L was quite visibly upset. He was playing with the fork in his hand and would occasionally prod at the cake on his plate with the fork unenthusiastically.

His eyes were low and he moved slowly, hardly raising his head to tap at his computer.

Watari had given him that piece of cake nearly forty minutes before and the older man knew that L was disappointed. Though it was the sixth slice he had placed down for the detective, Watari didn't believe for a moment it was because L was full.

No. L wasn't eating and was downcast because he was alone.

It had only been an hour or so ago that Y/N had called and had regrettably told L that she wouldn't make it to see him before the day was over.

"My case took a turn for the worse and I'm still needed here. I'm so- what? He's escaped? Dammit. I need to go, L. I'll call you as soon as I-"

And there Y/N's call had ended. L had barely gotten a word out before the line had been cut.

After that the detective had gone to find Watari to tell him that Y/N wouldn't make it.

Watari knew then that L was disappointed.

And that was also when he had taken another slice of cake to L, in hopes of cheering him up. But it seemed that the detective had decided to stay surrounded by his gloom.

Watari could almost see it. That was never good.

And the only cure was the return of the one and only Y/N, which -according to another message Watari had received- wouldn't happen for another two days or so.

At worst four days and longer, if the killer was good at hiding and Y/N had already been gone for nearly three weeks now. Two cases had overlapped and so it had required that she stayed away longer.

Watari looked at a calendar that was hanging off the wall of the hotel room that they were currently occupying. Then he looked at his watch.

7:15 pm. October 30th.

If all had gone according to plan, Y/N would have arrived at the airport at 11:30 pm and should have been at the hotel at near exactly 12.

Watari knew Y/N was loath to miss the very moment the clock turned and it became the 31st of October.

Just as Watari was going to speak to the detective, L himself moved, albeit still slowly, out of his chair and he grabbed the plate with his cake.

"I'll be in the room, Watari. I'll call if-"

"If you need anything at all. Of course. I'll bring you some more soon." L nodded briefly before he shuffled down the hall, shoulders more hunched that usual. Then a door clicked shut.

Watari sighed, looking down at his own computer.

Sure, there were cases to solve -there always would be- but Watari never had to remind L.

That was probably what L was doing to keep himself busy until the next time Y/N would-

Bing.

Watari, frowning with curiosity at who might be messaging him now, quickly opened his phone. He read the message and the faintest of smiles began to spread on his face.

"Willful request, indeed. And stubborn as usual."

He pressed in a reply then Watari glanced down the hall. Unless he yelled or sounded an alarm, L wouldn't leave the room he was currently wallowing in.

"To work, then," said Watari quietly.

L had been, quite uncharacteristically, simply laying in bed he heard it. It wasn't what he would have wanted to hear.

L would have wanted to hear his phone ring, and to hear Y/N's voice say she would be there soon.

But no, instead it had been a firm knocking on the door.

L glanced at the clock near the bedside. 11:45.

Its gotten late, he realized though he didn't mind. Watari knew when to leave him alone. Watari must have also known that L had gotten hungry again.

So that'll be Watari with more cake, thought L.

"Yes, Watari, come in." L said outloud and he waited for the door to swing open and reveal the snack cart that always made him feel a little bit better.

The door made no movement and L wordlessly slipped off the bed, taking silent steps to the door.

Then, abruptly and forcibly, L pulled the door open, glaring out into the hallway.

Empty.

Strange, thought L, a thumb going up to be pressed between his teeth.

The detective considered the possibility of having imagined the knocking. He immediately dismissed the thought.

He had heard it.

Then, against his will, L thought with a sudden humor, 'maybe it was a ghost'.

L almost laughed at his own absurd idea.

Y/N has been telling me too many stories, he decided (Though L would never admit that he looked around himself, his eyes scanning the darkened corners suspiciously.)

But as he looked around, his eyes settled on something on the floor right by his feet.

He leaned down and he deftly plucked it up with two fingers, bringing it closer to examine.

L tilted his head in question.

It was a small piece of candy in a purple wrapper. L unwrapped it and, after his careful examination of the candy itself, he deemed it safe. He popped it into his mouth and he hummed in appreciation of the sweetness, licking his fingers.

For a moment he wondered if Watari had dropped it.

That guess might have been the end of that had it not been for two things.

Watari wasn't so careless.

The second reason being that L spotted another piece of candy several steps away.

And L figured it out.

"A trail of sweets on the floor, no doubt leading to a great reward at the end of it." L said outloud.

"Just like when I was a child. Very well, Watari."

And on went L, his sadness on Y/N's absence momentarily forgotten.

The candy path continued down the hall and into another bedroom. Inside he found a small pile of candies along with a bag.

The bag, L noticed, had an orange outline of a pumpkin with a mouth and eyes. A Jack-o-lantern, L realized.

Inside he found a small folded note. On the note, written in Watari's distinct handwriting were the words,

'Best to place all the candy in a conveniently themed bag.'

With a small smile, L began to place all the candy he had found and collected into the bag, wondering just how much the bag would weigh by the end of this little game.

Once he was finished, and the note had been placed in one of his pockets, L left the bedroom and he found that the line of candy picked up once more.

The second destination was in yet another bedroom.

However, this time, the candy had been arranged into the letter L and the detective marveled at the deliberate design.

On the bed there was another small pile of candy along with another note. L quickly scooped the candy into his bag and he unfolded the note.

'Almost there. Go on to the kitchen next. Now turn around and look at the dresser.'

L might have spent more time wondering about the choice of words that just didn't seem like Watari, but his curiosity won over and he turned to look at the dresser behind him.

To his delight, he found a cupcake with much-more-than-necessary frosting. As soon as he bit into the pastry, he smiled in bliss.

It wasn't just any cupcake. He knew it had been made especially for him and it was perfect.

The life of the cupcake didn't last long and it was soon gone, with only the smallest crumbs as proof of its existence.

And L might have eaten those too if he hadn't remembered that the next place to go was the kitchen.

L wasted no time rushing out of the bedroom and heading to the kitchen as the note had ordered. As he left the room he took brief notice of the time. 11:55.

Soon enough, the detective was standing before the kitchen, having been lead there by yet more candy, and for a moment he stood in the doorway blinking.

The lights had been turned off but L found that he wouldn't have to turn on the lights.

On the counter sat a cake and on the cake were candles. The candles were lit and the fire flickered as he approached.

The words Happy Halloween were written on the cake and L put down his heavy bag of candy.

Along with the words were drawings of pumpkins and ghosts and what were probably supposed to be bats.

Beside the cake was one final sheet of paper and L lifted it with two fingers. There was writing again but this time, it was someone else's handwriting.

And Happy Birthday. Now turn around.

He did.

"Surprise, L."

Y/N hardly had time to finish her sentence before hands were grabbing hold of her and pulling her forward. The embrace quickly turned into a hurried kiss.

Depite his abrupt show of affection, L settled into it quickly. He breathed in Y/N's familiar scent and the warmth of her lips.

Her hair, which was becoming tangled in his hand, was as soft as ever and his other arm pressed her closer to him.

Too long, he thought.

Nothing in the world could compare to the way L felt around Y/N.

Y/N who made his days brighter. Y/N, who made him feel like he was more than a cold detective with a job.

With Y/N, like this in his arms, L felt complete. And he had learned to tell her all of this in the way he kissed her.

Sweetly, carefully, yet urgently and, in times like this, passionately.

L may have remained that way with Y/N for the rest of the night if it wasn't for the clearing of a throat.

The detective pulled away to see that the lights had been turned on (when had that happened?) and that Watari was holding plates.

"L," he began, "I fear that of you do that any more, Y/N here may faint."

The detective looked back to Y/N but now he was hiding under his bangs in embarrassment. But Y/N only smiled at him, placing a hand on his cheek.

"I think he's entitled to a bit of kissing, Watari."

Then she leaned closer to L.

"Happy Birthday, right on time."

L glanced over Y/N at the clock on the wall. 12:00. October 31st. His birthday.

L tilted his head until his forehead touched Y/N's. Her eyes were just as beautiful as he remembered.

"I can only assume you found and captured the killer, called on a favor to get you here, more than likely violated several aviation laws, asked Watari for help with the candy and you...had time to bake me cupcakes and a cake."

Y/N laughed softly and she shrugged.

"Yes, yes, yes, yes and yes. Although, breaking air travel law wasn't really my fault. I suggested we go faster but I never told them that breaking the law was necessary. I just heavily implied it."

L didn't have to tell Y/N that she was amazing. He only kissed her again.

Neither heard Watari mutter, "as stubborn and willful as always."

And when it was time to blow out his candles and Y/N insisted that he make a wish, L remembered the first coin he had tossed into a fountain.

L thought and he blew out his candles, wishing the same thing as when he had thrown that coin.

Then, Watari, Y/N and L ate cake together and it was the happiest that L could ever remember being.

I'm pretty sure that's the longest one-shot I've written so yay!

And I know! I know! I'm unfogivingly late in posting this one for L's Birthday but I'm sure you all know how life can get in the way. (Plus, I've been watching Supernatural. I'm in freaking love with it now. Any of you watch it? Do I sense a one-shot crossover in the future? Maybe. Maybe not. *evil laughter*)

And thank you to those of you who have favorited my one-shots. It makes me so unbelievably happy to know you like it.

And many thanks to you SimplyKelly for continuing to post those awesome comments!

Until next time guys. And please leave a review. I always appreciate that too!