Well, in many 'Light x L Death Note Mate Fanfiction', a common theme is redemption. Light, who is a morally gray character in the original, often has a journey towards redemption in these fanfictions. Also, the theme of trust is very prevalent. Given their initial positions as enemies, building trust between Light and L is a major part of these stories. Additionally, there's the theme of facing external threats together, which forces them to rely on each other more and develop their relationship further.
One popular 'Light x L Death Note Mate Fanfiction' is 'A New Game'. It presents an alternate universe where Light and L have to team up in a different kind of battle against new threats. Another interesting one could be 'The Unlikely Alliance' which delves deep into their complex relationship and how they might work together despite their differences.
One common theme is the exploration of their intellectual rivalry turning into something more. Their constant mind games in the original series can be reimagined as a form of flirtation in yaoi fanfiction.
There might be a fanfiction where L discovers Light's identity as Kira much earlier, but instead of immediately trying to expose him, he decides to study Light's motives and actions more closely. This could involve some intense psychological battles between them as L tries to figure out what makes Light tick and Light tries to outwit L in a different way.
Well, I've heard that some fanfictions explore their complex relationship in really unique ways. However, it can be a bit hard to find the really good ones. You could also check out fanfiction.net. Just keep in mind that the quality can vary a great deal.
The popularity might be due to the intense relationship between L and Light in the original 'Death Note'. Fans are intrigued by their intellectual battles and so they like to explore different scenarios in fanfiction, including the 'lemon' ones.
One great 'l x light' Death Note fanfiction is 'The Game of Shadows'. It delves deep into the complex relationship between L and Light. It shows their intellectual battles in a different light, adding new twists to the original plot.
You can try Archive of Our Own (AO3). It has a large collection of fanfictions from various fandoms, including 'Death Note'. There are likely many well - written 'L x Light' fanfictions there with different themes and plotlines.
In such fanfiction, the power dynamics between Light and L can be really fascinating. Light is the owner of the Death Note, a very powerful tool, while L is the brilliant detective trying to catch him. In a yaoi - themed story, this power struggle can be intertwined with their budding romance. Some fanfictions might show Light using his wits and the Death Note to protect L in a different way than in the original story, creating a unique plot.
A common theme is the exploration of the power dynamic between L and Light. In the original series, they are adversaries, and in fanfiction, this often gets reimagined in different ways. Another theme is the idea of trust and betrayal. Since they are constantly trying to outwit each other, fanfictions play with the concept of whether they can truly trust one another. Also, the theme of hidden emotions is quite prevalent, as the characters in the original are not very open about their feelings, and fanfiction writers love to explore what lies beneath the surface.