93A/N: Hi, Eru no Tsubasa here. I hope you all enjoy this little fanfic I created featuring Light and L. It is mostly a developing friendship leading to something a bit deeper… Review and tell me what you think!
Disclaimer: I wish L belonged to me… drool…
Light: L belongs to me. *glare*
Eru: *keels over and dies* Jealousy is a very powerful thing…
Chapter One
Light awoke gradually, slowing freeing himself from the realm of dreams and toward reality… or not so reality. "AHHHHHHH!" Light shouted involuntarily, as he opened his eyes to find a curious child observing him with open fascination. And the fact that a random strange seven-year-old had somehow found his way into Light's bed wasn't even the worst thing… it was the fact that this seven-year-old had L's wild black hair; L's panda eyes; L's innocent expression, L's weird sitting posture, and even L's absentminded gesture of chewing the end of his thumb…
It was official; it was L-overload. "What the hell…" Light trailed off, finding no words to adequately express the absurdity of this situation; this drama unfolding in front his very eyes. His brain had short-circuited and now ran in loops, repeating the same sentence over and over: "No, this kid cannot be L… he cannot be…there's no way…"
"Excuse me, but who are you?" Light asked politely, despite the chaos in his mind. He didn't want to be rude, since he'd been brought up to be well-mannered, and somehow 'WHO THE HELL ARE YOU AND ARE YOU L'S STALKER' didn't seem to be the best approach.
"I am L." the child declared. Light could've sworn he heard amusement in his high, childish, and yes, Light couldn't deny it, cute voice. He groaned. Great. He'd been wishing for the annoying and immature genius to GROW UP, and L decides to GROW BACKWARDS instead just to annoy him further. Instead of just acting childish, he becomes an actual child all for the sole purpose of tormenting him.
Light mentally face-palmed himself. Just brilliant. L pushed him so far into the realms of insanity he really considered the ridiculous claim of the child seriously for a moment. Fact is, there is NO WAY L could have somehow shrunk during the night into an adorable midget…wait, adorable? ADORABLE? As in cutesy chibi? L?
Light was having great trouble connecting the dots, especially since his mind was being disrupted every few seconds with the concept of 'CUTE' being applied to L. Not to mention, of course, that the percentage of the child currently slouching in front of him being a stalker who is so obsessed with L that he is impersonating him is high… very high… perhaps 92.7% –
"You are probably thinking that the probability of me being a stalker impersonating L is 92.7%." L deadpanned, and then allowed himself a smug and adorable smile – AHHH! Snap out of it, Light! He scolded himself. A stalker is creepy, not cute. But then, his stalker theory has begun to crack and fray around the edges. After all, the seven-year-old would have to have busted a lot if locks and other security measures in order to break in. And he'd known no others who'd spew out random but CORRECT percentages, nor anyone who thought the exact same way that he did, thus almost reading his mind. These were things that only L could do, so logically, this adorable kid is…
"AHHHHHH!" Light fell off the bed, and a red button began to flash a warning in his head: DANGER: ERROR IN REASONING LEADS TO SHORT-CIRCUITING; DANGER!
On the floor, Light moaned while rubbing his poor sore butt. "Ow, my ass…" And the day only just started. Somehow, he knew it was going to be a very, very long day…
A few minute later, Light discovered that the child was hand-cuffed to him, so the probability of the stalker scenario decreased dramatically. While he was dressing (feeling extremely awkward even though he made the L-kid turn around and promise not to peek, which he obliged with a curious, wide-eyed look and asked innocently "Why would I do that?"), Light ran through several other possible scenarios in his head. All his theories were quite far-fetched (whaddya expect, this was a whacked situation); one involving the yakuza and a convoluted plastic surgery conspiracy and several including an accidental overdose of hallucinogens.
"This doesn't make sense…" he murmured, perplexed.
L smirked. "Oh come on." He mocked. "What happened to the truth? Why aren't you considering the fact that I am L?"
"I've eliminated that option." Light replied, annoyed. "'Once you eliminate the impossible, whatever remains, no matter how improbable, must be the truth.'" He quoted loftily.
"No shit, Sherlock." L retorted. "Who said it was impossible?"
Light had to restrain himself from snapping back at the kid. Arguing with a seven-year-old wasn't very dignified, even if that particular kid was his arch nemesis-turned-cuddly. "Alright then." He announced suddenly. "How about this: I'll ask you 20 questions, in order to determine whether you are really L or just an imposter."
"20 questions… Isn't that normally a game played by new couples on dates?" L inquired thoughtfully.
"Yes… I mean no," Light stuttered, blushing as he realizes the implications of L's oh-so-innocent question. "I mean, yes, that is what it is generally used for, but I am only asking them for the purpose of revealing your identity!" Light explained hurriedly, determined to get his point across. Deep inside, he wondered if L had guessed that he thought he was cute, but dismissed the thought quickly.
"Fine." L agreed, but his reply carried a trace of a smirk that made Light's cheeks burn.
"First question: " He proceeded. "Where did L and I first meet?"
"At the To-Oh University, where we both sat the entrance exam." replied L without much interest. "You know, that sounds like the type of question boyfriends and girlfriends would ask each other. For romance's sake." He added playfully.
"Shut up. What do know about girlfriends and boyfriends anyway?" Light growled, his face burning. "Next question: what was the score of the tennis match we played?" Light couldn't help but derive evil pleasure from this question. This was something they had in common: they both hated to lose. By reminding him of the game he'd lost, Light would be able to humiliate him and get him back for his not-so-subtle hints.
"6-4, your win, you bastard!" L raged, turning pink. Light laughed silently. Apparently this younger L could be provoked more easily than his older counterpart, and gets so much more worked up too. "Tsk, tsk. Such profanities." Light mused. He'd never heard the older L swear before, but then, didn't everyone have a foul mouth when they were young?
"Alright, so I'm starting to believe you." Light finally relented after a dozen more rapid-fire questions that L answered unerringly.
"Finally," L rolled his eyes. "Took you long enough to get that through that thick skull of yours."
Light refused to take the bait, while privately wondering how the innocent-looking little kid could have such an endless supply of sarcasm and insults. Must be calm. Must be calm. He tactfully ignored L's comment and said: "Last question: what is L's favourite breakfast?"
The answer was immediate and eager. "Cake. With strawberries. Served with a cup of tea taken with as many sugar cubes as Watari can find."
"That is correct." Light admitted grudgingly.
"But why do you know so much about my favourite foods?" L wondered curiously. "I'd think you watch me like a stalker."
"…"
"Speaking of food," and right on cue L's stomach began growling. "WATARI!" L called. "BRING ME MY USUAL BREAKFAST PLEASE!"
Light rolled his eyes. Who on earth had cake, strawberries, and pure sugar for breakfast? Then again, he is L. "After breakfast, you have a lot of things to explain." He warned the child. He knew it would be pointless to try to get an explanation out of L before his sugar-craving was satisfied – he'd lived with L long enough to know that. No matter how impatient he was, L wouldn't care unless he got his sugar. Light was sure the sky could fall down right in front of him and he wouldn't even blink if he still had his sugar and sweets.
Just then, Matsuda bounced in with his usual bright cheer and a tray of food. "Watari isn't here." He explained. "So I brought you your bre – AHHHH!" he shrieked, seeing the L-kid for the first time, and promptly dropped his tray, splattering cake everywhere.
"Oh, my gaaaaawwwd!" screeched Matsuda, convincingly impersonating a girl. "You are sooooo CUTE!" He then attempted to rush towards L but accidentally tripped over his own feet. "Owwww," he moaned. "That hurt."
"You do realize that this is L, right?" Light asked incredulously. He cannot understand Matsuda, ever. He was so simple, he was an enigma. "L, our genius detective, turns into a seven-year-old overnight and all you think about is how CUTE he is?" he stated disbelievingly.
"Well, when you put it like that…" Matsuda mumbled, red-faced.
"That's not fair; you make it sound like I turned dumber or something. And I think I'm turning eight soon." L grumbled, pouting. And when the adorable seven-year-old pouts… it was all Light could do not to tackle him onto the floor and give him a big hug. Am I turning insane? Light asked himself. Maybe I'm a pedophile and never knew it. Or maybe baby L is just plain adorable, he concluded, as he watched Matsuda struggle with apparently the same urge as him.
Bastard, thought Light, just the tiniest bit amused. Did he know he could do that with his pout?
And now L is turning the full power of his 'sad little kid' act onto Matsuda. Not only was he pouting, his lips were trembling just the slightest bit and his eyes were suddenly so big. "Matsuda," he began in a wavering, pitiful voice. "I really wanted that cake…"
"I'm so sorry." Matsuda looked like he was about to cry. "Here, I'll clean up this mess and get you a new slice of cake."
"Okay, Matsuda." L placed his thumb on his mouth and looked small and sad. Light couldn't believe it. Was this the same bratty kid who'd insulted him cleverly and driven him crazy just a few moments ago? How did he suddenly become so… sweet? He already had Matsuda wrapped around his finger, clearly besotted by his cuteness. The little manipulator. Light resolved not to fall prey to L's tricks, since after all, this was L. This was probably a scheme to get him to confess to being Kira somehow. And he wasn't Kira!
Light was interrupted from his thoughts by a pale, tiny hand grabbing onto his own. He stared at it for a few seconds, uncomprehending, until he realized it belonged to L.
"Come on, Light-chan. Let's go look for the cake ourselves." L said, and without waiting for a response he pulled me off the bed and towards the door, leaving a mournful Matsuda behind,
Once in the hallway, Light turned angrily to L. "What was that '-chan' for?" he hissed.
"Oh, I said '-chan'? Forgive me, I'm not very fluent in Japanese and I got the honorifics mixed up." L replied, unperturbed, as if he had no idea what he basically just implied. Light knew, though, that L knew perfectly well what he just said.
"Oh, forget it." Light said, rolling his eyes. "Now let go if my hands; the other investigation members should be here by now and we don't want them to think anything wrong."
"So you're saying we can hold hands in private, just not when people are watching?" L asked slyly.
"NO! URGH!" Light cried, frustrated. "What's wrong with you; just stop hitting on me already!"
L stared at him, shocked, and then his eyes started filling up with tears.
Light felt a guilty twinge from his conscience, and he felt uncomfortable as he looked down at the L-kid. The child was probably just having some fun and he reacted so badly, Light thought, ashamed. After all, the L knew might not have cared, but this was just a kid, who was a lot more emotional.
On a whim, he picked up L gently and hugged him. L was surprised enough to stop crying. "I'm sorry." Light apologized, and he truly was. This was a new emotion for him, as he'd never really felt sorry before. Making L cry made him feel really guilty, although he couldn't understand why. He was really confused about the way L could provoke emotions out of him that no one else ever could, emotions he sometimes couldn't name or understand at all. This made him scared and consequently defensive.
"Let's go get the cake, okay?" Light asked, and started carrying L downstairs, forgetting for a moment that the investigators are there. This turned out to be a great mistake, Light discovered, as he walked into the room and Mogi fell over backwards on his chair with shock. He quickly realized how he and L must look to them (especially added to the phenomenon of L being turned into a seven-year –old), and promptly set L down on the ground.
"Cake, cake." L reminded him, wiping away the last of his tears. As Light walked over to the fridge to retrieve the aforementioned cake, he couldn't help but snicker at the comical scene in front of him. Mogi was lying on the floor, feet in the air, in the same position he was in when he fell over backwards in his chair. Aizawa's mouth was open in a perfect, surprised 'o'. Soichiro, his father, sat frozen in his seat with his teacup halfway to his mouth.
Soichiro was the first to recover. "I see you two have quite a story to tell." He suggested cautiously.
"I'd like to know exactly how this phenomenon occurred, as well." Light added, glaring pointedly at L.
L shrugged in response, and said: "I dinna know what happened, woke up and was like tha'." through a gigantic mouthful of cake. At that moment, Light was struck by how much child L seemed like just that – a child. Not a world-renowned famous detective; not a mysterious and eccentric genius with no identity. Just a child, albeit a lonely and strange one.
It was an odd feeling, gaining an insight into L's childhood world. L was usually closed off to everyone else, distancing himself from the rest of the world. L was usually closed off to the world purposefully. He was civil and polite, but he never went further than that, never letting anyone into his heart.
Why was that? Light wondered, before realizing the hypocrisy of this question. It wasn't fair to judge L when he himself had also closed off his heart.
It would have continued like that between them, each never really trusting the other enough to let them see their vulnerable, true selves. But now, Light realized, he had a second chance at finding something… more between him and L. To seek something that hadn't even been dared to be considered before, but was now a very real possibility. Perhaps, now, Light would make his first real friend, not just put up a friendly yet fake façade.
Light pondered about his rather surprising revelation, deep in thought, while L continued devouring his cake in a laughably oblivious bliss. However, a thick, laden silence had draped itself over the rest of the Task Force, smothering the atmosphere with an almost tangible heaviness. They were in a compromising situation that felt more like a dream than reality. No one spoke.
"Is anything the matter?" L asked bluntly into the dark chasm of uncomfortable quietness. For a moment, he almost sounded like his old self. Then he ruined that seeming maturity with a childish comment: "Geez, stop being so shocked and frozen like a bunch of stuffy idiots."
Which just kinda re-emphasized the whole concept of this unexpected incident and made the silence even more pronounced as the task force tried to absorb the new shock of hearing L speak so openly and carelessly. This mannerism was so uncharacteristic of the detective they knew, who measured every single word carefully and thus gave important meaning to all his words while speaking as little as possible. But, Light thought, it actually seemed to suit the L-kid perfectly in a weird way.
Half an hour later, L finished the entire cake (but nobody was surprised for some reason) and went off in search of some 'snacks' as he put it. The Task Force had adjusted to the unforeseen event of L's transformation (or adjusted as much as they could under the circumstances, at any rate). All was relatively back to normal.
"Well," Soichirou commented to his son. "At least we can rest assured that the next few weeks won't be dull."
"It never is," Light smiled. "It never is."
Soichirou's face then turned more serious and he frowned a little in thought as he glanced in the direction of L, who was currently raiding the pantries. "Light, he began a bit awkwardly and hesitantly. "I know L is a genius, but nevertheless, he is still a child."
Light nodded uncertainly, unsure as to where this was going. "Yes, no matter how intelligent one is, a child will still behave like a child." He agreed, privately thinking back to the scene this morning, with L alternating between teasing him and pleading to get what he wants.
"I'm glad you understand." Soichirou looked relieved. "Anyway, I know it will be a bit stressful, but you are the ideal choice since you are patient and caring. Also, you are chained to him already so it'd be very convenient." He seemed like he was trying to convince Light to do something but Light had no idea what as he listened bewilderedly. "So that's why I would like you to keep an eye on him and basically babysit him for the next while." Soichirou finished in a rush.
"WHAAAAAATT!"
A/N: MUAHAHAHAHA! Light is stuck babysitting L! (I think I'm kinda missing the whole point of my own fanfic, since it was supposed to be developing friendship and love, not solely humor). But anyways, I hope you liked my fanfic and will continue reading the next few chapters when I update!
L: I know I'm kinda OOC in this fanfic, but there's a reason for it. You'll see once you read the end. (Can you guess…?)
Light: Eru needs suggestions from you guys the reviewers! What kind of cuteness do you want from a seven-year-old L? I want to see some L-cuteness in action!
Eru: Review! Review! Please! *gets down on knees and begs*If you review you'll get an adorable L-kid! *checks to see if I own any* Nope! *nervous laughter*