Disclaimer & Authors note: Disclaimer; I don't own Deathnote. A/N; YAY! I finally got this up and off to a running start again! God, inspiration at two a.m. can't be healthy, but oh well… Thanks to Katy Ketchup and Wondering What Breakfast Is for helping me out when I didn't want to keep it going!
Ai stared blankly to the front of the room, wishing she was sitting by the windows. Then again, that was the reason she was sitting here, she always looked out the windows. Sure, she wasn't the ideal student, but she did all the work, and at least got 'excellent' marks on her papers.
She was bored. Horribly, dreadfully bored.
Ai slowly turned her head to her left, watching the other students. There weren't many, maybe ten, fifteen at the most? She was seventeen, old enough to know what was what, but too young to go out in the world on her own. Psh, yeah. When you live for one hundred years, you learn how to at least fend for yourself for five minutes.
She turned her head again, this time to the right, to focus on that mass of black hair near the window. He was sitting oddly, almost like a crouch sitting on the balls of his feet in the chair. She was honestly surprised that guy didn't fall over."God what was his name again?"
XOXO
L turned his head, feeling as if he was being stared at. He was, by that one girl who lived next door to him, Ai. She never came out except to go to class, and she was very slender. Her hair was cut short, a bit below her chin and was straight black, clashing with her pale skin and dark green eyes. She often wore baggy clothes, but then again, they were comfortable.
She had this puzzled look on her face, like she was trying to think of something. Her eyebrows knit together, and she lightly bit her bottom lip on the right side, turning her head back around to face the front of the class.
L figured he should do the same.
XOXO
"Come on dammit! Name…Name… NAME…" Ai thought harshly in her head. She kept her gaze focused on a crack in the ceiling for about five minutes pondering before she finally gave up. "I'll remember later. God I wish I was sitting by the window…"
Class seemed to drag on forever, the clock at the front of the room moved obnoxiously slow, and each tick of the clock sounded like thunder. Ai absentmindedly doodled on a spare sheet of loose-leaf she hadn't used for notes yet. When she looked back up to answer a question, she saw the minute hand move once.
The bell finally trilled it's signal of the day's end as Ai rushed to gather her things. "Gods, that took f-o-r-e-v-e-r! I really hope it'll go by faster tomorrow…" She thought as she rushed out the door, following the slow trudge of the other students. She was in such a hurry to get the heck out of there, that she didn't notice the paper she had drawn all over fall to the floor.
XOXO
L watched silently as Ai left the room, seemingly in a hurry, and the wind she stirred up by leaving blew a paper right off her desk. L waited until he was one of the only ones left in the room before he picked it up.
All over it were inverted crosses of the catholic church and small 'chibi' angels with broken wings. "Why and inverted cross?"L decided if he brought her the paper, he might be able to get a question in to her while he was at it.
XOXO
Ai had finally made it to her living area, decorated in blues and purples, it was an overall calming effect throughout the space. When you were in the earlier grades, you just got a bedroom/living area combination and had to go eat in a dining room with all the other children from your grade level. When you got up high enough in your grade level it was like having your own apartment. Though it was small, you had a kitchen the rest of you space was taken over by the living room, bathroom, and bedroom.
Then again, having a fully stocked and equipped kitchen didn't really appeal to her but props were nice… Especially when there was company, since it always helped to improve your cooking skills.
A knock sounded at her door, "Whoa, got a bit absorbed in my thoughts didn't I? I never even heard this person approach…"
Ai was all nerves for some reason as she approached the door, "Relax," She told herself, "You're going to feel like an idiot when you open the door and some random person is standing there, stupid." She finally shook her uneasy feeling and opened the door to see that dark haired boy from class.
Had he been standing up straight, instead of slouching, she probably would have had a nice view of his shoulder, but instead she stared right into his eyes, "An ebony abyss, swirling into nothing until you can enter the very confines of his mind, only there will the true light shine through…Whoa, where'd that come from?!" She shook off such thoughts before plastering an amiable smile across her face, "Hey, you live next door right?"
XOXO
She had answered the door slowly, first only opening the door wide enough for her eye to show, then holding it open the rest of the way and leaning against the doorway, arms folded across her stomach. She had looked deep in thought momentarily before smiling, "Hey, you live next door right?"
"Yes, I do. You dropped this when you left." L said, figuring he'd get right to the point, holding her paper out to her. She looked a little surprised, then embarrassed, as she gently slipped the paper away from his hand. "You draw very well." She looked surprised again as she replied, "Thank you…I can't believe I left this back in class." "We're all a bit forgetful at times, it wasn't a problem."
Ai was beginning to get nervous again, but she couldn't place her finger on it…
"Um…Thank you?" "…." "…" The silence dragged on a bit, and Ai could smell a scent just seeping out of the person in front of her, it was unnerving, and it wasn't helping that she was hungry. She felt his eyes boring into her as she stood there, it was as if they were taking in every detail of her person.
She licked her lips slowly, before questioning, "So…Not to sound rude but was there anything else you wanted to tell me?" He remained silent for a few moments, and just as she was about to question him once more he started off into conversation.
"So, do you think you should pursue an artists career? Or are you thinking of something else?" "Oh…I don't really know, I think I could go just about anywhere…I don't really mind work, so long as I can have adequate pay and living space." He hummed in affirmation before replying, "Are you religious? After all, I don't think anyone without at least background information could draw such accurate recollections of crosses and churches."
Now he was starting to make her nervous. "Relax, small talk, some honest curiosity…That's all it is…" "I used to be catholic, but nowadays I just believe that all religions are based off the same idea, that there's something more, and some divine consequence."
"Then of course you know what the inverted cross means?" Shit. Trying to keep her face passive, she tilted her head and smiled, "I believe I have forgotten, can you refresh my memory?"
"It is a sign of violating taboos." Ai hummed as she seemed to go into thought.
Perhaps not realizing how he was appearing to her, or maybe just not caring, he leaned in closer, mere inches away from her face, before whispering, "So, tell me, what taboos have you violated?"
Ai stiffened considerably. Spacing out usually ended bad for her, but now, there was a very…enticing scent right in front of her. It filled the space around her head, causing her to nearly hold her breath to get away from it. It was time to get the hell away from this guy.
Quickly backing away, she lowered her eyes, replying shortly, "I'm sorry I forgot this paper in my rush to leave, I should have been more careful with my belongings. Thank you for returning it to me. Goodnight." Before she quickly closed the door.
XOXO
"I at least remembered to shut it slower at the end so I wouldn't slam it…" Ai thought as she gently clicked the lock into place. She purposely tried to make it seem as if the crosses were upside down, but the coloration might have given it away.
Damn.
"Calm yourself, he doesn't suspect anything." She thought as she pressed her back against the door, slowly sliding down into a sitting position. "Yes, yes, he didn't gather anything other than the obvious from that, he doesn't think you're a monster, he thinks you're a freak." The end to her last thought made her sad for some reason, so she left her door for her bedroom to look out the window.
It was clear at least, and according to her calendar it would be a full moon tonight, perfect to be outside! So cliché, a vampire going out at night. Oh well. She loved the dark anyway, plus she was even more hungry now.
XOXO
L didn't understand when she almost slammed the door in his face, but he left her doorway to darken his own. When he got inside, he almost immediately ripped right through his 'homework'. When there was nothing left to do, he went to the fridge, grabbed some strawberries, and curled on the couch to eat and think.
"Why was she so suddenly reserved when I mentioned the crosses?"
What seemed like hours later, and it probably was, L had finally finished his strawberries, not to mention a few other sweets, and decided to try to go to sleep, or at least turn on his laptop and do something on there.
After an hour of beating spider solitaire into the dust, he heard the window next to his bedroom window click, before creaking open. Turning his head, the clock glared in it's red light, 12:34. The way the bedrooms were set up, his bedroom was right next to Ai's so their windows were flanking each other. He crept over to his window to peek out from between the shades.
XOXO
It was a bit crisp out tonight but that was perfect, since she could smell a raccoon just around the corner. It wasn't a lot but it was sounding oh so good to release tension on it right now.
XOXO
L watched as Ai stood out in the middle of the yard, face upturned allowing moonlight to light her face up. She turned her head slightly, and her head bobbed as if she was a dog scenting something. Suddenly she strode over to crouch behind a tree, crouched down, and cupped her hands around her mouth.
XOXO
As soon as she made it behind the tree Ai started making noises designed to lure the raccoon out of hiding. When she heard faintly it's paws padding across the ground, she crouched, read to spring at any moment…
XOXO
L watched as a very well-fed raccoon waddled towards the tree Ai was behind, Ai looked like she was ready to jump the poor thing… It stopped going towards the tree, sniffing the air. Suddenly she lashed out from behind the tree, temporarily giving chase as the poor thing ran for it's life. She slipped on the grass, but not before that fat thing ran towards the window…
Right as it was but five feet away, Ai jumped from where she had fallen, stretching out, not noticing L, as her eyes burned ice blue, finally hitting her mark. She gripped the raccoon by the scruff of it's neck momentarily, before quickly snapping its head to the left with her other hand.
XOXO
Ai tore into the raccoon's throat, suddenly ravenous. She sighed mentally as the blood started flowing, eyes dropping closed, falling to hers knees to enjoy her meal.
XOXO
L thought he was going to be sick, and that had never happened before. The girl who lived next door just killed a raccoon, and started drinking it's blood. Right. In front of. His window. He wanted so dearly to tear his eyes away from the dreadful scene that was before him. But he just couldn't look away. So he snapped the blinds shut.
XOXO
Ai's head snapped up from the dead animal as she heard the blinds clicking against eachother. That one guy, "Neighbor", his blinds were moving. Could he have seen anything? She started panicking, blood still fresh around her mouth,
"What if he did see what just happened? What if he saw everything? STUPID! So many years of secrecy ruined from one night! God!" She threw her gaze down to the limp body laying in her arms, cradling it almost. She walked over to the trash cans slowly, before placing it in a bag and setting right on top.
She didn't care if it was found. She might be leaving. She was about to pay her neighbor a friendly visit.
XOXO
L was still standing close to the blinds, wanting to peek out the window once more when a knock sounded from not the window, but his door. L didn't have to ponder who would be knocking at this time of night.
He slowly crept over to the door, and copied what Ai had done earlier, opening it just enough so that he could peek out. Apparently it was too much of an opening, seeing as Ai harshly pushed it open, but gently shut it, all in one motion.
Next thing L knew he was pinned against the wall, her hands on either side of his head. "Who are you and why were you spying on me?" L frowned in thought, though he was still anxious about the whole ordeal. "What do you mean 'who am I'? We've lived next door to each other for a year. I wasn't spying on you I was looking out my window as I saw you attack and kill a raccoon!"
Her eyes went blank as she thought on this, and her hands slowly fell away from his head. "I get distracted rather easily." Then she fired up again but kept her hands to her sides, though they balled into fists. "Also, in case you didn't know, watching people is spying!" "Stupid." She added mentally.
L walked forward, causing her to back away, "Then explain why I watched you kill a defenseless animal." His voice was a dead calm. Ai hated that control, so she debated what to say in her mind, before saying, "I…can't"
He strode forward and gripped her shoulders lightly, "Look, why don't we just take you to one of the overseers and we'll get this mess all straightened out-" He was shocked to find her so suddenly out of his grasp and walking away. She turned to find one of his spare notebooks lying on the mini table.
Once picked up, she turned her head to say, "You'll find it somewhere later."
Then she was gone.
XOXO
Ai left his room in a hurry, wanting to leave as soon as she could. She ran into her room, packing her laptop, and a few changes of clothes, she whipped through the room, before running outside, messenger bag slung over her shoulder, and notebook in hand.
She had been saving this baby for a special occasion. She ran out around the corner, quickly snatching keys out from under a rock before she made it to her pride and joy, her bike.
She had spent weeks on this thing back when she was sixteen, planning for a moment when she needed a quick getaway. She tightened the bag considerably, so it rode her hip, before straddling the bike. She flicked the key into the ignition and revved up the engine. She had saved up for this, even got the higher ups who ran this place to let her get a job. It took a year or so, but she had gotten it.
XOXO
When L heard her finish tearing through her room and the door slam behind her, he had followed her outside, he didn't know why but he felt as if there was something he needed to do for her. As soon as he got outside and heard the roar of her bikes engine, he knew exactly what had to be done.
Even if he didn't want her to get away.
XOXO
She leaned forward as she kicked the thing into gear, letting it take off running. She placed her feet on the pegs set up near the back as she finally rested on the bulge of the gas tank. She ripped out from around the corner, heading for the gate, she slowed thinking it would be closed, but she got there just in time to see them open the rest of the way.
"Someone knew I was leaving." Ai thought as the roar of the engine dulled in her ears as she sunk into thought. And as she passed the gate and a dark figure watched her go, her eyes widened in recollection, "L…"
She slid quickly past the gate and sped off into the night.
A/N; Wow, eight pages isn't bad for a start… But I think it was maybe a little jerky? Or was it just fast paced?