#the scene after misa confesses

[batknot]

for the gay shippers in death note i recommend the 2015 live action. It reads like a repressed gay desperately trying to get some dick

[pennyblossom-meta]

L Lawliet: a deep dive into the expanded universe pt.01

EDIT (07/04/2024): Added some imgs.

Apologies for being so late to give this a follow up to @maevearcher's meta which can be found here and here. As usual, she’s made excellent points and I'll try to answer the ones which caught my eye.

Since this post ended up gaining a life of its own and becoming a bit too long, I’m splitting it in 2 or 3 parts. The core of the content for part 01 starts after under the button to Read More.

Here we talk about L's humanity.

I'll start with a disclaimer of my own: while I consider the manga as the base for the story, I'm very much open to the expanded DN universe as a complementary study of the characters and their motivations — sometimes even filling in the blanks for some of the background mysteries, such as the dynamics of Wammy's House and how L's successors view him.

To further clarify: by canon I mean the manga and any works by Tsugumi Ohba as the base material. I think @maevearcher and I are more or less in agreement on that, from what she mentioned in her own posts. As she said, the written word is indeed the baseline truth.

The expansion of the DN universe also has its own very special set of problems; for example, in many ways, L:CtW (L: Change the WorLd) commits the sin of overindulgence by throwing in considerations that, arguably, go against canon. Besides the ending where L lives for a final 23 days and Watari dies, the portrayal of Near in the movie (though in the novel he's also walking a fine line between becoming partially and very much OOC) is also a point of contention. I confess that I really wasn't fond of the way they portrayed Misa as a potential crush of L given canon insights on his opinion about Light whether in the role of Kira or as a person (pg.64 of Vol 13: How to Read, henceforth referred to as V13:HTR), but aligning L to become more humane and forgiving was at least interesting.

The same happens with the live action movies, the 2015 series, and the musical. At least the game Spiraling Trap isn't clashing with canon elements — that I could tell. The main plot is separate from the events of DN and the dating sim is a little slice of heaven into L's thoughts and emotions which I dearly love.

However, while L:CtW does indeed overindulge, the novel AN:LABB (Another Note: LA BB Murder Cases) gives us a singular glimpse into L through the eyes of Mello while keeping the events mostly accurate to the main plot, even with its slight deviations. It's certainly an optional perspective to the core of DN, but one that I always found very insightful. In V13:HTR, Obha mentions how he would’ve liked that there were more novels about L and how he solved previous cases, in a similar fashion to how Nisio Isin approaches AN:LABB. Here’s what Ohba says in pg.61 of V13:HTR:

(...) I didn’t think up much for [L’s] past. For him to be in such an influential position, he must have solved an amazing amount of cases, but I have no idea what kind of cases they were or how he solved them. But I would love for NISIOISIN, who wrote the Death Note novel, to write more stories about that (...)

This means that, to some extent, even the original author, Ohba, accepts AN:LABB as close to canon — or rather, as canon as it can get given the creative liberties allowed to a third party writer. To that point, Nisio Isin took L’s capoeira demonstration during the Yotsuba arc and made it a whole thing in the novel, with L taking inspiration from Naomi Misora’s skills. However, given the importance of that event, in the main story, L takes a while to even remember Misora so we can infer that either the stress of the case is getting to him OR learning capoeira and subsequently Misora’s role in it didn’t leave that much of an imprint on him because true canon didn’t really put that much emphasis into it. Either way, it’s an extrapolation that works. The technicalities can be overlooked given how ambiguous the scene is, as there is more than room to deduce a different past.

At the same time, I am an apologist that there are shared characteristics to L throughout the different mediums. My own interpretation of L's character has the manga as a baseline, but the expanded universe has taught me that there are sides to him that might not be so easy to perceive in dialogue bubbles or illustrations alone. Little things like L's addictive personality or the way he represses feelings are visible in the manga but caught beautifully in the novels, for example.

Going from the written word into the screen also represents a loss of the purity achievable only within the narrative in-book, where you can extrapolate and reach your own conclusions without being subject to the bias of sound and movement — though manga aggregates the visual to words and with it an altogether different dimension of meaning. That's one of the many things I enjoy about elements of fiction introduced through books; the stillness of the images and the narrative are more complex. Every time the baseline gets adapted, it loses something or that something shifts to fit into the perception of others. It ceases being pure and its essence is fundamentally shattered. Like the concept of a musical score on paper that gets played by an orchestra, there will never be an adaptation as good as the source material because it breaks the illusion.

While I can certainly extrapolate and accept the loss, I find that the written word from the novels, the tone of a VA's voice and the body movements in a live action still complement the manga well, despite narrative clashes.

About L’s humanity

Recently I've been re-watching the anime and it's incredible how Alessandro Juliani's understanding of the character resulted in such a well-rounded voice for L. I actually prefer the EN version to the JP because of the voice acting. It's superbly brilliant, even if L becomes less listless. He's certainly still aloof, but his aggressiveness is portrayed more vividly; in contrast, L in the manga feels a bit more dangerous and scary to me due to the range of expressions that the anime didn't manage to add in due to time and budget constraints. If anything L tones down how dangerous he can be. He does this on purpose so that he can trick and trip his adversary, as can be seen during his earlier interactions with Light. At times, L makes a mockery of himself, apparently placing himself in the position of a more demure individual while sharply observing the world around him and forming conclusions.

As to @maevearcher ‘s first point:

(...) An image of this lonely autistic genius, locked inside the confines of his ways, waiting for the right person to come along and save him from the banes of his solitary existence…until he meets Light and realises there’s someone out there who he can relate to, for understanding and stuff. I personally don’t buy too much into that.

The depth to which L relates to Light can be overestimated, but not without reason. Theirs is mostly an adversarial relationship with varying deviations throughout the expanded universe, but if we solely consider the manga then we get this comment from Ohba regarding whether L has any friends on pg.64 of V13: HTR:

Nope. And when he says that Light is his first friend that’s a big lie. He never considers him a friend. He probably secretly thinks really negative things about him.

During the Yotsuba arc, L is at a disadvantage. Light has turned the tables, tricked him into what Beyond Birthday could not do and thus gained a solid position into rendering L almost powerless to charge him. To elaborate on the latter point: BB wanted to create the perfect, unsolvable crime to humiliate L, making him lose, and thus “spend the rest of his life trembling in fear of B’s shadow” (pg.163, AA:LABB); L would know who the guilty party was but wouldn’t be able to prove it or bring that person to justice. As such, L would not be able to solve the mystery. At the end of the novel BB fails due to Misora’s quick thinking and that’s that. However, Light has several advantages that BB lacked, starting with his own social position, charm and the impeccable reputation of a model student and the prized son of a police chief who helps solve cases every now and then.

We can argue that, what truly happens in manga canon, is L and Light showing how much they respect each other for their detective skills, forming a sort of strange kinship within the cat and mouse game, especially when Light loses his memories of the Death Note. The game thrills them and they enjoy pushing each other’s buttons. No one else has ever challenged them like this. That being said, the first time they meet up for coffee after the tennis match, L is observing Light like a hawk, keeps testing him for a reaction and seems somewhat irritated at how much Light talks. I would venture a guess that L doesn’t actually like Light that much, even when he loses his memories. He might even find Light a nuisance when he waves the flag of morality — though this is a common problem L is confronted with when dealing with the Task Force, in particular Chief Yagami and Aizawa. This also places him at another gruesome disadvantage, as he’s surrounded by people who openly dislike and criticise his methods. The Task Force is also extremely wary of the way L pursues Light and think he’s being stubborn without proof to substantiate his reasoning. Ironically, it’s Aizawa, one of L’s most critical subordinates, who initiates Light’s downfall years later once he starts to consider L’s suspicions in light of Near and Mello’s tactics. 

Both L and Light respect the game, no matter where it takes them. I would further make an educated guess that Light even preyed on L’s vulnerabilities during the Yotsuba arc, predicting how L might fall into depression for failing at the game. Light was more than capable of understanding that L’s competitive and childish side would make him a sore loser, especially given that he had already “lost” the first round of battles just by showing his face. Even if there is a sliver of friendship between both during Light’s months of amnesia, it’s dead and buried the moment he becomes Kira again. 

My conclusion here would be that, while what happened with Light was extreme, it was also somewhat similar to Beyond Birthday’s eternal enmity towards L: the challenge, the need to humiliate and take down the greatest detective, one of the most brilliant minds to ever walk the Earth. There are some notable quotes from AA:LABB that reference what it is to be L, surrounded by future challengers and individuals who both look up to L and want to prove they’re better than him:

Pg.69

By simple arithmetic, L's ability in 2002 was the equivalent of five ordinary investigative bureaus, and seven intelligence agencies (and by the time he faced off against Kira, those numbers had leapt upward several more notches). This is easy to think of as a reason to respect and admire someone, but let me say this as clearly as possible: that much ability in one human is extremely dangerous. Modern danger management techniques rely heavily on diffusing the risk, but his very existence was the exact opposite. In other words, if someone was planning to commit a crime, they could greatly increase their chances of getting away with it by simply killing L before they began. That was why L hid his identity Not because he was shy or because he never left the house. To ensure his own safety For a detective of L's ability, self-preservation and the preservation of world peace were one and the same, and it would not be correct to describe his actions as cowardly or self-centered.

Pg. 117

L was the goal of everyone in Wammy's House. Everyone of us wanted to surpass him. To step over him. To step on him. M did, N did, and B did. M as a challenger, N as a successor. B as a criminal.

Pg. 160:

B approached Naomi Misora, calling himself Rue Ryuzaki. Rue Ryuzaki - L.L.  For anyone from Wammy's House, there could be no higher goal than identifying yourself with that letter - and Beyond Birthday seized this case as his chance.

One of the biggest problems with these quotes is that they paint a very complicated — and, ultimately, suffocating — picture of what it is like to be L. Ohba himself mentions Watari’s predisposition towards collecting geniuses from all over the world and what Wammy’s House has turned into, under the snippet for Watari’s character (pg.60 V13:HTR):

He’s a guy who cultivates detectives for fun. That’s kind of terrible, isn’t it?

Everyone profits from L. Watari becomes richer than ever. Wammy's House becomes breeding ground for geniuses who end up dreaming of a life where they enjoy constant thrill and challenge. However, in order to do so, the dream cannot be complete until the successor crushes the original; until M, N, B and A defeat L. At least one of L’s successors couldn’t handle the pressure and committed suicide. B, known as Backup, runs away from the orphanage and goes on a murder rampage. Having never met L in person, he deduces several personality quirks that the “original” demonstrates, going as far as exacerbating them in order to be creepy and repulsive. Mello, who boasts of having met L in person and being privy to stories about how he defeated several other detectives (then taking their aliases as a trophy) both fervently admires L and wants to step on him. 

Step on him. That’s quite the turn of phrase. It does sound scary, doesn’t it? To be surrounded by people who would take the opportunity to pull you down, no matter how much they admire you. They want to be you, to prove that they’re better than you. It’s game and ego. Life and death. Winner and loser. 

And that’s perhaps the most blatant summary in approved canon of what it is like to be L that we’ll ever get. We can, of course, argue that Watari cares about L. He’s not only his handler, but also the one who brought him into Wammy’s House. It’s fairly clear that he nurtured (and even enabled) some of L’s most distressing character traits, though I wouldn’t necessarily say it was with a purely utilitarian agenda. It’s perfectly acceptable to extrapolate how Watari might’ve wanted to keep L, a child of great intellectual genius, happy by allowing him to be challenged and properly educated. In fact, AN:LABB (pg. 145-46) even gives us L’s perspective on the kindness that justice can achieve, which is confirmed within the expanded universe to be similar to Watari’s teachings as L confronts Kujo in L:CtW. 

"I have nothing to do with him," L said. "To be completely accurate, I do not even know B. He is simply someone I am aware of. But none of this affects my judgment. Certainly I was interested in this case, and began to investigate it because I knew who the killer was. But that did not alter the way I investigated it, or the manner in which my investigation proceeded. Naomi Misora, I cannot overlook evil. I cannot forgive it. It does not matter if I know the person who commits evil or not. I am only interested in justice." "Only... in justice... " Misora gasped. "Then ... nothing else matters?" "I wouldn't say that, but it is not a priority." “You won't forgive any evil, no matter what the evil is?" "I wouldn't say that, but it is not a priority." "'But..." Like a thirteen-year-old victim. "There are people who justice cannot save." Like a thirteen-year-old criminal. “And there are people who evil can save." "There are. But even so," L said, his tone not changing at all. As if gently admonishing Naomi Misora. “Justice has more power than anything else." "Power? By power ... you mean strength?" "No. I mean kindness." He said it so easily. Misora almost dropped the phone. L The century's greatest detective, L. The detective of justice, L. Who solved every case, no matter how difficult... " ...I misunderstood you, L." "Did you? Well, I'm glad we cleared that up."

I would, once again, venture another educated guess that, while Watari’s primary reasons for starting a program of successors to L was noble, it ultimately backfired on an individual level. Society wise, the letters, as L calls them in L:CtW, are a force for good. They solve crimes, help law forces around the world to keep peace. Some of them even become scientists like Dr Kujo — though she becomes the main antagonist in the spin-off novel. However, the pressure this kind of lifestyle fostered creates a group of individuals who are highly competitive and manipulative. Some, like A, can’t handle it. Even L has his own troubles, being called a reclusive sociopath, possibly by the police forces who treat him as a utility rather than a person. He’s someone they admire and resent, who is tolerated given how effective he is at cracking down cases. 

This passage from L:CtW paints a grim picture of the way L suppresses his own feelings as he breaks down for not being able to prevent Maki from being kidnapped (pg. 150-51):

"Light...it hurts. My heart--" It was a hurt that L Lawliet had suppressed, that he had to suppress in order to continue his existence as the peerless Detective L. How had the world's top detective been described in regard to facets of his personality rather than his ability as a detective? He had been called a kinky detective who relished bizarre murders, a human computer capable only of measuring mass murders in terms of cold numbers, a reclusive sociopath. What L thought of such estimations of his personality only L could know. But no one could truly understand L. How L did not and could not forget the faces of thousands of victims. Who could comprehend the man who had lived his life, and had to live confronting all the lives that ended prematurely, the tears of grief-stricken survivors, the devaluing of life as a daily reality. How was it possible to measure the pain of such a man? Was it a strain so heavy that L's back curved under all its weight? Was it an agony so terribly to leave the indelible dark circles around his eyes? Was it a feeling so bitter that every bite he took needed to be coated in sugar? The chronically rounded shoulders, the inevitable dark circles, the eccentric tastes--L suppressed the pain of being a champion of justice, but the evidence of the pain was moulded into his very body.”

Even within the clear disparity from the official canon, this passage slaps. It humanises L further, making the detective become a person and not just a machine who is content with his lifestyle. I know there’s a tendency for those who prefer the manga to see L as someone who is unabashedly himself and perfectly alright with the life he lives. I would argue that the Kira case was not only the most difficult challenge L ever faced, but also a series of moments where he had to be at his best — and at his worst. He had to do everything within his power to solve the case, not only because of his pride but because of what he considers to be his sense of justice. Saying with such confidence ‘I am justice’ is a rather cheesy and childish thing to say out loud, though I read it as both what started as a child’s stubbornness and what L became, as he positioned himself as a barrier to prevent crimes. 

L suppresses himself, represses his emotions; he tries to control them, as Fu Takashi says in an interview, he is “dependent on games or battles of the mind”. Perhaps this is a consequence of the foundations of his personality. Despite L’s innate stubbornness, it could be argued that this is as much his fault as it is Watari’s, who didn’t nurture L’s social skills as he should have when he was a child. By not having an outlet outside of his hobby, L is trapped in a prison of his own making. Superficially, L is a “smart guy who hates losing”, but what about the rest? What about the things that make him human, the connections with others? In the same interview, it is mentioned how L feels lonely and needs affection. But what affection can you get when you isolate yourself from the world and keep everyone at arm’s length? He’s not a machine. Even machines become obsolete with time, and need outside help to keep functioning.

As for the latter point, if everyone around L is trying to step on him, humiliate him and surpass him, then it’s only natural that his emotional defences would be up. Aside from Watari, whose loyalty he can count on, he’s alone. L has no one else. And everyone around him will have a dangerous, significant probability to betray him.

Next in part 02: About romance, having someone close and intimate, the meaning of the Monster speech.

Tagging @rinneroraito and @sharkiethrts who might be interested in this meta.

[lars-n-drix]

Me, seeing nun/joan of arc! Misa Amane in the same ep that has the foot washing scene; should I start going to church? should I switch to christianity? convert even?

Me, now having finished the series; no, bitch. you were just simping over Misa Amane and forgot you’re a hierophiliac.

also while I'm confessing here, father. uhm, Light Yagami has a nice ass. I was in fact staring at it while he ran away after Matsuda shot him. uh, I'll just file that under impure thoughts/feelings. how shall I repent?

[op is religious apathetic and aegosexual, the hierophilia stuff is strictly fantasy]

[lawmane-enthusiast]

do you have any more confession scenarios mayhaps? 👀

I’ll make a list, my guy.

Some of these are jokes-. Most.

They reenact the Oscars!! Light does something shitty to Misa and L and Light reenact the Oscars!! And then Light storms off and L confesses his love to Misa and wins Best Actor 45 minutes later and gives an 18 minute long award acceptance speech.

Last one was fake crap. But… Light does something shitty to Misa, L kinda snaps because he’s so tired of Light being a horrible boyfriend, and he gets Light and Misa to break up so he can finally date the emo gworl of his dreams. Maybe a kiss. No, not that, L is a coward. They hold hands. Yeah.

Truth or dare oneshot confession scene. ‼️

Misa confesses to L right after they had spent some time dancing. The sun was down and they were standing in a largely grassy and undisturbed plain under a tree. The stars were shining and the moon was bright… And all that was left in the air was the sound of two lovebirds making ou- I’ll stop my monologue now.

High school AU confession scene consists solely of events that happen during the night of the big school dance. Misa had spent hours getting ready to attend the dance with Light, but then he broke up with her over text, so she ran to L’s house to go cry about it, and after subtly hinting for the past four months, L was just tired of Misa’s obliviousness, and confessed his feelings for her. Then they go to the dance together instead ‼️ And kiss under the moonlight outside ‼️ You’re welcome.

Titanic AU confession scene would probably happen while the ship began to sink, and L was pretty sure he was going to drown along with the ship. He’d be cuffed to the wall on one of the lowest floors, just how Jack had been, and he’d tell Misa everything, about how he loved her, he explained everything. And then he got out of the handcuffs anyway and they had to race up to the top of the ship, hang on to the top bit until it sank, and then SHARE THE DOOR because the door IN FACT HAD ENOUGH SPACE FOR TWO.

Hanahaki AU confession scene would probably start with Misa confessing, actually. Like the progression of the disease would be so bad she’d just tell him what had been happening. And then he’d feel guilty and REALIZE HE HAD BEEN SUPPRESSING FEELINGS THIS WHOLE TIMES AND THEY WOULD KISS AND ALL WOULD BE WELL IN THE WORLD.

I haven’t got any more, sorry!! If I think of more, I’ll add them. Anyway.. Notice how most of these start with L confessing ��� he’s so gosh dang awkward I can’t really see it, but mostly. The Titanic AU and the High school AU are my LIFE rn.

Thank you for allowing me to ramble.

[omgkalyppso]

WIP Wednesday

@werecanidae tagged me for wip wednesday and I thought I was going to share something else, but instead I'll put forward the first scene (I have 2 scenes "done" so far) of a death note fanfic idk when it'll be ready. The premise is Light loses the death note while being unable to relinquish his ownership of it (or lose his memories) while in confinement. Additionally I replace Sidoh's role in the story with my shinigami oc Lyce.

I'll tag @recurringwriter, @umbralstars, and YOU! Because they've seen this before and I can't bring myself to tag anyone that hasn't seen it.

1,596 words total. Lies about a fictional woman Light made up committing suicide. Regular death note bullshit.

Enjoy!

.

‘Get rid of it.’

Light’s own words rang in his ears. Anything he’d said before or after had been meaningless. It had all been a smokescreen with a singular purpose. He’d set the board and ordered his first piece to move, and so Ryuk had gone, but that was six days ago, and Light had witnessed how fast Misa had turned when she’d given up ownership of her Death Note, so why did his memories yet remain?

‘Ryuk… What are you up to?’

It was dark in Light’s cell — never pitch for the cameras, but dim — and by now he wondered whether his jailors were honouring the true cycle of night and day. The hours crawled by like insects upon his skin. Light would have been impatient for other reasons if he could no longer remember Ryuk, but as it was, he was calculating how to pull off his con if Ryuk had simply abandoned him. L’s perception was difficult to misguide, but surely not impossible. In a worst case scenario he’d simply have to go dig up the Death Note on his own when the opportunity presented itself.

He’d suffered worse humiliation at the behest of L’s confidence and Misa’s flagrant impropriety than time in scrutinised solitary could ever inflict. Weathering a few more days of annoyance was nothing to Light — especially when weighed against his perfect victory. It was so close now. The hurdles were coming with such frequency that Light imagined them as the death throes of this disappointing reality making way for his judgement.

Of course the night would feel long, when the dawn of a new world waited for him in the morning.

A grumble of disappointment called Light’s attention to the corner of his cell. He recognized the sound, and startled to hear it. Ryuk’s gothic figure was a stark shadow against the yellow walls, with disappointment and hesitation clear in his otherwise vacant expression; lidless eyes that Light could feel upon him, breathless lips parted around pointed teeth that Light was long accustomed to.

“It’s gone,” Ryuk said, with the tone of a confession.

.

L watched the monitors attentively. Light had jolted and twisted up on his side to stare at the side of the cell, and L did not intend to miss either what had caught Light’s attention, or what he might be doing in his cot that he meant to draw attention from. Light twitched as if towards the camera, long brown hair fallen in front of his face, hiding his expression.

.

“I would have felt it if another human had picked up the Death Note,” Ryuk asserted, voice churning like jewellery in a garbage disposal.

Light narrowed his eyes, urging him on.

“And,” Ryuk complied, reaching up to wrap bony fingers around the expanse of his monstrous throat, “the earth would have been disturbed, if a human had taken it. So. I think it was taken ... by another shinigami.”

.

L cycled through three other cameras in Light’s cell, seeking what had his attention, trying to find something in focus of his eyes or the jitter of his wrist.

.

“I checked in on Rem,” Ryuk promised, meaning to clear her of suspicion as he gestured with an open palm, “and she's just doing what we planned.” He tilted his chin up, straightening his posture, as much as his hunch allowed. Light heard the tremor in Ryuk’s voice. “I, uh, I think I know who has it. It's just a matter of finding her, and finding out what's going on.”

.

Light raised a fist in front of his lips, mind reeling. If there had been another shinigami around to influence his plans, then Ryuk should have told him.

‘So much for digging it up later.’

Swallowing his rage, swallowing the exclamation that Ryuk’s fear had better be reserved for him, and not this unknown player in their game, Light raised a finger, hand still in front of his face, hoping Ryuk understood that he wanted him to wait a moment, to hear how he sounded out his questions. He hoped that for L, the gesture appeared to be nothing more than him collecting his thoughts.

As unimposing as he could, Light sat up and turned to the primary camera at the head of his cell. He was sure there were others, but this one was out in the open, meant to grab attention — and undermine him. He tightened his blanket over his shoulders and softly called out, “L? I think I had a nightmare.”

.

L light the silence drag a moment, wide eyes taking in the whole of the scene before him, wondering what this ploy could be. Could Light’s confinement be wearing away him? Perhaps the lack of exercise and stimulation? He slid his finger over the smooth plastic of the button for his microphone before answering in his gentle monotone, “I'm sorry to hear that, Light.” Another pause, watching Light curl in on himself, an act of vulnerability that L could not allow himself to believe under the circumstances.

Yet there were benefits to keeping Light talking, so L asked, “Do you want to talk about it?”

Light’s tone was filled with bittersweet sadness, and he smiled hopelessly as he filled the television screen with charm. “You probably think I can't sleep because of my conscience,” he accused L. “Because I'm Kira. Right?”

This time L answered quickly, and with less gentleness to his tone, more professional and perfunctory, in an attempt to dissuade Light’s mind-games. “No, I've watched you sleeping soundly for some time now. And with the understanding that Kira thinks himself above his victims, there would be no logic in assuming that such a mind would be moved to feel guilt over his crimes.”

.

Light had to keep himself from smiling. He turned back towards Ryuk as he spun his tale.

“I had a nightmare of a woman. She was turned away from me in my cell. Just there,” He pointed at Ryuk with a measure of sick satisfaction, and hoped Ryuk felt his frustration despite the ruse. “She killed herself in front of me,” as Light spoke, he became frantic, as though the words couldn’t get out of him fast enough, as though he were still and had truly been terrified by a fictitious ghost, “and I wondered how she'd gotten there, and whether you'd sent her, or whether Kira had sent her — to eliminate any doubt that I'm Kira.” He sobbed. “I wanted her to turn around.” And turned to the camera in distress. “Who was she? Why was she doing this?! Who was she?”

.

L had a hard time not narrowing his eyes at Light’s display. With the miniscule chance that it was a genuine nightmare that was afflicting him, afflicting Kira — the rest of the story, and Light’s reaction to it, were completely nonsensical, and beyond L’s interest in comforting. Nevertheless, Light was his guest, willingly, for the time being, and L took a deep breath before reassuring Light as though the circumstances of this exchange were different, and as though they were friends whispering secrets in the night.

“Rest assured, Light, if a woman walked into your cell and killed herself, the likelihood of your being Kira would remain unchanged. No one is coming.” He watched Light shrink a little, and realised his own limited experience with expressing himself socially might have hampered what he considered friendly, when compared with a social butterfly like Light. But this didn’t stop L from replaying what Light had said in his frightened stupor, and he whispered, deep and amused, “Although I am intrigued by your phrasing. You do realise you said, “I'm Kira.” Do you not?”

.

Light looked at the camera with annoyance flaring across his features that quickly dimmed into anguish. “I— I said—”

“She is my friend, Lyce,” Ryuk answered Light, sounding like he’d been caught stealing apples from the kitchen counter. “It was maybe, sorta, possibly, her Death Note that I gave you to use.”

.

“Your meaning was that you are not Kira,” L said permissibly, to save Light any further distress and acknowledge that he was not a literal fool, “and you're tired. Yes, I understood.” He pressed a finger to the television screen, feeling the static bud and blossom and cling to his skin, touching just in the corner where Light had been looking some moments ago. He asserted quietly, “But you did say it, Light, and I will still remember in the morning.”

.

“Lyce is a stickler with the rules,” Ryuk explained for Light’s sake, answering more of the questions he’d hidden in his outburst, “and I can't see how she'd influence your guilt, Light-o, that's on you.”

.

“I'm not Kira,” Light said, loud enough to be picked up by L’s devices but as quietly as he dared. Sliding down so he slumped in his cot. “I'm— I'm not…”

“I'll come find you when I have answers,” Ryuk vowed, and Light even found himself believing it despite how useless Ryuk had been. Their friendship wasn’t built on lies. He was going to be God of the new world — of course Ryuk would want to see that happen.

L’s voice crackled over the microphone. “Would you like me to send someone to check on you, Light?”

Light rolled onto his side, away from the camera. “Thank you, L. But if you could go away ... I'd like to try to get back to sleep.”

Light heard the absence of Ryuk before L’s placid response.

“Of course, Light. Good night.”

[numberonemisasimp]

♔ 𝐷𝑒𝑎𝑡ℎ 𝑛𝑜𝑡𝑒 𝑟𝑢𝑙𝑒𝑠 ♔

♡︎ MASTER LIST

Light

Light as a boy friend would include

Light with a serial killer s/o

Lights reaction to a sick s/o

Misa

Misa as a girlfriend would include

Misa x rem

Lawliet

Lawliet as a boyfriend would include

L with a demon s/o

Near

Near as a boyfriend would include

Mello

Mello as a boyfriend would include

Mello with a demon s/o

Rem

Rem as a girlfriend would include

Misa x rem

Ryuk

Ryuk as a boyfriend would include

❥ Characters I write for

light

misa

l lawliet

mello

matt

near

rem

ryuk

❥ Types of headcanons I will do

angst- whether that consists of cheating, death, break ups or just messy arguments. or whatever you end up requesting

fluff- just pure fluff, cuddling, making dinner when your preferred character, confessions, just pure sweetness yk?

nsfw- i can’t promise it will be amazing but if you request it i will do it, of course depending on what it is

lgbtq- if you want to request misa x female reader or light x male reader then i will happily do it!! if not then all asks sent in without a preferred gender will be gender neutral

❥ What I’m not comfortable writing

non con- sorry im not comfortable writing scenes of graphic nature such as r*pe and assault. i don’t mind doing an after where you get comforted but i will not be writing the actual scene

abuse- i will write yandere which technically does count as abuse however i won’t write obvious abuse such as mello hitting you, it just makes me uncomfortable

other than that im fine writing anything else!

[evelights]

hello everyone, someone asked me for my lawlight fic recs so i took it as an excuse to make a proper list. enjoy!

complete works:

achromatic - soulmate au, once you meet your soulmate you see color

four - 3 + 1 things, 3 times light kissed L and one time L kissed him first

sugar and pumpkin spice - coffee shop au, i love this one sm for no reason

hot chocolate - just some short quippy + fluffy banter, mostly dialogue

remaster - an ep 25 fix-it in which L makes a deal with rem to save himself and light (and misa)

ignorance is innocence - a yotsuba arc + post-yotsuba arc rewrite of sorts

riddles - an au, light and L meet at a masquerade

accidentally on purpose - an au, light and L are coworkers who keep ending up under the office’s mistletoe

just spit it out - a confession scene, very cute

age of foolishness - yotsuba arc, hurt/comfort + mutual pining, very soft (content warning for eating issues)

frostbite - snowball fight. fluff and (slight) crack

4 times L and light destroyed something while fighting and the 1 time they didn’t - the title is self explanatory LOL

how the mighty fall (in love) - a Rain Scene rewrite, soft and kinda bittersweet

phototaxis - to-oh timeline, L has dinner at light’s house. light’s gotta cruuush

we’re gonna nuke each other up - post-yotsuba arc but its pure fluff. light brushes L’s hair and has gay thoughts

orbit - to-oh timeline, L has lunch with light and his ‘friends’ at uni. except they are embarrassingly gay and said friends are very clearly third wheeling.

unfolding of miscalculations - to-oh timeline. light is just. so gay.

rhythm of your heart - yotstuba arc, pure raw mutual pining to the max. literally so soft i melt every time i read it.

moth to a flame - light and L meet at a concert and fall in love before light finds the death note

white chocolate roses - au, light is a cardiologist and L is his terminally ill patient. fair warning, this fic made me genuinely sob for a good 10-15 minutes. it hurts. it is beautiful and it hurts.

incomplete works:

icaras (grow your wings and burn) - (ongoing) one of my favs ever. au in which the death note gives light wings. so beautifully written.

midnight equinox - (ongoing) au in which light (and sayu!) are brought to wammy’s orphanage and light and L work on the kira case together

stories about stars (relight) - (discontinued) reincarnation au mixed with college/university au, so beautiful i love this one so much i am forever sad that it is incomplete

the execution of all things - (ongoing) canon divergence of the tv drama in which light gets shot by higuchi before he can get the dn back

throw the dice and play with me - (ongoing) an L wins au, L visits light in prison two years after kira’s defeat asking for help on a new case. SO much tension/pining it is unreal. another one of my favs

[kimium]

Hi friend!! Since I know you've been enjoying Death Note again recently, I thought I'd send you an ask with a few questions you can answer if you like:

-what is your favourite thing about LawLight as a ship?

-What is your favourite Death Note headcannon?

-Which shinigami do you like better: Ryuk or Rem? Or do you like them both equally?

-Favourite things about Misa?

Hope you are warm and cozy tonight! Love you tons!!!

Friend know that I love you with all my heart for sending me this ask. (Well, I love you anyways, but you know what I mean.) Thank you so much for this! I indeed fell heavily back into the Death Note pool recently. I'm so excited to answer these!

1) What is your favourite thing about LawLight as a ship?

Canonically, my favourite thing about them is how they could have been but fate decided other wise. Platonic or not, their relationship is a Tragedy. They're the "what ifs" and "if things had been different" and "if only we weren't enemies". They are the dreams that cannot become reality, the memory not quite remembered, the bitterness after eating something slightly too sweet. And the worst part is, we as the audience can see this. We can practically taste it. It's hanging overhead, like an apple just out of reach, but we'll never obtain it.

Fandom wise, my favourite thing about them is how everyone contextualizes their relationship. Everyone has a different idea to how their relationship started/ how they manage to get and stay together. My personal favourite ones are set during the Yotsuba Arc and diverting from there. I'm also a huge fan of "Light was Never Kira but he's still a Suspect and is very :/ about it". Top tier humour. I've also read some AUs where Light is part of Wammy's House. Regardless, they're all great.

2) What is your favourite Death Note headcanon?

My favourite Death Note head canon is: L is an older brother figure to Near, Mello, and Matt (who, yes I also think is an orphan at Wammy's). He secretly dotes on them and looks out for them. In turn Near, Mello, and Matt are super protective (they love L a lot) but also they're little shit younger brothers who will gleefully tell embarrassing stories about L to anyone who asks.

(I also like the idea that Naomi Misora dumps Raye Pember's ass and is alive thanks.)

3) Which Shinigami do I like better: Ryuk or Rem? Or do I like them both equally?

I like them both equally! Ryuk is one of my favourite chaotic characters in any series. I love how everything in Death Note is just him trying to cure his boredom. He's truly not on anyone's side but his own.

Rem on the other hand is amazing because she cares about Misa. I love her single minded devotion to Misa and the willingness to do whatever it takes to save her.

4) Favourite things about Misa?

First, I want to go on record to say I love Misa and she deserved better.

Next, my favourite thing about Misa is how she's a risk taker and not as "dumb" as others in the series believe. Sure, she isn't IQ, 5D chess smart like Light and L, but she makes up for it in playing into other's expectations of her. She understands physical appearances matter and uses it to her advantage. They see her and think "she's an airhead, actor/model and is clueless". Which, sometimes, yes, Misa comes off as "vapid" but she's also cunning.

For example, in the Yotsuba Arc her bold (and risky) choice to go after Higuchi and gain a confession out of him is singularly one of my favourite scenes in the series. In my opinion she's similar to Mello. Both of them are slightly more emotional and truly shine doing field work.

I also enjoy how she sees things plainly and to the point. I really think that in some other universe she and L could be good friends. Her simple outlook might be seen as refreshing to L (and Light) who jump through 50 hoops all the time.

Thanks for the ask, friend! I'm indeed staying warm (fire place is on, I have a cup of tea). Especially after that terrible week of ours with -35 C + windchill. (I went OUT in that weather like an Idiot.)

[13eyond13]

What's your opinion on different interpretations of Light and L's characters? By saying that i mean how they were portrayed in DN Drama, Musical (let's take Japanese version) and Movies.

Personally I find the most interesting interpretation of Light in the Drama, bc he's more soft and sympathetic. I'm not saying that I would prefer him to animanga!Light (animanga!Light is still the best), but at least it's something new and fresh (also, i absolutely LOVE the scene where Souichiro learns that his son was Kira all along and Light is just split bc he can't decide whether he wants to be Kira or wants his father alive and the scene is absolutely gut-wrenching I would sell my soul for it). If we speak about Japanese musical, I don't get Light's character here? In his first song ("Where's the justice?") he sings about unjust world and how everything is "just law, not law and order, but in the next song ("Hurricane") he already sings that he's the god of brend new world? I mean, his motivation moves from "wants to help innocents" to "wants to be god bc of boredom" kinda quickly? And DN Movies, well.... They certainly made Light darker and i don't like the fact bc it feels they made him darker so he could contrast with softer L.

Speaking of L, again, the best version is animanga version and we all know it 🛐. But I think I love his interpretation in Musical too? I love these songs that show us his thinking process and I love the fact that in Musical L and Light seem to obsess over each other like in canon (yk, bc they always sing about how it would be like to see the world through other's eyes etc.). I find Drama!L to be veeeeeeeery fan-servicy, but he's still entertaining, especially when the show allows him slow scenes where he doesn't have to take his shirt off 50 times during the dialogue, but instead speaks about his ideology or relationships with other people (scenes with Near, Yagami Souichiro, Light (esp the one where he tries to make him confess). As for Movies!L, well... I just don't like him. Neither L nor Light are the embodiment of good or justice but the creators made it seem like Light is absolutely evil and L is absolutely good and this pisses me off. L lets Misa Amane go free after Rem's death even though Misa killed tons of people and he tells Souichiro that he was sorry that he couldn't save Light so I presume that he would have let him go too (even if he wouldn't, it's still dumb, bc he let Misa go). Also fans are like "awww look at him giving a candy to a crying child he would've been such a great father". I mean, I'm not against making characters softer or kinder, but even in the animanga, where L tortured people and sacrificed criminals, there's still a huge L fanbase that sees him as a completely good guy. And by making Light darker and L kinder they as well could have said "yep, we have a villain and a hero, they are complete oopposites". Idk I just don't get it.

Your thoughts?

Hi hello! I have only seen half of the j-drama, watched the anime twice, watched the musical once, and saw the Netflix movie when it first came out. And I never really liked any of them nearly as much as the manga, so that's why I always sound like a broken record about it on this blog 😆 I just think the manga is by far the best-written, funniest, saddest, and prettiest-looking version all at once.

The drama might actually be my favourite alternate version Light as well out of all the things I've seen too, because that adaptation was also funny/entertaining and sometimes sad, and it often surprised me in a good way. And yeah, drama!Light was like an entirely different character, and maybe that's why he was more interesting and sympathetic to me than just a more watered-down/cardboard version of the original complicated manga guy. I find Light often gets turned into a privileged Mikami sort of character in adaptations, rather than the oddly-chill-at-times one with the weird sense of humour he was in the manga to me. And L is just almost always made more cartoony and goofy and/or emo and somehow cast in a heroic light while simultaneously still being a shady dude in everything he does, so I haven't ever really liked L in anything else very much. I do often hear people like musical!L a lot. And I feel like a wet blanket especially when talking about the musical in the fandom, because I just didn't really like it or feel particularly moved by it most of the time. Especially when it came to L and Light and the Lawlight aspect of stuff, which was boring and lacking in chemistry to me. I found most of it too sincere and serious and somber to be entertaining, as DN easily becomes extremely tedious to me when most of the dark/goofy humour and ironic slyness is sucked out of it like that. I feel a lot of adaptations focus so heavily on Lawlight that it actually gets boring to me too, even though it's also my favourite ship. It's a bit hard to explain, but I prefer Lawlight to almost be left as this curious little unspoken background thing going on in addition to all the other interesting stuff, rather than featured as this big, obvious central element of the plot. At least outside of fanmade stuff.

My next favourite version of DN overall after the manga is definitely the anime, simply because the voice acting and soundtrack is so good. But even that is still like "why the heck would you watch the anime when the manga is right there??" to me most of the time... 😆

[mlwritersguild]

September prompt event: post-reveal pre-relationship love square (and if 'loose' is a typo for 'lose', that works great too): 7.** Giving them a tight hug that makes them loose their breath.

🍁 Miraculous Writer’s Guild September Event 🍁

𝕊𝕙𝕠𝕣𝕥𝕖𝕤𝕥 ℝ𝕠𝕦𝕥𝕖 𝕨𝕣𝕚𝕥𝕥𝕖𝕟 𝕓𝕪 ℙ𝕠𝕡𝕡𝕪 @apopcornkernel

Prompt: Giving them a tight hug that makes them lose their breath.

🍂🍂~🍂~🍂~🍂~🍂~🍂~🍂~🍂~🍂

a/n: a big thank you to @mininoire for beta-ing! this fic was inspired by that one scene in maid sama where usui jumps off a building to catch misa's photo. 

-----------------------------

It was a cool, autumn day, and the air was clean and crisp. Marinette sat on her balcony, legs tucked underneath her as she scribbled in her diary. Or, well, a stand-in for one.

She hadn't touched her diary in a hot minute—not since Tikki had come into her life. After all, it was much easier to say one's thoughts aloud than to waste time slaving away at a desk.

Besides, paper lasted. Paper could be used against her. She'd learned that the hard way, through Chloé.

But there was just something about pouring your feelings into words, inking out your emotions onto paper. So she'd taken from her room one of those thin paper notebooks that were sold wholesale, and gone up to the balcony.

And so she sat. And so she wrote.

Marinette supposed this change had been brought about by one thing. Namely, the discovery of the fact that Chat Noir and Adrien Agreste were one and the same, her kitty and her friend. (Friend. Ha.)

Days later and still she flushed at the mere recollection, mind flashing with how their masks had melted away and their eyes had met, sheer shock and delight coursing through her veins.

It had been pure luck, that day, when they'd run into each other with only seconds to spare on their timers. Almost as if the universe had willed for them to collide, and meet again as Adrien and Marinette in that very same spot.

Yet they hadn't endeavored to clear up the lingering tension that had come with the reveal.

Chat Noir loved Ladybug. She loved Adrien. If Adrien and Chat Noir were the same person, then…

Marinette shook her head, cutting the thought short before it could fester like an open wound. No, she told herself firmly. There was no use in wasting her time daydreaming. Not when there might be no valid cause for it.

She set to work on her notebook again, as Tikki finished a cookie and reached for another one.

As if the universe had decided to revoke her good luck, Chat Noir burst into view, landing hard on the balcony. 

Marinette spluttered, leaping from her seat. “Ch—Adrien!”

He grinned that cocky grin of his. “Hello, princess.”

She sat back down, trying to ignore the way her heart raced. “I don't think we have patrol this early, chaton.” 

He smiled softly as he whispered his detransformation phrase. Plagg zipped out of the ring and off with Tikki to who-knows-where as Adrien leaned back against the railing. “I just wanted to see you, I guess.”

Marinette's cheeks flamed. Just moments ago she'd told herself she'd banish all thoughts of him from her mind. And now he— he appeared with those stupid, stupid confessions that were going to eventually kill her—

“Hey, what's that?” 

She blinked, nudged out of her buzzing thoughts. “What's what?”

Adrien tilted a head in her notebook's direction. “That.”

She pursed her lips, unsure if she should answer. After all, Adrien might ask to see it, and where would that lead her? Straight to her social death. 

But his face softened, pleading, with every second, and she could already feel herself succumbing.

“A diary. Of sorts,” she finally said.

Sure enough, his eyes lit up with an eager twinkle. “Can I see it?”

Marinette weighed her choices, teeth digging into her lip. Saying no would bring out his nagging. Saying yes would put an eternal blush on her face.

She flushed. What was she supposed to do?

Just then, Adrien interrupted her flustered thinking, making her look back at him.

“It's alright, Marinette.” Adrien's smile was understanding. And so, so sweet. “I understand.”

Marinette breathed a sigh of relief. “Oh, thank you. To be honest, I don't think I could bear to show what I've written to anyone at all.” 

“Yeah, I get that. I would die if I had to show anyone my childhood drawings.” Adrien grimaced. “Mother never let me throw them out, though.”

An uncomfortable silence settled on them with the mention of Emilie. 

Adrien was the first to break it, changing the subject with ease. “Do you have any sketches you could show me, in place of that? I’d love to see a Marinette original in the works,” he chirped.

Just like that, the smile—and the blush—was back on Marinette’s face. “Yep! Hold on, I’ll just go back inside to get it.”

But just as she set down her diary, a sudden, strong gust of wind blew, riffling their hair and taking the lightweight notebook with it. Marinette watched in horror, wind whistling over her head as it went over the edge.

Before she could even say a word, Adrien was up and over the railing, in hot pursuit. “Plagg, claws out!”

She dashed toward the railing, heart in her throat. “Adrien! What are you doing!” she screamed. Her mind flashed, unwillingly, with a dozen different memories of his death by her side, and she whimpered, rooted to the spot in fear.

He’d caught the diary already, and just as he was about to crash into the pavement and almost certainly die, he extended his baton and used it to bring himself back up to her balcony. 

Marinette’s face was ghost-white when he offered her her diary, still perched on his baton.

“Here you go, m’lady,” he said, eyes twinkling.

Marinette reached over and hugged him forcefully, her eyes tearing up with relief. “What were you thinking?” 

He laughed sheepishly. “Well, it was the shortest route.”

She let out a shaky laugh at that, breaking away from him. He climbed over the balcony railing and uttered a quick detransformation, Plagg shooting him a disgruntled look as the kwami went back over to Tikki.

 Marinette sat down. “For a moment I thought I’d lost you.” Her voice cracked. “Why, chaton? How?”

“Why what?” He gingerly placed the diary on the chaise.

She dropped her face into her hands. “How do you so mindlessly throw yourself into danger? How can you do that to yourself?”

Adrien sat down by her side, hovering uneasily. “Princess...”

Marinette lifted her head. “How could you do that to me?” she murmured, and they both knew she wasn’t just talking about today.

Adrien put his hands on her cheeks, dotting a kiss on her forehead. “I’m sorry, my lady.” 

A sudden burst of adrenaline and giddiness pulsed through her when he did that, and paired with the sheer anxiety she'd felt only moments before, it gave her an odd sort of energy. On impulse, she pressed her lips to his, ignoring the blush that spread across her cheeks. 

“Don’t do that again, okay?” She cracked a wobbly smile, wiping away the last of her tears. “Idiot. Idiot kitty.” 

“Still your kitty.”

She laughed, swatting his arm. “Shut up.”

“Make me,” he quipped, smiling.

“Oh, I will,” she replied, her eyes darting towards his lips. She leaned in, and Adrien noticed, to his relief, that his joking had seemingly erased most of her initial worry.

“Don't think this means I'm letting you off the hook, though,” Marinette breathed against his lips. 

Adrien smiled sheepishly. “I guess I've got a lot to make up for. What do I do, my lady?”

Marinette blurted, “Well, you could start by kissing me again.” Her cheeks pinked.

At that, Adrien's grin widened. “Oh, it'd be my pleasure.”

[baranedizille]

Black star/sad headcanon (for some reason there is no black star on my keyboard) for Misa please!

Well, not a headcanon, but something what I really want to ramble about. I hope you're ok with it.

It's fucking sad that Misa has no character arc.

Imagine if she realized what her "love" to Light brought to her at some point. Spoiler: nothing good! Misa forgot herself and threw her life at Light's feet ready to do everything for him, and for what? Not to mention that it was hopelessly one-sided, and Misa knew it on some level (well, I think). She was easy to him to throw away and forget about.

In the second part of dn, I'd totally like to see something like Light deciding to get rid of Amane, because he doesn't need her abilities anymore and she may be a possible threat to his incognito, and Misa understanding it. She would make a scene confessing her thoughts and feelings and accusing Light of betrayal, threating to kill him, too. Now, she realized what a fool she was, not blinded anymore.

There may be a lot of different scenarios, really. For example, Misa not showing her worries and starting her game against Light, oh she would be able to do it and be quite good at it. Yet, I'd like to see her pure anger and rageful disappointment towards Light.

But after that, she's dead obviously, because the show must go on and there's no Rem to save her this time.

Something like such subplot would be simply good for the story and characterization, but uhuh Misa as a character is just a useful obedient instrument for Light from the beginning and till the end.

P.S. I've written it because I really don't have sad headcanons for Misa

[supernovafeather]

CRUELLA (2021), directed by Craig Gillespie

I'll try to be concise because I am always a mess at organizing structured posts. I know I'll fail but I needed to share some stuff. So yeah I will spoil everything, even the main plotline. I'll also talk about music, shots, colors etc. My opinion in general is summed up in the last paragraph, scroll down to it if you want to read it. People talking about this movie without watching it piss me off, and how people online act stupidly towards movie just piss me off in general.

I just watched Cruella. Why ? Because of many posts angry at Disney and this movie. Especially on tumblr. The famous "lol her mother got killed by Dalmatians and that's why she hates them Disney you ruined everything."

And this is the embodiment of "I've never watched the movie but someone said that on the Internet so I'll reblog it without trying to understand anything please laugh at my post and reblog lol boycott Disney they kill the cinema industry".

No, I don't like Disney. I hate the idea itself of a corporation owning artistic creations and can do basically whatever they want with movies, actors, and everyone involved in the creation of movies. I hate the agressive capitalism they are the embodiment of. Because yes, Disney produces movies because it permits them to sell goodies. Disney is here to get money, not to create art.

But people criticizing a movie without watching it, so without knowing anything of what is inside it just to mock Disney ? That's disgusting too. Stupid.

Then you'll misa many things that are interesting and that even made me sit back correctly on my seat and open my mouth in surprise. A pleased surprise. Not a gasp, just a natural reaction as I appreciate this movie.

You want an interesting dynamic between two powerful female characters ? It is perfectly done here : Cruella vs the Baroness. You want represention of POC and how they are treated like shit by white people abusing them by integrating it into clashes between social classes ? It is there, not only with Jasper or Maya, but with all the maids treated like shit by the Baroness for example. They don't have any line of dialogue, but you want Justice for them. The Baroness literally throws a chair at a maid, hurts her, treats everyone like slaves but everyone still obeys because she is all mighty, eliminates opponents, intimidates, fire everyone if they disappoint her. Everyone's life depends on her mood or interests.

The acting was really good. I'd be disgusted to hear that actors and actresses suffer from some form of boycott against this movie, or get laughed at because they were in this movie. I saw it in French yes (dubs were wonderful btw, never seen such a high quality lips sync) but Emma Stone's facial expressions were really great especially at a scene where she confesses her discoveries in front of a fontain in London. The way it is shot too, with a slightly trembling camera circling around her without any cut made justice to her acting. Thanks to this choice it lets the scene breathing, and you can feel how great the actors are. However in some others it looked really close to Margot Robbie's Harley Quinn in Suicide Squad to me, when her character has nervous/angry facial expressions but it still works. She really nailed the dichotomy between Estella and Cruella, because don't forget she literally has to play two roles at a time.

Also. Colors. You know, Cruella is associated with black and white, dota on Dalmatians, black amd white hair etc. And one shot caught my eye, you know, the kind of details telling something subtlely on camera, without any word needed and making you think "hey people behind it had some interesting ideas and know their job". When Cruella (still Estella at this moment) enters the workshop after she got hired by the Baroness everyone is in black and white. The ground too. And what else is interesting on this ground ? Its whiteness with the black dots on it, the camera above everyone.

Now we can talk about the special effects.

Oh boy. Oh boy. Aouch.

The three Dalmatians we see from the beginning are owned by the Baroness. Basically they are really agressive, growling. They have to attack the little Estella when she was a young girl. So they were artificial for this movie. But it looks so fake. Same for the little dog owned by Jasper and Horace, the two thefts when he has to attack a guy. I understand that sending three actual dogs to chase after a little girl would have been too extreme. I know. But really they could have made something for that. Maybe make them less openly damgerous-looking. Just growling or something. Oh and the special effects at the very end of the movie. Aouch aouch aouch. When Cruella gets pushed down the cliff by the Baroness, uses her skirt as a parachute (yes this passage was wtf I wanted to facepalm) and fall into the sea. EVERYTHING looks fake : water, the parachute, the physics, her weight, the wind... it really even looked outdated it was weird. Really don't try to make too complicated scenes if thia turns into nonsense, especially into too expensive nonsense that spoils a correct ending.

This movie was... good. Not great. Not bad. Good. It had good ideas. It had more personality than what I was expecting from something created by Disney honestly. (I'm in love with the fake credits with the song created for this movie, watch it if you can). I also loved what they did with all the dresses there were genuine great ideas.

This is all I want to tell about the movie for now. There is much to say of course, I could have talked about what I think about the music (that I am more skeptical about than anything and that doesn't have much personality), detail much more about the attempt to create great shots (it was interesting without beimg transcendent), Cruella getting more and more room into Estella's personality and how it scared her friends. Oh and no romance. THANK YOU. Finally a movie without romance needed to make characters evolve and question themselves. Thank you.

Here was my chaotic review without being one. It was more to explain why I am angry to comments focusing on one aspect of a mpvie without watching it, without CONTEXTING it (because heh there's a twist too aboit the whole "Dalmatians killed her mother lol") , without taking time to talk aboit the positive things just to trash talk about Disney. Guys. As I said I hate the idea of corporations owning a big part of the artistic industry. But please don't be stupid. Stop talking shit when you don't even take the time to watch a movie. Stop that. Stop being dishonest towards a movie where they actually tried several interesting things.

[cat-soda]

the lingering touch of starlight

acts of service (or, as kiyomi likes to call it, “praying at aphrodite’s altar”)

Pairings: takamisa

Word count: 447

Warnings for: n/a

[AO3 Link]

It’s the way Misa slots her thighs neatly around the curve of Kiyomi’s torso that has Kiyomi sighing, settling, relaxing into the bed beneath her. Misa’s small hands pressing down gentle on Kiyomi’s wrists, all 36kg of her concentrated into a warmth in Kiyomi’s stomach and one more in her chest at the way Misa smiles —nose scrunching, bottle-blonde hair hanging loose around her shoulders— and says, sing-song, “I win.”

Kiyomi smirks back, gathers the sudden surge of fondness for her lover and swallows it all back down her throat. Despite her efforts, butterflies escape her chest with every spoken word, “I let you, didn’t I?”

That earns her a huff and a full-lipped pout. “You’re just being a sore loser!” Misa leans in close, all movie-star starlight twinkling in her eyes. “Then again, I guess it wouldn’t be too bad if you had let me win.”

“Oh? Why’s that?”

“Because,” she kisses along Kiyomi’s jawline, enunciating her syllables with every lipstick mark she leaves behind, “because, my sweet Kiyomi is a proud person who doesn’t like to lose.” Misa sucks hard at her neck, releasing her grip on her lover’s wrists when she gasps. Then, she sits up, brushing dark hair from Kiyomi’s face with delicate fingertips. “And that would mean you feel the same way for me as I do for you. And I would…” Here, she flushes before pressing a chaste kiss to Kiyomi’s clavicle. “Misa would steal the moon if it meant seeing you happy.”

Kiyomi gulps as Misa lays her head neatly against the crook of her neck.

The butterflies take flight again with a vengeance, and Kiyomi wraps her arm around Misa’s waist, tilts her chin up with the fingers of her other hand. Their eyes meeting don’t cause sparks to run down her spine anymore — instead, it tastes of something ridiculous like mulled wine: sweet and smoky, creeping through all of her senses, her attention wholly caught.

She smiles. “I already knew that.”

Misa turns a bright, angry red. “So?! Thank me for my confession properly, damn you! Or, better yet, say it back! Horrible! You’re horrible!” Pouting, she rolls off to lay on her back near-by, grabbing Kiyomi’s hand to play with. After a moment, she pauses, eyebrows furrowing as her childish expression falters. She traces the line of Kiyomi’s palm with reluctant reverence. “It’s true, though. Isn’t it? You’d do the same?”

“Yes.” Kiyomi presses her lips against Misa’s knuckles. “Of course I would.”

She relaxes minutely, exhaling just lightly enough for Kiyomi to feel. “Good.” Misa tenderly returns the gesture on Kiyomi’s palm. “Now,” she flicks her gaze up at the other woman. “How about another game?”

---

a/n: happy femslash february!!!

i started writing this a while ago and only finished last night, so i thought i'd wait until feb 1st came around to post (although i definitely feel like my writing style changed half-way thru *sobs*) hmm.. it's my first time writing misa and kiyomi!! i'm a little bit worried about how in-character they are, but i'm kinda too busy rn to go back and rewatch any scenes... pls forgive me if there are any mistakes!!!

anyhow, thank you for reading!!! pls have a wonderful day!!! <3

OH AND HAPPY BIRTHDAY MATT ILY!!!

[stvlti]

And so I leap, widowed at twenty-seven, From a made Heaven, lest I too be shriven. WIDOW WIDOW WIDOW. I like this line 🍸

Pick a passage (500 words or less) from any fanfic I’ve written and I’ll give you a “DVD commentary”

rules of the ask game | my AO3

oh my god, okay. I really do appreciate you sending this in, I was hoping to get a serious one for this ask meme. but I have to be honest, I have pretty much not looked at that poem since I first wrote it back in 2015, so when I received this ask I was scratching my head asking myself what the fuck was even going on inside my head when I wrote that last line (“lest I too be shriven”) 5 years ago.  the subsequent guesswork + digging through multiple online dictionaries / articles it took for me to compile a response... *lies down*

it’s ok though, it was fun trying to piece it back together. so, without further ado: this is False-Eyed Doll, a Death Note poem.

CW: REFERENCES TO SUICIDE & CANON CHARACTER DEATHS

– also, spoilers ahead! turn back if you want to read the poem first –

So the lines you submitted are the last 2 lines of the poem, which was written as a derivative form of the Sonnet, making these 2 lines the final couplet of the Sonnet. 

Now the thing about Sonnets is, if you are following the Shakespearean format, the ‘turn’ (volta) occurs right before the final couplet, meaning this couplet is the ‘conclusion’ that follows the ‘twist’ of the poem’s narrative. 

Now He has Her slain; oh, will l remain Wilting in His wake, maddened by His maw?

Yet He by own pen dies, man who became Law. And so I leap, widowed at twenty-seven, From a made Heaven, lest I too be shriven.

I wrote this poem as a ‘Misa poem’, and I meant for it to reappropriate certain canon events in Misa’s POV. So the poem’s narrative begins with the thesis of Misa being introduced to Light and his Kira world order (in stanza I), then sets up her relationship with Rem, her "guardian angel" Shinigami with differing opinions on Light (in stanza II) as the antithesis. The main thrust of the narrative concerns itself with Misa’s conflicting position between the two. However in spite of Rem’s warning, Misa chooses Light, because with the Kira crusade she has finally found a tentative foundation she could grow into and reestablish her footing in this world after her own tragedy (“in His embrace I shall rule again”). 

That was the trajectory of her life plans. So the ‘twist’, the turn, comes when not only Rem dies but Light, her new foundation, does too ("Yet He by own pen dies, man who became Law”). Of course, this is not a surprise for us the readers, since we know how the story ends in canon, but it’s a huge double whammy (heh, Wammy) to Misa. 

So then we arrive at the final couplet, which centres on Misa’s response to this ‘turn’ of events.

And so I leap

“So she leaps”, because this is the only logical conclusion she could come to after losing her “Law” and foundation. She sees no other future ahead with all her plans in ruins, so she climbs to the top of the investigation tower and chooses* death. (This line is a reference to the anime post-credits scene, where it’s implied she commits suicide.)

widowed at twenty-seven

Honestly I’m cringing a bit that the word choice, “widowed”, was what caught your eye. I’m not sure that’s my proudest detail in this poem 😬 I guess I was really leaning into the MisaxLight component there. There’s always been this underlying sense of commitment that Misa has projected onto Light in canon, from her wanting to start that kind of married, domestic life with Light during the Yotsuba arc, to her trying her hand at playing the stay-at-home housewife during the Light-as-L arc (albeit imperfectly) - there are so many aspects in her interactions with Light that simply screams marriage, at least from Misa’s POV. And on a meta level, she definitely promises her mind, body, and soul to Light’s Kira crusade, trading away her lifespan, altering herself to carry the Eyes for Light, and at the core of it, giving her heart over to Light completely. She has effectively married herself not just to Light, but to Kira, too. So to call Light’s death and the loss of everything that comes it a sort of “widowing” is simply the truth. It is Misa’s truth.

And I fought hard to keep the aged “twenty-seven” detail, because I always found it sort of fascinating that Misa qualifies for the 27 Club. She’s a star in the entertainment industry, at this point she’s amassed a successful mini empire with a career spanning modelling, fashion, cosmetics, TV acting, etc., and yet she’s gone too soon at just 27, because she chose* death to escape a tortured existence... (Just like many other legends have before her, who passed away from their own coping mechanisms in addiction and etc.) It’s definitely tragic, but there’s also a sort of dangerous romanticism that certain people associate Club 27 with, which unfortunately I think would be in line with Misa’s worldview too. 

(HUGE DISCLAIMER HERE, ok, I do not condone this sort of thinking! This poem is a persona poem! The views represented here do not represent my own. But it is in my opinion the sort of unhealthy ideas Misa would’ve believed in. )

But you know what though. Insisting to keep “widowed at twenty-seven” on this line had its consequences too, because then I had to find a word that rhymed for the last line, which brings us to...

From a made Heaven, lest I too be shriven

Bro, this line gave me soooo much trouble trying to piece back together the thought process behind it. The front part is pretty self-explanatory, it’s a “made Heaven” because Kira’s empire is just made by one man claiming to be God. It’s an artificial Heaven, not a real one. But dang, “shriven”??? 

2015!me was being too clever for my own good. Forget all the wack shit I was shitposting in the fandom about, this is the thing that’s ultimately come back to bite me in the ass, isn’t it

Ok but we’re here now, and we gotta finish this ‘DVD commentary’, so let’s get into it. Obviously I was trying to keep up the whole motif of God and Heaven and religion, so I went looking for a word that would fit the theme. Except, to be completely honest, I was raised irreligious, so when I chose the word “shriven” I kinda just chose it because (1) it sounded cool; (2) it rhymes. I don’t have any emotional connection to the word and I certainly don’t have a nuanced grasp of its meaning, which, really bad form of me as a poet. I don’t do that anymore. (And it’s probably the reason why I kept this in the fandom corners and never shared it in class back then 😭 I was hoping I wouldn’t be quizzed on this lmaooo)

But what I do know, is that “shriven” means to confess and receive penance for one’s sins. And I was aiming for meta here - because there is the Catholic concept of punishment and repentance for one’s wrongdoings, but there is also the secular, judicial concept of punishment and reform for one’s crimes. And, okay, I was making some assumptions* here, i.e. even without her memories Misa could guess something happened to Light, and that something had to do with the Kira case. She’s a bottle blonde, but she’s not dumb dumb, so she could’ve reasonably made an educated guess. So then, “lest I too be shriven”: in a way, Misa is choosing* suicide in fear of being “shriven” by the criminal justice system much the same way they’ve done Light in. And even without the judicial component, she could (and logically, should) be wary of the general persecution and social stigma that comes with being involved in a high-profile criminal investigation like this. (Because it wasn’t just any other criminal, it was Kira, the world’s most wanted killer and mass-murderer, and there’s still plenty of people left in the world with a bone to pick with Kira’s ideology, methods, and many more left with a vendetta for the loved ones Kira has taken away from them.) So this line sets up a nice subtle dichotomy, one that flips the script, because now she’s not the one who passes ‘divine’ judgement, delivers punishments and ‘shrives’ the criminals by Kira’s side, now she’s ‘fallen from grace’ (so to speak) from their 'made Heaven’ and she’s the one running away from being delivered justice and penance.

Pretty cool, right? But honestly, if I had a chance to write this poem again I would not do this to myself ( T д T ) The cool rhyme scheme is not worth all this mental gymnastics just to get at the idea I was trying to communicate ( T _ T )

(*) Note: 

I kept talking about Misa “choosing” death, but the very idea itself is also a bit of an assumption on my part. Sure, at face value we have no reason to suspect it’s not an act she chose to commit of her volition. But, there’s also been talk about whether her choosing to commit suicide at 27 is simply a result of her shortened lifespan after her having traded her remaining years away twice. Like it was simply time’s up for her at 27, and she had to die one way or another. Another consideration is the fact that Ryuk has stated all users of Death Note are cursed with an unhappy life / end eventually. There’s no telling whether that’s another contributing factor to Misa’s suicide, too. But for this poem and the sake of its concentrated narrative focus, I’ve chosen to go with the interpretation that Misa chose to commit suicide of her own accord. That bit of commentary on “lest I too be shriven” also subscribes to the particular school of interpretations / headcanons that Misa possessed far more cognizance than we expect throughout the whole investigation and story of Death Note. Like I said, she’s a bottle blonde, but she’s not dumb dumb. I like the fanon that’s been gaining popularity in recent years, the idea that Misa is plenty capable and cunning for a normal civilian and young entrepreneur. She just seems dumb next to literal geniuses.

[silenthillmutual]

Death Note (completed list)

all L/Light, unless specified otherwise.

Top 5:

Best Wishes From a Goddess of Death by The_Maiden_of_Autumn; M (fluff, AU, angst)  Misa Amane is not stupid- oblivious and airheaded sometimes, but definitely not lacking in intelligence. She can see the way Light and L are together, the regretful, sorrowful looks L gives her whenever she speaks to Light. She knows where this is heading; she just doesn't want it to be this way. But she's made her bed, and wishes them happiness, she truly does. Slight LightxL

Cake Crumbs And Bed Sheets by Jenwryn; M (AU, fluff, romance)  An inexplicable and very fluffy AU, written for Australia Day. In which L eats lamingtons and vanilla slice - and has help to fall asleep.

Kanji by sashocirrione; T (fluff, AU, hurt/comfort)  Light is bringing L home to meet his sister and mother, as L is now his boyfriend. But Light can't shake off the feeling that he was somehow tricked into the situation. Fluffy and probably somewhat OOC, not my usual style. Written for Persefone88, one of the winners of my 100th review contest, (started back when I was still running that contest).

(Now And Then There’s) A Fool Such As I by Light It Up; T (AU, fluff)  Knowing he couldn’t miss his first class, L took a deep breath and strode into the hallways, ignoring anyone who tried talking to him. By the time he was sitting at Biology and had his pencil twirling between his fingers, hearing the teacher explaining things he already knew and the girls to his right talking about stupidities he didn’t want to know, L just wanted to vent about how he was feeling. However, he would never do that with someone he actually knew.

you’re a wasp nest by raisuki; M (fluff, AU) But Light was already wandering off, his cane clicking rhythmically as he navigated the halls. He gave L a half-hearted wave before merging back into the flow of people. L was fairly sure he has just been tricked into buying Light Yagami dinner, and he was also pretty sure Light Yagami is the most audacious person he had ever met.

and now, for all the rest!

K/K+

Ambiguity Among Two by Fledgling  [L x Light. Hugging. Handcuffed. Ficlet.] L shuddered at the memory, and briefly, he dug his fingertips into Light's back, willing bruises inside that whispered of sleepless, difficult nights.

Bedtime by Servant Gabrielle (humor, romance) Drabble. LightxL. Sometimes, being handcuffed together caused a few problems.

Candy by Eriko Myoujin (romance) L wants to know if Raito enjoys candy. Supposed to take place during the time Raito has forfeited his memories of the Death Note. A silly little thing written for an LJ community. [LxRaito]

Candy is Dandy by firedraygon (humor) During a latenight investigation, L is craving some chocolate. LxRaito

Duplicity’s a Matter of Fact by lefcadio Light x L. A thunderstorm, an unexpected conversation, and cake.

I’m Glad I Found You by bri-notthecheese (+Misa/Matsuda; romance, friendship) No one would have expected a relationship to blossom between Investigator Touta Matsuda and Model Misa Amane. However, if a friendship developed between them while she was under suspicion and then she eventually decided to let Light go, Matsuda would be the perfect prince waiting for her when she decided that he was who she truly wanted and needed. Matsuisa ftw.

Observations by Asidian L does some unconventional observations. Too bad he can't convince himself it's for the good of the investigation. Light x L.

Out of Focus by Chiba.Kun (romance) [LightxL] Written from Light's POV. Oneshot. Not much to it. When the two are handcuffed together, innocent desires surface. I apologize for the crappy summary.

Sleepy Chains by WellspringIsSuperLame (romance) In which a tired Raito becomes rather suspicious of Ryuuzaki. Random little one-shot, LxRaito fun.

Starlight by subdivided (drama, romance) AU manga ending, LLight, one shot. The Kira case is declared solved before Light can regain his memory. He and L leave the party early, for a garden under the stars.

Sweeter Than Sugar by Manwyn (romance) LxRaito. L offer Raito one of his treats... AN: Sorry i'm not very good with summarys.

What I Lay Down by mleeph (romance, drama) Love comes in percentages, but sacrifice is a matter of absolutes. Thus, L comes to a realization at 1:19 in the morning. [Raito x L ]

G

3:19 Am by Tierfal (romance, drama) This is really not the time of day at which Light prefers to discuss their respective revelations. 

Bad Habits by domo (humor) Light hates it when Ryuuzaki bites his nails, Ryuu just wants to know if Light is gay or not.

Bananas by Tierfal (humor, romance) Best. Idea. EVER.

Cake by Desmenn

Confused "No thanks. I'm fine like this- confused."

Counting the Coffee Drip by NOT_TOWA_WAKASA (fluff) Light is a blind man who loves to count. L finds him curious, and wades through the holiday season to visit him wherever he may appear.

Dance With Me by dotti55 Light wants talks L into trying a new experience.

Easily Entertained by Tierfal (humor, romance) It's an important distinction.

First & Final by overdose I watched the most emotional Death Note scene in Death Note history. (I've only made it to L's death) So, I decided to do something with it. Kinds sucky and rushed.

The First Noel by OctaviaPeverell (romance) Because L loves Christmas desserts and Light can't get enough of handcuffs!

Four Minutes of Solitude by Tierfal (humor, romance) L tries to take a break, the operative word being "tries."

Heaven-Sent Hypocrisy by Tierfal (romance, fluff) Somebody up there was looking out for him.

mellifera by alharper He sleeps beside you, spare hand curled around the chain, six feet of arrogant beauty and ruthless intelligence softened and hidden.

Oh So Smart by Zanganito (+Misa/Light; fluff, angst, humor, hurt/comfort) Misa decides to have movie night! During the film, Light makes a few unwelcome realizations and is moved to tears. L takes advantage of the opportunity to mock him relentlessly. Set just after the conclusion of the Yotsuba arc.

On A Boat by Tierfal (humor, angst, romance, hurt/comfort, AU) Light is considering throwing himself over the side and trying to drown.

Perilous by Tierfal (humor, romance) It's just another evening… until it's not.

Perverted by Tierfal (humor, romance) It's all about the contingency plans.

Provocation by Jenwryn (humor) "I would not provoke Watari-san if I were you, Light-kun."

Resolved Tension by norestforthewckd (fluff) Light Yagami does not like Ryuzaki. Light Yagami is a very big liar with a bit of a soft spot for a certain man.

Sub Finem by RatatoskMode "...I still can’t believe that this is the end. No, it’s more like I don’t want to believe it. The only person I deemed worthy of taking my life was L himself, but to go this way is pathetic." Light Yagami is dying, and he's visited by a familiar ghost of his past.

The Taste by Tierfal (romance, AU) It makes perfect sense.

Will You Be My Valentine? by TabbyCat33098 (AU, fluff) L has been getting mysterious presents all day long, presents of a...how do you say? Romantic persuasion. What is going on? Who's sending these?

Word Play by CuteCat213 (AU, fluff) Remarkable: worthy of attention; striking. L bit his thumb and watched Light. His boyfriend certainly was striking. And he was sure Light wouldn't mind; there had to be at least six other things more creepy than watching his boyfriend sleep and tying to think of words to describe it.

T

Antioxidant Properties by remarks Rivals getting hot and bothered (mismatched socks and a kiwifruit).

Are you Lonesome Tonight? by Light It Up Their time apart had scarred the both of them. There were days someone would mention that High School relationships didn’t last long, or that when two people started dating at a too young age, they always ended up drifting apart. Those days were when L was the most vulnerable, and Light made sure to spend the night with him, whether at the Yagami house or at L and Watari’s.

The Boy’s Too Refined by sabriel75 (AU) The notorious detective, Sherlock Holmes, takes too keen of interest in Light and L's affairs. He suffers a concussed head for it. Light loses his innocence. Both were bound to happen sometime though as far as John Watson and L were concerned.

Caveat Emptor by Tierfal (humor, drama) In which there are shopping trips, sarcasm, backhanded compliments, dark rooms, big guns, bubble baths, trauma of every sort, and detailed fantasies involving cake - lots of those. Let the buyer beware indeed. L/Light.

Cherade by lefcadio Light x L. When you're handcuffed to someone, insomnia takes its toll in one way or another.

A Different Decision by phoenixjustice Maybe a world free of criminals and ran by Kira would truly be a better place.

Fevered by Ivydoll (Mello/Near; romance, drama) MelloNear. When Near's illness jars the boys' comfort zones, they lose some of their control and experience a slight tilt towards one another.

Fidgeting by Tierfal (romance, fluff, AU) "Don't squirm."

From the (Very Private) Notebook Of... by Shayheyred (humor, crack) Probability that L is a dork: 100%

The Ghost Inside You by slightowl In which Light must learn to cope with an undead roommate. (An LxLight ghost story.)

Giving And Taking by Jenwryn (AU, romance) AU. The Kira case is closed, and L had promised himself he'd make a move on his partner-in-crime-solving but... there's too much to risk losing.

grow old or something by youremyqueen The afterlife is a bit like normal life, in that it's completely dull.

Lay Your Hands On Me by Light It Up (AU, fluff) Of course, though, it was only seldom that Light remembered that. He couldn’t care less about when he’d leave this small, crappy apartment, not when every now and then he could catch scenes and sounds so enticing from the man he’d been in love with for about a year and a half.

Love Tonight by Light It Up (AU, fluff) Light looks at him with tears in his eyes, blinking a few times to force them back. Almost shyly, he nods, so L reaches up to brush away a stray tear from his cheek. “It’s your birthday, you idiot,” Light explains then, hugging his knees as close to him as he can.

Never Forgotten by metal goat (angst) Raito can never seem to forget L, no matter how hard he tries... LRaito, some RaitoMisa. Spoilers for Ch.58. Shounenai. Oneshot

The Plan by strange_isle (drama, AU) Light's scheme was both devious and elegant. Too bad it's gone awry. Now in the aftermath, L demands answers, but Light's not exactly in the most amenable of moods.

A Pocketful of Posey by Edmondia Dantes Redux (drama) Ashes, ashes, we all fall down. Light/L.

Sour Candy by Edmondia_Dantes On the taste of apples and sugar.

Special Quality by Tasogare Nagisa (crack) We are all defined by that one special quality; if only we knew what that quality was...

Sweet Things by Light it Up (AU, fluff) Their relationship had started just before the Kira case was closed. Light confessed to the detective that he was the assassin, and when he thought L was going to handcuff him and send him to prison, where he would wait for the jury to decide when his death sentence would take place, L had instead kissed him. Although he could never be completely sure of it, Light guessed that the fact that he was crying when he confessed was the factor that made L’s mind up.

Sweetest Decay by Fantastical Queen Ebony Black (Mello/Near; angst) Letting you get the better of me. MelloNear [Spoilers for chapters in the 90's]

Taste by Hikaru R Kudou (humor) Shounen ai, Raito and L. A conversation between the two over breakfast. Raito: "I happen to like them that way. Is my taste bothering you?"

Unreliable as the Mind by Ramasi Losing and regaining his memories doesn't make Light's already complicated feelings for his opponent any simpler; and L might have even less scruples about killing someone he loves.

What you’ve always known by Devilinthebox (hurt/comfort, angst) Light comforts L about his body image. L tries to put distance but needs the comfort. He lets some defenses down (Request)

White Sepulcher by World’sOnlyConsultingTimeLady (angst, romance) L's rationality falls on an ordinary, dull night. L/Light one shot

Winter Wonderland by Light it Up (fluff, AU) What Light didn’t mention, was that he was extremely sensitive to the cold. He had never gone out during the Christmas holidays because when he was very little, he had come down with pneumonia after staying out on a windy day, so his parents never allowed him out again.

World is Mine by Light it Up (fluff, AU) Given that information, it’s quite obvious that Light lost, and the idea L had was certainly the most embarrassing thing Light has ever heard in his life. His cheeks are read in the mirror, and he turns a few times to look at himself from every angle, his heart pounding against his chest. This is so not a good idea, and he’s sure L just wants to see him like that to laugh at him, but God, Light has to admit that he likes what he’s seeing.

M

Almost Oblivion by Serria L knows that Light doesn't close his eyes at night for fear of waking up as Kira. L, on the contrary, won't rest until that transition is complete.

An Apple a Day by hyperRme (romance, crime) ...but if the doctor is cute forget the fruit. L turns this into his motto when he is forced to see doctor Raito because of his sugar only diet. As he pursues the doctor, L learns that the murderer he is trying to catch is pursuing Raito’s life.

At Night by Vehuel (PWP) Things that happen at night should stay between the two of them. Secret, and covered in darkness.

Chance of Circumstances by wordbombs (romance, humor) Sometimes all happiness takes is a change of circumstances. L/Light, fluffly lemon meringue AU one-shot. Answers- What if Light was a Wammy?

Choose by reaperlight (AU, fluff, angst, humor) Light isn't too fond of Valentine's Day. As it turns out neither is L...

Control by mmmdraco From the 3 Sentence Ficathon: Death Note, L/Light, control

Daylight The Light Does Bring by Jenwryn (romance, fluff, AU) The detective rolls onto his side, displacing Light's trailing thumb, and stares up at the younger man.

Guilty until proven Innocent by Callicanios (mystery, romance) Kira has emerged, the great detective L sets out to stop him. Only thing, Light is not Kira. Due to the explicitly of the chapters beyond chapter 14 the rating will be changed to M. LxLight

Softly Now by Jenwryn (romance, AU) The apartment is laced with the smell of fresh paint, and L has flecks of blue upon his cheeks.

Somnambulism by reaperlight (crack, humor) Light does not appreciate L’s sense of humor.

Submission by lichenglie “I think you forget, Light Yagami, that I am just as childish as Kira is,” he says, “and I hate to lose.”

Water, water, water by Devilinthebox In the bath, they forget they’re a detective and a suspect; they remove these identities along with their clothes, layer by layer until there are only the handcuffs left. And them; facing the other in the eerie calmness of their bathroom. At least, it’s how Light sees it.

E

Anger Before Bliss by mannysue (angst) L was depressed. Depressed that his deduction was wrong. Light is very much not pleased by this change in L's demeanor. He decides to take action.

Bang! by youremyqueen Written for the second death note kink meme, prompt was: in bed with a fully loaded gun.

by night we go naked, by day we go blind by youremyqueen Written for the second death note kink meme, prompt was: sensory deprivation.

Can’t I Even Dream? by Light It Up (fluff, smut) They didn’t kiss; it was more like breathing each other’s air, being as close as physics allowed them to. Sometimes Light wished they could just freeze the world and stay in a moment forever, just enjoying their own company and that instant when their bodies were in perfect synchrony, hips meeting at every precise thrust.

Clean by FayJay Set during the period when Light had given up the Death Note, and didn't know he was Kira.

Dirty by FayJay Set during the period when Light had given up the Death Note, and did not know he was Kira. (Sequel to 'Clean', but can be read as a standalone.)

Interested in Learning More by Shadow_Of_Quill Light isn't asexual. He just has... unusual interests. And Ryuuzaki is very observant.

Intermission by Shiraume What happened right after the infamous fight in Vol 5.

Just Before Sunset by Evilchuckles (romance) Perhaps they don't want to remember. Perhaps it's enough to be happy.

Linked by Shayheyred The chain is not what connects them

Low of Solipsism by Light It Up (AU, fluff) Even after six months of them dating, Light still wondered what it was about L that drove him so wild. Before him he used to be a quiet lover, rarely making any sounds more than a moan here and there. That being said, it’s easy to understand that Light was surprised when they first started touching each other and he instantly became vocal.

Playing the Part by Vector L was alone in his intent stare at the monitors.

Roundabout Truth by Ramasi Light is furious when he's kept in chains after he regains his memories; he has no choice but to try and figure out L further.

See Me by Shadow_of_Quill (AU) Light sometimes thinks he'd give anything to have someone see him for who he really is.

Something to Think About by dotti55 Having moved to The Wammy's House together, L and Light share their first Valentine's Day together, and make some discoveries about their relationship and their future together.

That Night by sashocirrione L and Light have a hotel-room encounter that is not at all accidental. Complete but open-ended.

Time Out by epkitty (fluff) They were handcuffed together for how long???

[mikami]

If Light hadn't lost his memories, do you think he would have finally confessed to L? In the manga scene, it doesn't seem to me that there is really torture (as far as Light is concerned).

I don’t think Light would confess, even if put under explicit torture.

Misa didn’t, and she was tortured. Light is maxed out on mental strength in those HTR13 stats, so I think it’s very safe to say that no matter what you did to him, he would not confess. At least not until you had mentally broken him with constant torture over weeks and weeks and I think even L would not go for that.

(Though being confined the way he was is already teetering the edge of torture just by virtue of how he’s being kept. It’s still very inhumane, after all.)

Light has incredible patience and endurance. He’d have kept silent, even if he’d never lost his memories during the confinement time.