Cannabis--1968

AN: Hello all, I thank you for all the reviews that you've given me! This will the last chapter until July because I'm going to Sioux City, Iowa for July 4th. --laughs-- If any of you are gonna be out there for Saturday in the Park, maybe I'll see you! (doubt it)

Anyway, on with the show.

I don't own anything

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It had been like any other day: get up, eat, write, walk, argue or talk with L, write even more.

My three week stay in the Haight-Ashbury was becoming almost as boring as my day-to-day life in my home city of St. Louis. L almost constantly watched the news about Vietnam, occasionally exclaiming that the American government was murdering their men and the Vietnamese people. I didn't ask, but I knew the reason he was using the alias 'L' was because he was hiding from the recruiting agents.

I sat beside him on the couch, staring at his expressionless face. The occasional twitch of his left eye was the only indication of L's building anger. His dark eyes were like mirrors as they reflected an upside-down version of the television screen. I placed a hand on his shoulder; he jumped slightly, and turned to me. I gave him a small smile, "If it angers you so much, L, stop watching it."

L sighed and leaned back on the couch; a long fingered hand went through his black hair.

"I know watching something that angers me isn't very smart…" His emotionless eyes returned to the flashing screen; a commercial for juice exploded on the black and white screen. That was all we could afford.

I stood and flicked off the box. Turning to him, I shook my head. "L, stop being an idiot and angering yourself." I shrugged, "Do something productive."

After that, the day settled into a rhythm of L tinkering away on whatever mind-blowing invention he had started. I sat Indian-style on the green couch, watching L's movements lazily.

A small smile settled on the corners of my mouth as I watched the (I assumed) genius talk quietly to himself, lifting a thumb to his mouth in an effort to think. Cute, I thought, then froze. I didn't really think tha--…No! I shook my head, causing L to look curiously at me. I flashed him a smile; he shrugged and went back to work.

You didn't think that, I assured myself, Think about something else…

"I am getting quite uncomfortable with Light watching me." I jumped at the sound of L's quiet, monotone voice. He stared at me from the green floor, his dark eyes wide and uncomfortable.

I laughed awkwardly, playing the surprised-denial card. "L, I wasn't staring at you." I snorted almost if the notion was absurd.

L turned back to his plastic wrap; it crinkled loudly as he fiddled with it, "Yes you were…" He murmured lowly.

I rolled my eyes and stood from the couch, feeling a surge of anger. "Whatever, L." My door slammed shut and I dove onto the springy mattress with a sigh.

Placing a hand over my closed eyes, a scowl appeared on my face. Why did I feel so embarrassed when L had caught me staring at him?

Because you thought he was 'cute'. People shouldn't think that! My mind yelled at me, scoffing lightly at the obviousness of the statement.

Well L can't read minds, so I doubt he 'heard' what I had thought. I nodded to myself under my hand. What I had to do was apologize to L for snapping at him and leave the awkwardness behind. That I could do.

The door to my bed room squeaked open, much as it did when I had first really 'talked' to L. I walked out of the small bed-room, my eyebrows furrowed slightly when I was greeted by an empty living room.

"L?" My voice sounded small through-out the apartment. A wave of something like panic shot through my spine as I checked quickly in the strange man's messy room.

I walked back to the middle of the living room; my heart pounded inside my head like a throbbing drum. I began to question my panic.

I plopped down on the green couch, and jumped when paper crinkled loudly in protest.

I jumped up and snatched the offending cream colored paper; L's messy hand writing was scrawled across the face.

Light--

Thank you.

L

Another wave of cold panic swept down my spine.

Oh god…was he going to--?! I couldn't let myself to finish the thought. A flash of a news article popped into my mind about a student at Harvard who had committed suicide and had left his roommate a note, confessing his feelings to the roommate; but the words 'thank you' repeated over and over in my mind in L's low monotone voice. What did he mean?

I had ran out of 710 Ashbury, hastily pulling on my smokers jacket. Jerry's apartment was silent which indicated no one was home.

My bare feet slapped loudly on the on the cement; a few of the 'night-dwellers' stared after me.

I saw a lone figure standing under the tree, almost as if contemplating that it would be almost perfect to hand one's self on… I saw the person throw a rope over one of the branches, griping the rope tightly in one hand. "L!" I cried out, racing to the tree with all the force I had in my body. Oh god! Nonononono!

I stopped in front of him, sweat and tears running down my face. L stared down at me, his black eyes unblinking. "Light?" He asked slowly.

My face snapped up to meet his gaze. "L! Don't do it! It isn't--What the hell!?"

Twislers were gripped tightly in one of L's long fingered hands; the rest was tied 'noose-style' around his pale, swan-like neck. A neck which I so wanted to snap at that moment.

"L…" I seethed, tightening my hands together into a fist, "Do you honestly think you'll be able to kill yourself…with twislers?!"

L blinked slowly at me, then looked up at the line of twislers that wrapped around the branch. "…Well the way you say it, it does sound like a pretty stupid idea."

I stomped up to him, the panic I had felt had washed away, and took the twisler that was around his neck and swiftly bit through the red 'noose'. I pushed back the mental gasp and thought of your lips just touched his neck!

"Why?" I asked from around a mouthful of the plastic tasting candy. A red mark was starting to form on his pale neck.

L took a bite of his 'noose' and sat on the ground. "My intelligence got too great." I sat beside him, leaning against the tree. He chewed the red rope slowly, "This happens every once and awhile; I buy a rope of twislers and if I don't have the time or effort, my plans of suicide…stop; for that moment anyway."

We sat in silence for a few minuets, eating the red rope that would've (not really) killed L.

I turned my gaze lazily over to him. "You never told me what you're working on," He paused from taking a bite of his candy. I sighed. "All the plastic wrap?"

A ghost of a smile came to the elusive hippie's lips. "You never asked Light, but it is something that concerns only myself."

I grumbled, rolled my eyes and remained silent.

Minuets passed again before L sighed. "…There is another reason why I thought of killing myself, Light."

I turned to ask 'what', but sputtered with surprise as his lips ghosted over my own in a weak kiss. Softer than I had expected.

A soft red blush powdered his cheeks, but L smirked and settled down again beside me. "I was afraid to know what your reaction would be…"

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A kiss! --laughs-- The twisler idea is from the movie "Juno". I do so like that movie.

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