Title: "Unlikely"

Author: Shaitanah

Rating: G

Character/Pairing: Misa, L

Summary: And then it dawned upon her: Ryuuzaki was just trying to make Misa smile. Please R&R!

Disclaimer: Death Note belongs to Ohba Tsugumi and Obata Takeshi.

A/N: The first installment in 'Galatea's War' series and my first go at Misa. I've never written about her before. Frankly speaking, I don't like her. XD It's pretty hard to write about a character you don't like. I hope I pulled it off.

UNLIKELY

She wiped her eyes rapidly with the edge of her sleeve and sobbed for the last time. It was a ghastly sound. She hated it. She hated crying, too, because it made her look, and feel, much weaker than she would have liked. The soft sound of footsteps behind her back made the identity of the one who had just entered quite recognizable. Misa's back went rigid.

"Great!" she sobbed exasperatedly. "Now Ryuuzaki has seen Misa crying! He will think I'm not pretty. Anyone would."

She glanced at the mirror, rubbed her swollen eyes fiercely and bit the inside of her cheek. Ryuuzaki stood quietly behind her, hands in his pockets, and looked away.

"Hang on! Why should I care what Ryuuzaki thinks?" Misa muttered.

"My point exactly," there came a quiet response.

She sobbed forcefully again and smeared the tears over her flushed cheeks. She flapped the powder-case open and applied some fair powder to mask that annoying redness. Ryuuzaki's reflection flickered in the mirror. His head crowned with bushy black hair moved close to her. She squinted suspiciously.

"Pardon my intrusion," the man said softly, "but is Light-kun the reason Misa-san is crying?"

"I don't see how anything of this is your b–," Misa spluttered and suddenly span around and glared at him, and a tear slid down her cheek. "Yes!" she said breathlessly and started to sob again. "Light thinks Misa is not smart. But I can be smart! Misa can be anything Light wants her to be!"

Ryuuzaki eyed her from beneath his thick fringe. She pouted. She didn't know why she suddenly wanted to tell him that. Like he ever cared… Ryuuzaki handed her a handkerchief, holding it in his odd manner between the tips of his fingers. Misa grabbed it and blew her nose noisily. She held it out to Ryuuzaki, but he turned his back on her and made for the table where a bowl of tangerines stood.

"Does Light talk about me?" Misa asked with seeming disinterest.

"He does not."

Her eyes grew wider and moister. She clenched her fingers around the wet handkerchief and pursed her lips, indicating the epitome of distress.

"Forgive me since it truly is none of my business,"Ryuuzaki ventured, "but Light-kun seems to be a complex man. Perhaps it would be prudent for Misa-san to give him a little more freedom…"

He brushed his long fingers against a few tangerines, picked a small round one and headed to the door.

"If anyone should give him freedom, it's you!" Misa snapped.

The door shut gently behind him. The girl rushed after him and blocked his way, giving him one of her most adorable smile.

"Hey, I have an idea! Why don't you talk to him about me? You spend so much time together!"

"That is unlikely," Ryuuzaki protested softly.

"All right, then unchain him, and I'll talk to him myself! In private!"

His gaze drifted slowly over her and into the soft, bleared darkness of the hallway. "That is also unlikely," he said in his quiet, yet steely voice.

Misa balled her fists and whipped him with the wet kerchief childishly. Ryuuzaki's enormous black eyes grew even more grotesque. Misa hit him again, leaving a reddish trail on his cheek. At the third blow he grabbed her by the wrist and held her hand immobile until her fingers let go of the piece of fabric.

"You're such a pervert!" Misa blurted out. "You're trying to steal him!"

"That is unlikely."

"Do you even know any other words!?" Misa pulled away. Slowly, he loosened his grasp. Misa folded her arms over her chest and gave Ryuuzaki a sharp, hurt look. Suddenly it dawned upon her that it was the first time in weeks that she had seen Ryuuzaki alone. "Hang on! If you're here, then where is Light?"

One huge impenetrable eye moved to glance at her. Ryuuzaki seemed to be stuck considering if he could trust her with such an important piece of information.

"Light-kun is taking a shower," he said in the end.

Misa released a long, theatrical sigh of relief. "Nice to know you're not there with him, then!"

"Oh, not tonight."

She blinked in surprise. Did that mean?.. She opened her mouth to pour another angry tirade out on him and suddenly noticed that the corners of his mouth twitched lightly. He was struggling to contain a smile.

"Ryuuzaki was trying to make Misa smile," she whispered in a sudden moment of revelation.

Misa seldom ate sweets but she somewhat liked baking them. She liked having her fingers coated with flour, the faint smell of bread and vanilla clinging to her skin. It made her feel busy and feminine. She wished she could bake something for Light but she knew he wouldn't appreciate it anyway.

That's why the four chocolate cupcakes sprinkled with cinnamon and sultana were taken to the working room, placed carefully in front of Ryuuzaki's computer and left waiting for the person who would at least show some interest in them.

"Misa?"

The girl span around and let the most charming smile unfold on her lips.

"L-l-liiiight!" She flung herself in his arms, artfully ignoring the grim detective that hastened to move aside. The chain that bound the men together clanked quietly.

"Hi, Misa," Light muttered and looked away.

Misa stepped back, puzzled at his unfriendly demeanour. However, she dispensed herself from worries rather quickly. She knew full well that Light would probably ask her not to hug him so emotionally in public. Misa giggled quietly: he was still trying to convince himself he didn't love her, whereas she knew (and nothing could change her mind on that account) that he did – but he simply didn't know it yet.

"Look, if it's about the date–," Light said, and she chirped cheerfully:

"Oh no, I just came to see how things're going! Misa is concerned about Light working so hard. But I do understand how important it is… whatever Light is doing! Anything that makes Light happy makes Misa happy!"

She stood on her tiptoes and placed a soft kiss in the corner of Light's lips. When she was ready to leave, she noticed that Ryuuzaki was holding one of the cupcakes and goggling his eyes at it in wonder.

"Funny," he murmured, "I can't remember if I asked for this." He fixed an inquiring look upon Misa. She stared at him, trying to ignore the uneasy feeling of tension that was starting to build up inside her. Maybe it wasn't such a good idea after all. "Does Misa-san by chance happen to know who brought these?"

"No," Misa blurted out a little too rapidly. And then she smiled. "It's unlikely, Ryuuzaki-san."

She walked out in the dimly lit hallway and exhaled softly. Misa-Misa had always been good at making friends.

She chuckled. That Ryuuzaki person was odd and – she felt it, but she couldn't explain the feeling – dangerous, the kind of person Light would probably want to be friends with. And Misa… Well, Misa would do anything for Light to be happy.