A/N I started this December 23rd, but didn't get it done until just now, so Merry belated Christmas (and any other winter holidays you may celebrate). So, just so everyone knows, it seems to me that Mello, Matt, and Near did not know L personally, but I have always liked the thought of maybe they did (as Lawliet) but did not realize both people were one in the same (simply for Fanfiction purposes, this isn't really a theory per say) so they all call him Lawliet and do not recognize that he is L in this story. Oh and also, occasionally their birth names will be used (mainly between Matt and Mello) but primarily it will be the names we all know so as not to become confusing. A reference to ages…
L: 17
Mello: 6
Matt: 6
Near: 5
The Sun had not yet fully risen, its warm glow barely grazing the edge of the visible horizon when the sound of small, bare feet running through the orphanage could have been detected were anyone listening. The child wore dark colored pajamas with little bars of chocolate on them, camouflaging the small boy with the shadows looming around the building. Peaking into a room through the crack of its ajar door, a slightly younger, white haired boy clad in an oversized white t-shirt and knee length gray shorts could be seen tangled in the sheets and blankets of his bed, both pillows on the floor. The blonde haired boy smiled deviously, tip-toeing passed the room, deciding to wake his "rival" last. The next door he came to was that of an insomniac who had managed to rest for a bit in the comfort of his bed, an old looking, leather bound book over his face. Of course the one night he was able to sleep peacefully was the morning he was to be awakened quite early.
Mello walked into the room and stared up in surprise at his older friend, who almost always could be found in the unholy hours of the morning reading or observing or…eating sweets mostly.
"Sir Arthur Conan Doyle," the blonde boy read aloud before tossing the literature aside and pouncing on the teenager who emitted a low, controlled grunt at the impact.
The rings around the teen's eyes were more noticeable this morning, and he gave his young friend an expression of dismay as he removed the child from off of his gut, relieved when the boy's knee was no longer pressing into his groin, and stood. He stretched, yawned, and retrieved his book from off of the floor, sighing at the mistreatment of such a cherished item.
"It's Christmas!" the six year old shouted as if it were not obvious.
"I know. Have you woken anyone else?" Lawliet questioned, walking over to his bookshelf and wrapping his fingers around a small colorfully wrapped object. He tossed it to Mello, who opened it excitedly, revealing a small box of very high quality chocolates. It was a simple gift that anyone could have thought to give him, considering his love of the sweet was far from a secret, but it still felt special because it came from Lawliet.
"Thanks Lawliet," the kid shouted, leaping from the bed and wrapping his arms around the startled teen's waist.
"Yes…you're welcome. Can you go wake Matt now?"
Mello nodded enthusiastically, rushing to go get his best friend. Matt was sleeping peacefully in his bed when Mello found him protectively cradling a Playstation controller in his hands.
"Mail, wake up!" Mello grabbed the sleeve of his friend's brown and black striped footie pajamas and yanked, successfully sending him sprawled out on the wooden floor, the controller skidding across until it hit the wall.
"My game!" the boy shouted in alarm, running over and snatching the blue colored electronic up, checking it over for scratches.
Mello giggled and playfully rolled his blue eyes. He grabbed his friend's free hand and dragged him out of the room to meet L who was standing by Near's room with the white haired boy on his hunched back. Mello said nothing, although envy spiked through him briefly, and instead led Matt down the stairs and to the main room where a large, festively decorated tree stood guarding the brightly wrapped gifts underneath.
"Mihael, stop pulling!" Matt whined, retracting his arm from his friend's grasp.
"It's Mello now, remember? Get it right, Mail."
"Well that's not fair. I wan' a cool nickname too!"
The three small children rushed to the tree while other kids joined soon behind, having awoken either due to the excitement of the day or the racket caused by the trio. L stayed behind, not really wishing to get trampled by the other inhabitants of the orphanage, and instead walked over to where the stockings were hung, one for each child, to grab a handful of the candy stuffed inside.
"Why does everyone always get me chocolate?" Mello huffed.
"Are you complaining?" L interjected, "Because I would not mind taking it off your hands if you are displeased-"
"No, no! I don't mind!"
Matt shouted with glee at the videogames he received and stole a few pieces of chocolate from the open box Mello has positioned on his lap.
"Hey, give it back! It's mine!"
Matt shoved the candy in his mouth quickly, almost choking on the sweets and managing a grin, "Do you s'ill wan' i' ba'?"
Mello, in turn, snatched one of the games Matt had clutched in his hands.
While the other two were quarrelling, Near opened a large present from L which contained a stuffed, four sided die and a completely white puzzle save for an English lettering L in the top left corner. The white haired boy smiled and thanked Lawliet quietly.
"Lawliet, make Mihae-eh, Mello give me back Legend of Zelda!"
"Make him give me back my chocolates!"
"How am I s'posed to do that?!"
"I don't know, just do it!"
The teenager sighed, resisting the urge to face palm.
"…I'm hungry," Near said, looking up at his friend, ignoring the other two.
"Me too!" Matt said hastily.
"Me three, because somebody took my chocolate!"
"I'm sure breakfast will be ready in a moment. Why don't you take a look in your stockings and see if there is anything to snack on."
All three nodded and ran to the stockings hung on the wall, rummaging through them to find something to sustain themselves.
Breakfast wasn't anything special, nothing unusual anyway, eggs, toast, same old. Despite Mello's insistence that he didn't anything but his chocolate for breakfast, and L's insistence that he had plenty of cookies and cakes for sustenance, everyone in the orphanage sat and ate before Christmas was declared over by Matt who wished to retreat to his bedroom to play his new games.
Near, too, wished to leave, as there were too many people around for his liking and L couldn't help but agree. Mello had decided that if Matt left, he'd follow and if Near were permitted to leave then he would as well whether or not Matt stayed in the main room simply for purposes of principle. In the end, it seemed that the four would retreat to themselves, Near to do whatever Near did, L to continue reading, and Matt and Mello to play videogames together. To them it was a Christmas well spent with each other.