AN: Hello, everyone...aand I've decided to put up a new fic! Yay, it's so rare for me!

And it's another rare-pairing fanfic. LXMisa! I hope you'll enjoy this...L and Misa narrate the fic at different times, only they do that in third person. I'll say who's narrating, and you'll probably be able to tell who's talking by their style of narrating and how they explain stuff, so yeah...I hope I'm accurate and in-character with both of them.

So here's the deal. In this fic I'm trying to develop Misa more as a character--'cause frankly she doesn't get too much in the anime and it makes her come off as shallow and annoying at least half the time. I think she deserves to come off as more intelligent and not such a 'pathetic needy little girl.' So this is my shot at it.

Also, I'm trying to portray not only what L is thinking, but what he's feeling. And I know that isn't easy without being OOC, since in the anime he makes it next to impossible to tell how he's feeling to us normal people. But instead of only looking at what his brain is thinking, I want to show how he feels about stuff too. I'll do my best to have that without him turning into a cheese-ball, so don't worry about that. -nervous laugh- ...

Um okay! Hope you'll like this, and...here it is!

"Keep a Secret" …

A LXMisa fanfiction

Romance/Drama, also humor and angst

A story made up of vignettes…(Misa) From that day I kissed you, would you look at me strangely…if I wanted to be with someone else for a change? (L) From that previous occurrence, would you ever consider agreeing…if I'd want you and me to be a secret? L/Misa

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text below 'LL Narrator'--is L is 3rd person narrator (LL meaning L Lawliet)

text below 'MA Narrator'--is Misa is 3rd person narrator (MA meaning Misa Amane)

During dialogue, neither of them narrate the fic…

"a new friend..."

chapter one

absent-minded phrase

(LL Narrator)

It was nothing, that day…that strange day when it was her and him. Misa, L and Yagami Light, actually. Of course, that was an obvious case…L was still trying to pinpoint the possibility of his being Kira, although now they were chasing someone else around who killed in the very same fashion, only for different motives.

But you knew that already. And that's not why you're here, is it?

But it all began on that day, you see. Not that there really was a beginning, just as there is no end to a story in real life. But it all started to become quite significant then, in any case.

Now I'm sounding vague. Truly unlike my explanations…

Let me be more precise with you.

It was simple, really. She gave him a quick sincere kiss on the cheek in gratitude for some sort of dating thing with Light before dashing away to squeal about how happy she was. How completely typical of her. Misa, that is. I suppose I'm not all that good with names.

And anyway, he (I'll say Ryuuzaki—L is much too exclusive for my tastes) couldn't help but smile dumbly and mumble something. Something about the possibility of loving her.

Of course, he didn't. It was only an absent-minded phrase. A moment of lacking in logic. And that's very rare for him. But he never had many social abilities, you see. It was clearly the first time any girl had kissed him at all.

And it wasn't just any girl. It was the renowned model and actress, Misa Amane, Japan's glittering star. Before this whole business of getting caught up in possibly being the second Kira, she could have gone to such heights without ever looking back.

However, if not for the Kira incident Ryuuzaki wouldn't know her or be around her right now. He'd be concerned with his cases and have no time to think of her. Although I still found time to be a closet fanboy of her latest issues in Japan's most popular magazines—

….Ahem…I think I just got a bit carried away. However, you should know there is in fact, a point to all this. I can just be…frankly, rather long-winded.

But anyway, Ryuuzaki found being around Misa as she was presently wasn't nearly as appealing as he may have hoped. In fact, he found her mostly annoying. If she wasn't shouting about how much she adored Light than she'd be trying to grab him and stay glued to him…constantly. He knew that for a fact, since he was chained to him with handcuffs.

If she'd met and kissed him in that same manner before he knew her as a worshipper of Yagami and before he'd suspected her of being the second Kira, the odds of Ryuuzaki turning a few shades of red and falling over would be close to 75, maybe 80 percent. But even in that situation, in front of Yagami, he found himself acting a bit illogical and foolish. It could be likened to the sudden surge of sugar in one's system.

And it was quite likely…maybe a 60 percent chance, probably more…that nothing would ever come of it. It was simply a fleeting moment that neither of them should have considered as anything otherwise. And even if Ryuuzaki did consider something else of it, it was highly probable that he would have nothing but a silly unspoken crush. As for Misa, she was so infatuated…or obsessed, either way—with Light, that the chance of her ever seeing L differently, as someone other than an odd detective…was zero.

But are my calculations truly accurate?

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(MA Narrator)

Light Yagami was everything. He meant everything to her, he was the sun and moon for her, and he touched her heart in a way that no one else did. She didn't really know why. But he did. And that's all that mattered.

She always smiled and tried to be brave. From the very first day when she lost her parents, when she saw them falling to the floor and spewing blood from gunshots to the head. They both died that way, and even though she cried and sobbed she was able to escape from dying the same way, as she hid her tiny body in a crevice between a door and a closet. The man who shot her parents never found her, and he escaped before the police arrived.

She was so little then.

Even when the police finally did catch up to him, it made no difference. Months and months passed by. There was a trial, but it seemed he would never be convicted.

Then something amazing happened. It was years after her parents died, but it happened. That man fell to the floor from a heart attack. He was dead. He died! Just like all the others who were considered criminals. It couldn't be a coincidence. Kira did it. Kira killed him!

She was so overjoyed, and has loved Kira ever since out of gratitude. She could never be more thankful.

But why does this have to do with Light-kun? I don't know. Let me get back to him, I think I went off-track.

Anyway, now Misa felt that Light-kun was all she had. In fact, she knew that for a fact. It was true, there was no other way of looking at it.

Misa also believed that Light was the only one for her…and that they could share everything together. All Misa really wanted, was to share everything with him, so she could finally feel loved.

But Misa was useless. She kept failing, again and again. Why was Misa so stupid?! She felt so frustrated. More than that, she was angry with herself. Why couldn't she be useful to Light-kun? Why did she always seem to stand in his way? It always seemed like, the more she tried to help the more he hated her for it. She couldn't understand. What was Misa doing wrong…?

Most of the time though, she doesn't let that get to her. She tries to look on the bright side. She knows Light-kun will love her one day. She'll make it be that way, and it'll all work out fine. She's sure of it.

Even when she's not so sure, she still finds ways to distract herself. Like getting absorbed in her modeling or the movies she stars in or poking fun at Ryuuzaki-san.

Lately, she did that by calling him "pervert."

But was Ryuuzaki-san really a pervert? Honestly Misa didn't know. Sometimes she'd feel so creeped out, with the way he'd stare and stare at her and Light when they were together. And that was all the time, because now L was chained to him with handcuffs. She started wondering why. She felt like he was examining every inch of her, so I guess that's why she started calling him "pervert."

Not that she minded. In fact she was used to it, being a model and all. But it started getting on her nerves, because she wanted some alone time with her Light-kun. How could she do that when he was always in the same room and staring in a way that made her feel so exposed?

But she did finally get some alone time with her Light-kun. She was so overjoyed about it, you couldn't imagine how happy she felt…because now she finally had a night alone with him. In the same room.

The only reminder Ryuuzaki left behind was the chains still on Light's hand, a long chain that led under the door…still connected to him, farther away in a room on the other side.

But the room Light and Misa were in was sound proof, and Ryuuzaki couldn't get to the camera visuals to watch what was going on with them…so it was good enough for her.

But then Misa did something stupid. She didn't even know what she did, but it was so stupid—

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"Light-kuun!!" She chirped happily. "Why don't you sit here with me? I think you might like it!" She sat on the bed in the hotel-style room, and patted a spot next to her as he stood several feet away from her.

"Go away, Misa. Leave me alone. I went in here away from Ryuuzaki so I could get in some of my own research. There's a laptop in here for a reason, you know," he sounded sarcastic with that last remark.

"But, but…why not?" She pouted. And she tried to pout very cutely, too.

"Aargh! Misa, I don't even know how you got in here! I want you to get out of here, alright?"

"No! No, it's not alright, because Misa never gets time alone with Light-kun! Light-kun is always busy with work, and investigating, and trying to figure all this out about Kira! But he never has time for me!" She stood up and dug her fingers in her sleeves as she shouted. "And now I finally have some time alone with you, but you can't ever make time for Misa! Why?"

He let out a frustrated sigh. "Don't you remember that I'm still somehow suspected of being Kira myself? I'm under constant surveillance and I'm always discussing these matters with everyone else. I need a break, I need some time to myself. That means I need time away from them and time away from you. Can't you understand that?!"

"But Light-kun…" She was almost in tears because she was desperate. "That means I can't ever be alone with you…"

"So? We're under surveillance right now, anyway. It's not like we're actually alone."

"I know that!" She shouted with sudden anger, tears still in her eyes. "But I don't care. I want to be with you."

"Do you want to know why I don't want to be with you?"

She looked at him. She didn't want to know the answer to that, but she listened anyway.

"You're constantly with me. You always shout loudly in my ears, and embarrass me in front of everyone else. You're always whining and you talk so much that I want to tear my ears out. You're loud and annoying. You're so obsessed with me that I'm completely fed up with you. I could disown you and watch you run out of my life permanently, and I would feel nothing. Does that answer make it clear enough for you?!"

The tears stinging her eyes began to well up and inch down hotly over her cheeks.

"So is that it? Is that what Light thinks of Misa?"

"Did you really think you were anything else to me?

She felt a sharp stab in her chest, and choked back a sob.

"Well then I'm sorry…I'm sorry Misa was ever a burden to you!!"

She ran and slammed her side into the door before she opened it and ran out. She couldn't hold back her sobs anymore.

She went into her room and slammed the door. The normally bright room was dark now. That was just the way she wanted it. She fell on her bed and buried her face in the pillows. She felt like she wanted to die as she let her pain bleed like a fresh wound. She just kept sobbing again and again.

She slammed the door so roughly that she didn't notice it had slowly drifted open. Even when the light from outside the room came spilling in, she ignored it. She didn't care because the boy she loved hated her.

She didn't even hear anyone coming, with such soft tapping footsteps. But before she realized what had happened, someone knocked on her door three times.

"—Ah, Misa. I see you're in here." That voice was familiar, but she was too caught up in hysterics to recognize it. "Have you seen my teacups?"

It took several seconds for her to compose herself enough to stop sobbing, and she finally managed to sit up and look at the messy-haired Ryuuzaki standing in the doorway. He looked more curious than anything else.

She gave a confused look. "T-Teacups? What're you talking about?"

"Oh, you know, my favorite teacups. They've gone missing just an hour ago, and I can't have my sugar-filled tea or coffee without them. So I went looking for you in case you might've seen them."

She sniffled and wiped something out of her eye, and frowned at him. "Go away, Ryuuzaki. I want to be alone right now."

"But haven't you seen them? I'm sure they were around here somewhere."

"I said go away! I never saw your stupid teacups." She slumped down on her bed and decided to ignore him.

"But don't you even wonder why I'm not chained to Light Yagami? I'd consider it rather strange, after all." He emphasized his point by raising his arm for her to see, where a handcuff and a few loose chains dangled.

He was really getting on her nerves, but since he wasn't leaving she decided to answer him.

"I'm not like you. I don't question everything."

Ryuuzaki got a rather puzzled and slightly troubled look on his face as he continued to study her. Then he took a few tentative steps in her direction.

"I'd also wonder why Misa wants to be alone when all she ever wants is to be with Light. Don't you think that's a bit peculiar?"

She abruptly sat up again and glared at him. "Stop studying me like I'm some kind of science project! I don't care that you're a detective, but why don't you leave me and Light-kun out of this! And that backwards way you talk is so weird! Why don't you give Light more free time anyway, so we can be together?"

His crouched figure straightened a tiny bit as his toes gripped the carpet and he nibbled his index finger. "So is that what this is all about? Light is so caught up in the investigation that he has no time for you?"

"Stop asking all the questions, for once! Can't you just give Light more time so he can be with me?" Her anger died down into a tired plea.

"…I'm afraid I can't do that. The investigative team needs all the resources it can get, and we find Yagami to be a valuable asset." He gave her a slightly sharp look. "—And he is still a Kira suspect himself, need I remind you."

"Why do you always keep suspecting him? Why is it always him that you have to constantly watch? What's so wrong with giving us time alone once in a while…?" She didn't know whether to be hurt or angry.

"I think you're avoiding the real issue here. I'm not a genius at all with things that don't concern my cases…" he trailed off, and suddenly spoke again. "But you've never been this upset after seeing Light. It's really none of my business, but—"

"Then get out!!" she interrupted. "You're right, it is none of your business! So get out of here! This has nothing to do with you…and you always make things harder for us anyway!" Her explosive burst of anger died down again, and this time she was almost in tears.

"Just leave me alone…"

"—What I was about to say a moment ago, if you're finished with all that—" he didn't look affected by her outburst whatsoever, gazing at her with his finger still stuck in his mouth. "Is that I deduce you had an argument with Light. You really think he hates you. Am I wrong?"

She slowly looked up at him. She still looked hurt, but now she was also a bit shocked. She always wondered how he accurately guessed nearly every situation.

"…So, what if it is?" Her hurt voice started sounding a little less angry and a little more hopeful. "Are you saying that he…that he doesn't really hate me?"

L removed his hand from his face and with that same wide-eyed look it almost seemed that he smiled. "How would I know? Even I can't figure out what goes through the mind of one such as his," he took a few more steps towards her, so now he was a few feet away from her bed. "But there's one fact I do know…and you should know, too, when I'm not involved with my case work, and even though I may have made matters worse for you…"

He muttered the last of his sentence so softly that she couldn't hear him. She raised her head a bit as she looked at him.

"What? What was that, Ryuuzaki-san?"

He let out a barely audible sigh.

"I said…you're not alone." He seemed to make more of an effort to smile at her. "Remember that."

Something about that simple phrase touched her heart. She didn't really know why. Maybe it was because she was so hurt now from what had just happened, that she was just vulnerable. But either way, it helped her to hear that. She smiled as she realized that he'd been trying to comfort her all this time, in his own strange way.

"Ryuuzaki-san…" she stood up, and in one swift motion stepped towards him and hugged him. "Thank you, Ryuuzaki-san. That's so sweet of you."

"Well…" Whatever logical explanation he was about to say died in his throat, as he just stood motionless beneath her grip.

For the first time in ages, he was at a complete blank and couldn't think up a complete scenario to guide him. He'd been about to turn around and leave when she suddenly pulled that out of nowhere.

She gripped his shoulders as she started to cry again. "I'm sorry I said such mean things to you. I didn't mean it, I just…feel so useless. But I'll try to do better. Misa will show she's worth something!" Tears started dripping down her cheeks.

He tensed a bit and went into an automatic quiet panic-mode...he tried to think up a way to stop her crying, but still nothing in his mind would work. So instead he just reached up his arm and managed to weakly pat the back of her head.

"No need to concern yourself…emotions aren't all that logical, anyway." He said in an attempt to quiet her down.

"You're right. Misa's so emotional…her emotions make her so useless!" Now she was crying harder.

His panic was almost visible now and he started to sweat a bit. He really wished Watari were here to take care of this situation about now. That and bring him more cake. He couldn't think normally for some reason, his shirt was now wet and he had a sobbing girl on his hands. What had he gotten himself into?!

"…Um…look, Misa, I have a secret stash of calorie-free pastries in case I can't have my normal ones. You're a model and don't want the normal kind, so…could we get some cake? It might get rid of your bad mood," he felt like smacking himself. Why was he talking so strangely (for him,) and why did he just invite a girl to eat his secret stash of cakes with him?

Her crying died down a little and she sniffled as she pulled away a bit.

"…Um, um…" she couldn't seem to think straight either, only it was because of all her crying. "well I guess…"

"Great! Well let's go then!" He said a little too enthusiastically (since he was still nervous) and took her wrist and part of her hand and led her down the hallway.

She was still teary-eyed and dazed from all of her crying, but she managed to smile in his direction. It made her feel a little better to know that someone wanted her company. It made her feel that someone might like her after all.

She didn't even know that he hadn't been looking for teacups to begin with.

--End Vignette #1...

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AN: Yay! First part done! -smile- I got it done in about two hours all at once, starting around 3 AM! Go me! -Is a bit hyper from lack of sleep- Eheh, anyway--so I hope you enjoyed that.

Hopefully I got them in character-? Let me know what you think. (But go easy on the critique, please--I write mainly for the fun of it) Either way, I hope it's entertaining. That's what's most important.

I honestly don't know where I'm going with this fic. I have ideas for L/Misa scenes that'll go on in each chapter, with Light being involved at times. And I certainly know the ending, generally...but there's a lot of details that I'll fill in just on the spot. That's the fun of it.

On a different but equally important note--I seem to be one of the many fanfic writers on this site who gets next to zip reviews, so let me make one thing clear. I write because I enjoy writing, and I won't try to update at a set time anymore. I might update next week, sooner than that or a couple weeks from now. It depends on how interested I am in the story and how much time I have.

But reviews would be nice. And more importantly, it would encourage me to keep writing without waiting for weeks to update. So please review, folks. Honestly.

I look forward to hearing from you and to doing more with this story! Have fun with life, folks!

Until next time,

Saffyre Neko