Chapter Text
The sun dipped low over the city, painting the buildings in golden hues and casting long, soft shadows. L hurried along, gripping the straps of his backpack tightly. He wore a short denim overall, the kind he loved, with a white t-shirt underneath. He knew he looked adorable… but he wasn’t doing it for anyone other than Mikami.
His heart pounded—not from nerves, but from pure excitement. After countless tries, awkward conversations, and uncomfortable silences, Mikami had finally agreed to go out with him. Not because he was in love—L knew that—but maybe, just maybe, with enough persistence, Mikami would start to see him differently.
– I just want him to look at me the way I look at him… – L whispered, a soft smile on his lips.
Lost in his thoughts, he didn’t look before crossing the street.
He didn’t hear the roar of the engine.
Or the shout of warning.
A crash. A dull thud. And then, nothing.
₍^. .^₎⟆...
The first sound he heard was a roar—not of an engine, but of war.
L’s eyes snapped open. The sky was choked with smoke, screams, and flames. The air reeked of iron, dirt, and despair. He lay sprawled on the ground, covered in dust and superficial wounds. His short overall and white t-shirt were stained, torn in places. Confusion wrapped around him like an icy grip.
– Where… am I? – he whispered, struggling to sit up.
It was too real to be a dream. His body ached, his hands trembled. He was in the middle of a battlefield. Men in tunics, armor, and wielding swords… What the hell was going on?
An arrow whizzed inches from his head.
L shielded his face, terrified. His lips quivered, his mind blank, alone, lost—
– WATCH OUT!
A deep, commanding voice boomed nearby. In an instant, someone threw themselves over him, shielding him. L felt the warmth of their body, their ragged breathing, a strong arm holding him tightly. The sound of an arrow striking a shield made him flinch.
– Are you hurt? – the voice asked.
L opened his eyes slowly. The man protecting him was tall, sun-bronzed, with messy brown hair whipped by the wind and a scar on his right cheekbone that made him look fierce. But his eyes—golden, like honey glowing at sunset—captured L completely.
– W-who are you? – L stammered, still trembling.
The man smiled—not arrogantly, but with an unexpected tenderness, as if he saw something precious.
– I’m Light. And I won’t let anyone hurt you, even if I don’t know who you are or where you came from.
Light stood, still shielding him with his shield, and offered a hand. Dazed, L grabbed it, clinging to that warm, steady palm like it was the only real thing in the chaos.
With no effort, Light lifted him into his arms, holding him against his chest as if he were the most valuable thing in that field of death.
– Don’t be afraid… You’re safe now. I’ll protect you, I swear on my life.
In that moment, nestled against Light’s chest, hearing the steady beat of his heart, L knew something inside him had changed forever.
The battlefield roared with fury, but L barely registered it. His senses were clouded by fear, confusion, and the surrealness of it all. His heart had never pounded this hard—not even when Mikami replied to his first message.
Light carried him like he was made of glass, firm yet impossibly gentle. Every step was a defiance of the chaos. His red cape billowed, his shield blocked attacks, his sword struck with lethal precision… but he never let go. Not for a second.
L clung to the warrior’s neck, trembling. He didn’t understand anything. Why was there a guy dressed like a Spartan? Why was he saving him? Where was Mikami? Why was his heart racing like this?
– Hang on a little longer – Light murmured, dodging a projectile that grazed his armor. – We’re almost there.
The world crumbled around them, but that deep voice anchored him. L wanted to cry, but he didn’t. He held on, because it was all he had.
₍^. .^₎⟆...
The camp was a cluster of large tents, red and gold banners fluttering in the wind, with armed soldiers standing guard. When Light strode in, everyone froze. The commander had returned… and he carried a strange boy, dressed like no one in this world.
– Bring water and bandages! – Light ordered, his voice firm.
The soldiers obeyed instantly. L was gently placed on a pile of soft blankets inside a spacious tent. For the first time since waking in that chaos, his body relaxed—just a little.
Light knelt before him, meeting his gaze.
– Are you hurt? – he asked, scanning for any sign of injury.
– I… don’t think so – L mumbled, still in shock.
Light frowned.
– Your knee’s bleeding.
L glanced down. A small scrape on his leg, just where the overall ended. Not serious, but it stung.
Without a word, Light grabbed a bowl of water and a clean cloth. He soaked the cloth and, with surprisingly gentle hands, cleaned the wound carefully.
– Ow… – L flinched, pulling his leg back slightly from the sting.
– Sorry – Light said with a faint smile. – I don’t want to hurt you, but we need to clean it properly.
L watched in silence as Light tended to him. Those steady, careful fingers weren’t what he expected from a scarred warrior. When he finished, Light blew softly on the wound, as if to ease the burn.
– There. You’re safe here.
L stared at him. For a moment, he didn’t think about Mikami, his city, or the accident. Only those golden eyes, gazing at him with a tenderness he couldn’t comprehend but made him feel protected.
– Who… are you, really? – L asked quietly.
Light lowered his guard slightly.
– I’m the commander of this unit. I’ve lived in war as long as I can remember… But you don’t belong here, do you?
L bit his lip, looking away.
– I… don’t know where I am.
Light leaned closer, his voice soft, like a shared secret.
– Wherever you’re from, you’re not alone. By the way, what’s your name?
– L. I’m L.
For the first time that day, L felt like he wanted to stay.
₍^. .^₎⟆...
Night fell quickly over the camp, the air filled with the crackle of campfires, laughter, and the sound of swords being sharpened. But inside the main tent, it was quieter… warmer.
L, wrapped in a soft blanket, still wore his modern overall, slightly dirty but intact. Light sat across from him, arms crossed, his bright eyes fixed on L’s face.
– So… you’re saying you come from a place without empires or wars like this? – Light asked, a playful smile tugging at his lips.
L nodded, fidgeting with the edge of the blanket.
– Sort of… There are wars, but not like this. We have cars, phones, the internet… – He paused, noticing Light’s utter confusion. – Do you know what a phone is?
Light shook his head, still smiling.
– A small sword?
L let out a soft laugh.
– No… it’s a device for talking to people, sending messages, watching things on a screen…
Light stared, captivated, as if every word was magic. He propped his elbow on an improvised table, resting his chin in his hand, studying L closely.
– You’re so strange… – he murmured.
– Thanks, I guess – L replied, a bit awkward but holding his gaze.
– I didn’t mean it as an insult. I like it. You talk oddly, walk oddly, dress oddly… but there’s something about you that’s fascinating.
L looked down, feeling heat rise to his cheeks. He wasn’t used to anyone talking to him like this—not even Mikami.
– Sorry – L said at last. – I don’t know why I’m here. I got hurt… I was on my way to a date, and…
Light raised an eyebrow.
– A date?
– Yeah. A guy… Mikami. I’ve liked him for a long time. It took so much to get that date… – L gave a sad smile. – But I don’t know if I made it.
A brief silence settled between them. Light glanced at the fire, then back at him.
– I don’t know how you ended up here – Light said, his voice serious, – but you landed in the middle of a war. I could’ve left you behind… but something stopped me.
– What was it? – L asked.
Light’s smile burned and soothed all at once.
– Your eyes. I saw you, and I couldn’t look away.
L swallowed, nervous but rooted to the spot.
– I don’t know what to think – he admitted. – This all terrifies me. I don’t know if I’m dead, dreaming, or trapped in some hallucination.
– You’re not dead. You feel too real – Light said, leaning closer. – And if this is a dream, I don’t want to wake up.
The silence between them wasn’t awkward—it was intimate. As if their souls were slowly recognizing each other.
Light reached out, gently tucking a stray lock of hair behind L’s forehead. His touch was soft, patient… protective.
– I promise you something, L – he said. – As long as you’re here, I’ll do everything in my power to keep you safe.
L nodded, looking down, his heart racing. He didn’t understand how he could feel so safe with someone he’d just met.
But he did.
And in that moment, in a war-torn camp under a sky of unfamiliar stars, L felt less alone than he ever had.