 'date' with Jen – it is only for the case." He wasn't quite sure why he was justifying himself to the detective. It wasn't like they were... actually, what was it like? He had no idea.

"I am aware of that, Light-kun," L smiled faintly. "But Light-kun is very charming, and he is our best chance of getting information from our suspect."

"What if I have to kiss her to make her believe I'm in earnest?" Light persisted, aware that he was picking a hole in something possibly best left alone.

"I trust Light-kun to make his own judgements," L replied calmly. His poker-face had apparently improved considerably since the day before.

"You're so sure of yourself, Ryuuzaki," Light sighed. L only grinned briefly and commenced dialling for Watari. He raised the phone to his ear, then paused. "Ryuuzaki?" he asked.

"What is it, Light-kun?" L replied through a mouthful of chocolate.

"If I'm going to go on a date, that means you have to remove the handcuffs," Light pointed out.

"I had already anticipated that eventuality," L acknowledged nonchalantly.

"Really?" Light asked eagerly. "I'm not a suspect anymore?"

"I do not think that Kira would have let me feed him spaghetti under any circumstances," L deadpanned. Light could not work out if he was teasing him or not, but he didn't really care. This meant that L trusted him, and the warm bubble of happiness was spreading through him like the octo-dactyl's fuzzy pink tentacles. He grinned foolishly at the detective, whose own expression was bordering on soppy.

"Of course I will bug Light-kun for the duration of the date," L stated, breaking the tender atmosphere.

"I never had you down as the jealous type, Ryuuzaki," Light teased.

"On the contrary, I am very possessive," L said lightly. "I do not like to lose."

"Well I knew that much," muttered Light, rubbing at his still-handcuffed wrist. "Are you going to unlock me, then? I can finally change out of my pyjamas."

"Very well, Light-kun," L replied. "If being tied to me is so unappealing."

"I wouldn't say unappealing," Light contradicted at the dejected note in L's voice. "I'd just rather like to be able to take my shirt off. No, that's not what I mean, either," he said hurriedly as L's face began to light up. "I meant," he corrected carefully, "that it will be nice to be able to move about without reference to another person."

"The first answer sounded more promising," noted L regretfully. "Nevertheless, I will remove the chain. Come here, Light-kun."

There was a certain mischievous glint in L's eyes as he made the seemingly innocent request, and Light was slightly cautious as he moved closer to the crouching detective. Seemingly out of nowhere, he withdrew a small silver key. Light, who had been watching carefully, had a strong suspicion that he had palmed it earlier under the pretence of reaching for a chocolate, which meant that L had stashed it in the one thing Light would never go near; L's candy supply. Devious. He held out his wrist, and L's cool fingers closed around it.

Light let out a gasp as he was tugged roughly on top of the detective, causing them both to fall out of their chairs. Before he could react, two long-fingered hands threaded through his hair and pulled him down into a fierce kiss. Oh yes, Light definitely had the hots for L, there was no doubt that this was the single sexiest thing that had ever happened to him, and he had dated a model with a penchant for frills and black lace.

It was rather anticlimactic when L ended their kiss as abruptly as he had begun it, hopped out from underneath Light and clicked the chain open with no further ceremony.

"There you go, Light-kun," he said innocently, and popped a chocolate into his mouth. Light lay on the floor sputtering for a few moments before getting up and brushing himself off casually as if nothing untoward had happened; two could play at this game, too. But in this case hopefully not three.

"I'll take a shower, then," he said aloud in a moderate impression of normal.

"As you please, Light-kun," L said disinterestedly.

Slightly disappointed, Light padded towards the bathroom and shut the door. The detective would undoubtedly be the death of him. Or his dignity, at least, and that was more important than life itself.