(Posted July 31, 2010)

KK: It's a little late, sorry. This was a rather hard one to grind out, but the end was easy. Mostly this just needed some revision.

Pairing: LxLight, one-sided BxL (Thanks to JohnMicky for pointing out that I wrote BxLight on accident. My bad! ^_^)

Warnings: Another High school AU, OOC!L to the max, cheesy ending, and use of Taylor Swift's "You Belong With Me" in a not-so-positive light. I suggest you look up the lyrics or youtube it if you haven't heard the song. (And if you've turned on the radio at all this last year, I doubt you haven't.)

Disclaimer: Death Note is owned by Ohba and Obata, neither of whom are me or myself. I also do not own Taylor Swift's song. Also, I'd like to say here that I have nothing against most of her songs. I will not hesitate to sing off-key, "Have you ever thought maybeeee..." not matter how much it is overplayed and overrated. It's catchy... . but my cynical side just could not deny the creepy dark side to this song, so I just had to address it here.


Wear Short Skirts

L climbed up his stairs to his empty bedroom, and groaned. Because about five minutes ago, this bedroom wasn't empty.

He threw a furious glare out his window, which looked directly into his next door neighbor's bedroom, where B (for Bane of L's Existence) was grinning happily back at him. The red-eyed teen then turned on his stereo full blast, restarting the cursed song that L had just gone over to his house to destroy.

L snatched up his cell phone, and nearly broke the speed dial button that was set to his boyfriend's phone.

He called twice, thrice, before Light picked up.

"L."

"Come back," L demanded.

"Sorry L, I just remembered I have to get to the tennis court early tomorrow. Maybe later."

"That was the worst excuse I've ever heard come out of your mouth!" L snapped. "I got B to leave us alone…"

"That's fine," muttered the voice on the other end. "I'll tell you when I'm free."

"Light, it's just a song. A set of meaningless rhymes compiled by some lovesick teenage American girl set to some guitar chords."

"I know what a song is, L."

"Then why is Light-kun being so insecure?"

Indignant huff. "I'm not being insecure!"

"I disagree. While the fact that Light-kun is identifying himself with a figurative cheerleader with a narrow-minded personality is in some aspects rather accurate –"

"L Lawliet, shut the hell up!" The static click of Light hanging up was somehow louder than his words.

L stared down at the digital screen that read 'call ended' miserably.

Meanwhile, through the wide-open window of the house next to him, the neighborhood stalker was singing very loudly, and very off-key, to that devil's song. "She doesn't… get your humor like I do…"

-.-.-

"Light, are you going to talk to me?"

"What are we doing right now?" Light replied. Crack.

"Right now we're exchanging meaningless small talk while you attempt to pummel me with tennis balls."

"Don't be ridiculous. As captain of the tennis team," Light said in between the sharp sounds of racquet against ball against concrete. "I need to practice, don't I? Do you want me to philosophize with you while we're both sweating and dirty?"

"I actually want to do something else sweaty and dirty with you but you haven't given me a chance since last Tuesday!"

"I've been busy." Crack!

"You've been avoiding – Light, calm down!"

Fwump – the tennis ball hit the net, and bounced pitifully away.

Light brushed back a damp lock of hair. His face was shining from exertion, but his lips locked into a grim line. "Fine. What is it?"

L stared at Light across the net, unable to see if Light was staring back, but he doubted it. "You're upset because of B."

There was no denial, affirmation, or excuse. Rather Light raised his eyebrow, in a way of saying 'And? What'll you do?'

This was far from the first argument they'd ever had, but it was certainly the first of its kind. L was barely getting used to apologizing to Light, and actually having to mean it. L thought it ironic that he actually had to boost Light's ego this time – and wanted to do it.

"B is wrong. For all his intelligence, he thinks he knows what's best for me. But he doesn't know me."

"And I do?" Light scowled. "I'm sure you've noticed what a private person you are. The fact is, L, I wasn't here first. B knows your story more than I ever could."

"You've given up already?" L asked quietly.

When they had first met, Light and L had already known how different they were. Worn out jeans with freshly-pressed shirts. They also knew the game that had developed the moment they locked eyes. Up until then they had never been interested in the other side.

When had Light decided he didn't want to play anymore? It was B who invented the games and forced L to play. It was supposed to be Light who actually wanted to play with him.

The brunet shook his head, turning away. "I just know what the odds are here."

When did Light start thinking 'Hey, why isn't this easy?'

-.-.-

"Stay away from him."

B beamed up at L from his seat. "Lawli, you're here! Strawberry jam?"

L grimaced down at the obsessive stalker. "I mean it, Beyond. No matter what you do, I'm staying with Light."

Red eyes narrowed. "Even if you say that… he won't last." His tongue flickered threateningly over a smudge jam on the palm of his hand, but L wasn't fazed.

"He's standing out there on the field." L lowered himself towards B. "Not hiding in the bleachers."

-.-.-

Light's head was pressed between the hard door and L's soft lips.

"L," he gasped when agile hands traveled under his thin shirt. "Stop."

He hadn't actually expected L to comply, but he did, albeit with an incredulous and petulant glare. They were back in the older teen's bedroom. Light glanced furtively at the window, but L caught it.

"B isn't home," L assured, his voice laced with an exasperation that was only detectable by a select few. "And since I doubt you want him to join us…"

Light rolled his eyes. "It's just – maybe this isn't right –"

"Light!" L interrupted firmly, prying Light's hands from the doorknob. "Look at me."

It took some time for Light's eyes to meet his, time that could have been spent doing something else if it hadn't been for that damned song.

"B knows things about me. He knows what I like and what my dreams are." He held the smooth hands tighter. "Before this became a contest with B, you were content with figuring out my story on your own. You hate the things I like – but you love me anyway. And my dreams – my dreams are you, Light. We're different – but that's never been the problem! Stop looking at us like we're an unlikely match, or at the odds of us staying together! We just belong together. It works. I belong with you."

By the end of that speech, a soft blush lit Light's face, and he chuckled. "Y'know, L Lawliet, keep grinning like that, you'd light up the whole town."

L nuzzled his boyfriend's neck, finally feeling the muscles relax. "Too bad for the town because I only want the one I love to see my smile."

He could feel the skin of warm up instantly. "L…"

"Y'know…" L murmured into Light's ear. "That American song caused a lot of trouble. But I bet it could redeem itself."

"Mmm, how's that," Light asked while preparing to slide the white sweater off of L.

"She wears short skirts…" L sang softly.

Light growled roughly, pushing L onto the bed. "Shut up before you ruin the mood."

"What about the high he– mmph!"


KK: B = Taylor Swift. Obviously. When was the last time you've seen someone in high school wear actual short skirts anyway?

EDIT: I forgot to add, I won't be here next week and I doubt I'lll have access to the internet since I'm going on vacation. Expect something somewhere between August 10 to August 12, though. See you then!