It took Light several minutes to realize that L was staring at him. When he decided to see what time it was and finally glanced sideways, he almost fell out of his chair.

"Ryuzaki! What are you doing?"

L had rolled his chair—somehow, he'd managed to do this silently—right up against Light's, and was leaning forward. He gazed intently at Light, their faces only inches apart. Light leaned back, wishing that L had some respect for his personal space—even though they were handcuffed together, they didn't need to be that close. Whenever L was near him, Light got a fluttery feeling in his stomach that he found very disturbing.

"Did you find something new?" Light said, when L didn't answer. The rest of the task force had left more than an hour ago, but L couldn't be torn away from the Kira case—he kept working longer than any normal human would want to.

"Are you tired, Light-kun?" L asked. His voice sounded less sure than it usually did, slightly breathless and almost nervous—except that L was never nervous. Before Light could open his mouth to answer, L continued, "Because you've been running through my mind all day."

What the hell?

Light stared at L, stunned. Had L really just said—no. He couldn't have. Light must have heard that wrong, he must have, because there was no way L had said—

"Did it hurt?"

"Hurt?" Light repeated blankly.

"When you fell from heaven, Light-kun."

"When I what?"

"Do you have a map? I keep getting lost in your eyes."

There was a pause. Light felt like he was going into shock. He figured he must be losing his mind, if he'd actually heard L—L, the world's greatest detective—using pick-up lines on him.

L was chewing on his thumbnail and watching Light almost anxiously. Before Light could ask him to repeat himself—because really, he couldn't have heard that—L removed his thumb from his mouth and said, "You must be Jamaican, Light-kun, because Jamaican me crazy."

Maybe this was some kind of test. That had to be it—L was seeing how Light would react or something. It was the only explanation that made any kind of sense.

"I must be a snowflake, because I've fallen for you," L said, looking straight into Light's eyes and leaning a little closer.

Light could feel his cheeks reddening. He couldn't believe himself—he was actually blushing, and because of something L had said. He never blushed, and he definitely wasn't in love with L. Definitely not. He was furious with himself.

"If we had a garden, I'd put your two lips and my two lips together," L continued. "Is it hot in here, or is it just you? You must be a good thief, because you've stolen my heart."

"Dammit, Ryuzaki!" Light exploded finally. He couldn't stand the way L's words, or his closeness, were making him feel. "What the hell is this?"

It worked—L immediately leaned back, lowering his eyes. "My apologies, Light-kun," he murmured. "I thought—"

"What did you think?" Light demanded, trying to stay annoyed at L. It was impossible. Already, he felt bad for the hurt on L's face.

"I thought this was the proper way to make my feelings for Light-kun known," L replied quietly. "Clearly, I was wrong. I'm sorry."

"Your feelings for—what? Wait, what were you doing?"

"I have not known very many people, and I have never before felt anything like what I feel for Light-kun." L glanced at him, then quickly looked down again, his cheeks turning a faint pink. "While you were sleeping, I did research as to how to…to make a confession of that nature, because I have never had to do such a thing before and I didn't know how. I found what I thought were accepted phrases, but I realize now that I did something wrong. I'm sorry, Light-kun."

"You mean…you…" Light could only stammer, staring at him in shock.

L started to roll his chair away again, heading back to his computer on the other side of the desk. Before Light realized what he was doing, he'd tugged on the chain connecting them, pulling L back toward him. "Wait!"

"What is it, Light-kun?" L asked, looking at him almost hopefully.

"I…" Light paused. He wasn't sure what to say, so he cupped L's face in his hands and kissed him instead.

When they finally broke apart, Light said, "If I could rearrange the alphabet, I'd put U and I together."

L smiled and leaned forward to kiss him again. "So would I, Light-kun."