A few weeks later after their first encounter L and Ethan had gotten really close. Close enough to the point of Ethan wanting to see the man on his own but every single time they came in contact they would get caught up in some conversation and Ethan would totally forget.
L's story really opened Ethan's eyes and he was feeling much more lively. It felt like the first time since he was a kid that he was experiencing joy and he loved L for that.
He had good news he wanted to tell the man.
Ethan glanced at Cory who was laying on the rug and lazily scrolling through his phone. "Cory."
"What."
"Can you give me L's number."
"You guys never exchanged? After all this time?" Cory sat up in shock. Ethan looked to the side sheepishly. Cory quickly gave him the mans number and Ethan thanked him while texting L.
[Hello, It's Ethan. Can you meet me in a few minutes at the school park.] He put a waving cat sticker at the end of his message to make it seem more down to earth before pressing the send button.
L responded a moment later saying sure with a dancing cat sticker. It put a smile on Ethan's face.
~~~(>0<)~~~
The sun was rising washing the park in an orange light. Ethan saw L sitting on a bench and walked up to the man. "L!"
"Hi." L looked up and put his phone away. "How are you?"
"I'm great, I have good news." Ethan rubbed his finger in anticipation. "I wanted to say that I'm going to switch my major."
L's mouth shaped into an enthusiastic o before it lifted up into a smile. "Congrats! What major?"
"Psychology. I also wanted to thank you."
L tilted his head to the side, 'Thank? what did I do?'. His confused expression was openly shown on his face causing Ethan to explain it to him. "I mean, you were my main supporter this whole time. The story you told me really opened my eyes. It was... It really got me through a dark time, so I am saying thank you."
"It's not really a big deal." L smiled awkwardly. Ethan's tone made it sound like he owed L and L didn't want that.
"Well it is to me. You were the first person to try and understand and your really amazing and cool and smart." Ethan's face began to heat up but he continued on dispite the weird feeling coursing through his body. It was like butterflies. Is this what love felt like? He swallowed the feeling.
"A-and I really... really like you. As in like-like you. As in I want to be with you forever."
Ethan was panting when he was done and was looking at L with eager eyes. As amusing as his proposal was L couldn't bring himself to laugh. It was just too shocking to the man.
"I-"
"It's ok if you don't want to." Ethan cut his words off with red cheeks. It was as if he just realized that he'd blurted out his crush to the man he had a crush on. "Just i-ignore me."
"Ethan. It's ok." L smiled. He appreciates the guys feelings for him but he never really thought of him in that manner. Maybe some day.
~~~(^°^)~~~
Ethan peaked over L's shoulder. "What are you looking at?"
"Job. There is so many choices but its so hard for a person just out of college to get admitted, damn." L flicked the computer screen in frustration.
Ethan took the mouse and leaned over L's shoulder. He scrolled a bit before pointing at one, the air that left his mouth ruffled L's hair a bit. "How about this one?"
L contemplated it a bit, If they chose this job they could work together. The place was also nearby, just out of town and it seemed like it had good pay. L nodded, "Yeah, I'll look into it."
Ethan smiled and hugged L from behind, wrapping his small arms around the guys neck. "Okay~"
L ruffled the mans hair, a smile adorned on his own face.
~~~(○-○)~~~
L blinked back tears from all the memories that flashed through his mind. It was only when Wen came into the room that he broke out of his thoughts.
"Yo."
L glanced up at Wen before looking back down at his hands. He didn't feel like dealing with the mans antics. His mood was spoiled from all the nostalgia that brushed past his eyes.
It all seemed like it was just yesterday that the world was normal. Nothing about this felt normal either. It was hard to believe the world would actually come to an end. It sounded to make-believe, like something from an author on crack.
Wen walked up to the man. "What happened to Ethan? He looks... different."
L closed his eye's and sighed. He didn't even bother to answer the man and instead rubbed his temple. His headache had grown much worse with the recent events.
"L? You ok? You look pretty pale." Even though he asked worried questions his tone wasn't, creating a sense of distance.
"I'm fine. Everything is fine." L muttered, more to himself than the person who was talking to him.
Wen frowned and shrugged. He sat down on the other side of the unconcious Ethan and hummed, wanting to fill the silence that sat between them. It was probably a pretty toon but when it came out of Wen's mouth it sounded rather ominous.
It was a habit for Wen to sing or talk to himself after he got admitted into the asylum. The loneliness forced him to be this way. If he didn't, he didn't know didn't know if he would beable to survive in here.
L let the man hum. He didn't have the energy to tell him to stop even though the toon made his head buzz more. It also kept them company in the sufforcating plain white room.
L closed his eye's, letting the song take over his mind.