--

"Nothing can drown out the sound and the whisper of my love." –How The Day Sounds, Greg Laswell

--

Light was sitting in front of the open window, the breeze twirling his auburn locks around his face. A small smile lit his lips, the glow of the sunset illuminating his features. A petal from the rose bushes below was blown upward and through the window, spiraling through the air and brushing Light on the nose before falling onto the man's pant leg.

L sat down next to him, plucking the colorful thing off of Light's jeans. He lifted the soft red petal to his lips, looking up at Light lovingly as he gave it a tender kiss. Closing his eyes and holding it to his lips a moment more, L let go of the petal and opened his eyes to watch it circle through the air and away.

His smile spreading further, Light leaned over and pressed his lips against L's, feeling the leftover traces of the flower. Both shut their eyes, drinking in the feel of skin on skin.

They parted slowly, eyelids fluttering open. They watched each other in silence, their gazes heated with passion; no words were necessary.

"I love you," Light whispered.

"I love you too," L whispered back.

Wrapping their arms around each other, they turned back to the window to watch the sun fall through the pink and orange hues of the sky.

"Light-kun," L murmured, "Out of curiosity… Why do you have such an odd window?"

"This house used to be owned by an artist, who had it built in," Light explained, "When I asked him about it, he said the view inspired him."

Looking out of the window, a contemplative expression crossed L's face.

I believe I'm being inspired…

--

"A novel?" asked Light in surprise, raising an eyebrow.

"Yes… I believe I can do it," said L, nodding and opening his laptop. He turned it on, the machine giving a soft hum as the screen lit up. "I used to drabble in writing, but went on to engineering because I thought it wouldn't make a good career… Besides, how hard could it be?"

"You probably just insulted writers the world over," Light said jokingly, sitting next to L on the couch.

"As though they'll ever know I said it."

"So, what's it about?" asked Light, leaning on L's shoulder to get a better view of the computer screen.

Opening a writing program, L looked straight up at Light. "I can't tell you, Light-kun. You could steal my idea."

Light scoffed, turning to face L with an annoyed expression. "Are you kidding?"

"No. Anyway, even if I can maybe trust you, you aren't going to be told." L tweaked Light's nose, then turned back to his computer screen. "You'll have to wait until it's published."

Rubbing his nose, Light frowned. "But why?"

"Because it's a surprise," said L. "Now stop reading over my shoulder."

"There's not even anything written yet," Light protested.

"That's because you refuse to stop reading over my shoulder. Now move away." Light did so, and L began to type. "Thank you."

Light considered sneaking a look at L's writing, but changed his mind and went outside. When he came back in, holding a pile of envelopes, L was halfway through his outline.

Sitting back down on the couch, making sure to stay a decent distance from L and his laptop, Light began to flip through the letters. "Bill, bill, bill… Hello." He lifted an envelope that smelled of perfume out of the stack. "It's a letter from Misa."

"Ignore it," said L, not looking up.

"It could be important," said Light, eyeing it wearily. His hands twitched to the seal, then back; read it, or don't?

L looked up to Light, staring firmly into the man's eyes. "Ignore it, Light-kun."

Hesitating, Light glanced at the man next to him. At last, he nodded and tossed it aside. "You're right."

The letter fell to the ground, and stayed there.

--

Five months later, and L and Light had moved in together. L had recently finished his novel, and was waiting for the response from the publisher he had sent it to. Still he refused to tell Light what it was about, and Light impatiently waited for someone to publish it so he could read it. Another three and a half months, and Light was considering asking L to let him read it, before he simply lost interest.

But then the first letter came back; a kindly put rejection letter.

L stared at it quietly, and Light squeezed his shoulder reassuringly. "It's only the first letter."

He sent it out again. Two months later, another letter came. Again L's novel had been rejected. He sent it to a different publisher, but another rejection letter came, then another, and then another…

Frustrated and disappointed, L took to staring at his words on his computer screen.

Light was getting annoyed. "L, please stop moping."

"Light-kun," L said slowly, "You do not understand."

"So the first novel you've ever written got some rejection letters," Light said angrily, "Big deal! You can't just give up on your life like this!"

"I do not enjoy being told I'm not good enough," L spat. He shut his computer and left to the kitchen to get some cake.

"Oh, no, you don't… Come back here!" Light chased after him, grabbing L by the shoulder. "You are good enough."

"You haven't even read my work," said L, not turning to look at him.

"That's not exactly my fault, now, is it?" Light shot back. Taking a calming breath, he continued, "I know you, L. You're good enough. You're better than good enough. I know it, and you should realize it too!" When L didn't say anything, Light kept talking. "These publishers are just thinking about profit, and what attracts audiences. It's not your writing!"

"How can you suggest that it's my subject that gets rejected when you haven't read it?" L said again, turning to glare at the brunette holding onto him.

"Well, what else could it possibly be?!" Light yelled back, hands on his hips.

"Maybe it hasn't occurred to you," L muttered coldly, clenching his fists, "But there's always the possibility that I am not any good."

"You're overreacting," Light insisted, "Being rejected doesn't mean you're no good. I can't count how many times I've tried to drive this into your head, but…" Light put his hands on L's shoulders, loving resolve filling his eyes. "You are amazing."

The sound of a truck pulling in front of the house broke through the sudden stillness.

Light glanced back. "It's the mail…"

"I'm going into the kitchen," L declared, turning around and walking away.

Taking a piece of cake, a fork, and a seat, L ate his sugar in silence. After a minute, Light stepped up behind him hesitantly, holding out a brown envelope. "…It's for you."

Staring at it for a moment, L put down his fork and grabbed the envelope. Standing, he walked away from Light to open it a bit more privately. Light stayed where he was, waiting in silence.

Slipping his finger underneath a small opening in the seal, L opened it gradually. When the top of the package was fully ripped through, he grabbed the edge of the paper inside and pulled it out.

Holding it in his shaking hands, L flipped open the letter, and read the first few sentences.

Suddenly, L whipped his head around, eyes wide. "Light-kun."

Light's eyebrows rose. "L?"

"Light-kun," L repeated, dropping the letter to the ground and striding over to his lover. Reaching upward, he took Light's face in his hands, a smile growing on his lips. "Light-kun…"

"You did it," Light whispered, his eyes brightening.

"I did it," L murmured happily, pushing his lips against Light's passionately.

Fisting L's hair, Light kissed back, pulling the now published author in closer. L moved his hands to wrap his arms around Light's waist, lifting the man into the air. Light laughed, and L spun them around, the pair twirling together in joy. Bringing the brunette back to the ground, L slowed them to a stop, leaning in to whisper in Light's ear.

"Thank you," he said softly.

Light grinned. "I told you so."

--

L looked up as a book was slammed in front of him on the table. Staring at the cover, recognizing it to be his own work, his eyes followed the arm that had thrown down the book up to the currently angry and unbelieving face. "Is something wrong, Light-kun?"

"L." Light's eyebrow twitched as he barely restrained himself. "What made you write this?"

Blinking, L asked, "Did you not like it, Light-kun?"

"I do not enjoy recognizing myself in the description of a character whose only job is being the love interest." Running a hand through his hair, Light gritted his teeth in irritation. Blood rushed to his cheeks as he muttered, "Especially a love interest that appears in multiple, highly descriptive sex scenes…"

"You inspire me, Light-kun," said L, tilting his head to the side innocently. "And you are not only a love interest. You are also the coworker who is competing with the main character."

"Yeah, for four chapters!" Light groaned and fell onto the couch next to L, horribly embarrassed. "People will recognize me in the street as 'the guy from that homoerotic novel'…"

"You'll be a huge hit at parties, Light-kun."

Light turned to L with a deadpan expression. "Super."

"But other than that, did you like it, Light-kun?" L's face was blank, but Light could see anxiety in his eyes.

Light's frown turned into a smile, and L's anxiety disappeared. "It was absolutely brilliant. I was right—you are a wonderful writer."

L gave a sigh of relief, and Light added, "But don't write about me again."

"I don't know, Light-kun," said L, "My editor is asking for a sequel…"

Light laughed, and L just stared at him silently. Light stopped laughing. "Are you… serious?"

"Readers love the brunette with the amber eyes, Light-kun," said L in all seriousness. "They want more of him. Say he seems real. I believe you have become the fantasy man of nearly all my readers."

"Aughhh…" Light held his head in his hands, getting a sudden headache.

"But don't worry, Light-kun," said L reassuringly, "Since I used a pen name, no one will know it's actually you."

"Yeah, I noticed that," said Light, lifting his head. "'Ryuzaki'? Isn't that…?"

"Yes," L said quickly, "It is the name I used when I pretended to be a detective."

"No, no," said Light, grinning, "I believe you told me it was actually the name of a certain butler's cute little—"

"No," L said firmly. "No it is not."

"Fine, fine," said Light, waving it off. He leaned back into the sofa cushions, sighing as the soft pillows untied the knots in his shoulders.

"And by the way," Light murmured, "I love the title."

"Thank you, Light-kun," said L, propping his feet up on the table next to their copy of Casements.

-- the end --

Author's Notes: And that, as I just stated above... Is the end.

I hope you enjoyed it. Thank you for reading, and please leave your opinion in a review.

Side notes:

Casements are windows. Just in case you didn't know. Didn't want to leave any confusion.

There is a sequal in the works... Well, I'm considering making one, anyway, and the idea is forming in my mind. If I do write it, it will be called "Rollerskates". I hope you'll take a look if it shows up!

Anyway, again, thank you for reading. I really hope you liked it.