Chapter Text
The sound of crying wakes Light from what could have been a deep sleep if he had not been anticipating the sound of his daughter beckoning to him for his attention. Slowly he gets out of bed, rubbing his eyes as he stands up and heads over to Noriko's bassinet, her temporary bed until she is old enough to sleep in her room by herself. Looking down he smiles warily as he picks up the crying infant, holding her against his chest as he hushes her, kissing her forehead as he creeps out of the room quietly so as not to disturb L who is sleeping for once instead of working. Padding down to the kitchen he opens the fridge, pulling out a glass baby bottle of breast milk then putting it in on the warmer they had bought specifically for this reason. Turning it on he leans against the counter, rocking Noriko in his arms in an attempt to keep her calm until her food is ready, in the dim light of the moon his daughter looks up at him with sparkling brown eyes.
"Who knew Misa would be completely right?" wonders Light as he tickles her back that is swaddled in the pink cloth of her footie pajamas. "You look so cute in that, even with the stupid frills."
Noriko waves her arms in response, smiling up at him as she coos. Light can feel his heart melting as she shows recognition at the sound of his voice, something that a few weeks ago he was unsure of whether she knew or not; all the time he spent at work he was not sure that she would even know him, but she proved him wrong. Of everyone in the house she seems to prefer him to her mother or L, something that secretly pleases him.
"Time for your midnight snack," he says as he turns off the warmer, taking the bottle from the surface before heading back upstairs to the master bedroom. "Hope you don't mind the delay, but Daddy wants to be comfortable when he feeds you."
"Ah, ah," says Noriko while reaching for the bottle in Light's other hand. "Ah!"
Light chuckles as he moves the bottle out of her reach, kissing her cheek as he enters the bedroom, surprised to see L sitting up in bed. "What are you doing up?"
"I woke up when I realized you weren't here," replies L as Light sits down beside him, nestling Noriko in his arms as he puts the nipple of the bottle in her mouth. "She's a hungry little thing isn't she?"
"She's not a thing," says Light, stifling a yawn as he watches Noriko eat. "She's our wonderful, beautiful daughter who happens to have a large appetite."
"That she does," concedes L as he rubs her covered foot, smiling when she stops eating long enough to scowl at him. "Oh my, she is certainly your daughter, you don't enjoy my foot massages either."
Light says nothing in response, instead leaning against the headboard as Noriko continues to eat, his fingers tracing over her belly as he tries not to fall asleep but that is difficult with two warm people pressed up against him. "L, I love you," he says.
"I love you too," replies L, noticing his husband's attempts at not looking or sounding tired. "You know, Misa or I can do this, you don't have to."
"I know," says Light as Noriko finishes her bottle, he hands it to L then proceeds to prop Noriko up, hitting her back as the pediatrician instructed in order to burp her. "But I don't get to see her every waking hour like you and Misa, so this is really the only time I get to spend with her."
"You can always cut back on your hours," says L cautiously when he hears the sad tone in Light's voice. He and Light had had this conversation many times even before Noriko was born but lately it seemed that they always were having this talk, though it never seems to get resolved. "I'm sure your father would understand you wanting to spend more time with your family and if you worked with me, you'd still be doing the same work."
Light nods as he wipes up the drool from Noriko's chin with a rag they kept on the bedside table, something they had to learn quickly to keep around the house otherwise they would be covered in various fluids of questionable origin. She looks up at him clapping her hands happily, then reaching for the rag only to have Light pull it out of her reach, a lazy smile on his lips as he cuddles her against his chest.
"I never thought the day would come when I'd see you cuddle a baby," comments L as he watches his husband and daughter. "I honestly wasn't sure how you'd take to parenthood."
"Neither was I," admits Light as Noriko explores his bare chest with her tiny hands. "For years I thought being a parent wouldn't be as rewarding as contributing to society as a detective, but now I've rethought that whole argument."
L smirks as he steals Noriko away from Light, only to cause the baby to whine and protest, reaching across for Light. "I think she prefers you to me, Light."
"I think you're right," says Light triumphantly as he takes Noriko back, the baby girl smiling. "Who does she like when I'm not around?"
"Me mostly," replies L as he holds Noriko's hand with his index finger and thumb. "She only likes Misa when she's hungry, otherwise she is attached to me at all times."
"By force or by choice?" asks Light with a slight smirk.
"By choice, naturally," says L as he notices Noriko's eyes getting heavier, she is blinking a few times only for her eyes to not open completely. "I think the little star is getting tired, my love."
Light looks down and sees Noriko practically asleep on his lap, gingerly he adjusts her so she is laying down in his arms then stands up carefully so as not to wake her, padding over to her bassinet. Kissing her cheek he places her gently in her bed, caressing her hair for a couple of seconds as he watches her sleep, wondering for a brief moment what he did to deserve such a sweet and wonderful daughter. When he is sure she will stay asleep, he makes his way back to bed where L wraps his arms around him, pulling him beside him with a tempting kiss on his neck.
"You're such a great dad," whispers L as Light turns around in his arms. "And a fantastic husband. Nori and I are very lucky to have you."
"I'm the lucky one," sighs Light as he becomes enveloped by sleep and L's warmth. "None of this would have been possible without you."
L smiles as he kisses his forehead and as they drift off to sleep he whispers, "The boys are coming to visit in a couple of days."
Light's eyes shoot open.