Neither L nor Naomi spoke as they walked back to the apartment building.

And Naomi was thankful for that. She had so much to work through and she didn't feel like she had the energy, nor the state of mind to hold a conversation right now.

She shifted her purse on her shoulder with one hand, her other one still held in L's.

It didn't feel weird, holding his hand. It was comforting having him close.

But the practical side of Naomi was putting up a wall. She loved what she had with him. She loved how comfortable they were with each other and how easily they could spend time together. And she didn't want to lose that.

They reached the building and made their way into the elevator. L went through the motions to pass through the layers of security and, a moment later, the doors opened on their floor.

As they stepped into the hallway, Naomi turned to face him.

"Thanks for taking me to dinner," she said sincerely. She slipped her hand out of his and adjusted her purse again.

His hand returned to his pocket. He looked at her steadily and fidgeted with his toes.

"Should I not have said that?" he asked plainly.

Naomi looked up at him, not knowing how to answer. There was a part of her that did wish he hadn't said it. It just seemed so fast and so big all at once.

But, on the other hand, she had asked him point-blank how he felt and he hadn't held back. She couldn't really blame him for answering her question with complete honesty.

"It's okay," she said slowly. "Like I said, I just... need some time."

He nodded. "Okay." The corner of his mouth twitched into something like a smile as he took a few steps backward toward his own apartment. "Goodnight."

Naomi smiled, feeling the familiar sensation of butterflies all inside her. "Night."

He turned and went into his apartment, an unusual lightness to his steps. The door shut behind him.

Naomi moved to unlock her own apartment and stepped inside. As she shut the door behind her, she leaned her back against it. She exhaled as if she'd been holding her breath for a long time and let her purse flop from her shoulder onto the ground. Closing her eyes, she rested her head against the door and placed her hand over the flutters in her stomach.

She stayed there for a few minutes before opening her eyes. Before her was her apartment, the living room to the left and the kitchen to the right. Two tea mugs sat on the coffee table, and sitting on a plate right where she'd left it was a wooden skewer lined with strawberries.

Shoving off of the door, she moved into the kitchen and gingerly picked up the skewer. She leaned forward, resting her elbows on the counter top, and slid off a single strawberry. She looked at it, turning it slowly in her fingers. A smile played with her lips. She lifted the bright red berry to and took a small bite. It was juicy and sweet.

Naomi set the skewer back down on the plate. With one more bite, she finished the strawberry. Then, turning and placing both palms on the edge of counter, she hopped up to sit on it. She leaned forward with her forearms on her knees and let her legs swing freely back and forth as she stared at the tile floor.

For months now, she'd had feelings for L... and she still did. That much was undeniable.

But L hadn't just told her he had feelings for her...

He had said, "I love you."

Naomi picked up the skewer again and held it in the fingers of both hands. She couldn't help but smile when she looked at it. He was so... childish. So simple and yet so complex.

Did she love him...?

She wanted to say that she did.

She knew for certain that losing him would have shattered her.

So, what was keeping her from saying it? What was this defense made of, this wall that enclosed her heart?

Was it because they worked together? Because he was her employer?

No. This wasn't exactly an everyday workplace... the rules of society didn't really apply here.

Was it his quirks? His lifestyle?

No...

Naomi absentmindedly twirled the strawberry skewer back and forth with her fingertips.

In truth, she felt so... small. So inadequate in his legendary shadow. She was comfortable where she was- as his agent and his friend.

But to step up beside him? To meet him where he stood? To love him and be loved by him, the world's greatest and most brilliant detective?

She didn't want to let him down... but, even more than that, she didn't want to lose him.

Naomi set the strawberries back down and hopped off of the counter. Dragging her feet, she moved to the couch. She flopped onto it and curled up on her side, hugging a throw pillow to her chest.

She stayed there for a long time.

She thought about how far she'd come in a year, from being totally unsure how to handle his peculiarities to finding them familiar and even endearing.

She thought about how easy it was to be with him for hours in comfortable silence.

She thought back to practicing capoeira and The Floor is Lava and ice skating.

She thought about how he'd taken care of her when she'd been hurt.

She thought of her motorcycle and the fact that he felt she deserved such a beautiful thing.

And she thought of last night and how terrifyingly close he had come to dying in her arms.

Naomi closed her eyes and buried her face in the pillow, curling herself up into a tighter ball.

For so long, she had suppressed these feelings, telling herself over and over that he would never see her that way. It was she who had laid the bricks and sealed them shut. This wall inside of her was of her own making and only she could let it fall.

Carefully, she chose her words in her head, laying them out exactly how she wanted to say them to L. She'd tell him how much he meant to her and that she wanted to move forward but take it slowly. She'd explain that she just needed to work through some things and that it would take time. She knew he would understand.

Her phone buzzed in her pocket. She rolled up into a sitting position and blinked at the brightness of the screen. It was a text from L.

Are you awake?

Naomi glanced at the time. It was after two in the morning.

She typed back.

Yes, I'm up.

She sat turning her phone over and over in her hand waiting for his response. It only took a few seconds.

I could use your help with these surveillance tapes.

Naomi read the message, the light from her phone screen illuminating her features. She swallowed hard and decided to talk to L now. She knew herself all too well and that, if she waited, she may forget the nicely organized speech she had so meticulously prepared in her head. Her fingers pressed the buttons with little beeps as she replied to his text.

Be right there.

Taking a deep breath, she stood to her feet and moved to step out into the hallway.

At last, she felt like she had everything under control. She knew exactly what she would say and how she would put it. Reaching his door, she lifted her hand and knocked.

Naomi calmly folded her hands in front of her. The butterflies were there, but they were behaving. She replayed what she wanted to say once more in her head.

But then, the lock clicked, and the door opened.

L stood there, one hand in his pocket and one on the door. One leg was bent with his toes resting on top of the other bare foot as he looked at her through the shadowed eyes of a lifelong insomniac. Untamed, ebony hair... loose, faded blue jeans... a plain, white, long-sleeved t-shirt.

He stepped aside to let her in, but she didn't move. He tipped his head questioningly and stepped up to the door frame again.

"Are... you okay?" he asked.

Naomi just looked at him, meeting his eyes with slightly parted lips. Every single word she had so carefully formulated in her mind had disappeared entirely and what remained was something far stronger than butterflies.

"Naomi?"

Her hands were clasped in front of her. Her voice was taken from her, as if by a spell. She could do nothing but stand there, looking at him with a throbbing heart.

And it was then that she knew that words would never be enough. She reached out and took a handful of his t-shirt, pulling him to her, and met his lips with her own.

L's hands remained pocketed as he stiffened his back and widened his eyes, crossing them as he looked at her.

"Mhh!" he grunted. She was pulling on his injured shoulder.

Naomi let go and stepped back quickly, her expression almost as surprised as his.

"What was that?!" she rebuked herself.

L's hand immediately went to his shoulder as he gritted his teeth and scrunched his eyes.

Naomi's hands flew to . "Oh! Oh my god, I'm sorry!"

"It's okay," L said, his jaw clenched. He pressed the base of his palm to the pained area and winced. "Mhh," he voiced again. Then, he returned his hand to his pocket and looked at Naomi, blinking a couple times.

Her hands were clasped in front of her again and were fidgeting with one another. She offered him an apologetic smile.

"Um..." L lifted his hand to scratch the back of his head. "Come on in." He turned and walked into the apartment and Naomi hesitated, then followed.

They moved to the living room in silence.

Naomi wondered if what had just happened had had any effect at all on the detective. He had barely reacted. She had a strange feeling in the pit of her stomach.

She stepped into the dark room, lit only by the dim, blue tint of multiple computer monitors. With downcast eyes, she resolved to let it go. Clearly, she had made him uncomfortable. She sighed, her face warm with embarrassment, and lifted her gaze to approach the desk where she expected L to be seated already.

But she stopped.

He had made it about halfway to the desk and had turned sideways, toward her but not all the way. His eyes were looking at the floor, but at no spot in particular, like he was just being thoughtful. And though one hand was pocketed like always, the other he had brought to his mouth and the back of his hand rested there.

And suddenly, Naomi felt bad. She realized that, in her selfish impulsiveness, she had just stolen L's first kiss. Not that it was a bad thing for it to be with her... but surely, he deserved more than an emotional, headstrong girl flailing herself at him without warning.

And now, she couldn't take it back.

She dropped her head into her hands.

"Ughh, I'm sorry!" she groaned. "That was so stupid! I... I shouldn't have done that. I-"

She lifted her head to continue but her heart caught in .

He was standing right in front of her, his back straightened so that she had to look up to meet his eyes.

She had forgotten how tall he was...

His expression was transfixed. His stood, elbows bent, with his hands in his pockets, his face so close to hers. His giant, dark eyes searched her face, like he was seeing her for the first time.

Naomi dropped her head, her cheeks flushing a soft shade of pink. He was so close to her, her forehead was almost resting on his chest. She could hear his heartbeat beneath his plain cotton shirt, steady and rhythmic.

One hand slowly left his jeans pocket and his index finger and thumb met her chin. She looked up, swallowing the lump in .

His eyes.

They were so close.

Exploring her face as if he was... curious.

Gently, he traced her bottom lip with his thumb. The other hand stayed in his pocket.

Through strands of pitch-black hair, his eyes traveled to meet her own, and then slightly back down again.

The tip of his nose brushed hers.

His breath smelled like vanilla and strawberries.

His head bent ever so slightly, bringing his lips so close to hers, they almost touched.

And then,

all at once,

they did.

It took her breath away.

It was simple and unpracticed. Almost childish in its innocence.

Time was at a standstill and, for just a few perfect seconds, that sweet kiss was all there was in the world.

Her walls crumbled to dust and she knew without question.

She loved him.

So much.

He let go softly, and his eyes met hers again.

Naomi realized that her hands had instinctively moved to his sides. When exactly, she couldn't say. She was spellbound and without words.

L had kissed her. And now he was looking at her with a look she knew so well.

He was thinking. Analyzing everything in his brilliant mind.

He never changed.

His gaze dropped and his hands moved to take both of her hands in his. He seemed to be considering something deeply.

Naomi waited. His thumbs moved in little circles on the backs of her hands.

He looked up again, his tired eyes rimmed in shadow seemingly have come to a decision.

"Naomi..."

He paused again and swallowed.

Then, taking a deep breath, he smiled at her. A small, boyish smile, almost shy in its vulnerability.

"I'm... Lawliet."

Naomi blinked. "What?" She tipped her head, confused. "You're... 'low light?' I- I don't understand, L."

"It's my name," he said softly. "My name is L Lawliet."

His name.

Naomi's heartbeat quickened as she looked at him through glistening eyes.

"L Lawliet..." she repeated slowly.

He nodded, his mouth curved up in a smile so perfectly content and so completely trusting. He loved her with everything he had, and that included the part of himself that he had kept hidden from the world his entire life.

All doubt finally and wholly erased, Naomi lifted her hands to his face, her fingers in his hair at the base of his neck. His hand lifted to take her wrist, his thumb gently brushing her skin. His eyes didn't leave hers as she shook her head, smiling through tears that made her eyes shine.

"I love you, L Lawliet. I do. I love you so much."

With something between an exhale and a laugh, he grinned.

Naomi lifted her face to his again, but he leaned back.

As though something had just occurred to him, a worried look flickered in his eyes.

"But don't you want a home to live in? Or a family? Or at least... someone to wake up next to every morning?" He shook his head and lifted his shoulders helplessly. "Because I can't give you that." he said frankly. "That's not the life you'll have with me. I can't-"

Naomi's index finger reached up and pressed against his lips. He stopped talking and stared at her, suddenly looking very overwhelmed.

"Shut up," she said coolly.

L pulled his head away. His hand took her wrist and lowered her arm.

"Naomi, please be serious. I want you to really consider this, it's your life-"

"Yes!" Naomi simply retaliated by putting her other hand over his mouth. "It's my life!"

She slowly lowered her hand and placed it gently on his chest. Her eyes looked directly into his.

"It's my life," she repeated softly. "And I want to spend it with you."

He looked at her upturned face and swallowed hard.

L knew he could never live a life outside of his work. He didn't want to give that up. Even more than that, he couldn't. It was ingrained into the very essence of his being.

But Naomi wasn't asking him to give it up. She'd never wanted him to. In fact, this incredible, strong, beautiful girl simply wanted to be a part of it.

She wasn't asking him to leave his world.

She was asking him to let her in.

And with that realization, something inside of L let go.

He released her wrist and his long arms wrapped around her, pulling her to him. He held her tightly, as if he never wanted to let go.

He never dreamed he could love like this. Or be loved like this. He had always considered himself apart from the public, so different from all the rest. To him, love had always been something his genius just didn't have room for. He knew people loved each other and that it was very, very real but this- this was his. His very own.

L felt the weight of the world lift from his shoulders as he held the woman who had won over his cold and closed-off heart.

Pulling back and taking her face in both of his hands, he tilted her head up and kissed her again.

Her fingers held the collar of his t-shirt and her other hand lifted to his jawline.

Alone, he was the world's greatest detective, a single alphabetical letter, a world-renowned legend shrouded in enigmatic darkness.

But with her...

With her, he was more than justice. He was human.

And somehow, through it all, she had found her way to his heart.

He took a deep breath as he pulled away and met her eyes with a smile so genuine, it made her heart explode.

And a little while later, Watari returned to a familiar sight.

L Lawliet sat as he normally did, with his knees brought up to his chest and his bare feet one on top of the other on the couch. Before him were several screens, all of which displayed surveillance footage from various angles. L was watching them intently, his thumbnail between his teeth.

But Watari's white mustache twitched and his eyes shone, for one thing was new.

Beside L was Naomi, curled up and sound asleep with her head against him. Her hand rested on his knee and his arm was wrapped around her shoulder. He looked up when Watari entered.

The old man nodded with approval and pride.

A smile formed around the thumb in L's mouth. His arm tightened affectionately and he turned back to the screens.

His heart was full.

---