W00t! I actually got this one out before Christmas! Or whatever holiday you celebrate. Let's say... December 20. Yeah. Anyway, my seme question still stands, if you care. And so, here is your nondenominational Decemberween update!

Disclaimer: I forgot this on the last two or so chapters, but I don't own Death Note. I gotta write a note to myself to remember these things.

"I see." Was all L could say.

"G'night," Light mumbled as he sat up and began to slide off the bed.

"Light-kun, where are you going?"

"I'm going to work."

"No."

Light paused with his hand on the doorknob and turned around, tears pricking his eyelids. "What do you mean, no!?"

L spoke calmly, although he hated to see the teen in such distress. "I mean, Light-kun, that you are not leaving this room."

L could see Light's temper flare, then die as he slumped against the door. "Why are you doing this? Do you get some… sick pleasure from torturing me like this?" He glared at the detective from his defeated position. "You sick freak. I can't believe I thought you actually meant it when you said you were my friend."

That hurt. It shouldn't have, because L knew that Light wasn't thinking, but it did. L narrowed his eyes at the distraught boy in front of him. "I was under the impression, Light-kun, that at the time we were both lying." He took a breath. He would not say this. He could not say this. But he had to. "Light-kun, we have not finished our game. Therefore, you cannot leave."

Light snapped. "Our game? Is that all this was to you? A game?" This time the tears sprang unbidden from his eyes, and he turned away so that L wouldn't see him.

"This is not a game, Light-kun. I dare you to come back here."

Light looked up warily. "Why?"

"Because I can't come to you."

Light didn't want to go to the detective, but somehow he found his feet moving of their own accord, back to the bed. He didn't want to hear what L had to say, not now. But as he reached the L, the man gently rested a hand on his shoulder in an almost comforting gesture. What is this? Is he toying with my emotions?

"Light-kun did not give me a chance to answer my own question."

Light tried to pull back, but L's grip on his shoulder was strong. "Oh yeah? And what would that be?" He tried to sound as cynical as possible, but some of the hurt and embarrassment showed through his voice.

"You have to ask me the question, Light-kun." L beckoned for him to lean in closer, which he did, wondering why the detective needed him to bend down.

"Fine. Who do you like? Wait, how did you put it? Oh yeah, who do you 'desire', was it—"

Light suddenly found it impossible to talk, as a pair of lips was pressed against his own. He gasped in shock, and L took that opportunity to push his tongue into Light's mouth. Light, never being one to lose, kissed back, unconsciously twining his arms around L's neck. His mind was racing, as was his heart, but fairly soon his mind shut down and it was all he could do to support himself. L… L was kissing him. L was kissing him. And he was kissing back. It took Light's brain a while to come to this conclusion, but when it did, he pulled away hurriedly. He half-ran, half-stumbled on legs that felt like jelly towards the door, not looking at the detective.

"Light-kun…?" L called after him, but he didn't slow his pace.

"Stay away from me!"

L reached out a hand as if to bring him back, but dropped it. Well. That went well.

----

Light couldn't believe it. He wouldn't believe it. It's all L's fault! He set up that whole game just for that!

And yet… he had enjoyed it. It had been…nice, he supposed, kissing L. Not nice enough to want to do it again, but nice. It hadn't tasted nearly as sweet as he'd expected. More like a faint strawberry taste… I'm getting sidetracked, he told himself fiercely. I just have to think about this. I just need some time. He leaned forward slightly, resting his head against the cool porcelain of the toilet. He didn't feel like he was going to throw up, but he must, right? He had to, after kissing L. It was the only plausible reaction. And he was not ready to admit that he had wanted that any more than he wanted to be Kira.

Oh yeah? Then why did you kiss back? Seemed like you were enjoying yourself to me, came a small, but very insistent voice in his head. Come on. You think he's so cute when he does things like that, don't you? Why waste the perfect opportunity? Go back there.

NO, the majority of Light's brain responded. I won't go back and let him win. He's already fooled me into being… attracted to him. I won't fall for his little tricks again. There's no way he likes me back. But even as he thought this, Light knew that the voice in his head was right. He should go back. He really should. But not right now. He couldn't deal right now. Just give me twenty minutes…

----

That was definitely not how he had expected his first kiss with Light to be. A first kiss should be chaste and timid, right? But of course, Light was the exception to everything. I must have scared him off, though… Maybe I shouldn't have been so forward.

Ah, well. Too late now. He would just have to wait and see what Light did.

Unless, of course, Light didn't do anything.

----

"Good morning, Light-kun."

"Morning, Ryuzaki."

"Did you sleep well?"

"Never better."

To the task force, who had moved into Light and L's room for the time being, nothing out of the ordinary was going on between the two men. But even Matsuda could feel the tension building, until Light finally stood up.

"I'm going outside."

"I'm afraid I can't let you, Light-kun. You see," L said, miming a chain connecting his and Light's hearts, "we are still chained in spirit."

"Ryuzaki, I'm going outside."

L simply nodded. "If you must."

"Ryuzaki, do you want me to go after him?" Soichiro asked.

"No. He will come back when he's had some time to think."

"Ryuzaki, ahh, did… did something…happen between you two?"

"You could say that," L muttered darkly.

Soichiro shook his head. "Forget it. I don't want to know."

Thank you all for your reviews! Next chapter's going to be really awkward. :) I can't wait.