hey, sorry for the late updates...again...busy with college work...enjoy...

L watched Light curiously as the brown haired boy set about preparing for the presentation.

The boy was nothing like how L thought he would be. He thought Light would be snobbish, arrogant and looked down on others. Instead, Light turned out to be the complete opposite.

He was friendly, humble about his intellect and open to everyone except his fan girls.

L found himself enjoying the other boy's companionship more and more. They were equals in intellect, something they both had never faced before. Now that they knew each other better, they resorted to friendly banter rather than formal discussion.

"Light-kun, do you know that you frown a lot when you're focusing on a task?" asked L conversationally.

Light looked up, surprised.

"No I didn't," he replied.

A ghost of a smile appeared on L's lips.

"Well, you do. A lot I might add," said L teasingly. "It makes you look like Rem-sensei."

Light's mouth fell open indignantly.

"Well, you stuff yourself on candy endlessly," he retorted. "Just as much as Ryuk-sensei stuffs himself on apples."

L smile grew wider.

"Not up to your usual standards, Light-kun," he said, raising his thumb to his lips. "I fail to see how that comment is supposed to come across as an insult."

Light smiled back at L.

"Whoever said it was meant to be an insult?" he replied.

L shrugged and moved to help Light with the presentation.

They continued to do so for a few hours until finally; Light stood up and started to put their presentation things away.

"I think that's enough for today, L," he said.

L nodded and looked at the watch on his wrist.

"It's getting late, I should leave," he said.

"Oh, don't go just yet," Light said. "All we ever do together is work. Let's go and hang out a bit."

L's eyes widened. Light just asked him to hang out with him! Did this mean that Light wanted to go beyond peer-to-peer relationship? That he wanted to do recreational activities with L from time to time?

"I…I don't know," he mumbled, looking away.

"Come on, how about?" pressed Light.

"I…I…I've never hanged out with anyone before," L said softly, not looking at Light. "I'm afraid that I don't know what to do…"

Light smiled and pulled L by the wrist to the door.

"Then I'll show you."

LLLLLLLLL

"Ya! That's the third time you've beaten me!" cried Sayu, pouting.

Near had just performed a brilliant checkmate on her for the third time. Sayu had tried everything she could but found that she couldn't beat the white haired boy.

Near looked down.

"Sorry," he said softly.

"Baka," said Sayu, hitting him on the shoulder playfully. "It's a game, what do you have to be sorry for?"

"Sorry…" said Near again.

Sayu snorted with amusement.

With Near's help, she had managed to finish her math homework quickly and being bored later, she played a few games with Near. First they had played Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare but Near had proven to be superior in the game, Battle Fantasia where Near had been superior and Dragon Ball: Burst Limit where Near had beaten her yet again.

Sayu couldn't understand it. Near had claimed that he never touched a Playstation all his life, yet he played like a pro.

When asked, Near merely shrugged and said: "It's rather easy."

So they had resorted to playing chess, where Sayu thought that she should have known better than to challenge Near.

Just as she was wondering what to do, the door opened and Light's head appeared around it.

"Sayu, Near-kun, L and I are going out for some ramen," he said. "Do you guys want to come?"

Sayu nodded eagerly and hopped up to follow them.

Blinking and slightly bewildered, Near followed.

LLLLLLLLL

L sat at the ramen stall, slightly overwhelmed by everything that was happening.

A bowl of steaming ramen lay before him, still untouched.

Light, Near and Sayu were all already digging in to theirs.

L just stared at his bowl, holding his chopsticks and looking uncertain.

"L, try it," said Light after awhile. "It's really good."

L finally lowered his chopsticks into the bowl, only to swirl its contents around.

Light sighed and put down his own chopsticks.

"Don't tell me you don't eat anything other than sweets?" he said.

L huffed.

"Don't exaggerate, Light-kun," he said. "I do eat other things…occasionally."

"Occasionally?" echoed Light, amazed. L was really nothing like anyone he had met before.

He thought about how to make L eat the ramen while Near and Sayu looked on, interested.

Finally, Light spoke up.

"L, this is an occasion," he said. "A special one indeed."

L looked at him questioningly.

"Remember when you said that you've never hanged out with anyone before?" continued Light. "Well, now you are and not just for work or studies either. Isn't that an occasion?"

L stared at him, mulling his words over in his head. He realised that while it might seemed like a small matter, it was a big deal to him. He was hanging out with someone. He was hanging out with Light. Light who was…dare he say it? His friend?

A smiled appeared on L's lips.

"You're right, Light-kun," he said. Without further ado, L began to eat the ramen.

Light and Near, who knew L better, watched with amazement and delight as he devoured the meal. L was eating! He was actually eating something that didn't contain sugar!

L in the meantime, was enjoying the meal.

To him, ramen never tasted as good as it did that night.

LLLLLLL

The four of them walked contentedly in the general direction of their home. After awhile, they reached the junction that led them in different directions.

Sayu smiled at Near, who smiled back shyly.

"Today was fun, Near-chan," she said cheerily as Near blushed. "Please come back to visit again soon!"

"All right, Sayu-chan," Near replied in his soft voice.

"Promise?" prompted Sayu, taking Near's hand in her own.

Near blushed even harder.

"I promise," he replied, tentatively squeezing Sayu's hand.

Meanwhile, Light was looking at L.

"So I'll see you again tomorrow?" he asked.

"If you want to, I guess," answered L, feeling slightly uncomfortable by the intense gaze Light was giving him.

"I want you to want it too, L," said Light seriously. "I want you to be sure about it. No guessing. We're friends, L."

L looked away at the word 'friend'. He still wasn't too certain about it. He wanted to be able to trust Light freely, he wanted to call Light his friend but he was still afraid to do so. He was too afraid of being hurt again…

A strong hand held his chin and gently turned his head. L found himself looking into Light's eyes. Those soft brown eyes looked sad and hopeful at the same time.

"L?" said the owner of those brown eyes softly. "Why do you look away every time I describe us as friends? You don't trust me? You don't want to be friends with me?"

L felt his heart racing. The way Light was holding his chin; it was so dominating, so powerful and so…alluring.

His heart was beating at frenzied pace and L didn't know what to make of it. He never felt this way before. A feeling of wanting to be near Light yet afraid to. But he had to answer, but how when he himself wasn't sure of his answer.

Then, he thought back of the way he and Light spent the past few days. Light had been nothing but friendly, kind and…caring, yes, caring. That was something that only Near and to some extent, Mello had been able to give L. But with Light, L felt cared for and did he dare think it? The one thing that he denied himself throughout his life?

Love…

L realised that he wanted to be more than just friends with Light, he wanted to be with Light. But he dare not say it, for fear of losing him. At least now, he was sure of his answer.

"Light-kun, I want to be friends with you," he said softly, looking at Light in the eyes. "More than anything, you are the first friend I've ever had."

Light's eyes widened at the depth of the emotions he could feel behind the words.

He had always known that L had been a loner. But now, he realised that L was lonely, very lonely. Mello and Near had always been there for him, but it wasn't enough for L.

Light released L's chin, realising how weird it must look to Sayu and Near and feeling guilty at the same time for not noticing L's loneliness before. But now, he was determined to make sure that L was never lonely again.

"I'm glad, L," he said and acting purely on impulse, he pulled L into a heartfelt embrace.

L's froze in shock. The only hugs he ever got was from Near and that was a brotherly gesture. But now, the way Light held him sent a warm wave through him, a pleasant feeling. He tentatively returned the embrace.

Then, Light released him and looked away, embarrassed.

"See you tomorrow then, L," he said.

L nodded, smiling.

The four of them parted ways there.

LLLLLLLL

Sayu was watching her brother curiously.

Light was very quiet throughout the entire journey home. She could tell by his blank expression that he was very deep in thought.

The way Light had embraced L and talked to him earlier kept replaying itself in her head.

A thought occurred to her.

Oni-san is falling for L!

LLLLLLLLL

L quietly opened the door to his and Near's home.

After slipping off his shoes and giving Near a hug, he made his way up to his room.

Near watched his older brother leave.

He was happy that his brother had found a friend.

Deciding to fix himself some hot chocolate, he made his way to the kitchen.

However, hearing some noises from Mello's room stopped.

It sounded as though Mello's bed was creaking repeatedly as though someone was jumping up and down on it repeatedly.

Curious, Near tiptoed up to Mello's door and opened it just enough to get a view of what was going on.

Mello was naked, his lower body completely covered by the blankets. His waist kept moving up and down repeatedly, causing the creaking sounds that Near had heard earlier.

He was leaning over another boy, the dim light from Mello's lamp revealed red hair.

Matt? thought Near.

Then, Matt let out a moan as Mello began to rock his waist harder. The red-haired boy reached up with a trembling hand to caress Mello's face, but the blonde roughly caught the limb and pinned it back down on the bed and rocked his hips even harder, making Matt cry out.

Near realised what was going on and turned red.

As quietly as he could, he went to his room and not bothering to change, he curled under his blankets.

Still in shock, he voiced out his thoughts.

"Mello and Matt are gay?"

lllllllllllllllll

the first sighting of Mello/Matt...and L and Light are finally falling...but of course...a story isn't a story without an antagonist...and if any of you had read my previous fic...you'd probably already guess who it is...anyway...do give me a comment or two...i enjoy reading them...

next chapter coming soon...