Author's Notes: Unusual time for updating. I never update this fast. Never. Maybe it's because I just love this fanfiction so much. Thanks for the positive reactions, to the reviewers (three reviewers). Without you, I would have no muse.

WARNING: EXTREME OOC-NESS, ESPECIALLY ON L'S PART. YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED.

Disclaimer: Death Note belongs to Ohba and Obata. L belongs to Beyond, and vice-versa.

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SonokoTao: I love B too! Zomg, a similarity! Yes, L is seme this time, because.. because.. because I say so! –grins- I checked your profile, saw someone named Reona, and screamed. It's most likely not me, but still. I screamed all the same.

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Bare feet being dragged along the hallway, L tried vainly to get his head to stop spinning. Why, he asked himself, had he agreed to do this, in the first place? It was stupid (and he did not like doing stupid things), silly, and most undignified for two people of their stature! He was the greatest detective in the world – Beyond was his back-up replacement, it was even more inappropriate than undignified! But, then again, those wonderful red eyes and that soft voice (so damn similar to his own), asking for help.. it was Beyond! even L's strength and ability at masking feelings to say no, or express it. He was growing, so slowly, more and more interest in Beyond than anything and anyone else, except for possibly Watari, and his interest was so deep – that you could even call it attraction, even deeper and more heartfelt than his emotionless mind could fathom. Lately, however, those feelings seemed to be escalating, changing, including elements that shouldn't even be there. He, in a few minutes, had come to terms that he would indeed love to be attached to the younger male, as long as his feelings were that of a close friend, teacher, brother, but now..

L had, more and more often now that it came to mind, found himself reluctant to stop looking at the hunched figure in the library, found that he was going out of his way to see him, or even get close to (and occasionally brush past) the young genius. It was small things. A hand on a jar of strawberry jam with sticky palm prints that rested for a moment too long; a knee touching a leg during the house assemblies, when he was sitting a tad too close (he sat beside both of his successors, A on his right, B on his left); his dark eyes all too willing to linger on Beyond's slender figure and lock with the crimson ones.. L knew what this was about. And, although with all his heart, he knew, although his logical and mathematical sense was crying out to him what he was doing, feeling, why, and why it was so wrong, he couldn't bring himself (despite his amount of self-control) to stop whatever it was he was feeling. He simply couldn't help feeling that burning joy when Beyond's hand rested upon his during the assemblies for a second, when a small smile was given to him alone, couldn't help but like the thrill flashing through his entire being when Beyond at times fell asleep during the assemblies, his head resting against L's shoulder, or his chest.

Reaching the comfortably furnished lobby, L snapped out of his thought – thumb in mid-air. This was, indeed, not the time for contemplating any other feelings for his successor. And, now that he thought about it, quite the opposite, really. L silently reminded himself what he was here to do, and would have sighed, had he the time to. This was going to be difficult, more of a challenge than playing chess with himself. After first checking the windows for any curious by-passers or the door for any of those snooping around, he went over towards the stereo and chose an old CD of classical masterpieces. He looked through the composers, and soon a melody by Beethoven was dancing along the vast room. L, with more strength he thought he had, pushed some of the furniture away. Space, was going to be needed.

After making sure there were no other people or electronic bugs in the room (he was, after all, a little paranoid), L moved into his usual crouching stance on a couch by the wall, his thumb resting on his lips and his other hand on his knee. He looked out silently at the black night, hoping he would be able to keep his emotions and mind in check. If he would be able to avoid it, if he would keep his cool and stop thinking about the adorable boy across him –

- his thoughts were interrupted by a soft knock, and when the detective turned around to face his successor, the usually-emotionless detective felt his heart skip a beat, for once in his life.

For, there, in the doorway, the light from the lamp in the ceiling fell softly upon Beyond's pale features and outlined his slender form. He had, much to L's content, taken off the suit and was now clad only in a loose-fitting white shirt (which was surprisingly much similar to L's own), the sleeves almost slipping off his shoulders and showing off his pale neck. He still, however, wore the dancing shoes – though the annoying suit pants had been discarded and replaced with tight-fitting jeans (their only clothing-style difference), which marked his unbelievably slim waist in the most captivating fashion L had ever seen. As if this was not enough to raise the detective's normally easy-going pulse, the young man had his hair rumpled up – as though he had returned from some sort of nightly-course. L wondered, in the back of his mind, if Beyond knew – or just sensed, that it was the style that L thought suited him best. And that made his body (surprisingly) respond in quite the opposite of the vain efforts of the man to keep his head clear.

For a few moments, Beyond stood in the doorway, one hand on the doorframe; the other in his pocket. Upon his face was an illegible, and mostly undecipherable expression that spoke of hesitation and awkwardness, somehow mixing with tense anticipation. Beyond, however, smiled a little sheepishly, causing L to feel a slight rise of temperature in the already warm room.

"You.." L knew he shouldn't, mustn't, but he was not (uncharacteristically) strong enough to resist the chance to say something, and he ignored the hoarseness and softness of his already soft voice.

".. you look good in that," he finally said, only half-aware of how stupid it really sounded. So much for him being a genius. Beyond only smiled, however, and nodded in thanks and understanding, stepping into the room. In his heart and mind, he hoped that L hadn't noticed the blush he felt burning upon his face at the words that escaped his lips. Breathing out, finally, as those crimson red eyes left his, L turned to put the stereo on pause.

Then, before facing Beyond once more, he took a deep mental breath to focus. He nearly laughed, as he thought of what Watari would have to say had he seen his top student falling to pieces for the sake of two red eyes and messy hair. But, those eyes..

"Alright," he began, his voice ending out more cold than he wanted, "let's see.. you're smart enough to count beats, are you not, Beyond?"

"Three beats for each bar." The logical (albeit a little psychopathic) genius was glad to be sure of something, and number were always reliable (if they were right, then they were right – if they were wrong, they were wrong). L nodded, in approval, and went on. "Then, there are the steps. First, we shall try the easiest, most basic steps of the waltz, which is, frankly, one step to the side, together, lift the left, back, one step to the right, together lift and back again." It was the longest speech the detective had ever said, though he was glad (which he would never show) to see Beyond look somewhat relieved.

"Goddamnit, L. That was it? And that stupid book made it so hard.."

L cut off, however, and nodded in agreement. "I should think so. According to my experience, and eighty-five percent of people I have surveyed, those patterns can be hell to read." He tried to smile, but it was hard, really, to keep his mind on anything but the scent around the boy. Was it strawberry jam? He nearly laughed as he realized he knew the brand. Smuckers.

Then, after an awkward silence, came the part L both dreaded, yet looked forward to. L did his best to ignore his increasing heart-rate.

"Alright, now, I shall dance with you first and take the lead, and then you shall try on your own, and then we will see if you have the ability to take it."

L silently hoped Beyond would not disagree upon, or question, the point of them dancing together, and Beyond himself did not at all seem to find this out of order, but simply nodded.

"Well, I.." L took a step forward, letting his arm drop loosely to his side, a little nervous and ready to kill himself for being such. ".. if you put that hand on my shoulder, and the other one here in my hand.."

Author's Notes: Oh, God, it's almost done! Almost there! Review, please?