Disclaimer: I do not own Death Note. I gain no money from this fic, and I make no profit from it but a little fun. Death Note belongs to its rightful authors.

Dear all,

This time the usual delay in updating the fic Anomaly has not been block's fault, as I am still struggling against influenza. Anyway, I am well into the next chapter. As the story grows darker, I've had the need to write something short, fluffy and light-hearted, and here you got the result. I hope you enjoy this piece :)

NOT HIS BIGGEST FANS #1

"I am serious, L. The kids hate me," Light complained.

It was late in the evening, and the two of them were in their bedroom. Whereas Light had already called it for a day and had just had a relaxing shower, the older man was still crouching in front of his laptop.

"There is an eighty percent chance you might be exaggerating, Light-kun," L muttered without taking his eyes away from the laptop screen.

"It is not an exaggeration," Light replied. "And I thought we have agreed not to use the kun anymore. Can you at least stop for a minute and look at me while we are talking?"

L finally stopped typing and turned around to look at the youngster.

"Are you happy now?"

"I would be happier if you took my words seriously. The kids hate me."

L nibbled his thumb. A tiny smile was showing behind thumb and nail.

"Maybe they need a little more time to get used to your being here. All in all, I would say they are dealing with the changes pretty well."

"You really think Mello is dealing with the situation well?" Light was indignant.

"Perhaps there had been some displays of childish jealously, but it is just natural for that to happen."

Light groaned. He knew it would be nearly impossible to make L change his mind regarding the kids. It was a sore spot between them. Although the thing they had was worth every single Wammy kid who ever existed, it was still a sore spot.

...

When he had first met the detective, Light could have never imagined how much his life was going to change because of him. It was his father, Soichiro, who was to be thanked for, according to L, for he had been the one that had made the greatest detective in the world be curious about meeting that perfect child of Yagami. And thus, Light had started jumping into a new student at college, one who shared names with a male idol and seemed to be as weird as brilliant. By the time he had confessed to be L, the detective with whom his father was working in the Kira case, and he had asked Light to join the task force, the strange student had already grown into the youth. And when Kira, no, Higuchi, not an unstoppable deity-like being at all, but a despicable human who had died under the same tricks he had been using to kill others—the specifics of the modus operandi were never sorted out—when Higuchi had fallen, L had asked Light to stay by his side when he were gone from Japan, and the young Yagami had accepted.

It had not been love at first sight, but it had been the closest thing to it. Interest at first sight, curiosity, attraction. That was a first for Light, who had never been really interested in anyone, being them girls or boys. Maybe good-looking boys had caught his attention here and there, although he had preferred going out with girls to fit the image of social perfection he was so fond of. L had torn apart every preconception Light had about relationships. Even now that they were living together, Light sometimes eyed his lover and could not believe how such a dishevelled, quirky man could make his heartbeat run mad, his blood boil with desire. Sixteen-year-old Light Yagami had laughed at his peers when they had been reduced to hyperactive hormones. Nineteen-year-old Light's hormones were making for the delay in being taken into account with a vengeance. Mix this with the fact that L was not a man who revelled in depriving himself of the things he liked—sweets were the proof of it—and you will understand why there were times that night and day became one extended journey of moans, sweat, and tangled bedsheets.

It had not been love at first sight, and he did not believe in soulmates like his sister Sayu did, but if soulmates were about growing and realization, he could not have found anyone better than L. He was intriguing, challenging, a mystery to be deciphered. And his being unapologetically him had made Light embrace parts of himself he had been afraid of embracing before. Since he had met him, inhibition and boredom had no room in the youth's life.

He did not believe in soulmates and could not stand the idiocies his mother called romantic novels, but the day L had said to him I love you with a slight vibrato in his monotone, Light had felt as if he had been basking in warm, radiant sunlight with background Puccini being played.

He did consider romantic stories foolish, with the humble maiden or stable boy gaining the heart of the royals, but he was dating a millionaire. Light was self-confident and did not consider him to be a lesser man for not having the money the other man had. Anyway, he sometimes thought it could be a nuisance to be involved with someone who had so much power and money in case they ever split up. In fact, he had already been told to sign a confidentiality agreement. The agreement had nothing to do with them as a couple, however. It had to do with one of L's many secrets—Wammy's House and the kids it sheltered.

...

Watari (Wammy) had turned out to be much more than a mere assistant. His relevance in L's life story had been the next big revelation about L's background Light had learnt. All in all, he was okay. Although the man might give the word stoicism a whole new layer of meaning, he treated Light with real fondness. Besides, he had said to him some lines that the youth cherished in his mind—I am grateful you are here. Since you are with L, he looks happier and healthier. He is more relaxed and sleeps better. Yes, Watari was not bad, even when Light had put together titbits of information that showed a darker side to the institution, some ruthless ideology they had given up a few years ago, after some BB case. Well, the source of the titbits had mainly been the blond little beast, and he did not trust him a bit, but the fact that the BB case deserved some lines in the confidentiality agreement was enough for Light to be suspicious. Truth be told, he would rather not know the details of that episode, even when L had promised to tell him one day. By the way, it had been the first of the two times the detective had told the scrawny beast off, so it had been worth it.

Watari was okay. Roger, the caretaker, was dull. He was often simply annoying, with his never-ending complaints about the children. Really, if he could not stand children, why did he work there? Maybe he had had some relationship with Watari long ago, had signed a confidentiality agreement, and when it was over, he had been stuck there for the rest of his life. The youth had even had a couple of nightmares because of these thoughts until he had disciplined himself into not wondering about the issue evermore. So, Roger had become a dull blank.

The kids were another story altogether.

Most of the kids he had not to bother about, as they were not part of their daily lives. The kids who mattered were four, two boys and two girls. They were the so-called L's successors, and that had been their first question when L had introduced Light to them.

"Is he a new successor?"

"No, he isn't. He is my partner."

L had not elaborated his answer, which was fine by Light, who did not want everyone privy to his private life. Then, L had talked a little about Light's many talents and his role in the resolution of the Kira case, and then the introductions were made. Light displayed the correct amount of charm to be simply liked by the kids and not adored by them—he knew people usually ended up idolising him and could be blinded by his natural charisma. The exchange was not as agreeable as it was supposed to. Pleasantries were cold and scarce, and faked, and the growl that left the throat of the blond kid—Mello, a boy actually, not a girl—did sound threatening for such a scraggy creature.

"It will be okay," L commented afterwards. "They are getting used to a change in perspective. We are encouraging co-operation over competition nowadays and added up Matt and Linda to the equation. They are doing alright. Another change will not mean much trouble."

Even the greatest detective in the world might be wrong sometimes.