The kettle screeched as it reached a boil. Ciara turned the knob quickly and poured the water into the teapot, cursing when water splashed into her fingers. She sucked on the slightly pink thumb as she dropped the diffuser into the clear teapot. It was just s basic black tea today, but the effect was still mesmerising. She could watch tea steeping for hours on end. The way the colour curled and spread in the water, it was beautiful, in a way. She tore herself away, knowing nothing would get done if she continued watching the tea steep. She set out two opaque mugs with matching saucers, each with a tiny, shell engraved teaspoon. She paused, then added another set. She grabbed the little floral sugar tin, a tiny pitcher of milk, and the jar of honey from her pantry, placing them in a neat cluster beside the teapot.

It felt like hours had passed, but looking up at the clock, it had only been two minutes. He was five minutes late. Perhaps the buses were late? No, she disregarded that theory, he would never step foot on a bus. Maybe he just wasn't coming? That thought would come with a sense of relief, but she knew that that wasn't going to happen. She felt a tug at her jumper and sighed, but scooped Fluffy up onto her lap, rubbing the spot between the cats oversized ears. Fluffy purred in delight but hissed when a knock at the door interrupted her pampering session. Ciara dropped Fluffy unceremoniously on her climbing frame and hurried to the door, her hand hesitating on the handle. Perhaps she could just not open the door? If she kept the lights off, just hid in her room quiet as a mouse, they'd eventually leave, right?

Her shoulders sagged - No, knowing L, he'd probably just pick the lock (or kick down the door. It would depend on how theatrical he felt today). She took a deep breath, and wrenched the door open. She greeted the two men with brief hugs, ushering them into her home quickly. She shut the door, ensuring all three locks were turned and bolted before turning, seeing the two men already sitting at the table. They hadn't changed a bit since the last time she saw them. In L's case, its like he stepped right out of her memories, she can't remember him wearing anything other than that oversized shirt and stonewashed jeans. Both were of some designer brand, she had found a drawerful of them back at Whammy's, when she still lived there. And as for Watari... He smiled more often than he did when she was younger. She slid into the seat across from the young detective.

"Please, help yourself. How was your-"

"My apologies, but I highly doubt either of us want to engage in small talk." L sipped his tea, and Ciara noticed how the sugar tin was now almost completely empty. "This is a gorgeous tea set, by the way."

She heaved a sigh, suddenly exhausted, and wanting nothing more than to kick the two men out and curl up in bed for the next week. Funny how L has that effect on people. "L what do you want?"

"I assume you've heard of the Kira case."

A frown tugged at the corner of her mouth, "The one in Japan right? I saw footage your broadcast, it was incredibly clever."

"Thank you. I'd like you to be an investigator in the case."

Ciara stared evenly at the young man over the rim of her mug.

"C, quite frankly I need someone that I can trust," The shock on her face was obvious, but L continued. " we've known each other since we were children and I know how capable you are. I believe your experience and input on this case would be vital."

"L, this may come as a shock to you, but I have a life here,I can't just abandon everything when you snap your fingers."

His gaze flicked down, seeing her fingers drumming against her thigh frantically.

"I didn't mean to aggravate you, of course you can think on this- but we will be leaving for Japan in five days. I would be lying if I said I didn't want you to accompany me."

He produced a large envelope from beneath his shirt, placing it gently on the table. "Thank you for meeting with me, I understand that my face is one you would never want to see again in your lifetime." Ciara found herself laughing. Shaking her head, she couldn't help but agree. Of course, she didn't vocalise this.

The two men drained their cups, throwing their heads back almost in unison. They stood, and Watari gingerly touched her shoulder as L wandered over to the cat's climbing frame. She maintained eye contact with the older man as she heard a brief breath of surprise, and she smothered the urge to smile. Her former guardian squeezed her arm before moving passed her, leaving through the front door without so much as a backward glance.

Which left L, who, when she turned to face him, was seated on the floor in his strange way, his head resting on his kn wiggling a string in front of

"A curious creature. I didn't realise you were a cat person," he hummed, scratching the feline's ears. "What's her name?"

"Fluffy."

A short snort burst from his nose and he cocked his head, looking back at her with mirth in his dark eyes.

"Shes not usually so friendly, she likes you." This was untrue, but it made people happy to think a connection has been made. The ghost of a smile on L's mouth made her white lie worth it, and she hid her own smirk behind her hand. The sphinx licked his finger tips and L looked about her home. Shelves lined the walls, filled to the brim with books and photographs. He was drawn to a photograph of three familiar teenagers, smiling widely at the camera. He suddenly felt like he was overstepping some boundary, even just by looking at them.

"You could have called, or even written a letter," Ciara piped up from behind him,where she was leaning against the table. "It was unnecessary to come all the way out here."

L nodded in agreement. "It was, but quite frankly..." He paused, as if pondering his words " I wanted to see how you were doing. See what you were doing with yourself."

"Careful there Oh Great Superior One," she chewed back her smile when the detective fixed her with am unamused glare. "You're starting to sound embarrassingly domestic. Sentimental, even."

The man rolled his eyes.L moved passed her, towards the door and thanked her for the tea. He caught a glimpse of some letters on the windowsill. He almost laughed and turned his head. "You should probably take another alias when you meet us in Japan."

Her head snapped up.

"I never said I wa-" the door shut with a small click. Fluffy rubbed against her legs, mewling for her attention now that L was gone. "Since when are you that friendly, huh?" The cat looked up at her with a wide eyed innocence as if to say 'who, me? I have no idea what you're talking about.'

"Sure you don't."

She pawed at the front door and looked back at her, as if saying 'when is that lovely young man who smelled sickeningly of sugar going to come back?' In response Ciara huffed, crossing her arms over her chest "Traitor."

She sighed, letting her arms fall to her sides "Imagine if Adam saw me now, he'd be hysterical. Talking to a cat, what a loser, right?"

She drifted back into the kitchen, grabbing the envelope off the table and plopping onto the plush armchair, one leg curled under her and another thrown over the arm of the chair. Inside was a flight ticket, some Japanese yen (her nose scrunched at this, she didn't particularly need L's charity, she was doing quite well for herself), and files on the case and everyone associated with it- including the involved police officers and investigators "He really could have just mailed this, would have saved him a trip." Fluffy ignored her in favour of scrambling up her legs ,leaving pink marks in her wake, and stretched out in Ciara's lap. She routinely rubbed the space between her ears. "Well Fluff, what do you think I should do?" She thought for a moment, then snorted derisively, letting her head fall back into the chair with a 'thunk'. "Well? You wanna go on a holiday girl? Japan has been on my bucket list."

Shed have to make a few calls, of course, would probably have to update the security system...

She could have slapped herself. She'd be gone maybe a few months, at the most, there's no need to go over the top.