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As it does every year, Christmastime comes, and, like every year, Light doesn't find himself too excited to receive gifts.
Don't get him wrong, he appreciates the gestures from his family. Really. Soichiro buys him new, expensive stationary that Light uses during his classes, and Sachiko always gets him a few articles of clothing, clothes made of fine fabrics so his skin doesn't irritate. Sayu would typically buy him something small, whether it was a trinket or a little keepsake, something that will remind him of her.
He also buys gifts for his family; ties for his dad, novels his mom has her eyes on, and for Sayu, a pair of cute shoes that she squeals over.
This Christmas is different, however, because Sayu has been working part time at a book store, and actually has money to buy her family gifts.
Soichiro receives a fancy pen that Sayu doesn't bother to tell him the price of, even when he asks, Sachiko's gift is a light green apron, complete with white lace details around the hems, and Light's gift?
A Nintendo Switch. It's the same model that Sayu got two years ago for her birthday, after begging Soichiro for one for months.
"Now we can play Animal Crossing together!" Sayu cheers whenever Light opens his gift, wrapping her arms around her big brother's shoulders. "Ooh, and that new Tomadachi Life game is supposed to be releasing sometime next year! I think you'd enjoy it."
Bewildered, Light simply thanks Sayu for the gift, and then hands her the gift he bought for her ages ago, which is a figurine she's had her eye on for a while. He receives a bear hug in return, and pats her back, a smile on his face.
A few days after Christmas, Light buys himself Animal Crossing, after Sayu texts him about it. Once the game's set up, he sends her his information, and they play together, Sayu definitely having more fun out of the two of them.
Light quickly discovers he hates Tom Nook, ranting to Sayu one night about the raccoon bastard while sitting in her desk chair, spinning around lazily. Sayu shares the sentiment, and they fantasize about throwing him off a cliff together. It's the perfect sibling bonding activity.
Months later, in mid-April, nearly two months after his birthday, Sayu sends him the link to the newest Tomadachi Life game, Tomadachi Life: Living The Dream and tells him she bought him and her both copies of the game. It isn't multiplayer, much to his disappointment, but Sayu reassures him that he can still have fun.
"It's kind of like the Sims, y'know?" she says while they're hanging out in her room again, Sayu having practically ambushed Light whenever he returned home from his university classes. "You can make little people and live through them, or something."
Light, who sits beside his sister on her bed, watching her play Stardew Valley, hums in thought, a finger pressed to his chin. "Didn't you get grounded from that game because you were making your little characters have sex, and mom caught you?" he asks, remembering the spectacle from a few years ago.
Instead of admitting it, Sayu instead decides to beat Light over the head with a pillow until he finally runs out of the room, laughing in victory.
When the games arrive, they decide to play them together, sitting in Light's bed this time as they design their Mii's. At one point, they switch devices (at Sayu's suggestion) and design Mii's for each other, which turns out better than expected. Once they have their respective Switches, they design other Mii's for their islands; Sayu's are cute anime girls and k-pop idols, while Light's are his family and one of his law professors.
"How about you make your boyfriend a Mii?" Sayu asks, after looking to see Light with only five Mii's, while she has ten already.
Light raises an eyebrow, shooting his younger sister a look. Then, it hits him who she's referencing. "L and I aren't dating, Sayu. You know that."
Sayu rolls her eyes at that. "Yeah right. You practically give him heart eyes whenever he comes over for dinner," she says, playfully bumping into Light's side. "Plus, he brings over cake for you. That's a sign of love for sure."
"I don't even eat it!" Light argues, eyes set into a slight glare. "And I don't give him heart eyes whenever he comes over for dinner. You're just seeing things."
"Right…" Sayu lets her voice trail off, and the two silently play their game, not saying a word for a while. The silence is interrupted by Sachiko announcing that it was almost time for dinner, and that Soichiro invited L over for dinner again.
"Awe, your boyfriend's coming over!" Sayu teases, giggling whenever Light tosses one of her stuffed animals at her in retaliation.
"He's not my boyfriend," he says for the last time, before heading to his room to get ready for dinner.
Dinner in the Yagami household is a simple, domestic affair, one that has been happening ever since Light was old enough to sit at the kitchen table and eat without any help from his parents. As they eat the meal that everyone thanks Sachiko for making, Soichiro asks the two of them about school and their friends, making simple, mindless small talk that helps take his mind off of the stresses his job brings him.
However, whenever Soichiro brings a co-worker over, they usually end up discussing cases, not going too into detail because Sachiko always scolds her husband for bringing up work over dinner. When this co-worker is L, the detective chats with the oldest Yagami child, interested in Light's classes, his extracurriculars, and anything else that involves the brunet.
Sayu observes, as she always does, wishing she hadn't left her phone upstairs so she could text her friend about her brother and his not-boyfriend. The two are definitely eyefucking each other, even if Light will never admit it, and she sighs quietly and continues to eat her chicken.
After dinner, Light excuses himself, and L follows suit, trailing the younger man as they go to his room, claiming he wants to look over an assignment of Light's. Both Soichiro and Sachiko say nothing, but Sayu gives Light a cheeky grin that makes him huff ever so quietly.
Once the two are in Light's room, the brunet heads towards his bag to get out his homework, while L notices his Nintendo Switch on his desk. It's still stuck on Tomadachi Life, and he looks at the game curiously. "I didn't know Light-kun liked to play video games," he says, looking at the young man.
Light freezes slightly, realizing his mistake, and he turns to L, homework in hand. "Sayu and I play together sometimes," he tells him, plastering on a smile. "I can show you, if you'd like?"
They end up sitting on his bed, Light sitting criss-crossed while L has his knees pulled to his chest, leaning over as Light shows off the few Miis he has.
"Can you make me one?" L asks suddenly, causing Light to stare for a few seconds too long.
Clearing his throat, he nods. "If that's what you'd like." He spends the next half hour trying to make the Mii as accurate as possible, and once Light is satisfied, he shows it to L, who smiles the slightest bit.
Light's chest feels weird all of a sudden, so he turns back to the screen. His and L's Miis are meeting, and it's kind of cute, in a weird way. He plays the game while L watches, and they stay like this for a while until L's Mii reveals that he has a crush on Light's Mii.
Before Light can say anything—not that he'd even know what to say in such a situation—L decides to speak instead. "I suppose art imitates life after all, hm, Light-kun?"
"Excuse me?" Light almost gets whiplash with how fast he turns his head to face L, eyebrows raised in shock. "What did you say?"
L shrugs, not getting the chance to answer because Soichiro calls for him, offering to drive him home. "I'll see you again soon, Light-kun," he tells the younger, standing up from the bed and leaving Light to bury his face in his pillow, screaming into it after he hears the front door shut.
Sayu pads into the room, sitting beside her brother and patting his head. "So, do you like Tomodachi Life?" she asks, running her fingers through light brown strands in an effort to soothe.
Light sighs into the fabric of his pillow, not bothering to lift his head up. "It's terrible," he says, though when Sayu peeks at his Nintendo Switch screen, she sees his Mii and L's Mii chatting, as well as their relationships with one another.
Huh. Art imitates Tomodachi Life after all.