#l x aiber

[pennyblossom-meta]

Analysis of the romance in Death Note's Spiraling Trap game.

EDIT 02/03/2024: minor edits and fixes, added a few imgs and extra content.

A huge thank you to the folks over at agtteam who translated L - the ProLogue to Death Note: Spiraling Trap into English! Now we can all date L become FBI agents after hours.

I've been playing the game recently and one of the features I love the most is the L Communicator, which allows the main character (referred to as MC henceforth) to take a break from adventuring and listen to L talk about whatever is on his mind.

There's around one hundred different lines available as the MC develops a relationship with L and they paint him as such a sweet, attentive and thoroughly unique individual that I was surprised by how detailed it was. If you're thinking about playing, then this part is definitely worth putting effort into.

The mechanics of the dating sim are relatively simple: during the adventure, you'll pick up a number of recipes hidden among traps and tools. Then, Watari will provide the ingredients and you can give L whatever sweets he specifically craves. These recipes and cravings depend on the time of day and can be season specific.

Character analysis

As stated in-game, giving L sweets causes his appreciation for the MC to grow. However, L being L, means that he craves different sweets throughout the day. He's definitely very specific about what he likes and what he wants for his sugar fix.

However, if you give L something he isn't craving at that specific moment, he will sulk. The way he expresses his displeasure varies according to the depth of the budding relationship he has with the MC.

L: To tell you the truth, there are many other things I would have preferred. L: [F/N], I hate to say this, but I really would have preferred something else. L: F/N], you must know that I was hoping for something else, right? L: [F/N]… It’s not my favorite but, it made me really happy.

Note: Given that the books in the expanded universe (Another Note and L: Change the WorLd) came out before this game, I think some of the quotes further ahead might be a subtle nod to how L is perceived by the police forces as the "creepy murder detective". However, references about his piece of mind lead me to believe that L craves some respite from the burdens he carries on his shoulders — burdens so strong that they managed to curve his spine.

Note: I'm unsure how the system here works, as the MC also gets points for gaining L's trust in the actual adventure when they a) agree with his observations and b) find key objects hidden in unsuspecting places. It might affect the available lines through the L Communicator.

L: Today is going to be a better day… Let’s think positive. L: I wonder what kind of morning this will be. L: It seems the air outside is crisp this morning.

L: I want to finish what I need to get done before night falls. L: It’s nearly sunset. Time for children to go back home. L: If you just stare into space, night will be here before you know it.

L: It’s already evening… Time keeps passing me by. L: There’s something different about the air at night. L: Night-time, dusk… It’s the witching hour.

As a naturally introspective individual, L observes the world around him and draws conclusions. To my surprise, the game actually managed to capture how observant L is about small, unsuspecting details of daily life and give him a slightly poetic side laced with a hint of wistfulness that suits his character well.

This is a side of L in his private life that I personally wish we had been able to glimpse during the Kira investigation. Though, at the time, L was busy trying to prove that Light was, indeed, Kira. It left him little to no time to enjoy the world around him. During the brief time that L could have had a semblance of rest right before the Yotsuba arc, he was depressed that his deductions were "wrong" — though I could see him musing about some of the above, equal parts whimsy and sulking.

L: If I start to lose my touch… I guess I’ll retire. L: Another day, another mystery… L: I have a lot of thinking to do. L: I feel like doing some capoeira… L: I haven't played tennis for a while. L: The weather today is… Well, it matters not. L: I, um… No, ignore me. L: Am I reading too much into it…?

As a thinker, L has a lot of unfinished thoughts he says out loud. Some border on cliché, others are musings about things he'd like to do or that he's missing.

I wonder if some of his thoughts end up trailing off because, suddenly, he catches himself and believes they're not important? Or that he doesn't think the MC would be interested in what he has to say beyond work matters?

L: “In spring one sleeps a sleep that knows no dawn.” Though, too much sleep isn’t good for anyone. L: If you think about things persistently, noticing all the sides to them will come naturally. L: Strawberries… Despite the name, they aren’t actually berries. How berry disappointing. L: The one who has thought it through wins. It’s true for chess, and for deduction. But in the case of love… I don't know.

He's also a philosopher at heart, always thinking about the human condition. In these we can also witness his dry humour, silly puns along with a subtle desire to share his thoughts on the world and give helpful advice.

As for love, L is cautious but willing to learn. It's a topic where he's out of his depth.

L: Um, Watari is… L: I wonder if Watari’s asleep? L: What could Watari be up to? L: Today is Thanksgiving Day. I am truly grateful to Watari for his diligence.

I found it interesting how L's thoughts eventually go back to Watari and what he's doing. He's the one person that L relies on and whom he interacts with the most. Other people are passing acquaintances at best, who show little interest in L beyond work.

Notice how he mentions diligence? Although it is a utilitarian consideration, it also reveals a thankfulness for the comforts of familiarity and the peace of mind that trusting someone close brings. This is a topic we'll explore better at a later stage, i.e., how trust and acts of service work as a relationship builder.

Romance

Neutral stage

One of the first things I've noticed is that, during the early stages of the relationship, L is still very formal and quite a bit dismissive — even borderline rude. As his sugar fix gets sated by the MC's keen suggestions (Watari provides the ingredients, of course), L grows gradually more fond of them and wants to include the MC in his life with an enthusiasm I can only define as endearing.

L: Aren’t you bored? You don’t have to check in on me. L: Don’t you have stuff to do?

At the beginning, L is still wary of the MC on a personal level as they have absolutely no rapport beyond a partnership of circumstance and usefulness in the name of justice. He's quick to get bored and doesn't take it very well when he's given sweets he isn't craving. A bit childish, one could say, the way he sulks when the MC errs by not reading his mind.

L: Did I enjoy it? Let me just say “no comment”. (about sweets that weren't quite to his taste)

It's also very in-character for L to feel both annoyed at someone who is randomly calling him and be suspicious of their motives.

Growing interest

L: Spending the afternoon with you isn’t so bad. L: Even though it’s late, you’re not going to bed, huh? L: You must be a night owl, [F/N]. L: I’m a little curious about you, [F/N]. L: Are you having a good time? I’m just curious. L: You’re kind of… Ah, no, forget I said anything.

He starts addressing the MC by their first name as he becomes more enamoured. It's very sweet. I was pleasantly surprised at how attentive L becomes as he gradually comes to the conclusion that this is a person who understands him.

Mind, due to game mechanics the MC gains approval by giving L sweets, but from a narrative perspective what's really happening is that L not only feels seen and understood, but also accepted. And when that happens, he starts lowering his walls and relaxing.

As a plot device, I would say these are defining moments within L's thought process here; he's curious about the MC, finds them interesting enough to want to know more them and pursues that curiosity to see what they might have in common. It seems he's both a little baffled and content about this development.

L: [F/N], what do you think of when you see a sunset? L: What are you doing this afternoon? Oh, should I not have asked? L: Are you a night owl? Oh, you don’t have to answer if you don’t want.

It should also be noted that L is very mindful of boundaries. There's a tentative, almost shy attempt to connect. He's determined to indulge in his curiosity since the MC's attentiveness towards him shows an opening for closeness he's unused to (but is happy about) and to tend to his more immediate needs (i.e., food cravings), which in turn shows a genuine concern for him. Aside from Watari, I doubt anyone ever extended L similar kindness.

And it is in this determination to get to know the MC that I also find Mello's words (AA: LABB Murder Cases) that L is actually a very active, aggressive individual with absolutely no interest in social conventions perfectly represent him this game, as he navigates a growing fondness with expectation, curiosity and caution — on his own terms, while minding that he doesn't overstep.

L: Staying up late talking to you… It makes me feel calm.

I find it particularly heartbreaking how this confession of L unknowingly makes it more transparent how burdened he is. The spine curved by burdens unseen, the addiction to mind games and sweets; all of these point to stress factors which isolate him further, increasing the loneliness and lack of affection in his life.

That L feels the need to mention the MC makes him feel calm seems telling.

L: We’re both late workers, huh? That makes me happy. L: [F/N]… You’re pretty formidable. L: It’s reassuring to have a partner like you. You’re someone I can trust. L: Your feelings have been received. (Valentine's Day) L: The fact we’ve become so close was an unexpected development on my part.

And here it is, the acknowledgement just as L enters the highest stages of approval, where he expresses admiration and happiness at the close bond he developed with the MC.

"An unexpected development on my part" is quite the turn of phrase. One can only wonder, but I'd make an educated guess that L didn't see this coming because:

a) no one showed feelings towards him before. In his line of work, hidden behind a screen there is no time to indulge or get attached to anyone (he would mistrust their intentions anyway) and so L keeps everyone at arms length, sharing little more than a professional side of himself and fostering utilitarian relationships that help him win "games". L ultimately carries various burdens the average civilian would never be able to understand, all due to the pressure of his job. When failing at the "game of cat and mouse" means being responsible for the likely deaths of dozens, perhaps even hundreds or thousands, the stakes are up in unimaginable ways. What started as a thrill chase can have catastrophic consequences should L fail. That in itself alienates him from society at large. It's a game that L plays well and absolutely profits from, but it is also an indicative of two major flaws: his addictive personality and how he suppresses his emotions to carry on. Coincidentally, it's the expanded universe, in particular Another Note: LA BB Murder Case and L: Change the WorLd, that give us the best insight into this. This isn't too dissimilar to the struggles policemen face in high risk jobs or technicians who have to flag and delete sensitive content from online platforms. These people end up changed from what they see — and some carry traumas for the rest of their lives. That's not to say that L doesn't feel for others. He respects people whom he considers good or morally upstanding (Soichiro Yagami), who are competent in their line of work (Naomi Misora, Mogi), worthy of a second chance (Aiber and Wedy), who speak their minds, unafraid (Aizawa) or who are reliable, loyal to him as a person and not just his cause, in whom he can place his trust and feel secure won't betray him (Watari). The MC seems to fall mostly in the last category, though the relationship is rather precocious — and there seems to be a fair amount of wishful thinking and even projecting on L's part, since communication happens over a device connecting two people remotely. He falls both for the idea of the individual and their attentiveness towards him. When L mentions that they make him feel calm, I'd argue it comes both as a surprise to him and a confession of a closeness and safety he intimately craved — though I personally view L as someone who feels lonely and wanting healthy human contact, even if his social skills might not be the best (worsened by his distrust of people as a whole). Someone who ultimately is willing to adapt to him but whom he can adapt to, as well. Someone who sees him as a person and not an unfeeling robot. It's a POV that certainly challenges certain aspects of DN: Vol 13. I would further argue that L's portrayal has evolved significantly beyond the manga, and that his subsequent humanising is partially a result of the creative liberties the English translations took, as well as a more empathetic view of the character and hidden struggles. Each medium displays a separate iteration of L, with common variables.

b) L fosters distant relationships with others as a safety measure. Aside from Watari, L's contact with other people had always been distant, work-focused, perhaps even tainted by notions of his supposed creepiness as a kinky detective "who relished bizarre murders" (L:CtW). He's useful to the police because he achieves favourable results, though L is still viewed as "a human computer, capable only of measuring mass murders in terms of cold numbers, a reclusive sociopath" (L:CtW). He isn't necessarily liked; in fact, I would argue he rubs people the wrong way most of the time — as we can see during his interactions with the Task Force, during the events of Death Note. L is tolerated, a useful asset who is both mysterious and a pain to deal with. However, he's also put on a pedestal due to his status (i.e., Relight, the children at Wammy's). For the latter, he purposely shatters their idea of L as this unbeatable, paragon of justice by defining himself as a monster (anime), a dishonest cheating human being who hates losing (manga). I do share in lux-mea-lex's perspective on L doubting his own humanity and how it fuels a certain self-hatred for distrusting everyone around him. As lux mentions, "love comes with trust" and L is an excellent detective precisely because he questions everything and everyone — but it comes at a cost: his own loneliness. To draw a parallel, L's ultimate flaw — and that which makes him great at his job — is not unlike what we see during the moments of extreme anguish that Veronica Mars goes through in her personal relationships and which draw people away from her when she oversteps boundaries to prove she's not being lied to. That mistrust comes from experience, for people burdened with having seen too much and it's not unlike a kind of paranoia acquired when one has to deal with the worst of humanity on a daily basis.

Full reciprocity

L: [F/N] you’re the light that illuminates the dark night. That’s an exaggeration of course, but… L: What I need to live is glucose… and to talk to you. Nourishment for my brain and heart. L: When we’re together, I feel like there’s no problem we can’t solve. L: The afternoons I get to spend with you are precious to me.

When the MC achieves the stage of full reciprocity with L, he's very open to showing vulnerability and lowering his emotional defenses. I found this to be particularly sweet, as L is such a secretive man with so many hidden layers that him being willing to show such honesty with that one person he holds dear is incredible character development.

Beyond the game, I would say that achieving this stage with L would be much more difficult and, naturally, would involve going beyond picking the best sweets for him.

Something important to keep in mind is that L seems to value acts of service, as the people who interact with him more closely have some utility value and aid his work. However, L's life revolves around his work; he lives and breathes his detective work, which is why having a partner who brings him peace would be so important.

L: The time I spend with you is as important to me as the sweets. L: Good morning. It makes me really happy to see you here. L: For your sake… I’d think of a way to get through anything. We share a bond. L: When you have time, I’d like to take you to a shop that makes the best sweets. L: When you’re free, how about we play tennis together? I will have Watari reserve a court. L: If something were to happen to me… I want you, as the person I hold dearest, to carry on the L moniker. L: When my thoughts hit a dead end late at night, I feel like I’m stuck in a maze. But, having you here makes me feel reassured.

I also found it very sweet how L takes the initiative to plan for activities to do together with the MC. And how their presence, their reassuring words make him feel at ease. It seems that a loving relationship would give L a goal in life beyond his work.

Carrying on the L moniker... this quote might be the result of L's trust in the MC growing during the events of the game, or a sentiment L nurtures due to the MC being attentive enough to understand his specific cravings. But being able to read L and having the mental dexterity to become him are different things, as the latter involves a lifestyle that few would want and a complete focus on work. Even FBI agents have lives beyond work.

L: I learned from you that sweets are the bond that brings people together. L: You give me true peace of mind. No one could ever replace you. L: The way I am now, I… I can’t think straight when you’re not around. L: Being able to share this sunset with you, I couldn’t ask for anything more. L: You understand, don’t you [F/N]? What my heart so strongly desires is something more… L: When I talk to you, I feel like my senses are sharpened. Thanks to that, my radar has become more sensitive.

What a sweet guy. I love how L focuses on the little things and just wants to spend time together with the person he holds dearest. It's almost as if he daydreams a close, loving relationship — a trait that clashes with L's logical side.

This game and the expanded universe of Death Note have convinced me that there are many more layers to L than what we can see in the main story.

As Fu Takahashi, who plays L in the 2020 Japanese version of the musical, said:

“(...) A common thing about L among these versions is that, despite his superficial image as a smart guy who hates losing, he actually feels lonely and needs affection, I imagine. Perhaps he is an orphan – his character suggests so. He tries to control his emotions, like the feelings towards his parents, or romantic feelings; that’s why he is sort of dependent on games or battles of the mind. So I want to play L while thinking about the foundations on which his personality has been formed.”

I think this quote and the game are actually very telling of L's core personality and how it moves beyond that cold, calculating persona that defines him in the manga. It's also more in line with the characterisation that we see in the anime and the books, which help humanise L.

As I mentioned elsewhere, learning how to trust and be comfortable around someone else would do L wonders. Though that person would have to accept him for who he is and help him learn how to navigate a healthy relationship.

Perhaps the true test of love, for L, would even be for him to be confronted with someone who knows who he really is and, is not only kind to him, but also sees the best in him — regardless of his flaws. I think that we've had a glimpse of it in this game and it's a breath of fresh air.

[hellfirebride]

liveblogging reading the labb novel 3/3

you've gotta be shitting me

pretending to be possible murder victims with the new bestie ! !

now you fucked up

jfghdfg mello just being like "now, i don't want to tell everyone about naomi misora's personal details. but i will anyway because it's relevant to how i'm telling the story."

wedy and aiber my beloved

"hm i wonder how he knew all that stuff, it's almost- wait a fuckin minute"

i cannot express how much sheer willpower it takes to self-immolate

can't help but wonder about what bb actually looks like under all the makeup.

haha funee joke 2

i just. cannot believe how absolutely convoluted the nail and string pulley system is??????

Anyone could pull this off, as long as they used strong thread that wouldn't break. If you have time, try it in your own room. As long as you are allowed to hammer nails into the walls.

mello no

i refuse to believe bb died in prison from a heart attack. like, maybe that's the official story, but people like L can just. make people disappear.

finally some information about those other stories from L.

"the first x to the first z from wammy's house" what??? do they just. cycle through the letters then go back to the start? it almost seems sorta unlikely that each successor generation at the house consisted of the full set of 26?? that'd be so many children. do they retire letters? we know that no one else can be L, sure. but like. are there other As after what happened to the first?

aaaand she just pushed L down the stairs. oops. like, what if he died there, how embarrassing would that be for everyone involved? "oops we need a new L right now, he fell down the stairs and broke his neck. do we have any candidates???" or can you even imagine being the person who accidentally killed the "world's greatest detective" of like. all time?

extra from NISIOISIN's afterword:

Totally irrelevant to you who don't give a damn, but I am very bad at remembering people's names, and no matter how many times I hear them I can easily forget. When you reach my level, using a roundabout expression like "bad at remembering names" is far less accurate than declaring aggressively that you are good at forgetting them.

me too nisioisin. me too.

[pyreneese]

💫 🌈💥

Aww thanks for sending ^w^ (x)

💫what is your favorite kind of comment/feedback?

I genuinely do love anyone who goes out of their way to comment! But I'd say my favorite comments are the ones that analyze the chap/characters. The idea that I've written something deep enough to encourage someone to actually analyze it genuinely feels amazing :D.

It also feels incredible when someone talks about what the story means to them. I want to give them a big hug hehe.

🌈 is there a fic that you worked *really fucking hard on* that no one would ever know? maybe a scene/theme you struggled with?

Ooh okay. I had to think about this one lol. There are a ton of deleted scenes I've had in the past. I'd say the story that has the most altered and/or deleted scenes is probably Sweet Dreams Are Made of This? There were some chaps that I rewrote like 3 times. A deleted plot line between Aiber and L in the past, and I think at some point, I decided to take in a completely different direction than what I had originally planned.

I'd say one of my biggest struggles when I'm deep in a story is when I get two ideas that are directly contradicting lol and I have to choose. Sometimes I'll write a small section of each idea to decide which looks better written out and a part of me is disappointed that people will never see the other version of the story.

💥find your least kudos'd fic - say something wonderful about it.

Apparently Falling has the least kudos. I'm conflicted about this story, because I'm happy with the plot, but I'm not happy with the execution lol. I've considered re-writing this one. It's an LxOC. But I've always loved this fic's ending. I wrote the ending before I wrote the rest of the story and would edit it as I wrote the rest of the story.

[eyecicles]

What do you make of the fact that Aiber canonically has a wife and child? Like do you take their relationship into account while shipping L/Aiber or do you leave that out? I hope that's okay to ask, I'm curious because I think it could be an interesting, casual ship but it just makes me so uncomfortable that Aiber would be cheating on his family like that

Well, I deliberately don’t ever mention Aiber’s family when I talk about that ship because, same. There are, like, two ships in DN I like exactly as they are in canon, because almost every DN ship has something that makes me uncomfortable.

I definitely wouldn’t want him to cheat on his wife, so if I were to write a fic about Aiber x L, I would try to find a way around that, obviously. It’s just not that big of a deal for me, because I’m pretty much used to altering canon to my liking, haha.

[oshieteacapella]

I can't believe the fandom pairs Wedy and L? Nope. Not just because I love lxnaomi, but because you are missing the sexual tension between Wedy and Soichiro. Nop. Not on my watch. Here you have it, this is the first of many.

Wedy: (to Soichiro going home) I hate to see you go, but I love to watch you leave!

Aiber: Wedy, no! He is married. We work with his son.

L: And his son is Kira... 7% sure.

Wedy: I'm just showing him all the possibilities.

Aiber: Forget it, the man has principles and a strong code.

Wedy: I am very good with codes.

Aiber: A moral code. It prevents him from doing stupid things like cheating on his wife with a burglar more than ten years younger than him.

Wedy: So... a security code. I break those for a living, you know?

Aiber: WEDY, NO!

L: (interrupting Aiber while eating a slice of strawberry shortcake with his bare hands) Nono, she's got a point.

1/x

[mikami]

HI love what you do here btw. I wanted to ask what you think Misa's economic/social background might be? Do you think what she has in canon (her own apartment when she moves to Tokyo, her frequent outfit changes) were achievable thanks to her job, or could she have used the inherited money from her parents? Also do you think she actually has a sister or did they make that up for the Yotsuba interview.

I don't think her career could have single-handedly financed an apartment in Tokyo at that point in time. Idols are paid notoriously badly and she was basically just starting out as a model - she hasn't even been doing it for half a year when we meet her.

There might be an option of housing provided by her management, but I feel like that is unlikely for a beginner photography model (rather than, say, a newby member for an established idol group).

So I do assume that her parent's sudden death did leave her with enough assets to cover her move and the start of her career in Tokyo before it takes off enough that she could live off of it entirely.

I feel like Misa's family is probably middle class but not upper middle class? Well off enough that this was possible, but not so well off and well established in society that their case failing to achieve a conviction causes too many waves.

Like, I imagine them living in a decent size apartment in Kyoto, but not an own house, etc.

(I'm not a finances expert for models in Japan though, so CORRECT ME IF YOU HAVE NUMBERS ON THIS IG.)

As for the sister... it could go either way, but I personally assume she's real if only because making up a sister wholesale is such an obvious thing that might stick out if the Yotsuba Eight decide to run their own background check on Aiber's sources. "Misa Amane has x number of siblings" is not the kind of deep lore that'd be impossible to attain by pulling some strings themselves, so I don't see why Aiber, L and co. would take the risk of being discovered over something so silly like an invented sister...

Misa and her sister don't seem to be in contact though, their relationship likely fractured entirely over their parent's death.

[baranedizille]

could you recomend favorite dn fanfiction? i love you those who stand fanart and started to read it thnks to you, but it's so long i need warm ups lol

Ohohoh. First of all, thank you, I'm glad you started reading the monster because of my art. Khem-khem, so....

Fanfiction rec list

(it’s all lawlight, sry)

⚫ means multichaptered

⚫  Iridescence by raisuki on ao3. + a oneshot Radiance

Rating: Mature

This is my favourite-favourite one, really. I can’t express how much I love it, just read it!!! Beware: angsty and hopeless.

⚪ You are a wasp nest  by raisuki on ao3

Rating: Mature

Blind!Light, college au, kinda fluff.

⚪ Tell me lies, tell me sweet little lies by  Hedonistic Opportunist on fanfiction net

Rating: Mature

It’s angst and hurts but really worth to read.

⚪ Sugar and pumpkin spice by deleted acc on ao3

Rating: Teen And Up Audiences

Very fluff very nice very ahhh, coffee shop au with Light as barrista and L as his annoying client.

⚪ Shame is pride's cloak  by youremyqueen on ao3

Rating: Explicit

Submissive L and Light who took Watari’s (who’s dead oops) role to look after L. And well, he’s pretty good at it, you kno.

⚪ By night we go naked, by day we go blind by youremyqueen on ao3

Rating: Explicit

Just a really good smut (as any smut by the author).  Written for a kink meme, prompt was: sensory deprivation.

⚪ See me by  Shadow_of_Quill  on ao3

Rating: Explicit

Innocent!Light and open ending (quite happy!).

⚫ Seeking his hand (unfinished) by  magic__mind  on ao3

Rating: Explicit (actually there’s really little of explicit content, because yeah, it’s unfinished)

“A historical regency-esque romance AU in which L seeks Light's hand in marriage”. It’s pretty ooc as you may suppose, but ah, anyway, this one is really good!

⚪ Sola Fide by Serria on ao3

Rating: Mature

The first fic I read in dn fandom and let me say, it raised the bar of quality very high.  Misora gives L the lead he needs so he captures Light and tortues him to find the truth. Open end.

⚫ The Lies of Light Yagami by  kildeer on ao3

Rating: Explicit

Additional pairings: Light/Mikami, Light/Takada

Light wants to make L love him so he can destroy him by that, I’m not going to say more, just read it. Really good and angst.

⚫ The Life and Time of Genius Detective L Lawliet & Repentant Murderer Light Yagami by Devilinthebox on ao3 + a collection of drabbles Photographs

Rating: Mature

A tag: It's a fic about a fictional biography about two fictional douchebags, - so that’s it. Light is without his memories of being Kira and given the second chance by L. Also they’re in love and travelling. Really worth to read + sad ending hemh

⚫ Our Bodies, Possessed by Light by Devilinthebox on ao3

Rating: Mature

Additional pairings: B/Misora, one-sided Mello/L

“L. Lawliet is a gifted photographer who believes he has understood the light and its secrets. Light Yagami is a young, unstable and slightly crooked model. Together, they kill time”. Really good and, wow, happy ending!!

⚪ A Kiss For Christmas by Rachello344 on ao3

Rating: General Audiences

Very nice one, college!au. L, Light’s roommate is invited to spend Xmass hollidays at Yagamis.

⚪ Buried Alive by avoidfilledwithcelluloid on ao3

Rating: Teen And Up Audiences

“ post-apocalypse AU where L is subtly implied to be a doomsday prepper, Light does small gardening+cooking, and they watch a VHS of Murder She Wrote”. It was a real gift to me to find it, post-apoc au and Lawlight isolated together ohmygod.

⚪ Tell me I’m good  by avoidfilledwithcelluloid on ao3

Rating: Explicit

“L recieves a drunk call from light who is hiding in the bathroom at a party”. Reeeeeally atmospheric, just read it, I’m not going to explain, it’s not just another smut.

⚫ Hand in unlovable hand by avoidfilledwithcelluloid on ao3

Rating: Explicit

Trans!Light, a collection of drabbles nsfw and not. I love James’ writing what else to say.

⚪ In your shoes by avoidfilledwithcelluloid on ao3  

Rating: Explicit

Warning!professor/student. “After L sees his student/paramour Light step in mud, he rushes to give him the shoes off his own feet“. Really nice one.

⚪ Special credits by Serahne on ao3

Rating: Teen And Up Audiences

Professor and student but without any warning. More humorous than shippy, Light is an overconfident student and L is an asshole professor.

⚪ Love is War by Zara_Zara on ao3

Rating: General Audiences

School au and oh so sweet. “This is secretly a 4 + 1 fic in which Light and L almost confess plus the one time they did”.

⚪ Is that my shirt? by Zara_Zara on ao3

Rating: General Audiences

As you can gues hehe, they steal each other’s clothes, oh dorks.

⚪ A Tithe to Hell by Aja on ao3 (one chapter but long so it’s actually ⚫)

Rating: Explicit

Kind of classic and for a reason. The middle of it is kinda crazy but ok hahah, I just warned you. “Light has thirteen days to find out how it will feel--not just to kill, but to destroy”.

⚫ Nights  by youremyqueen on ao3

Rating: Explicit

Additional pairings: L/Aiber, L/B, Light/Misa

Another classic. I’m going to be honest, I read it really briefly hhahah. I can say though, it’s reaaaally well written and lawlight is very good in it. Totally would recommend it to L stans.

⚪ (x) ao3 profile is inkfeathers

Rating: General Audiences

I’m a sucker for hogwarts au and this one is soooo good, Light and L are students.

⚪ Groundstroke by VerdePradera on ao3

Rating: Mature

L and Light are professional tennis players, and Light isn’t going to come out of closet and L is upset and I love the fic really much.

Addition how could I forget it wtf

⚫ Coexistence is boredom (unfinished) by Sakurazukamori6 on fanfiction net

Rating: Mature

Golden classic. “This story takes place after Raito gets his memories back, but for the mere sake of fun, L leaves the handcuffs on for a big longer". Just fucking good, ok?

[litterateur97]

Becoming a Death Note fan is like dang what a cool anime/manga with interesting moral issues. And as you get into it you come to love all these wonderful characters and have to watch each and every one of them die. So then you get into shipping and try to imagine a world where all the characters can be happy and not dead. You think there's not much romance in the show aside from Sachiko x Soichiro, but pretty quickly you decide to ignore canon in favor of steamy pairings. Of course you start off with gateway drug lawlight, it's everywhere and easy to consume, but you start craving different things. What about the successors? Mello and Matt had to have had something going on, right? So you start shipping mellodramattic, but then you remember all the tension of meronia and get into that too. Eventually you realize the truest ship is putting Mello, Matt, and Near all together to create a power throuple. But then you inevitably go back to lawlight, except you enter your hating Light era™️ and decide Light getting cucked is funny and start shipping lawmane. But then you remember remisa is also a thing and once you get into monsterfucking there's no going back, so you start shipping Ryuk with everyone. You think that this has to be it, right? But no. You enter your girl power era™️ and realize Naomi x Wedy would have been a brilliant pairing. But why stop there? You throw Halle in the mix. Eventually you start shipping Halle x Takada and naturally land on Misa x Takada as well. What if all the women are lesbians? Then you have to think about the task force, they're all gay right? And naturally you get into L x Aizawa and L x Soichiro and L x Matsuda and land on L x Aiber and maybe even throw Wedy into that mix. What about Light? You put him with Mikami obviously. And then you remember LABB and have to start shipping BB with every single character ever. But then it all circles back to realizing Sachiko x Soichiro are the best pairing. And by then it's too late. You already ship pretty much everything and have read fanfic about all the pairings. And when your friends ask you about your death note opinions you have to act normal and pretend you care about the moral issues in the show when really all you think about is which characters look best together. You have strayed so far from the light, there's no going back.

[mikovision]

WELCOME TO MY BLOG

You can call me Miko. This is an AI sideblog dedicated to making voice edits from my favourite fandoms. I accept requests and accept tips through Kofi, which is linked on my main page.

🚨 THIS BLOG CONTAINS 18+ CONTENT 🚨

Please read the terms and conditions below before making a request or commission.

FANDOMS AND CHARACTERS I CURRENTLY ACCEPT REQUESTS/COMMISSIONS FOR:

Death Note - L, Light, Matsuda, Misa, BB, Matt, Mello, Near, Soichiro, Aiber

Yu-Gi-Oh! GX - Jaden, Jesse, Yubel, Jim

(ElevenLabs gives you a limited amount of voices you can upload, but I’m planning to upgrade in the future, so this list will be updated.)

💖 PAIRINGS I ACCEPT REQUESTS/COMMISSIONS FOR:

Death Note - L x Light, L x Matsuda, L x Aiber, Matt x Mello 

Yu-Gi-Oh! GX - Jaden x Jesse, Jesse x Jim

✅ I WILL ACCEPT:

NSFW

Memes/Vines/Incorrect quotes

Fanfiction readings/dialogue

Character asks

AUs

Threesomes/poly (commission only)

❌ I WILL NOT ACCEPT:

Any romantic pairing other than the ones listed above (sorry!)

Character x reader 

Watersports/scat/vomit/period fetish

Torture/gore fetish

Omorashi

Age regression/age play

Non-con (I am willing to do recovery or attempted non-con, but not the actual act.)

Underage

Self harm

Weight gain

Crossovers 

Genderbending

Mpreg (unless a character is trans/intersex/non-human/omegaverse.)

Please leave your requests in my inbox, not in replies or reblogs.

Disrespect, bigotry or hate mail will not be tolerated and will result in you being blocked.

I reserve my right to reject requests that I do not feel comfortable with.

These projects take time and don’t always turn out perfectly, so please be patient and kind! 💜

[pennyblossom-meta]

If L ever had a lover/soulmate and was discovered by Light, what countermeasures might L do?

Thank you for the question, dear anon!

This one's a really interesting one and I had to do some research in order to give you a well rounded response based on canon (mostly the manga, but also with a dash of extended DN lore). I'll add my own conclusions on the specific lover/soulmate case as we go.

I'll preface this analysis by saying that, if we take Spiraling Trap into account, then L's lover would be of extreme importance to them, if not the most important person in L's life — perhaps even above Watari. One of his sweetest quotes from the dating sim actually alludes to this state of mind:

For your sake… I’d think of a way to get through anything. We share a bond.

If L had a lover, he would very much be smitten. Despite all his flaws, his sometimes complicated, hyper-focused behaviour, he would dearly cherish this bond and do everything to keep it.

It's important that we look at L's thought process here as the opposite of what he did with Kira. While L gradually de-anonymizes Light before the world, he would progressively anonymize his lover so as to keep them safe. It might not be to the degree that he made himself to be a ghost, a letter on a screen, but it would be a pretty thorough process to minimise any fallout.

Now, L would take his lover's safety as a constant, high priority task. I imagine he'd be paranoid to the point that he would often run hypothetical scenarios where he'd assume the role of a criminal and try to find information about his lover.

These would range from medical records to high school grades, primary school pictures, etc. He would know exactly what kind of data about his lover was available to the public — and where to find it, in digital or physical form. Do they have family? Pets? Friends that could be tracked or paid to talk? He'd be on top of all this and investigate it through the several angles of cryptography and computer security.

When the Kira case starts gaining prominence, I imagine he would take the utmost care to delete all sensitive information pertaining to his lover from public records, though he might keep actual medical records safely encrypted somewhere only he could access. As for records stored at, say, school, in physical form — like a CD — he would likely have Watari steal them so they could be destroyed. I don't believe he would ask anyone other than Watari for this task, as that could raise unwelcome questions from a third party.

L's greatest fear would be that Kira might kill his lover. Given how secretive he is, perhaps the only way that Light might gain access to such information would be if L allowed his lover to accompany him during the case. Just like L protects Watari, Aiber and Wedy's identity, he would likely never introduce his lover as his actual lover; rather, he would make up a fake name for them and a role. I also imagine he would struggle with the decision of bringing them along and might've acquiesced because a) he wants them nearby or b) they've left him no choice because they want to keep L safe (and be supportive in whatever way they can, depending on their background and profession).

So, in this scenario (manga, again), Light would need to meet L's lover sometime between the months April-November 2004 and figure out who they really are. It would almost give L a heart attack (pun intended); he would blame himself for his recklessness, backtrack every move, run scenarios to make sure Light couldn't find anything to kill them. After Rem appears, L would absolutely forbid them from being near Misa.

Beyond this, there isn't much that L could do at this point. Short of bringing Kira to justice, the most he can do is prevent his lover's personal information from being handed to Light on a silver platter. He may remove his lover from the case entirely if they were discovered, though. But he would definitely plot to cut any loose ends that'd bring Light straight to their lover's private sphere.

There's also a chance that Light would kidnap L's lover and torture them for information, but it's highly unlikely.

However, I'd like to ask the following question: what does L do to protect himself and those closest to him in canon?

01: There are no photos or images of L anywhere, especially at To-Ho

From: Chapter 28 - Judgment

One of the things that immediately jumps to attention is how secretive (and well prepared) L is under any scenario. During this particular moment in the main story, we witness L's caution when it comes to allowing others to keep any photos or video records related to him, going as far as instructing the Task Force to destroy all photos of themselves. In essence, he wants them to erase any and all images that can lead to the Second Kira identifying them to avoid their murders. Their digital footprint or social media (what was even Japan's version of MySpace in 2004?) should be gone as a security measure.

We also discover that L goes to the trouble of deactivating the security cameras at the hotels he's at so they don't capture his image. It's a huge stretch, but a necessary evil when you're L, the world's greatest detective, always one step away from being killed by criminals.

What about L's love interest/soulmate?

As mentioned before, L would make sure that his lover's information would be hidden or removed from public access. This would give him a head start to protect them from Light (and Misa), as the only way they'd be able to get the lover's name would be through the Shinigami Eyes or by parting with the information voluntarily (like Naomi Misora did).

Like L, they would also not have their image recorded when moving around hotels. I can imagine that they would also leave through the hotel garage or back door in order to avoid bumping into undesirable individuals.

02: Watari, Aiber and Wedy are anonymized — until L's death (and Watari's)

From: Chapter 59 - Zero

Arguably, one of L's biggest mistakes towards Aiber and Wedy was leaving their personal information available for the Task Force in case he died. I assume that the "All data deletion" protocol was solely regarding the case itself, and that there were branches of information that Light acquired after L's death which were not meant to be seen aside from himself.

There might've been other criminals whom associated with L that Light killed. My educated guess is that L would've been more careful with his lover's personal information and had it deleted along with crucial data about the case. In case he died and they lived, he would've taken that precaution. Both Near and Mello also have no photographs of themselves available at Wammy's (or in any record).

03: And as a small bonus of L caring about his associates...

From: Chapter 43 - Black

Utilitarian L may be, but he's not a robot devoid of feelings. He does care about his associates and seems to be on good terms with Aiber. With how careful he is those who work for him, I'm positive he would climb mountains to keep his lover safe from harm — especially if danger came in the shape of Light.

Hope this answered your question somewhat!

[dnkinkmeme]

Masterlist of Unfilled prompts

You’ve asked and now we’ve answered. Aka, we have a new mod and they’re willing to do this. 

Unfilled Tag on DW // Filled Tag on DW // Masterpost for filled prompts

Under the cut since the list is getting long!

Lawlight

BDSM & Aftercare 

Bondage

Nipple play and spanking 

The Training of Light Yagami

Memoryless!Light non-con dream fantasy

Anything with Lady!Light/L

First Time

Diapers  

Sleeping Beauty!L in a coffin

Cake

Penis insecurity

Panties

Shower sex/first time

Light is a sex robot

L makes Light touch himself

Light Wins, cock cages and non-con

Light Wins and L is his spoils of war

Pony Play

Kitten play

Post-Kira Reformation

L visits Light the night before his execution

*Established relationship (L learns the consequences of his actions and they’re all friends) 

*Death is Not the End (Shinigami!Light) (Misa/Light friends) 

MoonRiver

Light is a furry and Near finds out

Near blackmails Light over something and calls him a “good boy”

Phone Sex

Light/Near anal

MikaLight

Genderswap college roommates

Student-teacher relationship, consensual

Spoiling Light rotten 

Ryuk/Light

Dom!Light and Sub!Ryuk

Light/Ryuk sex toys

Misa/Light

Light/Misa Misa pegs filthy bottom Light

Light/Misa sadism

**Rare-Pairs

Mello/Light Mello kidnaps Light

B/A Maid Outfits

Light/B Prison arrangement

B/Anyone foodplay

Gevanni/Near employee appreciation day

Near/SPK orgy

Near/Matsuda hatesex

L/Near at Wammy’s, pre-kira, first time 

Misa/Gelus in mu

Misa/Reader Kira Wins AU

Bottom!L x Aiber OR Bottom!L x Mogi.

L/Anyone L’s cum is sweet

L/Anyone prostate milking and cockcages

L/Misa Yotsuba arc dub con

L/Demegawa/Light threesome

Sachiko/Light incest

Naomi Misora/Hannibal Lector AU vore and cannibalism 

Naomi/Misa “Silent Partner, Unfinished Business” 

Near/Mello blowup doll

Naomi/Multiple OCs, Party Till You Want to Die

Halle/Kiyomi

Halle/Mello shower sex

Takada/Mello/Matt BDSM Au

Matt/Mello ice dildo

Dom!Matsuda/Anyone BDSM

Matsuda/L/Light In Memoriam

Matsuda/Light victory sex

Matsuda/L ABO Spanking

Light/Misa/Ryuk with Voyeur L

Ryuk sells sex toys to the shinigami realm. SoloM

Mogi/Misa affair 

*starred fills are submissions that don’t explicitly list any specific kinks or sexual activity **pairs are considered rare-pairs if they only have one unfilled request

[pyreneese]

M r s

Gah thank you for sending ^w^! I loved answering this (x)

M- Got any premises on the back burner that you’d care to share?

Ooh I have a couple.

-I realized that I was really missing writing my fic Passengers, which made me naturally think of other shows and I have a potential idea to throw L and Light into a different show's universe but I haven't started a draft yet.

- A while ago I started writing a Rollish fic where Watari and Roger were in their mid-twenties but that's still sitting somewhere in my drafts lol.

-I kind of had this idea where Beyond's spirit wants to possess L but it didn't really go beyond that.

R- Are there any writers (fanfic or otherwise) you consider an influence?

Most definitely :D! Writers like AnotherLostSoul, IWasAlwaysDead, ZombieJesus (@kiranatrix), silenceisdeafening. I feel like whenever I read a story I love, it influences my writing in terms of themes and character dynamics or new head canons that I never considered before.

S- Any fandom tropes you can’t resist?

Tragic backstory L. Yes, he's still a glorious bastard and yes, I love all the nuances and dubiousness of his morality but goddamn it I love me some tragic backstories lol. I also can't resist the sibling energy between L and the successors and even L and Aiber and Wedy. Siblings for everyone lmao.

[citruscloudsandmoon]

fandom asks, Z, Y, M, N, I, P, S, V, F, B

Z - Just ramble about something fan-related, go go go. Hmm, i suppose i could begin with L being called a frog. I never got the hang of it. Dude had dark circles under his eyes. We are missing an opportunity of calling him a panda or raccoon for that matter. Plus these both animals binge so it is certainly fitting on him when it comes to sweets. Y- A fandom you’re in but have no ships from.Legend of Korra. M-Your favorite fanart or fanartist. These are coming at my head at the moment; Skm4, Luleiya, B-griveros, Bianca, Rboz, Hotaru,Km92, Viria, dymx, Papabay.  There are more, but i can’t recall their names at the moment. N - Your favorite fanfiction or fanauthor. Gigglesworth and Zulka from beyblade. Princess Kitty1, EspadaIV, Jk Robertson and VeritasEtVita from Bleach. And moonlight Shimmer from Digimon. I-Has tumblr caused you to stop liking any fandoms, if so, which and why.Naruto. For a while, i grew distant from it. The petty fights were always breaking out over which pairing is superior, which girl is superior. And i was like, children please, can’t we all get along together? this is supposed to be fun. P-Invent a random AU for any fandom (we always need more ideas).   Hmm there are many but they are mostly part AU and part Canon. I think i got one. Inspired mostly from Supernatural. Angels vs Humans in death note. It works like this; The Angels are the bad people here and your Kiras in the canon universe are these said beings. The Angels all have wings and carry scythes. Also they have superior strength as well. Rem and Ryuk are btw beasts in this universe. The former belongs to Misa and the latter to Light. The story is that the Angels are ruling over humans and their reign is tyrannical. A group of humans consisting of L, Wammy boys, Rest of SPK, Wedy, Aiber, Watari and Naomi are aiming to bring them down. The King, Light Yagami comes to know about them and sends Misa and Mikami to kill them. Before they could do their jobs, these band of humans capture Misa by bruising her wing. Still have yet to decide what happens next but Misa starts working with them. Some sort of love triangle forms as well of Misa x L x Naomi.. And i am really sorry if this was lame, but i really want to see Misa in Suspenders and wielding a scythe, so dre. S-Show us an example of your personal headcanon. Such a vague question. I can’t understand this one so i can’t answer this one. V - Are you one of those fans who can’t watch anything without shipping.No. Not really. It’s more like when i watch the show and if i happen to see any pairing whose dynamics are interesting and there’s potential, i happily board it. It’s actually a plus to the shows. I am mostly concerned with plot lines. F - What’s the longest you’ve ever been in a fandom.  Beyblade, for 5 years. B - A pairing you initially didn’t consider but someone changed your mind. Maiko from Atla. I wasn’t too keen on it until i saw the boiling rock episode. Once i watched that, i knew i fell for them (Zuko x Mai) Thanks for asking :) Fandom asks

[grelleswife]

Grelle and L Lawliet? =)

For the multishipper challenge (which two characters do I ship with them?)

Grelle

Grelle x Sebastian Michaelis (Sebagrelle, “red and black”)

As you can probably figure out after spending two minutes on my blog, I am extremely passionate about Sebagrelle. In fact, it’s among my most cherished OTPs in any fandom. While I do believe that certain aspects of their personalities would need to be tweaked in order for the relationship to work (i.e. Sebastian would need to be capable of empathy, while Grelle would need to learn to respect others’ boundaries), I am convinced that this pairing is a goldmine of untapped potential. At their core, these two actually have quite a bit in common. Both are inexorably drawn to beauty, but each also possesses a wild ferocity and considerable skill in combat. I also see both of them as individuals who don’t quite fit in with their surroundings– Grelle’s a trans woman whose identity is not respected or even acknowledged by her peers, while Sebastian is a demon masquerading among mortals (and I headcanon that other demons tend to view Sebastian as an oddity due to the fact that he’s an aesthete with an inordinate fondness for cats). Their personalities also complement each other quite nicely. Grelle is sassy, vivacious, and outspoken, while Bassy is more elegant and subdued. I headcanon that Sebastian himself is genderfluid, so I could see him eventually accepting Grelle’s womanhood more readily than the other characters in the series– and that is something she desperately needs. Add the fact that their relationship would likely constitute a forbidden romance (given that demons and reapers are by their very nature at odds with one another), and you have the essential ingredients for a lovely pairing.

Grelle x Madame Red (Redcliff, “the fire and the flame” [yes, I’m that extra])

I readily admit, that, in canon, Grelle is only romantically attracted to men. As such, I don’t believe her actual relationship with Madame Red was ever sexual in nature. However, because I’m gay trash for this woman and lover her to pieces for certain reasons, I enjoy pretending that she’s bi. If that was the case, and assuming that Madame Red was also bi, this could be a delightful wlw OTP. Both ladies love red and have an impeccable sense of style, both excel in their respective professions, neither shies away from violence/breaking the rules, both are passionate individuals, etc. Just imagining them doing one another’s makeup (or Madame Red sharing her dresses with Grelle) is enough to make my bi little heart go doki-doki. And, in some AU. I love the thought of them as happily wedded wives with an adorable foster daughter or two. :D

L Lawliet

L x Naomi Misora (Lawmassacre)

I’ve gushed about this OTP in a couple of previous asks (check out the “l x naomi” tag on my blog), but I consider Lawmassacre to be an awesome yet criminally underrated ship. Besides the superficial appeal (both L and Naomi are pretty people), I see them as the ultimate power couple: Two highly intelligent, dangerous individuals serving the cause of justice, even if their underlying motives differ. With her practical attitude and kind heart, Naomi would be a good influence on L, while the froggy detective would value her worth as an agent. I could see him coming to rely on her as his right-hand woman/personal field operative. King and queen!

L x Wedy (Wedlaw? lol)

This is even more of a Death Note rarepair than Lawmassacre, but it’s grown on me. L and Wedy are both cunning, ruthless, and not afraid to resort to shady tactics in order to get what they want. I headcanon that Wedy was the person who taught L how to pick pockets, that, along with Aiber, she played an instrumental role in L’s victory in the “detective war” against Coil and Deneuve, and that L lost his v-card to her. ;) I see the relationship as an intermittent affair that the two rekindled whenever L called Wedy in for assistance with cases, and that, while not soulmates, both developed feelings for each other.

Thanks so much for the ask!

[translightyagami]

Mikalight L x Aiber L x Misa Light x Kiyomi

Mikalight = 3/10 - I can kind of see the appeal and obvs i’ve written it before, but as a ship i don’t rlly throw too much heat behind Mikalight. if i consider it, it’s more to explore Light’s state of mind than the ship being the focus

L/Aiber = 2/10 - it’s fine if that’s what you want but i personally find it just sort of like a whatever ship. they have hardly any canon dynamic and aiber seems like he’s faithful to his wife. him and L just doesn’t rlly sit well with me tbh.

L/Misa = 4/10 - oh it only gets a 4 because i think they’d hv pretty good sex together. the ship itself wouldn’t work out and i’m not gonna like think of a story abt the ship ever but L and Misa would hv much better sex than say Light and Misa would.

Light/Kiyomi = 2/10 - similar to L/Aiber, fine if that’s what you want but i don’t ship Light with any women because i feel pretty strongly abt him being gay. i don’t find it believable that he could have romantic feelings for a woman but i’m sure he and Kiyomi could hv a good friendship in a universe where Light isn’t a misogynist.