A Christmas Carol for L
L Lawliet, super sleuth and world renowned detective has always preferred to spend his Christmases alone, but when three spirits appear to him, he wonders if there's something he's missing…
L climbed into bed and pulled the covers over his head.
He'd wake up in the morning to the toll of Christmas Bells in the morning, get his morning coffee, and proceed to enjoy his Christmas on his own.
He usually spent Christmas alone anyway.
Nor did he mind.
Others could have time to enjoy their Christmas with their partners.
L didn't have time for that.
He fell asleep quickly without another thought on the matter.
He was shaken awake.
L groaned and tucked himself further into bed, lying on his stomach.
Whoever shook him pulled the covers off him and he jumped.
A little girl looked at him with a bright smile. "Oniisan," she said, "You're finally up."
"Who are you?" L snapped. "How'd you get in here?"
"Come on, Oniisan," the girl said, taking his hand and pulling him out.
"Who are you?" L demanded. The girl still ignored him and, with surprising strength, she pulled him out of bed and he just barely grabbed his robe when she opened the window and they flew out.
L didn't know how, but he and the little girl soared over Tokyo.
"Who are you?"
"Who? Me?" the girl said, finally acknowledging his question. "I'm your ghost of Christmas past."
"Ghost of…Christmas past?"
"That's me," the girl said.
They passed Big Ben and L realized they were in London, not Tokyo.
They landed at Wammy's Orphanage and the girl dragged him to his old room.
A nine year old L hugged an old teddy bear to his chest.
"Why are you showing me this?"
"Because this is when you stopped wanting to spend Christmas with people."
"It was?"
"You should remember!"
L rolled his eyes and ignored the girl. He glanced at his nine year old self. The boy L had hidden his face into the bear's tummy and his shoulders were shaking.
"L?" Watari asked, entering the room. "Do you want to come downstairs?"
"No," L said. "I want to be alone."
"Why? It's Christmas. Come downstairs and have some dinner."
"I'm not hungry."
Watari walked over and gently held the boy. "Does this have to do with what happened to your parents, L?"
L looked away. He remembered that this was his first Christmas at Wammy's. His parents had been killed the year before just after Christmas.
"L?"
"What?"
"You're not alone."
"I know." The boy started to cry, his shoulders shaking.
Watari only held him, rubbing his back as he did when his wards broke into tears.
L rarely cried in the presence of people, but he couldn't hold the tears back any longer.
The girl glanced at him. "You're first Christmas without your mother and father was the hardest Christmas you ever faced."
"Why are you showing me this?"
"Because you're time alone is going to end."
L jolted awake and sat upright. He was back in his room in Tokyo. The clock tolled one. L sighed and went to wash his face with cold water.
He returned to bed and went to sleep again.
He woke again; this time, due to a very bright light.
He threw the covers off and went to investigate the source, his nerves grating.
He rubbed his tired eyes and looked at the room.
A glowing, handsome man looked at him with a bright smile. He looked suspiciously like Light…"Ah good," the man said, "you're up."
"Who are you?"
"You're ghost of Christmas Present."
"Christmas Present!?" L shouted.
The man laughed.
"Yep. I'm going to show you something that I think you're going to want to see."
"What are you talking about?!"
"I know," the ghost said, "that deep inside your very soul you don't want to spend Christmas alone."
"How do you know what I want?" L snapped. "You don't know me!"
"But I do. Look here," the man waved him over and L, groaning, went to see what the man wanted him to look at. It was a basin of water.
L looked into the basin and his ire became awe.
A very pretty girl was decorating a tree with her friends. She had black locks and violet eyes.
"Beautiful, isn't she?" the ghost asked him.
L could only nod his head in agreement.
"Her name is Sunako Nakahara—you're future wife."
L blinked once then looked at the man.
"That's right, your future wife as she is right now. You're being shown this because we—the other ghosts and I—agree that you're smart enough to let nature take its course and meet her when you're ready to. She's a wonderful woman, L. And it will be you that will piece her heart back together."
"What do you mean?"
"Alas," the man said, covering his face dramatically, "I cannot tell you that. She will tell you when she is ready to. She isn't our responsibility, so…"
L looked into the reflection again.
Sunako Nakahara smiled at her friends and went into the kitchen.
L looked up to ask what he could be told about her, curious about this girl that the ghost said was going to be his wife.
But the ghost was gone.
Instead, L was in a graveyard.
A clammy hand touched his shoulder.
L looked around and nearly screamed in fright at the creature before him. "You…you're the last of the ghosts?" he asked. "The Ghost of Christmas Yet to Come?"
The hooded creature nodded and beckoned him to follow. He pointed at a grave marker and L looked at it.
"The Unknown…but…that's my birth date…it's me?"
The ghost nodded. "But my death date is just a few months from now—the ghost of Christmas Present said I was going to get married."
The ghost waved its hand. L saw a scene play out.
He passed by Sunako Nakahara on several occasions, but they never spoke, though he glanced at her and she at him, several times.
"I see…what should I do?"
You will know…be careful with the one named Light—he will be your greatest enemy.
"So he is Kira?"
The ghost nodded, and waved it's hand again. He saw Light mocking his grave after the funeral.
L breathed a deep sigh. "Thank you," he said to the ghost. "All three of you," the other two appeared to him, smiling.
The girl…she resembled a younger Sunako Nakahara.
"For showing me this."
"Don't miss Christmas, Oniisan," the girl said.
L opened his eyes, waking to the sound of the bell tolling outside.
He threw the covers off of himself and ran to the window.
With a determined air, he got ready, drank his morning coffee and went on a walk. As he did so, he went to the park and saw Sunako Nakahara.
She saw him and bowed. He bowed back.
"Merry Christmas," he said, smiling to her.
Sunako nodded, "Merry Christmas," she greeted back. "Excuse me."
L remembered the dream and—deciding to dare—took her shoulder.
She glared at him.
"Forgive me, but could I interest you in a cup of coffee?"
Sunako tensed. "Why?"
"Er…well…" Why indeed? "I don't mean to be a creep—I know I seem like one right now, but I'd like to get to know you."
"You're weird," Sunako said. "But don't try anything."
"I wouldn't dream of it," L said. "I'm Ryuuzaki."
"Sunako," she answered.
They walked to a coffee shop—the only one that was open—and from there, only time will tell…