Okay so I don't know much about tennis so I apologize if I use incorrect terms. Sports aren't really my thing even though I enjoy playing them.

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Tennis Court

Chapter Two

There was something in the stretch of lavender light before sunrise that made L think of Monet paintings.

The beautiful mess of colors at dawn, so raw and vibrant, resembled an Impressionist painting. The infinite skies were like an artist's palette of pastel blues, purples, pinks, and oranges. This burst of color was the setting stage for the day, a grand opening for what is to come.

To start anew, with the rising sun, what a wonderful concept. But for a person burdened and tainted by their past, such as L, mornings never started as a clean slate.

For L, dawn felt like a strange limbo between the past and present. Where memories he wish he could forget resurfaced and memories he wanted to cling onto brought him the softest kind of sadness.

All these memories, seemed like different versions of himself. They all lead up to the present where he was eclectic, pieces of the past decorated his being in the form of scars both physical and mental. Some were good and some were bad and some were better left forgotten.

Thinking too much of the past had never done L well. He rather push those memories to the back of his head where they can haunt him from a safe distance.

But those emotions build up, growing and churning, turning into a storm. Eventually, it all comes roaring out like thunder and lightning and rain. Sometimes, the storms are brief and passing but other times they linger like the monsoon season.

Those long storms were the worst.

L lifted his helmet's visor to fully appreciate the colors of dawn. He inhaled the scent of pine and tried to push emotion down his throat like a bitter pill. It is better to live without feeling, he thought. Feeling brings nothing but unnecessary heartbreak.

The roar of his motorcycle served as a distant soundtrack for the morning. It was only him on the desolate road that early morning. He preferred it that way. There was a certain comfort in solitude.

L watched the rest of the sun rise through the humid, morning mist from his perch on the window sill. The grassy field outside his backyard was beaded with morning dew, glistening under the rising sun like jewels. Beyond the strech of grass, was a small lake. It too, glistened.

As he watched the soft, pastel colors of morning paint the field, he tried pushing back the dread in his stomach that rose up to clutch his heart and worry his mind. It was this same dread that resulted in a sleepless night and short ride on his motorcycle.

It was the first day of school.

The thought alone made him sigh as he mourned the lost days of summer. In those days, he was nestled in the solitude of whirring computers and the safety of his home. Being alone was how he preferred to be. Human interaction had always felt like a long, uncomfortable chore he rather not deal with, but now, that school has started, he was being thrusted into a world hormonal idiots.

L unwrapped a lollipop and stuck in his mouth but the artificial cherry flavor did not soothe him. Instead, it tasted bloody and coppery in his mouth. Anxiety twisted the flavor until something less appetizing. Despite the flavor, he kept the lollipop in his mouth, fiddling with the bright, noisy wrapper between his fingers.

He heard Watari's voice rise from downstairs, warning him about having only a few minutes left to leave. With a final look outside his window and a heavy sigh, L made it down the stairs to be greeted by Watari holding out his lunch for him at the foot of the stairs. The older man had a warm smile on his face, acting as if today wasn't any different.

"Don't be so nervous," Watari said, trying to hide his amusement with L's solemn demeanor. It was if the boy was going to a funeral.

"I'm not nervous," L said, taking his lunch from Watari. He smelled the warm scent of cookies wafting from the paper bag and filling the kitchen. It was a comforting scent. At least he would have a nice lunch today.

"Then why did you go for a ride on your motorcycle this morning?"

L stiffened but returned to his cool, impassiveness. "I needed some quiet before school," he said, pulling out the warm strawberry Poptarts Watari had left in the toaster for him. He poured himself a tall glass of chocolate milk.

Watari hummed with a knowing expression, earning a displeased look from L. "I'm fine," he insisted to his guardian between a mouthful of artificial strawberry pastry, crumbs falling from his lips and onto his jeans. He brushed them off hastily.

L finished up his meal, picking up his motorcycle helmet that rested on the table near the door as he announced his dreaded departure.

"Alright, then. Goodbye, L. Have a nice day at school," Watari waved from the kitchen counter, over a cup of coffee.

"Goodbye, Watari," L said as he opened the door. Outside, he was welcomed by summer sun. It warmed his pale skin, reminding him again that his holiday was over.

"Make friends!" Watari called once L was halfway out the door. He chuckled when he heard the boy groan.

Light Yagami was like the sun, beautiful and bright and impossibly stunning in every way.

L had trouble trying to read the boy. Like light refracting off a diamond, it was easy to get distracted by the kaleidoscope of colors and that was just the illusion Light wanted to create. His talent and good looks were the perfect mask to hide behind. Beautiful and sharp, just like a diamond or blinding, like the sun.

L had never expected his Junior year to begin with this pretty boy entertaining him with conversation and charming smiles. It was a mystery to why he treated L with such kindness. It was if they had been friends for years.

At first, L thought it was all a prank or a dare someone put Light up to, making him hesitant to accept the boy. But the chance of that decreased as the day went by. Light had invited L to next to him in every class they shared and when other students asked for some gossip, Light simply ignored their requests.

That still didn't earn L's trust…but it was a start. L still suspected Light had some ulterior motive for his odd behavior.

There was something about Light's smile that captured L's attention while making him even more distrustful of him. The brightness of it didn't match his dull, sepia eyes. He radiated warmth but there was nothing but coldness in his eyes. He had successfully placed a veil over the eyes of the entire world, convincing everyone he's someone he's not.

Light was a liar and a very good one at that.

Light shifted through his tennis bag to extract a fine-quality racquet, he handed it to L. "The school rackets aren't bad quality but this one is better. You can use it for today. I have another one I can use."

As L went to grab the racquet, Light's eyes captured the image of his pale hands. They were spidery but elegant in their daintiness. Like a porcelain doll.

The boy looked so fragile and breakable. Light doubted L had enough strength in his thin arms and long legs to be a good tennis player or be good at any sports for that matter.

"Do you want to serve first?" Light held out held out a fuzzy, neon green tennis ball toward L.

L answered 'yes' by silently taking the ball and making his way toward the court. Light followed behind, curious about L's playing skill but expecting to be disappointed.

Tennis players immediately stopped what they were doing to stare at the boys on the court. Like moths to flame, they gathered, excitedly whispering amongst themselves as they watched. They all wanted to observe the match between their highly-esteemed team captain and the ever mysterious Blue Boy. Seeing L in such a setting was like viewing a giant squid rise from the ocean's abyss.

Light walked over to his side of the court, ignoring the curious stares. He was bit annoyed that his teammates weren't busy testing the other students who were trying out. With a sigh, he brushed his hair back and brought his attention to the game before him.

Light settled into a squat, tennis racquet gripped tightly in his hand and body poised to make a quick dash. He watched L bounce the ball rhythmically against the green concrete before he threw into the air above him and-

Where they fuck did that ball go?

It took a moment for Light to register that the ball L had just hit had sailed right past him and hit the chain linked fence behind him with a loud rattle. Light blinked and forced a chuckle, embarrassment warmed its way onto his cheeks. He quickly it exchanged the feeling for anger.

"Wow, L. You don't mess around," He managed to say in as care-free as a way he could, adding a small laugh to the end of it.

"He who moves first always wins."

Light narrowed his eyes and bit the inside of his cheek. Within him, he felt the sudden need to win. He refused to taste bitter defeat.

And so, the game began.

It was a heated battle. Both players scrambled across the court in desperate attempts to catch their opponent's ball. Their serves and hits were aggressive, yet calculated. Sweat poured down their faces but they were too engrossed in the game to even bother wiping it off.

Light was stronger but L was impossibly quick on his feet, dashing across the court to return Light's hits in record time. He was using his long arms and legs to his advantage.

L played with confidence. Light could see it in the way he carried himself across the court and returned the tennis ball with powerful flicks of his wrist. He had mistaken the boy as meek and submissive, but here on the court, he can sense the need to win and conquer radiating off of L.

L was anything but submissive.

There was an excited noises coming from the crowd. The game was tied. It was anyone's win.

Light could see L was getting tired, becoming slower with his returns. Admittedly, he was getting tired as well. His lungs felt hot and heavy as he panted. He had to finish this game quickly before he could no longer keep up the pace.

Light saw his opportunity. L had made a sloppy return, the ball fluttered over to Light's side, where he gathered his strength and hit the ball with all the force he could. L dashed and leaped to get the ball but he was too late.

Light won.

The crowd watching them erupted into claps and hollers. Light's coach gave him a proud nod.

Both players were panting from the exertion, sweating dripping down their faces. The summer sun hung heavy above them, seeming to melt the soles of their rubber sneakers to the concrete. They both walked towards the white net in the middle to meet each other.

"Fantastic game, L. I haven't played like that in a while," Light smiled, somewhat breathlessly, as he extended his hand across the net, towards L. "I guess it's safe to say that you're on the team. That is, if you want to join.

"I do," There was a small smile on L's lips as he took Light's hand and shook it.

Light walked L out to the school parking lot to bid him goodbye and wait for his mother to pick him up. He followed L to a black speed bike parked under the shade of a tree. L placed his hand on the seat of the sleek motorcycle.

"Nice bike."

"Thank you," L said as he unlocked his helmet from the bike lock. Once he removed the helmet from the lock, he rested it on his hip and leaned on the bike. "I can take you home if you'd like."

Light visibly tensed, making L chuckle.

"Afraid?" He prodded. It was a challenge.

"Anyone with a sane mind would be," Light argued, crossing his arms as he eyed the motorcycle with distrust. "Do you know how easy it is to get killed riding one of those things?"

"Fear is good when riding. Cation keeps you from being reckless and making mistakes."

"Cation can't keep a car from barreling into you."

"Well, that's a chance I'm willing to take."

Light sighed at L's reckless behavior, shaking his head disapprovingly.

"Some other time, then?" L offered.

"No, thank you. I actually value my life."

L nodded but said nothing for a few moments, leaving silence between them. Just as Light was about to speak up, L spoke.

"Why do you call me L?" Light could sense a slight hesitation in L's question as if he was unsure of it.

"That's how you introduced yourself, so I supposed that is how you wanted to be called."

"Yes, but no one calls me that. Everyone just calls me Blue Boy."

"Do you want me to call you Blue Boy?"

"No…I actually really hate that name. Please call me Lawliet."

"Lawliet," Light repeated to get the feeling of the name. He thought it was a lovely name and it felt nice on his tongue. "Is L another nickname?"

"No, it's really my first name. Lawliet is my last name. I prefer Lawliet, L sounds too… cold."

"Oh," Light said. He was surprised that L was actually his name. What kind of boy is named L?

"Alright, then. Goodbye, Light. It was nice meeting you," Lawliet said. He put on his helmet and slid onto the bike with practiced ease. The motorcycle roared to life, startling Light a few steps back, before quieting down to a purr.

"It was nice meeting you, too, Lawliet. See you tomorrow."

Lawliet waved farewell before backing out of the parking space and zipping out of the lot. As Light watched him disappear in the distance, he couldn't help but admit Lawliet looked pretty cool on that motorcycle.

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Motorcycles have slowly become a thing for me...idk. I'm t0o chicken to actually ride one but they're JUST SO COOL. Maybe one day...

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