SORRY! I didn't update when I said I would, but I do have a couple of good reasons why - I was ill and my internet crashed. At the same freaking time! My luck realy hates me; it holds for AGES, and then dumps two things on me at once. But, I have updated now, with the epilogue, and the final chapter of this story :O I managed to write a short story! With plot and everything!

And yes, you read the title correctly. Just wait - all will be explained eventually.

Also, I have something I need a little help with; see the AN at the bottom for details.

If I owned Death Note, the plot would have been based around the hot boylove! Therefore, we must conclude that I don't own Death Note :(

Light suddenly found that his arms were full of a wild detective, who gripped his shoulders as though the world would end if he dared to let go. His hands were restricted by the many wires sticking out of them, but Light hugged back as best he could, though his body felt so incredibly heavy. The feeling of being able to touch things and not have fall through him would take some getting used to, but Light thought that he could handle it if he was being embraced by L.

"Are you alright? Is there anything you need?" L asked, his voice concerned and slightly unsteady.

"Can I have some water?" Light requested, his throat sore and his voice raspy.

"Of course," L said, quickly moving away, though Light was reluctant to let him go. Light wasn't sure when he had stopped thinking of L as Ryuzaki, but he didn't mind. The plastic cup of water L handed him was cold – deliciously so, and Light nearly choked as he tried to swallow it as quickly as possible. He glanced up, meeting L's wide eyes; they were a strange blend of confused, worried and relieved.

"Didn't realise that it was that serious," Light joked weakly, his voice still slightly hoarse with disuse. L didn't appear to appreciate his attempt at humour.

"Light, the doctors told us that you were likely going to die today, of course it was serious," L sounded chiding, disapproving, but Light knew exactly how afraid he'd been.

"She wasn't kidding, then," Light murmured, thinking of Wicked and the rather disturbing idea that if he hadn't decided to follow L, he would likely be dead by now.

"What was that?" L asked, looking concerned. Light panicked for a second, not having realised that he had spoken aloud. L must think him insane; after all, Light was still having a tough time believing what had happened to him, and he could remember it all with perfect clarity. However, L had never seen Wicked, and had no idea that she even existed.

"Oh, it was nothing," Light lied smoothly, keeping eye contact with L, surprisingly with only minimal guilt.

"Light, I'd say that there is a ninety four percent chance that you are hiding something from me right now," L replied calmly. "Now, unless you want me to take advantage of your inability to move and tickle it out of you, I would suggest that you tell me what it is."

"It's a bit of a long story," Light said, effectively dodging the question. L looked suspicious, but reluctantly dropped the subject.

"Alright, I suppose you can tell me later," L sighed. "After all, no doubt Watari has already informed the other task members that you are awake now."

"Wait, what?" Light asked, sounding panicked, even as the door burst open and his father stormed in, marching right over to the bed and pulling Light into his arms.

"I was so worried, son," Soichiro muttered, his grip enough that Light was sure he was going to have bruises by the morning.

"How long was I out?" Light asked, though he knew very well that he had been unconscious for three days. Still, that wasn't something that he should know, so he thought that he should ask for the sake of keeping up appearances. He also knew how much his mysterious ailment must have worried his father – especially when taking into consideration the death note – but at that moment, Light wanted nothing more than to be left alone with L. It seemed that they would have much to discuss.

"Three days, son. The doctors were saying that if you didn't wake up today..." Soichiro trailed off, not realising that Light realised the danger far better than his father ever could. Light had already resolved to tell no one but L exactly what had happened; he doubted that anyone but L would believe him, regardless of the fact that the task force were already well aware of the presence of shinigami.

"I understand, dad," Light said quietly, not quite daring to meet his father's eyes.

"Yagami-san, perhaps it would be best if you allowed Light to sleep for a short while. Though he has been unconscious, I am sure that he is exhausted and would appreciate the rest," L interjected smoothly. Light's father opened his mouth, looking as though he would argue fiercely before the anger faded from his face, and his shoulders slumped in submission.

"Of course, you're probably right, Ryuzaki," he admitted, embracing his son once more. "I'll come back when you feel up to having visitors," he promised Light as he left, shutting the door quietly behind him.

"Thank you," Light said gratefully to L.

"That's quite alright. I expect your father will stop the other task force members coming to disturb you," L said calmly, and Light wondered how he had never before noticed what an excellent actor the detective was. Had he not heard L's earlier confession, he would have never guessed that the detective harboured feelings for him. Or even that he harboured feelings at all a lot of the time.

"I hope so. There was something I needed to talk to you about," Light started nervously, staring at his hands.

"Light, if this is about the case, then you needn't bother. The shinigami has returned to her world, and..."

"I know, L. I was here, I heard her," Light interrupted, still studiously staring at the way his hands were twisted together on the sheets.

"You were... how is that possible?" Light got the strange feeling that he should be enjoying L's look of helpless confusion a lot more than he actually was – he shook it off.

"Like I said, it's a bit of a long story," Light started. L raised a slightly sceptical eyebrow.

"We have time," he stated calmly, and Light knew that it wasn't a good idea to stat arguing with him. After all, he had no idea whether the man would spare him just because he was currently bed-ridden.

Light took a deep breath and started his explanation.

It took an hour and a half for Light to feel certain that he had finally managed to tell L everything that he knew, remembered and had guessed about what had happened to him. Everything but one small detail.

"So what was it?" L asked, leaning forward eagerly. "What was the reason in the end?" Light swallowed hard – he knew he need all of his courage for this one, small action.

Light stretched across the three-inch gap between them, pressing his lips to L's with all of the force he was capable of. Which, admittedly, wasn't very much at the present time, but Light thought that L seemed to get the message, if the way the detective gripped his hair to drag him closer was anything to go by. L's lips tasted of desperation, love and marshmallows, and Light smiled at the taste that was wholly L.

If anyone had thought to ask him later on, Light would never have been able to tell them how long he had spent kissing L on his almost-deathbed, but he thought that it must have been quite a while. Well, the only measure of the time passed he had was the thundering of hearts and harsh breathing as they finally pulled away.

"I almost didn't realise," Light murmured between gulping breaths, his forehead resting against L's. "It was so close...and then I heard you talking to me, and I just knew."

"I came so close to losing you, the man I love, and you were sitting there, eavesdropping on me," L muttered, burying his face in Light's hair, letting out a harsh laugh. "Only you, Light Yagami, only you."

"Carry on like that, and I might see if I can find another reason," Light growled.

"Oh? What was the reason? You never actually said; you just attacked me." There was a mischievous glint in L's stormy eyes – rather than intimidating Light as it would others, he grinned, rising to the unspoken challenge.

"I had to tell you that I love you."

"What would you have done if he hadn't figured it out?" Ryuk asked Wicked as they both stared down at the human world from the shinigami realm. Ryuk, though he insisted he didn't give a damn, had been staring avidly at the human he had tailed for so long, leaving Rem and Wicked wondering if was secretly some sort of godly-pervert.

"I was sort of counting on him figuring it out," Wicked said, smiling sheepishly.

"Yeah, but you can't kill anyone," Ryuk argued, quickly picking out the major flaw in the plan she and her people had hatched.

"No, but you can. You could have done something about it, if I promised to get you apples," Wicked offered with a grin.

"Now why would I do that?" Ryuk asked, his interest captured again by the two human boys he was watching. Wicked and Rem's eyebrows shot up as they saw what he was staring at, the two goddesses exchanging mildly disturbed glances

"Humans are just so much fun!"

Oh, Ryuk... *shakes head* He's a hopeless case, I swear.

Alright, here is what I need help with; PLOT BUNNY! I have been bitten, but I do not have the time (or enough of a plot) to actually write it. So I thought 'I'll post it here! Then someone else might be inspired to write it!' So, here it is;

The Shinigami are a coven of vampires; proper, gothic-type vampires. Not that I have anything against Twilight-type vampires (I am a ridiculous fangirl) but I don't really think it would fit with Death Note vibe. Ryuk, a bored vampire, decides to change a human for a laugh - unfortunately for Light Yagami, he was in the wrong place at the wrong time. He is changed, and though slightly horrified by what he has become, decides that if he has to kill to survive, then he will try and do something good with that. Using the alias Kira, he drains only criminals, leaving the word 'Kira' written nearby (in blood? I dunno.) Of course, the mysterious deaths are soon noticed, and the famous detective L is called in. It would be great if we could get some LxLight in there, but I don't really mind.

I JUST HAD TO GET THE DAMN PLOT BUNNY OFF MY CHEST, ALRIGHT?

What do you think? Would it make a good story? Does anyone want to write it? Please do!!!

Also, please leave a review :)