Back in the main room it was the next day and I exhaled watching as L balanced sugar cubes in a tower on his desk instead of working, he could get distracted way too easily.
"How many times do I have to tell you NOT to play with your food," I said half-heartedly, we had had this discussion many times before, it was like talking to a dog really…a useless waste of time.
"Ah but you have also told me sugar cubes don't count as food," He said and I face palmed, he had me on that one.
"I should send you to rehab for your sugar addiction," I threatened leaning towards him as I placed my hands on his knees.
"But I need this sugar," L said with a wide eyed innocent look, the rest of the room was watching us with rapt interest. I snorted in amusement, he could look so adorable when he wanted to.
"Yeah because you refuse to sleep," I rolled my eyes, "And because you eat so much crap you're so hyped up even if you wanted to sleep you couldn't because your buzzing," I grabbed the sugar cube from the top of his tower and popped it into my mouth, "Stop eating crap!" L blinked and reach out to a bowl and took a chocolate covered strawberry and popped it into his mouth.
"Strawberries aren't crap," He said simply and my face fell into a lop sided smile.
"They are when they're smothered in chocolate," I whispered reached out and taking one, slowly licking the chocolate from it.
"How can you call it crap and then eat it, is that not a little hypocritical," He said watching my tongue slowly lick around the strawberry.
"I'm saving you from yourself," I teased finally taking a bite of strawberry and licking the juice off my lips. From my position of leaning on his knees I could see the erection growing in his trousers and I smirked licking my fingers one by one.
"Mm, I may have another," I whispered winking at him, I knew he found me attractive even if he did not share my emotional attachment. I had more than once caught him in a state where his hormones disobeyed his usually logical state of mind and when I did I oh so wanted to relieve his frustration, a few times I even had.
"You can be cruel and unusual at times," He whispered quietly back moving the strawberries from my reach, "Go get your own," Running my tongue along my top lip I put one hand on each of his arm rests and leaned forward to press my lips to his forehead.
"I have to go anyway," I whispered into his ear, "I'll be back later,"
I sat on the bench from the day before and waited, sure enough Light walked over and bang on the same time at that,
"Hey Emily…ready to go?" He said and I nodded jumping to my feet.
"Thank you so much!" I said, giggling girlishly and followed him as he walked back down the path.
"Hey…it's nothing," He said smiling. I looked up at him through my eyelashes and sighed.
"You are such a good person for helping me out like this," I said and then looked away blushing when he met my eyes and said it was nothing. I saw light smirk out the corner of my eye.
"I thought we'd head to a café and grab a coffee," Light said, "My treat," Looking back up at him.
"I thought you were going to show me around?" I said grinning, "You are making it sound like a date?"
"You don't have a boyfriend do you?" Light said curiously and I shook my head thinking 'no but I'm eight years older than you'.
"No…my last one," I swallowed and looked down. Light touched my shoulder.
"What happened?" He said sounding worried, meeting his eyes.
"Oh…he left me," I said shrugging, "I didn't want to…you know…do certain things," Light nodded slowly.
"It was not long after my parents died and he was a bit of a creep…" I admitted and sighed, "Nothing like you…you're so…gentlemanly," Light rolled his eyes.
"I mean it…you seem like a total gentleman…what girl wouldn't want that?" I nudged him with my elbow as we walked in and sat down.
We both ordered a drink and just sat talking until my phone started to ring about three cups of coffee and two slices of cake later.
"Huh?" I looked to the caller ID and sighed, "It's my…brother," I said wrinkling my nose and flicked it open.
"Luke…I'm kinda…like with someone you know?" I spoke in English.
"You've been gone long enough…wrap it up and get in the car out front," He said.
"Fine," I grumbled.
"See you in the car," He said and my eyes shot open.
"You've come to pick me up?" I poked out my tongue to Light and rolled my eyes, "I told you to stop keeping tabs on me! I am a big girl! You are a horrible brother and I hate you," I hung up and looked to Light.
"I've gotta go…" I said and leant across the table and kissed him cheek, "Thanks…this was nice. Maybe next time you'll show me around," I winked and grabbed my bag.
"Bye Light," I said and he waved.
"Bye," He said and I hurried out and into the car.
"So what do you think?" L said as I swirled around in my desk chair.
"Unfortunately…he fits the profile," I said smiling apologetically to the Chief. L glanced over us with his normal uncaring demeanour.
"Watari is setting surveillance up in Chief Yagami's home," He said to me and I nodded with a sigh.
"The FBI tapes right?" I said and he nodded.
"We shall be watching with Chief Yagami whilst the others watch the directors family," I nodded and we left to get comfy.
It was boring, no one came home for hours. I popped a lolly pop in my mouth just as Light came home and hurried up to his room, first checking no one else was around. I was sprawled on the sofa, my head resting against L's side. Light sat down on his bed and opened a magazine, ergh…porn, what a horrid past times he had. He flicked through the pages, the Chief was going on about how he was surprised his son looked at those.
"It is perfectly normal for a 17 year old boy," L said not taking his eyes from the screen.
"Yeah…" I said chuckling, "I even caught you with those remember…god how old where you? Like sixteen…ha! Thought you were going to kill me!" I giggled and the Chief looked sideways at L who said nothing.
Another week and finally L gave up.
"Well I've gotta go…" I said jumping to my feet, "I have an exam to take," I grabbed my cardigan and L stood holding a set of keys between his thumb and his index fingers.
"Oh please tell me you're not driving…you almost killed me last time," I said and just followed him out. The drive wasn't long but L drove really erratically and it scared the living shit out of me. We parked a few streets away and I hurried off.
"HEY LIGHT!" I called spotting him and running to keep up. Light turned and smiled seeming genuinely happy to see me.
"Emily! Thought you'd already gotten in?" Light said and as we walked on.
"Still gotta take the test!" I said with a shrug, "There way of checking I didn't lie on my application I suppose," We walked in in just enough time to take our seats.
The test was easy enough and a few weeks later I got the results, I obviously got 100% and would be making a speech, three of us would. Light and I met every few days just walking around the area where he lived in, his younger sister Sayu would peer through the window if we passed his house and I would simply smile and wave making her duck back down. The day we got the results was the day Light tried to push our 'relationship' to the next level.
"Hey Emily," Light said as we strolled across a local park. Turning my head to look at him whilst I sipped a smoothie I nodded.
"I was wondering if you would like to get dinner and see a movie tonight, to celebrate our results," He seemed nervous and swallowing the urge to scream and run I forced a pleasant smile.
"Sure…I can be free tonight," I said fluttering my eyelashes slightly, "I'll have to ring my brother and say I'll be back late," Light nodded.
"Of course, shall we go now?" He said and I laughed nodding as I pulled my phone out and made the call.
Dinner was at a hopelessly romantic overly priced restaurant where his desperate attempts to 'woo' me went unnoticed, I could see all the security cameras trained on us and internally I sighed. L did not need to see this, I wanted to vomit at my actions and when we finally left to go to the movies he took the opportunity to kiss me whilst I tried to thank him. Swallowing the bile and horror I returned the kiss nervously, when he pulled away I looked away blushing and smiling and said nothing more of it. When I finally got back to the hotel I slumped in and dumped my handbag and dragged myself to my desk.
"You are abusing Light's trust," The Chief boomed coming over, L didn't even turn around. Counting back from ten I turned my chair to face the raging man.
"Chief I can assure you that as soon as I can end this I will, Light conducts himself as a gentleman and treats me very well but as Ryuuzaki still believe him under suspicion I will continue to try clear his name," I said tiredly looking up at him with a blank face.
"Is that what you are trying to do? Clear his name," The Chief quite obviously did not trust me in the slightest and to be perfectly honest he had every reason not to trust me.
"I am here to stop Kira and I whole heartedly hope Light is innocent," I said softly, that was the moment the Chief lost his cool and punched me in the face, I could see it coming but I knew it best for him to regret his actions.
Falling from my chair on top the floor I gasped holding a hand to my bleeding mouth. L was on his feet and standing straight before the Chief realised what had happened.
"I suggest you take a few steps back," Watari said from the doorway, "Ryuuzaki will not take kindly to what you have just done," And he did not, walking to me he crouched down inspecting my face.
"I hope you are satisfied with what you have done," L said quietly, "Because if you lay a finger on her again it will be the last thing you ever do," Yagami was shaking looking entirely shocked. Watari walked over with an ice pack and some tissues. Taking the tissues I held them to my mouth to stem the flow of blood. Carefully L pressed the ice pack to my swelling cheek.
"I think you should leave," L said dangerously quietly to the policeman. He took two steps back before turning and taking heed. As I sat staring to L I realised how much my face hurt.
"Why did you let him hit you," L said softly as Watari handed some more tissues to me.
"Because I deserved it. What I am doing to Light, whether he is Kira or not, it is leading him on and he is so very young," I whispered as the other men stood staring in shock. L dropped to his knees and took a quick look beneath the ice pack.
"That is going to bruise," He muttered and I shrugged.
"Worse things have happened," I said dejectedly not meeting his eyes.
"You did not deserve to be hit," He said softly brushing a loose strand of hair from my face.
"Light wants a relationship with me," I spoke in English and L just blinked, "When he finds out who I am he will lose all trust in me and that will escalate this war massively," Sitting there staring at me the man said nothing for a moment, the room seemed to hold its breath and even though I knew that the task force could probably get the gist of our convocation I pretended they couldn't.
"If anyone lays a hand on you again Mi, I will make it so they never will again," He said quietly, "And if Light tries to kiss you again you are to stop his advances," I nodded leaning into the ice pack.
As L had said I had an impressive bruise the next day. A few days after that I called Light to say I had gone down with Flu and wouldn't be available to meet for a week or so. The Chief brought me a bunch of flowers and a box of chocolate to say sorry for hitting me or maybe it was for not letting L kill him? Whichever L was unusually quiet even for him when the Chief gave a speech about being sorry for hitting me. I, being the gracious person I am, forgave him and told him he was silly for buying me gifts not that I got many of the chocolates as L scoffed most. The task force whispered amongst themselves probably discussing L's threat to kill anyone who touched me and I do not think they realised that L's words where not a threat, they were truth and I did not doubt that he would carry through with it.
Soon the entrance ceremony for uni came around and I was once again playing the fool. I sat next to light in the front row and L sat his other side.
"I'm a little nervous," I whispered looking up to Light with big doe eyes, "I mean…My Japanese isn't perfect…what if they laugh at me?" He took my hand and gave it a gentle squeeze.
"No one will laugh," Light reassured and stood when his name was called.
"EMILY MERIDITH," With that I stood and walked up.
"HIDEKI RYUGA," There was whispers at that and I watched L walk up and stand next to me. We read our speeches and then took our seats once again. Whilst we walked I could hear L whispering to light. I narrowed my eyes and glanced sideways at the two men. L was in big trouble.
"I won't tell anyone. What is it?" I heard light say.
"I am L," Puffing out my cheeks I refrained from saying anything
Light looked between us and swallowed and I just looked forward acting like I hadn't heard anything.
After that L actually attended classes, to my great amusement. Light made a big thing about introducing us and taking us to a coffee shop acting all teenager-ish, if I could have laughed I would have. L had never been good undercover, his mannerisms where something he did not wish to change even in the most dire of circumstances. I whispered often to Light that his friend was a little on the weird side and Light would just smile and agree. The problem came when I went to study the desert counter, the problem you see is that yes the booth was very private but when you are bragging about your 'girlfriend' even the most secluded of places did not muffle your voice. Walking into view the convocation stopped and L shot me a unimpressed look, well his face was as expressionless as ever but I had grown very good at reading his eyes and…yeah…he was majorly pissed off. I think Light thought L fancied me because he never objected to my company like he assumed L would, or perhaps he thought L may take me on to the task force because of my test scores…whatever he thought it would seem he was none the wiser to my true identity and for now it where best he knew nothing.
"So Ryuga- san I noticed that some of the girls in our classes have been talking about you," I said politely as Light rested an arm around my shoulders, "Are you interested in anyone," L's eyes widened and he blinked a few times.
"Not in anyone in our classes, there is girl I have known since I was young that I quite like but I blew that a couple of years ago," He said touching his bottom lip and glancing to the ceiling. Light seemed interested somehow and I had to fight from blushing.
"How did you blow it?" Light said flatly, L picked up his tea cup and took a long sip.
"She said she was in love with me and I told her that I did not feel the same," He replied, "I do not think that was the moment I should have disagreed…it isn't pleasant to be left standing in a hotel room with your trousers around your ankles," Light actually burst out laughing, L's face fell flat.
"It is not amusing Light, she was extremely cross with me and still is…she refused to speak to me for two whole years and even now she hasn't forgiven me…" Light was still sniggering.
"I am sorry Ryuga-kun it is just I cannot imagine you with a girlfriend…" Light said with a lop sided smile. Taking another sip of tea L put his cup back on its saucer.
"She wasn't my girlfriend and that seemed to be the issue…apparently friends with benefits isn't a becoming status," He murmured looking between us, "But you seem very lucky Light-kun to have such a beautiful woman as your girlfriend," I almost choked on my tea and Light laughed easily.
"I guess I am," He said and still choking I took a moment to excuse myself, Light and I apparently needed to talk.
