Welcome to Burn, a story that I've been working on for nearly a year. As of right now the story is complete, but I still plan to upload it one chapter at time so I don't overwhelm readers with a massive block of 28 chapters at once :) I hope you enjoy, and be sure to drop me a review if you have anything to say about the rather short and slow beginning.

Chapter 1: Long Shadows

This sucks, I thought, watching the chain of the handcuffs dangle from my wrist, clanking irritably against the metal desk I shared with L. The sharp metal had already rubbed my wrist raw, and it had been under 24 hours since I'd had the damn cuffs slapped on like I was some sort of criminal! Although I knew that it was much better than my two alternatives: remaining locked up, or being killed (in an "accident," of course. L wouldn't want to upset my father any more than was necessary).

Soft clinks sounded next to me, and I didn't have to turn my head to know that L was piling sugar cubes into his tea. The man seemed to have completely lost interest in the data on the screen in front of him. The look on his face was almost depressed.

Well, I thought, forcing my gaze to stay on the screen of my computer, I couldn't care less if he feels discouraged. After what he did to me, he deserves to feel a little bit of remorse.

I referred to the time of my confinement, which spanned just over four months. At first I'd been left in a cell with my wrists and ankles bound and my eyes covered. But after a week of that, L decided that I could still be killing people—so he forced me into full-body restraints, and locked me up in a completely sterile room. If his goal was to make me lose my mind from utter lack of mental stimulation, then he'd greatly succeeded. After around four months of being completely unable to move, humiliating hand-feedings via Watari, and endless hours of glaring at a wall, I thought that my brain might have turned to putty. Luckily for me, it seemed that L did not intend on keeping me forever (though if it were up to him, I thought that he might have). The task force badgered him into releasing Misa and I after a final test that I was sure I'd be having nightmares about for years.

However, he still suspected us, so he'd "permanently" cuffed me to him, and put Misa under constant video and audio surveillance. This obviously wasn't what I'd wanted to happen when my months of confinement came to an end, but it was certainly better than rotting in the dingy cell I'd been tossed in—or the more extreme option, which rested with the gun that L always had tucked in the waistband of his baggy jeans. And of course, having one hand cuffed was a big improvement from having my entire body completely immobile.

At least Misa was spared the indignity—although she was still determined to go on what she called 'dates' with me, despite the fact that L was forced to go along wherever she drug me. All the endeavors led to were weird glances from people wondering why there were two men chained together walking through the streets of Tokyo with the star model Misa Amane.

"Are you all right, Light?" L's voice came from beside me. I glanced up from where I'd been staring, meeting his obsidian eyes. His expression still bordered depression, and I felt a spike of irritation at the possibility that he was just asking to gather more information to add to his mental profile of me.

"Yeah," I said shortly. "I'm fine. Why?"

"Well, I noticed that you've been staring at that word document for the past three minutes and forty-two seconds exactly."

I narrowed my eyes. Couldn't he leave me alone for just four minutes? "Oh, right," I said, feigning cheerfulness as I reached out and closed the document. "I was just reading it over a few times."

L frowned. "I regret to inform you that the document was blank."

"Oh…" I muttered again. "Sorry." Damn, L. Can't you mind your own business, just this once?

"There is no need for apologies," the detective said, reaching into my work space to grab a sweet from one of the bowls that he'd sloppily arranged near my keyboard. He popped the sweet into his mouth thoughtfully, twirling it about as his eyes went back to scanning the computer screen. "I can see why you'd be distracted, being chained to someone you hardly know."

I irritably forced my eyes to go back to my monitor. Nothing was coming up on the Kira case, much to the irritation of everyone on the task force. It seemed that we had hit a dead end. "It's better than being completely immobile," I grumbled. "Although after a few months, it's weird to be walking around again."

"I would imagine as much." L glanced up. "Your muscles must have suffered greatly after such an extended period of immobility. You must be already wearing thin."

Unfortunately, he was correct. I could feel the strange twinges in muscles that had never bothered me before. My legs and lower back ached with a vengeance, and even my fingers throbbed from typing. I'm pathetic, I thought bitterly. "I'll manage."

"We'll have to be careful," he announced. "After so long in a sterile environment with no outside contact, it isn't entirely inconvincible for you to fall ill. Your immune system won't exactly be enabled to handle sudden exposure to the outside world, especially with the amount of sleep you'll be getting when you work with me…" he trailed off, running a hand along his jawline thoughtfully. "You should inform me the instant you begin to feel ill. An illness could be disastrous."

I huffed, "I'm completely fine, Ryuzaki. All it is is a little stiffness."

L gave me a long look, then nodded as he went back to staring blankly at the computer screen. "In that case, get back to work. Perhaps you could make use of yourself and compose something in that blank document you've been staring at."

I gritted my teeth. The bastard always knew how to get under my skin. I bitterly closed the blank document and started my long and tedious research, well aware that despite L's chastisement, he wasn't doing even a bit of work himself.

That was the way we stayed for a long while. It wasn't long before my insistence that I was okay came back to haunt me. I hadn't realized how badly my body was taking its new freedom—I found it harder and harder to concentrate due to the various aches and pains assaulting me. I nearly groaned as I thought back to the way L had kept me confined. Between my aching body and L's utter lack of emotion, it didn't take long for boredom to set in.

It didn't help that there were no new developments in the case. The task force's mood was at a low, even with Matsuda lightening the mood with his stupid jokes. In fact, it seemed like we would never catch a break in the case at this point.

I scrolled mindlessly down a webpage as I thought. As of late L was growing increasingly discouraged. I thought that it wouldn't be long before he did something drastic. A smile flickered across my lips as I imagined L, the most powerful man in the world, admitting defeat. The sense of elation that filled my chest at the thought of his defeat both scared and enthralled me—when had I become so set on his defeat? We were on the same side! I shook off the strange emotion uneasily and allowed my mind to slip back into thought.

What seemed like an eternity later, L finally told the task force to go home. As he rose, Soichiro shot me an apologetic look, like he wanted to take back home so I could rest, but knew arguing with L was pointless. The rest of the task force murmured their goodbyes and filed out to their cars. Even Matsuda seemed subdued after such a long day.

"How late do you work?" I dared to ask, the aching in my bones urging me to lie down and relax.

L paused. "Hmm, normally until around three or four in the mornings, on nights that I sleep."

"And is tonight going to be one of those nights?"

L seemed to seriously consider the question, leaning back and bringing his thumb up to his mouth to gnaw at. "No, I don't think it is. But seeing as your energy is so depleted, I could be convinced to bring my laptop to bed with me so you can rest."

"What a gentleman," I scoffed.

L stood abruptly, snapping the lid of the laptop shut and tucking it under one arm. "Very well. You are becoming irritable, Light, and I wish for you to retire to bed."

I shrugged. "Fine by me." I got to my feet… and instantly a wave of nausea assaulted my senses. I clutched my head, groaning as the world tilted on its axis.

"Light?"

L's concerned voice righted my world, and I looked up at him through my long bangs. "I'm fine. Just a little lightheaded, that's all." I took a step forward, and was stunned to feel just how violently my muscles protested the movement. This was going to take a long time to adjust to. L followed closely, just behind me as we moved to the elevator. We headed inside, and L clicked the correct button for the floor his room was on. As we exited the elevator and walked the halls, L said at last,

"I had the bed replaced, by the way. You wouldn't have fit as it was."

I froze. "Bed? As in, one?"

"That was the most convenient, yes."

I nearly choked, staggering to a halt. Then I really was choking, stunned beyond words. "L," I gasped when I finally regained my breath. "There's no way in hell that I—"

"That you'll what?" he asked airily. "Sleep in the same bed as the person you want to kill? That's what you want, isn't it, Kira? To kill me?"

I snarled. "I am not Kira! And I don't want to kill you!" I paused. "And wait a minute, I told you not to release me until you were completely sure that I wasn't Kira! If you still have doubts, then why am I here?"

He looked away. "I have no doubts about you. It was just a joke."

"Bullshit!" I snapped. "You still suspect—"

"Are you suggesting that I lock you up again?"

I hesitated, muttering, "You shouldn't have released me in the first place if you weren't sure."

That prompted a deep sigh from the detective. "If you are going to be this evasive throughout all of our time together, then our relationship will swiftly become unbearable. Now, answer the question. Do you want me to lock you back up?"

"…No."

"Good. Now, let's go. You look as if you're about to collapse. Tell me, are you feeling ill? Remember what I said about telling me if you feel sick." He began walking again, dragging me behind him, ignoring my spluttered protests.

"I'm fine! And look, Ryuzaki, I don't think this is such a good idea—!"

"We're here." L reached out and opened the door. As he led me inside, I couldn't help but marvel at the state of the place. His room was huge, to say the least. The entire right wall was covered in shelves, each holding innumerous amounts of books. The wall across from the door held an array of computer monitors and keyboards, as if someone had spread glue over the wall and shaken a tech store over it. Loose books and papers were stacked beside and on the desk, the clutter only making way for the computer chair. The rest of the room was rather plain—a door leading to what was presumably a bathroom, a closet and wardrobe, and one large table that held more sweets than I'd ever seen in one place. It was hard for me to say if I found the room enthralling or disgusting.

"We'll take turns in the shower," L said shortly. "The chain will feed through the bottom of the door while providing ample space to move, so the other shall wait outside. That is, unless you are too weak to be on your own, in which case—"

"I am completely capable of showering!" I yelped.

He shrugged, and I was rendered speechless once again as L placed his laptop on the table and headed to the bathroom, without a word, looping the chain under the door and shutting it. The water clicked on. While L bathed, I was stuck observing the room. I gulped, finally examining the king-sized bed L had been referring to. The thing was huge! And it was still made—there was no way L had ever slept in this thing before, the sheets would probably be in tatters, or thrown off the bed entirely. I chuckled at the thought of L thrashing about, struggling to get comfortable before tearing the sheets apart in a vengeance. Briefly I recognized the thought that I was going to have to share a bed with the sugar-addicted insomniac, and that I would probably become fodder for his incessant restlessness. But no—I would worry about that some other time. Right now I was too tired to consider the fact that I would have to put up with that in the near future.

The water clicked off. About five minutes later L emerged, dressed in a fresh shirt and jeans and with sopping wet hair. Ignoring the fact that water was now everywhere both inside and out of the bathroom, I headed in to take my turn. It didn't take long to wash up and change into pajamas—a white shirt and black shorts. Taking care that my hair was as dry as it could be without a blow-dryer (L didn't have one, and there was no way I would convince him to go to my room to fetch it), I emerged to find L crouched in that odd way of his, eyes staring blankly ahead.

"L?" I asked when my appearance prompted no response.

He glanced up. "Ah, Light. I was wondering when you would come out. Now, you shall rest. I myself will continue with the Kira investigation." He pulled me with him to grab his laptop and what appeared to be a large piece of cheesecake that Watari must have delivered when I was showering. He slathered the cake in thick strawberry syrup before sticking a fork into the top of the thing and dragging us both to the bed. L rested the cake on the bedside table. "Go on, then," he said airily.

I glared. Unfortunately my scathing gaze didn't seem to have an effect on the great detective, and I eventually gave in, pulling myself up onto the bed and moving as far away from L as the chain would allow without falling off. "Can't you just cuff me to the bed in my room? Or have another one moved in here?"

L crouched beside me, the laptop open before him and the cheesecake now balanced on his knees. He looked up at my words, black hair falling into his face. "Binding you to a different bed would be inconvenient, for I would be forced to reattach you to me whenever you needed to leave the room or use the restroom."

"Since when do you care about being inconvenienced? If you cared so much about that then I wouldn't be cuffed to you in the first place!"

He cocked his head. "Perhaps I would just prefer to keep you cuffed to something, or rather, someone who can actively prevent your escape should you attempt to do so."

I rolled my eyes. Of course… L was dead-set on proving that I was Kira. He probably figured that I could find a way to escape being chained to the bedpost, and escape in one of the rare instances that he was asleep. "You'd have to be an idiot to think I'd attempt an escape," I spat viciously. "Even if I was Kira, and if I somehow managed to dislodge the chain from the bed, the cameras would have captured every move! There would be no point in running."

"An obvious deduction," L said shortly, bringing his thumb to his lips. "However, we shall simply call this an extra layer of security."

I seethed, barely feeling my exhaustion from the previous day's work. "You're unbelievable! To think that you—"

"If you do not silence yourself, I will ask Watari to retrieve a dose of sedative."

He's such a child! I nearly lashed out in my haze of fury.

L sighed, no doubt recognizing the anger radiating from me. He reached out, and to my shock, a moment later his hand settled on my shoulder, pushing me down. "Rest, Light."

My head hit the pillows. Instantly I wanted to get up and lash out at L for touching me, but sheer exhaustion won out over rage. Still, I managed a sleepy glare in his direction. "I hate you."

"That's a shame, Light, because I happen to like you."

I frowned faintly at the statement, wanting to pick apart the meaning and the odd tone of his voice. But before I could, my world faded away.

I hope you've enjoyed the first chapter! Like I said, it took me almost a full year to write this story, so I would appreciate reviews, advice, or just a comment on how you think it's going so far.