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Light just looked at him, unable to think of anything else as his emotions start overflowing.
"What are you doing here?" he almost shouted as he managed to speak again.
"I wanted to see you, Light." L answered. "There are a lot of things we need to talk about but honestly I just want to see you looking well"
"How did you even find me?" Light asked, still not recovering from the shock.
"Near helped me." He said. "He maintained contact with Mello and put a tracker on his phone. he couldn't put a tracker on you without getting any suspicions from you three so he just did it indirectly."
"How is that even possible? Mello is in a different place."
"Well, I'm not sure but he seems to be monitoring Mello's calls, and you suddenly called one day and talked about needing help. Mello contacted a hitman from his organisation and Near was able to track where you are after that."
"But I left that place weeks ago"
"Which is why it took me this long to find you." L explained. "I have to search every city close in proximity to where you were. But I did not expect you being settling to almost a thousand kilometres away in Detroit"
"Because I don't want to be found" Light simply said.
"Luckily, Mello occasionally calls you and I have to listen in for clues on your whereabouts." L told him. "It was not an easy task"
Light took a better look a L. It was not noticeable but he clearly had not shaved in a month, as he almost had a beard if you looked closer. He also cut his hair short, and was wearing normal people clothes, perhaps to blend in with other people.
"I missed you, Raito-kun" L told him, as he rubbed his eyes to hide his tears. "I know that I was not the best person to be around with, and I rejected your feelings when you needed me the most, but can you forgive me?"
Light hesitated for a while.
"You really hurt me, L"
"I understand, Raito-kun" L dejectedly said.
"But I will give you a second chance" Light said.
"Raito-kun!" L was overwhelmed with emotions that he stood up in his seat and hugged him from across the table.
The entire wait staff clapped and cheered as they left the restaurant.
…
It took a week for them to catch up on everything that happened.
L took him around on dates as much as possible, and Light told him everything that happened. From getting to know the people in Whammy's house, helping around the house and planning to escape, learning how to pronounce English words correctly which in turn helped him adapt with his life in America.
Admittedly, there were parts of the story that Light was worried on how L would react, like meeting Mikami on the plane, and living with him, getting sexually assaulted by his boss, hiring a hitman to take care of the said boss, having a one night stand with Mikami which ended in being forcibly violated by him. Which is why he purposely didn't mention those things, until L told him something that made him say it.
"I know you are Kira, Light" he said one night, when they were relaxing in their bedroom. "I knew for a long time, actually. But Misa confirmed it when she touched the death note."
It was L's turn to give his story, and told him what happened between Misa and him, having those conflicted feelings with her that made him self destruct in front of the task force, and effectively putting an end to the already dying case. Then sneaking out with Misa to burn the death note, and finally getting confirmation to what he already knew, that he was right on his conclusion that Light was Kira and Misa was second Kira, and then deciding what was more important despite all of this.
"I'm here to assure you, Raito-kun, that I will no longer put you in prison, in fact I am determined to protect you so that you don't have to be forced to do such a thing" L assured him. "And not to mention, I already talked about Mello regarding your hiring a hitman. I don't want to pretend to be a bringer of justice, but I know you have been through a lot, and I will not take that against you"
Light broke down in tears as he heard that from L, and they talked for hours after that. When L discovered the sexual assault from his boss and the following rape from Mikami, it was L's turn to cry with Light, as he felt frustrated for not being able to protect Light.
"It's okay" Light said. "I know he didn't mean to, and it was partly my fault. But I don't want you to be thinking too much about it. I just want to start a new life here, with my baby"
L looked at his baby bump, and asked permission from Light to touch it. It felt harder than he expected, and suddenly, he felt it move.
"Oh, that's the first time I felt it kick!" Light told him, and he saw the older man cry uncontrollably beside him. "It's okay, L. If you were able to forgive me with such heinous acts, the things I've been through is just a drop in the bucket"
He held L's hand as they touched the baby together. They stayed that way for a few minutes until L suddenly searched around his pocket and faced Light, kneeling on the ground. He revealed a ring in his hand as he asked Light the question.
"I love you Raito-kun, will you marry me?" he said determinedly. "I can't promise you the world but I will do my best to protect you and our son from now on"
Light just covered his face for a while as tears started falling. Finally, he answered L.
"Yes"
….
The days after that went by in a heartbeat. Light contacted his family again, and they were relieved to see him doing well in America. With L's help, they were able to fly to the States and visit Light, and they had a little wedding with just Light's family and representatives from Whammy's house, Mello, Matt and Near.
L finally chose his successor, which was supposed to be Near, but he refused on the reasoning that he wanted to create a name for himself, which would someday surpass L's. That statement was confirmation that he did choose the right person to replace him, and Watari was happy with his decision. Mello and Matt were okay with it, finally gaining recognition albeit an infamous one, to be the fastest people to go up in the ranks of the Mafia. They acted as advisers for them, and despite it not being the conventional type of career that L would have hoped, it lessened crime in their area by a significant portion and they were actually contributing a net positive result in their community, which is more than enough compared to his other former candidates, one of which turned 180 degrees and became a serial killer.
L also decided to retire from his position as "L", and counted on the younger generation to help with the problems of the world, but promising them to remain as an advisor when they need it, so it was all good. Watari at least was satisfied, and gave him access to his bank accounts, with money he earned from being L turning out to be a massive fortune.
With that money, they were able to buy a house in the States, in an exclusive neighbourhood away from all the stressful city life. Light is planning to get accepted in one of the universities in the area, and continue his studies to satisfy his parent's wishes.
Admittedly, Light didn't want to just use up all of L's wealth and do nothing for the rest of his life. He wanted to do his own career, so that his son would do the same and not just rely on their riches. He started applying to his choice Universities and there were even scholarship offers for him, and L was more than happy to just spend his time with Light and advise him of his future career decisions.
L was just happy to be around Light all this time, spending time with him, taking him on dates, taking him to the doctor. Most nights they would just talk, and when they felt like it, have sex as carefully as they could, knowing that the baby is growing despite their desire to express their feelings for each other. Occasionally he would invest some money in the stock market and watch as that money triple, as he found that he was good at reading charts and predicting people's emotions by now.
Light's stomach grew and grew, and when the time came, he felt a constant pain in his back and nether regions, like something was pushing against him. L immediately called the doctor and scheduled them to the c-section operation. His family was there with him at his home, and they wished him well before going with L to the hospital. Soon he was being admitted in, and then, when the time came, wheeled into the operating table, breathing in the anaesthesia and falling unconscious soon after.
L was anxiously waiting in the delivery room with Souichiro Yagami, who just sat there patiently as L paced back and forth. Then, the distinct cry was heard from the other room, and L rushed there when he was finally let in. He saw his baby for the first time, along with Light, who was still groggy from the sedatives. All of a sudden, he felt himself being hugged from behind. It was Souichiro, who looked really happy to see his grandson looking healthy.
"Congratulations on being a father, Ryuuzaki" he said in what L could assume to be his happiest voice. It was the first time he heard the chief be as happy like that, and L could only cry tears of joy as he watched every minute unfold in the delivery room.
Soon, when Light recovered, they finally got to take the baby home, and everyone was just so happy for the two of them. Many people visited too, including Mello and Matt who Light appointed as the child's godfather (ironically), Matsuda, Misa, and much to L's dismay, Mikami, who apologised profusely beforehand, and talked to L countless times promising him not to pursue Light anymore, but to remain friends with him as much as possible.
Light reminded him that he helped him through his first weeks in America, and despite what happened he still forgave him, so he was allowed in subject to the watchful look of L.
Misa chatted with him after this, and they bonded over being rejected by the same guy. After exchanging information, they left together (as they discovered they have the same flight to Japan) with Matsuda.
After two weeks, it was Light's family's turn to go home, and Light and L took them to the airport, and after some obligatory hugs, promised that they would be there for Christmas. Finally, L and Light were alone together with their baby boy.
L at times still catches himself tearing up as he watched the two most important people in his life sitting next to him. This was the happiest moment of his life.
Just outside, unknown to both Light and L, was a familiar face who watched all of this throughout the entire nine months.
"Congratulations, Light. I never thought you had it in you" Ryuuk said in a hearty smile. "I've always been hoping for a happy ending for you"
He opened his bag and revealed two notebooks in his possession. Death notes do not get destroyed by fire. As soon as L left satisfied with the assumption that the two notebooks were destroyed, he sifted through the ashes and retrieved the two notebooks. The one Misa formerly possessed he gave back to Rem, and now he has two notebooks in his possession.
"I guess I'll have to safeguard this notebook for you then, until you are old enough" he said to the child in Light's arms, unknown of his surroundings. Ryuuk was holding the notebook that Light picked up years ago, the one that started it all. It was very nostalgic for him, that he just couldn't let it go.
"Farewell, Lord Kyr" he said as he went on his way back to the Shinigami world.
End
