My abject apologies, both for my absence and also for not replying to a whole bunch of reviews from a few weeks ago – I will get it done. Unfortunately life stuff took over all my time :(
Well, enjoy this creepy chapter now it's here! XD
Thanks as always to recipe for insanity for beta reading – and for practically saving my writing life by PM-ing me at exactly the right psychological moment! :)
SPOILERS: Up to episode 18 anime/chapter 38 manga.
DISCLAIMER: Death note and its characters are not mine. Only this story is mine.
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Raito's suddenly blazing mad. He gets to his feet and stares down at the man.
"Ryuuzaki!"
"Hm?" L's eyes widen as the fist flies toward his face, then he's flying too, across the room; Raito following, pulled by the chain between their wrists.
Their fight pretty much trashes Misa's boudoir; furniture overturned, plants flung from their pots, cake splattering to the carpet. Raito supposes he's grateful, in a way, that Matsuda interrupts them with an inane phone call. God knows what they might have done to each other if he hadn't.
Back in the investigation room, he and L refrain from commenting on their fight, restricting their interactions to work-related remarks only. Raito's disappointed. He'd hoped for something more than this. He's working with L, the best detective in the world, and the man suddenly turns out to have feet of clay. He ignores the inner discomfort caused by the realisation that L really wants him to be Kira – thinks of him as nothing but his suspect. After all, what did he expect? The strange detective is more robot than human being, a machine for solving crime. It would be stupid and self-destructive to assign any human emotions or motivations to him.
He sighs over an afternoon cup of coffee and reflects that at least, after this, there aren't likely to be any more incidents of the kind that happened last night. He's disturbed that, briefly, he doesn't know whether to be glad or sorry about that. Then wonders what the hell he's thinking. He's glad, of course he is. The thought of the detective being of the opinion that he can make free with Raito's body whenever he feels like it – he shifts uncomfortably in his chair and denies that it's arousing.
He's distracted from his internal discussion by a pull at the chain on his wrist and glances across at the pale young man, who's spinning on his chair, gaze absent. Raito feels a sudden pang of guilt at seeing the bruises on his friend's face. Not that they are friends any more after this. If they ever have been. Most likely that was just another one of L's lies.
He sighs again, miserably. To think he's found someone who's probably the one person in the world whom he could make a friend of. Someone who understands him and who he never has to explain himself to – and there's no way they can be close because the detective finds it impossible to trust him. Not that Raito blames him, on reflection. He just chalks it up as another item on the list of ways Kira has offended him.
The chain jerks more forcibly, pulling Raito's arm away from the table. He turns to look at L again, finds he has spun in a complete circle and is twined in the chain, looking down at himself as if he's wondering how it happened.
"Ryuuzaki..." Raito gets to his feet and steps toward the detective, not missing the slight flinch as the other looks up at him.
"I'm not going to hit you while you're unable to defend yourself," Raito says rather bitterly. "What kind of person do you think I am? No, don't answer that. You've already told me enough about what you think of me today."
He grasps the back of the chair and turns it, disentangling L from the coil of chain.
"There," he scolds, very aware of the huge eyes fixed on him. "Try and stay in one place, Ryuuzaki. Maybe I should take you out to a fairground if you want to spin around like that."
"Raito-kun is asking me out on a date?" L enquires, shockingly and quite loudly.
"Uh..." Raito hears sudden silence, glances out of the corner of his eye and sees the rest of the team's heads turning. "Honestly, Ryuuzaki, I'm not one to attempt the impossible. I think you've made it quite plain to me that I'm the last person you'd want to go anywhere with!"
He scowls back to his seat and sits in huffy silence until it's time for the others to go home. Constantly aware of L's annoying and mystifying presence, he hears the man give a sigh of relief as Matsuda – the last to leave – closes the door behind him.
"At last!" the detective murmurs, pulling on the chain and jerking Raito's hand away from his keyboard. "Are they trying to impress me by working all this overtime? It's not as if we have anything to do."
"Don't start that again!" Raito gives L a black look. "I don't need to hear any more of your opinions on Kira, if they involve you saying how sorry you are that I'm not him."
"I said," L gets to his feet and makes for the door, tugging the hapless teenager behind him, "that I wanted Raito-kun to be Kira."
"Ryuuzaki –" Raito protests, having left his computer turned on.
"I didn't say I want him to be Kira now," L continues, ignoring Raito as he heads toward the stairs. "If Raito-kun is not Kira now, I'm happy."
"What?" Raito is beginning to feel as if he's one step away from the border of la-la land. "But you said – what you said…"
"I'm depressed, Raito-kun," L says, miserably. "I don't know what I'm saying. You have to understand," he pauses as they reach their landing, retrieving the keycard to their apartment from his pocket, "that what I think would be the best result for the case, as a detective, might not be the result I would find most satisfactory from a personal point of view."
"Yes, I can see that," Raito agrees as they go into their rooms. "Possibly. But you could express yourself more tactfully."
"Conversely, Raito-kun should be able to comprehend that what we do here has nothing to do with how we behave during the day."
"What do you mean?"
"Does Raito-kun not understand me?" L turns to the boy, leaning close, his breath warm on Raito's face. "Surely he can appreciate that how two people react to each other at work may be very different to how they are when they are private together."
"I – yes. Of course." Raito hastens to agree, remembering what L initiated the last time they were private together. He certainly wouldn't want any of that to happen at work.
"Unfortunately, I shall have to punish Raito-kun for hitting me," L says as he goes into the kitchen, dragging the astounded boy after him.
"What?" Raito struggles for words. "But – you hit me back. Kicked me. With your bare foot that's been God-knows-where!"
"That is a completely different thing, Raito."
"Ryuuzaki," Raito folds his arms, staring angrily at the detective. "I don't know what kind of sick perverted relationship you imagine we have here, but I can assure you, there will be no punishment involved in it."
L rolls his eyes and continues what he's doing, which is making tea.
"Ryuuzaki, are you listening to me?" Raito demands.
"Yes, of course, Raito-kun," L says, ambiguously.
"Well – good!"
"Does Raito-kun wish to have dinner now? He looks tired. We should have an early night."
"Uh... yes, if you like..." Raito agrees, caught off guard by the detective's apparent concern for his welfare.
They're both quiet, caught up in their own thoughts through dinner and afterwards when they shower and prepare for bed. There's no bath tonight, Raito doesn't want it and L doesn't suggest it. Now convinced that L has given up with his rather odd advances, Raito can only think that the detective, having realised that he wanted him to be Kira, has ceased to think of him as attractive in any way whatsoever. Either because he doesn't find Kira attractive, or because he doesn't find anything else attractive but Kira, Raito isn't sure which. Although, he assures himself, both lead to the same happy conclusion, him being left unmolested by the perverse man.
Raito's mind is miles away when they go into the bedroom, he barely notices as L removes the cuff from his wrist so he can put on his pyjama top. But he comes back to earth with a jolt as the metal encircles his wrist again and his other wrist is suddenly pulled behind him and also cuffed.
"What?" he turns his head, fixing the smirking detective with an aggrieved glare. Tries to pull his wrists apart, but these are normal handcuffs, like the ones he wore in the cell. At the thought of that, he shudders.
"Ryuuzaki, take these off," he commands.
"Certainly not, Raito-kun." L bends over the wash basket, rummaging around in the discarded clothes Raito brought in from the bathroom.
"But – I don't like it," the boy pleads, abandoning aggression in favor of guilt-tripping his friend. "It reminds me of when I was confined."
"This is supposed to be a punishment, Raito." The detective straightens up, Raito's belt in his hands. "You aren't meant to like it."
"Not that again!" Raito explodes. "I told you, I'm not going to be punished by you! I haven't done anything wrong – you were the one who offended me, not the other way around."
"Nevertheless."
"Ryuuzaki –"
"Raito should be quiet now, or I will have to resort to gagging him."
"Don't threaten me with your socks!" Raito exclaims, backing away.
"Not socks, no," L says, thoughtfully. "It occurred to me that Raito would be just as efficiently silenced if I were to fill his mouth with, say, strawberries. Which would be a much more pleasant experience than socks for both of us. Especially when the time comes to remove them again."
"You're not eating strawberries out of my mouth," Raito disagrees, although he has to admit the idea has a certain appeal. "Besides, if I get excited and inhale one, I could choke. Then what would you say to the rest of the team? Oh, I accidentally killed Raito while I was forcing some bizarre sex practises on him? I can't see that going down well with my father!"
L pauses, looking at Raito with his head on one side and the boy has to admit he looks attractive, standing there in only his low-slung jeans, no shirt on, his damp hair straggling around his face in raven tendrils.
"Does Raito-kun think my sex practises are bizarre?" he finally asks.
"Hell, yes!" Raito stares at the disheveled detective in amazement. "Handcuffs. Chains. Domination. These things aren't normal, Ryuuzaki."
"But if Raito takes the time to peruse the internet, he will find there are a great many people who enjoy observing and practising this kind of sexual activity. So if you measure normality by the number of people taking part in –"
"That's not the point, Ryuuzaki!" Raito interrupts. "Everyone knows this stuff isn't normal. I mean, just the fact that we're both men, that's straying off the beaten path a little, wouldn't you say?"
"I haven't even considered it," L says, simply. "Raito-kun is my friend. He is beautiful and intelligent. Why would I not want to engage in sexual practises with him, bizarre or otherwise?"
"You –" Raito begins, then shakes his head in disbelief and starts again. "You think this is going to be a regular thing? You're planning to make me do this – all the time?"
"Surely Raito-kun does not expect me to sleep with someone as attractive as himself every night and have no access to him?" The detective's eyes widen as if surprised. "It will be a beneficial relationship for Raito, too. He will not have to worry about sneaking off into the bathroom to pleasure himself with his hand, when he has me to do that for him."
"Gah!" Raito finds himself with no intelligible comment to make at all.
"Raito should stop prevaricating now," L says severely. "He will do as I say, or he will find himself not only being punished for assaulting me, but for being disobedient."
He doesn't wait for an answer, but reaches out, grasping the younger man by his arms, turning him and pushing him to his knees.
"No..." Raito murmurs, but his voice seems to have lost all its strength, his body likewise and he's silent as he feels the detective behind him, close, then gasps as everything goes dark.
"Ryuu –" he begins, shaking his head, trying to dislodge the blindfold L has pulled over his eyes.
"Shhh, Raito," L's voice is dark and seductive. "It's best if you don't see."
"Please –"
"Be quiet, Raito, I won't tell you again."
The bemused boy considers protesting, then gives up. There's nothing he can do to stop L, handcuffed as he is. He may as well go along with whatever the perverted detective has planned and get his revenge later when he's released. Besides, who's to say he won't like it? If the state of his overfull pyjama pants is anything to go by, he's already liking it.
He feels himself being pulled up onto the bed, his head placed almost tenderly onto the pillows. Then his pants are removed, slowly opened and pulled gradually down his legs. He hears the detective murmuring to himself, not words, small sounds of pleasure as the younger man's body is now totally exposed to him, clad only in an open shirt.
"Raito-kun is very attractive," L comments, his voice low and lustful. "It almost seems he needs no adornment. But let us see what we can find to gild the lily a little."
Raito opens his mouth to ask what the hell L means by that, but then decides he'd rather not know. He can feel himself flushing, both excited and embarrassed by the knowledge that L is staring at him, naked, that the older man knows he's aroused and is no doubt inspecting the evidence of that arousal closely. Maybe he'll touch it? Raito decides he won't mind this so much if L gives him a hand job.
He gasps as he feels something silky sliding over his foot. Up his leg. What is it? Soft and thin, he can feel L's warm hands through it, straightening and fitting it to him. Then the other leg – the young man feels his face heat up even further as he realises the pervert is dressing him up in stockings.
He feels the detective lean over him, something sliding around his neck. Leather. A collar?
"I'm not your bitch, Ryuuzaki!" he complains, forgetting that he's supposed to be silent.
"How many times do I have to tell Raito to be quiet!" L sounds grumpy and Raito winces. Has he pushed the older man too far? And if so – will it be socks or strawberries?
Instead, he finds himself rolled, not gently, onto his face.
"If Raito wishes to be so vocal," L's voice sounds slightly breathless and Raito wonders briefly if he's been stroking himself off, "let us give him something to make a noise about."
"Wha –" is all Raito manages to get out before the first stinging lash descends on his buttocks, making his query turn into a cry of pain.
"Fuck, no!" he gasps, realising that he'd forgotten all about the belt L had taken from his clothes. He starts to roll onto his back, then stops. What if L just continues beating him anyway? That would be really painful.
The belt descends on his bare backside again and he moans, inadvertantly arching his back, pressing his insistent erection into the bed. He realises that it's not as painful as he thought – the first stroke had surprised him more than hurt him. It stings, but it's obvious that L isn't doing it as hard as he might. In fact, Raito has to concede, the sharp, whipping sensation across his sensitive behind is downright pleasurable. He groans, appalled at himself. Whimpers, as the detective continues to whip him, his arousal now almost painful. He can feel the wet slickness of precum coating his cock as he grinds his hips against the bed with every blow.
"Raito is enjoying his punishment." L's voice is almost wistful. "Sadly, I find myself unable to beat him as hard as his insolence deserves. It seems I am just too soft-hearted."
"Nhn!" the boy murmurs, not sure if he's disagreeing with L or asking for more.
"I shall just have to find another way of keeping him silent and occupying his mouth," L goes on.
"Hmh?" Raito asks, then gives a cry of dismay as strong fingers twine in his hair, pulling him upwards.
"Hah, Ryuuzaki, no!" He has no choice but to go where the hand is pulling him, finding himself tumbling painfully onto the floor, kneeling again, his eyes prickling with tears behind the blindfold. He hears the sound of a zipper, rustling cloth, then his head is pushed forward and he feels – something. Against his lips. Firm, warm, slick flesh.
"No," he protests again, but L's hand is twined immovably into his hair, holding him fast.
"Raito should not be so difficult," the detective's deep, smooth voice catches a little as he speaks, as if he's more aroused by this than Raito wants him to be. "I have shown him nothing but kindness, taking him out of confinement and letting him live with me. The least he can do is repay my indulgence of him."
Raito thinks about this. He knows L – knows that despite his apparent penchant for speaking what seems to be the truth in a very blunt manner, the strange genius' mind twists and turns like a maze built by a maniac and is capable of exquisite subtleties and complex and convoluted lies. Does L mean that if his suspect doesn't comply with his perverse requirements, he'll find himself back in confinement again? Are the handcuffs a hint at what might be in store if Raito doesn't oblige him? There's no point in asking, the mendacious detective will merely deny that he has any ulterior motive. It's probably best to just pleasure him and have done. At least, that way, things can't get any worse.
He sighs and opens his mouth, letting his tongue protrude a little, tasting the organ that's pressing against his mouth. It's not as bad as he feared. A mixture of soap and muskiness that's actually quite pleasant. He slides his lips slowly over the head, eliciting a soft moan from his companion.
"Lick me," L commands and Raito complies, running his tongue over the firm, bulbous head of the cock he can't even see. He feels unbalanced, leaning forward like this, his hands bound behind him. The only thing holding him upright seems to be the hand in his hair, as if he's suspended in L's grasp.
He mewls gently as the thick shaft pushes deeper, clasps his lips around it and endeavours to do what he thinks he'd like himself if their positions were reversed. Sucking on the stiff organ and licking at it as it slowly pushes in and out of his unwilling mouth. It's strange, so intimate and yet so distant. This most personal part of L actually inside him, but he can't even see it.
"Hah, yes, Raito-kun," L murmurs, thrusting upward, almost making the boy gag. He tries to pull away, but the firm grasp in his hair refuses to let him. "Suck me," the detective continues. "Hard – take it all. Let me see you choke on it, Raito."
The younger man moans nervously as L's rigid member pushes into his throat. He tries to relax, to let it penetrate him, to accept it, his whole body trembling as he feels the pulsing cock jerk in his mouth as he squeezes his lips around it, caressing it with his tongue as he submits to the rhythmic invasion.
"Close," L tells him and Raito becomes aware that despite his fears, and despite the detective's words, the stiff organ hasn't in fact choked him or even caused him more than minor discomfort. Perhaps L is really as soft-hearted as he says he is – his thoughts are swept away as L's other hand encircles his neck, not pressing, just holding him. The detective groans, his fingers tightening in the boy's silky locks and Raito gasps as he feels the first spurt of L's seed shoot into his throat, surprising him so that he swallows it without even thinking.
He blinks as the hand around his neck moves, ripping the blindfold away from his eyes and then L's cock is out of his mouth and he barely has time to close his eyes again as a hot jet of cum spatters over his face, followed by another and another until he feels he's covered in it, drowning in it. He whimpers as he opens his eyes to look at the detective at last, aware that he's completely unable to wipe away the mess from his face. He gazes up into that obsidian stare, and refuses to ask L to do it for him.
L smiles, looking more like something that should live in fairyland than a human being. He leans back on the bed, obviously enjoying the sight before him. Raito kneeling in submission at his feet, his face covered in drips and runnels of semen, shirt sliding down his bare shoulders, a collar around his neck and – Raito glances down – black sheer stockings on his legs. He shudders and looks back at L, unable to decide if he has the appearance of a man admiring a new lover or a child examining a new toy.
"Raito will get cold, kneeling there," L comments and reaches down, pulling Raito back onto the bed, arranging him with his head back on the pillows, then crouching goblin-fashion and staring at him in appreciation.
"What now?" Raito asks, L's gaze like a touch on his skin, making him more aware than ever that he's aroused and needs to have something done about it.
"All his life, Raito has had people do exactly what he wants," L muses. "But here, now, he does what I want."
"Yes, I see that," the younger man agrees grumpily. "And now I've done what you want, how about you doing something I want?"
"But perhaps that's not the case?" L continues, finger rising thoughtfully to his mouth. "Perhaps I am still doing what Raito wants? Since he is so obviously…" his gaze strays to Raito's crotch, "interested in the proceedings?"
"I don't care!" Raito bursts out. "What does it matter who wants what? Maybe we both want it, have you thought of that? Or are you such a control freak that you can't get off unless you think your partner's unwilling?"
"On the contrary, Raito." L gives his friend a dismayed look. "I have done my best to provide Raito with an experience I thought he would appreciate."
"You think this is what I like? Bondage? Cross-dressing? Humiliation?"
"From where I am sitting, Raito, I can say that there is no doubt that you are enjoying yourself a great deal."
"Well, damn it, anybody would!" Raito exclaims, frustrated beyond measure. He wants touch, sensation, not a conversation.
"So Raito is coming around to my way of thinking? That most people enjoy the kinkier side of sexual activity?"
"Yes! No! I don't know!" Raito shifts uncomfortably, aware that most of his mental capability has drained away into his groin. "I don't care, either. I just want –"
"Yes?"
"I wish you'd –"
"You wish I'd – what, Raito?" L leans forward, staring into the boy's troubled eyes.
"Touch me," Raito concedes.
"Since Raito-kun has been so disobedient," the raven-haired misfit sits up again, a smirk on his face. "I do not feel inclined to alleviate his situation myself."
"What?" Raito almost yells. "You bastard! You're just going to leave me like this?"
"I might, however, allow him to deal with his problem," L continues, ignoring the interruption. "On one condition."
"What is it?" Raito asks, resignedly. At the moment, if L asked him to dress up in a bunny suit and hop around the room he wouldn't argue too much if it meant he got off at the end of it.
"I will free Raito, if he agrees to do exactly as I say. Without argument or whining or complaining or swearing at me."
"That sounds like a lot of conditions to me."
"Take it or leave it."
"I'll take it," Raito agrees hurriedly. "Just let me go and I'll – I'll go in the bathroom or something."
"That won't be necessary," L says, rolling Raito slightly to his side and releasing him from the cuffs. "Raito will stay right here and touch himself where I can see him."
"Oh, I forgot you like that," the boy says, regarding the detective through narrowed eyes.
"Yes, I do," L agrees. "But I don't like that insolent look Raito is giving me, so he will stop it, please. And he will not attempt to clean up his face either," he adds, as the younger man's hand lifts to wipe away the cum that still covers him.
"You're such a pervert, Ryuuzaki," Raito grumbles, but he lowers his hand. "What now?"
"Raito will play with himself, of course." L's voice is amused. "He will also open his legs so I may have a good view of the proceedings."
"God damn," Raito mutters, hoping that doesn't come into the category of swearing at his kinky companion. He doesn't argue about it though, finding he's even more desperate than he thought he was. He slides his hand down his body and grasps himself with a sigh of relief. Spreads his legs, not surprised when the depraved detective positions himself between them, gazing down at the younger man with a wide-eyed and appreciative stare.
"Hmnn!" Raito moans, having forgotten how much it turns him on being looked at in this way. He slides his hand up and down his shaft, not protesting when L leans forward, wiping some of the semen off his face onto his fingers, his hand lowering until it's between Raito's open thighs.
"I propose to put my fingers into Raito-kun now," L says, with a glance of deceptive innocence at the flushed and writhing boy. "I hope he is not going to object."
"No, no, you do what you like." Raito isn't completely aware of what he's saying any more, but he's sure that agreeing with whatever L wants is the way to go, if he wants to ever experience an orgasm tonight. He gives a squeal of mingled pleasure and pain as L moves his balls aside with one hand, what feels like two cum-slicked fingers of the other one entering him abruptly.
"Hah, no, ow!" he exclaims. "Oh, God, yes!" He changes his mind as the fingers push deep into him, unerringly finding his prostate. "Yes, Ryuuzaki, there, yes, please, more!" he pleads, pushing himself onto the invading digits shamelessly.
"Raito seems quite desperate," L comments, conversationally. "He must think I am cruel to keep him waiting so long for his release."
"Yes, you're an evil bastard," Raito mutters, lost in ecstasy. "Hahh – don't stop!"
L reaches out to caress Raito's stomach with his other hand, fingers lazily circling.
"Sometimes I have fantasies about Raito," he says. "In which he is sweet and gentle and affectionate. But since in real life he is arrogant and aggressive and violent, I have to restrain him and force him to do what I want. What we both want."
"You – like – it!" Raito gasps, his thoughts almost completely concentrated on the blissful sensations L's stroking, moving fingers and his own hand are giving him.
"I'd like it better the other way," the detective says. "But this will do."
"Hnnh!" Raito writhes in delight as the persistent fingers increase their pace, stimulating him beyond endurance. "Oh! Ryuu – I can't – I'm – aaah!"
He arches off the bed as L's stroking hand slips suddenly downward, cupping his testicles, his eyes fixed on Raito's lust-glazed ones as the boy's climax overtakes him. Raito stares back into those speculative onyx depths as his hips buck fiercely, hot spurts of cum shooting from his jerking cock, splashing over both of them.
"Uhhn, yes," he moans, body wracked by pleasure. "What you want – L, yes! Please – yes…"
He shudders into stillness at last, lying quiescent on the bed, sighing as L pulls his fingers out of him. Watches as the other man pulls down the covers, apparently about to wrap them both up in them.
"Wait." Raito pushes himself up, head spinning, voice unsteady. He pulls off the stockings and drops them over the side of the bed with a grimace of distaste. Lifts his hand to his neck, but L's hands are there first, unfastening the collar and putting it on the bedside table.
"Let us sleep now, Raito," L suggests, pulling the covers up over both of them.
Raito lies down, aware of the detective on his own side of the bed, curled into a ball like some wary animal.
"Good night, Raito-kun," a sleepy voice says.
Raito doesn't speak. He's – he's not sure what he's feeling. But it's not anything good. Not now that the physical delight has worn off a little. He actually feels horrible.
"When do I get to punish you?" he bursts out suddenly, sitting up and throwing the covers off. "When do I get to punish you, Ryuuzaki, for pretending to be my friend and wanting me to be Kira all along? For molesting me in the shower and using it as an excuse to do whatever you want with me, because you can't get anyone to sleep with you any other way!"
L uncurls himself and gazes at the boy, his eyes wide and horrified.
"I told Raito-kun already that I don't want him to be Kira," he protests. "If he does not believe me, I can't help it."
"You do want it," Raito insists. "You – you're disappointed that you don't think I'm Kira now."
"In one way yes," L raises a finger to his lips, thoughtfully. "It would have made sense for you to be Kira and I still think that you were, before you were confined. But surely Raito-kun does not think I am stupid enough to sleep with him in the same room if he is Kira?"
"You know if you died I'd be the first person suspected. You've used that all along to keep yourself safe."
"But I know Raito-kun has incredible powers of persuasion," L argues. "He is able to convince people of anything he wants to and charm them into believing him. If he killed me by some kind of accident and displayed the necessary shock and grief, there is an eighty-two per cent probability that his story would be accepted. Especially since his father is Yagami Soichiro."
"It's still not – not nice, that you want me to be Kira." Raito gives the detective a hateful glare.
"I don't." L sighs. "Believe it or not as you wish, Raito-kun, but I am offended that you imagine I would do what we have done with someone I only want to convict as a mass-murderer."
"Handcuffing me?" the boy demands. "Again! After all that time in the cell – and blindfolding me? You're just using me to enact your sick fantasies. You had this planned all along!"
"No I didn't." L is starting to look offended. "When you mentioned your – your needs in the shower, it was the first time it occurred to me. I gave in to the moment, that's all. And having done those things once, it seemed appropriate to continue, since Raito-kun was obviously liking it."
"I don't believe you. You have stockings. Are you going to tell me they're yours?"
"Do you think they would suit me?" L cocked his head to one side thoughtfully.
"No I don't!" Raito gives a sigh of frustration. "But why would you have them, if you weren't going to wear them yourself? Unless you planned all along to put them on me?"
"They are Misa's," L says simply. "I stole them when we were on our date with her."
"Eeeew!" Raito exclaims.
"They're new!" L hastens to assure him. "They were still in the packet – she must have bought them and not yet put them away."
"Even so – excuse me, how can Misa's stockings fit me?" Raito asks, temporarily distracted from his rant.
"One size." L moves a little nearer and pats the boy on the knee.
"I'm not a girl," Raito grumbles.
"I am fully aware of that at this point, Raito-kun." The detective's gaze strays to his friend's groin.
"I got enough of that at school," Raito goes on. "I don't need it from you."
"The other boys mocked Raito-kun at school?" L asks.
"Yes." Raito throws himself back onto the bed, pulling the covers up around himself and turning his back to the detective.
"What a shame I was not there to protect Raito-kun and punish his aggressors," L remarks, lying down himself.
"I don't need protecting," Raito mutters, thinking about it. "I sometimes imagined I had a friend who did that. When I was small, I mean. Very small. Tiny. Years and years ago."
"Raito-kun had no real friends?"
"Not until people started wanting to be seen with me because I was the best student and good looking and all that shallow crap."
"What was your imaginary friend like?"
"Brave," Raito remembers. "He wasn't scared of them – he wanted to punish them all for being mean to me. He was intelligent as well, someone you could talk to. And don't start relating this to Kira, Ryuuzaki, it's perfectly normal for an isolated child to have an imaginary friend that has all those qualities."
"I know, Raito-kun," L says soothingly. He shuffles a little closer to the boy and Raito leans back a little, drawn in by the warmth of the other's body.
They're silent for a while, then L speaks, his voice low and somewhat hesitant. "Does Raito really think that I am so ugly I can only have intimate relations with someone by coercing them?"
"What?" Raito turns around staring through the gloom at the wide, dark eyes of his questioner. "Why would I think that? You're not ugly. I never said you were."
"Raito-kun said I can't get anyone to sleep with me unless I take advantage of them in some way."
"Did I? Oh – yes, I suppose I did. But I didn't mean because you're not attractive. I meant because you don't go out or meet anyone. Or trust anyone, it seems."
"I trust Raito-kun with my life," L says simply. "As I said. I sleep with him here, and knowing his intelligence, I am ninety-nine point seven per cent convinced that if he wished to kill me while I am unaware and be undetected in his crime, he could achieve his ends."
"If I kill you, it won't be because I'm Kira," Raito growls. "It'll be because you're so damn annoying and manipulative."
"Thank you, Raito-kun," L smiles.
"Don't start that again. Go to sleep. And keep your damn hands – and everything else – to yourself tomorrow or I don't know what I might do. I've had enough of this shit from you."
"I've never slept with anyone before like this," L remarks, ignoring his friend's threats.
"Yes you have," Raito contradicts him. "You slept with me last night and the night before and –"
"I mean I have never slept with anyone after we have done – things." L clarifies. "Apart from last night."
"What of it?"
"Should it not involve more than this?" The detective waves an arm vaguely in Raito's direction.
"You don't get snuggled when you force your attentions on someone, Ryuuzaki," Raito says, disgustedly.
"But Raito likes it!"
"That's not the fucking point!"
"But Raito – I'm cold," the detective says, piteously.
"Fuck!" Raito realises he's not going to get any sleep unless he does what L wants. He's starting to be of the opinion that he's never again going to do anything unless he does what L wants first. At least the arrogant detective isn't ordering him about at the moment, although he's not sure if this childlike pleading is an improvement or not.
They finally sort out their arms and legs and the chain – which ends up pushed under the pillow – and settle comfortably with Raito's arms wrapped around L's neck, the detective's head nuzzled into his shoulder, their cheeks pressed together.
"I like this, Raito," L murmurs sleepily.
"Hm. Go to sleep, Ryuuzaki." Raito turns toward the detective, without realising just how close they really are and his lips brush across L's.
"..."
"..."
Raito finds himself pushed back onto the bed as L's mouth descends on his possessively and somewhat sloppily. He lets the detective have his enthusiastic way for a few moments, then lifts his hands, cupping the older man's face between them and taking control of the kiss. He's surprised at how good L's mouth feels and tastes, and then at how quickly the man learns, his lips moving over Raito's sensuously after his first outburst of fervor for the new activity.
Raito opens his mouth, licking over the curve of L's mouth, teasing him until the detective gets the idea and parts his lips, his tongue hesitantly meeting the boy's. Raito smiles into the kiss, then loses himself in it, the feel of L's tongue dancing with his own, the exploration of each other's mouths, the sheer wet pleasure of it.
"Raito needs to sleep," L pulls away finally, with a look of regret. "If this continues, sleep will not be an option."
"I suppose so." Raito gathers the other man back into his arms, part exhausted, part wishing they were going to stay awake and continue. And part of his mind sifting and analyzing all that's already happened. "You don't want me, do you? What you said – about wanting me to be sweet and affectionate. You want somebody else."
"No," L mutters into his companion's shoulder. "I am happy for Raito to be unpleasant and unfeeling to everyone else and pretend he likes them when he doesn't. Other people don't matter to me. I was merely imagining that he would behave differently with me. It doesn't matter. I would rather have nasty Raito than someone else being nice to me."
"Uh… thanks." Raito rolls his eyes, wondering why he's thanking the eccentric for describing him as nasty. Not that he isn't. But L seems to be the only person in the whole world, ever, who's actually noticed the fact. Is that a good thing or a bad one? He's not sure.
"Tomorrow, if Raito-kun behaves himself, I will do something nice for him at bedtime," L murmurs sleepily.
"I'm so looking forward to that," Raito can practically feel the sarcasm burning a hole in his tongue, but L seems unfazed by it, merely giving a little chuckle before drifting off into what are no doubt perverse dreams.
Raito lies awake for a few moments longer, overwhelming tiredness at war with his confusion at the strangeness of it all. He wonders about L's fantasies. Almost feels sorry for the man, longing for some kind of – what? He can't help but be curious as to why L mentioned his desires for a more affectionate relationship. If relationship is the right word for their conjunction. But isn't that what L wants? For his supposed friend to be sorry for him and give him what he wants without protest. Does he think Raito will feel sympathetic enough to give in and be his submissive sex-slave?
"No chance, Ryuuzaki," Raito mutters as he descends into sleep. "If anyone's going to be anyone's slave around here, it's not going to be me. In fact…"
He loses track of his thoughts, aware only that he's had a very good idea. If only he remembers it in the morning.