"Ryuzaki…"
L looked below at the figure in his arms. She looked up at him with a tired smile and her eyes only half open. He smiled back at her and leaned down to place a soft kiss on her head.
"I told you to call me by my real name." He whispered into her hair, which lightly tickled his face when she shook her head.
"And I told you that while I appreciate you putting your trust in me," she replied with a small yawn. "This isn't even something you're letting Watari do. So, I'm not taking any chances."
Knowing how stubborn she was, but also highly appreciating her not wanting to do anything to risk his safety, he let it go with a tiny chuckle and kissed her head once again as he stroked her back comfortingly.
"Well, what is it you want my sweet?" He urged her to continue with what she had to say.
"I want you to sing to me."
"Sing?" He inquired.
He felt her cheek move against his bare chest when she nodded slightly before letting out another yawn.
"I've heard you sing to yourself a few times," she explained. "You have a very nice voice. Do you think you can sing to me as I fall asleep?"
"I've never really sang in front of other people before," he told her. "It's always just been something I did as a way to kill time."
She looked back up at him and, once again, gave him an adorable sleepy smile. This time, however, she opened up her eyes a bit in order to give him a pleading stare that could rival a puppy's.
"Please baby," she beckoned, now adding a small pout into the mix. "It'll only be for a short while. Just until I sleep."
Again, there was no point in disagreeing with her. Especially when she made herself so irresistible. As a sort of payment, L lifted her face with his index finger and thumb tucked under her chin and placed a short but deep kiss onto her lips.
"Very well then, my sweet," he said once he released her. "If that's what you want, then who am I to deny you?"
Her smile grew as she gave his waist an affectionate squeeze and pecked his torso to show her gratitude.
"What is it you want me to sing?" He asked, stroking the strands of her hair.
"Doesn't matter," she replied softly. "Just something to soothe me."
L placed a finger on his bottom lip whilst thinking of the proper song for her request. Shortly after, he came up with a particular one in mind. It was a song that he had known for years and was one of his personal favorites. Especially with its lyrical content, it fit the situation at hand perfectly.
"Alone she sleeps," He began his serenade in a tender voice that she immediately found pleasing to her ears.
"In the shirt of man.
With my three wishes clutched in her hand…"
He returned to his stroking of her hair as he continued with his ballad.
"The first that she be spared the pain
That comes from a dark and laughing rain…"
Her eyes were now completely closed, and her breath became a lot more at ease.
"When she finds love,
May it always stay true.
This I beg for the second wish I made too…"
Her arms around his waist had begun to let loose. This gave him the opportunity to be released from her embrace. He was now laying right next to her, giving himself a good view of her slowly drifting off. He cradled her cheek with his hand which made the ends of her lips turn up slightly from his loving touch. Knowing she was on the verge of deep slumber, L carried on with the last of his melody.
"But wish no more,
My life you can take.
To have her please, just one day wake.
To have her please, just one day wake.
To have her please, just one day wake."
She was finally fast asleep. L leaned over, placed one last kiss on her forehead, and shielded her body with the comforter before reluctantly getting off the bed. After he put back on his clothes, he made his way downstairs.
L was back to his usual crouched position with his eyes glued to a computer screen. Even though this scene was not supposed to feel out of the ordinary for him, it felt like something was missing. He knew exactly what that something was. Nevertheless, this was the first time in a long while that either of them had gotten any decent rest. He wasn't going to take that away from her, no matter how lonely it felt without her presence.
He attempted to console himself by remembering that she was merely upstairs. This only made things worse since this gave him the temptation of wanting to join her and put off his work, despite there still plenty he needed to do for this case. For the first time in his life, he was not thinking straight.
"Ryuzaki." A familiar elder voice broke him out of his thoughts.
L turned his chair around so that he was greeted with the sight of Watari rolling him another cart full of assorted sweets.
"Thank you very much." He casually stated, followed by him seemingly going back to looking at what was on the screen.
The old man stood by and gave a small look around of the room.
"Is she not joining you tonight?" He asked when he was finished with his examination.
"She's upstairs sleeping." L plainly stated with his eyes remaining on the monitor.
"Well that's certainly something I was not expecting either of you to do anytime soon," Watari chuckled. "Shouldn't you be accompanying her then?"
"There's still a copious amount of work that needs to be done for this case. For one thing, there is the evidence we have that should be looked over, tapes that have to be watched— "
"Ryuzaki," Watari broke off the younger man's rant by placing a hand on his shoulder. "You've gone through all this with strenuous attention. You don't have to go to sleep, but please go to her. Lay with her. Be with her."
"There's still work to be done…" L repeated in a mumble since that seemed to be his only viable excuse to stay.
"I can take over from here," Watari offered with a small warm smile hidden underneath his mustache. "I think I'm more than qualified to do so. After all, aren't I the one who taught you everything you know?"
L ran a hand through his dark messy hair and freed a heavy sigh. Finally, he looked up at the man in front of him. The one that's ever come close to being a father figure to him. Surely, he'd have some idea of what all he was feeling exactly meant.
"Watari," he began. "I love her. I love her very much."
"I am aware of this son. Although you've managed to keep this hidden from everyone else, I was able to spot the clues. Such as how you'd sneak a glance at her occasionally, even when you didn't intend to do so. How she appears to be the only one who possesses the capability to make a genuine smile appear on your face. And of course, all those times you'd let at least a finger linger on her whenever your hands would accidently touch."
"Hmm yes, I guess those would be good examples in showing my feelings for her, wouldn't it?" L agreed as he placed himself in deep thought once more with his thumb over his bottom lip.
"Have you told her how you feel?"
"She knows. I confessed to her earlier tonight before we…"
Watari gave another amused chuckle as he saw a fair shade of pink dust the cheeks of the younger man and watched him timidly look away.
"She reciprocates these feelings then." The elder man stated.
"Yes." L whispered. A little smile formed on his face, remembering her saying how she loved him too. Although he had deduced that there had been an 80% chance she shared the same feelings, he couldn't help but worry how her reaction would be when he had confessed. It was this, along with other actions and thoughts that were completely out of character for him, that had him worried.
"Watari," he commenced with his question. "Since I've never really felt this way about anyone before, it has been leaving me to wonder: Does being in love make you weak?"
Watari grabbed a nearby chair and placed himself in it so that he was on eye level with L. And so he couldn't have any other choice but to focus on what he had to say, Watari placed a firm hand on each of his shoulders. Trapping him somewhat.
"Absolutely not." He started. "If anything, it can make you stronger. It can make you think you can do anything you set your mind to."
"Does it?" L interrupted with the subtle blush returning to his face. "Because it feels as though I can't think properly and that I'm impulsively letting my guard down."
"That's having love enter you," Watari explained. "You're having this person see your true vulnerable self, letting her tear down your walls. Because you know she is someone you can place your whole trust in. You feel you can be your honest self around her. You know she is someone who won't take advantage of what you share. And as you continue to do this, you will know that she is the one for you when you wrap your existence around her. It's all very frightening, yes, but you have always been one to take risks. And love is definitely something that's worth the trouble."
"I'm still having a bit of a dilemma finding sense in what it's all doing to me- "
"Who said love made any sense my boy? It's not exactly something you can logic your way into or out of. It is an unpredictable and irrational mess that anyone can get into. Which is why I beg you to be a madman and go love her. Love her against reason and against all discouragement that could be."
L managed to look away from his intense stare and at the tiled floor. After a short amount of time, he looked back and gave a tiny nod. Wordlessly, he took Watari's hands off him, got himself up from his seat, and made his way back upstairs. He stopped himself at the top and, without looking back, he muttered,
"Thank you for your help Watari."
She fluttered her eyes open and took into view the unfamiliar room she was in. She rubbed her eyes and groaned whilst slowly coming out of her sleepy daze. Before she could stretch any further, however, she felt something tighten around her waist. She turned her head and smiled at the handsome pale face that had made itself at home in the crook of her neck.
"You came back." She whispered lovingly. She turned her head back in order to watch her fingers intertwine with his.
"I couldn't stay away," He softly spoke into her ear before placing a warm kiss on her cheek and then leaving a trail of them onto her neck. Resulting in her softly moaning and having him hold her much tighter.
"Did you sleep well?" He carried on.
"Mmhmm." She mumbled.
"Good."
She then turned herself fully around so that they faced each other. She gave him a smile and lazily began to play with his dark mane. He beamed right back at her, loving the feel of her touch.
"Ryuzaki," she said. "Last night was just…it was amazing."
His smile grew a little at this. He took hold of the hand in his hair and gave it a kiss then pulled her much closer to him. If that was even possible.
"It was pretty incredible, wasn't it?" He replied.
"And please don't worry," she assured. "I promise not to mention anything you told me to anyone."
"I know you won't. Otherwise I'd have to kill you." He teased.
She rolled her eyes and playfully scoffed at him. "I feel like you're only half-joking about that."
He simply shrugged and gave her a mischievous smirk. She answered with a shake of her head and wrapped her arms around his neck, pulling him in for a hug. She placed her head on his shoulder. One of his arms was draped around her waist while his chin sat on top of her head, his fingers idly combing her locks.
"Can I promise you something too, my love?" He breathed out, breaking the relaxing silence.
"Yes?" She responded somewhat unsure.
He lifted her off his shoulder and looked deep into her eyes. She did the same, gazing straight into his big dark grey orbs. He took his hands and cupped her face. One of his thumbs made small circles against her cheek. She took her own hands and placed them over his.
"I vow to stay true to you no matter what," He told her. "You will always be the only one I 100% trust." He paused to give an affectionate kiss on her forehead.
"I wish for nothing more than to have you take all that I am," He resumed. "My life belongs to you and no one else. So long as you desire to have it."
Her eyes began to water as a smile spread across her face. He used his thumb to wipe away a tear that had managed to escape. She released a small emotional chuckle at his gentleness.
"And my life is yours to have as well." She talked in a low voice, wanting to avoid the sound of it breaking.
They shared one more passionate kiss before going back to holding on to one another.
Alone she sleeps in the shirt of man
With my three wishes clutched in her hand
The first that she be spared the pain
That comes from a dark and laughing rain
When she finds love may it always stay true
This I beg for the second wish I made too
But wish no more
My life you can take
To have her please just one day wake
To have her please just one day wake
To have her please just one day wake
To have her please just one day wake