The 'L' in Light (A Death Note Fanfiction)

Chapter 15: Cute

~ L's POV ~

"So, the plan for today is-". Chief Yagami paused abrubtly. The puzzled detectives in the room turned around to see Light wince as he bent down to retrieve a dropped pen.

"What's wrong, son?" he asked. He shot a questioning glance at L and the chain between them. The suspicion etched on his face grew ever more evident when he caught a glimpse of the pain on Light's face as he attempted to shakily steady himself in his seat. 

"I'm fine, dad. I just fell in the shower and hurt my leg."

"Son, if L is troubling you in some way I-"

"No, he isn't," Light interrupted. "It's true, everything's fine."

Why would he ever think that I hurt his son?

The doubt didn't seem to dissipate from the chief's face but with no proof or support from the other detectives, he hesitantly continued to discuss the plan for that day.

*A few weeks later*

"Would you like to play some tennis this afternoon? I know a place," Light offered.

The proposal took L aback. Maybe this is a good way to clear the air and for us to get back into our competitive selves. He accepted the suggestion with a beam, causing Light's dazzling eyes to kindle and melt L's insides.

"This was one of the few times I've ever seen you smile," said Light cheerfully. "Excluding the cute face you make over cake, of course," he added.

He thinks I'm... cute?

L envisioned a slice of cake in front of him and produced his typical face to amuse Light.

"You can do better," he joked.

Disappointed in himself, the detective thought about last night. Light had been huddled close to him in bed, sleeping softly. He recalled how much self-control it took for him not to reach out and run his fingers through his smooth hair.

The teen nodded at L's expression, clearly pleased. "That's it! You really do love cake don't you?" he jested.

L beamed. "You have no idea."

***

As promised, they left headquarters in the other member's hands and set off on foot to a nearby tennis court with Light shouldering a large bag of tennis equipment. The short walk to their destination was rather uneventful, but surprisingly, Light did his utmost to try sparking up new conversations. L was glad of these efforts since he paid heavily for his gift of deductive reasoning with a lack of social skills. Anxious that he might ruin the moment, he did his best to keep his answers brief and tried to focus on Light's words, while attempting to repress his intense fidgeting.

"Ryuzaki," said Light after observing L's stiffness. "Is something wrong?"

If only you could begin to understand, Light. "No, I'm fine," he lied.

"I'm sorry if I was dominating the conversation," apologised Light. "Tell me something about you. Anything."

Even if his mind was sound enough to figure out what to say, L's tongue suddenly tied up in a knot and seemed to weigh a thousand tons. He panicked heavily at this unfamiliar and newfound sensation; he was always so certain about what to conclude or say when it came to solving cases. After what felt like an eternity, his tongue unwound just enough for him to break the heavy silence which had grasped at the surrounding air.

"I'm really nervous," he mumbled admittedly, immediately regretting it. Well, at least it's not a lie.

A soft laugh burst from Light's lips, a reaction that L could never have anticipated. As he laughed wholeheartedly, the air felt a little warmer and L's tongue unfroze completely.

"It's ok, don't worry too much. We're friends, remember? This is just a tennis match, not a date or something," reassured Light, with a bright smile on his face.

A date, huh? Why would that be on his mind? Nevertheless, L took pride in the word "friends".

He hadn't lied; Light was his only friend. He was also the first comparably intellectual person he knew, something that L admired greatly. L had always told himself that being alone was better, however, he had started to cherish Light's company, and this made him realise that the purpose of friends wasn't to use or take advantage of them, as he had gathered in the past.

When Light informed him that the tennis court was close, L was eager to start playing. I'll let him win, though, he thought.

Soon enough, Light stopped in front of a brushed metal gate which he unbolted and pulled open. He gestured L inside and closed it behind them.

***
A/N: Thank you soo much for your reads, votes and comments! :)