She eyed him speculatively from her seat next to the window and allowed herself the briefest of smiles. He was doing it again; sitting with his finger in his mouth, all curled up like a baby and rocking back and forth on the soles of his bare feet. He always did it, everyday. Sitting in the same place, wearing the same clothes, reading the same kind of book.
L, they called him around the orphanage. That was it. Just L. No second name, no expansion on the singular letter. Plain and simple L. They said he was strange, that he never spoke to anyone and all he ever did was read or do puzzles but Luri didn't think so. In fact she knew that wasn't the case. No one ever tried to speak to him so how could they say that he didn't talk? No one had ever watched him all day so how could they know that he never did anything else? But Luri had; she had spent each day at Whammy's House watching him, observing him. And she was proud to say that by doing so, she probably knew him better than anyone else in the orphanage.
Today, L was sitting in the playroom as usual, reading a crime book intended for ages well above his own and Luri – as usual – was by the window with her sketch pad, drawing whatever she saw that seemed worthwhile. It was her birthday today and the other kids and the adults were busy preparing a not-so-secret surprise party for her. But not L. He was never involved in that sort of thing. And she was glad because it meant he could be here with her, where she could watch him.
Another girl in the orphanage had once accused her of being a stalker. She'd said that people who watched other people all the time were nothing but scary little stalkers which, Luri supposed, was true to an extent. But the difference in her case was that she didn't go out of her way to watch him like a real stalker would. She just happened to be around and he was a fascinating person to watch. Messy, black hair; dark-rimmed eyes; chalk pale skin. Why, he was practically a zombie! And who wouldn't be intrigued by a zombie?
Luri herself was a bit older than L. Two, maybe three years. She didn't know for certain because she hadn't asked; in fact she hadn't spoken to him at all. Why? Well, there had never been a good enough reason to interrupt the companionable silence between them. She liked the quiet. After all there was never enough of it at Whammy's, in her opinion. And she was sure that he felt the same way.
"Ohhhhh Luuuuurrriiii!!!"
"Oh, no," Luri whispered, closing her sketch pad and facing the door through which Mrs Bronzer – the orphanage's appointed 'mother figure' – would appear at any second. She brushed her coppery coloured fringe out of her eyes and fixed the sloppy bun at the back of her head. Smoothing her outfit – a simple pair of sky blue shorts and white t-shirt – Luri stood and waited expectantly. Sure enough, Mrs Bronzer waddled in a second later with red-cheeked, out-of-breath excitement.
Mrs Abigail Bronzer was a large woman with a generally flustered appearance. She had shoulder length lemon-blonde hair, bright blue eyes and a smile that could lighten any room. As the caretaker in charge of the household necessities, Mrs Bronzer always had the respect and love – grudging though it be on Luri's part – of all the children. If there was one thing Luri had learned it was to appreciate the hand that fed her.
"Luri! There ye are m'dear! Yer pals are a' waitin' on ye in the scullery. It's time fer yer tea, hen." Mrs Bronzer said in that strange accent she had. When she'd first arrived, Luri had had some trouble understanding what she was saying. Apparently she came from the far North of Scotland.
"Yes, Mrs Bronzer." Luri replied with a curtsey, moving across the room towards the woman. She wasn't stupid; she knew her birthday party was ready and they'd sent Mrs Bronzer to fetch her. It wasn't even time for tea yet. As she passed him she could sense L watching her over his book with mild interest. On impulse she reached out and took his hand, pulling him gently with her towards the door.
It was a move that she hadn't expected herself to make and so when L peered at her curiously, Luri wasn't sure what to do. He cocked his head as if waiting for her to say something and in return she blinked, clutching his hand like a child looking for reassurance.
"Oh aye! That's richt. Ye can come along tae, L. C'mon the pair o' ye." Mrs Bronzer said leading the way down stairs. They both watched her go for a moment before turning to each other once again. L didn't move. Neither did Luri. At last she worked up the nerve to talk, addressing him for the first time ever.
"Are you coming, L?" she asked, refusing to release his hand.
"Why?" His voice was quiet... almost shy. But Luri could hear the immense intelligence in his tones and his question was more than it appeared. He wasn't just asking why he should go; he was asking why she wanted him to. A sharp mind, this one had. No wonder he was at Whammy's.
"It's my birthday party. I want you to come." she said simply, as if all was explained with those simple words.
"But why?" he inquired again.
"Because I do. It's only fair that I get to invite the one person I actually want there, wouldn't you say?"
After a moment of silent thought L nodded and placed his book to the side. He stood and itched the back of his left leg with his foot nervously, still hunched over despite the fact that he was no longer sitting down. There was a word to describe him... a word that fitted perfectly... he was... was... ah! He was adorable. Luri smiled and led him by the hand down to the kitchen.
/\
It was a normal, run of the mill party as parties go. A table laden with sweet treats of all sorts, balloons, presents and cake. Luri had seated L next to her at the table and presented him with a multicoloured party hat which he eyed with suspicion before sliding it onto his head over the mop of black hair. For the majority of the evening they'd eaten together silently, watching as the other children joined in games that both of them declined the offer to play. Even on the chair, L sat in the foetal position but Luri noticed that none of the adults questioned it. Strange as it was something they would usually be uptight about.
When the party finished L hopped off his chair and left the room immediately, headed no doubt for his abandoned book again. Luri followed, grabbing some left over chocolate cake as she did – she had discovered during the course of the festivities that L particularly liked cake.
As Luri had predicted, when she reached the playroom L was back in his favourite spot. He didn't look up as she entered and sat cross-legged opposite him after collecting her sketch book from the window. She placed the cake between them and took a chunk, putting it in her mouth and chewing slowly, watching as L did the same. Finally, he closed the book and stared at her, meeting her gaze with open curiosity.
"Why do you do it? Why do you watch me the way you do?" he questioned. He didn't seem angry about it. Or irritated. Just inquisitive. Luri considered his query carefully before replying, fingering the badge that read '10 Today' pinned to her white t-shirt.
"Hmmm... Because you're interesting. And... because you're like me." she mused, taking another bite of chocolate cake.
"What do you mean?"
"Well... you're not like the others. You look different. And act different too. And I like that. Also, you're part Japanese, aren't you? Like me? It's nice to not be totally alone."
L nodded, nibbling at his cake with wistful caution. "I am." he agreed, slowly. "But you've never spoken to me before. Why now?"
"I guess..." Luri hesitated, not fully understanding the answer herself. "I liked the quiet. And I didn't know what to say anyway. But it didn't seem to matter 'cause I felt that we were friends without having to say it."
"You too... Funny that."
It went quiet again and L took a big bite of cake, managing to cover his face in it. He proceeded to lick it off absently, stopping when Luri started laughing to look at her oddly. Luri pointed at his face where a solitary streak of chocolate remained untouched by his attempts to clean up but L didn't seem to understand. She grinned, getting up and moving in closer to him. She leaned in nearer and nearer until she was barely inches away. Then without warning...
...She licked right up his cheek.
Shocked, L sat frozen, unable to say anything. He touched his cheek and raised his eyebrows as Luri licked her lips thoughtfully. Then quick as a flash she did it again, backing off just as fast and nodding, as if something had been confirmed.
"You taste sweet." Luri announced, placing her sketch book on the floor and getting to her feet. "Sweet like chocolate."
"Wh-What?" L stuttered, still holding his defiled cheek in his hand. Luri chuckled and went to the door, turning around when she reached it to wave goodbye.
"You taste sweet; sweet like chocolate," she repeated. She ambled through the door and made off down the hall towards her bedroom. Just before she slipped out of sight she called back to him over her shoulder. "Night, L."
"N-Night. Luri." L called back. He sat in a stunned stupor for who knows how long, going over the day's events in his mind.
L had always known Luri was watching him. In truth he had been watching her too because, like she said, they were the same. And he too had felt they were friends without having to discuss it. With a small smile he picked up his book again. It looked like he had made his first true friend. Somehow the thought made him fill with a strange pressure... Happiness, he thought it was.
Just as L was about to continue reading his attention was drawn to Luri's sketch book. Nosily, he opened it, holding it by the corner and squinting at it as the pages fell past his face. In surprise he stared at a perfect drawing of himself, sitting in the playroom in his exact current position. Beneath the portrait were the Japanese symbols which read ' amai raiku chokore-to'. With another smile he spoke the words aloud in English.
"Sweet like chocolate."
This idea came to me after watching Death Note and then by pure coincidence listening to 'Sweet Like Chocolate' by Shanks and Bigfoot afterwards. I'm surprised no one else has noticed but this song suits L so well! ^_^
Oh yeah! If anyone couldn't understand Mrs Bronzer's speech tell me and I'll explain.
So anyway thanks for reading and if you could be a dear and review... :P