An envelope of top secret files fell to the stone floor. Apologizing, a short blonde scooped up the bundle of papers, her boyfriend cussing at her clumsiness. This was the third screw-up of the day. First, she had woken up the one-sided love of her life at 3 AM because she'd had a nightmare. Next, she constantly bothered him about how they hadn't gone on a date "in forever". In reality, they had gone out to dinner a few nights prior. Though it wasn't the most romantic time in her life, it could be considered a date.
"Dammit, Misa! What are you good for, anyways? All you do is hold me back," her irritated boyfriend hissed.
"I'm sorry... I just... wanted to hang out with you," the girl looked down as she talked softly.
The man whom she spoke to seemed to be thinking, but this went unnoticed by the young woman when she went to embrace her lover. He glanced at her before shoving her aside. The girl fell into the corner of a small coffee table that happened to be in that direction. She gave a short scream of pain when she looked to see that her arm had a small cut with a bruise forming around it. She didn't cry or speak when she walked to the stairs that led to her room.
I deserve this hurt... I continuously do things that slow down the progress of his plans...
Some time after that incident, Light approached Misa with his latest evil scheme, "You better get this right... Now, listen. Here's the plan.
000
The raven-haired detective sat in his usual position while he read through files on his computer. It was a few days after he had un-hand-cuffed his fellow detective and sent the model to live elsewhere. He didn't really like the situation; he still suspected those two, but he was given little choice in the matter. The evidence was undeniable. The 13-day rule proved their innocence.
Light and Ryuzaki were working in the usual room that was full of computers and complex equipment. The latter was working diligently as they both were supposed to, but the other was looking at his watch, waiting for the time to put his plot in motion. The clicking of the keyboard seemed to go at the same speed as the seconds hand on Light's watch as L researched legends of shinigami. Ever since they retrieved the Death Note, Ryuzaki was at a loss. He didn't find Rem very cooperative, and decided to look to see if he could find anything helpful online. Just then, Misa appeared on the screen from the outside security camera.
"Ryuzaki, could Misa come in here for a bit? I need to test her reaction to some of the things we know. Maybe she'll give away something important to the case. I'm not saying I think she's Kira, but she did have some connection to those videos."
"Fine," L said after a minute. "But be sure not to call me 'L' while she's here."
When Misa walked in, she was her usual cheery self, but L could tell something was strange or different about her. He thought that she might be faking her cheerful feelings, but why, he didn't know. It's probably just so she won't worry Light. Even though it wouldn't worry him in the slightest if she was upset. Still, I wonder what's caused her to be upset in the first place...
"Misa-Misa is here again!" She shouted.
"Hello, Misa-san." L sounded just as he always did.
"Hi, Ryuzaki~!" She sang.
"Misa! You're here to help us, if you can. This isn't some carefree visit." Light gave her a look that told her that she was supposed to just see L's name and answer some questions falsely before leaving to write down L's name in the Death Note.
"R-right! Okay." Since when does Misa stutter? L thought after her statement.
Light motioned her over to the computer and showed her a drawn picture of a shinigami from centuries before. "What do you make of this picture?" Light asked her.
"Umm... Is it a shinigami?"
"What do you think of shinigami? Do you believe in their existence?" L was watching for her reaction.
Misa said right away, "What do you mean? Of course they're not real!"
Light ignored her words and tried to get her to say what she was supposed to. "Is that all you have to say about this picture and shinigami?"
"Uhh... There was something else... Oh! Ryuzaki reminds me of a shinigami because he's scary!" Misa turned to look at L. Light was satisfied with her method of finding an excuse to face Ryuzaki so she could memorize his name.
"L-A-W..." Misa just then noticed that she was talking out loud. Light realized she was spelling his name and cursed inwardly. L was simply confused, but suspected that she might have somehow found out his name.
If Misa is the Second Kira, she only needs a face to kill, but I still need to find out how she knows people's names! That's the only reason I let her in here...
"What are you spelling "law" for, Misa?" L tried to sound as he usually would- uninterested- but he was a bit worried about anyone knowing his name. Both L and Light were hoping that Misa would stop talking, or at least say something else.
"Huh? Oh! I was just thinking of... umm... Little Angel Wings! Yeah! I was thinking of starting a group called that and I would be the lead singer! I was just abbreviating it, I guess I said it out loud..." Misa rambled.
Light wouldn't give himself away in Ryuzaki's presence. Of course, he was always careful not to do anything suspicious. So, when Misa failed to do her part of the plan discretely, he had a calm facial expression, but was seething inside.
000
Light will be so proud of me! Sure, I almost messed up, but I stopped myself from spelling Ryuzaki's real name! Lawliet... What a strange name. It's kinda funny, though, because it has the word "law" in it!
Misa had left the task force headquarters shortly after she almost messed up. She had just gotten to her apartment and was headed to the desk, where she kept her death note hidden. She wasn't going to kill Ryuzaki just yet, but she had to punish her daily amount of criminals. She had seen on a public television that a man had murdered his neighbor earlier that day, and wrote his name down.
Later, she had to get ready for a modeling shoot that was to take place that night. She was re-applying her makeup when she noticed the bruise on her arm surrounding a small cut from before. She frowned at the sight.
Light didn't mean to hurt me. I was getting in his way, not being a good girlfriend...
She took some foundation and masked the wound as best as she could. She couldn't have anyone find out about what Light did. After all, it was only a one-time thing, right? He wouldn't hurt me on purpose... Light loves me... He does!
Misa couldn't easily lie to herself. Sure, if a lie was meant to protect Light, she could be quite convincing, but when it came to lying to herself, she couldn't as well anymore. At least, when it had something to do with Light. More specifically, if it had to do with how Light felt about her.
Misa realized that when she first met Light, that she had told him outright that he could use her. She said quite a few things that she probably shouldn't have. Like a child inviting a stranger into their house, she welcomed Light into her heart.
She shook her head to clear her thoughts. I shouldn't think that way! Anyways, I have a photoshoot that I'm supposed to be in right now! I can't be distracted.
000
Ryuzaki had stopped looking up shinigami about an hour after Misa left. He came to the conclusion that none of the theories online, or that he had been told in person, could be proven unless he tested out the notebook. That wasn't the only thing on his mind, though. Misa's strange behavior had been bothering him ever since the moment he first noticed it.
Since she's suspected to be the second Kira, I can't just ignore this odd behavior she displayed... No... I guess I can't deny that I have personal interests about her wellbeing, too.
The panda-eyed detective sighed and took another bite into a cookie.
I know I shouldn't get sidetracked, but I can't seem to be able to focus on anything other than Misa right now...
"Hey, are you okay? That's the third time you've sighed in the past half hour," Light interrupted the detective's thoughts.
"Hmm? Oh, I guess I'm just tired..."
"Tired?" Light sounded genuinely surprised. "You get tired? I've never even seen you take a nap."
"Yes, believe it or not, the great detective, L, gets tired sometimes. I think I'll go for a walk outside." Perhaps, I can investigate whatever's bothering Misa...
The man stood hunched over and walked out of the room.