Notes: *sigh*. I wrote this while I was with a friend and we were doing fanfiction writing prompts... so it's a bit cliche. Oh well. L's PoV. adorable fluffyness.

"Please, please, no!"

I jumped in my chair as I heard Light-kun speak. He was never awake at this time of night. The clock read 3:42 A.M. so there was no reason for Light-kun to be awake.

I wanted to ask him if he was okay, but he had gone silent. I took that as a sign that I was just overly tired and had imagined everything. Then, I heard him cry out again, "Kira! Kira, what are you doing here? Please, just leave me alone!"

I stood up, curiosity bubbling through my mind. What could Light-kun be talking about? Even though the room was dark, the bluish light from my computer screen provided enough light so that I could tell there was no one else in the room and Light-kun had clearly not moved. The chain between us still glinted in the dim light from my computer.

When I was near enough to Light-kun, I could see that he was drenched in sweat, his forehead creased in distress. "Please," he whimpered, "Please, just end it."

"Light-kun," I whispered softly as I reached out to shake him awake. I laid my hand on his shoulder and tried to gently nudge him awake.

Suddenly, Light-kun's hand shot to mine and gripped my wrist like steel. He sat up so quickly he almost knocked his head into mine. I dodged out of the way and focused my attention on calming Light-kun. I held his shoulders, trying to keep him still.

"Shh," I said, confusion evident in my tone. "Light-kun. Light-kun, you were asleep. You were dreaming."

He looked at me with those beautiful carmel eyes and my throat tightened.

"No," he whispered. "No, Ryuzaki, it- it-"

I noticed Light-kun close his eyes as he turned his head away, his voice breaking in anguish. I still held onto his shoulders firmly, trying to keep him calm.

Light-kun breathed in deeply then looked at me out of the corner of his eye. "It was nothing," he muttered under his breath. He shoved me off of him and turned his back to me. "Just… go continue looking at the Kira case. Leave me alone."

"Light-kun," I whispered. I wanted to hold him in my arms but I knew that that wouldn't be welcome. "It wasn't nothing. You were talking about Kira."

"L, I don't care to hear your theories that I'm Kira right now. I just want to sleep."

I looked down at the chain that lay slack on the bed. I crept around to the other side of Light-kun's bed and climbed up. I crouched down, watching Light-kun who was pointedly not looking at me. "Light-kun," I whispered. I reached out to touch his arm but held back, knowing he would just brush my hand away. "In your dream, you were talking to Kira."

Light-kun stiffened. "I… was talking to… Kira?"

"Yes," I said softly, laying down beside Light-kun so our faces were a breadth apart.

"Ryuzaki, I don't want to talk about this right now. Just… let me sleep."

"Okay," I said, standing up. I stayed close to the bed but I looked out the window at the city lights shining in the dark night sky, trying to think of what Light-kun's dream could have been about. After a while, I heard Light-kun's breathing steady and calm down. I wanted to know what he had been dreaming about but I also wanted him to sleep well.

I turned to look at him only to find his brow creased in distress once again. I stood up, immediately moving to his side. I worried that he was back in his dream with Kira.

"No," Light-kun whispered, his eyes closed in despair. "No, please, no."

"Light-kun!" I cried grabbing his shoulders in a panic. I sat on the bed once again and forced him to sit upright. He hung his head limply and wouldn't meet my gaze, but I wouldn't let him go back into that dream. I had a fierce desire to protect him burning inside of me.

Light-kun blinked his eyes opened. He was already aware of what had happened.

"Ryuzaki… I… I saw him."

"Kira?"

"Yes," Light-kun hesitated, "Yes and no. I saw Kira, but I saw myself."

I was stunned silent. What could I say? I had been waiting for a confession this entire time, but now that I had one, I didn't want to believe it. Light just couldn't be Kira.

"Ryuzaki, there's no point in denying it. I'm too similar to Kira."

I bit my lip. I had fought so hard to prove him guilty before but now… now that I knew the real Light-kun, I didn't feel like we were enemies. I felt like we could be so much more. I just wasn't sure how. "Could you tell me in detail what your dream was about?" I asked, deciding to get to the point I wanted to make quickly.

"I… I was talking to Kira. He was telling me… " Light-kun's voice caught and he folded his head further down into his chest.

I held onto him, not daring to let him go, but also not daring to get any closer to him.

"He was telling me to…. Kill you. I told him that he should take… my worthless life instead. That was when he stepped from the shadows. He looked… He looked like me," Light's voice broke. "He told me to turn around and… and I did and I saw you… you were falling. I lunged, I caught you. You… you were dying. Ryuzaki, you were dying in my arms. And it was Kira- no, it was me who had killed you. Then… then later… He appeared again. He appeared and He told me He wanted me to do more. I tried to run away. I tried to hide but, He caught me. He held me. I begged Him to end my life but, He told me no. He told me that I had to do His bidding. He was holding me. He was forcing me to kill. He was forcing me…"

Light had begun to cry. His tears slipped down his cheeks and plopped onto the sheets of the bed. His body shook with quiet sobs.

Without thinking, I reached my arms out and hugged him. I held him close to me and let him cry on my shoulder. He remained frozen for a minute, assuming that I would back away, most likely. But when I didn't, Light leaned into my hug. He wrapped his arms around me and cried into my shoulder.

I didn't know how I could comfort him. I hoped that I was doing enough but I feared that there was something I should say to tell him how I felt. I thought that there must be some common words of comfort that would help.

But… that wasn't what Light needed. He didn't need someone average. He needed someone who understood him.

"Light-kun, I believe you are correct. You are, or were, Kira," I paused but Light remained in my arms. "Your subconscious is haunting you. Your Kira is haunting you. But, Light-kun, you are no longer Kira. Kira is a memory. Kira is a nightmare. Now, you want to stop Kira because Light Yagami is good. Light Yagami has the potential to do either great good or great evil. Same as everyone. Even I know that. I'm no longer sure I could convict you even if I had the evidence."

"Why?" Light croaked out.

"Because…" I hesitated. Did I really want to tell Light how I felt? Could I? "Because… I don't want to see you leave."

"I'm a murderer, L!" Light's head shot back and he stared intently into my eyes. "Don't you understand, L? I'm a murderer! A serial killer! A sociopath!"

"No," I said quietly but firmly. I looked directly into Light's gaze, challenging his ideas. "Kira is a murderer. Light Yagami is not. Light Yagami is my friend. I won't let my friend just die!"

"Friend?" Light-kun barked a laugh. "I thought that was a joke."

I felt a strange pain in my chest. I was angry, but more than that, I was hurt. "Yes, Light-kun. I care about you."

I released Light-kun's arms and turned my head away. I was about to stand when I felt him grab my wrist.

"Ryuzaki, please stay."

I turned back and looked at Light-kun. His eyes were covered by those carmel bangs that I always wanted to brush out of his eyes. I knelt curiously in front of him. Gently, I used my forefinger to lift the hair out of his eyes so I could see. His eyes were downcast, almost closed. I could see the residual dew-drop tears lingering on the corners of his eyes and the thin shining trails that ran down his cheeks.

"Ryuzaki," Light-kun whispered to me, "I- I care about you… too. That's why you need to detain me. I never want to hurt you like- like in my dream." Light-kun stared at his hands as though they might betray him.

"Light-kun, we are two super geniuses… I think we should be able to find a way to clear your name… To keep you… safe…" As I spoke to Light, I moved closer and closer to him. "I want to protect you because," I whispered, moving my head until I rested my head on Light's shoulder. I wrapped my arms around him and turned my head towards him until my lips barely brushed the edge of his cheek like the shadow of a kiss. "Because I can't lose you."

I felt Light tighten beneath my arms. I was about to pull away, thinking myself unwelcome, when I felt Light return my hug fiercely. I gasped with the sudden pressure on my back, but I quickly settled myself back onto Light. "I can't lose you either, Ryuzaki," he whispered in my ear.

I smiled, my eyes drooping downwards in contentment. "Thank you, Light-kun. Please… please stay."

Slowly, Light pushed me backwards. I almost felt betrayed but I could tell there was a reason other than rejecting me. I opened my eyes to look into his. He had a strange kind of determination written on his face. "Light-kun?" I breathed.

"Ryuzaki, I… I- yes. Yes, I want to stay with you."

My face lit up and I smiled at him. I felt my cheeks heat in a blush as Light returned my smile.

Then, Light leaned close to me, our faces moving closer and closer together. I held my breath, my heart was racing with adrenaline. I closed my eyes as our lips connected.

I felt a warm bubbling emotion rise within my chest. I clutched Light to me. His lips were warm and comforting. I felt safe as I held him to me. Light ran a hand through my tangled mass of hair. I kissed Light awkwardly but he didn't seem to mind, holding and guiding me to a way I could hold him comfortably.

I was lost in complete bliss. I hadn't realized how much I had desperately wished for Light's affection. Now that I had it, I felt completely elated.

After what felt like the best eternity of my life, we broke away to gasp for breath, smiling at each other as we pressed out foreheads together.

"Light," I whispered as we held onto each other, "I had no idea… Have you always… liked me?"

Light blushed, smiling at me as he spoke, "No, I disliked you for the longest time. But the longer we have been chained together, the more I have enjoyed your company. Then I started to love every time I noticed a new odd behaviour. I love watching you as you work towards solving the Kira case. I love seeing your mind work. A little while ago, I realized that I was in love with you but I didn't think that you would ever love me in a million years."

"Light," I said as I kissed him again, "I have to say that my feeling developed much the same."

"But, Ryuzaki, don't you still believe I'm Kira?"

I thought through my answer. It wasn't a simple 'yes' or 'no.' "I believe that you used to be Kira. I believe that now, you are Light Yagami. I think that you could become Kira again. I think that you could have his powers still even if they are dormant, but I do not think that you are Kira right now. And I plan on helping you at every corner so that you do not become Kira again.

Light buried his head in my shoulder, holding me close to him. I placed one hand on the back of his head and the other a wrapped around his back.

"Thank you, Ryuzaki. Thank you."

"Just… don't lead me to my death," I said only somewhat jokingly.

Light lifted his head, and kissed me again, "Would you please stay? I don't want to see Kira again tonight."

Light released me from his grasp and laid his head on his pillow. He looked up at me pleadingly. Normally I wouldn't concede because I had work to do and don't often require sleep, but the sweet look that Light gave me made me lay my head down next to Light's. "Okay, Light, I will stay for a couple hours but probably not the whole night."

"Okay," Light breathed, his eyes drooping closed, "I understand." He paused for just long enough that I thought he had fallen asleep before I heard him mumble, "and I like hearing you say just my name."

I blushed realizing that I had started to drop the honorifics.

"You do need to sleep, though, Ryuzaki."

I grumbled but closed my eyes nonetheless. I was comforted to sleep by the warmth of Light beside me. For once, I felt like there was someone else who was worth my time. I felt like I had someone who was able to complete me. I had found someone that I wanted to protect.

With my eyes barely open to see in the dark room, I leaned my head up so I could kiss Light's forehead, brushing his bangs out of his eyes, before I laid my head down on the pillow and fell asleep.

Notes: Please favorite or review if you liked it or if you have any suggestions for improvements. :)