A/N: Hi, friends! How are we? How are things? I hope you're doing ok. And that this reaches you. Because…Well…Why else do I do this if not for the validation of total strangers turned my best friends on the internet? For the self fulfillment? For the validation of people I know outside the internet? Please. That's silliness. I do this because I'm an attention whore with social anxiety. Plain and simple. No…You know that's not why I do this. I do this because it's what fuels me. It's what sustains my soul. And because if I didn't, then the last five and a half years would've been a waste. But here nor there. How about we get to this week's chapter, ok? Because it's full of sap and fluff and not me still feeling guilty about what happened with Near (which, by the way…I may or may not be cooking up a little Meronia one shot in my brain that may or may not end up here soon…In case you were curious about what my brain likes to do in its off time). So, if you need anything, I'll be over here. You know where the drinks and the snacks are. Love you x

As much as they both loved being in Sayu's company, L and Light needed some time for the two of them. They brought her home and left her with a kiss at the door. Sayu teased her brother about coming around more often, but Light was in no place. Not that he'd yell at her or anything like that. Of course not. Light couldn't do that to Sayu. And L was already not ok. He didn't need Light yelling at Sayu on top of that. But still, they left her at home and took off yet again.

"Light," L curled into Light's side, "Where are we going? I know we're not going back to Odaiba. We just came back from Odaiba."

"We're not going to Odaiba," Light draped an arm around L, "Somewhere else."

"Where are we going then?" L looked up at Light.

"You'll see," Light kissed his forehead, "Do you trust me?"

"Of course I do," L nodded, "But where are we going, Light? I told you already. You're not the one that does the surprises in this relationship. That's for me to do."

"But we can have this one," Light assured him, "It's ok."

"Light," L shot him a glare, "Where are we…"

"I'm not telling you."

"I'm bad enough, Light," L growled, "I don't need to get worse before things get better."

"I promise," Light held him a little tighter, doing his best to calm L down, "It'll be ok. Besides, we're almost there anyway."

"Almost where?" L sat up a little better, just to get a good look out the window. Although, that was a moot point. The world was too dark for him to see anything. Even the streetlights weren't enough.

"We're here, Mr. Yagami," the driver stopped the car, "Would you like me to keep the car running or are you going to be a while?"

"We'll be a while," Light told him, getting out of the car. He stretched his hand out to L, "Well? Are you coming?"

"Depends on where we are," L wasn't moving. What do you think you're doing? Do you know what's coming to you later? Because I might need to bring those handcuffs back. And it's not like we have a shortage of them back home.

"It's Shimokitazawa," Light filled him in, absolutely melting L to his nuclear core, "Now, will you come out with me?"

"Um, Light," L looked at him strange, "You already know I'm…"

"Not that coming out," Light rolled his eyes, "I'm pretty sure you made that clear, not only from day one, but when you were in me earlier today. Come on."

L trusted Light more than anyone on the face of the earth. Except for maybe Watari. Watari was the only one that had L's full trust. Although, Light was making a hell of a case for himself. So, he took Light's hand and Light helped L out of the back of their car. The two of them began their walk along the water. It may not be the Chelsea Embankment, but this can't hurt. It comes pretty damn close. You were right to take me here, Light. I did need to get out of my head for a while and where better? Other than the Odaiba ferris wheel, but you've already done enough. I don't need you blowing me on the Odaiba ferris wheel again. Not tonight.

The two of them found a spot on the edge of the water and sat down in the complete darkness. And neither one of them could complain. Light's head found its way to L's shoulder, "Do you remember our first trip to Nakameguro together?"

"I do," L nodded, a little smile creeping across his face. That was a nice trip to Nakameguro, "We had our first kiss in Nakameguro."

"I know," Light smiled with him, "I was there. I remember."

"You were so freaked out afterward," L gushed, "You were rattling on and on about your exes and I wasn't dealing with that."

"Because I didn't have to deal with her anymore," Light knew all too well what Nakameguro held over him, "But I was pretty freaked. I didn't realize you were not only into me romantically, but that was the moment when I realized I was into you, too."

"And it was over something so simple."

"I wasn't expecting you to kiss me right then and there," Light grumbled, "I thought our first kiss would've been a little more special instead of you trying to shut me up."

"Hell of a way to shut you up, though," L giggled a bit, "And the unexpected ones with us are always the best."

"Sadist."

"Your sadist."

"Last I checked…" Light like the thought of that. His sadist.

"Why did you bring me here tonight, Light?" L wondered, laying his head in Light's lap, "We could've just gone from Omotesando back to the tower and we could've gone home, but instead, you decided to take us to Nakameguro. Why?"

"Because," Light gently tangled his fingers up in L's hair, "You needed to get out of your head for a while. What better than to invoke a little peaceful nostalgia in the process?"

"You're right," L sighed out, "I did need to get out of my head for a while. To think, I was going to do something stupid, take you, myself, and Sayu to Shinjuku, and subject myself to a nightclub for the sake of that. I was about to willingly subject myself to a panic attack just to get it out of my system."

"There's a better way to get catharsis than that, L," Light assured him, "You don't need to ever do that to yourself."

"Watari used to do that for me when I was younger," L admitted, "It'd always piss me off and I'd lash out for a while, but I'd always feel better afterward. He'd apologize with ice cream and I'd go straight to sleep after that. And now, it's the same with you."

"What do you mean, with me?" Light looked at him strange.

"Food associations are a powerful thing," L explained, "My minor brush with my anxiety in Odaiba the first time we were there. What happened afterward?"

"I brought you water and brought you down to the best of my ability," Light remembered every second of that like it was yesterday. Despite him wanting to forget it ever happened. That was a rough start to our Odaiba trip, "What about it?"

"And after that," L added, "You made me pancakes. And some damn good pancakes. You did the same thing after we came back from Near's graduation. Because you knew I was on edge. Whether or not you knew what you were doing is still up in the air, but when I've been anxious for the last few months I've been in Japan, something about you making me pancakes has been my go-to comfort. And it's not just because they're Michelin quality. It's so much more than that."

"What is it, then?" Light wasn't looking for the ego stroke. He was genuinely curious. Because something to put down in the notes for the manual on how to run L couldn't hurt anything.

"It's because…" L pulled Light down to him, scoring a kiss or two, "It's you. The sweetness in my mouth. It reminds me of you. Because those pancakes put me in a good place. You put the time and effort into them. You did that for me. It's amazing how a little effort can go a long way in my book. And I love you for that, Light. I'm not sure how to describe it. It's so…It's like putting peace into my body. I know it's going to calm me down. I know it's going to make me feel safe. Because I know you'd never do anything to put me in harm's way. It's comforting."

"Wow…" Light's heart skipped a beat, "And it's all because of when I make you pancakes?"

"It's all because of you making me pancakes."

"I should cook for you more often then," Light teased him.

For the foreseeable future would be nice. L felt a strange twist in the pit of his stomach. He wasn't sure if it was a good or a bad one, but it was enough, "Light…"

"Hmm?"

"In a couple weeks…" L did his best to steady his breathing, "When I told Sayu that the next time international travel is involved, I'm taking the trip on my own, I wasn't joking. I'm going to take a trip to America. If that's alright with you."

"Where in America?" Light asked. He seems to be a little better, so it's not like he's going to do anything reckless.

"Washington DC," L sat up, "I have some personal business I need to take care of. Is that alright?"

"You don't have to ask my permission," Light allowed, "Although, it's appreciated."

"It's you and me, Light," L took Light's hand, "You know this as well as I do."

"I know…" Light bit the inside of his cheek, "Are you sure you want to do this on your own?"

"I'm sure," L nodded. It's a long overdue trip. You were probably still in middle school, Light. But I'll be ok. I think.

"You do know," Light pointed out, "It's thirteen hours between here and DC, right?"

"Keep your phone on," L demanded.

"Obviously."

"It's two weeks away, Light," L brushed him off, "We don't need to worry about it yet. Not right now. We don't have time zones to worry about right now. Not when we're right here."

"Ok," Light got one last kiss, "Do you want me to start taking care of your reservations now?"

"No," L giggled, "Not right now. We can have tonight. You can go back to being my assistant tomorrow while we're working. And if you're not careful, we may be considering a minor act of exhibitionism tomorrow."

"Not while my dad's there," Light begged, "I don't care about the others, but as long as my dad's not there. That doesn't need to be something brought up when the family gets together for Christmas."

"Ok," L promised, "I'm sure I could find something to get your father out of the tower for a while."

"What a gentleman," Light laughed a bit.

"I'd feel weird with your father over my shoulder while his son's mouth is on my…"

"L!" Light squeaked, "I don't need the mental image. I'd like to sleep tonight."

"Alright, alright," L backed off, "And…Light?"

"What?"

"While I'm gone…" L thought, "I'm going to be gone for a while. Not too terribly long, but long enough. Could I ask you a favor?"

"Of course," Light promised, "What do you need?"

"I want you to do my job for me while I'm away," L proposed, "Could you do that for me?"

"What?" Light wasn't sure where L was going with this. It wasn't the first time L's had him scratching his head, but he's never had to scratch this hard, "What do you mean? You want me to lead the investigation?"

"I want you to do more than just lead the investigation," L explained, "I want you to be L."

Light's stomach did a few flips, "What the hell? I can't be L. You're L."

"While I'm gone," L went on, "I'm not going to be L anymore. Please, Light. I know I ask a lot of you, but I really need you to do this for me. I need that weight off my shoulders. I get that feeling only twice. When it's just the two of us at the end of the day and when I go to DC. Please. It'll only be while I'm gone. It's not difficult. Especially for someone like you. The only other person I would give this job to is Watari, but he's got enough to deal with. I know you can do it."

"Really?" Light could hardly wrap his head around L's off the wall request. I'd…I'd be L. It's hard to picture myself as L. But L's not one to impress easily.

"Yes," L nodded, "I trust your judgments. They're not much different from my own, so even if someone were to study my patterns, you'd be able to fall into them just fine."

Light knew what kind of honor L was putting on his head. And he knew all of the little stresses that came along with it. But if that meant running the investigation for him, so he could do whatever it was he needed to do in Washington DC, then so be it, "Ok. I'll do it."

"Thank you," L pulled Light up to his feet, "For everything you do for me, Light. You didn't have to take me here tonight. We could've just gone home."

"No, we couldn't," Light knew better. Light knew what kind of tangled mess L's head could be sometimes. And there was enough of a mess in their bedroom. They didn't need to go back to that yet, "What about now, though? You think we could go home?"

"I think so," L stole another quick kiss…Only for it to turn a little deeper, "I love you."

"I love you, too," Light couldn't be more of a puddle if he wanted to be. And L wasn't much different.

When they pulled back up to the tower, L pressed the bypass button and the two of them went straight to their apartment. Although, it only then hit him. L remembered the mess left in their bedroom. And what kind of aftermath their beautiful moment of simultaneous bliss was all over their bed. And I doubt anyone's been in there to clean today. Oops.

"Light…" L got halfway down the hall before he stopped.

"Is everything ok?" Light worried, "I thought you said we were going home."

"Do you remember what kind of fun we had in our bed earlier today?"

"Kind of hard to forget." I'm still sore from that, thank you. But Light thought it over a little more. And he realized what L was trying to tell him, "Oh…What about it?"

"What do you say we stay at your place tonight?" L unlocked the door to Light's apartment that was only collecting dust.

"I was just about to suggest the same thing," Light agreed, following L inside, "And if anyone asks, I stayed at my place."

"Ditto." With that being said, L and Light crawled into bed. It didn't take much for either one of them to fall asleep. Between L's brief moment of anxiousness, dealing with Sayu's line of questioning, and the beautiful trip down memory lane, all on top of their jetlag, the second they both hit the pillow (and if we're being honest, Light's head didn't hit a pillow. He was wrapped up in L's arms and in his shoulder), they were out cold. And neither one would have it any other way.