"I'm L." those two words echoed through Raito's mind, repeating again and again. It just wasn't possible. Such an eccentric, monkey couldn't be L, he just couldn't be!
"Excuse me." His cold voice suddenly cracked a very annoying hole through his thoughts.
"Yes, what is it Ryuga-san?" Raito asked, plastering a warm smile across his face.
"I was wondering if Yagami-kun wouldn't mind joining me for a bite to eat? Perhaps somewhere a bit more private. I admit that I'm not used to such large crowds, and I find myself feeling rather uncomfortable."
"Uncomfortable? Well then I know the perfect place." Raito though to himself, biting back a vindictive chuckle. "I would love to Ryuga-san, but I'm afraid I have to run an errand for my sister first. If your willing to be patient I know of a quiet little café we can go to once we're done."
"That is fine with me. I would very much like to get to know Yagami-kun better."
"I'm glad." Raito smiled, narrowly keeping the string of curse words he was thinking about internal.
…………………………………………………….
L glanced nervously around the crowded mall, he had not expected Raito's errand to be in such a packed area. The mall was filled to what must have been far beyond the legal limit, and L could see no possible reason for it, it was after all three pm on a weekday. Didn't these people have a more productive place to be?!
Raito came to a sudden halt, and L, too absorbed in his worries about the productivity of today's society ran square into the other man's back.
"We're here." Raito grunted, none to happy about the sudden blow.
"Oh, My apologies Raito-kun…" L mumbled around his thumb, still not really paying attention.
"So, uh… are you coming in or staying here?" Raito asked after a few seconds of waiting for the detective to make a move.
L glanced over to the store in question, a vague look of horror forming on his face. It was a jewelry store with a large paper sign over the entrance declaring "Huge sale, Items up to 70 off!" Inside he could see a mob of howling and fighting women acting very unwomanly in his humble opinion. Somewhere deep inside his brain some rather loud self preservation bells began to ring, this was not a safe place… "Here Yagami-kun?"
"Yeah, like I said, my little sister asked me to pick up so things for her on the way home." Raito answered, looking a little embarrassed, but not at all alarmed by the chaos taking place inside the store.
"Then I shall wait for you outside." L decided wisely.
"Alright then," Raito sighed sounding a little disappointed, "I'll only be a minute."
L glanced back towards the store uncertainly, but nodded all the same. He watched Raito walk past the entrance and promptly got pulled into the middle of two women's tug of war over a pearl necklace. Deciding it would take a while, L settled on a wide bench to wait for the other man and muse over his progress with the Kira case.
But the young detective only managed a few minutes of deep thinking before he was distracted by the unmistakable feeling of someone staring at him. L quickly glanced up and looked around, trying to find the culprit. Finally his eye's locked onto a pair of wide brown ones staring intently back at him. And, consequently belonged to a five year old girl.
"Hello Panda-san." She smiled, plopping down little too close to him on the bench.
L quickly scooted away from the girl before replying, "I am not a panda." flatly.
The girl giggled and scooted closer to him, "course your not a panda, Panda-san."
L scooted away for a second time, pressing himself against the other end of the bench, "Please stop doing that."
"Doing what Panda-san?" She smiled, moving next to him again.
"That."
"What Panda-san?" she questioned, grabbing a hold of his hand.
L jumped in surprise and quickly pulled away from the little girl nearly toppling her over in the process. "Why did you do that?" L asked, his usually neutral voice fringed with surprise.
"Funny Panda-san!" She giggled happily.
"I- I'm leaving now." L stuttered. Completely unsure how to handle the little girl he quickly opted for the safest option, namely running away.
L made a hurried exit, getting as far away from the strange girl while keeping an eye on the store where Raito was still stuck in frenzied female hell. After settling on a relatively solitary wall L leaned against the store front, content that he had handled the situation appropriately… for about three seconds. L glanced down in mild horror as two tiny arms wrapped themselves around his leg.
"Panda-san!" the girl smiled contently, looking at him from her position across his jeans.
"Please let go of my leg."
"Oh… 'kay!" She slowly complied, but stayed close to him as if she were afraid he would bolt, which in all honesty, he very well might.
"Where are your parents?" L asked, hoping they would be able to take the child off his hands.
"Mommy's in there!" The girl answered, pointing to the jewelry store L had been watching for signs of Raito.
"Ok," L sighted to himself, "So taking her to her parents is out." "Didn't your Mother ever tell you not to talk to strangers?" L asked, hoping the little girl would get the idea.
"Yep!" The girl smiled, obviously not connecting the dots.
"Then, perhaps you shouldn't be talking to me?" L offered.
"Your not a stranger Panda-san! Your Panda-san!"
L sighed, absolutely exasperated, "Please leave me alone."
The little girl whimpered slightly, unshed tears began to fill her innocent eyes. "Your mean!" she cried rather loudly, affording a few curious stares.
"I'm sorry… Little Girl," L started wedging his thumb between his lips, "but maybe you should leave then?" He asked, "I wouldn't want you to associate yourself with someone mean."
"No, no, no!" The girl yelled stubbornly. "You didn't do it right Panda-san!"
"Didn't do what right?" L asked, inching away from the little girl.
"Your supposed to play with me now!" the girl answered, inching closer to the detective.
"If I were to play with you I would no longer be mean?"
The girl nodded.
"But to be mean is my nature, and I being nothing more than human, cannot go against my nature. Therefore, I cannot play with you." L concluded side stepping away from the girl.
"Silly Panda-san!" She smiled, throwing his logic out the proverbial window, at the same time firmly re-attaching herself to his leg.
"Ah!" L growled in frustration and surprise, shaking his leg rather violently.
The little girl clung to him for dear life, a wide smile growing across her face. "Whee!" she giggled as L roundhouse kicked the air to no avail.
"Get off!" L commanded, trying to sound a threatening as possible.
"Nuh-uh." The girl answered intelligently, "You didn't say the magic word!"
"PLEASE get off!"
"That's not the magic world… silly Panda-san."
"Alright, what is the magic word?" L asked, regaining some of his composure.
"Can't tell."
"Why?" L hissed, trying to calm himself and ignore the invasion of personal space.
"Cause it's a girl's only password!" She giggled.
"May I ask you something?" A asked suddenly.
"Uh-hu…"
"Do you like free candy?"
"Uh-hu!" She smiled, her voice raising an octave in excitement.
"There is some right over there then," L stated calmly, pointing behind the girl. "You'd best hurry before it is all gone."
Smiling the girl quickly let go of L's leg and turned in the direction of the supposed candy. As soon as he was out of the girl's grasp L quickly bolted in the opposite direction of new found stalker, darting away through the crowd with all his might.