Oh sweet baby Jesus, I'm two days behind now. D: Don't worry, I'll get caught up before Christmas. I don't have any more finals to worry about, so...I'll just sleep through my exempted ones after having spent the whole night trying to catch up here. Why did this happen, you ask? Well, like I said, final exams buuuut...I just recently started seeing someone. Someone who, in fact, has been one of my best friends for quite some time. X3 So, think of it as a means of inspiration for better scenes to come in this? Yes, things are going to stay "T" rated. Geez. Neither I nor L and Light are that easy...at least I'd hope that was the truth.

Aaaanyway, we're fast approaching 100 reviews! Everyone, cookie party! I've been absolutely loving your feedback! Each day of December shall be conquered, I promise you! How I came up with this when the prompt was about oatmeal muffins of all things, I'll never know...

I need to stop now. Oh, there's a flash back to Maple Syrup day here. Just so you know.

I don't own Death Note.

December 19
Oatmeal Muffin Day


Light knew it; L wasn't completely over his overexposure to cold yet. His proof? Why, the sleeping detective passed out on the bed right in front of him. The laptop screen saver, a virtual fish tank, glowed in the dimness of the bedroom. The man had probably been doing whatever work needed to be done into the wee hours until his body had finally given up and called it quits. His face was buried in the sheets and his arms were every which way, legs partially crossed from when he had been sleeping. Light wasn't entirely sure when it had happened, as he promptly went to bed the previous night at ten-thirty. He reached very carefully to L's jeans pocket which typically held his cell phone. Light managed to pull out the thing without the slightest twitch in his hands in one brief moment. The detective twitched in his sleep visibly.

Now, it was time to get to business. Realizing what exactly he was holding sent up a shiver of excitement, though. In his hands were phone numbers of perhaps some of the most important people and agencies in the world, and perhaps some of the most dangerous. With those names, he could…. Light sighed softly. However, he was only concerned about one number in particular. He swiftly composed a text to Watari, stating: I need the key to the chain, please. Short and sweet.

Just as focused as before Light returned the cellular device to L's pants pocket. He showed no signs of regaining consciousness anytime soon. So, all there was to do was to wait for the elderly gentleman to arrive. With his smooth talking, the blasted chain would be off in no time and he could finally go to the bathroom and then attend to other things. Specifically, preparing a food which the detective certainly wouldn't eat, let alone prepare, willingly. Anything remotely healthy was perhaps L's greatest nemesis…other than Kira, that is.

Not having much else to do until Watari arrived, Light began to stare mindlessly at the laptop's screen saver. The fish would kind of swim around in a believable sort of way and "bubbles" floated to the top of the screen. L shifted in his sleep again, his hands grasping for the sheets beneath him. The night they'd nearly turned into popsicles suddenly came to mind.

They had finally arrived at the headquarters building. The limousine came to a halt at the main entrance, sliding just slightly on the icy road. Watari would get to the passenger door within mere moments, however…Light was in quite a predicament. L, completely drained from the experience, had immediately fallen asleep upon being…well…for lack of a better word…hugged. He frowned at the word in his head. And apparently, when L found that he was in a very comfortable position while asleep he tended to…enjoy it. Simply put, the detective had unknowingly snuggled against him the entire trip. It wasn't as if he could do anything about it, heavens no. One, L had the grip of a bear. Two, if he woke L, there was a high chance he'd have hell to pay. After all, how much sleep did the man really get?

Cold air rushed into the cozy-warm of the limousine, making Light shiver. He felt L bury his face into his coat even further, if that were possible. His body stiffened at the contact.

Watari peered inside. He was surprised. Very much so, in fact. However, his gaze was purely focused on L rather than their…position. He felt his face grow slightly warm. Light didn't sign up for this.

"Yagami-san, as I'm sure you've already ascertained…" Watari began quietly, not wishing to wake L, "this is an opportunity for rest for him that shouldn't be wasted. Please take him to bed as gently and quickly as possible. If you are to need my assistance, then – "

"No," Light swiftly replied, though in a hushed tone. "I'll be able to handle it." Stay in their good graces…

Watari merely nodded and stepped out of the way.

After a long trip to the building and up countless floors on the elevator, Light somehow managed to arrive at the bedroom without making L stir in his sleep. He breathed a sigh of relief, though only after opening that last door. Was there drool on his shirt…?

Then, he placed the sleeping detective right on top of the sheets. If he made a move to place the blankets over him…. No. It was too risky. He was almost completely drained at this point, so he settled for something similar: gently flopping onto his side of the bed, almost completely clothed. As soon as his head hit the pillow, he was out like a light.

And then the next morning came.

To his shock, he woke up first. It was at a horribly early hour and he cursed every known god for it, but it was almost unbelievable. Once some semblance of awareness entered his brain after he spent the night sleeping like the dead, he noticed something distinctly out of the ordinary. L was once again snuggled up against his side. Damn.

So, he couldn't move a muscle. He couldn't stretch. He couldn't bring a hand up to yawn or rub his eyes. The only sound in the room were L's slow inhales and exhales, and it was beginning to make him slightly uncomfortable. Especially at the point where he began to make sounds in his sleep. They were quite innocent at first. Mumblings, sleepy sounds… You know, the usual, the norm, nothing really strange. That is, until he tightened his arms around L's torso like a bear trap and began to scream. The action nearly made him lose the wind in his lungs and his arms were trapped against his sides. In panic-mode, he suddenly began to roll towards the edge of the bed in an attempt to escape the bone-crushing hold.

He succeeded…and the detective came crashing down with him. The hold was loosened at once and the screams halted abruptly. L was awake.

Pushing himself onto his hands, his dark eyes blinked profusely to try and make sense of the scene around him. Right under him was a certain Light Yagami, who could only stare up at him. He was practically straddling the younger man. The detective remained silent for what seemed like a horribly long amount of time.

"Well…" L suddenly said, weariness in his voice, "it appears I was asleep."

"…"

"…I'm going to go to the bathroom now."

His gaze shifted to the sleeping detective. L shifted again, his head no longer fully pressed up against the bed sheets. With his head now tilted, Light could fully see the man's face. It was bizarre, observing such a calm demeanor on the constantly calculating, serious, and stoic detective known as L. The bags that hinted countless sleepless nights were still firmly in place under his eyes, but he seemed –

No. This was the man he was determined to kill. He was the only thing that stood in his way, that hindered his path to controlling all of society. And L was close. He was dangerously close to getting him. If he were to make the slightest mistake with what he said or did or anything, it would be enough to tip the scales in the detective's favor.

But why, in the nine circles of hell, was he still watching the man sleep? Surely watching virtual fish swim was more entertaining…

It was then that Watari entered the room. Light's gaze snapped to the open door at once, though the man was focused on L instead. His eyebrows were raised in surprise. There, in his hand, was a sudden glint of light. The key! Light forced himself to keep his facial expressions under control.

"Unbelievable…" Watari spoke softly, perhaps to himself, perhaps to Light.

Light quickly piped up, though with just enough volume to hear, "He was like this when I woke this morning… The computer is still on."

"Strange…it seems that Ryuuzaki-san managed to send a text to me before giving into sleep for perhaps the second time during the night and early morning. Well…I might as well do as he wished, despite his lack of consciousness." With that, he began to walk to Light's bedside. He could feel his heartbeat increase in anticipation, longing for a few moments of freedom. "After all, it seems cruel for you to have to wait on him as he tries to gain rest."

The key entered the lock on his handcuff…and he was free. Watari left without another word. He rubbed his wrist appreciatively.

Then Light set out to the kitchen to begin making oatmeal muffins before L got the chance to stop him.

Light leaned against one of the kitchen countertops, his eyes glued to the timer. He had about three minutes and the muffins would be baked to perfection. The ticking of the timer filled the silence of the room along with the soft mechanical sounds of the oven. Entirely uneventful. He meandered over to the fridge, pulling out a small carton of cherries. There was no way he was going to touch any of L's cake or pie or…anything that had entirely too much artificial sugar, really.

A question had been plaguing him for what seemed like an eternity. Why had he been so transfixed by the mirror? Not any mirror, as he was admittedly always concerned for his looks, but one in particular. The one mirror that was old with several layers of dust on its frame, that sat tucked away above a concert hall where it probably hadn't seen a person in years. The very mirror that L had been reflected in holding a lovely brown violin. What had been so interesting about a slight turn of the head? He couldn't even see his profile, let alone his entire face. His hair was in disarray, as always, and it hid his features only further. Why hadn't he been able to tear his eyes away? He'd almost reached out to touch that reflective surface in hopes that maybe, just maybe, the world on the other side would be real and only if his timing was just right –

A piercing scream cut through the air. Light was torn away from his quiet contemplations at once. Immediately he dashed to the bedroom to where L was more than likely still sleeping. What if someone, some enemy of L, had gotten in? What if they posed a threat to him, or the task force, or Kira…? Throwing the bedroom door wide open, he caught sight of L writhing on the bed with his eyes firmly closed, a horrible scream still pouring from his lungs. Light went to the detective and began shaking his frame roughly, willing to do almost anything to rouse him. L's hands tried to tear at Light's clothes, desperately fending off something.

"Ryuuzaki!" he practically shouted in his face. "Ryuuzaki!" Light still shook him with great force.

L did little more than continue to claw at him and release wails, almost baring his teeth in a snarl. What was so frightening or threatening to make the detective act like this? The thought almost sent a chill up his spine.

"L!"

His eyes shot wide open and everything was put on pause. The screams were muted and the struggle ceased. Light could feel something trickle down the side of his face, but he couldn't rightly tell what it was. L's eyes were wider than he had ever seen. They were enormous black pits filled with he couldn't tell what and he felt paralyzed. The detective let in a shaky breath, seeming to have forgotten to breathe.

"Light…"

Had L spoken? He mentally shook himself, fumbling with his reply. "Yes, Ryuuzaki?"

"Please…see to it that I don't fall asleep for that long again. It would be greatly appreciated."

"I – "

L's eyebrows suddenly furrowed together, focusing on something that was on Light's face. The words coming from his mouth completely dried up, L's hand traveling toward the spot. His fingers just barely brushed on his skin and drew back at once. They were smeared slightly with red.

The detective stared at the crimson liquid on his fingers for a long moment.

"I apologize, Light-kun."

"It's fine…you were having a nightmare."

Those dark owl-eyes flashed to him at once, and before he could analyze what emotions lie hidden within them a shrill beeping noise cut through the air. Both men nearly jumped at the sound after being in such a charged silence.

It took Light precisely one-point-sixty-four seconds to determine why there was such a horrible sound.

"The fucking muffins." The words came from his mouth the very moment he had his epiphany.

L could do little more than look incredibly confused. He was then dropped abruptly by Light, who had apparently been holding him up, and fell onto the bed on his back. The younger man sprinted out of the room faster than…something very fast. His processing power would not be up to one-hundred percent until he had several slices of cake.

Something smelled like it was burning.

Cursing the whole way, Light quickly pulled on the mittens he had left out and threw open the oven door. Black smoke erupted from the thing in an enormous cloud. Coughing and with watering eyes, he thrust his hands inside to pull the crispy muffins out of the oven and onto the cool stove. As soon as this was done he dashed to the sink to wash his face with cool water to rid himself of the offending smoke.

L, at some point, had managed to pull him and his dazed mind into the kitchen from whence the sound and smell came. He stared at the blackened muffins in the tins, not really saying anything until Light finally dried his face with a towel and turned around.

"Don't worry, Light-kun. I was going to give my share of the muffins to Matsuda while you were distracted. Think of it as a blessing for the both of us."