A/N: Struggling with the sickness. I keep telling myself it won't take long until I'm free of my disease.

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Escort to Happiness.

Eight.

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"-and so I have determined that there's a strong correlation between the two company's profits the last three seasons. I was talking to Adrian from the fifth floor today and he was thinking that a merger with the Oak Group is the only way to compete. It's going to be a disaster if it fails and we really need your support at this time. Of course, you'll hear nothing of it, will you? Really, L, you and your ideas. The place was a mess today because Henry Gregory - you know, from billing? - made a statement about the whole thing to… L? L, are you there?"

"You talk too much, Raito."

"What?"

"Now I see why you seldom go on dates; you must be a terrible bore. You haven't even asked me about my own adventures today."

"What adventures? I had to deal with one calamity after another and Near still had to be pacified - that kid goes through paperwork like a cyclone."

"Is he precise?"

"Oh, very… he's a good worker, but looking after him takes time and energy! I always have to find something for him to do or else he'll keep delivering coffee to me. He's like a wind-up toy."

"I'm sure he'll go far in the company."

"Yeah, one day he'll be making runs for the CEO…"

"Very funny."

"So, how was your day at the daisy farm, anyway? Is that Mello happy yet?"

"He actually seemed quite flustered when Near showed up a few days ago. I expected him to be happy with all the money the shop received but he wasn't."

"Well, you've been there three days, L. Pick up the pace."

"Oh, you are full of jokes tonight."

"I know, it must be all the coffee I've been drinking lately. But seriously, when is this vacation of yours over? And did you replace the money I had to give Near for all those flowers?"

"It is pending in your account."

"Good."

"And I am coming back when I see fit. I might make more headway if Mello would engage me in conversation… but when I attempt it myself, he gets upset."

"You probably get on his nerves."

"Yes, this is unfortunate."

-

The next day was Friday and, unlike Mello, L had come into the habit of wearing his apron home and then wearing it in to work the next day. Few people directly stared at him on the street but Mello often made a big deal about how silly he looked. L didn't think much of it, actually reveling in his "normal person" attire.

The bell jingled familiarly when L walked in, a sack of gumdrops in his hand. He was eating one after the other methodically and walked up to stand beside Mello, chewing.

"Good morning, Mello," L said over a mouthful.

"Isn't it a bit early for candy?" Mello asked, leaning his elbows on the countertop.

L shrugged, popping another one in. "Absolutely not," he said, "I usually bring some sort of candy with me on Fridays to help get through the day. Would you care for some?"

Mello pursed his lips at the bag and he peeked inside, seeing all of them the same color - blue. "Where're the other ones?" Mello asked.

"I ate them. I save the blue for last as they are my favorite."

Mello scrunched up his face at the explanation. He stood up straight and eyed L from head to toe as the man continued to eat his blue gumdrops. "You know, you're pretty weird," Mello said pointedly. "Anyone ever tell you that?"

"Occasionally."

"L," Rosie sang from the back of the shop. Both men stopped and turned towards the doorway as she poked her head out, grinning and wagging a finger at L. "Could you come back here for a moment?"

"Of course," he said and sat the bag of gumdrops down on the counter without looking at Mello. When he was in the back room, Rosie was over at the counter opposite the door, snipping the stems of roses. L's shoes on the linoleum floor squeaked and she turned around, her cheeks a light pink and full of vivacity.

"Ah, L, there you are! So, I wanted to speak with you," she said, and sat the clippers down on the counter.

L nodded. "Yes," he said. He surely hopped he wouldn't be getting fired so soon for harassing a co-worker. But Rosie didn't seem to have the air of one on the warpath, on the contrary, she was beaming.

"Well," she insisted, "how are you liking it here? What do you think?"

"Oh. Well, I quite like it. Flowers are… calming," he said thoughtfully.

Rosie nodded eagerly, tapping her chin. "Mmhmm, yes! And how do you feel about your co-workers?"

L assumed she was including herself in the plural and he answered readily, "I like you both very much. Mello is very interesting."

"Ah, he is a good kid," Rosie said, calming a bit. "He can be a bit grumpy at times but, like a small crab, his pinches don't hurt too much."

"Yes."

She leaned back against the counter and exhaled heavily. "Thank goodness! I'm so happy you like it here, L, I really am. I just don't know what I would do if you had decided to quit! It's been so long for just the two of us."

"I see, but why haven't you hired anyone before it got so bad?"

"I tried," she stressed, "but no one seems to want to learn about the bounty of nature! That's par for the course, though, in LA. Such a concrete city. I should be in Kansas!"

L sensed that if he didn't leave, he would soon become a shoulder to cry on and didn't much like that idea. He was about to interject when Mello poked his head into the room and said, "We have a customer. She wants six tiger lilies in a bouquet with-"

"Ah, okay, don't worry, Mello, I'll deal with this one," Rosie said, picking the clippers up again. She walked up towards the front and made a shooing motion with her hands at her two employees. "Why don't you two go for lunch now? I've got things here."

Mello blinked. "What, both of us?"

"Sure!"

In the front room leaning on the counter was a young woman waiting for her lilies. Rosie addressed her, trilling, and told her the purchase would only take a moment. L and Mello were more or less forgotten about and they went for the front door and the bell rang overhead.

The day was warm and breezy, the initial heat wave of the summer had passed and the leaves were rustling contentedly. L stood at the door taking in the nice weather before he noticed Mello walking down the street to his left. L shrugged inwardly and followed, soon falling in step with the young man and Mello noticed, raised an irked eyebrow at his company.

"What're you doing?" he asked with a suppressed air of annoyance.

L thought about his blue gumdrops in the shop as he said, "I'm sort of craving sweets. What do you say to joining me for lunch?"

Mello paused in mid-step, catching L's glance out of the corner of his eye. He stopped then and turned to face the man. "I don't have the money for that sort of thing," he stated hotly, "I was just going to eat something at home."

"Ah, I see. No matter; I'll accept the bill."

"What?"

"I said-"

"I heard you," Mello raged, frowning at his co-worker as passersby walked around them. "Why would you offer something like that?"

L shrugged. "I would like to eat with you."

"… Why?"

"To get acquainted. We're co-workers, aren't we? We should get to know one another, or at least be friendly. I met many at IDM through a simple cup of coffee."

Mello raised a suspicious eyebrow and wondered why businessmen would want to eat with a janitor, unless he meant other maintenance men. He could feel his stomach growling and, if his memory served him, he did only have rice anyway. And maybe a week-old apple or two. But L was right there, inviting and paying, and so Mello sighed, eyes averted to the semi-cloudy sky and L smiled in satisfaction.

"This way," he said smoothly, turning on the heel of his sneaker. Mello watched the bow tying L's apron strings with apprehension but didn't say anything about them.

-

"This is highly inappropriate."

"Near, please-"

"Mr. Lawliet would never be caught doing such a thing."

"Oh, you think so, huh?" Raito's chin sank into the soft flesh of his palms as he stared across his small office at Near. The door had opened so suddenly that Raito hadn't the chance to pull his over shirt back on. The vent in his office seemed to be jammed and the window behind his desk was open, the white curtains blowing gently and Raito was sitting in black dress pants and a white undershirt, his brown hair damp from sweat.

Near was a little pink at the bridge of his nose but otherwise didn't seem too offended and walked into the room with a stack of papers. "Here," he said, setting them on the desk. "I finished, and on my way to the bathroom, Mr. Gregory asked me to deliver these to you."

Raito nodded listlessly and moved the papers around with his index finger. After a second of inspection, an indignant expression crossed his face. "These are meant for L's department!" he exclaimed, looking to Near.

Near shrugged.

"I have nothing to do with the Oak Group and I don't approve of this merger at all," Raito said airily and stacked the papers once again, handing them back to Near.

"What will I do with these?"

"Send them back to Henry. Put them in his mailbox or something. L's on vacation - I'm not his secretary!"

Near ignored this griping. "Would you like some coffee?"

"No, Near."

"There's a new flavor of cream in the kitchen."

"… What is it?"

"Cinnamon bun."

Raito seemed to think it over. "It's too hot outside for cinnamon buns," he concluded, waving some air his way with a folder. "As a matter of fact, it's too hot for coffee. I'm boiling in here."

"I'll put in a work-order," Near said.

Raito rolled his eyes. "Don't bother. Just relay my message to Henry… this whole thing is getting out of hand. Oh… wait," Raito hummed, picking up his phone and dialing. The ringing was on speaker and Near perked up a bit when L's voice came through.

"Raito, you're imposing upon my lunch hour."

"What's that?" Raito frowned sharply. "Why do you get an hour for lunch? All you do is sell weeds…"

"I'm not above hanging up on you."

"Nor am I above losing my temper with you, L."

"Good afternoon, L," Near interjected, on which he received an irate glare from his superior.

"Ah, Near, good afternoon. Is Mr. Yagami working you like a dog?"

"Yes, sir."

"L," Raito stressed. "Listen to me!"

"Why do you harass me? I'm on vacation."

"It's because your work is piling up at my door. I'm not saying you have to quit the daisy shop. But at least come here on weekends to get this mess straightened out! Gregory is trying to get me to put my name on these documents, backing up the Oak Group's numbers and I can't-"

"Pardon me…" There was a pause. Then, after a moment, "I will have to get back to you, Raito."

"Huh?"

"I'm having lunch with Mello."

"My, how special," Raito spat.

"Jealousy is such an ugly thing."

"What's that?"

Click.

There was silence and Near sighed, turning for the door. "I don't believe it's too hot for cinnamon bun," he huffed as the door closed.

-

Mello glanced over at L as he closed his cell phone and stuck it back into his pocket. He had heard his name mentioned and probably would have been wondering who L could have been talking to if they had not just strolled into Marble Slab Creamery. L breathed in deeply and seemed to have noticed Mello's eye on his cell phone.

"A friend of mine," he said. "He's needy and likes attention. What would you like?"

Mello sulked, having been expecting real food. "I thought you said we were going to get lunch."

"And here we are."

"Ice cream isn't food!"

"So… I'm assuming it's grass?"

Mello groaned aloud and ignored L, figuring that ice cream was better than nothing. He told L he wanted chocolate and went to sit down in a booth by the window. There were others dispersed at tables around him and, directly behind him were a group of three young, pimply-looking girls in sweatshirts chowing down on hot fudge sundaes. L came over in a few minutes with Mello's order and Mello frowned at the gummy bears in the chocolate. He didn't remember requesting such things.

Looking across the table, L's ice cream was rather stupendous, with its strawberries and bits of birthday cake crumbled in. And sprinkles on top of that. L raised his eyes from his treat to look up at Mello and then, behind him.

"Ah, good," he said, "this is a good seat to eavesdrop on those husky women."

Mello gaped, eyebrows raised. "What're you saying?" he asked, sanding a glance back to see if they had heard.

"It's something I like to do - hearing interesting conversation from interesting people."

"Uh," Mello paused and listened in, leaning backwards inconspicuously. He had no idea what he was expecting to hear - or what L was expecting to hear for that matter - but the only conversation was that of their yogurt and their lack of dates. Mello sighed raggedly and shook his head at his coworker. "There's nothing interesting about them," he said vehemently.

L nodded thoughtfully. "I see. Then I should listen to what you have to say."

Mello blinked. "What's that mean?"

"Nothing really… but I'm interested in you."

At the moment, Mello wasn't sure if he should be offended or not but he felt like he should be. He ignored L's statement in favor of his ice cream. He mumbled something along the lines of, "I'm not interesting either…"

L smirked, his spoon hanging from between his lips. "How did you end up meeting Rosie? She is a very… cheerful person. But somehow you don't seem like the kind to work at a flower shop."

"Economy's shit; guy's gotta do what a guy's gotta do," Mello grumbled.

"I suppose so," L hummed good-naturedly.

"Rosie was hiring at the time and all the shifts at Taco Bell were filled so I told her I'd do it." Mello shrugged and scooted the gummy bears out of the way. He sent a wry glance L's way and said, "I almost regret it now…"

"Oh? Why's that?"

Mello frowned deeply. "You," he said pointedly.

"Ah, so we've finally arrived at the heart of the matter. Mello, you dislike me, of that I'm aware, but I'd like to inquire as to-"

"That! That, right there," Mello stressed, pointing his tiny spoon at the man accusingly. "What janitor talks like that? You sound like you went to Harvard, not a… a janitor school - shut the fuck up, I know there's no such thing as a janitor's school!"

L blinked, lowering his previously raised finger.

Mello exhaled slowly and looked aside. "And anyways… why do you sit like that?"

L looked down at himself, his crouching position in the plastic-covered seat. Other patrons had been giving him sideways glances since he sat but, being so used to it, he hardly noticed and shrugged. "I have scoliosis. This sitting position makes it more bearable."

"… Ever think you have scoliosis because you sit like that?"

"There's an idea."

"…"

"Anyway, how's your ice cream?"

"… Cold."

"Is there any way we can dissolve your hate for me?"

Mello shook his head, agitated. "It's not hate. You're just… freakish."

"Ah. Don't worry about offending me, by the way."

"I'm not."

L cleared his throat, wiped off his hand on his apron and held it across the table to Mello. He said, "Let us start again. And in doing so, I will attempt to be less of a freak."

Mello eyed the hand shrewdly. "And what do I have to do?"

"Be friendly," L replied with some ghost of earnestness in his tone.

"… Friendly. S'yeah," Mello said with a roll of the eyes and he lifted his hand to L's. He didn't see the point in trying to start over again. But it might get him more free meals in the future - maybe something more than ice cream, if he played his cards right.

-

To be continued.

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A/N: Thanks for flying Air Sweetness, don't forget to leave a review for our pilot on the way out. -dies-