Chapter seventeen:

After calming down and settling himself into being back home Light heads to look for his sister. He first tries her room where he finds the door shut. He knocks on it gently yet loud enough to be heard. "Sayu? Are you in there? If you are, can I come in?" He question wanting to makes sure that she knows that it is him.

"You can come in." Sayu's voice comes from the other side of the door.

So Light opens the door heading inside the room knowing she trusts him that he is alone. He glances around until he spots his sister sitting on her bed. He gently closes the door then heads over to join her in sitting on the bed. He turns his head to look to her when she wraps her arms around him in a hug. He shifts to put his one arm, the one furthest away from her, around her in a hug as well. "How are you holding up?" He is worried by the sudden hug from her so he wants to make sure that she is indeed okay.

"Light… Big brother…. Is it wrong that I can hardly recognize our own parents?" Sayu's voice is soft though loud enough for the other to be able to hear her. She buries her face into his shoulder though makes sure her words can be understood. "I almost believed that strangers had entered our home. I hurried to my room as fast as I could. I felt scared."

Light moves the hand that is attached to the arm that is wrapped around his sister so he can gently stroke her hair. He does so to try to help assure her that it is going to be okay. "I know. It can be hard when they're not around. They might as well be strangers." He tells her as she listens to what wisdom he will give to her right in this moment when she needs it. He even noticed that she has raised her head to look at him. "Strangers who can come and go in the house as they please. No matter what we prefer or have to say about it."

Sayu closes her eyes with a small sigh escaping her mouth. "I hope they don't stay very long. The sooner they're gone the better."

Light feels the same as things are definitely better with their stranger parents gone doing whatever it is they do when they don't come home. He smiles softly and places a brotherly hand on his sisters cheek causing her to open her eyes meeting his eyes. "I think I have something that might help in cheering you up."

"What is it?" A now curious Sayu asks as she slightly leans forward, though tries to stay where Light's hand is there to assure her. She even place a hand gently on his wrist. "Did they leave?"

"Well no. They were still there when I came back. That's not what I am talking about though." Light quickly adds the last bit when he sees his sister a little upset. "Do you remember L?"

"Of course I do." Sayu softly nods in confirmation that she does remember the raven haired male. "Is he going to be coming over for a visit?"

"Well he probably will more often. Because." Light smiles a little more as Sayu slightly leans in just a bit more in the anticipation of what the news is. "Me and him have agreed to try out dating each other." As soon as those words left his mouth he is suddenly tackled to the floor by his sister who makes a very happy noise. He is briefly winded however he quickly recovers and wraps his arms around his sister.

"I am so happy for you Light!" Sayu tells Light as she hugs him a little tightly. "This is the best news that I have heard all day!" She tells him unable to stop grinning at what she has just been told.

"Thanks little sis." Light holds her close grinning too. "I knew you'd be okay with him. That is why I really wanted to share the news with you."

"I'm glad that you did." Sayu agrees to this still hugging her brother.

In the meantime L is sitting on the floor in front of a computer looking over some information for a case. He has his left thumb resting against his bottom lip as he looks over all the information that is there. He then slightly turns his head to his phone as it lightly buzzes to alert him of a message. He lowers his hand from by his mouth to swipe the text from a cop about a case. His hand moving away as he looks at the background on his phone.

A picture that he and Light took together.

L looks at Light's face and he uses one finger to gently trace the others cheek that he can see in the picture. "No matter if we end up on opposite sides of the war I still want to give you a chance." He speaks softly to himself and pulls his hand away from his phone again. "I have never felt this way about anyone before. It actually feels really nice." He smiles softly to himself and his phone soon goes dark as he doesn't touch it. "I do believe that it is indeed worth trying out for ourselves."

Mello and Matt finish some food for the three of them to eat so Matt heads to get Near who is in the living room.

Matt enters the living room finding the third member of their group sitting surrounded by papers. "Near?"

Near, who is twirling a strand of hair around his finger thoughtfully, turns to look to the red head who has just spoken his name.

"Me and Mello made some food. Why not come eat?" Matt suggests to the other who slightly turns back to the papers.

"I appreciate that Matt. You can bring my portion of the food out please, if you don't mind that is." Near responds picking up a piece of paper to look at it. "I want to get more work done. Maybe next time."

"Oh. Okay." Matt heads back to the kitchen with a worried heavy heart. He is of course well aware that all of them can get caught up in their work though he can just feel that something isn't right. He makes it back to the kitchen where Mello turns to him.

"Where is Near?"