Written By Fate ||L Lawliet x Reader||

Chapter 13

Late at night, Y/N and L were sitting across from each other, papers and notebooks scattered around them. The room was quiet except for the occasional scribble of L's pen or the sound of Y/N flipping through pages. It had been a long day, but they were still working, trying to piece together any new leads.

As they went over some files, L decided to try a different approach. "You know, Y/N," he started in his usual monotone voice, "you seem to have a knack for finding things others might miss. Almost as if you have insider knowledge."

Y/N's eyes flicked up from her notes to meet his, a hint of a smirk playing on her lips. "Are you saying I'm suspicious, Ryuzaki?" she teased, using his alias while keeping her tone light.

"Not exactly," he replied, his expression unreadable as always. "But I can't ignore the fact that you've been unusually helpful. Almost too helpful." His gaze remained fixed on her, analyzing every small reaction.

Y/N leaned back in her chair, crossing her arms and raising an eyebrow at him. "So, you think I'm Kira?" she said with a playful edge in her voice. "You should just arrest me then. I'll even put my hands out for you," she added, holding her wrists together as if waiting for cuffs.

L didn't respond immediately, his dark eyes narrowing ever so slightly as he watched her. "It's just a thought."

She chuckled and shook her head. "You're overthinking it, Ryuzaki. If I were Kira, I'd be a little more subtle about helping you catch myself, don't you think? Or maybe..." She leaned in, her voice dropping to a low, teasing tone. "Maybe you're just looking for reasons to keep me close."

He remained silent, his eyes never leaving her, as if trying to see right through her.

"Oh, come on," she said, rolling her eyes. "If I'm so suspicious, why haven't you arrested me yet?" She tilted her head with a mischievous glint in her eyes. "Or maybe you're just afraid to be wrong."

L's expression didn't change, but Y/N could tell her words had some effect. "I'm simply being thorough," he answered. "After all, Kira is quite skilled at manipulation."

"Oh, really? And now I'm the master manipulator?" she gasped dramatically. "You know, Ryuzaki, you might just be trying to gaslight me." She gave him a challenging look. "Or maybe I'm just better at this than you think."

L's gaze sharpened, but Y/N just smiled, unfazed. She had caught on to what he was doing from the start, but if he wanted to play games, she would play right back.

 L found himself intrigued by Y/N's sharp wit and sarcasm. There was a spark in her, a confidence that kept him on his toes. It wasn't often that someone could meet his intellectual challenges head-on while maintaining a playful edge. Yet, despite her cleverness, there were moments when her behavior seemed immature. Like when she'd mockingly gasp or roll her eyes. It was as if she didn't always take the situation seriously, even though she was fully capable of matching his reasoning.

Still, that blend of intelligence and immaturity somehow added to her charm. It was almost refreshing, a stark contrast to the calculated nature of his usual suspects. L wasn't sure if she was just incredibly skilled at deflecting suspicion or if she genuinely didn't care what he thought. But he couldn't deny that, while her sarcasm sometimes bordered on childishness, it also made their interactions more... lively.

As they continued to spar with words, he noticed a slight smile forming on his own lips. There was something about the way Y/N kept pushing back, never letting him fully unravel her, that kept his curiosity piqued.

In the middle of their back-and-forth, Y/N suddenly leaned forward, eyes locked on L's. "Light is Kira," she said plainly, the confidence in her voice breaking through the teasing atmosphere.

L raised an eyebrow but remained silent, prompting her to continue.

"Think about it," Y/N explained. "Light fits the profile perfectly. He's intelligent, he has a strong sense of justice, and he's close enough to the investigation to know our moves. And then there's the timing of Kira's killings. Whenever Light is under surveillance, they stop completely, or become a pattern, and then resume when he's not. It's almost as if he knows when to lay low."

L listened, his expression unreadable. He didn't respond immediately, just watched her as if waiting to see what else she had to say. When it was clear she was done, he leaned back in his chair, his thumb brushing his lip in thought.

"You make valid points," he admitted. "Light certainly fits the criteria for Kira, and there's been more than one occasion where his behavior has been... suspicious." He paused before continuing, "But it's not that simple. There's evidence to suggest that there are two Kiras. If Light is involved, he's not working alone."

Y/N's brow furrowed as she considered his words. "You're saying there's a second Kira? So what, Light has a partner? That would explain how he's able to throw us off his trail."

"Precisely," L nodded. "It complicates things. If we assume there are two of them, we need to find the connection and understand how they operate together."

His gaze lingered on Y/N. Her reasoning was sharp, and she had a determination that was hard to ignore.