Work Text:
When Light reached for his hand, L flinched instinctively. Light froze and looked up at him, worry painted on his features. L inwardly cursed at himself as he felt a wave of embarrassment go through him. He found it hard to speak as Light silently asked if he was okay. He stammered for a moment before shaking his head dismissively.
“It’s...alright,” he said, more to himself. He didn’t realize it but his entire body was tense, as if he were bracing himself. His hands were shaky as he rubbed his palms over his jeans, trying to get the texture to ground him. “I apologize. It’s important I let you know sudden physical contact startles me.”
The other’s worried expression was replaced by one of understanding. “Right.” Light responded softly, smiling a bit. “Would it be okay for me to touch you?”
“Right.”
Light reached for his hand, this time more slowly, his grip gentle around the other’s fingers. He noted how L’s hands were a lot warmer than he’d imagined and a lot softer too. He also noted how his slender fingers felt stiff intertwined with his own. He shifted his eyes to look up at him. “Hey,” he whispered. “It’s just me.”
It’s just you, L echoed in his head. “Right,” he whispered back. For some reason, it only made him more nervous, but it wasn’t bad. He didn’t know why but he tried his best to calm down. He mumbled under his breath, “It’s just you.”
The other nodded and felt relieved when L unstiffened, though he still felt a bit shaky. He hesitated to rub his thumb on his to help calm him down, but he didn’t know how he’d take it. He refrained from it but he still liked the idea.
Light held L’s hand as if he were made of glass as he painted with the bright blue polish. L’s eyes flickered from the tedious work over to Light’s face and he lingered on it for much longer than he’d like to admit. He quietly admired the amount of focus displayed in his expression, his slightly squinted eyes and bit lip making his heart beat a little louder in his ears. A vague smile formed on his lips. The other felt him staring and let out an amused huff.
“What is it?”
“Nothing.”
He knew it wasn’t nothing. He reluctantly pulled his gaze from him and struggled to keep it off him as he watched him carefully paint. “You’re rather focused.”
“Well, yeah. Gotta make sure the world’s greatest detective has the most high quality paint job. After all, it’s just what he deserves for all his hard work.” Light cooed, earning a snort from the other.
“Are you mocking me?”
Light smiled and looked up from his work, brown meeting gray. “Was it that obvious?”
“No shit. Even I caught on, of all people,” he joked. L’s vague smile became a bit more pronounced, forming into more of a playful smirk rather than a lovey-dovey doe-eyed grin. “You know, just because I confined you for over two months and have you handcuffed to me against your will, it doesn’t mean you can just run your mouth and bully me.”
“Oh? Really?” Light giggled, leaning in with his head tilted to the side and a cocked eyebrow. “Can’t the world’s greatest detective handle a bit of teasing?”
L hummed. He admired Light’s cute expression, but he kept that in his head, of course, never to be spoken out loud. “Only if I get to do it back.”
With that, Light leaned back, comically bringing a finger to his lip and looking up with his eyes closed to consider the deal thoroughly.
L continued, “It’s only fair.”
He felt like dragging it out and have L beg for it, which he thought would be pretty hilarious. The world’s greatest detective, the complete badass, whining just to get such a small, childish privilege? He stifled a laugh at the thought of it, but he didn’t wanna make him go through that. He sighed defeatedly.
“I suppose it is only fair.” He rolled his eyes when L chuckled pridefully. He choked up when he felt his heart flutter at the sound of his laughter. He swallowed before he spoke again. “Go easy on me.”
“Okay, Kira.”
Light held back a groan. “Is that supposed to be teasing?” His tone was more annoyed than he intended. He got back to focusing on L’s nails, eyebrows furrowing in irritation when he accidentally painted on the cuticle of his pinkie. “And I’m not Kira anyway, so that’s pretty weak.”
“You said to go easy on you just a moment ago, Light,” he shivered at the cold blue polish accidentally touching his skin. “But I’ll be meaner if you wish.”