A/N: Hey, just something I've been working on... I'll be updating everything soon. Tell me what you think, please. Rating will probably change, if the story goes the way I think it will...
At first, I was at a loss at what to call it, but I ended up with one title I just couldn't pass up...
=Split=
Cabs, Cinnamon Rolls, and Recollection
"... So, it really was quite clear," L said to the camera crew. "The owner of the store had been pirating the new cds, but his nephew had been the one selling them. Thus, it was obvious that-"
"Lady! Yo, Lady! Here's your money! Stop your pen-scratchin' and take the cash!"
"Huh? Wha? Oh, thank you."
"Geez..."
"Here's your change! Thank you!"
"Yeah, yeah... hey, what's that there?"
"What?"
"That symbol, on your book."
"... This one?"
"No, lady! The L."
"Oh... that one."
"Yeah, that one."
"It... it just reminds me of someone I used to know."
"Really?"
"Yes."
"Who?"
".... Excuse me ma'am, but I have a job to attend to. Goodbye." she rolled up the window, leaving the questioning woman outside.
The deep black tires rolled silently, bringing the bright yellow taxi in to the steady stream of identical cars. She sighed, it had been years, almost a decade, why couldn't she live
with it?
Well, if we're going to look at it that way, she scolded herself, then what's the point at all? If you want to just forget it all, then why are you still writing?
She sighed, again. Many times this had happened before, this wouldn't be the last time she would have doubts, either.
Some people clean up if they have a kid, she thought, glancing over to the heavy book resting in the passenger seat no one ever rode in. this book is like my kid. I keep going for it, continue in the hope that one day- At that very moment, a small glob of mud flew through the window, landing right on the elaborately L carved on the black book.
She sighed once more. Glaring at the just rising sun, she thought, Oh, you wanna play it that way, huh? Ok, it can be one of those days! Bring it on!
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As the girl was sighing, Matsuda was in San Francisco, breathing in the smell of sweet cinnamon rolls.
He was about to open up his shop for the day, and his only employee was going to be there any minute.
He knew it had been unfair to the other applicants, but he couldn't help but hire her.
From the moment the interview had started, she had reminded him of himself, how she was nervous and stuttered, the way she sat, almost saying aloud, Don't look at me, please don't look at me. Even the way her short, dark hair curled on her forehead, the way she walked, reminded Matsuda of himself. All those years ago...
Nine Years Ago...
"One more criminal gone, one more enemy made..." Mello grumbled, taking a chunk from his ever-present bar of dark chocolate bar. "I don't know why I even help you guys... you're all nothing but trouble."
"Don't be like that, Mels." the orange-haired girl said, sitting by Matt in the softly lighted limo. "So what if they want us to present an award at the Oscars, I think it's pretty cool, and I hate going up on stage." she said, hugging Matt's arm as if for protection.
Matt knew it was all an act, but he loved it anyway. Mello glared.
"Mello." a commanding voice barked quietly. "Don't."
A girl of few words, she commanded respect, but never abused it. She was a bit like the Rem to Rin's Misa... Matsuda mused, except their personalities are all wrong... come to think of it, that's an awful comparison. She just wants Rin to be happy, that's all.
He glanced at the girl out of the corner of his eye, wishing against all chance that her head would slip and land on his shoulder. Her dark, brownish-red hair swayed around her face concealing any trace of expression, apart from her lips, coated with dark gloss. He knew for a fact that she hated it, but she would wear it only for special occasions.
She had, almost as soon as they had met, draw strict boundaries involving romance. More specific, none with her. She made it perfectly clear she would kiss no one, sleep with no one, give no sort of sexual pleasure to anyone, or basically have anything but a vague, platonic relationship with anyone. This had been strictly enforced every day.
When Rin and Matt had fallen for each other, Matsuda had hope that it would change, that he might have a chance. No such luck. She just continued sitting, her legs at her chest, always claiming that L was on to something, that it was a comfortable position.
L... what was to be said about L? He hadn't changed much after taking down Light, but Matsuda knew he was sad having to take down his first friend as Kira. He suspected, though, that L harbored a secret crush for the quiet, forbidden girl. He could sympathize, he too, held love for her close to his heart, and would shoot down anyone who would harm her. He knew that his love would never be returned to him, but he was willing to keep giving his love, just hoping that one day, he would receive the tiniest bit back.
Mello... Matsuda didn't know him that well. He sometimes tried to get to know him better to make her happy. It never worked. Sometimes, though, Mello would threaten him, and then she would swoop in, telling Mello to back off, but always giving him the tiniest look of love. Matsuda wanted that look so badly. As Mello would leave, she would turn to him, looking at him like he was a puppy that had chewed up a pen and now he was covered in ink, though she was only a year younger than him. She would smile a little, then lay a hand on his shoulder, shaking her head sadly and looking like she might start laughing, then smile again, right at him, and leave. Leaving him curious and more in love than ever.
And then there was Near. Only two people truly knew Near, L and her. L knew Near because of obvious reasons, he was L's successor, trained with Mello and Matt by L. But she, she had no reason to know him. Why should Near know her better than he did?
Matsuda admitted to himself that he was jealous of the meditation session Near was able to share with her. But it wasn't as though he hadn't tried then. He sat in once, and he had no idea what to do. He opened his eyes, looking around for any hints on what to do, only to find them calmly cross-legged, with their eyes shut, breath barely audible.
He tried, you had to give him credit for that. But he just couldn't sit in the silence that was so uneasy to him, and so interesting to them. He felt a tinge of jealously strike his heart, angry that sometimes even L sat in on these. That L got more time with her. That everyone got more of her.
As quickly as the jealousy had started, it vanished as she laid her hand on his.
"Matsuda," she said quietly, "I need you to be our spokesperson again tonight. Ok?"
He nodded, "Okay!" he added a goofy smile. And in a rare moment, she looked at him from behind her veil of hair, and allowed a small, small, smile to flicker across her face.
Matsuda sat back and blushed, realizing her hand was still on his. As if on cue, she withdrew her light touch from his skin.
Matsuda pouted so slightly it was hardly noticeable, but, unknown to him, she noticed. Matsuda thought not about what he would say as the spokesperson, but a reflection on what had just happened. It was then he realized, he had seen her eyes. No one ever got to see her eyes, ever. Everyone on the team had seen them once, maybe twice, and those times were special.
Her eyes were... indescribable to any language. They were a smoky grey, an eerie yellow, a deep green, a bright red, gracefully teal and chocolately brown all at the same time. They reflected all the sadness, all the sorrow, of the world, saying, Give me the sadness, I'll take care of it.
No! Matsuda wanted to say firmly. Don't make her sad, she already has had it hard enough! Go away! Bring your sorrow somewhere else! But they never would...
Matsuda's reverie was interrupted as the limo came to a slow halt, leaving the only way out a long, red carpet surrounded by fans ranging from adoring to obsessed. Mello sighed, standing by to the door.
"Well, let's get this over with..." he said, reaching for the handle.
"C'mon cutie." Matt said, helping Rin up from her seat. She smiled and smoothed her long, orange hair behind her ears. Her hair had earned her the nickname Orihime, due to their similarity in build, after that though, the similarities ended.
L stood, offering his spindly hand to her. She gracefully took it, but let go, to Matsuda's relief, as soon as she was standing.
Matsuda realized with a jolt that he would have to exit first. Sighing, he stood and opened the door in one fluid motion.
He stepped out, greeted by... -Ding!- The small bell hung on his door chimed, telling him someone had entered.
Matsuda snapped out of his memories to face the now, and the now was Janice. Janice, right, the girl who's like me when he was young... nine years... nine years was a long, long time. Too long. As Janice rounded the corner calling his name, he thought Will I ever see her again? Beautiful, beautiful...
"Elle!" the woman called from her curb, the rain just beginning to fall on her colorful polka-dot umbrella. Elle pulled the cab over to meet the curb.
"Lady." Lillia said respectively, welcoming the woman to her daily commute.
"Please, I've told you a million times," the lady said folding her unique umbrella, "call me Sally. It is my name, after all."
"Whatever you say... Lady."
She scowled and smiled at her. "Whatever," she said, throwing her hands up in mock defeat, "how goes the writing?"
"Better, how goes the hunt?"
"Not so good. His lawyer is begging him to plead guilty, but he'll plead not guilty till the end, all we need is stronger evidence... I'm sorry, you probably don't know what I'm saying."
Elle smirked, angling the mirror so she could see her passengers face better. "Don't assume all taxi drivers only finished high school." she chided. "I used to be in the business of crime and punishment as well."
"Really?" she asked, "were you a lawyer?"
"Not exactly," she said, "more of a PI."
"Oh! that must've been dreadfully fun!"
"I guess you could call it fun. One of my partners always seemed to think so."
"Mack?"
"... Yeah... Mack." she said, tasting the bitter alias on her tongue, feeling as though she was betraying her friends by changing their names. She knew, though, that it was the safest thing to do.
She had changed. Changed so much. Her mess of dark hair was almost always pulled back in a messy ponytail, her eyes now hidden behind sunglasses. However odd she seemed, she would never be the same as before. Even though she wore the same loose clothes and the same, mocking, almost, smile. It would always be different.
The rain streamed down the windows. So close, but so far away. The rain always reminded her of them, all of them. She decided, for once, to give into her desires, rolling down the window ever so slightly. Letting her hand hang out, feeling the drops of rain hit her fingers.
She smiled. It was the same. The same as before. She missed them. Oh, god, she missed them so much.
She sighed, she wondered. If I saw one of them on the street, would I know? Would they know it was me? She wanted to know the answers, she had always wanted answers.
And, as answer often appear, her answers came in a bittersweet epiphany.
They wouldn't see me. I wouldn't see them. We'd be oblivious. No one would ever know.
Upon this realization, the fading moon caught her eye.
Please... she wished to the dim glow of the celestial body.
Let Matsuda see himself reflected in Mack, let them all see that this work of fiction is truth behind a cloak of aliases. Let them see it is them, truly.
On reflection she quickly added,
Soon...
The moon faded from view.