Chained

Troubled Sleep

"Is this really necessary?"

"Yes," L replied, snapping the handcuff onto Light's wrist. "I will be keeping Light-kun under surveillance seeing as there is no clear evidence to disprove that he is Kira."

"But," Matsuda protested lightly, rubbing the back of his head, "isn't this going a bit too far? I mean, there's no way that Light could be Kira after he was placed in solitary confinement."

Light folded his arms, the metal cuff digging unfamiliarly into his muscle.

"No, it's fine. If this can disprove that I'm Kira and clear my name, then I'm willing to go through with this."

"It's not like you have much of a choice," L mumbled, smirking slightly. "I am the head of this investigation and you are only a suspect, after all."

"But - Light's been helping us!"

"Matsuda's right," Aizawa agreed, temper already starting to flare as L crouched back onto his chair, "don't you have any respect for basic human rights?"

"I already said it's fine-"

"Chief, you must have some kind of protest to this!"

Soichiro cleared his throat and shook his head. "No Matsuda. I understand Ryuzaki's decision. Although I'll admit that I'm not completely happy with the situation, that doesn't mean that I will protest against it. I trust in L's judgement of using this precaution, however I am also confident in Light's innocence."

"Thank you, Yagami-san."

"Thanks dad..."

He cleared his throat again.

"Yes, well. I'll just have to think of a reason, explaining why you won't be home."

"You could say that I'm at a maths camp, tell mum that I forgot to tell her about it."

"...I suppose that will have to do."

L licked a doughnut, seeming to ignore the rest of them already.

Aizawa rolled his eyes before he went back to his desk, shuffling papers and muttering under his breath while Matsuda stared at the Chief who looked hard at Light before he turned, and carried on with his work too.

"Hey Light," Matsuda said, hesitating before he rested a hand on his shoulder.

"I believe that you're innocent too."

Light glanced up at him, and smiled.

"Thanks Matsuda."

"Uh, that is," Matsuda continued, aware of the pointed glare that he was getting from L, "I'm not meaning to undermine you or anything, Ryuzaki. I know that you've never lost a case, but maybe there's another theory that you'll come up with to prove Light's innocence after all."

L nodded blandly, but it lacked any sense of conviction.

"Yes."

Matsuda walked away.

"I'm sorry that I have to suspect you, Light." L murmured quietly, and Light glanced at him side-long.

"As I said, if it's to clear my name-"

"No," the detective stated, "I really am sorry."

Light shrugged it off, like being chained to another human being 24/7 was no big deal.

"I said it's fine."

_______________________________________________

"Man," Matsuda exclaimed, stretching. "I'm beat."