Disclaimer: If I owned Death Note, all of the yaoi that we know is secretly happening between character would happen on screen/page.

Raito took another sip of his coffee, determined to last through the entirety of the meeting. He could feel how heavy his eyelids were becoming, and cursed his usually rigid sleep schedule for the third time that week. Gaging that no one was watching him, Raito took that opportunity to stifle a yawn. Although the NPA's late night meeting times seldom conflicted with school, Raito was ready to complain about it affecting his studying by making him extra drowsy every morning. And by "ready to complain" he meant that he would keep his mouth firmly shut on the matter and pretend it was not affecting him in the slightest.

"Raito-kun, is there anything you would like to add?" The computerized voice shook him out of his thoughts.

"Only that I think we should go over the pervious pattern of killings." Raito had prepared a response incase L decided to single him out.

"And what do you think can be gained from this review?" The gothic letter wondered.

He's trying to test me again, Raito realized bitterly.

"Humans are creatures of habit," Raito explained smoothly. "Our killer has already proven that he is prone to repeating his actions. It's likely that he'll do so again."

"I see," was all that L said in response.

Five minutes later the meeting had come to it's conclusion, but not without L assigning seemingly pointless tasks to seemingly random officers. Raito knew that by the next day the meaning of each would become clear to everyone. He also knew that L enjoyed to keep them in the dark a little bit. Not bothering to push away his amusement at this, Raito smiled slightly as he packed up his notes.

"Hey, Raito?"

Slightly startled, he looked up to see Matsuda standing in front of the table he was sitting at.

Am I sleepy enough that he can sneak up on me? Raito mentally berated himself.

"Hello," he said pleasantly, still determined to mask how tired he was.

"I heard that the chief is staying late again tonight, do you need a ride home?" Matsuda asked.

"Sure, that'd be great."

Raito usually didn't say yes when Matsuda offered this, preferring the longer walk and subway ride in silence than a short car ride of the man blabbing on and on. However, right now he could use the extra few minutes even if it meant he would have to suffer through conversation. Not to mention the fact that he was afraid he'd accidentally fall asleep on the subway home. At least if Matsuda drove him he wouldn't have to worry that he'd miss his stop. (Or get kidnapped, raped, and murdered, because, due to his paranoia and knowledge of crime, that possibility had occurred to him.)

"So, he called you out again," Matsuda attempted to make conversation as they walked to the car.

"Yeah," Raito replied shortly.

"I guess that's what happens when you're personally requested to work on the case."

"I wouldn't say that exactly," Raito faked modesty. "I'm lucky that he even let me on to begin with."

This was slightly true. Luck had played it's roll into Raito ending up where he was, but hard work and computer hacking skills had been the more prominent factors.

Raito had heard of the case before he had know that his father was in charge of it. Not that this was much of an achievement, half of Asia and the United States were aware of the general details of the murders. It had started in South Korea, with the deaths of five American tourists. A few weeks later this was connected to the disappearance of five exchange students, all originating from the U.S. Ten more died in Korea before the killer moved on to China, killed another twenty, and made his (or her) way to Japan. It was only after the forty-first killing that L took an interest in the case and contacted the NPA.

Raito followed what he could of the case from a spectator viewpoint, until a cruel version of luck gave him the link to becoming personally involved. The next victim attended Raito's high school. Raito hadn't known the boy very well, but they had shared three classes and Raito remembered having a few conversations with him. Raito had seen this as his way of getting into the investigation, but his father had forbidden it the second that Raito broached the subject. This was a set back that he hadn't expected, but he couldn't blame his father for wanting to keep him away from danger. There were times where he even felt guilty over his course of action after that.

"If we're going by the pattern, it's possible that he's now in the Kanto region," Raito concluded his latest theory.

It was now about one in the morning. After being dropped off at his house, Raito had rushed to eat a quick meal and see how much of his homework he could complete before the much anticipated call from L. It had become a habit for L to call Raito's computer about an hour after each meeting and proceed to pick the teen's brain of useful ideas he had not voiced in front of the others. L also used this time to brain storm ideas that he was under fifty percent sure on. The detective had noticed early on that Raito and he thought alike, and usually wanted to know Raito's opinion on a lead before taking serious action. That isn't to say that he always agreed with Raito, and a dispute normally resulted in L assuming that he himself was right. However he did listen to everything that Raito brought to the table.

If Raito were being completely honest with himself, he still felt starstruck at the prospect of merely talking to L. The fact that L wanted to talk to him, not to mention valued his opinions over that of the police force, was one of Raito's wildest fantasies come true. As a child Raito had idolized L, and followed what was known of the detective's work with a burning thirst.

"I don't see why you couldn't have stated this earlier tonight," L's computerized voice told him. "It could have saved us valuable time."

"It's only a theory," Raito dismissed. "I wanted to make sure that it made sense before I said it in front of the rest of the task force."

"I'd think that you'd be more afraid to look foolish in front of me than them," L seemed slightly disappointed.

"Not necessarily. You know that the majority of what I come up with is correct, but they don't fully understand that yet," Raito explained. "Besides, I send the task force on one more wild-goose-chase and my father pulls me out of it."

"Fair point," L decided.

"That's why you shouldn't pick on me during meetings," Raito couldn't help but huff.

"I was not picking on you," L replied.

"You were bored and wanted to test me," Raito summed up.

"True," L didn't deny. "But I also knew that you had a good idea somewhere in that head of yours."

"Thanks, I think," Raito muttered.

"You're welcome." L paused before adding: "It was your own fault for yawning."

"You noticed that?" Raito asked sheepishly.

"I notice everything," L said. "I am aloud to be bored because I am the world's greatest detective. The high school student, who is lucky to be working on this case in the first place, is required to at least look interested at all times."

"I didn't yawn because I was bored," Raito muttered. "I yawned because I haven't have a decent night's sleep in weeks."

"I am I keeping Raito-kun for his rest time?" L wondered, with little remorse.

"Yes," Raito affirmed. "But it's not a big deal. I'll probably have to deal with lack of sleep in the future."

"If you join the NPA," L confirmed.

"Which I will," Raito said.

"I'm sure."

"That was doubt wasn't it?" Raito asked, trying to distinguish emotion through the voice disguiser.

"The NPA would only slow someone like you down," L informed him.

"What are you saying," Raito processed this. "I should be like you?"

"You would make a good private detective," L went on. "Should you put the time and determination that I'm sure you would, that is."

"I'm not going to say that the thought never crossed my mind," Raito was admitting before he could stop himself. "But that was back when I was a kid."

Back when he was young and had just realized that he could combine his powerful sense of justice and thirst of intellectual challenge. Back when he had first heard about L, and had aspired to be just like whoever the man behind the letter really was. Back before reality kicked in.

"And since then you've decided that you would rather go into your father's line of work?" L asked.

"It's more practical, isn't it?" Raito defended. "I'll have bills to pay and a family to feed."

"Raito-kun is planning for a family already," L mused. "May I ask who the lucky woman is?"

"This is all hypothetical," Raito said flatly.

"Of course."

"What I mean is that I'm going to have to support myself," Raito explained. "Not just that, I'm going to have to be successful. I don't know any private detectives that make more money than police detectives."

"Are you aware of how much money I make?" If Raito was able to see of properly hear L, he was sure that the man's words would have been laced with smugness, the emotion complete with a matching facial expression.

"No," Raito admitted. "But I don't doubt it's in the millions, if not billions."

"You're correct."

"You realize that I wasn't counting you, right?" Raito said.

"Why?" L wondered. "I am a private detective, and you do know me. I meet both requirements to Raito's estimation."

"You don't count because it's impossible for me to achieve your level of success," Raito flatly elaborated.

"We'll see."

L knew that he wasn't going to get much else out of Raito on the subject. Yet, when he knew the boy's capabilities, it was hard not to push him away from making a career choice that would waist his talents or, even worse, bore him. Although it wasn't as if L did know Raito's full capacity, the more he spoke with the teen, the more he discovered about the brilliant mind tucked behind the charm and pretty face. This was why L allowed his conversations with Raito to become so off topic. Raito was interesting and L wanted to learn more. This was why L had let him onto the case in the first place.

L had done basic background checks on all of the members of the task force he was working with, therefore he knew of the existence of Raito Yagami. When looking over Deputy Director Yagami's family information, L remembered being vaguely intrigued by the high marks and test scores listed in the son's general profile. However, he had filed away this information as unimportant after finishing the background checks. It was a rare occurrence for L to be wrong about something, but Raito Yagami was definitely a rare circumstance.

Two weeks into his cooperation with the Japanese police, L had been contacted by Raito through his father's computer. Apparently Raito had hacked the device, a feat that L assumed would be rather easy for anyone with Raito's resources and a basic knowledge of computers. Raito had expressed to L that he knew one of the victims and thought that he could be of use in the case. This information was accompanied with a list of Raito's theories and ideas (three of which turned out to be rather useful).

Feeling that there was more to the boy than a keen sense of justice and a desire to help, L continued the communication. It became clear to him early on that Raito was only using his association with the victim as a method to get closer. It was Raito's intrigue and desire for a challenge that drew him to risking contacting L, not his attempt to avenge a deceased friend. L could relate to this. It only took a few more conversations for L to realize that, although Raito was only seventeen, he understood L's thought process far better than the detectives that he had been trying to work with. Inviting Raito to join the task force had been the next logical step.

"How did you do it?" Raito's question broke through L's train of thought.

"Pardon?" He directed his attention back to the computer monitor displaying Raito's face.

"Become the greatest detective in the world," Raito clarified. "How did you do it?"

"That's classified information," L stated.

"Of course it is," Raito must have been anticipating this answer.

L was about to retort, when the screen of his other laptop lit up with a gothic W. He glanced at the time being displayed at the right conner of the computer that L had been talking to Raito with. He hadn't realized how late it was, and knew that Watari would only contact him at this hour if it was an emergency.

"I'm afraid I will have to end this conversation here," L informed Raito. "Get some sleep."

L hung up without giving Raito the chance to respond. He turned his attention to the incoming call.

"What happened?" L skipped the small talk.

"He's escaped."

L didn't need to be told who.

"What?" he knew that his voice filter was not on, and Watari could hear how dark his tone had become.

"I'm forwarding you all the information that the hospital has," Watari continued.

"Thank you."

L ended the call and had the files pulled up in seconds.

"Four other inmates," L mumbled as his eyes trailed over the information. "That's not your style at all. What are you planning?"

L sighed as he dropped another sugar cube into his tea. Five minutes ago he had given the order for the police to arrest the man behind the tourist and exchange student murders. He knew that he should be relieved to have this case over with, and, in a way, he was. Yet, there was a part of him that would miss how smoothly this investigation went, especially since the other case that he was working on would be grueling and stressful to say the least.

Adding one more sugar cube, L returned his attention to the pile of cases that he was considering taking on. He liked to work on two cases at a time, usually picking one he deemed difficult and one he thought was easy. Watari had supplied him with ten possible cases, and L intended to get back to him on which one he would be choosing within the hour.

He picked up the third file: five suspicious suicides in an English boarding school. After gazing over the details, L put this in his reject pile. He had long ago stopped feeling cruel for denying cases. It was impossible for him to solve every case presented to him, and he could always take comfort in the fact the he had shed light on the more serious ones.

Mysterious suicides were not his top priority.

"What did you do this time?"

Mello heard the urgent whisper as he rose from his desk, but decided not to answer Linda's question. He didn't owe her an answer. This didn't have to do with the fact that he had no idea what he was currently in trouble for.

It was normal for Mello to be called out of class by Roger. Usually this meant that whatever his latest expression of delinquency was had been discovered. When this was not the case, it was an update on his stance as second highest in the genius orphanage. Occasionally it was a reward for academically displaying a skill set that neither Roger nor Wammy had known that he possessed. Very, very rarely it was about L.

Despite the fact that he was the detective's second successor (close second, mind you), conversations from or about L were not a common occurrence. There were two reasons to this. The first was that both Mello and Near were barely teenagers, and those in charge assumed that they should be given more time to develop before being fully exposed to what would later be expected of them. The other reason was that L was busy.

When Roger used the word "busy," Mello had a strong feeling that it meant "uninterested." Frankly, L found devoting long periods of time to prepare his successors boring. There were times when this angered Mello. He desperately wanted to be acknowledged by L, even if all L did was tell him what he was doing wrong. Mello blamed his need for attention by his almost-mentor on his lack of a parental figure. Despite his issues with suppressing rage, Mello found that he couldn't stay mad at L for long. This wasn't because he respected or cared about the man too much to be upset with him. The truth of it was that Mello didn't know how to hate someone that he did not actually know. He had never met L in person, so, in the end, the man was a stranger to him.

"What did I do?" Mello asked upon entering the office.

Roger's brow furrowed at this, and Mello couldn't help but smirk.

"Mello, please sit down," he instructed.

Mello roughly pulled out the wooden chair in front of the desk. This was a good sign. Roger hadn't asked Mello to sit down for a lecture since Mello was ten. Back then Mello hadn't been very careful when it came to not getting caught. During the lectures, he had liked to steal the pens on Roger's desk when he looked away. Maybe he'd try that today…

"Is this about L?" Mello chanced asking. Usually Near was invited to L related meetings as well, but Mello had the feeling that Roger and Wammy wanted to separate the two of them as much as possible.

"We feel," Roger always used the word 'we' when referring to something involving Mello's status as a successor. "That your at a point in your training where it would be helpful for you to take on small, under cover cases on your own."

"Really?" Mello could hear the excitement in his own voice.

Roger handed him a file.

"Is Near doing this too?" Mello didn't hide how competitive he was.

"Like L, Near has denied this case," Roger admitted.

Mello hesitated. He didn't want L's hand-me-down that Near had passed up. However, he knew that taking on an undercover case would be more fun and interesting than the trouble that he had to cause to keep himself occupied.

"Alright," Mello grinned again, directing his attention to the file.

Five suspicious suicides in a boarding school only a few towns over from the orphanage. Going under cover at a school sounded annoying, but Mello wouldn't have to focus much on the school work or social standings. He'd only bother with those things enough so that he could fit in and investigate without running into problems.

"I'll do it," Mello stated.

This would be entertaining to say the least.

A glance to Raito's clock told him that he should have been asleep hours ago. At the moment the only excuse he had for staying awake on a Wednesday night was that the case had forced him to become used to being up late. He never thought of himself as the type of person who worked better at night, but if L wanted to talk to him about new evidence or assess old information, it was not Raito's place to argue. Besides, both he and the electronic voice behind the letter discovered far more break throughs when they worked together. Maybe it fed Raito's arrogance to know that he could keep up with the greatest detective in the world, but he never doubted which one of them was superior in intelligence. However, that didn't mean it would always be that way.

Raito had just decided that he would try to get some shut eye before school the next day, when his computer turned itself on. Knowing what this meant, he quickly seated himself at his desk and removed the piece of dark tape that he usually had over the camera for security purposes. Not wanting to turn on the lights in his room, he simply lit his desk lamp. L couldn't exactly complain about not being able to see him clearly, since the only visual Raito was given was a letter on his computer screen.

"Hello, Raito-kun," L greeted him through the filter.

"L," Raito grinned at his computer. "I thought that you declared the case closed and your contact with the NPA finished."

"That is correct." Despite not being able to see L or even knowing what he looked like in the first place, Raito could tell that he was smiling as he spoke. "However, last I checked Raito-kun was not a part of the NPA."

"Fair enough," Raito leaned back in his chair. "This isn't about the case, so what's up?"

"I wanted to thank you for your help in the investigation," L told him. "I doubt that we would have caught him without you."

"I'm sure you would have," Raito appeared to brush of the compliment that he secretly took to heart.

"Yes," L admitted. "Eventually I would have, but having your opinion did speed up the process, therefore saving more lives. You should be proud of yourself."

"I enjoyed the case," Raito responded, then quickly corrected himself. "That is, I enjoyed helping bring about justice."

"Of course."

"And I liked working with you," Raito chanced saying. "I've admired your work for sometime and actually speaking with you is an honor."

"I enjoyed finally being able to work with someone on my level."

"You flatter me," Raito said blandly.

"That was sarcasm?" the computer voice wondered.

"Yes," Raito smiled. "That was sarcasm."

"Despite my desire to collaborate with Raito-kun again," L continued. "You must understand that it would be a danger to both you and myself if I gave you means to contact me."

Raito felt a sharp pang of disappointment at these words.

Well what did you think he was going to say? Raito chided himself. He's L, why would he still want the help of a high school student? You're lucky that you even got to talk to him in the first place.

"Of course," he said out loud. "I understand."

"However," L hadn't seemed to notice that Raito had spoken, never mind the down cast tone in his voice. "I will be keeping an eye on you."

"Excuse me?"

"You have great potential, Raito-kun." Despite the filter, Raito swore that he could hear the smile in L's voice. "I'm intrigued to see where your intelligence and tenacity leads you."

"Thank you," Raito wasn't sure what else to say. "But does that mean that you're going to be spying on me?"

"Yes. I've already placed surveillance cameras in your bedroom."

"You're joking, right?" Raito silently prayed, resisting the urge to glance around him cautiously.

"Yes, I am joking," L confirmed. "I won't be spying on you in that sense, not unless you want me to."

"Why would I want you to invade my privacy?" Raito questioned.

"No idea," L most likely shrugged.

"So, on my end at least, this is goodbye," Raito brought the conversation away from that banter.

"No."

"What?" Raito had long ago reasoned that L only gave vague answers such as this because he liked it when Raito was forced to ask for clarification.

"You are going into my field of work, aren't you Raito-kun?" L reminded him.

"I'm going to follow in my father's footsteps," Raito clarified. "But isn't this the first time that you've had to directly work with the NPA."

"If the NPA were sharper I would elicit their help more often," L stated. "In other words, if someone like Raito-kun were on the NPA, maybe I'd be a little more interested."

Raito could not stop the triumphant grin from forming on his face.

"Yet I'm not sure you'll end up with the NPA," L added. "Especially considering that you have the skill to fly solo."

"I told you," Raito could feel the tiniest glimmer of annoyance creep inside of him. "Being a private detective was just a silly dream of mine. I'm setting my goal on joining the police."

"If you say so," L did not sound convinced in the slightest. "Regardless of what path you choose, this will not be the last conversation that the two of us have."

"Good. I'd be sad if it was." Chancing his luck at one more cheeky remark, Raito added: "Be sure to contact me if you ever need my help."

"I intend to," L replied.

"And if I ever need your help?"

"I'll know," he assured him.

"Okay."

"Yes."

"Goodbye, L," Raito couldn't force the forlorn tone from his voice.

"Goodbye, Yagami Raito-kun."

The gothic letter disappeared from Raito's computer screen without another moment's notice. Raito switched off his computer and walked back to his bed. As he lay in the darkness, he didn't feel half as empty as he thought he would.

"I'll talk to you soon, L."

Author's note/explanation: This story is AU, but I'm still going to pull from elements of that cannon at certain points. At the moment, the only thing that I've changed is that Ryuk did not drop his death note (so no Kira) and that L and Raito have met before the story started (which you already know for reading the chap). This is an LxRaito (with additional MelloxMatt) story, but it's also a mystery/suspense fic. My goal is to developed that storyline as much as the romances.

Thanks for reading the first chapter! Opinions? Questions? Predictions? Leave a review!