I was going to post this on December 23rd, exactly one year after my very first fanfiction (Mello Won't Sing Christmas Carols) and also just in time for Christmas. But then the Internet connection went down. And then I wasn't home for half a week due to parties and sleepovers. And then I got ill. So please forgive me for being this late. But hey, better late than never. So, here's a very late (or extremely early)

Merry Christmas!

And a happy new year!

B frowned when he saw the light coming from A's room. They couldn't afford a lot of time off, but surely Christmas Eve was an exception? He gave a small knock and pushed the door open. "A?"

"Yes?" He never looked up from the paper he was writing on.

"Take a break, won't you?"

"Can't. No time."

"For Heaven's sake, it's Christmas Eve."

"L wouldn't let that stop him."

"But you're not L."

The writing stopped. "Thanks for reminding me."

"Oh, come on, you know I didn't mean it like that."

A went back to his writing, not saying a word.

B sighed. Seemed like there was going to be some strategic planning needed. "Would you like a drink?"

"I would like another cup of coffee, but you really don't have to…"

"On it!" B scooped the empty mug up from A's desk and made his way to the living room, not planning on making coffee just yet. He was looking for something. Where was it… B grabbed a box of Christmas articles and searched through it. "Ah!" Now he could set his plan in motion.

"Honey, I'm back!" B sang as he burst into A's room.

A turned around so fast, his papers fell off his desk. "B! Don't startle me like that! Honestly, you're in line to succeed L. Start behaving like it."

"But I am. I'm all twisted up, the way they like them here."

"You know I hate it when you talk like that."

B put the cup of coffee and the glass of water down on the desk and helped A pick up his papers.

"What took you so long?" A asked suspiciously. "And what's the water for?" He examined both liquids, stirring them around. "What drug are you trying to feed me?"

"A, coffee dehydrates. You need to drink water too, or you'll get a headache."

"Already have one…"

"That's why you need to come with me and…"

"No."

"But A!" B wrapped his arms around A and squeezed him tight. "I'll be so lonely!"

"Ouch! You're instable, that's what you are!"

"And who knows what I'll do without you to stop me!"

"B, it's not working! Let me go!" He managed to push B away. "Please, let me work!" He was close to tears from exhaustion. "Please… I need to finish this…"

B looked at him for a few seconds before stepping forward. A braced himself, only to receive a kiss on his forehead. "Fine," B whispered. "At least go to bed at a reasonable time. Tired people are easier to chop into little pieces."

"Must you be a creep?"

B grinned. "Oh, you love it."

"I don't."

"You do."

"No, I really…"

But B had already left the room. He knew he wouldn't be able to convince A to come willingly. Oh well, that was what the coffee plan was for. B hung up the mistletoe and stationed himself out of sight. Waiting was boring, but he didn't doubt his plan. Coffee dehydrates. Combined with the glass of water, it wouldn't be much longer before A would walk through that bathroom door. He would be waiting. He wouldn't let A go back to his work anymore tonight.

Once again, A hadn't listened to his body, and he had to run to reach the bathroom in time. He did what he had to do, washed his hands and opened the… "B! I told you to stop startling me like this!"

B just stood there with his haunting grin. "Hi, A. How fancy running into you. Right here. At this precise spot."

"What?"

B pointed upwards. "What a coincidence."

A eyed him suspiciously. "That mistletoe didn't hang itself there."

"It didn't."

"And somehow I feel like it isn't that much of a coincidence that you're standing here."

B's grin grew wider. "You know what to do."

A closed his tired eyes for a moment. "B… Please… You know I don't have the time to…"

"I'm not leaving here before I have my kiss."

"How about you're not a creep for once, huh? Wouldn't that be a marvelous idea?"

Something changed in B's face. The grin lost its glee, the red eyes weren't sparkling anymore. "That hurt, A."

"Look, I'm sorry…"

"I only wanted two things for Christmas, A. And I'm not willing to give up on them so easily."

"What are they?" A asked when the silence got uncomfortable.

"The first thing was for you to have one night away from your troubles. One evening without work, without worries. And the second was to see you smile. I want to see you smile, A. Do you even still know how to?"

A chocked on a sob. He didn't cry easily, as was to be expected of the next L. But he was tired, so tired…

"Come here."

A welcomed B's embrace. It had been so long since he had let his guard down. "I like that wish list of yours," he sighed. "Though, why?"

B chuckled. "I'm going to leave that up to your imagination."

"It would be nice, a night off…"

"There's cake and chocolate. And if we hurry, we'll make it in time for the big Christmas dinner. You'll be enjoying yourself before you know it."

"Sounds so nice…"

"And I suggest that, after the fun, you go to bed early."

"Might be a good idea…"

"Come." B stepped back and grabbed A's hand. The sparkle had returned to his eyes. "Let's have ourselves a merry little Christmas."

A didn't look anyone in the eye as he sat down at the table. It had been a long time since he had been in one room with so many people. His stomach growled loudly. When was the last time he had eaten anything substantial?

"Who dragged A out of his room?" he heard Mello ask from the other side of the table. "Even I thought about staying in to study, and I'm not even Number One… yet."

"Seems like B got it done," Matt responded. "How he managed it, though…"

A poked his fork at a small pile of vegetables on his plate. "Is Wammy's House always this loud?"

"Often, yes," B said, scooping more healthy foods onto A's plate. "But you wouldn't know, hiding in your room all the time. Here, eat up. You can't live on coffee and crackers."

"And who are you to talk, with your jars of jam?" A countered with a smile.

That smile made B's heart flutter with joy. His plan was working. "Hey, at least it contains fruit."

B made sure A ate all his vegetables before they moved to the living room. B feared A would remember his homework and would want to go back to his room, but he didn't. Instead he curled up on the couch, looking out the window. "It's stopped snowing. I bet everything's white outside."

"Do you want to go see for yourself?" B leaned close to A's ear. "We're not supposed to go outside at this hour, but that means we'll have the yard to ourselves."

"But if we get caught…"

"Then what?"

"You're right. Let's go."

They put on their shoes, coats, scarfs and gloves and sneaked out into the yard. "There's so much snow!" A gasped. "It's like…" He got interrupted by a snow ball hitting his arm. "B, I don't think it's a good idea to…" But he was met with yet another snow ball. "Fine. A fight it is."

A lay on his back in the snow, catching his breath. B was fast. But he wouldn't give up. He grabbed another handful of snow and looked around for his opponent. Ah, there he was.

B ran across the yard, challenging A. "Come on! Hit me! I could do this all…" B tripped over his own feet and landed face-first in the snow. A buckled over, laughing. "Oh, you think it's funny?" B said, struggling to climb up. "Wait 'till I get to you!" He started chasing after A, who had trouble breathing while laughing so hard. B grabbed A and pulled him down onto the snow, so that they were now both laying on the white surface, laughing. "I win," B said.

A dropped a snowball on B. "No, you don't." He shivered. "It's getting cold, isn't it?"

"You want to go back inside?" B asked. He could stay here with A forever, but he too was starting to long for warmth. He helped A up and they both went inside.

Not many people were still awake. They sneaked up the stairs, still suppressing laughter, until it was time for them to part ways.

"Did you have a nice Christmas?" B asked.

"I did. Thank you for concocting that scheme of yours."

"Anytime."

"Well, then. Goodnight."

"Goodnight, A."

B watched how A disappeared around the corner before returning to his own room, feeling satisfied. His Christmas wish list had been fulfilled. That was more than anticipated. He pulled on his pajamas, thinking about his success. A hadn't been back to his desk the entire evening. More than that, he had been laughing and smiling. B wanted to make A laugh more often. The sound was so…

There was a knock on the door. B opened it and was surprised to see A.

"I'm sorry," A said. "It's just…"

"Yes?"

"Well… Can I sleep here for tonight?"

"Here?" B didn't understand.

"I'm sorry. I know this is stupid, but I don't trust myself. If I go back to my room, within five minutes I'll be studying again."

"Ah. I see."

"Besides… No, never mind."

"What?"

"It's nothing."

B blocked the entrance to his room. "People with secrets don't get to pass through here."

A sighed and looked away. "You're a wonderful distraction, B. If I were to be alone now, I'd just start worrying and doubting myself, like I do every night. I don't want that to happen. Not after such a wonderful evening."

B stepped aside. "I like compliments. Make yourself at home."

A crawled underneath the sheets and was half asleep by the time B laid down next to him.

"I'm not going to wake you tomorrow morning," B said. "You need a long night of sleep."

"Sounds nice…" There was a silence. "B?"

"Yes?"

"Did you have a nice Christmas?"

B chuckled. "You bet. And you?"

A's tired eyes focused on B's. He looked exhausted, but happy. "It was the best Christmas I've ever had. Could we… could we do something like it again next year?"

"We could do it whenever you like. I'm always in for fun."

"Fun…" A's eyes closed. "I like that…"

"Goodnight, A."

"Good… night…"

B made sure A was asleep before allowing himself to drift off. He knew how much A was hurting. But he wouldn't make jokes or gossip like the others did. No, B would be the one to make sure A would make it until next Christmas. And the one after. Because all B really wanted for Christmas, was what he had right here, laying before him.