L's expression grew dark once more, a severe little frown etched into his face. "If you're referring to Gongaga," he said, knowing full well that Gin was, and that needling him on the subject was easy pickings from someone like Gin right now, "my opinion differed from my actions, just as it has here."

The price then had been more personal, but L knew that it would be unfair to the victims in Midgar to consider Gongaga's higher, just because it was also personal.

Too late, L realised the door had opened, and was still open. He turned to look at the entrant, but already had an unpleasant feeling that he knew exactly who it was, and who it was happened to be exactly who L least wanted to have heard something like that.

"Well done, Ichimaru," L said, under his breath. That was what Gin had aimed for, it had to be. His coming in, and prodding at one of the few known soft spots L had, and then backing off, to come back again, he'd played the conversation to time things just so.

And L had played right into his hands.