L awoke but did not open his eyes. He knew what he would see. It was the same every morning: the pentacle of the Wammy house roof right over head, criss-crossed by dusty support beams. When he sat up he would have to rise slowly and move his head 22 degrees to the left to avoid being hit by a beam, for if he rose too quickly he would walk out with a rather ugly bruise.
L stretched, twisting the sleep out of his bones, and sat up moving his head the required inches. He had ran this routine countless times to the point where he could execute it quickly and flawlessly with no unexpec-
‘Thump!’
L’s forehead came into direct contact with an overhead beam and L shouted in pain.
“Ouch! What the fu-?! “L stopped himself short as he saw Near sitting on the floor, staring at L with his big, round, onyx eyes.
“Fuuuu-edex.” L saved himself quickly.
L looked around and noticed that he had shifted into an awkward position while he slept; hence he had hit his head. He adjusted himself so he could sit without colliding into a support beam and searched the familiar room.
‘Room’ wasn’t really an accurate word considering his ‘room’ was actually the attic. Roger, for unknown reasons, hadn’t wanted to bunk L with any of the other orphans so had put him in the attic. Despite the scorching heat in the summer and the solitary mattress that served as his bed, the attic was quite an enjoyable place to sleep. It was secluded and he enjoyed the quiet as opposed to a room in the midst of the noisy orphans on the lower levels. Even with it being the attic he was probably better off than some of the other children at Wammy’s house, Roger had definitely made sure of that. He had a television with cable and a state-of-the-art computer with complete internet access. Needless to say, he was very trusted, probably more than some of the staff there…
There was a stack of trash (stacked card board boxes, old food, plates, cups, etc.) in the left hand corner and one of the larger card board boxes rustled in a violent manner. With a spray of styrofoam peanuts, a blonde head emerged from the box, bright cerulean eyes sparkling even in the dim dawn light that leaked in from the small round window.
“Oh! Matt! Get out here! He’s awake!” Mello yelled back into the box.
“I can hear you, you know…” L said as Mello was followed by an emerald eyed three-year-old, “Wait, why are you in here anyway?”
Mello scrambled out of the box, sending a barrage of styrofoam peanuts (and Matt) onto the floor. “What do you mean WHY are we in here?! It’s CHRISTMAS, dummy! We’re here to wake you up!”
L frowned, “Well couldn’t you have let me sleep a little longer?”
“Pfft! Like we’d let you sleep on Christmas.” Mello said crossing his arms and rolling his eyes.
“Of course. What was I thinking?” L said sarcastically.
He stood and pulled his long sleeve white shirt over his bare chest and smoothed over some of the wrinkles in his blue jeans. He picked up Near, who sat on the floor next to his mattress and bounced him a little.
“Exactly! Now come on! We gotta go down stairs before everyone else gets down there and hogs all our gifts!” Mello exclaimed, grabbing L by the sleeve and tugging him in the direction of the exit.
Mello dragged L, stumbling behind him, to the attic hatch which he kicked open, setting up the fold out stairs. The blonde ushered L down the stairs with little mind to whether he was actually walking down the stairs as opposed to being dragged which was the case the majority of the time. They continued this process all the way to the ground floor where they finally stopped in the circular room.
Mello gasped in horror as L collected himself, managing to stand after being dragged down several flights of stairs. “Oh my God! NO!!!” Mello screamed.
“What is it?” Matt asked, suddenly appearing next to L.
“Wha-? Wait, I didn’t see you come down with us.” L said, looking at Matt, confused.
“L, this is no time to be chatting!! We have a problem!” Mello spat, “Everyone’s already in there!”
“What do you mean ‘Everyone’s already in there’?” L asked, walking beside Mello.
L suddenly saw what the distraught four-year-old had seen and his jaw dropped. Every single child in Wammy house was in there, jumping and scrambling around the tree.
“…Oh.” Was all L could say.
“Exactly! ‘Oh’!” Mello shouted.
“Hm. Well this could be a problem.” Matt said, jade eyes never leaving the screen of his gaming console.
“‘Could be’?! It IS a problem!” Mello cried, “Graaaah! Well, they won’t outsmart me! No they won’t…”
Mello marched towards the tree in a huff, followed by a very tired and frustrated L. the blonde examined the tree from afar then moved in, squeezing through an opening in the crowd. He remained out sight for several, long minutes. Finally, L’s sharp eyes spotted the blonde crawling back through the mob. The child dashed back to the others, his hair looking like he had just came out f a tornado.
“Oh! My! Gosh!” Mello shouted between gasps. “You won’t believe it!”
“What?” L asked calmly.
Mello jumped onto L, feet in L’s stomach, hands jerking L’s collar. “THERE ARE NO PRESENTS FOR US!!!” he screamed into L’s face.
“Are you sure?” Matt questioned, looking at Mello for the first time.
Mello jumped off of L and got all up in Matt’s face as he yelled. “Yes! I am as sure as I possibly could be sure!”
“If you keep yelling like that you’re going to lose your voice.”
The orphans turned to see Watari standing behind them.
“Oh. Good morning, Watari.” L said.
“What did you do to my presents, old man?!’ Mello spat.
L covered Mello’s mouth, “Mello! Ehehe… He wasn’t serious.”
Mello bit L’s hand and L drew back with a yelp. “What do you mean?! I want my stuff!”
Watari chuckled as L nursed his injured hand. “Oh it’s perfectly alright, L. In fact, your presents are upstairs in Roger’s private study. I trust you can get in there by yourselves…”
L laughed nervously and rubbed the back of his head, averting his eyes in shame.
Mello crossed his arms and glared at Watari. “Humph. About time.” He muttered.
After an awkward pause L walked the children out of the room, casting a last glance at Watari over his shoulder.
The orphans made their way up to Roger’s study and, sure enough, as they walked in there stood a small Christmas tree with presents underneath it.
L’s jaw dropped. Watari never ceased to amaze him.
Every year the three orphans, excluding Near, gifted each other and each of them went to rather extensive lengths to hide their gifts. Yet there underneath the tree sat L’s gifts, in their neatly-wrapped glory along with the pitiful looking blobs of tape and wrapping paper from Mello and Matt.
Like he had said.
Watari never ceased to amaze L.
“Wha-? But he-! How’d he-?” Mello stuttered, apparently as shocked as L. Mello frowned, “I’m telling you L. I don’t like that guy…”
L chuckled and rolled his eyes. He petted Mello’s hair, running his fingertips over the cool, soft blonde strands. He briefly wondered what it would be like living without the small things like the feel of Mello’s hair, or the constant sound of Matt’s game boy in the back ground… L shook his head, clearing the thoughts from his mind, and drew his hand from Mello’s head like he had been bitten.
Mello twisted around and looked at L strangely, “Are you always this weird on Christmas morning?” Mello said pointedly as he turned and walked towards the tree followed by Matt.
L could only watch their backs as they walked away, “Um, guys? Where are you going?” L asked.
Mello turned on L, looking at him as if he had grown two heads. “What do you mean ‘WHERE are we going’?! We’re going to open gifts you idiot!” Mello rolled his eyes, “If you were any slower…!”
L frowned, “Well, I mean I just thought we could wait before we opened anything…” L said blatantly.
Mello’s jaw dropped. “WAIT?!! L… Tell me, what is the whole point of Christmas?”
“The celebration of the birth of Jesus Christ,”
“WRONG! It’s the celebration of me getting free stuff! Sooo, we are now going to…” Mello motioned for L to finish the sentence.
“….open presents?” L finished hesitantly.
“Yes! Yes, exactly!” Mello exclaimed in elation, “Now get your butt over there before I give you a third black eye.”
L frowned again and lightly touched the black marks underneath his eye. “It’s not my fault…” He murmured, “They’re genetic…”
Mello disregarded the comment and continued his way to the tree. Near wriggled in L’s arms, pointing towards the tree and children.  L looked into the toddlers begging, onyx eyes and put him down, following him as he waddled over to the others.
“Okay!” Mello said, “Who should open the first gift?”
L opened his mouth to say something but Mello cut him short. “Oh! Me? How kind of you!” Mello exclaimed reaching for a tall gift with his name on it.
L grabbed Mello’s arm, “I was going to say, I think MATT should open the first gift.”
Matt looked up from his game, “Whut?”
Mello glared at the three-year-old then snorted. “Fine…”
L smiled at the red-head and passed him a large but thin rectangular box, wrapped neatly and secured with a tight bow. “From me,”
Matt examined it briefly then tore it open. All the children crowded around him, straining for a look into the box. Matt’s face got a weird look on it as he stared at the contents of the box. Mello covered his mouth as he tried to stifle a laugh. Matt looked back at him and elbowed him in the gut.
“Umm, L?” Matt said politely. “What…is it?”
“What do you mean?” L said smiling obliviously.
Mello laughed again and Matt frowned as he held up the khaki vest with fur lining. “I mean what the heck is this?”
Mello burst out laughing holding his sides as he fell to his knees.
L looked at Matt, completely pleased with himself. “It’s a vest! I thought you could use it with all this cold weather we’ve been getting.” L smiled, “Plus it was on sale!”
Matt looked at the vest. “I bet you it was.”
“Aaaw. You say that now, but just you wait. One day you’re gonna die wearing that thing!” L said with a chipper grin.
The children stared at L with a frightened look.
Matt coughed. “Um, well thank you L.”
“Ok! Ok! Me next!” Mello shouted, once again reaching for his gift.
Again, L caught him. “No. Now it’s Nears turn.” He said, smiling at the toddler.
Near tipped his head to the side and blinked cutely.
“Aaaw! Did you guys just-?!” L started
“Get it over with L!” Mello cut him off.
L frowned. “Fine,” He muttered
L picked up another wrapped box, a small but thick rectangle that rattled when he moved it. L maneuvered his finger underneath the wrapping paper disconnecting the tape. He delicately flipped open the folds and began undoing the other end, being extremely careful not to rip any paper.
Mello’s eye twitched. “Graaaah! Could you possibly go any slower?!” Mello snatched the box away from L and ripped it open.
Mello stared at the box. “…a puzzle…”
“A 5,000 piece puzzle!” L replied with a satisfied smile.
Mello looked back at raven-haired detective. “L. He’s two years old.”
“Yeah but my little Near is an overachiever! Aren’t you, little boy!” L said, coddling the toddler.
Mello and Matt glanced at each other then resumed staring at L.
“You know, now I’m scared to open my gift…” Mello said plainly.
L didn’t hear him. “Okay, Mello. NOW you can open your gift.”
Mello swallowed hard looking apprehensively at the tall box. He stepped cautiously over to it and slowly peeled away the wrapping paper.
“Haaaaah.” Mello said his mouth agape.
“Sweet mother of…” Matt said
Lo and behold, before Mello stood a three foot, solid chocolate rabbit.
L grinned. “I trust you like it.”
Mello didn’t reply, or rather ‘couldn’t’, for his mouth was already occupied with a severed chocolate rabbit ear.
L chuckled. “Ok. So who wants to give their gifts next?”
There was a long silence. “Aw! Come on! No volunteers?”
Again, silence.
L furrowed his brows and glanced at Mello from the corner of his eye. “Mello! Yes, thank you for volunteering.”
Mello removed the ear from his mouth. “Whut?”
L yanked Mello to his feet and pushed him towards the tree. Mello looked back and growled, shoving the ear back in his mouth. He walked to the tree grumpily and retrieved a green gift-bag with red tissue-paper protruding messily from the top. Taking the bag, he walked to Matt and held it out to the three-year-old.
“Mmf muroo.” Mello said through the chocolate.
Matt took the bag and, digging through the folds of red paper, removed a pair of white goggles with orange lenses. He blinked his wide jade eyes at the gift.
“And you thought I got weird gifts.” L said.
“Ah, ah, ah!” Mello came back quickly, removing the chocolate from his mouth. “Observe.”
Mello stood in front of Matt. “Matt!”
Matt turned his head to look in the opposite direction. “Yeah? What is it?”
“Matt!” Mello said again, snapping his fingers. “Here!”
Matt turned back to look at Mello, confusion masking his face. “How long have you been standing there?”
“You’re getting off subject! Now tell me, how many fingers am I holding up?” Mello snapped, holding up two fingers.
Matt rolled his eyes. “Mello, come on. Not aga-“
“How many fingers?!”
Matt sighed. “Seventeen.”
L looked awkwardly at Mello and opened his mouth to speak but Mello motioned for him to wait.
“How about now?” Mello said, this time holding up five fingers (two on one hand and three on the other)
Matt sighed again. “Mello, come on. At least change the number. Seventeen.”
“See?” Mello said, looking at L.
Matt twisted around. “See what?”
L could only stare at the virtually blind red-head. “…That is extremely disturbing…” L looked away for a moment. “Hey, Matt.”
Matt turned to L. “Yeah?”
L held up his fist. “How many fingers am I holding up?”
Matt sighed and rolled his eyes. “Well at least you change the number. Twenty-four.”
L put his hand down. “Okay. Yeah. He’s totally blind.”
“What do you mean?” Matt asked cocking his head.
Mello turned Matt’s head towards him and put the goggles over his emerald eyes. Matt blinked a couple of times.
“But why goggles?” L asked, looking at Mello.
“’Cos he looks like a gaybo in glasses,” Mello said matter-of-factly, his hand on his hip as he too a bite out of his chocolate rabbit ear.
“Whoa! Mello, how long has your hair been blonde?” Matt exclaimed, looking at Mello incredulously.
Mello looked angrily at the three-year-old. “Since ever, stupid.” He said, kicking Matt.
“Oh and you’ve got such beautiful blue eyes…” Matt said, ignoring Mello’s previous comment.
Mello blushed and looked away. “Sh- shut up!”
Matt grinned stupidly and Mello plopped down next to him, refusing to meet his eyes.
L stared at Mello until the toddler was forced to look at the elder orphan. “….What?”
“Well don’t you have a gift for Near?” L asked
Mello looked at the albino toddler, “Of course no-!”
L glared menacingly at Mello and he stopped.
“No-ooooof course I do. Um…” Mello looked around then stood and walked hesitantly over to Near.
“Ummm…”  Mello paused then leaned over and patted Near on the head. “There you go! Ehe- hehe. Oh.” Mello dashed back over to Matt.
L only rolled his eyes and smoothed down Nears hair.
“Well I guess that leaves me…” Matt said.
Matt groaned as he stood up then made his way over to the tree retrieving a small, poorly wrapped box. He walked over to Mello and dropped to his knees in front of him.
“Um…Well, I- I made this for you.” He said offering the package to the blonde.
Mello stared, surprised, at the package for a few moments. “You…made this?”
Matt nodded, blushing with embarrassment.
Mello put down the chocolate ear and got to his knees as well. The four-year-old took the gift and examined it closely, sniffing and shaking it, while Matt watched fidgeting the whole time. Finally, Mello peeled away the paper to reveal a poorly constructed chocolate heart. Mello stared incredulously at it for several long moments.
“So um…do you- do you like it? I mean is it okay?” Matt stuttered nervously.
Mello smiled lovingly and held the heart close to him. “I love it.” He leaned over and gave Matt a quick peck on the cheek.
Matt blushed furiously and Mello giggled.
L rolled his eyes. “Okay, okay you two. Quit it already.”
Matt snapped back. “Oh, um yeah.” Matt hastily scurried back to the tree and got another poorly wrapped box. This one was thick and roughly a foot long. He handed it to L. “For Near.”
L inspected the box for a moment then ripped it open. A tall robot action figure lay in the folds of paper, its metallic surface shining in the light. Nears eyes grew wide and he snatched the toy from L, immediately putting it in his mouth.
“I…guess that means he likes it.” L said.
He observed the vacant space underneath the tree. “Well, I guess that’s it then. So we’ll just-“
“Nooo!!” Matt and Mello protested, yanking on the sleeve of L’s shirt. “We still have to give you your gift!”
L was struck silent. “You-…You got me a gift?”
“Of course we did, silly!” Mello said.
L’s heart ached, as if tiny icicles pierced it. How could he leave such perfectly innocent children?
“We MADE it!” Mello exclaimed proudly, motioning to Matt.
“Near helped too,” Matt added in quietly.
Mello looked agitatedly out of the corner of his eye at the albino two-year-old. “Yeah…I guess he helped a little…” he admitted hesitantly.
“Now close your eyes!” Matt squealed excitedly.
L did as he was told and obediently shut his eyes. The pattering of the toddler’s feet and their hushed whispering could be heard for several moments.
“Okay.” The voice that spoke was Mello’s. “You can open your eyes now.”
L slowly eased his eyes opened to see Matt and Mello holding a magnificent looking strawberry cheesecake only inches from his face, with Near sitting underneath the platter.
“Surprise!” Matt and Mello exclaimed together.
The breath caught in L’s throat and he couldn’t speak. It was like being punched in the chest. He was totally winded.
“You-“he let out a wheezing breath. All of the previous night’s memories and emotions came flooding back. Tears stung his eyes and his breath burned in his throat, all in cohesiveness to his aching heart that throbbed with every beat.
“Roger said strawberry was your favorite!” Matt said.
‘How could I ever leave them?’
“Yeah! So we got some of the nurses to help us make it!” Mello chimed in.
‘I couldn’t. The day I leave is the day I die.’
“Do you like it L? We worked REALLY hard on it!” Mello said.
‘God, just kill me now.’
L hung his head to hide the tears that dripped from his eyes. He bit his lip trying to say something but he couldn’t bring himself to speak.
Mello and Matt lowered the cake to the floor. “L? Don’t you like it?” Mello asked, toddling over to L.
L swallowed the sob that was dying to be released and grinned at Mello. “Heh, of course! It’s…my favorite after all.”
L felt a soft weight on his lap and he looked down. Near had crawled into his lap and was looking at L with childish concern. “L?” Near said, his voice nothing more than a soft squeak.
Everyone’s eyes widened as they all stared at the toddler. Though Near was two he hadn’t spoken in his entire time at the orphanage. Not once.
“N-Near…” L stuttered incredulously, “That…that was your first word…”
He laughed breathlessly but he was stopped short when Near stood and touched L’s tear stained cheeks. “L…” The toddler said again.
L couldn’t hold back any more. His lip trembled once and then the sobs came accompanied by the tears that washed down his cheeks. He doubled over as he cried, hiding his face in his hands. He could feel the confused and worried glances of the children boring into him but he didn’t care. He just cried.
“L?” Mello spoke this time but L couldn’t bring himself to look at the toddler. “Please…please tell us what’s wrong.”
“Oh, Mello” he managed to say in between sobs. “I’m terrible! Oh, I’ve lied to you all…”
“What- what do you mean?” Matt asked innocently.
L took a steadying breath and looked up at the children. “I’m not staying. I’m leaving the orphanage next fall.” He said.
Matt stared at L in shock and Mello’s eyes grew round with alarm. “No! But...but why?! You said-!” Mello stuttered
“I know...! I lied…” he smiled sadly. “The world wants Deneuve and Eraldo Coil.... They want their detective…I’m sorry…I’m so sorry…” L trailed off and hung his head. There was nothing more to say.
Suddenly small arms wrapped around L in a tight embrace. He opened his eyes and soft blonde hair tickled his face.
“L… Please…don’t cry.” Mello said.
L drew back and looked at the orphans, his orphans. “But how? How can you forgive me? I-…I lied to you. I’m going to be gone in a couple months…”
Mello looked thoughtfully at the ground. ‘I-…I think we kind of new this day would come… The day when you’d have to go…and we’d be on our own…but…” Mello looked back at Matt who returned his gaze steadily. “I-…we understand.” He looked at L in a sentimental way.
“But you know,” Mello began again. “That your still family and family visits! So you don’t get out of spending Christmas with us!”
L looked at the four-year-old and he chuckled as he dried his eyes. “Can’t sway you, can I? In that case, I guess it’s a promise.” L extended his pinky towards the blonde.
“You bet.” Mello said, determination sparkling in his cerulean eyes as he entwined his own pinky with L’s.


A promise…