Chapter 3:

Lara sighed heavily, shifting the strap of the bag on her shoulder as she made her way up the road to the Wammy's House. She stepped carefully, wary of tripping and spraining anything on the dark road, but she couldn't help her mind from wandering ahead of her.

She had homework to finish before the next class of Calculus rolled around on Friday, and she couldn't help but feel that taking a summer class was stretching her endurance. She already had her full-time job working as a receptionist for a local dentist, where she spent hour after hour brightly dealing with the impatient and ungrateful victims of the waiting room, all complaining about one ache or another. She was amazed at the creativity some people called upon to move up a step in the line, if not frustrated at their persistence.

And now she had mathematics to worry about, as if she didn't get back to the orphanage late enough. She hardly had time to spend with her little brother and felt somewhat guilty at only allotting him one day of the week.

She sighed heavily, the gates of the orphanage passing overhead as she walked through, heading up the path to the heavy wooden doors. She stepped inside, shutting the door gently so as not to bother anyone. The house was quiet with the sleeping children; she was the only one allowed out this late because of special privileges. She tiptoed to her room, slipping in as silently as possible.

Near was snuggled up in their bed, his little fist curled around a lock of hair as he slept peacefully. She smiled down at him as she dropped off her coat and changed shoes. She picked up her bag once more, then leaned down and kissed him softly before tiptoeing back out the door.

Ryuuzaki was settled in the sitting room as she walked in, sitting on the floor with a laptop on the coffee table, arms length away as his wide eyes stared at the screen.

They flickered towards her, then back as he said, "Ms Lara, you're finished with your class?"

"Yeah," she smiled, sitting down on the opposite side of the table. She paused before opening her bag, yawning softly as she took out her binder and textbook. Setting them before her, she flipped to the appropriate page and began her assigned set of problems.

After a few minutes of comfortable silence in which both teens worked diligently, already used to the calm atmosphere of these late night sessions they had been having for the past few days, Lara tapped her pencil on her paper and looked up at the tuft of hair behind the screen that was Ryuuzaki.

"How was your day?" she asked, glancing at her work.

"Uneventful," he replied, "Although I had an interesting game of chess with the boy named Mellow. It appears he doesn't like losing, correct?"

Lara chuckled, "Yup, that's Mellow." They slipped into another silence as the occasional tapping of keys and scribble of pen was heard. Ryuuzaki was sipping a cup of tea from the tray at his side, his eyes intent on his task as he skillfully reached down and stirred in more sugar cubes without shifting his vision.

The tinkle of the spoon hitting the cup was loud in the quiet atmosphere, but it passed unnoticed by the residents of the small room.

An hour passed before Lara put down her pencil and looked down at the sheet of paper that was now covered in math problems, satisfied with the accomplishment of the assignment. She tilted her head back and stretched out her arms, yawning widely then settling back down with her elbows on the table, blinking tears out of her eyes.

"You seem tired," Ryuuzaki said from behind the monitor.

She shrugged, "Business as usual. Soon enough I'll have dark circles around my eyes to match yours." He didn't answer, but no sound came from the keyboard.

"Perhaps," he said after a moment, "But I have no obligations to dissuade me." She shrugged, not denying what he said.

She cocked her head to the side, tracing a circle on the surface of the table with her nail, then asked, "What is it that you're so busy with? Every night I come in here you're staring at that computer."

"Nothing relevant to Ms Lara," he replied in his usual nonchalant tone. She frowned, feeling a tick of irritation, and almost as if he could feel her scowl he tilted his head to the side, one round eye visible to Lara from the edge of the screen. "It's the truth, I'm sorry if I offended you."

"Of course," she snorted, laying her head on the table and looking away. She could feel him watching her, but soon enough the tapping of the keyboard resumed as he returned to whatever it was he was doing. She clenched her hands in exasperation, then sat up and began to put away her belongings.

She was tired and easily miffed, having spent an entire day being cheerful for complete strangers. She didn't feel like putting up with his peculiar, indifferent attitude tonight, especially when it meant he brushed her off so easily.

She got up, shouldering her bag, then turned her back on Ryuuzaki and made her way to the door.

She heard a small click behind her as Ryuuzaki said, "Did you know there is going to be a meteor shower tonight?" She paused, glancing behind her to see that Ryuuzaki had closed the computer and was now standing up.

"Excuse me?" she said, trying to sound disinterested and detached as she turned towards him coolly, regardless of the prick of curiosity in her mind.

"It's true," he said, walking closer in his hunched posture. He straightened himself, his foot scratching the other as he gazed down at Lara from his unusual height. "It's supposed to happen around midnight. Would you like to watch?"

She blinked up at him as he stared back.

"Are—are you inviting me to spend some time with you?" she asked, her expression doubtful as she wondered if she had heard correctly.

"Yes, well, I just thought you might enjoy the shower," he replied, his brow furrowing under his bangs at the unexpected reaction. There was a moment of silence, but Lara's face broke out into the familiar smile he was used to.

"I believe I would," she said brightly, feeling that her spirits had improved greatly. He returned the smile, then turned back to the couch. He took a blanket that was set on the cushions, then retraced his steps to her as he proceeded to walk out of the room quietly, heading towards the front door.

They shut the door quietly, the blanket tucked under Ryuuzaki's arm as Lara led the way to the grassy field behind the house. Setting the blanket under the open sky, they both sat down comfortably, heads tilted upwards even though the event was half an hour away.

Lara lay down, her arms stretched over her head as she looked up at Ryuuzaki, "Come on, settle down. It's more comfortable this way."

He silently studied her for a minute, then complied, the limbs of his gangly body sprawling out on the blanket. He set his hands on his stomach, fingers intertwined.

"It's a peaceful night," she noted. He didn't answer, but she heard a calm sigh escape him. She smiled, turning to her side to watch him.

He mirrored her actions, shifting his body as he looked back at her owlishly. She was always surprised at seeing the complete length of his torso, which was usually hidden by his coiled, rather long legs. Seeing him so spread out disconcerted her for a moment, but she quickly recovered as her eyes passed over him briefly.

"You have a very expressive face," she said, her eyes reaching his. He seemed confused, as if unsure of what to make of the comment. Her smile broadened as she explained, "Granted, you seem rather indifferent a lot of the time, but when you choose to you have such curious lips, and your eyes always seem so engrossed." She added gently, "I love watching you think sometimes."

He blinked in surprise, but he let his "curious lips" curl into a content expression.

"I believe all of you is wonderful, Ms Lara," he replied quietly. It was her turn to look surprised as she felt her face flush.

Alright, so she would be fooling herself if she said she didn't fancy Ryuuzaki. Regardless of whether this was a childish crush or not, she found everything about him captivating, every action enjoyable, and every expression priceless. She didn't mind her homework half as much anymore, only because it gave her an excuse to sit with him every night, and she often wished she could wrap her arms around his elusive torso.

Her face was visibly burning now as these thoughts passed her mind.

She reached up with her hands, hiding her face in embarrassment as she forced herself to cough into her palms as a cover.

"Are you alright?" he asked, mildly concerned. This only made her face burn even more, and she was soon burying it into her hands as if willing it to disappear.

"Um, sorry," she said with a laugh after a minute of trying to regain her composure. "I'm just feeling a bit chilly." It was a rather weak excuse, but it wasn't entirely false; the night air was brisk with the coming fall.

"This is the part where I suggest we get closer together, am I right?" This floored her yet again, her heart-beat quickening as her face reddened for the third time. He watched her flustered state, frowning with confusion. Wasn't he supposed to suggest such an action? He wasn't completely sheltered and had heard of such situations many times back in junior high school.

"Oh, don't make that face," she said, looking at him apologetically through her fingers. She pulled down her hands, a sheepish expression on her face. "I'm sorry, you're completely right. Come here." She shifted herself closer to him, their bodies pressed together with her head resting on his shoulder and arm. He let his arm press gingerly around her shoulders.

Well, half her wish had come true. She smiled to herself, happy with the warmth of his body and the swirl of the Milky Way above her.

Ryuuzaki's long fingers were tangled in her hair, the loose curls wrapping around them as he turned his hand slowly, his eyes widening with interest. He combed his hand through it gently, enjoying the feeling of the soft locks running through the gaps of his fingers as he repeated the gesture. His spindly fingers experienced every strand of hair as they swept across them, and he found it infinitely more pleasant than he could've imagined.

Not that he imagined thumbing Lara's hair often or anything.

"Don't do that," she mumbled as she shifted her head lazily. He stopped immediately, and she looked up at him amiably as he glanced down at her rather apologetically. She smiled warmly, "Not for any other reason than that if you keep doing that I'll fall asleep long before I get to see any falling stars."

He smiled lightly, nodding his head, "You're tired, correct? Perhaps it would be better if you went to bed."

"No," she grinned, stretching her arm across his chest, then bringing it back to rest on her own as she exhaled heavily, "I'm perfectly fine, and I'm not leaving here until I get to make a wish."

"Alright," he replied, looking up as if expecting a shower of stars to drop precisely at that moment, "I just hope little Near's not expecting you."

She shook her head gently, "He's already asleep and probably won't wake up for the rest of the night."

They became silent, the natural sounds coming from the meadow around them droning softly in their ears. She felt Ryuuzaki relax just a bit more around her, letting out an almost silent breath as his arm settled itself more smugly around her.

She felt a flicker of uncertainty as her mind resurfaced her daily thoughts, but she pushed it out of the way as she blurted, "I worry about him."

Her voice seemed intrusive next to the sound of insects and rustling leaves, but she felt she couldn't keep her feelings to herself anymore. She had no one to talk to sometimes, and this was the first time she felt truly comfortable enough with someone to even consider it.

"There's not much to worry about," he replied in a gentle whisper. "Little Near's a remarkable boy, and I believe your role in his life is partly to credit for it." Her chest seemed to tighten of its own volition, as if the words she had been holding on to for so long would strangle her at any moment.

"But I'm still…" she paused, her throat constricting as she blinked heavily, "I'm still not his mother. I could never take the place of our parents." He was silent, his wide eyes on the view above him.

"It would be irrational to expect that of you," he finally said after a minute. "Ms Lara and little Near are both good people, they were raised as such."

She smiled shakily, blinking away tears that disappeared into her hair, "Thank you, I…" She exhaled slowly, closing her eyes as she pushed away the rest of her silent sobs. "I've tried my hardest. It—it wasn't fair for them to be taken away from us. It wasn't fair for them to be killed for what they did." She gulped, trying to keep her voice from shaking. "The police report said they committed suicide, but I know better. I know my parents."

Her sobs finally broke through quietly as she recalled the days and restless nights that followed their deaths, the pain that came with the realization that she and her brother were orphans and that a large chunk of her life had been violently torn away.

"I know my little brother asked for the police report from Mr. Roger," she continued thickly, "I know Mr. Roger gave it to him, and that Neats doesn't believe what it says. He's trying to find enough proof to incriminate someone, but he's only four years old…" She clenched her jaw, then softly said, "No four year old should be researching his parents' death. If anyone should, it should be that bloody detective, L."

Ryuuzaki was silent as her shoulders jerked erratically next to his with her shaky breaths, his round eyes solemn as he held on to her more firmly and his mind buzzed with her words.

"Please stop crying," he finally said softly as he looked down at her. He reached over with his left hand, faltering with uncertainty for a moment as it hovered over his chest, then gingerly brushed her tears away with the tips of his fingers. She looked up at him mournfully, her usual cheerful demeanor now achingly tragic. He brushed stray hairs from her face in a tender manner that was alien to him until that moment, and when she reached up and took his hand in hers, he readily clasped onto it tightly.

He wasn't used to such emotional encounters, and he was often awkward and unsure when dealing with people, but he understood the need of having a warm body to press against when times were tough. As reclusive as he was, he was in the end only human, and as a human he often felt the pains of being alone. Humans were, after all, social creatures.

"People like Ms Lara shouldn't cry," he whispered into her hair as she muffled her cries with her other hand. That was why there was a need for justice. That was why L existed.

She turned her body, burying her face into his shoulder as she gripped his hand steadily. She needed this. She allowed herself to cry, to let out what she kept in for her little brother's sake.

"Look," she heard Ryuuzaki murmur. She turned her head, wiping her face with the sleeve of her free hand. He was looking up, his features unusually bright and hopeful as the stars streaked across the dark sky. He looked down at her, "It's time to make your wish."

She smiled at him gratefully, nodding as she rested her head on his shoulder once more. Her eyes following the trails of stars, she whispered her desire into her heart, willing it to come true.

After a moment, Ryuuzaki looked back down at her with his large raccoon eyes, "What did you wish for?"

She snorted with shaky laughter, still wiping away tears, "I can't tell you, it'll ruin it."

"Why?"

"Because you're supposed to keep it a secret or else it won't come true."

He shifted his gaze back, his round eyes on the cosmic display above him. "That doesn't make sense," he mumbled.

She laughed, resting her arm on his stomach as she settled her head against him comfortably. "Maybe it doesn't," she replied. "But a lot of things aren't supposed to."

He was quiet, enjoying the soft flurry of lights. Minutes passed in silent tranquility, his mind at peace for the time being. Finally, he blinked, realizing that Lara had settled down considerably and was much more silent than before.

"Ms Lara?" he asked, looking down at her. She didn't respond, and he tilted his head up in an attempt to look at her properly. "Lara?"

She was sleeping serenely, her arm draped across his chest and her body pressed close to his. She looked so content, so at ease, that he didn't wish to move her at all.

He settled his head back down, enjoying what was left of the shooting stars.

-

"I was here a full bloody half hour before that bloke and he got in before me!" Lara sighed inwardly as the smile on her face almost visibly creaked off its hinge.

"I'm sorry, sir," she said with a strained expression, "but he had an appointment for two o'clock, while you only walked in." The man huffed angrily as he leaned down towards her, his nostrils flaring. He started shouting about unfair treatment and…

She had woken up that morning to find herself wrapped around Ryuuzaki. She usually did that with a pillow or Near, so Ryuuzaki had just been added to the list of victims. Her legs had been coiled around his left one, and her hands had found their way under his shirt for the added warmth. By the time her groggy mind had focused, she realized she was staring into his perplexed face.

Her own face had reddened almost instantly as she became acutely aware of the feeling of her fingertips pressed against his ribs. He seemed to be aware of what she was thinking as well as he looked away awkwardly.

After having snapped herself into a sitting position, her hands safely out of his white shirt, she had blubbered an apology through her fingers in embarrassment.

Lara smiled, tapping her pencil idly on the table…

He assured her it was alright after having sat up himself. He took on his nonplussed attitude and mildly suggested that they head back to the orphanage. That's when she realized she had spent the entire night out with him. He told her he didn't want to wake her because she had fallen asleep…

The dim smile on Lara's face clued in the frustrated customer that she was hardly paying attention.

"Are you listening to me?" he demanded, his eyes bulging.

Lara blinked, realizing she wasn't on the hillside with Ryuuzaki but in the office with a rather unattractive man yelling at her. Very unattractive, especially compared to Ryuuzaki… his messy black hair was so cute… and he was surprisingly fit under all that baggy clothing…

Her hazy smile had returned and was now accompanied by a light blush as she stared through the calendar on the wall. The man grumbled obscenities at her, but her glossy eyes hardly noticed he was there. He finally gave up, storming out of the office.

And he made such a lovely pillow…

-

"God dammit!" Mellow exclaimed furiously as he shot up from his chair, his eyes livid and popping as he glared down at the small chessboard before him. He then growled at his opponent, "How in the bloody hell did I lose?"

"I believe it was when you decided to take my queen with your rook," Ryuuzaki said simply, looking back at him blankly. "And perhaps it would be appropriate of you to avoided cursing, seeing as little Near is in the room." Near sat on the floor away from them, crashing two robots together as they took part in an epic battle.

"He can sod off, you great git!" Mellow hissed. "I'm trying to figure out just how in the hell your bloody strategy beat mine!"

"I already answered that question," Ryuuzaki said dryly, feeling irritated, "And, really, please avoid cursing. I don't think Ms Lara would be too happy if little Near picked up your foul mouth."

"Blast 'Ms Lara'!" Mellow continued, "I'm not settling down until you explain each of your damn moves and why you freakin' beat me with your lousy…"

"Mellow," Ryuuzaki said sharply, clearly agitated, "Please shut up."

The blond snapped his mouth shut, but he continued glaring fiercely at Ryuuzaki, his face reddening as if keeping his jaw clamped was suffocating him.

"You know what? I have better things to do than stay with you, you blubbering idiot!" he finally snapped, "I'm going outside!" And with that he pushed his chair roughly out of the way and stomped out of the room.

Ryuuzaki sighed, still annoyed as he began to replace the pieces into their rightful spots.

"Can I play?" he heard Near's small voice say. He looked up to see that the child had replaced the chair at the table and was settling into it, one of his robots still in his hand.

"Of course," Ryuuzaki answered with a light smile. Near nodded absent-mindedly as he looked down at the chessboard. Luckily for him, the chessboard was on a rather low table and he wouldn't have to look for a book to sit on.

"White has the first move," Ryuuzaki stated. Near nodded, picking up his pawn and setting it two spaces ahead. Ryuuzaki made a similar first move, and the game began.

After a minute of pensive silence, Near said, "Do you like my sister?"

If Ryuuzaki was caught off guard, he didn't show it, "Yes, I do like Ms Lara. Why?"

"How much do you like her?" Near asked, ignoring his opponent's question.

Ryuuzaki chewed on his thumbnail, eyeing Near speculatively. He had expected this; it was only natural that the child should be concerned over his sister.

"I like her more than most people I meet," Ryuuzaki finally answered as he moved one of his own pieces.

"Lali's had other boyfriends, you know," Near blurted, now looking up at Ryuuzaki through his mat of bangs.

Ryuuzaki blinked, then replied easily, "That's not surprising. Ms Lara's an attractive young woman, and she's very pleasant to be around."

"So you think she's pretty?" Near asked once again, his eyes back on the board.

Ryuuzaki felt a twinge of discomfort, but decided there would be no harm in answering his questions, "I do. There are few Japanese women like her, or any of any other nationality, really." He looked down at the board, inwardly smirking at how Near had managed to avoid all of his traps so far. He picked up a piece and swiftly set it back down.

"Lali didn't come home last night," Near said. His countenance was hidden, but Ryuuzaki was sure there was a twinge of defensiveness in his voice.

"That would be my fault," he replied, still chewing on his thumbnail, staring as the small boy took his bishop, "I suggested we watch a meteor shower that happened late last night, and she unfortunately fell asleep. I didn't want to wake her, so I just stayed outside with her."

Near was twirling a lock of hair around his index finger, examining the scattered pieces, "How close did you get to her last night?"

This question did manage to throw the teenager off. Were four-year-olds supposed to ask these kinds of questions? Granted, Near was by no means ordinary, and it could be a completely innocent inquiry, but still...

"She did get closer to me in her sleep, but it was in no way inappropriate." Ryuuzaki reflected now that he was really not used to such close physical contact with another. True, he had punctured a few personal bubbles by leaning his face in to people he was interrogating, but that had been the first time someone else had willingly made the first move to get so close. Not that he minded; in fact, it was really quite the contrary.

Near had been studying Ryuuzaki, his hand still twirling his hair. He narrowed his eyes, then looked away with a frown.

"Don't think you're special or anything," Near said, catching the preoccupied Ryuuzaki's attention. "She doesn't mean to do that, she just does that in her sleep. That's why we keep an extra pillow on the bed, or else she wakes me up at night with her hugs."

Ryuuzaki stared at Near with his wide eyes, expression indecipherable, "Of course, that makes sense. Most people are completely unaware in their sleep." Near shrugged, looking away as his hand moved one of his pieces.

Ryuuzaki's eyes flickered down at the board, "You are doing a very good job defending yourself, little Near. It took little Mellow a while before he realized what I was doing."

"So if you like her, you're going to tell her, right?" Near said abruptly, looking up at Ryuuzaki suspiciously.

The teenager couldn't help smiling slightly as he asked, "Tell her what?"

"That you're L."

A very loud gasp was heard from the other side of the room. Both boys' heads snapped towards the door. Lara was standing in the doorframe, her hands over her mouth and her eyes wide with shock.

The siblings stared at Ryuuzaki, waiting for his next move…

Note: So, yeah, I'm posting this now before I proof read it again for the umpteenth time Jeez, I drive myself crazy sometimes...

I hope you enjoyed this action packed, heart-stopping, jaw-dropping chapter! (yeah, so i'm exaggerating a bit, so sue me ;P).

Thanks to everyone who reviewed. I loved recieving all of them and hope you all find this chapter worthy enough for submitting more.

REVIEW! please. :)