The tension from the shower lingered in the air long after they'd dried off. Light was still processing the strange encounter as he followed L back to the bedroom. They had been forced to share a space before, but tonight the unease seemed more palpable. It wasn't just because of the chain linking them or L's persistent suspicion—there was something about the closeness between them, the weight of L's earlier words, that made the air feel heavier.
Light let out a small, quiet sigh as he stood near the edge of the bed. He wasn't nervous, not exactly. I'm not Kira. I know I'm not. The certainty that he was innocent was settled deep within him. He was playing the role of a dutiful partner in solving the case—working with L, not against him.
But still... L's constant presence, his relentless analysis of every movement, every word—especially after what had happened in the shower—was getting under his skin.
L was already sitting on the edge of the bed, his back slightly hunched and his knees drawn up to his chest, the chain between them clinking softly with every slight movement. He stared at the handcuffs for a moment, then looked up at Light with those wide, dark eyes that always seemed to see more than they should.
"We'll need to adjust the way we sleep again," L murmured matter-of-factly, his voice low and neutral. "The chain will make it difficult, but we've managed before."
Light nodded. He was used to L's strange sleeping habits by now—how he curled up like a cat on his side of the bed, how he'd wake up at the slightest noise or movement. Not much different from me, I suppose. After all, Light Yagami was always alert, always prepared. Even in this absurd situation, his mind was sharp.
He climbed into the bed next to L, the mattress dipping slightly beneath their weight. The chain rattled as they settled in, both careful to keep as much distance between them as possible without tugging at the cuffs. Light lay on his back, staring up at the ceiling, arms crossed behind his head, while L remained in his typical crouched position, his knees pulled up and his arms draped around them.
The silence between them was thick. The only sound was the faint rustle of sheets and the steady rhythm of their breathing. But sleep didn't come easily for either of them.
Light shifted slightly, glancing at L out of the corner of his eye. L's gaze was still wide open, staring at him with that same unblinking intensity, though his body remained curled in its usual, strange posture.
"Ryuzaki," Light said softly, breaking the silence, "you should really try to sleep."
L didn't respond right away, his gaze fixed on Light, as though considering his next move carefully. Then, in that same detached tone, he replied, "I don't sleep much. You know that, Light-kun."
"Yes, I know. But we have work to do tomorrow. You won't be able to function if you're half-asleep."
L remained quiet for a moment, then said, "I function fine on little sleep. And besides... I don't think either of us can afford to fully relax, can we?"
Light turned his head, meeting L's gaze fully now. "What's that supposed to mean?"
L's lips twitched slightly, almost as if he were considering smiling, but the expression never fully formed. "You're Kira," he said softly, as though stating a fact—but there was an unmistakable edge to his words, a tension that hung in the air between them. "I have to remain cautious. The situation is... delicate."
Light felt a strange knot form in his chest, a mixture of frustration and lingering unease from the shower earlier. Why won't he believe me?
He let out a slow breath. "You still think I'm Kira," he said flatly, more a statement than a question.
L blinked, his gaze never wavering. "Maybe," he said, his voice calm. "Either Kira is controlling you, or... You passed on Kira's power and somehow have no memory of being Kira."
"What's that supposed to mean?"
L shifted, adjusting his position on the bed, the chain rattling softly as he moved. "I don't think it's impossible for you to become Kira again, given the right conditions."
The words hung in the air, heavy and unsettling. Light stared at L, his jaw tightening slightly. So that's it. He's still waiting for me to change. He doesn't trust me—he never will.
But instead of showing his frustration, Light forced a smile, though it didn't quite reach his eyes. "You're relentless, Ryuzaki. You're always searching for something, even when there's nothing to find. I can't be Kira, you know that. The killings have still continued, even though you've watched my every move and even put me in solitary confinement, where I would have no knowledge of the outside."
"Right." L said, his voice quiet. "But it doesn't match up. Kira has killed criminals who he didn't previously--he didn't people who were under certain circumstances or were sorry for their actions. This new Kira seems to be the opposite." L's head tilted slightly, his thumb pressing against his lower lip in that familiar way.
Another beat of silence passed between them, heavy and charged with the unspoken tension that had been simmering since the shower. Light finally turned his head back toward the ceiling, trying to ignore the feeling of L's gaze still fixed on him. The weight of it was almost suffocating, pressing down on him even as they lay in the dark.
Light closed his eyes, though sleep still felt far away. I'm not Kira. I'm not Kira. He repeated the thought like a mantra in his mind, pushing away the discomfort of L's constant presence.
But the more he tried to settle, the more aware he became of the proximity of their bodies—the way the chain between them restricted their movements, the way L's presence seemed to seep into his thoughts, even in the silence of the room.
"I can't help but notice," L spoke again suddenly, his voice low and thoughtful, "that you seem tense, Light-kun. Perhaps it's the situation. Or perhaps... there's something more?"
Light's eyes snapped open. Here we go again.
"I'm not tense," he replied evenly, keeping his voice controlled. "It's just not easy to sleep when you're handcuffed to someone who won't stop analyzing everything."
L's lips parted slightly, almost as if he were about to say something, but instead he merely observed, watching Light with a quiet intensity. After a long pause, he said, "Maybe it's mutual. I imagine you're analyzing me as well, Light-kun. We're both... aware of each other, aren't we?"
Light's breath hitched just slightly, though he quickly regained his composure. Aware of each other. He knew L didn't mean it in a casual sense—the way L said it made the statement feel heavier, more intimate, as if every glance, every word between them was part of a deeper game.
"We're both light sleepers," Light said, his tone carefully neutral. "That's all it is."
L hummed softly in response, his fingers toying with the chain between them. "Yes," he agreed, though his tone suggested he wasn't quite convinced. "That's all it is."
The room was quiet again, but the weight of their mutual awareness was impossible to ignore.
YOU ARE READING
Lawlight
Fanfiction"There's no security camera in here," Light said, his voice low, breathless, as his eyes locked onto L's. He had memorized every possible location--and this wasn't one of them. He wasn't sure what drove him-whether it was the secrecy of the moment...
