Sunday
L had slept surprisingly well, and hadn't needed to call Light since the night before. However, he doubted that Light would automatically view his silence as his subconscious truthfully having an uneventful night. It was likely that Light already believed that L had another nightmare and had decided not to call him. This was why it didn't surprise L when his phone ran about an hour after he had eaten breakfast.
"Is that your boyfriend?" Matt asked from across the living room.
"He's just a friend," L told the redhead, getting up from the couch so that he could talk in the privacy of his room.
"Then why did he demand to talk to you alone for two hours yesterday?" Mello asked, his gaze darting from the book that he had been reading and to L.
"Because the three of you do not understand the concept of privacy," L said flatly as he left the room.
"Mello was the only one eavesdropping." He heard Near say after him.
"Shut it, albino-boy," Mello retorted.
L closed his door behind him and flipped his phone open.
"Good morning, Light," he greeted.
"Hey," Light said back. "Sleep well?"
"Wonderfully."
"Which for you means you got four hours," Light reasoned.
"Four and a half, actually," L corrected.
"No nightmares?" Light had to ask.
"I promised that I would call you if I had one," L reminded him.
"Yes, and you also promised me that you wouldn't blow up my science project back in freshman year," Light pointed out.
"Are you ever going to let me forget that?" L complained.
"No, because you maliciously sabotaged me," Light replied.
"Again, I apologize," L drawled.
"Not accepted," Light snapped back, though his tone remained good natured.
"I did not have a nightmare last night," L told him. "I think you'll find that my promises are genuine now that we are friends."
"Back then we hated each other," Light reminisced.
"I didn't hate you," L murmured.
"Really?" Light scoffed. "If you liked me why did you take every opportunity to spite me?"
"Because it was fun and I was bored," L answered honestly.
"I'm not going to argue with that."
L could tell that Light was smiling on the other end of their conversation, and couldn't help but grin himself.
"Did you sleep well?" L asked, to keep the conversation going if nothing else.
"Not really," Light confessed. "My phone woke me up a couple of times."
"Someone was calling you in the middle of the night?" L raised and eyebrow even though Light couldn't see him.
"Yeah," Light muttered sheepishly.
"Who?" L didn't need to ask this, he already had a clear idea.
"Him," Light didn't give a name but that was enough.
L didn't say anything. Not because he wanted to remained mute after given this piece of information, but because he really didn't know what he should respond with. Thankfully Light kept talking.
"He called me three times," Light said. "I didn't answer, but he left a message the third time."
"What did he say?" L wanted to know.
"Just that he wants to talk to me," Light answered. "That he needs to see me."
"Are you going to call him back?"
"No," Light quickly responded. "Well, if he keeps calling me I guess I have to, but I don't want to talk to him."
"He may want to apologize," L didn't know why he was pointing this fact out.
"If he does it's only because he wants me to go back to him," Light's voice was bitter.
"And you don't want that?" L cursed the hopeful edge to his voice that he prayed Light didn't hear.
"Not anymore," Light admitted. He tried to laugh, but it sounded more like a cough to L. "I'm as much of a jerk as he is."
"I fail to see how you reached that conclusion," L voiced.
"We dated for three years," Light attempted to clarify. "And I was so sure that I loved him, but…"
L silently waited for Light to continue after his voice trailed off.
"I guess I don't anymore," Light laughed again, a dizzy laugh that only comes when oneself is the object of amusement. "I mean I always secretly knew I could do better, or at least I hoped that I could. Now I want to."
"What brought this attitude on?" L remembered the crying mess that Light had been only two days prior.
"You did," Light replied and L hated how light-headed the statement made him feel.
"How so?" he was able to form the question.
"All of the hypothetical talk," Light explained. "At the risk of making things awkward, that scenario sounded nice and it's something that I'd like to have with someone someday."
L reminded himself that someone didn't mean him.
"So then I told myself that I don't have to settle for less than that," Light kept going. "It's not like having a boyfriend is what's more important to me, and I'm still young so what's the harm in waiting for the right person."
L reminded himself that he was not this right person.
"I don't care how much that jerk wants me back, I'm holding my ground on this."
"That's good," L told him.
"I feel good," Light replied.
"I need to go," L kept his voice calm and collected. "I'm taking my brothers to a movie."
"Okay," Light said. "I'll see you tomorrow."
"Yes," L manage to get the word out before hanging up.
When he opened the door to his room he wasn't surprised to see Mello standing in front of it.
"We're not going to a movie," Mello had clearly decided that the best defense is a good offense.
"No," L stated. "We are not going to a movie."
"Why'd you lie to him?" The blonde asked, crossing his arms in a display of subtle attitude that only a middle schooler could pull off.
"I don't have to tell you," L let him know.
"But if you don't it's no fun," Mello countered.
"I don't understand your definition of fun," L's tone was dry.
"So you like him, right?" Mello cut to the point.
L walked to his bed and sat down. Mello mirrored him.
"I don't see what the big deal is," the younger teen voiced.
"You don't see the situation at all." L retorted back, but Mello shrugged this off.
"He's single, and feel comfortable marching into your house and locking himself in your room for hours," Mello put it simply.
"The door doesn't lock," L pointed out, and Mello ignored him.
"He's a little too pretty-boy for my taste, but if you're into that sort of thing I'm not going to judge you," Mello remarked.
"At that I'm ending this conversation," L stood up but Mello didn't move.
"Just ask him out," Mello advised. "Your love life is too depressing."
L bit back a retort to this, because Mello did have a point (even if it was a slim one).
"And, to be honest, you really need to get laid," Mello added.
"Out of my room," L ordered. "Now."
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