Title: Caged Birds Sing
Rating: M
Pairing: Light/L, L/Light, plus one-sided side pairing
Warnings: smut, angst, noncon
Summary: L visits Light in confinement, but he wants to do more than just talk.

Chapter One: Caged Hearts

"Well I guess I'm done for the night," Matsuda said, grabbing his bag and heading towards the door. "Goodnight, Ryuuzaki."

L waved absently over his shoulder, not bothering with giving a verbal response. Matsuda had been the last one to leave headquarters the night, leaving L to watch the monitors alone. There was three monitors situated in front of him all showing a different screen.

One was the girl L suspected of being the second serial killer going by the name "Kira". Misa Amane was bound in an upright position and gagged in order to keep her from biting her tongue. L looked at her for he briefest of seconds, showing no sympathy whatsoever.

The next monitor was Police Chief Soichiro Yagami. He had volunteered for his confinement. L wouldn't consider himself to be particular close to the man, in fact the police chief was really only a means to reaching L's desired end, the capture of Kira. L wasn't a sociable person, in fact was more or less a recluse. But he was a driven person, and he did not mind playing nice with others if it helped his cause. The police chief was really nothing more than a pawn, but considering the situation, out of all the prisoners it should have been Soichiro who gained L's sympathy, yet the detective once again gave only a brief look with no sympathy.

The last monitor showed a boy. The teenage genius suspected as being the first Kira, Light Yagami. He was the chief's son and L's rival and friend. Well he would be if L wasn't too prideful to admit that the boy's knowledge and cunning was on par with his own and if L ever had use for a friend. L looked the longest at this monitor. Even though L had told Light he considered him to be his only friend, L did not trust him at all. Light had also volunteered for his confinement, claiming the possibility of him being Kira without knowing it. There really was very little doubt in L's mind that Light was Kira, yet the young Yagami was the only one L could muster up any sympathy for. Why of all of them did he only sympathize with Light?

L watched the boy pacing his cell. He was the only one still awake at such a late hour. He walked back in forth across the small room, looking deceptively innocent and quite vulnerable. L would not hesitate in calling Light Yagami a vain man who invested too much time and took too much pride in his look. But the Light Yagami on the screen had unkempt cinnamon hair and tired looking caramel eyes. His clothes were wrinkled from having been slept in and there was a chance of him developing permanent wrinkles because of his frowning face. The boy in the cell was a far cry from the teen L had first observed on hidden cameras in the boy's bedroom. Maybe it was seeing such a different side of the boy that did it, or maybe he was just feeling lonely. Whatever it was, L felt the sudden urge to talk to the boy. Not over the speakers, either, but face to face. He stood quickly as if to not allow his nerve to falter and, with one last look, he turned the monitor to Light's cell off. Without thinking about it, cause he knew if he did think about it his brain would tell him how stupid he was being, he headed down to see the boy.

Light was still pacing his cell when L reached the small room where he was being kept. "Light," L said, "may I have a word"

Light looked up in surprise at L's sudden arrival. He stared at the older male for a moment, before walking over to the bars so that he was only inches from the eccentric little sugar addict. "What is it Ryuuzaki?" he said the name as if it was something toxic.

"I just wanted to see how you're doing," L lied easily, because he really had no idea as what had brought him down there.

"And you couldn't do that over the monitors?"

"I wanted to talk to you as well."

"What? Did the speakers brake or something?"

"Can't I have a conversation with you face to face?"

"The moment I get out of here we can talk face to fist," Light snapped.

"Why are you so cranky, Light?" L asked.

The young Yagami sighed. "Sorry, but you'd be cranky too if you were locked up and being watched for over twenty-four hours."

"You did volunteer for this." L stated.

Light sighed again. "I only wanted to prove I'm not Kira. I didn't think it would be so nerve wrecking."

L looked at the boy. Light had known from the beginning that his confinement wouldn't be easy so why was he contradicting himself now. Putting that thought aside he said, "You look pretty lonely in there. Want some company?" He reached in his pocket and took out the keys to Light's cell.

"Won't whomever is watching the monitors have something to say about that?" Light asked quizzically.

"Everyone from Task Force is gone for the evening and even if they returned I turned off your monitor."

"And if they turn it back on."

L sighed. "Then I'll make an excuse for my being here. Do you want my company or not?"

Light shrugged strolling away from the bars. "Do whatever you want."

L opened the door to Light's cell and let himself in closing it after him. He looked around the cell before letting his eyes settle on the boy standing opposite him. Light's hands were cuffed behind his back and he was barefoot. The two of them said nothing for a while until Light finally spoke, "Why is it that you insist on believing I'm Kira?" he asked.

"Because it's the most logical solution and it's the only way it makes sense." L stated.

"The only way what makes sense? Ryuuzaki, you don't make sense."

"What I mean is that every clue points to you. I just don't know how you do it."

"Did it ever occur to, Ryuuzaki, the reason you don't know how I'm doing it is because I'm not the one doing it. I am not Kira."

"In order for me to truly believe that, all you have to do is prove me wrong." L stated simply. "Prove me wrong. Prove that my logic is flawed. Prove that I'm missing a clue that will point the investigation away from you. Prove to me that you're innocent. You're so sure you're not Kira, then prove it."

"Tell me how and I will," Light replied, he rushed across the cell so fast and menacingly L had to back away until he pressed against a wall. He would later wonder how he'd allowed the other boy to frighten him so, even though L was not truly afraid of him. "Tell me how to prove my innocence and I'll do it," Light said.
"Whatever you want, just tell me and I'll do it."

L sighed. "Right now there is nothing for you to do other than staying here and surviving confinement. That will be all you can do until I find reason to release you."

"That's all I've been doing! Sitting in this little cell allowing you guys to watch my every move, accepting that you don't trust me. That's all the hell I've been doing. It's not enough anymore is it? You're never going to let me out are you? You like being able to watch me! You like making me feel like a bird in a cage."

"That's not true, Light. I want to let you free as much as you want to be free. Really I do."

"Really, huh? Then why don't I believe you? What do you care if I'm kept in this cell for the rest of my life? Until I some how die in here and then you'll be like 'oops you know he was innocent right, I just didn't want to let him go'?"

"That would never happen Light."

"How can you be so sure? How can you be sure that I won't be in this cage forever?"

"Because as long as you are in this cage, my heart will be in a cage of its own," L blurted out.

L didn't know where those words came from, but he knew they were the truth. He, also, hadn't meant to say them aloud, but it was too late since he couldn't take back his words now, so he continued. "A long as you're in confinement my feelings for you will be confined as well. Only you're going to eventually be let out, my feelings will never be set free. Well they weren't supposed to be anyway. My point is, I want you out of here, because it breaks my heart seeing you like this." L understood why he'd felt the urge to speak to Light now, but part of him wished he'd stayed up in the monitoring room.

"What the hell are you talking about?" Light asked.

"Are you an idiot or something?" L snapped, his patience had run out at his own foolishness, so he had no desire to watch Light play the fool as well. "Can't you see that I love you." And for the second time that night L acted without thinking. Light still had him backed up against the wall so it was a simple matter for him to press his lips against those of the startled Yagami boy.

Light only hesitated for a brief second before kissing him back, which startled Ryuuzaki because it was the last thing he had expected. Once the kiss finally ended Light said, "I am not and idiot." then he backed away leaving L confused against the wall.

"Did you just kiss me back?" L asked once he'd finally regained some of his senses.

"Did you just kiss me period?" Light shot back.

"Yes, I admit I acted a bit rash and without thinking but, I hadn't expected you to kiss me back."

"Are you an idiot or something?" Light asked the very question L had asked him. "What else are you suppose to do when the person you like kisses you?"

Again Light had caught L off guard. "What did you just say?" L asked dumbfounded.

"Do I really need to repeat myself, Ryuuzaki? I'm sure you heard me the first time."

L said nothing for a second, and then he finally said, "I have to go. I can't leave the monitors unattended for so long." And with that he turned and left the cell, closing and locking it after him.

Light watch L leaving. Why had he kissed him back? Surely he didn't really like him. Or maybe he did? Light wasn't sure.

L returned to the room with the monitors, after turning Light's back on, he glanced at the other two. Misa Amane seemed to be having a bad dream; she was twitching around and mumbling something incoherent. Yagami Chief was sleeping soundly.

Then his gaze drifted to Light. The boy seemed to be thinking about something. L smiled; Light's words playing over and over in his head. There was no sympathy on his face this time. Just pure love. He was happy because his Light liked him.