"How about we take a shower?" Light asked after a few moments of silence.
L shuddered. He hated showers, or at least he hated the showers Beyond would give him. They were frigid, like ice crystals raining down on them. Beyond never seemed to mind and would stuff them into the tiny room barely big enough for L. L would be squished against the wall and Beyond. He felt like he was suffocating. Then, sometimes, Beyond would force his head back and his mouth open. The water would fill his mouth and lungs, and he would nearly drown.
Light saw L tumble as soon as he said the word shower. Then saw his slave's eyes grow distant and become filled with fear. Wherever L was at that moment, it certainly was not here.
"Hey, Darling," Light whispered and, keeping his movements conspicuous as to not startle L, placed a hand on his shoulder. L, however, did startle, heaving himself backward with a yelp.
"Hush, Darling, hush," Light cooed, showing L his hands, palms exposed, "there is no reason to be frightened. I am here."
"M-Master?" L whispered.
"Yes," Light responded, hoping that L was referring to him, "come back to me, Sweet Boy," Light took a chance and placed a hand on L's cheek and rubbed the skin with his thumb. L leaned into the touch.
"Ma-Master," L stuttered again, the hazy feeling in his brain edging away and the memory fleeing. In horror, L realized what he did. He pulled away from Light, his Master, and yelled at him. He was not supposed to do any of that. He took Master's touch no matter how painful, and he did not pull away.
"I'm sorry, Master," L whimpered, "I'm so sorry."
"What on Earth could you be apologizing for?" Light asked, disbelief coloring his tone. Whatever happened, Light could tell L had no control over his reactions. Even if he did, Light was not going to force touch on L, and if Light scared L somehow, a little yelp was not outside of a normal reaction.
He had to be honest, L reminded himself, "I pulled away from you, Master, and yelled," L explained, voice completely devoid of emotion once more.
"Neither of which are extraordinary reactions by someone who is scared, no?" Light asked.
"'M not supposed to," L said, desperation entering his voice, wishing Light would understand what he was trying to say.
"Pardon my language, Darling, but those seem like some pretty shitty rules to me," Light said, smiling when L looked at him with shock coloring his face, "they are not very fair and do not benefit either of us in the long run. Those are not my rules, Darling."
"Really?" L asked.
"Yes, really," Light assured, "now, I will not tolerate disrespect, but I will not punish you for your natural reaction to stimuli. Understood."
"Yes, Master," L nodded.
Light did not think L understood everything he was saying, and even if he did, this one moment would not erase years of pain and torment and learned responses, but it was a start. They would need to revisit this multiple times, and L would need to be assured he would not be punished for every little thing he did, especially in these early days. As he learned the new rules, the more at ease L would become in his new life. It was a lot of change, and Light wanted to do it as slowly as possible, but it almost seemed like that was not an option.
"We do need to get clean, though, Sweetie," Light said, "how about a bath, then?"
"The bath," L said almost instantly. He had not taken a bath in years, but he remembered liking them before he became a slave.
"Sounds great, Darling," Light smiled kindly.
…
"It's big," L said, looking at the tub. At first, L wondered if they would fit in the tub together, assuming that it would be small, but like everything else L had seen in the castle, the tub was overly big.
"I know," Light replied, sitting on the edge to turn on the faucet. He did not know what temperature L liked, but to be safe, he turned it slightly lower than what he liked. "We need to get the waterproof cover over the cast," Light said, standing to retrieve said cast cover.
L nodded.
After taking L's shirt off, Light helped L get his arm into the cover, "how does it feel?"
"Feels weird," L said with a cringe. The cover was rubbery and felt too smooth and was just bad.
"Sorry, Sweet Boy," Light apologized, brushing his slave's hair back, "I'll see Yamamoto can get you a different one."
L nodded, noting that his Master sounded entirely sincere.
Light helped L out of his pants and underwear; the covering limiting L movements further, and stepped out of his clothes. L glanced over his Master's nude form and then let his gaze drop.
"Let's get in, Sweetie," Light said as he stepped into the tub. He then looked at his slave, waiting for him to join.
L hesitated a moment, the memories of being in the shower with Beyond still running through his mind, before joining his Master. L stepped in and sat away from Light. Not so far away that Light could not grab him if his Master so desired, but not close enough to touch without moving.
L sighed as the warm water lapped his skin. It felt nice, and it was relaxing. Plus, his medicine was just starting to make the edges of his mind blissfully fuzzy, and his chest warm. It helped him relax further into the warmth.
L almost forgot that someone else was in the tub with him until he heard Light say, "do you like it, Sweet Boy?"
"Yes, Master," L answered, with a little nod.
Light swirled the water around lazily with an index finger, letting his slave enjoy relaxing a few moments longer. L deserved it. He has had a stressful, well four years, but the last few days must have been extra stressful for him.
"L?" Light said after a few minutes.
"Yes, Master?" L asked, opening his eyes. Wait, when did he close his eyes? L did not know. He was suddenly exhausted. Why was he so tired? It was still morning. Oh, yeah, he took pain medicine because his wrist was hurt. The Idiot hurt it. But he was with Light now, and he was helping his wrist get better. Light was a good master. Well, L did not know how to characterize a "good" master. Beyond claimed to be a good master, and he was nothing like Light. Two things that are so entirely opposites could not both be good. Kind, L decided to settle on. Light was a very kind Master. Wait, Light called him. He wanted something. L should be listening, but that was so hard. Why couldn't he listen? He wanted to listen. He wanted to be good. He did not want a punishment.
"Hey, Sweet Boy," Light called gently, breaking through the fog in L's mind. Light touched his cheek. L flinched away when the touch made his cheek wet. He did not like his face wet. It did not feel good.
"Awe, c'mere, Baby," Light practically cooed. L looked like he was about to fall asleep, and he was obviously having a hard time focusing, or else he would have moved closer to him when Light asked.
Light gently guided L until he was pressed up to his chest. L hummed and did something that Light was not expecting him to do for a long time. L snuggled into his chest, rubbing his cheek against Light like a kitten.
"You are very cute," Light said with a small smile, holding L closer.
L hummed again, "you are a very kind master," he murmured against Light's skin.
Light felt his heart skip at the statement. L was not lying; he knew better than that now. He was not saying that to get on Light's good side or have Light do something for him. Frankly, he was too drugged up for that. He was telling the truth, what he really thought of Light, and Light could not be happier of what L thought of him.
"Thank you, Sweet Boy," Light said, letting himself enjoy holding L for a few more seconds, and knowing that L enjoyed being held if his tiny smile was anything to go by.
"Okay," Light whispered as to not startle L, "let me get you clean, L, then you can go take a nap. How does that sound?"
"Good, Master," L muttered. A nap sounded good. Would Master hold him again? L wanted the heavy blanket again. That felt good. He liked the pressure. Getting clean sounded good too. It had been a long time since he felt truly clean. What did clean feel like?
"I'm going to wash your hair first," Light informed. L simply nodded.
Light, remembering L's reaction to the word shower, poured the water over his head as gently as possible, and tried to avoid getting his face wet. L still whimpered and tried to push back. Light held his slave still with his free arm.
"It's okay, Darling," Light whispered, "I am right here."
"Master," L mumbled, "not gonna hurt."
It was a statement, but still, Light answered, "that's right, Sweetheart. I'm not going to hurt you," maybe L was starting to believe him.
Light poured a generous amount of shampoo onto his hand. L's hair was a greasy mess of tangles. When was the last time anyone brushed L's hair, let alone washed it?
Light massaged the shampoo into his slave's hair. L liked having his hair played with; Light realized when L leaned into his touch and made a noise of approval.
"I'm happy you like it," Light told L, not expecting a response from L.
L was so far gone that he did not have a response when Light rinsed his hair.
Light used both of his hands to work the conditioner through L's hair until he could easily run his hand through L's hair.
"I'm going to rinse, Sweet Boy," Light whispered the warning in L's ear. Once again, L did not react.
"I'm going to wash your body," Light said after running a comb through L's hair, even though he was mostly asleep against him.
Light washed L's body, and, if he was honest, he touched L more than what was strictly necessary, but he wanted to feel L.
"Okay, let's get out, Sweetheart," Light said, lifting L out of the tub. He dried L's and his bodies off, taking the cover off of L's arm, before carrying L into the bedroom.
Light layed L down on the bed before turning to the closet. Unfortunately, L's clothes have not come in. Light had ordered them when he decided he wanted L as his own. He ordered many things, cotton shirts, jeans, and silks. Light was very interested to see L in the silks.
Light picked out his regular clothes, red button-down with a black tie, jacket, and pants. He then picked out clothes for L. He loved seeing L in his clothes, and would continue to dress L in his clothes when his clothes came in. Light picked out a light grey sweater and a pair of comfortable black pajama pants. He would put L in something more appropriate for the day after his nap, but he was not going to force L not into anything uncomfortable while he was sleeping.
Light then brushed his hair and tied his shoulder length hair back and swiped his hair to the left side. He checked himself in the body length mirror and made sure he looked proper.
L was asleep by time Light was finished getting ready. "Hey Sweet Boy," Light said, running his hand through L's now soft hair, "Wake up a second."
L groaned and rubbed his eyes. He did not want to get up, and did not understand why Light was insisting that he did. He was tired.
"Sleepy," L mumbled, not thinking about it.
"I know, Darling," Light said, sympathy in his tone, "let me get you dressed, then you can sleep some more."
L groaned and nodded, trying his best to help his Master, but the pain meds made his limbs feel like lead and he was too uncoordinated to truly help. Light did not seem to mind, though, gently guiding his limbs into clothes and pulling on them so that they fit. Well, Light's clothes swallowed L, but it was cute.
"So, I have to get some work done today," Light began and L nodded too tired to talk, "you can come with me and sleep on the couch in my office, or you can stay in here and sleep on the bed. Which one?"
L hummed and rested his head on Light's chest as he processed the question. He really did not want to be alone, he had been alone for so long. "Stay with Master," L said.
"Okay, Sweet Boy," Light said, kissing the side of L's head before picking him up, knowing that his slave could not handle walking all the way to his office. Light could only hope that he would not run into any of his servants that would want to talk. He also grabbed L's weighted blanket.
"Baby ponytail," L murmured, pawing at Light's hair and surprising Light by giggling. Light looked down at L, a small, shy smile gracing his features.
Light smiled as well, letting L play with his hair until they got to his office. Yes, he might need to redo it but it was a small price to pay to see his sweet boy smile.
"Down you go, Sweetheart," Light said, placing L down on the coach. L hummed as he felt the heavy blanket cover him. He snuggled into the cushions and pulled the blanket tightly around himself. He felt Light rub his back though the blanket. That was nice. L closed his eyes, not fighting the pull of sleep.
Light smiled down at his sleeping slave, and looked at him for a moment. He looked so damned cute and Light wished that he could watch him all day. Unfortunately, Light had work to do, so he stood and sat at his chair.
He quickly fixed his hair and got to work.