Chapter Six

Chemistry Under Pressure

No matter how long Light studied the coded message L had given him in class, he couldn't crack it.

The next morning, as he brushed his teeth, he continued to scrutinize the paper, his brow furrowed in concentration. Sayu hummed a familiar tune as she entered the bathroom to grab her toothbrush, her voice light and carefree. Light recognized it immediately;

It seems like a dream That I've been waiting for You are the light In the dark of my heart You're the answer to my prayers Love so sweet, it's like a dream I've found my place Even if the world changes

"Oh, what's that?" she asked, peeking at the paper with genuine curiosity.

"There's something written in code…"

"A code? Oh, did L write it?"

"Huh?" Light mumbled around his toothbrush, startled. How had Sayu guessed...?

"Maybe you can't solve it," she shrugged, a teasing smile playing on her lips.

"Why would he give me an unsolvable code?"

"The longer you try to solve it, the longer he's got your attention." With that, she popped her pink toothbrush into her mouth and strolled out of the bathroom.

Light blinked, processing her words. That couldn't be... L kept pushing him away. Why would he want to keep his attention?

No, that wasn't exactly right, Light decided, rinsing his mouth with water. L seemed to push him away while simultaneously wanting him close. Even during their last interaction, after Light had taken the medicine and returned home, L had asked him not to leave. He had confirmed the previous night in his messages that he didn't want Light to stop trying to get closer to him, all while admitting he was attempting to brush him off. And then there was L's grandfather, who had mentioned being reluctant to talk with Light when he first arrived at the school, claiming that he had been burned...

Burned.

Light's thoughts drifted to the burn scar on L's back, visible when he had changed shirts, and wondered if L meant he'd been burned literally. L didn't talk to his ex. Was it really a coincidence? What kind of guy had he been dating before, exactly? No, maybe he'd been involved in an accident. After all, his parents had just passed...

Light buried his face in the soft blue towel, feeling the fabric's comforting texture against his skin. He could ask the same question about himself—what kind of guy was he going to ask on a date?

A date.

The term sounded cheesy, almost absurd. But what else could he call it? An outing? A get-to-know-each-other?

"I can't believe I asked him on a date…"

Light pulled his head out of the towel, his gaze landing in the mirror—only to be met with Sayu's reflection beside him. He hadn't heard her return to the bathroom.

She looked at him, blinking in surprise.

"I mean—"

"I didn't hear anything!" Sayu exclaimed quickly, her voice a little too sharp. "I totally didn't hear that you asked L on a date."

"No, Sayu—I didn't—" Shoot. How was he going to explain this?

"It was just some weird dream I had."

"Oh yeah? You dreamed about dating him?"

"No, that's not—"

"Sometimes I dream about dating Hideki Ryuga! Ah—he's so handsome. Did you know he's in a new TV series? I need to ask Mom if I can stay up to watch it. But I have more homework... It's not fair."

Light blinked, grateful for his younger sister's perfect escape from the awkward conversation.

"A new series? What's it about?"

"Hm, some detective falling in love with his suspect. But his suspect is super pretty, and they're both really smart. She has some shinigami's power, so it's a thriller and a romance at the same time. But I hope it doesn't have a sad ending."

"Um, yeah… That sounds interesting."

It sounded like a weird and toxic romance, for sure.

"Right?"

Sayu cheerily left the bathroom, and Light let out a sigh.

That had been too close. He was sure his sister was already onto him. He needed to be more careful in the future… But did it even matter? He wasn't doing anything wrong. Maybe L was right, and he was just curious. That was normal at seventeen. His feelings might not even be that deep; he was probably blowing things out of proportion.

Light dressed, adjusting his school tie. It always felt too formal, but he had mostly gotten used to it. After all, he was going to graduate next year.

The crimson fabric was soft against his fingers, and he briefly recalled how he had wrapped it around L's head yesterday. L's hair had also been soft, and his lips… they had been soft too—though slightly chapped.

Light shook his head, wondering for what felt like the hundredth time what he was doing. L was just a guy. Just a person. There was no reason for him to be so hooked.

Light's shoes struck the pavement with a soft rhythm, the sound echoing in the quiet morning air. He scanned the area, but L wasn't by the tree, buried in his book as he had been that week, neither was he waiting nearby at their usual spot.

He flipped open his phone, hesitating as he considered texting. After a moment, he shut it and decided to walk to L's house instead. He still had enough time; he always left early, though he risked being a little late...

When he reached L's home, he pressed the doorbell loudly, but silence greeted him.

He pressed it again. Still nothing.

Frustrated, he walked around to the side of the house and spotted L's window. The blinds were drawn, but a sliver of light seeped through the edges, hinting that someone was inside.

Light grabbed a stick—not large enough to break the window, but hefty enough to make a sound—and threw it. It thudded against the glass, but no response followed. He picked up another stick and hurled it again.

After about thirty seconds, L finally shoved the blinds and window open, blinking against the harsh morning sunlight.

"Why are you trying to break my window?" he deadpanned, his hair a wild mess and his pajamas rumpled.

"I'm not trying to break your window. You're going to be late, and if you get expelled, who am I going to compete with?"

L yawned, clearly unfazed by the urgency in Light's voice.

"Just a minute."

He vanished from view, and Light heard a crash from inside, followed by a string of curses in English.

"Are… you okay?" Light called out, concern creeping into his voice.

Silence hung in the air. Six minutes later, L appeared at the front door, wearing his uniform, his backpack slung over one shoulder, and rubbing his face as if trying to wake up.

"You didn't wake up early this time?"

Light's gaze flickered to L's face, catching the sharp smell lingering on his breath.

"Wait, you've been drinking."

"My grandfather's whiskey," L admitted, a slight slur in his words.

"Seriously? We're not even of legal drinking age."

"I'm only one year off in England."

"Yeah, well, you're in Japan. It's twenty here. You know that, right?"

"I think I'm still drunk."

Light hesitated, disbelief washing over him. Unbelievable.

L stumbled slightly as they walked along the path to the gate.

"What time is it?" he mumbled.

"Eight-twenty. We only have ten minutes to get to school."

L waved a dismissive hand. "It'll be fine."

"So, is this what you meant by your texts last night? When you said you didn't want to go to class?"

"Probably," L shrugged, a nonchalant expression on his face. "Were we texting?"

Light shot him a look of utter disbelief. L must not even remember their entire conversation. That meant he would have to read through it again later...

Swallowing hard, Light tried to shake off the thought of how a sober L might react to him asking him out.

"You probably already know this, but I'm going to remind you that drinking at our age can impair your cognitive function, right?"

"Yes, I'm aware."

"Considering you have a brilliant mind, you might want to be more careful. And anyway, how are you going to concentrate in class?"

L stopped in his tracks, fixing Light with a steady stare.

"You're overreacting. Besides, it's not like anything else I'm taking is helping. But I'll take that as a compliment."

Anything else he's taking? Was he on some sort of medication?

Before Light could process that thought, L leaned in and kissed him. Startled, Light grabbed his shoulders and pushed him away.

"Hey—! We're in a public place."

"Hm, yeah."

They had just stepped onto the road, and Light silently prayed (if there was any god there) that no one had seen them.

"Anyway, you were the one yesterday who said to stop playing around. You're really inconsistent."

L hummed in response but didn't dispute the claim.

They arrived two minutes late. All eyes turned toward them as they entered the classroom. The teacher did not look amused.

"Tardiness is not acceptable," he reminded them, his tone stern.

"Sorry, teacher," Light apologized, quickly taking his seat.

"Yes, my most sincere apologies," L stated flatly, with zero sincerity in his voice.

"They arrived together?" came a quiet whisper from the middle of the room, and Light pretended to ignore it.

He had considered entering at a different time, but that would have meant either he or L would be even later to class. Light hadn't assumed anyone would talk if they were both guys...

Had he been wrong to make that assumption? No, everyone knew he'd had a string of girlfriends before. Nothing about him or L screamed the stereotypes that suggested they weren't straight.

That L wasn't... That he wasn't. The realization still sat uncomfortably in his thoughts.

"And why were you both late?" the teacher pressed, not satisfied with their apologies.

"Ah—"

"I was sleeping," L replied bluntly, his tone unbothered.

"And you?" The teacher continued, his voice rising. "Yagami-kun?"

"L and I had agreed to meet in the morning to review some homework on the way to school, so I was waiting."

The lie slipped out easily, and the whispers around the classroom faded into silence. Still, Light felt a bit on edge.

"Really?" L asked, raising an eyebrow. "What homework was that?"

"The history homework," Light hissed at him. "The one I gave you yesterday."

L blinked, seeming to catch on. Geez, Light could have slapped him.

"Ah, yes. History. Now that you mention it, I still have that question. Teacher, perhaps you can answer it. What was the significance of the 17th-century Hirado Dutch factory in the context of Japan's sakoku policy?"

Mr. Takahashi, the teacher, stared blankly at L. He coughed, regaining his composure. "Well, I'm—not a history teacher. I'm your homeroom teacher, and usually, I teach geography."

"Really? Then I was also curious— which country has the most time zones, including its territories?"

"That's—"

"France," Light interjected, noticing that L was about to be kicked out again. "It has twelve."

"Quite right, Yagami-kun." Mr. Takahashi shuffled, clearly uncertain if that was correct, but eager to change the subject and regain control of the classroom.

"And what's—"

Light shot his hand up, cutting L off mid-sentence. "Teacher, I'd like to review the previous lesson about the impact of earthquakes on urban development in Japan. The impact on urban planning is definitely a pressing issue. I'm sure everyone would agree."

"Well, that's—yes." The teacher nodded, relieved to discuss a topic he was familiar with. "We can review it later during tomorrow's lesson."

Light shot L a look that clearly said, " Shut up, " in the most irritated yet pleading way possible.

L frowned, rocking back in his chair, then suddenly tipped over with a loud crash.

With a sigh, Mr. Takahashi pinched the bridge of his nose, his patience wearing thin. "L-kun, is there a reason why you're doing your best to disrupt the morning attendance taking today?"

"No," L mumbled, setting the chair upright and sitting back down, looking almost sheepish. "Sorry."

"Now—let's check if everyone, latecomers included, is here."

The teacher called off names, and Light kept his gaze on L, feeling increasingly uneasy.

"So," Light said when they met up for lunch later, "want to tell me what's going on?"

Clouds drifted lazily across the sky, casting shadows over them, while the hard concrete behind L's head felt cold beneath his touch. On the rooftop, the distant sounds of other students seemed muted, far.

"Nothing," L replied, his gaze unfocused.

Light took a sip of soda water, then passed the bottle to L. "You should hydrate. You look like you could use it."

"Thanks."

The soda water tasted obscenely sour as it hit L's tongue, causing him to grimace. Fully sober, L was a bit more subdued. Light sighed, stealing a glance at the sky, then turned his attention back to L.

"Then, can I take a guess?" He asked, breaking the silence.

"If you want."

"It's about your ex, isn't it?"

The silence that followed was heavy, a confirmation that weighed on both of them. Light turned fully to face L, watching as a flicker of something shifted in his eyes—fear, perhaps?

"And the kiss yesterday," Light probed, his voice softer now. "You're afraid, aren't you? Afraid of something that happened with him—and of me."

L remained silent for what felt like an eternity. The moment stretched until Light wondered if he would respond at all.

"I read the messages from last night," L finally murmured, his voice low, barely above a whisper. "I want to say it's better for both of us if you just walk away."

"Walk away? Nothing has even started between us," Light shot back, frustration mingling with confusion.

"Then, good. It seems there's nothing left to discuss,"

"So that's it?" Light's voice rose slightly. "We just stay class rivals, or friends—or...? What do you even want?"

"I told you," L replied, meeting his gaze and Light's heart raced. "I've never wanted anything more than what we have right now. No friendship, no rivalry—nothing."

"Then what was yesterday about with Yumi?" Light challenged, his pulse quickening. "You were obviously jealous."

L shrugged, a nonchalant gesture that only fueled Light's annoyance. "Maybe I was just annoyed."

"So what? Should I go ask her to be my girlfriend, then? Would that not bother you at all?"

"Why would it? We barely know each other,"

"You're impossible!" Light exclaimed. "I'll admit, we haven't been talking long, but am I really the only one feeling this?"

"Feeling what?" L shot back, though Light could see the challenge in his eyes.

"You're the one with the experience of dating a guy. How can you not see how confused I am right now?"

"You really can't blame me for that,"

"I'm not blaming you, but for the first time, I have no idea what to do. It's not just that—you keep giving me completely mixed signals. Like yesterday in the kitchen. It's like you want to push me away, but also don't want me to stop taking an interest in you. And why had we never even talked before? You've been avoiding me since you arrived at this school."

"You told me you expected to hate me, remember?" L countered.

"I did—"

"And yet you also say I was the one avoiding you. You weren't exactly friendly yourself," he shot back

For the first time, Light felt the sting of being accused of being unfriendly. Imperfect. It pricked him like a thorn, a blemish blossoming crimson red, seeping into view.

"Alright," he finally sighed, determined. "How about this? Your birthday is on October 31st, right? Let's go for thirty-one dates. At the end, if you still want nothing to do with me, I'll admit defeat. Who knows? Maybe after thirty-one dates, I'll stop feeling like I can't get you out of my head."

"No strings attached?"

"No strings attached."

L seemed to ponder this for a moment. "Alright," he said quietly. "Thirty-one. But don't be surprised if you tire of this long before then."

Determined to prove him wrong, Light leaned in and kissed him, feeling the intoxicating warmth of L's breath—still tinged with alcohol and soda water—lingering on his lips. It was a sensation he'd never experienced before.

L raised an eyebrow at Light's scrunched nose and smirked. "See? It's already going terribly."

"Not because of you; the smell's just really strong," Light replied, shaking his head.

L's eyes gleamed as he tugged on Light's tie, pulling him in closer, their bodies almost brushing. "Hey— L !"

"If I annoy you, you might cut the thirty-one days short," L murmured against his lips, his voice dripping with coldness.

"Why do you say that like it's a good thing?" Light shot back, struggling to maintain his composure under L's intense gaze, the flush rising in his cheeks.

"Isn't it, for me?"

"Hey—"

Their lips collided again, and this time, the kiss deepened. Light could feel L's heavy breath against him, the world outside fading into nothingness. For a few heart-pounding seconds, the initial awkwardness melted away. L tangled his fingers in Light's hair, pulling him closer, and Light realized he was probably screwed. Heat pooled in his stomach, and damn, if he was going to stop being into L, it might take more than thirty-one dates to shake this feeling off.

"You know," Light managed to say, when L finally pulled away, voice still a bit unsteady, "that completely backfired."

L brushed a finger along his bottom lip, frowning, and seemed to take note. "I see... I need to do something more drastic. Soju, perhaps."

"And next time you're drinking, at least invite me."

"What was the about impairing cognitive function?"

"I never said I was going to drink. But at least you wouldn't be alone."