I just finished this chapter at the Japanese airport XD. I'm waiting for my flight to China. :3 Don't expect the next update to be too soon. I still don't know when the next time I'll be able to get online will be. Anyhow, thank you very much for the reviews, alerts, and favs! As usual, I love you guys :]. Btw, this (and the previous chapters) weren't beta-ed and were barely re-read by me after I was done (I had no time X.x) so mistakes are all my fault. ^^;;

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Watari knew of L's obsession with Light. He'd seen those notebooks of pictures and poems more often than he would have liked. Watari also knew that with L's personality, going that long without trying to grab Light's attention was uncharacteristic of him. Perhaps his ward was feeling shy for once in his life. After all, he's never taken a major liking to anyone before. Therefore, Watari was taken aback when he saw L shuffle into the house with determined eyes and announce that he was going to make chocolate, chocolate of all things, for Light Yagami. L then went on a long rant about how his chocolate had to be the best. No exceptions.

"Of course I can help you, L…but may I ask what prompted you to want to do this?" Watari asked the other curiously, a small smile donning his face.

"What prompted me is of no consequence, Watari," was the curt reply, hinting to the older man that L did not want to discuss this in any further detail, "Now I believe you already have all the necessary ingredients in the cupboard?"

"Of course L," said Watari as he led L to the kitchen and grabbed a bag of cooking chocolate.

He offered those to L and the boy took it reluctantly between his thumb and forefinger, not really sure what he was supposed to do with it. Large eyes examined the contents before fingers ripped the bag open ungracefully and half the contents spilled on the ground. L observed the catastrophe with a distressed frown. However, counter intuitively, it wasn't the fact that he now had a mess to clean up that caused this expression; it was the fact that all this good chocolate was now wasted that gave L pangs in his heart. With a discontented sigh, he waited until Watari finished throwing away the chocolate on the floor before looking at the older man with questioning eyes. Watari simply smiled and handed him premade chocolate mold in the shape of tiny square blocks.

L watched as the stove was turned on and the chocolates began melting. However, he couldn't shake the nagging feeling that something was not right. Taking out a spoon, he dipped it into the chocolate before lifting it to his lips for a taste. All of a sudden, he realized what it was that he was missing. The chocolate was definitely not sweet enough. L lifted the corners of his lips a little in a small smile as he reached smugly for the bag of sugar sitting on the counter. It was good that he caught this error before giving the chocolate to Light…he couldn't give Light second-rate chocolate, after all. Before Watari could resist, L had dumped almost half the sugar in the bag into the pot of melting chocolate.

Watari's eyes widened slightly at this and he made a move to take the pot off of the stove, "L, this is too much sugar," Watari offered, "Why don't we restart and make a new pot?"

Before the older man could reach the pot, however, his hand was knocked aside by the irritated boy. "Nonsense, Watari," L replied coolly, "this amount of sugar is the correct amount that chocolate should have."

Watari, after all his experiences with L, knew that at this point, there was no point in arguing further with the boy. Throughout the entire time that L was letting the chocolate cool in the mold and decorating it with caramel streaks that formed pretty designs, the older man could only watch with a sinking heart as L created the path to his own demise

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Valentine's Day. Light's least favorite day of the year. He knew that this holiday was just an excuse for half of the school to shower him with their affections and bake things for him without feeling the self-consciousness of being the only one to do it. It hasn't been the first class and already flowers, cards, chocolate, and stuffed animals alike were having trouble fitting into his locker. This was all just one big headache and he sometimes even wanted to just tell people to stop because he was going to throw them all out anyways. Besides, he hated the taste of chocolate...or sweets in general. The only factor that made him even come to school at all today was his pride and desire to keep that perfect attendance record that he's kept throughout his entire life.

So, with his pride edging him on, he made it through the majority of the day until finally, finally he walked into the last class of the day.

Wait. Rewind.

He didn't walk into the last class of the day. Actually, through the shocked haze in his mind, Light realized that he was actually falling. What had caused him to fall? Light could recall the sensation of his body hitting something else hard before he lost his balance and toppled down to the floor. This was absolutely ridiculous, Light decided. He, out of anyone, should not fall and make a fool of himself. Plus, where had that something hard come from? There wasn't supposed to be anything near the door. With a quick push from his arms, he hoisted himself back up and stood majestically as if nothing happened. Turning around to look at the object, he became instantly confused.

What he saw was simply black; it was a mass of blackness that seemed to engulf him. It took half a second more before Light realized that it was eyes he was looking at and that those eyes were dangerously close and boring into him. It was all he could do not to snarl at the offending person standing in a slouched position in front of him.

"And that was an accident, too, I take it?" Light whispered as he kept his expression serene for the rest of the class to see.

"Ah…yes," L replied, "That was very regretful. It was not my intention to make Light-san trip." The bastard didn't look regretful at all.

Framing his expression into one of a gentle smile, Light spoke just as civilly, with honey practically dripping off every word. "Oh do not worry about it, L-san. Accidents happen even to the best of us."

L nodded slowly, hesitantly, as if he was contemplating something. Suddenly, a hand was extended to him and Light looked down. L had procured, seemingly out of nowhere, a square box wrapped with elegant white and black wrapping paper and was offering it to him. Light stared at it, uncomprehending, for a moment.

"What is this?"

"It is Valentine's Day chocolate," L said as he stared at Light as though this was the most obvious answer and he couldn't believe that Light hadn't come to the same conclusion.

Surprise registered in Light's eyes for less than a second before he broke out his most charming smile (L felt his heart melt a little even though he knew it was fake) and took the box from the offering hand. Light stepped back from L after doing this, much to L's dismay, and said his thanks before heading over to his usual seat in the classroom. All the while, his mind was running a mile a minute, mulling over what significance this box of chocolates held.

There was absolutely no way that L gave him this box of chocolates because he liked him, Light decided, especially after tripping him when he walked into the classroom. In addition, L had challenged him yesterday. That led him to only one conclusion…that this was yet another kind of challenge. Well, Light decided, the method that L went about doing it was lowly and just proved that Light was the bigger and better man for not fighting back. Despite the full-blown migraine he had now, he was determined not to lose his cool exterior. That bastard wasn't going to have the privilege to see him bothered by any of this.

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L had screwed up and he knew it. The boy had learned all about the pride that kept Light going through his careful observations of the brunette as he was drawing. Aside from the doodles in class, there were full blown paintings of Light hanging on the wall of L's room, as well as depictions of the brunette using various other mediums. L could even proudly call himself an expert in reading Light's expressions. Currently, he knew that Light was furious and that the declaration of the box as being chocolate didn't help him in any way. Making the brunette fall in front of the entire class was obviously a huge blow for Light, and, if L didn't know any better, the boy will probably stew about it for the rest of the day.

He pulled his legs to his chest on the seat and sighed. The urge to sulk was back and L took full advantage of it. The raven haired boy launched himself into one of the worst sulks he'd had in a long time as a pout made its way onto his expression. A hand lazily reached out and he began drawing a picture of Light with a piece of chocolate in his hand. Suddenly, L's eyes lit up again and he was filled with new hope. Perhaps once Light took a bite of his wonderful chocolate, he would forgive him. All was not lost.

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Light finally allowed himself a huge sigh as he collapsed onto his bed at home. A pale hand reached up to cover the top half of his face to ensure maximum darkness beneath his closed eyelids. The piles of gifts were lying at the foot of his bed, as he was too exhausted to organize them now. At some point, he still had to take them out to the dumpster. His hand lifted slightly and he peeked out at the mound for a moment before sitting upright.

Oh that's right…L had given him something, hadn't he? The weird guy had claimed that it was chocolate, but Light sincerely doubted that it was just that. Who knows what else his eccentric classmate, and rival, added to the mix. He sifted through the pile until he came to that distinctive box that L had handed to him and opened it. Inside were some of the prettiest chocolates he's ever seen. They looked delicate yet they held demanding airs as if they were calling out to Light to pay attention to them. Intricate designs topped each and every one, forming patterns and sometimes even pictures. Obviously, L had put a lot of effort into these. Curiosity got the better of Light and he couldn't help but to pick one up and lift it to his mouth…they looked too good to waste anyways.

No. No no no.

The piece of chocolate didn't even last in Light's mouth for more than a second before he spat it out violently. Frantic hands reached for tissues as strangled choking noises made their way out.

There was a knock on his door, "Light? Are you ok?" It was his worried mother.

Light took a moment to compose his voice before replying in a smooth tone, "Yeah, I'm fine mom. Don't worry about it."

"Alright, if you're sure. I'll call you to come down when dinner's done."

Light waited until her footsteps faded away before looking down at the box of chocolate with wide, horrified eyes. He knew that L would go to terrible lengths to ensure that he came out on top but this…this was just crossing the line. The candy he had recently consumed was sweet. Too sweet.

Poison.

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