A/N: Yay! I'm back with another chapter. I bought a huge book…like 1000 pages about vampire stuff. It's all very exciting. I'm on a big vampire kick right now. I really want to get to the part where there are actual vampires in the story…but that will have to wait.
Disclaimer: I don't own L…or Light. I wish I did….L's too awesome.
When L woke up the next morning, he cautiously pulled down the covers, half expecting Light to be sitting on his bed again. But there was no Light. L reminded himself again how unpredictable Light was. One day he showed up in the kitchen, the next day he didn't show up at all, and then he showed up in L's bedroom. L wondered vaguely if today Light would be standing on the porch waiting to ambush him as soon as he left the house.
L slipped out of bed and stretched luxuriously. He selected a new white sweater and jeans and reached down to pull off his pajama pants.
"I wouldn't do that, if I were you," a voice murmured.
L whirled around, staring with shock as he noticed Light sitting calmly on his bed.
"How did you get in here?" L hissed.
Light shrugged. "I've been in here all the time." He grinned. "I was hiding under your bed. I was afraid I'd sneeze. It's so dusty under there."
L shrugged. "It used to be my dad's room. I suspect it hasn't been cleaned thoroughly since he left home. Now, will you turn around so I can get dressed or will you continue to gawk at me like some pervert?"
Light frowned. "That's not fair. If I really was a pervert, I'd let you strip and just watch you and not say a thing."
"Will you just turn around?" L hissed. "I need to get ready."
"Okay, okay," Light muttered. He obediently turned around.
L watched Light surreptitiously as he eased into his school clothes. "Okay, now I'm dressed," he announced.
Light turned back around. He surveyed L critically. "I still think you need to get some more clothes. You'll start to be known as Mr. White Sweater."
"I could care less what people think of my clothing. Now, I wish to go to school by myself. I am sick of your constant hovering."
Light sighed. "You were never this stubborn as a kid," he muttered under his breath.
L's eyes narrowed. 'What did you say?" he demanded.
Light winced at L's scorching glare. "Didn't I tell you that you visited town once as a child?"
"No, you neglected to mention that," L hissed.
Light shifted uncomfortably. 'Well, you were only about four or five. It's understandable that you don't remember."
"And why would you remember? We're the same age."
Light sighed. "Well, in this town, we're lucky to have a new family move in once a year. It's a big deal. But you've lived in so many different places that our town isn't significant to you."
"So, you knew me as a child. Is that why you are trying so desperately to be my friend?"
Light uneasily poked at a piece of carpeting with his toe. "We were friends back then. But then your parents were frightened off. I don't want you to leave again. I want to protect you this time."
"Light, please do not be motivated by a misplaced sense of heroics. It was not your fault that my family was frightened away thirteen years ago. You were just a child. But please, do not put yourself in harm's way for my sake. I could not stand to see you killed."
"L, believe me. They're not going to go after me."
"What if they're so determined to kill me that they'll kill you to get to me?"
"Do you honestly expect me to just sit here and watch you get killed?" Light growled.
"No, I expect you to find a way to deal with this that doesn't put you in harms' way. Can't we talk to the police?"
Light snickered. "The police won't get involved with this 'curse'. They don't do supernatural cases."
"But isn't it common knowledge that the townspeople are the real killers?"
Light shook his head. "No necessarily. Some people are very superstitious."
L sighed. "This is hopeless."
"I agree. That's why you should let me protect you until I figure out a way to get you accepted by the lunatic fringe."
"Light, that isn't necessary. I can walk to school by myself. It's broad daylight."
"But you don't understand that-"
Light paused at the quiet tap on the door.
"L? Light?" Watari inquired from outside the room. "Are you two still here? It's getting late."
L scowled at Light. "I'm coming!" he called to Watari.
L hurried into the kitchen and grabbed a cookie. He glared at Light, who was flashing him a disapproving glance. "Stop following me," L hissed.
L headed out the door, looking over his shoulder once to make sure Light was not following him. So far so good. Maybe Light would follow him at a distance instead of trying to stay glued to his side.
L trudged down the hill until he came to the sidewalk. He glanced behind him again. Still no Light. If Light didn't start walking down the hill soon, he would be late. But that wasn't L's problem.
L had just made it to the school gates when he heard a voice call out, "Are you happy now?"
L squeaked in surprise as he saw Light leaning against one of the posts, his arms crossed over his chest. "Happy, L?" Light growled. "I didn't follow you."
"H-how did you…how did you do that?" L spluttered.
Light looked amused as he pushed forward off the post and wrapped an arm around L's shoulder. "It's my little secret."
L frowned. "I didn't even see you. If you can beat me here without me ever catching sight of you, perhaps you should try out for the athletics teams."
Light laughed. "Okay, okay. I took a shortcut. It's just so funny to see that amazed look on your face."
L let out a long-suffering sigh. "Yes, you certainly surprised me. I'll admit that. Now, if that shortcut is really as quick as you make it seem, you'll have to show me."
"Sorry. That I can't do."
L frowned. "Why not?"
"Because it's a secret."
L scowled. "Very well. If it keeps you from following me to school, I suppose I won't press the matter. But I have another question. Are you going to actually attend classes today?"
"Of course I will," Light said soothingly. "You don't need to worry if I'm not here. I have other people looking out for you while you're at school. You'll be safe, even if I'm not here."
"That's not exactly what I meant," L sighed. "I'm not worried that something would happen to me if you disappeared. I'm more worried about why you're disappearing and what you're doing that needs you to skip school."
"L, I love how you're so concerned for others, but you really need to be concerned with yourself. I'll see you in third period, okay?"
As Light headed off across campus, L was filled with an inexplicable feeling of uneasiness and loss.
Light appeared only briefly in third period. He took a seat across the room from L and made no attempt to talk to L, aside from flashing L a quick reassuring smile. Light spent the first few minutes of class engrossed in a deep conversation with the guy sitting beside him. However, a not was delivered summoning Light to the office and he disappeared for the rest of the period.
At lunch time, L headed over to the tables. Misa was sitting alone at the table, wearing her cheerleader outfit. Misa waved at L with a pom-pom. "L, come sit with Misa and keep her company."
L cautiously slid onto the bench next to Misa. "Uh, where are Mikami and Matusda?"
"They're getting lunch," Misa said cheerfully.
"Oh." L glanced over briefly at the long line and decided he had time to ask a quick question. "Misa, you've know Light for a long time, right?"
Misa nodded enthusiastically. "Misa and Light have known each other since we were little. Light is Misa's best friend!"
"So…does he always try to hound people to be his friend? I may not be an expert in friendships since I've never really had any friends, but I don't exactly think this is normal."
Misa hesitated and then leaned in closer to L. "Don't tell Light that Misa told you this, but Light likes you. He likes you a lot. Light doesn't like girls and he doesn't like most of the guys at school, but he likes you. L should feel really lucky."
L mulled it over. "Light is in love with me?"
Misa nodded vigorously. "Just don't tell anyone. It might ruin Light's reputation if someone finds out that Light doesn't like girls."
"I don't know why that's such a big deal. Light's a good person."
Misa sighed. "L is not used to living in a small town. Everyone knows everything about everybody else. Light doesn't want any scandals. No one else in town is gay so Light doesn't want to cause trouble."
"Oh."
'But Misa supports Light," Misa began earnestly. "Misa doesn't care who Light dates. She wants Light to be happy."
"Okay, Misa. That's good to know."
Misa's eyes lit up with excitement. "Misa will be so happy if Light and L get together. They'd make such a cute couple."
"Misa, would you stop trying to play match-maker?" Mikami complained, suddenly swooping down on the lunch table with a tray of food.
Misa scowled. "Mikami is just jealous that Light doesn't like you."
Mikami's eyes narrowed. "Hey, keep it down. Light told you not to tell anyone about him."
"Light will thank me later," Misa said cheerfully.
Mikami snorted. "If you dump something like that on L, you'll freak him out. Although, maybe that's a good thing. He doesn't seem nearly scared enough."
"Why is everyone in this town so paranoid?" L complained. "I haven't seen a single thing to suggest that anything untoward is going on, except dramatics from Light."
"Hey, don't talk about Light that way. He's not dramatic," Mikami insisted. "See, Misa? I told you not to tell him. Now L is going to think Light's a stereotypical gay. Light is not dramatic. Light is perfectly normal. I don't want you even thinking of stupid stuff like that."
"Mikami, Light is overly dramatic at times," L insisted. "He keeps acting like he has to save me from everything, like he's some prince or something.'
"Untrue," Mikami growled. "Light hates movies about princes and princesses. They're all a load of crap. Just because he's gay doesn't mean Light has to care about princesses and dresses and stuff like that."
L heard a delicate cough behind him. "Do I even want to know why I heard the words 'dress', 'Light' and 'princess' in the same sentence?"
Mikami was speechless as Light slid into his seat nest to Mikami.
Light turned his attention to L, a slightly amused smile on his face. "l? Would you care to fill me in? Are we involved in a plot to attack me and stuff me into a dress and humiliate me for your entertainment?"
L looked at Misa helplessly. "It's…not like that. Mikami just thought I might have the misperception that you were a little…feminine?"
Light's eyes narrowed with rage. "Mikami. Why would you do that?"
"I'm trying to help you," Mikami protested. "L thinks you're a drama queen."
"So what are you telling him to convince him otherwise?" Light snapped. "You're telling him that I might be gay, but I'm not the dress-wearing kind of gay? Is that what you call helping?"
Misa reached a hand across the table and put it over Light's. "Light, please don't be mad with Mikami. Misa didn't mean to-"
Light threw her hand off. "I'm sick of you guys, all of you," he snarled. "Every time I try to find happiness, you're getting in my way. I should have realized a long time ago that my kind is better off alone."
Misa rose to go after him but Mikami pulled her back. "You can't, Misa. You're not of 'his kind', remember? Matsuda can calm him down."
"But Matsuda isn't exactly 'his kind' either,' Misa protested.
"Yes he is," Mikami growled. "You know that all three of-wait, what kind are you talking about?"
Misa coughed delicately.
"That kind?"
Misa nodded sagely.
"It's one of those issues?"
Misa nodded again.
"Aw, damn it." Mikami wearily rose to his feet and headed off after Light.
"I have no idea what you two were just talking about," L murmured. "I assume Mikami just admitted that he, Light, and Matsuda are all attracted to other males?"
Misa nodded. "Yeah, Matsuda takes after Light that way. It's one of the unfortunate aspects of-oh…wait, I shouldn't be telling you this."
"What are you talking about, Misa? What is this 'kind' that Light speaks of? He's not referring to being gay, I take it."
Misa shook her head. "Misa can't tell you. Misa already caused too much trouble already telling L things that she shouldn't. Misa really feels bad." Misa looked morosely down at her sandwich.
L reluctantly let the matter drop and they ate the rest of their lunch in silence.