Disclaimer: Death Note is the reason why my wallet is currently lighter than usual - if I had created it myself, the effect would be quite the reverse, I'm sure…

Author's note: Sort of AU - L and Light know each other, but the Death Notes don't exist. Not terribly important, just thought I'd mention it.

"I never said I wasn't up to it, Light-kun. I merely said I didn't want to."

L wasn't the sort of person to let people get away with misinterpreting his choice of words.

Light Yagami wasn't the sort of person to let L win through linguistic niggles.

"Oh. So you're not backing down from a challenge then?"

Eyes dark as midnight focused on Light's face. Watching for something? Maybe.

Really, L had known this was coming. Light Yagami had not known him for very long, but he was observant. He was intelligent. He was exceptionally gifted where other people were concerned. He had figured him out. Well, in part, anyway. Light Yagami knew L, and he knew how to play him. Set him a challenge. Set L a challenge, and he wouldn't back down. He couldn't. his pride wouldn't let him.

"No, Light-kun - I am not backing down."

Nor did Light expect him to…

"Good. Starting tomorrow then… you'll adopt a more balanced diet?"

"Fine."

"Fine."

The challenge was set.

Exactly as planned…

--

Breakfast.

Well, early morning. L didn't do breakfasts. He didn't do lunches, dinners, suppers or any other kind of meal, for that matter. He preferred to eat frequent, smaller snacks instead - things worked more efficiently that way. Other people made time in their day to eat meals. Time they could be using more usefully. L didn't stop for meals. Besides, the human digestive system was designed in such a way that eating several small meals was actually preferable to three or four large ones. But, Light insisted he had to eat properly, and eat properly he would. Three square meals a day.

…Perhaps four...

Ordinarily, L's first snack of the day would be whatever he found first in the cupboard, or whatever Watari made for him, depending on whether Watari was awake at the time. This morning, Watari had woken shortly after L, and L had the strongest urge to request Belgian waffles and maple syrup… and perhaps a slice of that Battenberg cake he had in the pantry… but no. No. He was on a mission.

He was eating toast.

Wholemeal toast.

Buttered.

"Very impressive, L," Light nodded as he passed the dining table. "No jam? Not even marmalade?"

L glowered as he bit into his toast. Light smiled genially at him. He hoped it seemed friendly, anyway. He had only mentioned L's diet out of concern for his friend's health. Mainly out of concern, anyway. Partly. Ah, who cared? Whatever the reason for it, watching L begrudgingly tearing chunks out of a slice of toasted wholemeal was pretty funny. And there would certainly be benefits…

Light was smiling at him… Smirking, maybe? L supposed that the younger man found his new, 'healthy' diet quite amusing. That couldn't be the only reason why Light suggested this change of lifestyle all of a sudden though - that wasn't like him. He had claimed it was out of concern for L's wellbeing, but L wasn't buying that. Not completely, anyway. No, there was something else… He pondered on it as Light passed him to enter the kitchen.

Laying his second slice to waste, L decided he quite liked toast, even without sugary preserves. It didn't quite make sense how a simple piece of bread could become so satisfying by merely grilling it for a few minutes, but he decided that didn't matter. He buttered himself a third round and tore the crusts off with his teeth. Yes, toast was quite enjoyable.

The toast rack had been emptied. L carefully wrapped what remained of the butter back up in it's greaseproof wrapper and scowled in the direction of the kitchen. Light had certainly been in there for a long time…

As quietly as possible, L gathered his tableware and tiptoed towards the kitchen door. He pushed it open as slowly and carefully as he could with his foot.

I knew it…

--

Light sighed. It was a muffled sigh, but an audible one. He hadn't been lying when he had told L that he wanted him to change his diet for health reasons, really he hadn't. But he had to admit… this had been on his mind too. Really, this was the reason he had begun to think about L's eating habits in the first place. He knew what he wanted, and he wasn't about to let L get in his way. He had come up with a plan. A very successful plan, he told himself. And he was going to get away with it too…

"Light-kun…"

The voice was low and expressionless, but still, it managed to shock Light. He nearly dropped his knife, but… He could do this. He swallowed, wiped his mouth and turned around calmly.

"Yes, L?" His voice oozed with innocence.

Light was up to something for sure. That innocent tone to his voice, the pleasant smile on his face… He was hiding something. L hadn't known Light for long, but he knew him well enough. More than that though, he knew almond paste when he smelled it.

Black eyes locked with brown. Neither flinched.

"…That's my Battenberg you're eating, isn't it?"

Light's face fell. A tiny bead of sweat trickled from beneath his perfectly combed hair.

"…I…" He could still get away with it. He could come up with something… L's gaze still penetrated him. The detective didn't even seem to have blinked. "…I…"

L cocked his head expectantly. "Yes?"

There was the slightest hint of a smile playing on L's lips as he spoke. He thought he'd won, did he?

"L," Light put on his most charming voice. It was unlikely to make much of a difference, but he was used to playing things this way. He was naturally charming, anyway. "I admit I said that you should cut down on sweets - but I never said anything about myself. I eat sensibly most of the time. Surely I'm allowed to indulge every now and then?"

What kind of a line was that, Light Yagami? L had expected better from his young companion. Surely the most important point was being overlooked?

"Indeed you are. I have no qualms with you indulging your sweet tooth every once in a while - it would be rather hypocritical of me if I did…" Like stealing cake from someone you'd advised to eat healthily… "But… couldn't… shouldn't you have just asked for a piece?"

Light frowned. It was L's cake after all… L, the world's greatest detective, probably didn't take kindly to being stolen from. Using that line of reasoning, it would probably be best to…

"Tch… Take your damned cake!"

L suppressed a grin.

"Thank you, Light-kun. Cutting sugar out of your diet can be dangerous - you do want me to stay healthy, don't you?"

Light watched disdainfully as L cut the remaining cake into pieces. Thirty… no, twenty seconds from now, the plate would be empty.

L peeled the marzipan from around the edge, rolled it up and popped it in his mouth whilst dissecting the dual-coloured cake. Placing a pink piece onto his tongue, L turned to face Light again.

"You want some?" L asked through his mouthful of cake, proffering the plate to Light. He smiled openly at Light's shocked expression. "I wouldn't want to deprive a friend from his sugar intake, would I?"

Besides… I'm pretty full from all that toast…

Author's note:Thanks for reading! Review me, and the gods of confectionary will shower you with cookies and chocolate drops! …Maybe.