Written By Fate ||L Lawliet x Reader||

Chapter 23

The morning light filtered into the room, soft and quiet. Y/N moved, her body aching slightly from the tension of the night before. As her eyes opened, she reached out instinctively, her hand brushing the empty space beside her. She blinked, trying to shake the grogginess from her mind.

L wasn't there.

She frowned slightly, sitting up in the bed and glancing around the room. It was eerily silent, and for a moment, she wondered if she had dreamt the whole thing. But no, the faint creases in the sheets beside her told her that L had indeed stayed there. For whatever reason, though, he had left before she woke up.

Y/N pushed the covers off and swung her legs over the edge of the bed. Her feet touched the floor, and she rubbed her eyes, trying to piece together what had happened. The events of the night before felt like a blur—her nightmare, the creature, L's presence in her room. It was all too much to process. She sighed, brushing her hair back and deciding to freshen up before finding him.

Meanwhile, L sat across from Light in one of the quiet meeting rooms. The air between them was tense, though Light's usual charming demeanor made it difficult to tell. He leaned back slightly in his chair, a smug smile playing on his lips as he looked at L.

"You know," Light began casually, "I've been thinking about Y/N. She's... interesting, isn't she?" He tilted his head, watching L for any reaction. "And you're getting along well." he scoffs.

L, perched in his usual crouched position on the chair, didn't look up. His thumb hovered near his lips, his sharp eyes focused on the screen in front of him. "Y/N is a valuable part of the team," he said flatly. "Her insights have been helpful in the case."

Light chuckled softly, shaking his head. "You say that, but I can't help but wonder if there's more to it than that. You don't seem to suspect her as much as you probably should. She's smart, resourceful, and has a knack for digging into things. Doesn't that make her one of the biggest suspects?"

L's eyes flicked to Light, his expression unreadable. "I suspect everyone, Light," he said calmly. "Y/N is no exception."

"But," Light continued, leaning forward slightly, "you don't treat her like you treat the rest of us. You're softer with her, aren't you? You don't question her motives as much. If I didn't know any better, I'd say you had a soft spot for her."

L didn't respond immediately. His gaze shifted back to his screen, his fingers tapping lightly against his knee. "You're mistaken," he said finally, his voice even. "I don't have 'soft spots,' as you call them. My role is to solve this case, and I will approach Y/N the same way I approach everyone else. Emotion does not play a role in my decisions."

Light's smile widened slightly, though his eyes remained sharp. "If you say so," he said, his tone light but with an edge of mockery. "But if you're not careful, that 'soft spot' might cloud your judgment."

L didn't dignify that with a response. He straightened slightly in his chair, his mind already moving on from the conversation. He wouldn't allow Light's words to distract him. Y/N was a part of the team, but she was still a suspect. That was all there was to it.

When Y/N found L later that morning, he was in the main workroom, sitting in his usual position with several monitors in front of him. She approached him with a small smile, trying to shake off the heaviness of the previous night.

"Good morning, Ryuzaki," she said softly, her tone light but with a hint of tiredness.

L glanced at her briefly but didn't respond. He turned back to the screen in front of him, his fingers lightly tapping on the desk.

Y/N frowned slightly. "Hey, you okay?" she asked, moving closer. "You're being quieter than usual."

"I'm fine," L replied curtly, not looking at her. His voice was calm, but there was an edge to it that made Y/N pause.

She tilted her head, studying him. "Are you mad about something?" she asked, her voice teasing but with genuine curiosity. "Did I do something wrong?"

L shook his head, his eyes still fixed on the screen. "You haven't done anything wrong," he said simply. "I'm just... focused."

Y/N wasn't convinced. There was something off about the way he was acting. Usually, L would at least engage with her, even if it was just to challenge her theories or make an observation. But today, he seemed distant, almost cold.

She decided to let it go for now, not wanting to push him. Instead, she sat down at the desk across from him, pulling out her notebook and starting to review some of her notes. The silence between them was heavy, but she tried to focus on her work, even as a small knot of unease formed in her chest.

As the day went on, Y/N couldn't shake the feeling that L was avoiding her. He barely spoke to her, even when they were working on the same task. Every time she tried to engage him, he would give her short, clipped answers before turning his attention elsewhere.

By the time the afternoon rolled around, Y/N was frustrated. She couldn't understand what had changed. L had been the one to comfort her last night, to stay by her side when she was at her most vulnerable. And now, he was acting like she didn't even exist.

When she finally confronted him, her patience had worn thin. "Okay, seriously, what's going on with you?" she asked, crossing her arms and standing in front of him. "You've been weird all day. Did I do something to piss you off?"

L looked up at her, his dark eyes calm but unreadable. "No," he said simply. "You haven't done anything."

"Then why are you acting like this?" Y/N demanded. "You're avoiding me, Ryuzaki. You won't even look at me!"

L hesitated for a moment, his fingers tapping lightly against his knee. "Nothing happened," he said finally. "I'm just trying to maintain focus on the case."

Y/N narrowed her eyes at him. "Bullshit," she said bluntly. "You're not focused—you're avoiding me. Just tell me what's going on."

L didn't respond right away. He looked at her for a long moment, his expression unreadable. Finally, he sighed softly, his gaze dropping to the desk. "I have my reasons," he said quietly. "But it has nothing to do with you personally."

Y/N didn't know what to say to that. She felt a mix of frustration and confusion, but she could see that L wasn't going to give her a straight answer. Whatever was going on with him, he wasn't ready to talk about it.

"Fine," she said finally, her voice sharp. "If you don't want to tell me, that's your choice."

She turned and walked away, leaving L alone with his thoughts. He watched her go, his eyes thoughtful but distant. Light's words from earlier echoed in his mind, but he pushed them aside. He couldn't afford to let emotions cloud his judgment. Not now. Not with everything at stake.