The late nights out adventuring down in the gateway were making L tired. Yes, for once he was tired. So he managed to make it back before anyone in the orphanage was awake, and immediately fell asleep when he did. The late nights were definitely getting to him.

When the kids started to wake up and head down the halls to breakfast he wasn't even woken by the floorboards creaking under their feet. He was well and truly out of it. Even the school bell on the other side of the orphanage didn't wake him.

Before he knew it he'd slept in until midday, and was only awoken when Watari came to get him.

"L... Lawliet!"

Suddenly waking from his slumber he groggily rubbed his eyes and took a second for his vision to adjust.

"Huh- oh it's you" he yawned.

"While I'm glad you're getting sleep now isn't the time to be sleeping"

L had completely forgotten what today was in his half asleep state, and just tried to pull the blankets back up and go back to sleep.

"Five more minutes-" he asked.

"L you're 23 you really need to start setting alarms. Get up the boys will be here soon" Watari replied.

The sentence didn't fully process until a few minutes after Watari had left him to get ready for the day... well afternoon since the day was already half over.

"Wait the boys... wait thE BOYS THATS TODAY-" he suddenly realised, throwing the blankets back and getting out of bed.

Looking at the clock was a bit of a shock, he wasn't used to sleeping in so late. He threw his clothes into the washing basket and swapped them for the same outfit, but clean. Tucking the shell necklace you'd given him under his shirt. Leaving his room he found the halls and rooms empty as the kids were all off in class. Being an adult and long time resident of the orphanage as well as foster son of the owner gave him staff room kitchen rights, so he went straight to the cupboard for the sweetest thing he could see.

At this point in time, it was a box of panda crackers. Man when he's away there's barely anything sweet in the cupboards... well now he's back that problem would soon be fixed.

Panda crackers weren't a very big breakfast, but after the food he'd had last night with you he didn't need one. A little rushed he paced around the orphanage running usual morning errands like brushing teeth and re-filling the soap dispenser with the one brand that didn't give him rashes. The joys of sensitive skin...

Before the arrival of the new boys, there was something else he wanted to do. Heading up to the second floor library it was empty but had clearly been used by a class a little earlier due to the chairs being moved and books on the tables.

"Ah sleeping beauty is awake is he?"

L must be a bit jumpy today in his half asleep state, because the librarians voice startled him.

"Huh- oh, Ms Applebee... yeah, I'm awake" he replied.

"I haven't seen you sleep that long since you got the flu back in grade 6" she said.

"That was the sickest I've ever been and I hated every second of it. I guess I'm just...uh...Getting my body clock back on track"

Ms applebee was sorting books as usual, this time it was picture books. L was able to deduce that the pre-primary aged kids were in here earlier from that and the state of the room alone. There weren't many under 6 at the orphanage, but the small class was a rowdy bunch.

"Was it the little kids?" He asked.

"Yep, they were having story time today" she replied.

"Any other classes in here today?"

"Class C are doing a reading analysis here later on. Not that you'll be in here with your babysitting job, but don't worry I'm sure Linda will be keeping your spot by the window warm, she always sits there"

"Linda...? Oh the one in the art program. She's so young but her art skills are incredible..."

Despite not being at the orphanage all the time, L did know a good chunk of the kids. When the successor program started its second run he had to go through all the kids and see if any were fit for it. At the moment, there were none. Sure all the kids were gifted but in different areas. L remembers considering giving Linda a spot in the program due to her amazing problem solving skills but she was clearly an artist and L didn't want to take that from her.

"She's about the same age as the older boys coming in today. They'll probably be in the same class actually" ms applebee said.

"The oldest is 8 right? And the youngest 6"

"Correct, all of them are a year apart. It's rather convenient that all three of them come in at the same time and are so close in age, it's almost like they were meant to be friends all along. It's almost... like magic"

L wouldn't have given the sentence much thought if he didn't get a rather knowing look from his childhood librarian. Like magic huh... either she was making a joke about his sudden interest in fairytales or she knew something. That reminded him why he'd come up here in the first place though.

"Speaking of magic... you wouldn't happen to have the full version of the 12 dancing princesses would you?" He asked.

After you told him that all fairytales have some truth in them, he realised the gateway in that story was similar to the one he was using, and he wanted to see if there was any information hidden in the fairytale.

"I think so, it'll be in with the nursery rhymes and fairytale treasures" Ms applebee replied.

L walked into the aisle of bookshelves, scanning down the spines for the titles of the books until he found the one he was looking for. On the cover the outline of a ballerina with a flower for a tutu, the letting pink and in cursive. A very typically feminine design telling him the book was written for little girls and not adult men. But with his knowledge of the gateway, he could consider himself part of the secret target audience.

Plus who says boys can't like pink? He actually found it rather pretty.

"I'll bring it back in one piece I promise" L said, taking the book and heading for the staircase back into the hall.

"I wouldn't expect any less from my star reader" ms applebee said.

As L approached the door with the intent of stashing the book in his room to read after he met the boys, the librarians voice spoke up again.

"And L..." she began.

L turned to face her.

"Nice necklace... that same friend who got you into fairytales give it to you?"

She knew... she absolutely knew something. If L wasn't in a rush he'd interrogate her for answers, but he'd have to do that another day. On top of unraveling the mystery of the gateway world and being put in charge of helping raise three kids, he had a lot on his plate and for once it wasn't a murder case.

"...yeah, she did" he replied.