A/N; You know I don't leave you on cliffhangers for too long.

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Chapter 9

From the ticking that filled the room Light knew he stood frozen in that spot for a good forty seconds, his brain still counting the ticks even while he stood transfixed staring straight at L. He shook himself as he unfroze, cursing himself for standing still for so long. L was the only one in the room, and the corridor too was empty; it had only been pure luck that had stopped L from turning from his investigations of the clock before him to stare at him.

Then it hit Light. What was he to do? Did he walk in and try to look round the clocks? L hadn't seen his face after all, potentially he could walk in there and L would never notice him. Light knew though that L would never let that be the case, if he saw anyone taking interest Light was sure L would talk to him. He would have to converse with L at some point. He could also turn and walk away, but that could also draw L's attention, he so didn't want L's attention then. If he walked away L would be far more suspicious of him.

L took away all of Light's options as he turned to look at him, his hands still forced into his jeans pockets as his black eyes bored into Light. It was obvious he wanted to know why Light was hovering in the doorway.

"I didn't want to intrude on your solitary enjoyment," Light said hurriedly, startling himself with his own excuse.

"I do not need privacy to admire these masterpieces," L said quietly, before turning back to the clock before him, "please do not think you are intruding just because I am alone in here."

Light stared at L for a moment before entering the room and staring blindly at the first clock. He couldn't believe how different L had sounded. Whenever he had talked to L in the past, his L, there had always been the faintest colour of emotion to his voice, and his eyes had sparkled slightly. L had always seemed, compared to how he was now, well happy. It hurt Light like a physical blow to be confronted with this L, it wasn't the person he had fallen in love with or kissed.

He wondered if he could get away with having to say no more to L today, could take a quick glance around the room and leave. He didn't want to be so close to L, so near to what tempted him and plagued his thoughts and be unable to do anything.

Once again though L took his choices away.

"I can see why you inspect this piece so," L murmured by Light's shoulder, "It is the second most accurate longitude finder with a mechanical mechanism. It calculates the lunar calendar to an accuracy of 0.2 seconds per lunation. Its maker, Thomas Mudge, thought about submitting it to the Board of Longitude, but he deemed it not good enough."

There was a pause as L considered what he had said. Light felt suddenly that it wouldn't be wise to say anything.

"I apologise if I now interrupt your own inspections," L said at last, and Light realised he sounded embarrassed, "It is just unusual to see someone so studious in their viewing of pieces as myself."

"No, please," Light found himself saying before he could stop himself. His heart took over and spoke over his brain, "you weren't intruding, in fact I was rather amused by what you told me. How many inventors would make something so precise and not think it worthwhile?"

Light felt his heart soar as L smiled at him, it was an expression he thought never to see again, and this time he was seeing L as himself. He wasn't having to be overly wary, true he would have to be careful, but it shouldn't be a problem. L had heard his voice though, Light could only hope L hadn't heard enough to place him without seeing his face.

L hadn't been able to stare at this man as he had hovered in the doorway, he had been just so captivated by the eyes. The eyes had been so familiar, and for a moment he had given serious consideration to the possibility that Tsuki was stood before him. There was something familiar about the voice as well, but still…

This man couldn't be Tsuki, there was something that didn't quite fit. It was as if this man didn't quite fit with the landscape he was in, as if he hid away inside himself. Just like L often did he realised. The possibility this man was Tsuki increased further, and suddenly L had to know. He stood and made his way over to where the other man stood, and told him what he knew about the clock he was looking about it was the only thing he could think to do.

L studied the eyes as that voice washed over him once more professing genuine enjoyment of the information L had shared, but the words meant nothing to him. He felt the back of his neck heat, and a smile creep onto his face, he couldn't help it, he was just so happy. His intent inspection of this man's voice, and the colour in the eyes that looked back at him, told him all he needed to know.

This was Tsuki.

L bit back a giggle, a giggle... he couldn't even believe it himself... as he realised he was staring up into the face of the man he loved, on the very day he had thrown a tantrum about losing him. He was seeing Tsuki for the first time. It was all he could do to not kiss him, but he didn't want to spoil the new game he suddenly had. It was obvious Tsuki, or whoever this was really, didn't want him to know he was who he L knew he was, didn't want L to know that he was the thief. Understandable really, but it did mean L could have some fun. It wasn't his usual sort of activity, but Tsuki always seemed to bring out the worst in him. Plus he wanted to learn more about Tsuki so he wasn't at such a disadvantage any more.

"Perhaps inventors seek to better the world because they always see the problems, and that spreads to their own work," L said quietly, "they can't stop tinkering."

L's smile broadened as Tsuki laughed, and he knew his eyes were shining, but he couldn't close his face down. His emotions were so intense that he felt he couldn't contain them, as if doing so would be painful.

"You may be right there," Tsuki said, still laughing, "So, who are you?"

Tsuki's question hit L like a physical blow, he could feel an alias clawing its way up his throat, almost forcing its way to freedom, but he wasn't sure if he wanted to share that. If this truly was Tsuki then giving him his real name wouldn't hurt, wouldn't cost him anything. He realised instantly why he couldn't, if he did Tsuki would know he knew who he was, he had to give an alias. At least if L wanted to continue to play the new game he had found.

"Ryuzaki," L said quickly, "I'm Ryuzaki."

"Nice to meet you, Ryuzaki," Tsuki said, with the lovely smile L had come to adore, as he held out a hand to be shaken, "I'm Light."

L felt a shiver pass through him even with the jumper, as he realised Tsuki, no Light, Light had told him his real name. The name felt to well used, spoken too much like one would speak of an old friend for it to be an alias. Tsuki was a Light. He reached out and took Light's hand, forcing himself not to swallow nervously as he touched his precious thief, his precious Light, once more. He started internally at his own thoughts, to think of someone as precious… He was thinking someone was precious?!

"You don't look Japanese," Light said as his hand stayed holding L's in a comfortable grip, "Yet you have a Japanese name."

"You look Japanese, but you don't have a Japanese name," L countered, and let a small laugh escape him as they began to banter, it felt so familiar. L knew what Light was trying, but he wasn't going to rise from it, trying to hint back towards the time when L had explored Light's hands woud not work.

"I always give people my more English sound of my name nowadays," Light said with a smile, finally dropping L's hand, "it leads to less pronunciation issues. If you want my name in Japanese it is Raito. Now it is your turn to answer, you have a Japanese name and yet you don't look Japanese. Why?"

"I am a quarter Japanese, on my mother's side," L laughed telling Light/Raito, he just couldn't make up his mind which pronunciation he liked more, the whole truth, "I have very complicated family history."

Light laughed again, and L smiled; it was such a warm smile.

"I shall not ask more questions," Light exclaimed, "I get the feeling that if I do the conversation could take a while."

"Indeed," L commented, "and that sort of conversation would be quite boring with no real information exchanged, at least no worthwhile information. If you have chosen to use the more English version of your name, you must spend quite some time away from Japan. How do you spend your time?"

"Technically?" Light said slowly, "I'm a reporter for a national newspaper in Japan. In reality I'm on holiday. I go where I want, when I want, do what I want and get paid to do it. I rather like the arrangement."

L was genuinely impressed. Of all the careers he had given Tsuki, whoops Light, as a day job, it hadn't been something that seemed so interesting. Then he thought of his own 'day job', that would seem interesting to any onlooker and yet he had become bored.

"A nice arrangement," L murmured, and supplied the truth that he knew Light already knew, "I myself am a detective."

Light almost laughed as L provided him with an alias, Ryuzaki. It hadn't been quite what he had expected, but turn about was fair play, and it did increase Light's hopes that L wouldn't 'twig' who he was. It did mean that whatever in depth discussion on their feelings they were to have; it was going to be postponed. He decided to add a little spice to proceedings on his part, he gave L his real name. Just his first name but it would be enough, Light was sure, for L to find him if he truly wanted to end their game or give him to the police; Light was sure L would do neither, would hopefully not know until later that Light was Tsuki, but it would be interesting to find out.

The banter with L just felt right, the usual passing of comments back and forth, back and forth, it was brilliant. Light wondered how he had managed this past month without this banter, without this time with L; it was inconceivable to be away from such mental interplay. Even with all that had happened he should have allowed another meeting to happen before now.

In his happiness he gave away more about himself, confessing who he was to L, providing the person who wanted to catch him all the information he would ever need to succeed. He didn't care any more, he just wanted to talk to L now. Light had been so alone, so bored, so despairing of everything; just like he had realised L had been, that he couldn't hold back any of the words about himself or his next questions.

"Did you want to explore the rest of the museum with me?" Light asked, "Or could we meet up to explore another museum together? It would be nice to have such an intellectual person to discuss things with; that is if you don't mind of course."

L blinked at him then, as if the question had completely shocked him, thrown him off balance. Light could understand that, technically they had only known each other for about five minutes.

"Where do you suggest we go?" L said at last, obviously deciding to just go with the flow, "This is the top floor, I doubt either of us has anything left to see here. However it does mean neither of us is likely to have the energy to look through another entire museum this late in the day either."

"My feet do hurt," Light laughed, as he realised L had decided to follow along. Whoever L thought he was the detective was comfortable with it. "A café then, or may be a restaurant? It is nearly the evening."

"I doubt there will be many display cases to view there," L murmured in reply, "It's as if you have other things in mind."

"I just thought we could get to know each other more, before we go display case hopping," Light said, still grinning. Then he couldn't resist the next sentence, L's presence was too exhilarating to allow him to keep his control, "Besides we still don't know how good their dessert trolley will be."