Rewrite (Death Note, L/Misa #27)
Title: Rewrite (22/30)
Author: justaminuet
Pairing: Ryuuzaki "L"/Amane Misa
Fandom: Death Note
Theme: #27 - Overflow
Rating: PG-13
Warning: Quasi-spoiler for L's real name.
Disclaimer: Death Note belongs to Tsugumi Ohba, and Takeshi Obata. Not me.
Author's Note: Story (and future chapters) centers around an AT idea of the possibility of Misa meeting L before either of them met Light. Previous chapter is here. The story starts here.
At the headquarters of the Kira Investigation Team, the first night of surveillance in Amane Misa's home revealed nothing more than a petite model who ate salad with tea for dinner, liked to hum a little to herself now and then, and went dutifully to bed at ten thirty.
It did not reveal the large white shinigami that followed the girl around the entire time, explaining just what had happened at her apartment during her strategic date with Ryuuzaki.
It did not pick up Rem's voice, as she spoke with venom dripping from each word, disgust at both the detective known as L and his henchmen that had broken into Misa's home like petty criminals. How they had installed at least two cameras in every room, with one even in her bathroom. Misa barely held in her shudder of revulsion, not even feeling the slightest bit of relief when Rem noted that it was installed near the door, and her shower curtain would most likely cover her during showers. After all, that was only a guess, and it didn't hide anything else she'd do in there.
However, Misa managed to not panic, instead keeping herself focused on what Rem told her. The shinigami was used to Misa making the decisions, but from her partner's rigid posture at the mention of the cameras, Rem decided that she would take control for once. She would not allow a moment of fear to give L the opportunity to somehow incriminate Misa in anything, which she was certain he would do if he ever got suspicious that Misa knew even more than he'd already guessed. She didn't care what Misa thought or felt for the detective. As far as Rem was concerned, he'd just climbed up to the tallest rung on her ladder of dislike, firmly sharing the spot with Yagami Light.
So, Rem had calmly told Misa to go about her business like she would, whatever it was. To not break her habits, because by now L knew what they were to some capacity. He'd notice if something was amiss. To solve the problem about not being about to communicate freely, the death god suggested Misa hum in answer to any simple questions she could pose. High notes to denote "yes," and lower for "no."
It was a simple, if a bit frustrating system, but it worked for the moment.
Like an obedient child, Misa followed Rem's orders to the letter. As if there was nothing at all horrible and perverse happening just a few feet above her head. And, for just a little while, she settled into a strange zone of controlled jitters. But when it came close to the time she needed to get ready for bed, Misa felt her breathing become difficult at the mere thought of undressing. It was only Rem's soothing tone that stopped her from going into hysterics. The shinigami was right; she could not afford to act strangely now. There would be a time later on where she could think of what to do. But while she was in her home (more like a prison now), she had a role to play. And Misa-Misa was nothing if not a natural actress.
Misa almost surprised herself at how calmly she had moved around her room as she changed into her sleep clothing. Though, she did secretly hope that whoever was watching her would somehow go blind in the near future, even if it was Ryuuzaki. Actually, she amended, especially if it was Ryuuzaki. At least his lackeys were just following orders.
oooo
Unsurprisingly, sleep did not come easy or for very long. For the most part, Misa had been awake, huddling under her covers and dreading when the morning came and she would need to do things that now required a lack of modesty that she had never possessed. Other idols may have been comfortable doing photo shoots in lingerie (and less), but while Misa teased every so often, she had a sense of taste that didn't allow her to go any farther than that. And now she had to use her bathroom while there was a camera in it? She had no guarantee that one of L's officers wouldn't sell a tape to the highest bidder. Didn't famous stars plummet into the dregs of the tabloids for things like this?
Regardless of her reluctance, her alarm rang right on time, and Misa forced herself back into her role of obliviousness. She hoped the perverts watching her enjoyed her show of eating breakfast, bringing in her paper (that she only got for the Kira articles), and her ever so exciting entrance into her bathroom (that was truly closer to a slow crawl), which included her turning on her shower first and foremost in the attempt to fog up the camera. She didn't know if it made any difference --wouldn't L think of something like the lens misting over in a bathroom?-- but it made her feel better.
It was ironic, but Misa only felt safe again once she was out of her apartment. It was a figurative and literal breath of fresh air. She didn't hesitate to pull out her phone and let Rem know.
"Misa has never been so angry in her life!" she hissed into the receiver, as if there really was someone on the other line. "I-I feel... Ryuuzaki-san is such a pervert!"
For once, her statement did not hold its usual teasing tone. She was actually shaking with rage. It took all of Rem's strength not to write L's name down right then and there. Because, while it would make her feel worlds better, once Misa's fury dissipated (and Rem was sure it would, because human love was strange and forgiving like that), she would be devastated by the loss.
With a reluctant sigh, the shinigami tried a different tactic with her partner. After all, this could still be used to the death god's advantage. Rem was, unashamedly so, dedicated to Misa's protection to the bitter end. If she happened to steamroll a couple human males along the way, well, those were the breaks.
"You know, Misa," she cautiously began, "L most likely set up the cameras because of your newly established connection to Yagami Light."
The girl pouted. "Why would you think that?"
"Think about it, Misa," Rem said. "You saw him at the campus with the Yagami boy. He is L, the one you keep telling me is this world's brilliant detective. Surely, he at least suspects him. And, if L suspects him, wouldn't it make sense that he'd have Yagami followed when possible?" Rem carefully left out the part where, during her time following L, she had listened in very intently on many of his conversations with the Kira investigation team. Yagami Light was not only the prime suspect; he was the only suspect as far as L was concerned. Misa, however, did not need to be burdened by that fact.
"Well, yes," Misa reluctantly admitted. "But Misa wore a disguise all the times she was with Light!"
"And you honestly think L wouldn't recognize you after all this time?"
Misa's mouth opened in protest for a moment, before closing into a frown. She looked a little deflated at the revelation. Rem supposed she couldn't blame her. Misa had taken such pride in her fake identity.
"So, if Ryuuzaki-san thinks he can use Misa to get to Light," the girl scrunched her nose in disgust, "why put cameras in Misa's house?"
"How else could they reliably spy on both of you?"
"But I've never... " Misa suddenly turned a very bright red. "I wouldn't invite Light over like that! Misa is not that type of girl!"
"L comes over all the time," Rem noted.
The girl flailed a bit, flustered. "That's different! Ryuuzaki-san is different. Sometimes Misa isn't even sure what Ryuuzaki-san is," she sighed.
"I know exactly what he is," the death god said. "He's trouble."
oooo
Much to Rem's rather pleasant surprise, Misa's anger towards the detective did not waver even after two weeks of twenty-four hour "secret" surveillance. While at home, Misa was routine to the point of monotonous, unless she was on the phone with her sister. Mamori always seemed to get Misa animated, moving around the house as she talked and giggled and shouted, depending on her mood during the conversations. Rem silently thanked Mamori for the emotional uplifting that she herself could not seem to give her partner. She figured it was another human thing --a family thing-- that she would simply never understand.
The only thing that Misa started doing around the house that, prior to the cameras was not necessarily a priority in her schedule, was rigorously cleaning the apartment from top to bottom. From mopping, to dusting, to vacuuming, and back again if needed. Not that cleaning was a bad thing, and it did keep Misa occupied, but it still left Rem perplexed. Misa had never been this obsessed over everything being spotless.
Misa focused her continued fury with Ryuuzaki into her photo shoots and a commercial she shot, turning it easily into coy smiles and perfectly timed flutters of elongated lashes. Professionally, Misa was enviously perfect. She was desired by every photographer and label for her now well known impeccable shots and takes. It was impressive to watch her turn on and off like a light switch. To Rem, it was also a bit worrisome.
It was shortly after a particularly long and grueling photo shoot that Misa found herself stopping by the small park that was nearby, instead of calling herself a taxi. It was not quite dusk yet, and the longer she stayed away from her apartment, the better she felt. The sky was an ominous gray blanket, but Misa was somewhat grateful for the threat of rain. There were less people out because of it, and she had not bothered with her disguise on this day. It seemed pointless to her now.
Rem would probably chide her, and tell her to go home. That she was to keep with her schedule, and not look suspicious. But Rem was busy following Ryuuzaki today (or so she said), and Misa didn't see how stopping at a park by herself would seem odd or dangerous. What was the worst she could do there? Litter?
Her eyes wandered to the fountain ahead of her. A few geese swam there, happily enjoying the humid summer afternoon. Misa felt a little guilty not having anything to feed them. Her mother had always made it a habit to bring any staling bread with them if they ever went to a park. They'd spend so much time feeding the birds that her father would almost have to literally drag his wife and child away to do other things. Her mother would be disappointed in her. Misa sniffled a bit. Her mother would be disappointed for a lot of reasons.
The weight on the bench she was sitting on shifted, and Misa's head snapped up in surprise. The person who had sat next to her was no one she recalled ever seeing. An elderly man, though he seemed fit for his age, in a suit and tie. With his graying hair and moustache, golf umbrella he was using to rest his hands, and immaculate little bowler hat atop his wrinkled head, he looked rather like a butler from all those old Hollywood movies Misa watched while she was trying to learn English.
"Pardon me," he said, with such perfect diction that Misa was sure that Japanese was not his native language. "You don't mind my sitting here, do you?"
She shook her head, forcing a smile on her face. "No, of course not!"
He returned the smile. "Thank you." He turned his attention to the geese, then.
Quickly, Misa glanced at the name that floated above his head. If his formal way of speaking and European features didn't give his foreigner status away, his odd name spelled out in Roman letters did. Misa was fairly certain she could pronounce his family name, but his given one completely baffled her. Sometimes she wondered if people put any thought into naming their children. Or maybe they put too much.
The old man reached into his pocket then, pulling out a paper bag, which he unrolled the top of. Misa watched him dig his hand inside it for a moment, before pulling it out, and flinging it forward, fingers unclenching and the allowing croutons he was holding to scatter a few feet from them.
It was like a gunshot had gone off.
The geese from the fountain, in a mad dash of feathers and honks, had gathered in front of them, all doing their best to eat as much as they could. Good humoredly, the man offered them another handful, which they again fought over eagerly.
"Such greedy little things," he chuckled.
Misa watched the water fowl with a wistful smile. It was nice to see something that gave her a feeling of fond nostalgia, interrupting her now usual worry of the future.
The man noticed her watching and offered the bag to her. "Would you like to feed them, too?" he asked, kindly.
"Oh!" She glanced down at the sack of crumbs. "May I?"
He gave her a friendly smile. "Of course."
Misa took a small bit of the croutons, and sent them flying, giggling as the geese flapped and squawked excitedly.
"This is a lovely park," the old man commented. "I wish I had found it sooner."
"You're on vacation?" Misa asked.
"You could say that," he said, "But it's mostly business related."
She wrinkled her nose. "Doesn't sound like a very fun vacation."
He laughed. "I suppose not."
"Misa would like to go on a vacation someday soon. Somewhere far away from her busy job, where her manager can't call her and bug her," she confessed. She doubted this foreigner would know who she was, so she didn't feel the need to be cautious about what she said regarding her idol status. "Somewhere romantic."
"That sounds nice," the man told her.
"Yes, but it won't happen."
"Why not?"
Misa sighed melodramatically. "Because I have a very dumb... boyfriend." The last word wavered a bit. Did she still want to refer to Ryuuzaki like that?
The elderly man raised one bushy brow. "Dumb, you say?"
"Very dumb!" she nodded her head. Her frustration was back with avengence then, finally having a desperately needed outlet in this unfortunate stranger. "He says and does stupid things all the time! He sits poorly, and eats terribly. He wears the same clothing every day, and I don't think he's ever brushed his hair. He never sleeps, and says perverted things. He always has to be right, no matter what. He's busy with work all the time. And I mean all the time! I don't think there's really a moment that he isn't working, not even when he's with me. I mean, he's only taken me out on one date! And after the date he... " she slowed herself a bit there, fairly certain that saying that Ryuuzaki had installed cameras in her house would be a rather awkward moment. "...He didn't call me. It's been two weeks, and he hasn't called me once."
"...Oh."
She continued, her rant going back to full steam, "What sort of boyfriend does that? A dumb one! A very, very dumb one! Misa has been very good to him. Very devoted. She's done a lot. And she could've dated much better looking guys. Guys that would've taken her to lots of expensive restaurants, and would've gotten her all sorts of fancy gifts. And would've never woken her up in the middle of night to talk just because they were bored!
"But Misa stayed with Ryuuzaki-san because she liked being with him best. Because he made her happiest. And all Misa wants is... All I want is... " her voice hitched. She wanted a lot of things. She wanted Light to never be caught, and be her shining hero forever. She wanted Ryuuzaki to not be L. She wanted her sister there at the moment to hold her so she wouldn't feel so stupid crying in front of a stranger. Most of all, she wanted... "I just want him to trust me," she whispered, wiping furiously at her suddenly wet face. "Why doesn't he trust me? Why? I care so much, and- "
Fabric pressing against her face caused Misa to jerk a little, eyes fluttering open.
She blinked a bit to clear her blurry eyes, and was dumfounded as the elderly man proceeded to pat her cheeks with a delicate looking handkerchief.
"Now, now," he clucked with a small frown. "Pretty young ladies should never have to cry."
Misa looked down, mortified. "I'm sorry. I shouldn't have said all those things."
"Quite alright," he assured her, holding out the handkerchief. "Here. Dry your face."
Misa took him up on his offer, taking the hanky and dabbing the tears away. "Thank you."
"Sometimes it feels good to just let it out, hmmm?" the man asked. "It's a good thing to do, when you think about it. You hold what you feel inside for too long, and you'll either explode or forget to feel at all. So," he gave Misa a little pat on the head, "don't you worry about a thing."
She smiled. Misa liked this grandfatherly man. More people should be nice like he was.
A drop of wetness fell onto Misa's cheek, and she wiped it away with a frown. She didn't think she was crying anymore. But then another drop touched her cheek. And another on her forehead, until it became apparent that it was the sky that was crying, and not her.
"Oh, no!" She hopped up, her quick movement startling the straggling geese away. She'd never make it to the train station before getting soaked.
The elderly man stood, opening his umbrella with practiced ease, and held it over the two of them. "There we go now. Better."
"Thank you so much, but Misa should run to her train now," she said.
"Really? Well then, you should take my umbrella," he stated with a grin.
Misa's eyes widened, and she blushed a little, wildly shaking her hands in front of her. "I couldn't do that! You'll get all wet!"
"I've handled worse, I assure you," there was an amused sparkle in his eyes.
She shook her head. "I really can't. It's my own fault for not taking an umbrella myself."
"Well, if you insist on not taking it," he said, "I insist on escorting you to your train."
Misa blinked a few times. "Huh?"
"Come along," the man smiled, gracefully linking arms with her, and gently guiding her along. "Mustn't be late."
She was so stunned at the genuinely chivalrist behavior, that she couldn't come up with a proper argument to stop him. Truthfully, Misa wasn't very confident with walking to the station by herself when it was getting dark, especially with Rem not around. Having the old man with her made her feel safe.
When they arrived at the station the board alerted them that Misa still had five minutes until her train would be there for boarding. Misa turned to the man, and gave him a thousand watt smile that was, for the first time in weeks, sincere.
"Thank you. You've been really sweet to Misa when you didn't need to be."
"My pleasure," he assured her. "A gentleman would never leave a lady out in the rain."
"Hmmmm." She bet Ryuuzaki would, if the circumstances permitted it.
"Um, young lady," he began a bit hesitantly. "May I give a bit of advice?"
Misa shrugged. "Sure."
He gave her a small smile, before speaking in a worldly tone. "Forgive me if I am out of line, but this... boyfriend of yours? Do you really care about him?"
She was caught off guard by the question, which is probably why she answered so honestly. "Well, yes. Misa cares a lot."
The man tapped his chin a moment in a manner that actually reminded Misa of Ryuuzaki. "If that's the case, don't you think that there's a reason for it?"
Misa tilted her head, confused. "I'm sorry?"
"You see, it seems to me that if you can list all these many flaws he has, but yet still feel that strongly towards him, you must see something in him that makes it all worth it," he concluded.
She furrowed her brow. She honestly didn't know why she felt what she did anymore. Every time she thought that Ryuuzaki was doing something because he cared, the truth of the matter would turn up and laugh at her stupidity. She was beginning to feel that there was nothing about their relationship that was real on his end. And yet she couldn't help but hope to be wrong, no matter how many times it was proven otherwise.
"Some men are a little thicker than others," the old man whispered, conspiratorially. "But they open up sooner or later."
"Misa doesn't think he'll ever open up," she solemnly admitted.
He frowned sadly. "Maybe. But," he raised a finger, smiling again, "I have a very good feeling that he'll call you soon."
She laughed. "That would be nice."
The train arrived then, and he walked her to the doors.
"Ah! Before you go." With a small flourish, the man took off his hat, and placed it on Misa's head. It was a little big, and slipped past her pigtails, stopping just above her eyes. "There."
Instinctively, Misa grabbed the hat. "But- "
"You leave that on, young lady," he said with a fatherly authority. "If you won't take my umbrella home, at least the hat will stop your head from getting completely wet."
Slowly, Misa grinned. "You know what? Misa thinks that if her boyfriend grows to be half as sweet as you, she'll be very lucky."
The man blushed a little. "I personally think that he's the lucky one."
oooo
That night, the Kira Investigation Team watched as Amane Misa went about her ritual of cleaning every nook and cranny of her apartment, albeit with a little more liveliness than she usually had. The only thing that seemed out of place was the bowler hat that she had apparently acquired through out the day. But while it appeared rather odd to most of the team, it answered a question that L had posed to Watari when he had seen him in the older man's private observation room earlier in the evening.
It was also the last night that Watari was assigned to shadowing Misa outside her apartment.
Author: justaminuet
Pairing: Ryuuzaki "L"/Amane Misa
Fandom: Death Note
Theme: #27 - Overflow
Rating: PG-13
Warning: Quasi-spoiler for L's real name.
Disclaimer: Death Note belongs to Tsugumi Ohba, and Takeshi Obata. Not me.
Author's Note: Story (and future chapters) centers around an AT idea of the possibility of Misa meeting L before either of them met Light. Previous chapter is here. The story starts here.
At the headquarters of the Kira Investigation Team, the first night of surveillance in Amane Misa's home revealed nothing more than a petite model who ate salad with tea for dinner, liked to hum a little to herself now and then, and went dutifully to bed at ten thirty.
It did not reveal the large white shinigami that followed the girl around the entire time, explaining just what had happened at her apartment during her strategic date with Ryuuzaki.
It did not pick up Rem's voice, as she spoke with venom dripping from each word, disgust at both the detective known as L and his henchmen that had broken into Misa's home like petty criminals. How they had installed at least two cameras in every room, with one even in her bathroom. Misa barely held in her shudder of revulsion, not even feeling the slightest bit of relief when Rem noted that it was installed near the door, and her shower curtain would most likely cover her during showers. After all, that was only a guess, and it didn't hide anything else she'd do in there.
However, Misa managed to not panic, instead keeping herself focused on what Rem told her. The shinigami was used to Misa making the decisions, but from her partner's rigid posture at the mention of the cameras, Rem decided that she would take control for once. She would not allow a moment of fear to give L the opportunity to somehow incriminate Misa in anything, which she was certain he would do if he ever got suspicious that Misa knew even more than he'd already guessed. She didn't care what Misa thought or felt for the detective. As far as Rem was concerned, he'd just climbed up to the tallest rung on her ladder of dislike, firmly sharing the spot with Yagami Light.
So, Rem had calmly told Misa to go about her business like she would, whatever it was. To not break her habits, because by now L knew what they were to some capacity. He'd notice if something was amiss. To solve the problem about not being about to communicate freely, the death god suggested Misa hum in answer to any simple questions she could pose. High notes to denote "yes," and lower for "no."
It was a simple, if a bit frustrating system, but it worked for the moment.
Like an obedient child, Misa followed Rem's orders to the letter. As if there was nothing at all horrible and perverse happening just a few feet above her head. And, for just a little while, she settled into a strange zone of controlled jitters. But when it came close to the time she needed to get ready for bed, Misa felt her breathing become difficult at the mere thought of undressing. It was only Rem's soothing tone that stopped her from going into hysterics. The shinigami was right; she could not afford to act strangely now. There would be a time later on where she could think of what to do. But while she was in her home (more like a prison now), she had a role to play. And Misa-Misa was nothing if not a natural actress.
Misa almost surprised herself at how calmly she had moved around her room as she changed into her sleep clothing. Though, she did secretly hope that whoever was watching her would somehow go blind in the near future, even if it was Ryuuzaki. Actually, she amended, especially if it was Ryuuzaki. At least his lackeys were just following orders.
oooo
Unsurprisingly, sleep did not come easy or for very long. For the most part, Misa had been awake, huddling under her covers and dreading when the morning came and she would need to do things that now required a lack of modesty that she had never possessed. Other idols may have been comfortable doing photo shoots in lingerie (and less), but while Misa teased every so often, she had a sense of taste that didn't allow her to go any farther than that. And now she had to use her bathroom while there was a camera in it? She had no guarantee that one of L's officers wouldn't sell a tape to the highest bidder. Didn't famous stars plummet into the dregs of the tabloids for things like this?
Regardless of her reluctance, her alarm rang right on time, and Misa forced herself back into her role of obliviousness. She hoped the perverts watching her enjoyed her show of eating breakfast, bringing in her paper (that she only got for the Kira articles), and her ever so exciting entrance into her bathroom (that was truly closer to a slow crawl), which included her turning on her shower first and foremost in the attempt to fog up the camera. She didn't know if it made any difference --wouldn't L think of something like the lens misting over in a bathroom?-- but it made her feel better.
It was ironic, but Misa only felt safe again once she was out of her apartment. It was a figurative and literal breath of fresh air. She didn't hesitate to pull out her phone and let Rem know.
"Misa has never been so angry in her life!" she hissed into the receiver, as if there really was someone on the other line. "I-I feel... Ryuuzaki-san is such a pervert!"
For once, her statement did not hold its usual teasing tone. She was actually shaking with rage. It took all of Rem's strength not to write L's name down right then and there. Because, while it would make her feel worlds better, once Misa's fury dissipated (and Rem was sure it would, because human love was strange and forgiving like that), she would be devastated by the loss.
With a reluctant sigh, the shinigami tried a different tactic with her partner. After all, this could still be used to the death god's advantage. Rem was, unashamedly so, dedicated to Misa's protection to the bitter end. If she happened to steamroll a couple human males along the way, well, those were the breaks.
"You know, Misa," she cautiously began, "L most likely set up the cameras because of your newly established connection to Yagami Light."
The girl pouted. "Why would you think that?"
"Think about it, Misa," Rem said. "You saw him at the campus with the Yagami boy. He is L, the one you keep telling me is this world's brilliant detective. Surely, he at least suspects him. And, if L suspects him, wouldn't it make sense that he'd have Yagami followed when possible?" Rem carefully left out the part where, during her time following L, she had listened in very intently on many of his conversations with the Kira investigation team. Yagami Light was not only the prime suspect; he was the only suspect as far as L was concerned. Misa, however, did not need to be burdened by that fact.
"Well, yes," Misa reluctantly admitted. "But Misa wore a disguise all the times she was with Light!"
"And you honestly think L wouldn't recognize you after all this time?"
Misa's mouth opened in protest for a moment, before closing into a frown. She looked a little deflated at the revelation. Rem supposed she couldn't blame her. Misa had taken such pride in her fake identity.
"So, if Ryuuzaki-san thinks he can use Misa to get to Light," the girl scrunched her nose in disgust, "why put cameras in Misa's house?"
"How else could they reliably spy on both of you?"
"But I've never... " Misa suddenly turned a very bright red. "I wouldn't invite Light over like that! Misa is not that type of girl!"
"L comes over all the time," Rem noted.
The girl flailed a bit, flustered. "That's different! Ryuuzaki-san is different. Sometimes Misa isn't even sure what Ryuuzaki-san is," she sighed.
"I know exactly what he is," the death god said. "He's trouble."
oooo
Much to Rem's rather pleasant surprise, Misa's anger towards the detective did not waver even after two weeks of twenty-four hour "secret" surveillance. While at home, Misa was routine to the point of monotonous, unless she was on the phone with her sister. Mamori always seemed to get Misa animated, moving around the house as she talked and giggled and shouted, depending on her mood during the conversations. Rem silently thanked Mamori for the emotional uplifting that she herself could not seem to give her partner. She figured it was another human thing --a family thing-- that she would simply never understand.
The only thing that Misa started doing around the house that, prior to the cameras was not necessarily a priority in her schedule, was rigorously cleaning the apartment from top to bottom. From mopping, to dusting, to vacuuming, and back again if needed. Not that cleaning was a bad thing, and it did keep Misa occupied, but it still left Rem perplexed. Misa had never been this obsessed over everything being spotless.
Misa focused her continued fury with Ryuuzaki into her photo shoots and a commercial she shot, turning it easily into coy smiles and perfectly timed flutters of elongated lashes. Professionally, Misa was enviously perfect. She was desired by every photographer and label for her now well known impeccable shots and takes. It was impressive to watch her turn on and off like a light switch. To Rem, it was also a bit worrisome.
It was shortly after a particularly long and grueling photo shoot that Misa found herself stopping by the small park that was nearby, instead of calling herself a taxi. It was not quite dusk yet, and the longer she stayed away from her apartment, the better she felt. The sky was an ominous gray blanket, but Misa was somewhat grateful for the threat of rain. There were less people out because of it, and she had not bothered with her disguise on this day. It seemed pointless to her now.
Rem would probably chide her, and tell her to go home. That she was to keep with her schedule, and not look suspicious. But Rem was busy following Ryuuzaki today (or so she said), and Misa didn't see how stopping at a park by herself would seem odd or dangerous. What was the worst she could do there? Litter?
Her eyes wandered to the fountain ahead of her. A few geese swam there, happily enjoying the humid summer afternoon. Misa felt a little guilty not having anything to feed them. Her mother had always made it a habit to bring any staling bread with them if they ever went to a park. They'd spend so much time feeding the birds that her father would almost have to literally drag his wife and child away to do other things. Her mother would be disappointed in her. Misa sniffled a bit. Her mother would be disappointed for a lot of reasons.
The weight on the bench she was sitting on shifted, and Misa's head snapped up in surprise. The person who had sat next to her was no one she recalled ever seeing. An elderly man, though he seemed fit for his age, in a suit and tie. With his graying hair and moustache, golf umbrella he was using to rest his hands, and immaculate little bowler hat atop his wrinkled head, he looked rather like a butler from all those old Hollywood movies Misa watched while she was trying to learn English.
"Pardon me," he said, with such perfect diction that Misa was sure that Japanese was not his native language. "You don't mind my sitting here, do you?"
She shook her head, forcing a smile on her face. "No, of course not!"
He returned the smile. "Thank you." He turned his attention to the geese, then.
Quickly, Misa glanced at the name that floated above his head. If his formal way of speaking and European features didn't give his foreigner status away, his odd name spelled out in Roman letters did. Misa was fairly certain she could pronounce his family name, but his given one completely baffled her. Sometimes she wondered if people put any thought into naming their children. Or maybe they put too much.
The old man reached into his pocket then, pulling out a paper bag, which he unrolled the top of. Misa watched him dig his hand inside it for a moment, before pulling it out, and flinging it forward, fingers unclenching and the allowing croutons he was holding to scatter a few feet from them.
It was like a gunshot had gone off.
The geese from the fountain, in a mad dash of feathers and honks, had gathered in front of them, all doing their best to eat as much as they could. Good humoredly, the man offered them another handful, which they again fought over eagerly.
"Such greedy little things," he chuckled.
Misa watched the water fowl with a wistful smile. It was nice to see something that gave her a feeling of fond nostalgia, interrupting her now usual worry of the future.
The man noticed her watching and offered the bag to her. "Would you like to feed them, too?" he asked, kindly.
"Oh!" She glanced down at the sack of crumbs. "May I?"
He gave her a friendly smile. "Of course."
Misa took a small bit of the croutons, and sent them flying, giggling as the geese flapped and squawked excitedly.
"This is a lovely park," the old man commented. "I wish I had found it sooner."
"You're on vacation?" Misa asked.
"You could say that," he said, "But it's mostly business related."
She wrinkled her nose. "Doesn't sound like a very fun vacation."
He laughed. "I suppose not."
"Misa would like to go on a vacation someday soon. Somewhere far away from her busy job, where her manager can't call her and bug her," she confessed. She doubted this foreigner would know who she was, so she didn't feel the need to be cautious about what she said regarding her idol status. "Somewhere romantic."
"That sounds nice," the man told her.
"Yes, but it won't happen."
"Why not?"
Misa sighed melodramatically. "Because I have a very dumb... boyfriend." The last word wavered a bit. Did she still want to refer to Ryuuzaki like that?
The elderly man raised one bushy brow. "Dumb, you say?"
"Very dumb!" she nodded her head. Her frustration was back with avengence then, finally having a desperately needed outlet in this unfortunate stranger. "He says and does stupid things all the time! He sits poorly, and eats terribly. He wears the same clothing every day, and I don't think he's ever brushed his hair. He never sleeps, and says perverted things. He always has to be right, no matter what. He's busy with work all the time. And I mean all the time! I don't think there's really a moment that he isn't working, not even when he's with me. I mean, he's only taken me out on one date! And after the date he... " she slowed herself a bit there, fairly certain that saying that Ryuuzaki had installed cameras in her house would be a rather awkward moment. "...He didn't call me. It's been two weeks, and he hasn't called me once."
"...Oh."
She continued, her rant going back to full steam, "What sort of boyfriend does that? A dumb one! A very, very dumb one! Misa has been very good to him. Very devoted. She's done a lot. And she could've dated much better looking guys. Guys that would've taken her to lots of expensive restaurants, and would've gotten her all sorts of fancy gifts. And would've never woken her up in the middle of night to talk just because they were bored!
"But Misa stayed with Ryuuzaki-san because she liked being with him best. Because he made her happiest. And all Misa wants is... All I want is... " her voice hitched. She wanted a lot of things. She wanted Light to never be caught, and be her shining hero forever. She wanted Ryuuzaki to not be L. She wanted her sister there at the moment to hold her so she wouldn't feel so stupid crying in front of a stranger. Most of all, she wanted... "I just want him to trust me," she whispered, wiping furiously at her suddenly wet face. "Why doesn't he trust me? Why? I care so much, and- "
Fabric pressing against her face caused Misa to jerk a little, eyes fluttering open.
She blinked a bit to clear her blurry eyes, and was dumfounded as the elderly man proceeded to pat her cheeks with a delicate looking handkerchief.
"Now, now," he clucked with a small frown. "Pretty young ladies should never have to cry."
Misa looked down, mortified. "I'm sorry. I shouldn't have said all those things."
"Quite alright," he assured her, holding out the handkerchief. "Here. Dry your face."
Misa took him up on his offer, taking the hanky and dabbing the tears away. "Thank you."
"Sometimes it feels good to just let it out, hmmm?" the man asked. "It's a good thing to do, when you think about it. You hold what you feel inside for too long, and you'll either explode or forget to feel at all. So," he gave Misa a little pat on the head, "don't you worry about a thing."
She smiled. Misa liked this grandfatherly man. More people should be nice like he was.
A drop of wetness fell onto Misa's cheek, and she wiped it away with a frown. She didn't think she was crying anymore. But then another drop touched her cheek. And another on her forehead, until it became apparent that it was the sky that was crying, and not her.
"Oh, no!" She hopped up, her quick movement startling the straggling geese away. She'd never make it to the train station before getting soaked.
The elderly man stood, opening his umbrella with practiced ease, and held it over the two of them. "There we go now. Better."
"Thank you so much, but Misa should run to her train now," she said.
"Really? Well then, you should take my umbrella," he stated with a grin.
Misa's eyes widened, and she blushed a little, wildly shaking her hands in front of her. "I couldn't do that! You'll get all wet!"
"I've handled worse, I assure you," there was an amused sparkle in his eyes.
She shook her head. "I really can't. It's my own fault for not taking an umbrella myself."
"Well, if you insist on not taking it," he said, "I insist on escorting you to your train."
Misa blinked a few times. "Huh?"
"Come along," the man smiled, gracefully linking arms with her, and gently guiding her along. "Mustn't be late."
She was so stunned at the genuinely chivalrist behavior, that she couldn't come up with a proper argument to stop him. Truthfully, Misa wasn't very confident with walking to the station by herself when it was getting dark, especially with Rem not around. Having the old man with her made her feel safe.
When they arrived at the station the board alerted them that Misa still had five minutes until her train would be there for boarding. Misa turned to the man, and gave him a thousand watt smile that was, for the first time in weeks, sincere.
"Thank you. You've been really sweet to Misa when you didn't need to be."
"My pleasure," he assured her. "A gentleman would never leave a lady out in the rain."
"Hmmmm." She bet Ryuuzaki would, if the circumstances permitted it.
"Um, young lady," he began a bit hesitantly. "May I give a bit of advice?"
Misa shrugged. "Sure."
He gave her a small smile, before speaking in a worldly tone. "Forgive me if I am out of line, but this... boyfriend of yours? Do you really care about him?"
She was caught off guard by the question, which is probably why she answered so honestly. "Well, yes. Misa cares a lot."
The man tapped his chin a moment in a manner that actually reminded Misa of Ryuuzaki. "If that's the case, don't you think that there's a reason for it?"
Misa tilted her head, confused. "I'm sorry?"
"You see, it seems to me that if you can list all these many flaws he has, but yet still feel that strongly towards him, you must see something in him that makes it all worth it," he concluded.
She furrowed her brow. She honestly didn't know why she felt what she did anymore. Every time she thought that Ryuuzaki was doing something because he cared, the truth of the matter would turn up and laugh at her stupidity. She was beginning to feel that there was nothing about their relationship that was real on his end. And yet she couldn't help but hope to be wrong, no matter how many times it was proven otherwise.
"Some men are a little thicker than others," the old man whispered, conspiratorially. "But they open up sooner or later."
"Misa doesn't think he'll ever open up," she solemnly admitted.
He frowned sadly. "Maybe. But," he raised a finger, smiling again, "I have a very good feeling that he'll call you soon."
She laughed. "That would be nice."
The train arrived then, and he walked her to the doors.
"Ah! Before you go." With a small flourish, the man took off his hat, and placed it on Misa's head. It was a little big, and slipped past her pigtails, stopping just above her eyes. "There."
Instinctively, Misa grabbed the hat. "But- "
"You leave that on, young lady," he said with a fatherly authority. "If you won't take my umbrella home, at least the hat will stop your head from getting completely wet."
Slowly, Misa grinned. "You know what? Misa thinks that if her boyfriend grows to be half as sweet as you, she'll be very lucky."
The man blushed a little. "I personally think that he's the lucky one."
oooo
That night, the Kira Investigation Team watched as Amane Misa went about her ritual of cleaning every nook and cranny of her apartment, albeit with a little more liveliness than she usually had. The only thing that seemed out of place was the bowler hat that she had apparently acquired through out the day. But while it appeared rather odd to most of the team, it answered a question that L had posed to Watari when he had seen him in the older man's private observation room earlier in the evening.
It was also the last night that Watari was assigned to shadowing Misa outside her apartment.