Story: Sleep
Author: MikoAkako
Beta: None. All mistakes are my own.
Rating: PG
Warnings: male/male relationship, brief mention of torture
Pairing(s): Light/L
Word count: 1,546
Disclaimer: I don't own anything you recognize.
Summary: Wammy's gone for a few days and L needs to sleep. Can Light help him? Set between Asylum and Illumination, but you don't have to read either to understand this one.

"You're exhausted, L," Light was sitting at his desk, working on a case L had discarded that morning. The younger man was obviously right – the detective's eyes were drooping and every few minutes he lurched in his spot as he fought off sleep.

"Wammy is not here," L said, popping a small cube of pure sugar in his mouth. Light made a face at the sugar and sighed. Roger had called, requesting Wammy to go and evaluate a new 'student' at the House. It should have been a simple matter, but a few hours in and Roger had called and told L that Wammy would be required to extend his stay by a few days. He hadn't given any details and refused L's request to speak to Wammy directly.

"Fine," Light shrugged. He wouldn't let L know how much it pained him that even though they had been living together for half a year (not counting the time spent during the Kira case) L still hadn't slept with him. They did other things in bed (and on the couch, in the kitchen, in the bathroom among other places) but not once had L fallen asleep beside him. When forced to sleep, it was always under Wammy's watchful gaze.

They both fell to silence. Light was rereading the case notes one last time before he sent his observations to the detective who had emailed. He added a few concluding sentences, signed the name 'Denueve' at the bottom, and leaned back in his chair. A surreptitious glance over at L revealed the man wasn't making any progress on whatever it was he was working on. His dark eyes were glazed over, and he was stacking and restacking the sugar cubes mindlessly.

"Good night," Light said, standing up and stretching, trying to relieve the pressure in his shoulders and neck. He could only imagine how L managed to sit hunched over day after day and not end up in extreme pain.

"Light-kun is going to bed?" L must be tired, because Light thought he sounded almost wistful. He was struck by just how young the detective sounded even though he was seven years Light's senior. Pity was still a new emotion for Light, but he felt a stir of it for L then.

"It's past two in the morning," Light said. "You're welcome to join me. To sleep." He added the last with a slight quirk of his lips. With that, he retreated into the bedroom. He fell onto the bed, too tired to even change out of his khaki pants and button down shirt. As tired as he was, his mind was still working too fast for him to sleep.

L's refusal to sleep without Wammy bothered him more than he knew it should. It made him feel like L didn't trust him, which he could understand. He still had a hard time trusting himself sometimes. But what did L think would happen? Did he really believe that Light would attack him in his sleep? Before he could delve too deep into that line of thought, the phone rang in its stand beside the bed. It was Wammy.

"Hello," Light said, sitting up in the bed.

"I'm sorry if I woke you," Wammy said. "I was calling to inform L that I will be here two days longer. The new girl is requiring more attention than most that arrive. How is L?"

"Exhausted," Light said truthfully. Perhaps Wammy could tell Light what he should do in this situation.

"It has been a while since he slept," Wammy said, broaching the subject. "I suppose he is refusing to sleep since I am not present?"

"Why is that?" Light couldn't stop the question burning on his tongue. He blamed his lack of grace on his exhaustion. "Is he afraid of me? Does he think I'll h-"

"I assure you it is no fault of yours, Light," Wammy said, cutting the young genius off. "The fault is entirely my own, actually." Wammy paused, and even through the phone Light knew the old man was gathering his thoughts. A few moments later, he continued.

"When children arrive at the House they are assigned roommates to help them get acclimated. A few days after L arrived, a young man who went by the name 'B' came to the House. L had no roommate, and B was only a few years L's elder, so the two were paired together." Light frowned. L hadn't mentioned anyone named B before.

"What does that have to do with his sleeping?" Light asked.

"B was…to put it kindly, B was mentally unstable. I found out later that he would describe torture in graphic detail – his parents were tortured and murdered in front of him. He had a deep fascination with fire in particular. And dissection while the patient is conscious." Light shivered, wondering at the fate of this man, and hoping it was painful. He didn't need to hear Wammy's continuation to know where this was going to lead. "Apparently, L woke one night to find B standing over him with a lit match. Since then, he has refused to sleep when I am not in the same room." Light didn't know how to respond to that. He tried to imagine how he would have reacted in that situation, and realized how lucky he had been to have his parents.

Light had spent his childhood wishing his parents were more intelligent, more something or rather, someone else. He had stopped asking them questions when he realized most of their answers were lies to placate his 'childish' fascination with everything. He fantasized about running away and finding a new family, a smart family to live with. One that deserved to have a son as intelligent as him. And L had been hiding from a psychopathic preteen who wouldn't have a second thought about setting him on fire while he was asleep.

"Are you there, Light?" Wammy broke Light out of his thoughts, and the Japanese boy jumped slightly.

"Yeah," He said. "Thank you for sharing that with me. It certainly explains things."

"Very well. I should get back. Roger's waiting for me," With a click the line went dead. Light set the phone down gently, absorbed in his thoughts again.

He was relieved that L's reluctance to sleep had nothing to do with his presence. His relief was short lived when he realized that he still wasn't any closer to getting L to sleep, something he knew was necessary when he heard a crash out in the other room. He ran to see what had made the sound to find L on the floor, his chair fallen beside him. The detective grinned sheepishly at Light's appearance.

"I miscalculated the center of gravity," He said, brushing Light off when the auburn haired boy rushed to kneel at his side. Light frowned, helping L stand despite his protests. "I'm sorry I disturbed you. Was that Wammy on the phone?"

"It was," Light said. "He wanted me to let you know he'll be there another two days." L barely concealed a frown behind a not-so-nonchalant shrug. "You can't go that long without sleep."

"I will be fine," L said, shuffling toward the kitchen. Before he could get far, Light was blocking his path. L attempted to sidestep, but Light moved with him. "Light-kun is in my way."

"Light-kun will stay in your way," Light said, crossing his arms. "Until you realize you need to sleep. You're not even alert enough to cut yourself a piece of cake without cutting yourself." L blinked, absorbing what Light had said.

"That would ruin the cake," L said slowly. Light fought the urge to smile; L sounded like a child, worried about the inconsequential.

"Come to bed with me, koibito," Light entreated, taking a step toward L who lurched, but didn't move otherwise. "Nothing's here to hurt you." L still said nothing, blinking up at Light. The younger man took that as acceptance, and reached for L's hand, entwining their fingers comfortably. They walked in silence to the bedroom, and L sat on the bed without prompting. Light slipped in beside him, a hand on his shoulder drawing him down so they were lying facing each other.

L bit his thumb, eyes wide open. Light gently took L's hand, pushing it down. He slid closer, kissing L once sweetly, cupping the other man's face in his hand.

"Wammy told you?" It was an unnecessary question. Light nodded.

"You need to sleep, L." Light said once again, pressing close to L who wrapped an arm around his waist and settled his head in the crook of Light's shoulder.

Light felt when L started to relax, and could pinpoint the exact moment the older man fell asleep. He held his breath for a few moments, expecting L to wake up. When he couldn't fight sleep anymore, he kissed L's forehead and let himself surrender. "Watashi wa itsumo anata o anzen ni tamotsu yo ."

A/N: "Watashi wa itsumo anata o anzen ni tamotsu yo " should roughly translate to "I'll always keep you safe." However, I do not speak Japanese and must rely on a translator. Please correct me if I'm wrong and I'll try to fix it.