A/N: L thinks there's something missing in his life. But what could it be? He's at the height of his career, he's rich, and he's famous. He throws himself into his work with more vigor, trying to satisfy that empty feeling, and nothing works. But when he meets an elusive young girl with a mind almost as brilliant as his and a secret, something changes. For the first time, the void begins to fill. For the first time, he feels whoLe. L/OC.
This first chapter is in third person, in the POV of L. It's going to stay in L's POV throughout most of the story, but I might do the odd chapter in my OC's. I'm not sure if I should continue in third person, or if I should start doing first person, but this chapter will stay the same. What are your opinions? Reviews are appreciated! I don't own any characters from the Death Note series, who, unfortunately, belong to Ohba Tsugumi.
Chapter 1- speciaL
L was on vacation.
Well, it wasn't so much as a 'vacation' as leaving his hotel room for an hour. But it was more than he'd had for a long time.
He was sitting in the Harlem Place Café, sipping over sweet coffee, and reading a book. He was still shocked by his audacity, taking a break in the middle of his most difficult case yet. But he was feeiling... off. Strange.
He thought back on how he had discovered this odd little café. He had wandered out of the Ritz-Carlton Hotel and walked for a while, looking for an out of the way place to buy something sweet. He had then spotted a sign that read "Lost Souls." He considered his soul very lost at the moment, so he decided to follow it. And it had led him here.
And here he was, his sitting position attracting stares, and trying to concentrate on his book despite the tasteless music, which was much too loud.
His waiter arrived at his table, bearing a slice of strawberry cheese cake. L thanked him without looking up, not entirely sure that he had been heard over the noise.
He sighed, and took a bite of cake. It tasted… different. Not bad, just… different. It wasn't the same as the five star food Watari usually ordered for him. L ate a bit faster. It really was good. He might ask Watari to order his cake from here, from now on.
He turned back to his book. Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone. He had stopped by a book store on the way, and asked an employee what young people were reading now a days. And it wasn't bad. He didn't want something that needed to be solved, like a mystery. L didn't want to work during vacation.
The last time he had read a children's book was… well. He never really had read a children's book before. He hadn't had much time for reading at all since he was eight years old, when he started his career.
A movement caught his eye, and he glanced up. He saw a girl, a teenager by the looks of it, walk into the café. He wasn't completely sure why she had gotten his attention. It might have been the way she walked, with her hands in the pockets of her black hoodie, and her eyes flicking around the building.
There was something about her dark eyes that seemed... familiar. He wasn't quite sure what it was. He had never seen this girl before in his life. She had long black hair, with red streaks, and skin almost as pale as his. She wore black skinny jeans and combat boots, and she had a pair of chunky black headphones around her neck. She looked like your average misfit. But there was just something about her. Something… different.
Special.
She nodded to the waiter, who smiled back, and busied himself with her order. A regular. She sat down at a corner table that gave L an excellent view of her.
She took out a small notebook from her pocket, and slipped a pencil out of her boot. She began writing, but the action seemed idle, as though she was just trying to pass the time. A dreamy expression came over her, and her writing began to quicken.
The waiter hurried over to her table, passing L as he went. He caught a whiff of coffee, but with something added to it. Pumpkin, maybe. And cinnamon. There was also a sandwich on the tray, and a small bowl of tomato soup. It was undoubtedly the same thing she ate every day at this time.
She smiled up at the waiter, said a few words that L couldn't hear above the music, and turned back to the table. L noticed that the notebook had mysteriously disappeared before the waiter reached her.
When he had left, the girl glanced about the room (L turned his gaze back to his book before she reached him), and pulled out the notebook again. She ate her entire meal while scribbling in it.
She stood up when she finished, and the waiter returned, with her bill. She accepted the receipt, and paid in cash, before leaving the café.
L sat for a couple of minutes, pondering what he had just seen. The notebook… he wondered what she had been writing in it. Was it an event planner, perhaps? Or was she a writer, working on a soon to be best-seller? He might never know. L didn't like not knowing things, though. And this girl intrigued him.
He stood up, and motioned for the waiter, who appeared promptly. He paid his bill with his credit card, thanked the waiter with a large cash tip, and exited the building, deciding to return tomorrow.