#like it takes him three fuckin seconds to go nope. L isnt stupid. he could never be stupid. if i underestimate him i put myself in danger

[grimalkinmessor]

A lawlight thing I don't think people talk about enough is the sheer amount of confidence Light has in L's competence.

(I'm not talking about the handcuff bits either—Yotsuba!Light actually has far less confidence in L's abilities than regular Light does, because Yotsuba!Light thinks L is wrong, and that every move L has made against him has been wrong. Yotsuba!Light only regains his belief in L near the end of the arc, when Light himself begins to suspect that L might not be wrong.)

But those little inner monologues we make fun of all the time, the ones where Light basically talks himself in circles trying to the find the best, most non-suspicious answer? That's him acknowledging that L is incredibly intelligent.

Light, before even properly meeting L, was completely sure that L would think of every single possibility, every single response to every single word Light could spout, a counterattack to every move he could make, even if he didn't know exactly what they were. And yes, you could say that it's Light simply being overly cautious, but Light is so sure of L's responses in those moments; his sheer belief that all L needs is for him to slip up once, even though that cannot possibly be true (one hint of suspicion wouldn't have been enough for the Task Force I don't think, not even compiled on the fact that Light fits their profile) is honestly....kind of staggering??

Light had no clue that L even existed before the broadcast, and the only true shows of L's ability that he saw before they met in person were the broadcast (a loss) and the cameras (annoying, but a win).

As soon as they meet in person, Light is thinking battle strategy. There's a moment of "Oh fuck" when L reveals himself, and that moment is because Light is certain that L would've been a fox in his henhouse if he hadn't.

But Light, again, doesn't take the moves that he can't be certain of the meaning of as proof that L is stupid—he takes it as proof that L is smart.

And at every turn, L proves him right. :)

I just think it's interesting that Light very much respected L's intelligence, even as he hated him. Light's faith in L's abilities was pretty much instant and I thought it might be fun to explore :3