note: I have two versions of this story (the other being posted at my LJ). I'd written it originally for DN, but then ended up crossing it over with a different fandom. This is the original version.

posted this last night and then found a mistake. Sorry about that. I hope you all enjoy.

part one

Light wasn't sure when it started – when he began to actually notice the other student sitting across the classroom from him. After he had, however, it was nearly impossible not to notice him. Every time he'd walked into the classroom his eyes were drawn to the boy he knew would be perched awkwardly behind the very first desk.

He didn't even know the other student's name.

The professors called him L, but Light couldn't imagine that actually being it. Not that it mattered much, as the black haired boy spoke only when the professors called on him and simply ignored everyone else. And why that bothered Light, he had no idea, but every time L turned away from someone speaking to him, every time he stared blankly into the eyes of a person in front of him, it took all of Light's willpower to keep from walking up to him and shaking him until something in his expression changed.

Not that that was even likely.

A few days after Light had first taken notice of L he'd walked up to the other boy and had spoken a few forgettable words, expecting the same reaction that every other student on campus had when he talked to them. Instead, L had given him a short, disinterested glance before turning and walking away.

No one turned away from Light Yagami. He was at the top of the class, good looking, and charming – men and women walked by him with begging eyes, merely asking for a single glimpse of acknowledgement from him.

He was like L in that regard – they handled the other students similarly. Rather than wasting time on those who wanted to speak only of how amazing, brilliant, and perfect he was, Light would rather spend a few minutes conversing with someone actually able to hold a challenging conversation. Someone who could keep him interested in what they had to say.

Light didn't need to be told that he was perfect, as he proved that fact every day, over and over again. What he needed was to find someone on the same level as himself to alleviate the boredom and disgust that he was constantly feeling. Boredom because no one understood things the way he did, and disgust because everyone else was so far beneath him.

Then he'd heard a few professors discussing how much of a natural genius L was. How he didn't even need to listen in class as he already knew all of the material anyways. How he could become and do anything he wanted if he kept pushing himself. How, perhaps finally, Light Yagami would have to work to keep his place on top of the class.

L was a natural genius.

Light, already curious about the other student, became obsessed. No longer standing out of the crowd because of merely how he treated others, L's brain had firmly caught Light's attention.

Then, two weeks after overhearing the professors' private conversation, L passed Light and became the top student in their class.

Sighing quietly, Light let his chin rest in the palm of his hand as he stared unseeing towards the front of the classroom. He was paying the teacher no mind, having already taught himself everything he needed to know in the chapter they were currently on. Occasionally the old, balding professor would call out a student's name and ask them a question.

Light had been called on twice and had answered correctly each time. L had yet to be called on; a fact that was nearly driving Light insane. He wanted to hear the other student speak. He wanted to hear that monotone voice.

Not that it even mattered, as whenever L was chosen to answer, his words were short and to the point. Light doubted he'd ever heard the other boy speak for longer than five seconds.

Turning his attention once more to the window he was sitting by, Light let his thoughts wander to other things – other things that somehow always lead straight back to the ebony haired boy Light was fighting to get out of his head.

The rest of the day passed in the same fashion, with Light turning away from L whenever he came into view, and with L somehow always being there.

"Light!"

Looking over his shoulder for a short moment, Light barely refrained from growling in frustration at the sight of Misa Amane jogging to catch up. The girl was wearing her signature ponytail, a short black skirt, and a tight top. Light wasn't sure when she'd gotten the idea that they were dating, but he'd never bothered to correct her as she made sure the other girls kept their distance.

Light was, in short, grateful for that one thing.

"Where's Light going without me!"

"I'm going home," he answered, looking forward as he continued walking.

Misa came up to his side with a high-pitched giggle. "I saw this girl walking around with the most ridiculous looking…"

Light tuned her out, nodding his head or murmuring a quiet agreement when she paused or bumped purposefully into him. He wasn't sure why he did it, but one moment he was staring blankly down at the ground, and then the next he had looked up and across the street stood a familiarly slouched body.

It wasn't until Misa moved to stand directly in front of him that Light realized he'd stopped walking. He forced his eyes on her, forced himself to forget about the man with the dirty, messy hair. When Misa started leading him towards the bus stop once more, however, he couldn't help but look around the crowd for L.

Genius L. Oh, how Light wanted to speak for only a second with him.

He wanted to weave his way into the other boy's mind and pick him apart.

Light walked into a small café with a sigh, taking a deep breath once the door had closed behind him. The café was his escape – the one place where he wouldn't have to worry about people banging on his door or any sort of unwanted interruptions.

Making his way to the table he usually sat at, he jumped at the sight of pale skin visible in a dark corner.

Is it impossible to get away from him now?

Firmly ignoring the pull to walk over to the other student, Light sat at his table and pulled out his cellphone, pretending to type out a text all while stealing glances towards L. It was after he'd typed the phrase 'go over there' five times that he realized just what he was doing.

Light Yagami was nervous to talk to someone.

Light Yagami was never nervous to do anything, as Light Yagami was perfect.

Snapping his phone shut, Light pushed himself to his feet and walked quickly to L's table. He noticed the waiters and waitresses watching with surprised expressions, but he paid them no mind. Instead, he paused at L's side, clearing his throat softly to get the other boy's attention.

When L's eyes turned and finally met his, Light once again entertained the thought of just sitting at his own table and reading over the material that they wouldn't cover in class for another month. Then, just as he was about to turn and walk away, L spoke.

It was nothing grand, nothing that made Light's heart stop or skip a beat, as L was seriously lacking in social skills. However, his voice was enough to catch and hold Light's attention.

That was the moment that L's hooks dug firmly into Light. That was the moment that Light realized there was something very different about L.

"Light Yagami?" A simple statement.

Light gave L what he hoped was a calm, confident smile. "Do you mind if I join you?" It was a risky move, as it was very likely that L would actually tell him to leave.

Luck was on his side, however.

L gave him a curious look before turning his attention back to the papers spread across the table in front of him. "I do not mind."

With a small smile, Light moved to the chair opposite L and sat down, resting his elbows on the table as a waitress came over.

"Coffee as usual, sir?" the woman asked with a small smile. Light gave her a small nod, and she turned to L. "And for you?" She didn't sound nearly as sweet.

L didn't even spare her a glance, keeping his eyes on the book in front of him. "Coffee, extra sugar."

The waitress nodded and walked off, but not before giving Light one last lingering glance and a flirtatious smile. Usually he was able to ignore it when women looked at him that way, but he happened to glance at L at just the right moment, just soon enough to see the last flash of disgust being swiped from the other student's expression.

When L's eyes finally focused and he realized that Light was watching, those pale cheeks that were always pale turned a very light shade of pink.

It was shocking to say the least. Shocking, yet endearing. To Light, being able to crack the stoic student's façade that easily was a sweet victory.

"Reading anything good?" Light refrained from sneering at his terrible conversation starter. His only consolation was that he had to say something, as L would have happily gone along with sitting in complete silence.

L's eyes flicked up to Light's face for a brief moment. "Reading ahead for class."

There was more silence, and Light was grateful when the waitress returned with their drinks, busying himself by tinkering with the cup.

They sat in complete silence for the following hour before L stood up, gathered his things, and left without a single word.

The following day Light found himself staring through the glass window and into the café, eyes squinting as he tried to see L through the darkness. When he finally convinced himself that he wouldn't be tempted to sit next to antisocial geniuses if he went inside, Light stepped to the door and walked inside.

He sat at his usual table, got his usual drink, and started reading ahead for class as he usually did. It was when he reached for his cup of coffee, glancing up at the sound of the bell ringing above the café doors, that his usual end to the day became unusual once more.

L walked in with his school bag slung over his shoulder. His black hair was just as messy as normal, and the clothes hanging off his body were just as baggy as they were every other day. He kept his eyes forward as his painfully thin body moved between the tables.

Then, when Light thought that L hadn't even seen him, the other student's head turned sharply and their eyes met for a brief moment.

After a mere second, L looked forward again and shuffled quickly to the back table he had sat at the day before, and that was when Light realized he'd just been overlooked.

Light Yagami never got overlooked. He was fawned over, not ignored.

He stood and collected all his papers into his arms with stiff movements, snatching his own bag from the floor with one hand and his coffee cup with the other before stomping over to L's table. His school things fell onto the table with a loud clatter, setting his cup down with more care, and he almost blushed when he saw the black haired boy raise an eyebrow and give him a questioning look.

Saying nothing, Light sat down with more grace than he'd had when walking over, switching back to his cool and collected self with surprising ease. He opened his text once more and stared blankly down at the pages, firmly ignoring the feel of L's eyes still on him.

"Why are you sitting here?"

Without thought, he looked up once more and stared straight into curious black. "You were fine with it yesterday," he retorted, lips turning up in a sneer.

L blinked at him, his face giving away no hints as to what was going through his mind. "Today is not yesterday," he muttered, head turning to the side when a waiter walked awkwardly up to their table. "Coffee, extra sugar." The waiter nodded and left without a word.

Light turned his attention back to his books, deciding to ignore the eccentric man sitting across from him for the time being.

"Light," L said suddenly, the sternness in his tone enough to gather Light's attention. "It is not polite to ignore another person's wants just to satisfy your own."

Light's eyes narrowed into a hard glare. "What is so different about today in comparison to yesterday?"

L's expression remained blank, and his black eyes were wide as they stared unblinkingly into Light's own. "I had a choice yesterday."

"I'd assumed you'd say the same thing today."

"I always want control." He blinked then, moving his hand to push a few of Light's papers off of his own that he had spread out when he'd first sat down.

Light rolled his eyes, leaning back in his chair and crossing his arms over his chest with a sigh. "Do you really think I can take control away from you merely by sitting without permission when I'd been given it the day before?" Light knew what L would reply with, as he could already tell the other boy was uncomfortable.

"You are perfection. You can only achieve perfection by controlling everything around you so that nothing can go wrong." Their eyes met once more, and L tilted his head slightly to the side, as if he was mulling over whether or not Light was actually worth the breath. "We are very alike."

It was then that, after speaking only a handful of words to each other, the hooks that L had unwittingly put in Light sunk deeper.