[As usual, L's words were carefully chosen. And Light knows it; they both do, truly. L's approach to these matters is transactional, both childish and strangely cold. If it's practical, though, and it gets the job done, who's to say that it's not enough for his purposes as he continues to stretch his cramped and stunted wings in the world of human emotions and relationships?

Not enough, perhaps, for someone like Myr. Plenty, perhaps, for someone like Light, who comes at the world with many of L's terrifying advantages and limitations.

There's an odd gleam in his eyes, and his slight smile is tight and twisted. The battle between euphoria and fury is an ongoing one, suppressed, expressed with fey cheer.

All of this, he reasons, is OK. All of this is fine, so long as he owns some part of Light. The significant part, the best part.]

Deductive reasoning is my strong suit... as it's yours. The challenge was working backwards from a conclusion that seemed nonsensical to all who knew you, but... I wasn't wrong.

[You made me look crazy. You let me spin, and waste, and cycle, and if I didn't know that he got you, in the end, I'd probably have my hands around your throat.

He laughs, suddenly, lightly, lips parting to flash his teeth.]

It was only a matter of time. Criminals with your confidence...arrogance... they always screw up. They always overlook something, and it was down to the wire the day we came here, wasn't it?

[Until L died, and it wasn't, for years... but Light doesn't need to know that.]