Title: Cherry Apple
Pairing: LxRaito
Rating: T-M for cherries and kissing.
Word count: 1,526
Disclaimer: No matter how much I want them, they are not mine. I get to make them do things anyway. :O
A/N: I wrote this fic in response to a challenge by LyranStar... which I now realize that I read wrong. Er... it was supposed to be a fic where the story starts out with the line "L could really tie a knot." Instead of doing that I had the line imbedded somewhere else in the story. Um. I hope you like reading it anyway... bye now. (( . .)
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Cherry Apple
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It is ironic that Raito would feel this way, but he did. He had just parted with a rather ecstatic Misa after an obligatory lunch and is feeling much relieved to be returning to work. Well, it would be ironic if applied to any other heterosexual male anyway.
This is the sort of behavior that would increase the probability in L's mind that Raito is indeed Kira. But as for the person in question, he didn't really care - if he was able to rid himself of the girl for any bit of time, it was worth it. But Raito knew that even L would be sympathetic to overexposure of Misa's constant expression of genki, so no harm done.
Raito strode into their work area and noted a sweet smell in the air. Non-synthetic - a nice change. It looked like everyone was still out for lunch, with the exception of L, as he liked to graze on sweets while working. The sweet for the day was cherries, which would explain the crisp lingering scent around the couch L was currently occupying.
L sat scrunched up on the couch with a ridiculously large bowl of cherries before him on the coffee table. Haphazardly organized around him were various documents they have both pored over in the past, and no doubt was he trying yet another method to piece together the different clues again. All the while gorging on cherries, of course.
He lifted a hand up high, fingers gingerly holding onto a cherry by the stem, to acknowledge Raito's approaching presence. Raito took the empty couch opposite of where L was sitting, and without a word watched his partner concentrate on the cherries and scraps of text.
One index finger and thumb was for a piece of paper, the other pair delivered the cherries. L held the document in a way such that Raito was unable to see his face. For the first minute or so, Raito thought L really savored the cherries, as it would take him longer than the average time needed to consume one. But upon further observation, he realized that L wasn't just eating the cherries - every time L tossed the stem and seed into the waste basket, they were all convoluted into a similar form.
The slender green stems of the cherries L finished off were all twisted into simple knots. That was interesting. L could really tie a knot... with his tongue? Raito frowned, not quite understanding the purpose of it. But he wasn't going to ask, since...
"Yagami-kun," L set what he was looking at down and pulled another cherry stem knot out of his mouth, "Are you wondering what the purpose of me doing this is?"
Raito didn't say anything and simply watched L hold the small green pretzel shape between his fingers. He knew he was going to get an answer, but at the same time, he hated not knowing beforehand. L let show a secretive smile and held another cherry to his mouth. With the plump red flesh against his lips, he made a motion telling Raito to observe and popped the fruit into his mouth. Not just the flesh part, but the entire thing, including the stem.
In approximately twenty-four seconds - L removed the seed, which was broken off in the process, and then took out a neatly tied cherry stem.
Finally, disposing it, L paraphrased what Matsuda had told him earlier, "They say tying a cherry stem into a knot with your tongue indicates... oral prowess. The faster you are able to, the better."
Such triviality. Raito expressed his enthusiasm with a simple, "I see."
"You don't believe me?" L pushed another cherry into his mouth.
"I don't see how this pertains to anything in regards to the case," Raito responded.
"It would be," L watched Raito amusedly, "if I got to analyze your response."
"My response," Raito narrowed his eyes, "to what?"
L held out a cherry by the tip of the stem, "Would you like to try one?"
Raito decided to play along. He ignored the offered cherry and picked one out from the bowl. Plucking the fruit from the stem with his fingers, he put it slowly into his mouth. A fresh sweetness - it was good. He could almost even understand how L could eat nothing but this for the entire day without getting sick. He removed the seed from this mouth and eyed the stem, wondering if he should.
He was about to toss the remains into the trash when L insisted, "Yagami-kun..."
"What is this going to prove again?"
"Whether or not you're a good kisser."
"Go on."
It was trivial, but even trivialities meant a lot when he was faced with such a rival. So, wanting to avoid humiliation as best he can, Raito stood to leave, "Ask Misa if you want to know so badly."
"It's always better from the source."
"Are you saying that you are willing to kiss me to find out?"
"To experience is to know."
Raito hated this game, but like all the others they've been playing, he didn't want to lose, no matter how absurd it became. Raito walked around the rectangular glass table and remained standing, forcing L to look up at him.
"Ryuuzaki, if you would get up."
"Of course."
Face to face and personal space ignored, Raito was able to observe L closer than he normally would have wanted to. L's lips were red from the cherry juice and slightly curved into an invisible smile. Raito gazed into L's dark eyes and saw the reflection of his own stoic self upon them. If he could kiss Misa with a straight face, this should be nothing, right? He took a deep breath and pressed his lips hesitantly against red stained ones.
It started out with a sensation similar to when he kissed Misa; he felt himself unwilling, reluctant, but not ever expressing it. He didn't want to continue, and was about to pull back to try a different tactic, but two warm hands held his face in place.
L smiled knowingly against Raito's lips and adjusted the angles of their faces for better access. Again and again, their lips touched and moved against each other - the sensations were strangely exciting, but Raito knew this demonstrated nothing.
Feeling the need to take initiative again, he cupped his own hands over the sides of L's jaw and opened his mouth to taste his counterpart's lips, demanding entrance. Raito bit onto L's bottom lip, eliciting a small, inaudible, but noticeable gasp. Raito took this opportunity to push open the rest of L's lips with is own.
They both fought to repress the shudder of pleasure from running up their spines when their tongues finally met. L's mouth was warm, wet, and undoubtedly sweet. Raito noted when L's tongue slid against his, that it was probably extra warm from tying all those cherry stem knots.
L caught a hint of apples from somewhere within and deduced that it was what Raito ate last for lunch. He liked the taste and sought for more, pushing his tongue further into Raito's mouth, licking and tasting.
This exploration quickly turned a bit too ravenous and the two break off to find themselves breathless and flushed, staring into the other's eyes half-lidded.
Raito put a hand on L's chest and shoved him into the couch without holding back force. There was a brief moment where L raised his eyes to meet Raito's in a challenge. Raito's response was to close the space between them, hands gripping the couch on either side of L's head, abdomen hovering just above a white clad stomach, knees straddling his thighs and crushing, at the moment, irrelevant piles of paper.
He was just about to lower his head and claim L's lips again when they both heard footsteps. Neither moved, and both dared the other to make the next one. The echoing steps sounded hurried, and it would be mere moments before they were seen. A card key at the door made a beeping noise and the lock unbolted. Both remained stationary. There was a pause from the person at the door and the two on the couch tensed.
"Aah, you guys are fighting again?"
It was Matsuda, who approached them and gently pried Raito off. Wordlessly, Raito brushed himself off and went to his usual computer, grateful of the young investigator's gullible nature. However, before Raito could finish this train of thought, the rest of the crew wandered in.
Headed to his usual work station, Aizawa asked offhandedly, "Why'd you have to rush? The work's not going anywhere."
Matsuda scratched the back of his head and laughed, a bit too loudly, "Ahaha! You know me, I love work!"
L and Raito glanced at the enthusiastic character of a person, both noticing the blush that spread across his cheeks. Then their eyes met and lingered for a brief moment before they shifted their attentions back to work, amused.
Perhaps Matsuda wasn't so gullible after all.
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Omake
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Aizawa: You're such a fanboy.
Matsuda: IT'S NOT VOYEURIs... nuh uh!