"It's a wonderful day to come to a cafe like this one, isn't it? I absolutely love this time of year," AJ said, lifting her legs to the chair next to her to get more comfortable.

Lawliet had still yet to take his eyes off of her, even when he took a drink from his warm extremely sugary coffee. "Yes, I suppose so," he said.

"Do you like Christmas, Lawliet?" she asked him curiously, with genuine interest.

Lawliet grew a little uncomfortable at her question, but didn't allow her to see it. He hadn't ever really had a stereotypical Christmas before. In Wammy's, they did have Christmas feasts and gift giving. But he hadn't really stuck around long enough to get used to it. Plus, the only person who had ever given him a present had been Watari - normally something that he could use in training, or in later years, on a case. After taking on the role of "world's greatest detective", Lawliet hadn't the time to focus on Christmas anymore. Watari made him his favorites and gave him a small present, but Lawliet had always forgotten the holiday in order to give him one as well. Watari was never offended, of course. He understood how caught up he would get in his cases...

"I can say that I don't not like it," he said with a small shrug of indifference, which made AJ in front of him tilt her head a little with wide eyes. Her eyes were so pretty. Like crystal, or ice. Or... he needed to stop thinking in metaphors.

"You mean to tell me, you don't celebrate Christmas?" AJ asked, reading between the lines rather quickly.

"No. Not in a while at least," he admitted honestly.

"When was the last time you celebrated?" she asked, taking a sip from her drink idly while staring him down as he answered.

"I can't really say when the last time I ever celebrated it - if I ever did. It was always present each time of year on the same day, but I've never been the celebrating type," Lawliet explained.

Instead of looking shocked, the look on AJ's face became contemplative. He could tell she was thinking rather hard and probably quickly. In a matter of seconds she was back to cheerfully speaking to him. "Well maybe you should change that this year," she said then let the subject drop. "So do you come here often?"

Lawliet moved a finger to his lips again, wondering why she was so interested in speaking with him on such a human level. He was quite aware that he was strange - as many told him frequently in his old life. He'd even noticed several stares in his new one as well. He still preferred comfort over style, but had changed the color of his shirt to a black instead of white to not stand out. He made himself wear shoes when he was out of his home, that covered his whole feet and not just the toes, but still refused to wear socks. His jeans were a slight darker color than what he was used to. Despite that, he looked much the same. His hair was still a complete mess - which he didn't pay attention to in the slightest. His eyes, still the same color. He still couldn't sleep, so he wore bags under his eyes like an accessory. He sat in the same way, with his knees brought up to his chest with his hands resting on them - as it helped him keep himself on guard while out and about. And he still couldn't shake the sweet tooth that he had apparently been born with.

"Yes," he answered vaguely, not comfortable enough to speak so easily about his routines. Although he couldn't sense any danger from her, he still had to be careful in this new life. No one must know that he was alive.

AJ either didn't mind that he wasn't elaborating or she didn't even notice. For which either, he was thankful.

"Well, I normally come here every Tuesday afternoon. I work in a bakery full time, so it's nice to settle down with a cappuccino and lounge about. This is the perfect place to do it!" AJ explained happily.

"You work in a bakery?" he prompted, with his sweet tooth he was curious to hear more about what she could cook.

"Mhm!" AJ said before grinning. "It's over on Lancaster Lane, a couple blocks from here. You should come over one day while I'm working, I could give you some of our gingerbread cookie cake that we've begun selling this time of year. I'll even get them to discount you, if I tell them you're a friend."

Lawliet's mouth had begun watering at the sound of "gingerbread cookie cake" but what really set him aback was when she called him her friend. They had only been speaking for mere minutes and already she considered him a friend? Or was she just going to lie to her coworkers in order to get him a discount out of an act of goodwill?

"That's awfully kind of you to offer, AJ. I might just do that one day," he said honestly. That is, if he ever had the sudden want to venture further than this block. However, with the promise of cake, he had to say it was a more than likely chance he'd go. "I do love cake."

AJ giggled girlishly, which he felt himself falling for slightly instead of cringing like when Misa Amane had in the past. AJ's laugh sounded a lot like bells and he did find it endearing. "Then you'll have to come!" she said with a definite nod of her head.

Lawliet felt the pull of his lips begin to curve upwards into a small smile, but caught himself quickly before revealing himself. "I suppose I will," he stated calmly.

AJ smiled brightly and leaned back into her comfy chair, taking another drink from her (he assumed) cappuccino. "So what do you do for a living?"

It was an innocent enough question, he concluded, but it wasn't where he was concerned. He could tell her that he was unemployed, but that might seem like he was some bum. If he told her that he didn't need to work, maybe she'd think it was impressive that he had enough money to do so. Or think he was a complete snob while she slaves away in a bakery for the rest of her life. However, if he told her he used to work as a detective, she might try to investigate him and find out more than he was willing to share. Not that she'd find much on "Lawliet" since no one knew him by that name except Watari.

With a finger to his lips, he spoke through it with a sort of mumble. "I do not need to work," he said, going with the most logical option.

AJ tilted her head, which he realized must be a quirk of hers when she didn't understand something and tried to solve the confusion. "You don't? So does that mean you are wealthy?"

Lawliet nodded once. "Yes. It's true I don't need to work, therefore I don't."

"That's quite impressive at such a young age," she decided aloud and he gave her a calculative look. "Was your family wealthy?"

"You could say that," he went with, relieved to know that his honest confession had been worth it since she was impressed. But did that mean she was interested in men who had money? No... he couldn't say that it was true just yet. She did sit down with him comfortably without knowing that bit of information though. He could have been a bum for all she knew at that time.

"Hmm," AJ said with an understanding nod of sorts. "So if you don't need to work, do you have any hobbies?"

Lawliet just couldn't fathom why she was so interested in him. Out of everyone in the cafe, handsome business men alike, she chose to speak with him. Yes, he had been staring at her, but if she hadn't been interested, she wouldn't be sitting in front of him at all.

"I like chess and read a few books here and there. But I guess you could say, I've been a bit bored lately. Humans need their mind stimulated on a daily basis and a career of any kind will help the brain stay focused. Since I do not need to work, I have to stimulate my mind in other ways. It can be... difficult sometimes."

"So is that why you come here? To get out of your house when you're bored?" she asked curiously.

Lawliet nodded once. "Yes."

"I completely understand," AJ said with a sigh, making him blink a couple times. She did? "Well, if you want, we could meet up every Tuesday and have coffee together... I mean, it's up to you. I don't have many friends either and although we haven't known each other long, I feel like I could get to know you easily."

Lawliet's heart rate picked up quickly again at her second offer. Meet up with her every week? Was that something he could do? I mean, of course he didn't have anything else better to do with his time. But if he got to know her better - which in all honesty he agreed that they could get to know each other easily with how comfortable she did make him - she would begin to realize he was keeping something from her and it would betray her trust...

But he didn't have anything else better to do with his time. She was interesting, pretty, curious about him, and oh so willing to get to know him. The real him - to an extent. He'd be an idiot not to agree to this.

"That would be nice actually," he said which made her sit up in the chair straighter with a grin that stretched across her whole face. How could someone be so happy?