Author's Note: I had focused on emotions between L and Light, however I didn't forget about the murderer completely. You may be certain that that part of the plot won't be abbandoned... As for now, L and Light once again on the main plan... Enjoy. I hope ;)
L felt that it was grass he was laying on, short but pleasantly soft and surprisingly cool under one of his hands, emitting fresh, unique aroma that only young grass could have. Million of thoughts were running through his head but he suppressed them, didn't let them to obtain a more concrete shape. They were blurred and dim and at this moment it wasn't something he wanted to change... To be a part of the surroundings, with nothing in particular to do, just... being there, existing quietly, composedly. He knew that when he'll start to think, everything would be back to normal, to his calculating, demanding and if considering current situation, more than angry, persona. He didn't want to react right now, he had no strength and actual will for it, but he also knew that it would be stronger than him if he would try to fully understand what had happened...
He had focused on other things, like calming down his erratically beating heart or uneven breath. He'd realized that he was madly sweated and his hair was sticking to his forehead. Then it was time to notice that completely unbuttoned or rather torn, black shirt he was wearing, now revealing his pale body. And it right away reminded him of Light because it was that man's work... L forced himself to control, as another fight couldn't end better than the previous one. He sat down, eyes closed, to avoid any dizziness.
After a moment he'd felt a warm hand on his right shoulder and instead of harshly shoving it away, acting impulsively, he slowly lifted his head to meet Light's intensive gaze on himself already. He sighed deeply, still locked with Light's eyes, and delicately pushed his hand away.
"I think I have enough touching for a while, Light-kun... If you may please restraint yourself from this unwanted action, I won't be obliged to react accordingly to it and pushing myself to another act of aggression towards you. Do you understand?" - his voice was short from being monotone.
Light's hand was hanging loosely in the air between the two of them for a moment, boy's eyes still, brimmed with numerous emotions; few of them L was able to name, uncertainty and regret, anger maybe... Then the said man let his hand fall down and head droop.
"I suppose I shouldn't be surprised. After all, it was almost like kidnapping you... and you even hadn't punched me..." - he laughed sarcastically to himself but then asked L quietly, averting his eyes, what Ryuuzaki counted as another atypical thing taking place today. - "Why hadn't you?"
Ryuuzaki asked himself this question. Why hadn't he? Why had he stopped? It wasn't his normal self... Well, this particular day went all dramatically wrong from the beginning. First shopping and fitting clothes, then this sudden marathon... It all left him nervous, uneasy and, hard to say, helpless to some point, without his normal deal of arrogance, quarrelsomeness, firmness and usual conviction about his infallibility. He was in no mood for real fighting. Probability of him losing it was higher than... sixty-five, seventy percent... Not worth trying. Besides, he actually didn't have to run with Light, he had enough strength for pulling out from his grip, so... Was it astonishment caused by Light's unforeseeable act that kept him form doing it or something else? Like his hidden desire to accompanying his partner in... whatever it was? Was he... willing? He wasn't capable of answering it right now... Maybe he won't be ever. Who could know that...?
"What could I say? Before the run I was still dazed and distracted after buying useless clothes and after it I had no breath left to punch you hard enough, so I just resigned... Pure logic, Light-kun." - A lie? Maybe a partial one... But telling the truth wouldn't change a thing. Because what saying: 'I don't know could' change...? Light raised his head slightly after that.
"I suppose it is... If no, I probably didn't deserve for anything else..." - another sigh came from Light.
"There is no need to discuss it over." - and he really had something much more interesting on his mind. - "I have a question to Light-kun as well... And I would like it to be the first one from the ten I am allowed to ask after our bet, so think twice before you deny answering it..." - Ryuuzaki advised politely and Light looked at him directly once again, eyes wide, with a spark of curiosity in them.
"Shoot it... I'll try to answer it as honestly as I can, okay?" - L nodded simply.
"Why did Light-kun grabbed me and decided to run so suddenly into a place he probably didn't know before? What made him do it?"
Light opened his mouth to answer but not a word came out. He shook his head, Ryuuzaki assumed that in order to gather thoughts, and breathed deeply. It showed that Ryuuzaki wasn't the only one with some mental problems today. Reassuring? Not really... If there was one person acting weirdly, unusually it could be seized somehow. When there were to such persons...
"I am not sure myself, Ryuuzaki-kun. I just suddenly felt the need to do it and I did... It was too much. I know it doesn't sound logically. I wanted to... leave everything for a while, stop thinking so intensively about things that aren't connected directly with me." - Ryuuzaki smiled in his mind. Light should watch his words more attentively...
"And the result of this way of thinking was taking me with you... Interesting, Light-kun. It means that in your opinion I am directly connected with you..."
"You..." - Light was speechless for a moment but swiftly put himself together. - "It's nothing new and abnormal... We're working together for more than half a year, spending most of time together, we became... well, friends. So it would be strange if I will not think of us as connected directly."
Total Light... Almost always the right answer, not compromising or revealing to much about him. Just like L. But as he was aware of that, he knew that there was something more in Light's behavior, actions. He just didn't want to acknowledge it himself or make Ryuuzaki conscious of it. Constant stealthy approaching... Sometimes Ryuuzaki was wondering if they were even capable of normal functioning. Maybe some day if he will try to live more normal than nowadays, it would turn out it's impossible... It make him sadder for a couple of seconds but then... He was L. Why was he considering normal life? There was no way of retiring, probably only by not being able to continue duties because of mental or physical disease. Or death...
"Friends. As I thought Light-kun will explain that matter..." - However L called to his mind a Latin proverb 'furor arma ministrat' what means 'anger gives weapon' and Light did exactly that... - "Although I would like to know why did Light-kun ruined my black shirt. My NEW black shirt, which he insisted on buying and paid for it as well..."
"As if you didn't know... Don't play dumb Ryuuzaki. You were like an irritating, little kid, arguing without a reason, just for fun... It was beyond my limit of patience. I acted as a child to. Maybe it wasn't intelligent but made me happy for a moment. If you play dirty I won't stop myself from doing it either." - he said honestly, shrugging his shoulders.
"I'll have that in mind, Light-kun. Yet it doesn't justify or explain Light-kun's eyes lingering on my humble persona... I think that he had watched me longer and more carefully than usually. Dis something in particular aroused his curiosity...?" - After that question Light momentarily tensed, subtle pink hue on his cheeks, easy to go unnoticed but not when Ryuuzaki was the one observing. Oh, sweet revenge, cold really tastes best...
"You should assign this to one of your great misinterpretations... Besides, I won't answer that question. Amount of silliness and improbability in it is to high to accept it." - Ryuuzaki thought that it was a game for two and he had an ace to help him win...
"So Light-kun wants to skip this question? And is he aware that it's the second one from my list? If he denies answering it, there is only one more time he could do it and nine questions left to be asked by me... Silly or not, is it that bad? I may find other and probably much worse. You know me, Light-kun..." - Ryuuzaki raised the corner of his mouth slightly, imitating a real smile.
"It's blackmail. One again, Ryuuzaki-kun..." - Light pursed his lips tightly, irritation and irresolution marking his manly beautiful features.
"Light-kun doesn't know definition of blackmail and he is working in the police department? Should I report it to someone...?" - L scratched his head like he was deliberating over it. - "More importantly, I wasn't blackmailing Light-kun. I was merely stating the obvious. Well, obvious for me. If for him? I cannot be so sure as he wanted to make such a hasty, not so well-thought-out decision. But he should be aware no and I am asking if he would like to change it..."
"I will never again make that same mistake and have a bet with you..." - Light's lips still pursed, jaw tight; symptoms of constraint or forcing oneself to something... - "If you so morbidly want to know, I will ease your unhealthy curiosity, Ryuuzaki-kun." - he bit his lip. - "It was just a single thought... For a moment I thought that... for a person, who eats such an extreme amount of sweets every day and whom I didn't see even once training, you have... well, a nice body." - Light almost choked on his last words, his cheeks redder than before, although his eyes fixed hardly on Ryuuzaki, like some kind of silent challenge, waiting for L's comment.
Actually, Ryuuzaki hadn't expected that and now he had no idea as for what to do with his answer... Light thinks or thought that L had a nice body. It sounded ridiculous in his own ears. No one had ever told anything about his body in this context. Well, Watari constantly says L is too thin and that he should change his diet, but that was all. Wasn't it strange? Light saying something like that about him? It wasn't that he craved for compliments, it was of no use and value in his life. However odd, it was nice to hear something so kind and personal once for a while.
Ryuuzaki fast stopped this train of thought. What was he thinking of! It was only about his appearance, nothing realistically worth. It was of no importance or at least it shouldn't have been... I didn't matter that Light was the one saying it to. It was just an observation, a simple statement, as always, kind and friendly, but nothing more... This day should end before something worse will have time to happen. It was already a mess... L was never a mess and now... He was even thinking differently from his usual self. But Light didn't have to know that...
"I will merely say thank you, Light-kun. I am not accustomed with such opinions, they're something new to me, though I appreciate it. However I am not sure if I should, as it comes from another man... Is this normal, Light-kun? I know that among women it is but if it's about men... I am not so sure. My Light enlighten me or it's something I shouldn't ask as well?" - Ryuuzaki asked innocently, but his eyes shinning with enthusiasm and joyful sarcasm. An ace? Definitely...