Work Text:
The heatwave has winded down, leaving the usual pleasant warmth that England sits in. The sun’s out, a rare sight.
Light stands on the back porch of their house. He can hear the laughter of children playing in the sun. Why did he ever give this life up?
HIs father always said that he felt guilty for staying at work as much as he did. Yet, seeing his family was enough to melt the feeling away.
I don’t want kids, but L makes me feel bet- no Light, you don’t think like that.
Light steps back inside the house through the sliding door. The scent of dish soap lingers from when he washed the dishes that had been building up in the sink.
“L, come on. The sun’s out. Let’s go on a walk,” Light leans into the office and L slowly climbs out of his chair. Light knows this would pull him out of the cave of an office they share.
“Alright.” L makes a face as he puts his shoes on. Light smiles and looks away. “Don’t laugh at my suffering.”
“I’m not.”
Light walks alongside L as they walk the grounds of Wammy’s House. The humidity has gotten worse but it’s not the end of the world.
A round of rain is slowly creeping up on them. It’ll be alright.
In the distance, the sound of a bell. One that Light can hear.. He still doesn’t understand what L meant by “the tolling bells.”
A stray cat is curled up in the dirt. L crouches down to give it a pet. It’s well fed. The kids from the orphanage can’t resist feeding the thing.
Roughly a mile from their house, L speaks up.
“I need a break. Let’s stop at that bench.” L is already sitting down and waiting for Light to join him.
A picnic sounds nice.
“We should have a picnic tomorrow. The forecasts say it will be nice out.” Light turns to face L. He doesn’t like turning his back to him anymore. He’s gotten better about caring for himself but it’s still risky.
“As long as it’s not too wet from the rain. Wet grass is uncomfortable.”
L gets a look on his face, one that speaks of mischief. He raises a hand a places it on Light’s shoulder. “Tag.”
Then he takes off running.
Light is stunned. He wants to play tag?
“You can’t get me!”
Fuck it.
Light pushes himself off the bench and starts running toward where L ran off. He catches up and gets L back. “Haha!”
L turns on his foot suddenly and starts to reach for Light.
That’s when the patter of rain against concrete starts to be heard. They both freeze as it starts pouring on them. Light feels a hand on his back and L’s voice saying tag.
Light sprints toward L and gets hold of his arm. L smacks him on the chest next and takes off. He’s faster than he looks.
But his good luck is going to run out.
L slips on the wet grass and tumbles down the hill. HIs shirt is muddy and soaked through. He’s only just seen L take the tumble before he’s sliding down as well. But the scene that greets him is hilarious. He cannot contain his laughter from the sight of L sitting indignified in the mud.
“I haven’t laughed like that in a while.” Light sits next to L in the mud. “You look like a wet cat.”
“I feel like a wet cat.”
“Maybe if you let me cut that matted hair of yours, you’d feel better.”
“No.”
“Alright then. Suffer.”
Light does his best to not stare but the memories of that day in the rain flicker in his mind.
L looked so beautiful that day. The rain-soaked clothes clung to his skin. The white fabric looked transparent as glass. His hair was shiny with rain. Eyes looked blue against the grey rain clouds.
L looks just as beautiful now. Covered in mud and soaked through.
“Why are you staring like that?” Light’s thoughts get interrupted by the voice of L. He, yet again, is looking confused at him.
“I don’t know.”
“Yes, you do. I know you do. Don’t lie to me.”
“Do I have to tell you?”
“You look… nice in the rain,” Light looks away, feeling flushed. He must be coming down with something.
“Oh?”
Light turns to find L’s face too close for comfort. Light leans back.
“Tell me more, Light.”
“It makes me…” Light trails off, his eyes drifting toward L’s lips. It’s embarrassing. He’s barely admitted it to himself. There’s no way L gets to hear it first. “Why do you want to know?”
“Curiosity.”
“Stop it then. I’m not telling you.”
That’s when L leans in and presses the quickest, yet softest, kiss to his cheek. So close to his lips. Water droplets that sat on L’s lips melt into Light’s skin. Light flusters and shoots up.
“We really should be going back. We need to be getting back before we get sick.”
He kissed me. He’s fucking got me in his grip.
That next morning, Light wakes up and reflects on what happened after.
DInner had been awkward. Light refused to look L in the eye. He shoveled his food into his mouth and rushed up to their room. He claimed to be tired when the truth was he stared at the ceiling until the early morning.
Light sits up and is overtaken by dizziness.
Great. He’s sick.
And he can’t kiss L properly.