AN: As soon as I got this idea in my head I thought 'yup, this story is too good for me'. But I sat down and wrote it anyway. :)

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"Ah, is this what you wanted, Manager-kun?" Misa's feminine voice called to Matsuda, who was intently searching the many books lining an old-fashioned bookcase.

He turned to see what she was showing him and smiled. "That's exactly it! Good job, Misa-misa!" Beaming proudly she helped him load the books they had collected into a cardboard box. Matsuda lifted it carefully and spoke to his helper, "We can leave now."

"Yes!" she smiled back at him. "But Manager-kun, why do you need these from Ryuzaki's library?"

"Raito asked for them. Something to do with the Kira case, I'd imagine." Matsuda replied cheerfully. Though how Beauty and the Beast and The Phantom of the Opera could really help he had no idea.

The two walked slowly to the open door, the clumsy man constantly struggling to keep books from pouring out of the box in his arms. "By the way, thankyou very much for offering to help me out with this, Misa-misa. You must be tired after the long modeling job today." He told her gratefully.

"It was nothing, nothing." She insisted with a wide smile on her face. "After all, Manager-kun does so much for-"

Having almost reached the open door the two jumped, Misa stopping mid-sentence, when it crashed shut loudly. There was an audible click. Matsuda and Misa looked at each other, then looked at the door, and then at each other again. "-me," Misa finished weakly.

Hesitantly Matsuda shifted the box to rest on his knee and reached out one hand slowly towards the doorknob. He tried to turn it without success, and he turned apologetically to his companion. "It's locked," he said worriedly.

It was already quite late in the day, and both Misa and Matsuda realized that it would be hours before anybody returned to Kira Taskforce Headquarters, let alone went downstairs to the library. Without a word Misa went to search the library for a place she could make herself comfortable, and Matsuda placed his heavy load gently on a nearby table.

When he was done he looked around to find that the cute girl had found a stretch of blank wall facing directly opposite the locked door, and had seated herself with her legs stretched in front of her and her back leaning against it. She waved for him to sit next to her.

Tentatively Matsuda obeyed and, leaning his back against the surface of the wall, slid down until he was sitting fairly comfortably beside her. "A-are you sure this is okay with you, Misa-misa? I mean, I can sit somewhere else if you want…"

A slight smile appeared on the girl's face, a rare expression of maturity. "It's fine, Manager-kun. I feel safe around you." She spoke seriously. Matsuda's heart thumped loudly in his chest and he lowered his head so that she wouldn't see the faint blush that had coloured his cheeks.

"Ah, I know! How about a game?" Misa said suddenly, excited. The moment was gone as soon as it had arrived. With some disappointment but still thankful for the return of this familiar Misa, Matsuda grinned at her and nodded enthusiastically.

She raised one slender hand to her mouth. "Hmm, what can we play in here…"

"I-Spy?" Matsuda suggested helpfully.

"That's a good idea, but I don't think there're enough things in here for it to be fun…" Misa dismissed the idea quickly. Suddenly her face brightened and she snapped her fingers. "I have it!"

"What?" Matsuda asked, her excitement catching.

The girl jumped to her feet earlier and stood in a fighter's position, with one foot in front of the other, her knees bent slightly and one clenched fist stretched towards him. "Rock, paper, scissors!" She told him triumphantly.

Grinning, Matsuda rose and faced her, mimicking her pose. "Very well then - I challenge you, Misa of the Iron Fist!" he said in a dramatic voice.

She giggled and then schooled her face to appear serious. "And I accept your challenge, Manager-kun of the…Steel Paper!"

Laughingly the two set about playing the game, shouting loudly when they lost and even louder when they won.

"Paper, scissors, rock!" Misa announced, staring intently at her opponent's hand. "Hey, you didn't go!"

"That's because you're meant to say 'rock, paper, scissors'!" Matsuda told her defiantly.

"Nobody says that!"

"Then why is it the name of the game?"

"Fine then! Scissors, rock, paper!"

"Rock!" Matsuda shouted out, his hand curled into a fist.

"Scissors!" Misa shouted at the same time, her index and fore-finger pointed to look like a pair of scissors.

"Yes! Rock beats scissors, it's my victory, Misa-misa!"

"We'll just see about that, Manager-kun!"

"Rock, scissors, paper!"

"You're just saying them in any order now, aren't you!" Misa began to laugh.

"It's all the same…" Matsuda defended himself but couldn't help but smile at her.

"Come on, let's go again!"

Half an hour passed this way, then an hour, until the two had worn themselves out and their voices were becoming hoarse. Finally Misa called a tie and slumped tiredly against the wall.

Weary himself, Matsuda joined her and was surprised when Misa leaned her head gently against his shoulder, her eyes closed. She sighed, and Matsuda smiled at her affectionately. Heavens, the girl was even more adorable when she was half-awake.

"Manager-kun…" she said softly.

"Huh? Yes, Misa-misa?" Matsuda was trying desperately to resist the temptation to stroke her hair gently with his hand.

"You know I love Raito-kun," she said seriously. Matsuda was thankful that her eyes were still closed, that she didn't see the expression of heartache that appeared on his face at this. He had forgotten that this girl had a boyfriend, and not only that, that he was his friend and colleague.

"One day he's going to leave me behind…" Misa spoke quietly and with certainty. Her hand reached over and her fingers curled slowly until she was holding onto Matsuda's shirt. His heart began to beat faster again at her closeness and obvious trust, but her words were worrying him.

"How could he do that, Misa?" he tried to comfort her, speaking soothingly into her hair. "Raito loves you."

"No, he doesn't," she replied, simply stating what both of them knew to be true. Misa pressed closer to him, seeking comfort, and Matsuda watched painfully as a tear fell gently down her cheek. He could not reply to this and merely wrapped his arms around her. He was filled with pain when the girl began to sob into his shirt.

Time passed and neither person moved. Misa's wracked sobs settled to catching breaths, and when her grip on his shirt loosened Matsuda sighed, glad the girl had managed to fall asleep. Fearing that any movement would cause her to wake up, he rested his head against the top of hers and closed his eyes. Soon he too was asleep.

-

"This…is my girlfriend, everyone." Raito said with apparent difficulty. The cute girl beside him smiled brilliantly at them and bowed deeply.

"Hello everyone! My name is Misa Amane, but please just call me Misa!" she said sweetly.

"Such a kind girl," Chief Yagami-san spoke with obvious pride. Matsuda looked up at him from where he was sitting. The Chief had met his son's girlfriend before, he realized. Maybe the relationship was serious…

He dismissed the idea as soon as he saw how Raito was responding to her enthusiastic attention. He seemed…more than bored, annoyed. How anybody could feel that way when such a cute girl was looking at you like that was beyond Matsuda.

He slumped slightly, resting his head on his arms folded on the table before him. It was a bad day for him, his Megumi-chan had dumped him for working too hard on the new case. Even if the others in the new Kira Taskforce unit didn't seem to think he was all that useful, Matsuda still valued his work and tried very hard.

He sighed sadly and was surprised to feel a hand pat the top of his head gently a few times. Matsuda looked up and saw that Misa was standing in front of him, smiling cheerfully. "Don't be sad! Whatever's wrong, just keep working hard at it and things will get better!" She leaned closer to his stunned face and he saw genuine kindness in her eyes. "I promise!"

"Ah," Matsuda was momentarily caught off-guard, and then he smiled at her. "Thankyou."

Matsuda woke up, but did not open his eyes, trying to hold onto the image of Misa's happy smile she had shown him the day they had met. Had she known it even then, that her boyfriend didn't truly care for her? If she had, how had she been able to smile like that?

His eyes opened slowly, and he realized that his head was resting in Misa's lap, his body stretched across the floor. When had this happened? "What is it, Rem?" Misa's soft voice barely reached his ears, and when he moved his head ever so slightly he saw that she seemed to be talking to someone. Matsuda was confused, seeing that the door was still closed and presumably locked.

She was silent for a few moments before continuing. "The door is not actually locked? Is that so…" Matsuda didn't understand who she was talking to, but wondered how they could know something like that. "Rem, please lock it." Misa said decisively, and Matsuda was left even more confused.

The conversation seemed to end there, and he closed his eyes quickly, understanding that Misa thought he was still sleeping. He felt her hand stroke his hair tenderly and he could not help but open his eyes partially. His heart raced when he saw that she was leaning down, her hair falling like a curtain around his face.

There was an odd expression on her face as she leaned closer and closer until their lips almost touched. She lingered there for a few moments before she moved slightly and kissed his forehead lightly instead. Inwardly Matsuda was filled with disappointment, and relief.

Raito did not understand what he had in this girl, but Matsuda did. All too well.

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AN: I wrote this with the idea in mind that Matsuda and Misa are the kind of couple who have always loved each other but probably won't end up together. They have this kind of close relationship that can't be compared with their other friendships or loves, where they're happy just to be lied to by the other person.

And yes, I rewrote the scene where they first met. It fit Misa really well, that she would do something like that. :)