Author's Note: Sorry that I missed a day, you guys- this may happen some, as I have a rather large course load currently. I want to thank you all for your lovely reviews and favorites, etc.- they are the driving force behind my writing. I also want to thank you for coping with my errors- this is my first time writing a real fanfiction for consumption by others, and you have all made it a wonderful experience. I'm thinking (hoping, praying) that as this goes on the quality of my writing will increase, so it should get better for you guys! Also, I'm going to make a soundcloud for music relating to the story world, as I've always loved it when authors do that- I'll provide a link or a name to search next chapter. Much love, asknotforwhom.
Light and L lay in the center of the bed, supported by a mass of fluffed pillows. Their entangled limbs and sated expressions were clearly indicative of a comfortable post-coital atmosphere- not that anyone looking on would have needed those indicators. The sheets and blanket had been ripped off of the bed they were occupying, and piles of clothing littered the floor- or were folded neatly on the nearby desk. L had pressed his face into the warm hollow of Light's throat, and Light had wrapped his arms and a leg around L's slim body. A comfortable, sleepy silence had descended, and they'd both been more than happy to keep it, taking the opportunity to memorize the feeling of one another.
L tried to think of the last time he'd been that happy, that comfortable, with another human being.
He could not remember.
All of his other encounters- in the face of what he'd just experienced, he hesitated to even call them that- had been vague, childish, self-conscious fumblings; unsatisfying and disappointing- if not to both parties, at least to L. But this- this was what he'd wanted. He could comfortably say that Light knew him; with depth and precision, L had laid every inch of himself open to him once he'd determined that Light was- he hesitated to say "the one". It was very cliché, and it implied infantile obsession. Love, even. It wasn't that he couldn't feel those things; he just didn't want to feel them when they would have been unwelcome. Light was a busy, self-sufficient individual; he didn't seem to have any need for companionship, rather, it looked as if a vague inclination had led him to look for company.
L did not want to be a burden- not in any way. So, he decided to end his mental sentence with "the correct choice" rather than "the one". Much more appropriate, and decidedly less likely to crush Light under its meaning.
He looked at Light's face. Tan, perfectly proportioned, with a dimple, some freckles, and subtle crinkles at the corners of his eyes for character. It was infinitely more satisfying to stare at Light's actual face rather than at his too-attractive pictures. Light looked down at him, catching him in his evaluation. He smiled and rolled them so that he was situated comfortably on top of L, looking down at him playfully.
"What would you be doing right now if I hadn't come to distract you?" Light asked from his perch up on L's knees.
L thought for a moment. "AP Literature and Composition- which is, honestly, completely useless for me. The woman is teaching absolutely nothing; more repetitive lecturing than anything. By the time I get back, it'll be time for fourth, which is AP Government for me- a good class with a great teacher."
Light nodded. "And what about after school? Didn't you mention being in some sort of production?"
L was surprised that he'd remembered; when he'd mentioned it to Light, he'd been very brief. His school was putting on a production of History Boys, a play- of course- about a group of high school boys trying to get into Oxford and Cambridge. He'd been given the lead, but wasn't massively pleased with those he was working with. Aside from two other people playing important characters, the actors were perpetually acting like idiot schoolchildren, disrupting rehearsals with constant jokes and questions. He supposed he shouldn't be too hard on them, though, as they were actually idiot schoolchildren.
"Yeah- I'll still be going to rehearsals for that this afternoon. I'll be out by the time you've landed back home, though."
Light groaned and pressed his face into L's pale neck.
"I don't want to leave. I wish that you didn't have any commitments, any restrictions. I'd be able to take you with me- bring you to my house, cook you dinner, ravish you in my foyer, all completely at my leisure."
L had imagined the same thing- over, and over, and over again. He'd given up on suppressing his hopes for a future with this man at some point, and he'd painted similar scenes in his head. He'd have loved to have been wrapped around Light on his couch while the older man read up on something for work. He'd have loved to stay the night with him- he often dreamt of being held while he slept.
"I want the same thing. More intensely than is appropriate." L looked at Light rather warily. He was so comfortable with Light, but he still hesitated to tell him exactly what he was feeling. He was not used to dealing with overriding emotions- at least not positive ones. Disappointment, fear, pain- those were relatively frequent in his household. But- the strange, quakey feeling in his chest? That was different. Very different, and it frightened him a bit.
Light would have to say those words first- those three massively important, life altering words just would not come out of his throat until there was enough evidence to support the theory that Light loved him too.
And, considering L's intensely pessimistic outlook, that would take nothing less than an outright declaration.
Light looked at L with a weighted expression he could not decipher, than kissed him on the head, hopping up to walk into the bathroom.
The man's ass was the only thing L processed during the entire minute and a half period Light was in there.
It was flawless. Perfectly shaped, supremely muscular, L knew exactly what he'd be grabbing onto next time Light came to visit.
Light came out to find L staring into the wall as if it had suddenly reared up and slapped him with a fish.
"L," he ventured curiously, "What's wrong?"
Wrong? Wrong? There could never, and would never, be anything wrong with that ass. "Absolutely nothing." L paused for a moment, managing to tear his eyes away from the wall only to find them stuck to Light's very appealing front side. "Did you know that you have a decidedly spectacular ass?" He asked in the same manner he had asked about the scones at Turandot's, and Light laughed, bemused.
"I have not been told that, no. At least not by anyone I pay attention to."
L was rather pleased by this, but his face remained neutral.
"Well, now you have." He looked at the bland clock hanging across from the rumpled bed he was occupying- it was almost one. L wished that he could go back to the beginning of their day; it had been so lovely, so stress free- aside from the worries about being caught. He knew that as soon as Light dropped him off, ugly, nasty reality would rear it's head again, confronting L with all sorts of cruel truths.
He had to smile, though, because he'd had this. Light had chosen to spend his time with L, not any of the other people he encountered on the site.
And their time had been... very, very fulfilling.
"Would you like to come back over here with me for a few minutes? It's almost time to leave." L crawled back up to the pillows and patted the space Light had vacated. Light slid into it and drew L into his arms, holding him in such a way that he could observe L's face. L had absolutely no idea how to read the expression gracing the other man's face.
He certainly wasn't angry- L had plenty of experience identifying that expression. He wasn't displaying any sort of irritation. Not sad, either- but there was something L could not name in Light's face and in the lines of his body.
Light chose that moment to smooth the thoughtful furrow on L's brow with his thumb, and kissed the spot slowly, delicately. He ran his hands up L's arms almost- reverently.
"If we leave now, I can run you through a drive through before I take you back- I'm sure you're hungry. Sound good?"
L thought that it sounded very good- he was starving after the morning's activities. He nodded and climbed out of Light's arms to collect his discarded clothing, sliding it on slowly, thinking all the while.
Why couldn't he identify the expression?
What was Light thinking about?
He buttoned his shirt, which was luckily only slightly wrinkled. His sweater, once pulled on, hid that completely. He pulled on his corduroys, too, but had to forgo the underwear- they still had a wet spot. He adjusted and prodded in the mirror until all evidence of Light's presence was erased from his person. It made him sad, the way he couldn't see evidence of the man's attentions in his mussed hair or slightly rumpled clothes.
He worried Light would be leaving with something rather important of his without leaving him anything at all.
He looked in the mirror again, and locked eyes with Light, who'd settled on the edge of the bed, fully dressed, just to watch L. When he saw that L was completely dressed, he stood, gathered his phone and the room keys, and placed his hand gently in the small of L's back to guide him from the room.
As the door shut behind them and they walked down the hallway towards the stairs that led to the back exit, they heard two womanly gasps and then furious whispers.
L guessed that the maids would have something to talk about for the next few months, and smiled deviously, not noticing the twin of his sardonic grin on his lover's face.