Title: First Friend/Finally Accepted

Category: Death Note

Genre: Romance/Angst (slight – not much)

Rating: T

Pairing: LxOC

Summary: Seven-year-old Calla is new at Whammy's Orphanage. Watari, her foster father, introduces her to nine-year-old L. How does their first meeting pan out? Can Calla make her first friend? Will L finally be excepted?

Calla grasped the older man's hand tightly as he led her through the orphanage. People glanced at her as the two pasted – everyone curious about the owner of the orphanage's adoptive daughter. Watari felt the grip on his hand strengthen and he glanced down towards his daughter: her dark hair hung in curls over her scared looking face; her light blue eyes sparkling with fear as her gaze darted around her, edging closer to him; her small thumb was held between her rosy lips.

Watari paused, causing Calla to accidentally walk into the back of his legs and glance up in confusion. He smiled at his daughter innocence before lifting her from the ground, emitting a small yelp of surprise from her mouth, and held her against his chest, placing a kiss on her forehead.

"I have someone I want to introduce you to ..." Watari explained, a smile on his face, and he began leading her down a corridor.

- - - - - - - -

Watari opened the door to his favourite prodigy's room, holding it open and allowing Calla to enter first. With her thumb still in her mouth, Calla walked in slowly shy (which she usually is when she meets new people).

The room was rather empty, only consisting of one bed, a computer on a desk and two chairs. On one of the chairs, a small boy inhabited it. He was hunched over, dropping sugar cubes into a cup of tea. He had black bed-hair and dark eyes, rimming with large black bags that made him look as if he hadn't slept in days, weeks even.

He glanced at her with curious eyes before turning the gaze to Watari.

"Who is she, Watari?" the boy asked with an emotionless voice.

"L, this is my daughter, Calla." Watari introduced the two, gesturing between the small children.

"Hi … L ..." Calla waved nervously.

"Hello Calla." he tilted his head slightly, "Are you nervous? Because of me?"

"No, not you!" Calla cried quickly before blushing and adding slower, "I'm nervous around all new people."

L nodded, turning back to his cup of tea. "It's okay, most people are nervous around me."

Calla took a step towards the boy, her head cocked. "Why?"

She laid a hand on his, over his knee. L stared at the hand in surprised shock, although he didn't show any of it on his face. No one had ever stood this close to him before, let alone touch him willingly, in a caring way. Only Watari had ever done that, but L felt that was because he had to. But this girl …

Calla …

Calla held onto him when she didn't have to – she doesn't even know him but she's still here.

L lifted his eyes away from their hands and met the girls blue eyes, shining with curiosity.

"... I don't know ..." he whispered, a slim line of self-pity making it's way into his voice. "... I assume people think … I'm weird ..."

"Well, you shouldn't assume." Calla told him, "Besides, I like you!"

L's eyes widened to a degree. "Y-you do?"

Calla nodded, smiling. "Why do you sit like that?"

"It increases my brain power by 40%." L explained. Calla nodded, before running over to the other chair (opposite L) and mimicked his position. Watari struggled to hold in a laugh at L's bewildered look.

"W-what are you doing?" L stammered, blinking, almost scared that she was making fun of him.

"I'm trying it out." Calla paused and blushed, "How do you tell whether it's working?"

L chuckled, causing Calla's blush to deepen.

"Am I … that funny?" Calla asked in a low voice that made L stop laughing instantly.

"No, your not." he answered in what seemed like a caring voice. "I'll show you, if you like, how to tell … or we could … go downstairs for cake?"

Calla looked down before answering in a shy voice. " … Cake sounds nice ..."

L climbed out of his chair and held his hand out to Calla. With her thumb back in her mouth, Calla slowly reached out and took L's hand, allowing him to pull her onto her feet.

As the two walked away, both smiling at him as they passed, Watari smiled to himself as he watched daughter make her first friend and his favourite prodigy be accepted by someone his own age.