The day had been pretty normal- if normal is a word you could use for the circumstances. Most of the Task Force had been out for the day, doing research and investigating. It would keep them busy the night. If they were surprisingly done quicker, they would drop their results of and then retire to their apartments- although they'd most likely be occupied the whole night. No one would enter the room where most of their meetings took place until the sun rose. That was until-

"Oh boy, that sure was a lot of work!",a voice from the back called cheerily and came closer to the two men in the white glow from the computer screens, "I thought I could help you a bit, seeing as you did most of the stuff alone today and could use a break... I even brought you some coffee, Ryuzaki!"

He quickly placed the cup on the table, a bit of the caffeine containing drink spilling onto the saucer. "Thank you, Mr. Matsuda. But there is nothing you could help us with, unfortunately. The best would be if you'd go to your apartment for the night until the rest has shown up",the detective answered monotonously and used a handkerchief to clean the drops up.

"Oh, yeah, sure, sorry!",Matsuda said smiling and scratched his head in embarrassment, "I just, eh... wanted to see how you are. Yeah, that's it. Uhm, Light, are you alright?"

Light spun around in his chair, looking at the other one through tired eyes, that he hoped didn't show too much. "Of course I am, why wouldn't I?",the student responded, wishing he hadn't said the last part because that meant Matsuda would have to answer and stay longer.

"Ah, obviously you are, heh. I- I don't know, you looked quite tired and exhausted but I mean you've been staring at screens all day so I guess that's normal"

As much as he hated to admit it, Matsuda did have a point. Sleeping was surely one thing he had not done last night, and he still was a bit exhausted. Besides that his lower part hurt, and he wasn't sure if sitting, standing or laying down would minder the pain in any way. Who knew this would take such a drastic turn?

"So uh, I'm pretty tired and will go to bed if that's-..."

"If that's what, Matsuda?"

"Wow, Light! Look, your lips are all purple!",the man suddenly screamed exited, like a little child getting ice-cream after a long day of doing absolutely nothing productive and just running around annoying the hell out of people. Still, Light was shocked when he heard those words.

"They're not. Why would they suddenly change color? That's idiotically",he said dismissively and shook his head slightly. It was completely impossible for his lips to have a different color then before without him using lipstick or something like that. There was no way that would be possible.

"No no no, look!",the black haired he called and fiddled out a small mirror from his pocket, which he gave the teen, "I could swear they weren't like this when you left yesterday, who's the lucky one? Ooooh I bet you're red!"

Light rolled his eyes at that comment and looked into the mirror, trying to see what exactly Matsuda was talking about- and much to his relief, he saw absolutely nothing.

"You are imagining things, go to bed. My lips are most certainly not purple, or any other color expected for my natural. Stop causing so much drama",he spoke coldly and handed him his belonging back. What a thought, him and a soulmate. Absolutely stupid and irrationally. By far the dumbest thing he had heard that day. No one with a functioning brain would ever come to this conclusion. Who would even think of this? No, Light was born alone, lived alone, and would die alone. He had no soulmate. That was a fact. He had no. There was no one on this planet that was like him in any way. And besides, why would it even happen so suddenly? He hadn't come close to anyone yesterday. Not in any unusual way.

"Oh come on, I'm not imagining things! Please, Ryuzaki say something about this, take a look yourself!"

And then it hit him.
He had, in fact, come close to someone yesterday.
He had come very close.
He had come very, very close.

If Matsuda wasn't lying, then this was the only logical answer to who the 'lucky one' was. Just that both of them had everything but luck, really. But... no. No, this couldn't be. No, this was so wrong. It was just one time, how could that change anything? He was dizzy when he said those things, his stupid hormones were going crazy, none of his feelings were true. They couldn't be. They just couldn't.

But how was he supposed to find out if it was fake? If he denied their potential connection both of them would not be able to see anything. But if he allowed it then... no, he would not. Surely Ryuzaki didn't want to. He didn't feel their nonexistent bond, it was just one time. Who was to blame him, Light was young, handsome and until recent pristine in those activities. Surely that was attractive to men like him. No matter how odd he behaved, deep down he was like every man, at least regarding this. He only wanted his body, not his soul.

Light looked at the floor, anger boiling up inside him. How could he out of all people have fallen for those lies? Those beautiful but fatal lies. His words, his touch, all of him was like poison. Sweet and addicting at first, before one realized the bitter aftertaste that made your stomach turn, ripped your heart into tiny shreds and let all of your blood be coughed out in the ugliest and most painful way there was. Light felt disgusting. He felt used. He felt dirty. He wanted to burn the handcuffs with Ryuzaki attached to them and just go home, take a shower so hot that his flesh would melt and the memory of the touch would go away forever.

"I already gave you an answer. The best would be if you'd go to your apartment for the night until the rest has shown up",poisonous words made his skin crawl. He bit his tongue as to not snap at the man, even though there was nothing wrong with his words. He wanted to be alone just like he did, just not alone together. He didn't want to hear his voice, see him, feel him. Nothing.

- - -

"So, you're just gonna say nothing?",his fierce voice broke the cold silence. His back turned to the other man he looked back to where he was standing, arms crossed and ready to hit him any second.

"What is there to say, Light-kun?",the detective's voice echoed and made Light angrier. "Don't act like you have no idea what I'm talking about. You know just fine what's going on",he hissed, fingers gripping his arms tighter, bracing his chest from everyone, "You used me for God's sake. I feel so dirty, because of you"

His body jolted when a hand carefully touched his shoulder:"I am deeply sorry if I hurt or made you uncomfortable in any way. You seemed to be enjoying it a lot, I apologize for misinterpreting. If there is any way I can make up for that, just tell-"

"It's not that I didn't enjoy it, I-... I really did, and that is the problem. Because you used me, you didn't mean it, not any of it",Light admitted and felt sadness overcome him for a brief moment before his anger was back. L's touch burned like fire, warm and calming yet so painful.

The man sighted and pulled his hand away:"Do you really think that low of me, Light? Do you think I would ravish something so dear like you? Do you think I would lie only to get you to do as I please?"

"Do you think I'm a murderer?"

Nothing.

"There you have your answer",a cold voice answered.

Silence fell between them once again.
A cold, long, and painful silence. Here they were again, denying their connection, denying their feelings, and hurting. Hurting like they never did. Why did it have to be like this? Why couldn't they just be normal, without those murders keeping them apart? But after all, if they were normal, they wouldn't have ended up together in the first place. Normal was so boring. And they eased each other's boredom so much, why should they even desire to be normal? What even was normal? Nobody could say that. Maybe they were normal. Maybe they weren't. It didn't matter. The only thing that did were their feelings, and those would never go away. No matter how much they argued, fought, hated, left- their feelings would stay. And it was up to them to make sure nothing happened to them. To make sure they stayed good, full of love. Because that was what kept them alive.

Softly yet sternly the older man answered:"Listen, Light. I do believe that you were Kira. You most likely aren't now, no, but you were at some point, even if I can't quite prove it yet. I want you to be Kira because I don't want to be wrong, not because I want you to suffer or anything else. But it is up to you to convince me that you aren't now, and never were Kira"

Light sighed and loosened his grip a little. "What do you think I'm trying to do? You will never believe me, I'm just a toy to you, you'll throw me away once you get bored",he slowly closed his eyes, "And... no, I don't think that low of you. I think of you very high. Perhaps that's part of the problem"

"I could never get bored of you. I believe you if you let me believe. And even if you were Kira and therefore out to kill me, wouldn't that just make it more fascinating? 'The man who killed his soulmate' sounds so dramatic, someone should write a book about this"

Light chuckled a bit and felt his heart jump a little at the word 'soulmate'. It sounded so beautiful, so perfect. So made for them. Maybe... maybe it wasn't so bad after all. Maybe he wasn't so alone after all. Maybe he did have a soulmate. Maybe he found that in L. Maybe they could be happy together.

The brown haired let his hand go and fall to his side, pulling at the chains attached to them until he was holding L's hand in his. It made him feel safe. L made him feel safe. He held his hand tighter, not wanting to let go, ever.

"I want to love you",he whispered, "I just don't know how to"

"Don't worry, I'll show you how to",L returned sweetly and rested his head on Light's shoulder, "Don't worry about that. I'll find us a place where we can be like we are, without other people's opinions, without anyone but us"

The teen let go of the other man's hand to turn around and look at him, smiling slightly surprised:"You'll what?"

"I'll find us a home. And if I have to travel the whole world a hundred times, I'll find us a home to stay together"

"You're joking, right?"

"I'm most certainly not",L assured him and got down on one knee, "Light Yagami, I love you, and I promise to always will. I trust and treasure you like no other, and will always assure you protection from all harm that may come to you. So would you give me the honor of being by my side until I die?"

"You idiot",Light whispered and smiled widely, hating to admit how much he was surprised as well as in pure adoration of that action, "Of course I will. Now get back up so I can kiss you"

The bright moonlight enlightened their shared room, shining on the two lovers who were timidly letting their lips touch as if it was their first kiss. The longer they kissed, the more they loved. Not wanting it to end, letting their feelings take over. It felt wonderful. It felt right. So right.

They slowly parted again, a small string of saliva connecting their mouths, arms wrapped around each other's body. "Purple really suits you",whispered L smiling and carefully stroke his blue fingers agains his red lover's cheek, the touched skin turning purple for a few moments before going back to normal, "You truly are incredible, Light"

Light smirked at the praise and pressed his mouth to L's ear:"Why thank you. But now that this is cleared, show me how to love"

"With pleasure. I'll just need your ring size"

"You can have that afterwards"