L stretched his long arms over his head.  "Hm... well.  That was certainly a convincing performance..." he muttered dryly as the feed from the car cut out on the monitor.  As discussed, Soichiro had held a gun to Light's head in a test to see if the boy would use Kira's power to save his own life.

The Task Force, frankly, just looked horrified.

"R-Ryuzaki-" Matsuda stammered.  "Did you instruct him to do that?"

"Yes, I did."  L swiveled and then stood up, pocketing both hands as his bare feet carried him over to the coffee pot.

"Nhh-!  What the hell??"  Aizawa demanded.  "How could you ask a man to do that to his own son??"

L didn't bother to look over as he generously sugared his coffee.  "He was never going to go through with it," he murmured carelessly.

"Still..." Matsuda was staring at the screen, even though it was blank now.  "Seems a bit..."

"...traumatic," Mogi put in, and Matsuda looked to him with an agreeing nod.

"Yeah, and I mean... it didn't even provide us with anything useful," the youngest agent added.

"Hindsight is always 20/20, Mister Matsuda," L responded.  The spoon clinked coldly against the inside of the cup as he stirred.  "You're correct that it yielded nothing of use, but it could have."  He sighed as he turned back towards the desk.  "I have no regrets regarding the matter." 

He climbed back up into his computer chair and remained there, hunched over his coffee, until at length, there was a knock on the door.

Bean looked up from the table on the other side of the room where he was working on his schoolwork with Watari.  The old man stood, murmuring gently to the boy before moving to answer the door.

L stood up as well, turning and pocketing his hands as always.

Soichiro stood behind the door, Light and Misa with him.  The poor man looked unnerved, to say the least.

Watari opened the door a little wider, inviting them inside, and Misa clung to Light's arm as they entered.  Light was in dire need of a haircut, and Misa wore plain clothes that were, in her decided opinion, not cute.

"Can I get you anything to drink?" Watari offered in his typical distinguished manner.

"Ugh, finally someone with manners!" Misa whined.  "I would like a soda, please.  Ice cold!"

"Coffee..." the Chief murmured tiredly.  "Thank you, Watari."

The old man nodded, then looked to the younger Yagami.

Light blinked.  "Coffee sounds great.  Thank you."  He still seemed a bit dazed after the experience in the car.  He felt... very strange...

But then there was a tug on his arm, and he was being dragged over to a couch by Misa, who promptly helped herself to snuggles once they were seated. 

Bean still sat at the table on the other side of the room, not paying much attention to his schoolwork now that others had entered the space.  He just sat there on his knees, propped up with his forearms on either side of his worksheet as his teeth stimmed rather vigorously on the end his hoodie string.

"Light, could I speak with you for a moment?" L requested, standing over by the desk.

"Yeah, of course."  Light peeled himself from Misa's arms as he stood up.

Misa scowled and pouted as he left her side, her legs tucked up beside herself.  She thunked an elbow down on the back of the couch to rest her head against her knuckles.

Once Light had approached him, L held up a pair of handcuffs, pinched between his fingers.  "If you're really not Kira, then surely, you wouldn't be opposed to a little social experiment, would you?  I would like to observe you at all times and compare your activity with that of Kira's.  Will you agree to this?"

Light stared at the cuffs for a moment before meeting the detective's bold stare.  "Ryuzaki... at this point, I'm willing to do just about anything to prove my innocence and to catch Kira."

"So that's a yes, then?"

Light nodded once with a sigh.  "Yes."

"Perfect."  L reached for Light's wrist, locking on the metal cuff around it before cuffing himself, a long chain now joining them.  

Meanwhile, Matsuda very carefully carried a glass of soda over to Misa, who was still sulking on the couch.  The young man cleared his throat as the ice clinked against the glass in his unsteady hands.

"Here you go, Misa Misa!  It was in the fridge, so it should be nice and cold... I added some ice though, just in case!  Not too much though... I didn't want to water it down, haha!"

Misa took the drink from his hands, his ramblings only half heard as she eyed the two over by the desk.  "Thanks, Mister."

"No problem!  I'm Agent Matsuda.  Uh, Touta Matsuda.  You don't need to call me Mister.  We're pretty chill around here, ha!  If there's anything else you need, don't hesitate to ask!"

Aizawa openly groaned at the interaction while Mogi visibly cringed.

Misa side-eyed L over there with Light before looking up to Matsuda and smiling sweetly.  "Thanks, Matsu!  I'll be sure to let you know!"

"Great!"  Matsuda's eyes formed happy little carats, his cheeks tinted pink.  "It's really great to have you here, Misa Misa!  I'm sorry for all this- nhh!"

His words were cut short when Aizawa yanked him over by his coattails to sit down.

Misa sipped from her soda as she sighed boredly before noticing a pair of bright blue eyes staring at her from behind the couch's armrest.

"g-AH!  Who are you??" she shrieked, sitting up straighter.

Bean shrunk back a little at her outburst but then stood up, stuffing his hands into his hoodie pockets.  "I'm Bean."

Misa just stared with big eyes.  "Wha-??  Well, what are you doing here??  Where are your parents?"

Bean looked over to L and pointed.

Misa looked to where he was pointing, only for her eyes to widen more as her gaze swung back to him.

"...no way, L has a kid???"

"Yeah," Bean's small voice chirped, and he pointed at himself, smushing his finger into his chest.  "Me."

Misa just gawked for a second, but she quickly recovered.  "Well!  You do look like him!  Where's your mom though?"

Bean's eyes averted, and he lifted a hoodie string to his mouth.  "She went to Heaven," he said quietly.

Misa's eyes instantly softened.  "Oh.  I'm sorry.  Mine did too."

Bean chewed on the aiglet as his gaze wandered.  "I saw you on my iPod," he spoke up in his small voice.

The blonde starlet blinked.   "You did??"  A smile lit up her features, and she instantly glowed with charisma.  "I hope you liked what you heard then!"

Bean nodded enthusiastically, his eyes moving to hers again.  "I like the 'I'm Ready' song." 

"Oh my gosh, thank you!!"  Misa giggled.  

L finished up what he was saying to Light, and he gestured almost mockingly over to the couch.  "I'll let you get back to your girlfriend now."

Light felt his neck hair bristle, and he wasn't sure why.  He simply nodded and then turned to head back towards the couch.

L followed, of course.  He had to now.

Seeing Light coming back towards her, Misa brightened.  She sat up, eager to have him beside her again. 

...but then she saw the cuffs.  

"HUH??  What the hell is this??"

Bean just stared, looking confusedly at L.

Light exhaled as he sat back down.  "Ryuzaki thinks this will disprove that I'm Kira."

"WHAT?!"  Misa glared.  "Well-!  Tch!  H-how are we supposed to..."  Her eyes drilled into Light's, her true meaning clear.  "UGH... you know!  ...go on DATES and stuff??!"

Light opened his mouth, but L spoke first.

"You may go on all the dates you want," the detective told her calmly.  "Just pretend I'm not there."

Misa was appalled.  "EW, PERVERT!!!"

"What's a pervert?" Bean asked, walking cautiously over to his Papa with his eyes on the metal bracelet he now wore.

No one seemed to know how to answer that, and there was an awkward pause.

It was Soichiro who spoke up.  "Miss Amane, I'm not sure that term is appropriate to the situation," he said stiffly.  "Still, I have to question if these lengths are really necessary."

"YEAH, I mean, Light's my BOYFRIEND!" Misa cried.  "So, like, you're just gonna sit there and watch us when we, like... KISS and stuff??"

L scratched his forehead.  "If that is what you choose to do... then yes."

Misa's incredulous gaze swung to the Chief.  "And I'm NOT supposed to call him a pervert???"

Light just sat there, appearing wildly uncomfortable.

"You mistake my intentions," L responded in a tone that suggested his patience was already wearing thin when it came to the drama.  "This is as difficult for me as it is for either of you."

"Even at night??"  Misa pouted.  "Light!  Tell him!  Can't we AT LEAST be alone at night??"  She gripped his arm and gave him her biggest sad eyes.

Light just stared down at her rather dumbly, his body language rigid.

"I told you," L muttered, "I'm not doing this because I want to."

"But Light belongs to me!" Misa wailed.  "I don't wanna share him with you!"

"Light, please make Misa stop talking now," L groaned.

Light sighed, turning on the couch to face Misa more.  "Listen, Misa. That's enough-"

"What's a pervert?" Bean asked again, taking L's much bigger hand in both of his and looking up worriedly.

While Light tried to diffuse Misa's tantrum, L turned to his son and knelt down.  "Nevermind that word," he said quietly.  "Misa is just upset."

"Why do you have this?" Bean asked in a small and troubled voice as his fingertip gingerly touched the silver handcuff.  "Are you 'rested?  Are you going to jail?"

"No."  L shook his head.  "I'm not arrested.  I'm staying right here.  I just need to keep an eye on Light is all."

"Why?"

"It's for the case."

"But why do you have this??" Bean asked stubbornly, gripping the chain now and starting to get upset.

"Son, listen to me."  L put his uncuffed hand against his son's cheek.  "It's just... it's a way for me to make sure nothing happens without my knowledge."

Bean didn't understand, and his distraught expression conveyed that transparently.

"Only for a little while," L added.  "I'm not going anywhere."

Bean hesitated.  "...promise?"

"Promise."

"ARGGH!" Misa flopped back into the couch cushions in defeat.  "This SUCKS!"

Light just looked so tired already.

"Well, now that that's settled..."  L muttered as he rose to his feet and turned towards the computer.  "There's something I'd like to show you all."  The chain tugged and he turned to look blankly at Light.

Wordlessly, Light just leaned forward to stand and followed the detective.  Misa grabbed Light's hand and stubbornly tagged along.

L climbed up into his chair.  "I've arranged for a facility to be built that will henceforth serve as our Kira Task Force HQ.  Construction started right after my first meeting with Mr. Yagami and the others. It should be finished in a few days."  He pulled up some images on his computer of a towering city skyrise.  "23 floors above ground and 2 below.  Although it's impossible to see from the outside, there are two helicopters hidden on the roof."

Everyone was gathered around now, looking at the screens.

"That's amazing," Light commented, impressed.

"Ideally, I want all of us to spend as much time here as possible," L went on, lowering a knee and helping Bean climb up onto his lap.  "If the investigation team grows, we can accommodate up to 60 people. Misa shouldn't have any complaints, since she will have her own floor."

Misa's eyes were bugging out as she looked at the photos.  "WOW, how extra are you??"

"It includes a gym, a pool, and an indoor tennis court," L explained calmly.  "Everyone should be quite comfortable there."

"Thank you, Ryuzaki," Soichiro spoke up.  "You've really gone to great lengths for the sake of all of us and the investigation."

"It's my pleasure," L replied blandly.  "I suggest everyone go home now and begin preparations for the move.  Except you, Light.  Obviously."

Misa shot L a withering look.

Bean was slouched with his back against L's chest, his demeanor quiet and a little pouty as he just stimmed on his hoodie string and stared.  L's arm held him close, and while one small hand held the aiglet to his teeth, the other gripped the fabric of a white sleeve.

There was silence once everyone had gone.  Watari had left to oversee some things regarding the new building, and only L and Bean and Light remained, the latter of whom had been given a laptop and an adjoining desk.  A coffee cup sat empty beside him.

Bean hadn't said another word, having turned so that he was chest-to-chest with his Papa now, his head resting on L's shoulder with legs on either side of him. 

L just worked as though the child attached to him was simply an extension of himself, unbothered by the closeness.  And that was saying something.  The bond he shared with his son had certainly grown into something special since that first day when he'd taught him how to play chess as a young and inexperienced father so wrought with anxiety.  To see them now, one could only assume they'd never spent a day apart.

"Papa?"  Bean's voice sounded so small, and L was surprised to hear it, having assumed he'd fallen asleep.

"Yes?"

Bean hesitated and then spoke quietly in Russian.  "...what's a pervert?"

Light glanced over.  Despite not understanding the language, he caught the repeated key word.  But then he looked back to the laptop screen, minding his business.

L's tired eyes rolled and fluttered a little as he sighed. He'd hoped the boy would have forgotten about that, but... this was Bean, and he should have known better.

When L hesitated to answer, Bean sat up, one cheek bright red from being pressed against L's shoulder.  "Is it something bad?" he asked worriedly.

"...yes," L answered slowly.  He continued in Russian.  "But it's not true."

"What does it mean?  Is it a swear?"  Bean's index finger slowly twirled a strand of L's hair around it.

"No, it's not a swear..."  How to explain this to an almost six year old?  "It's... someone with... ill intentions.  Regarding... other people's privacy.  But my intentions are only for the case.  Therefore, it isn't true."

"You have good 'tensions?"

"I have good intentions."  L nodded.

Bean thought about it as he softly played with L's hair by his ear.  Then he decided he was satisfied with the answer, and he flopped forward again, returning his head to his Papa's shoulder.

L sighed tiredly before glancing over to Light.  The two made eye contact, but neither said anything.

It was Light who looked away first, returning his gaze to the screen in front of him, but L stared a moment longer. His arm tightened protectively around his boy before his eyes moved back to his own desktop monitor, his head turning only briefly to press a kiss to the back of a little red hood.