Hi again, I'd like to apologize if there's any errors in here. I'm posting this rather late at night and it's kind of a stupid rush for me to post it but I'm rather excited too. When I wake up tomorrow I'll be sure to edit any mistakes. Sorry again for future bleh!

P.S I took some major big risks in this chapter so it might end up this story becoming majorly awesome or majorly fail - that's why I'M DYING TO KNOW - lol.

Thanks for the plus adds and hope you enjoy!

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Disclaimer:I do not own Death Note, the story itself was inspired by an author here named, "Blind Justice," hence the name. The chapters are following a song by Laura Bailey which is the English opening for Fruits Basket. So those are what I do not own.

Chapter 7: Clouds of

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How much time had passed? She could hear the grandfather clock in the hallway outside her room ticking away with slow rhythmic beats and Misa now was snuggled up in her blankets trying to find sleep.

It was hard for her, the world had never seemed so dark and she wasn't even sure if she had drifted off already. For all Misa could tell is that tonight would be one of those nights where she ended up rolling in bed wide awake with her thoughts cluttered and sanity slowly slipping away.

"Rem—"Misa called unsure if her voice could be heard within this illusive dream she had become part of.

"Yes Misa" Rem's voice appeared with a sigh," You're still awake." Rem replied perhaps for the twentieth time tonight.

Misa frowned and pulled herself up knocking her sheets aside as she gazed around the room to see nothing but darkness except for Rem's reddish, white hue in the corner.

"Red it must mean annoyance." Misa whispered out, Rem didn't say a word but still her mind drifted off to curiosity. "Orange," The girl now said pointing directly at Rem's figure. "Rem is now curious of Misa-Misa's words."

"Misa how are you able to tell without me even saying a word or you not even directly seeing my expression?" Rem asked and Misa smiled feeling a bit better now from her dilemma.

"Rem's color, it tells Misa-Misa what she is feeling."

"What do you mean by color?" Misa planted her feet on the ground and prepared to stand it was then Rem's color shifted from orange to white again. Misa wondered why until Rem was at her side ranting about how Misa should be more careful because she might hurt herself.

"It's like a mood ring." Misa chuckled out, "but a bit different, because some colors are not as they should be from Misa's memory. Misa wonders if this is the cause of her Shinigami eyes."

"There is no such thing as a mood ring in the Shinigami realm Misa." Rem stated as she held Misa's hand and Misa used Rem's strength to get up out of the bed.

"Misa knows that but Misa wonders since she can't use her eyes to see names at the moment does that mean that they are making Misa see other things?" Rem shook her head no because it wasn't possible for the Shinigami eyes to do such things. They were there for only one purpose not for reading people's moods. "Then why is Misa able to see these auras?"

"Perhaps it is a natural activation Misa. Even the blind discover skills to see in the darkness to help them cope with it. Maybe Misa this is your gift in your time of need." Rem explained as she guided Misa toward her the door leaving her room because Misa mentioned that she was a bit hungry and that if there was anything that could put her to sleep it would be warm milk.

Misa tried to reach for the door handle and ended up having to pat the door itself trying to find the handle. She grumbled when she finally found it.

"It may be a gift for Misa-Misa but Misa's blindness is also a weakness as well and Misa hates it. She can't even do simple tasks without struggling."

"Calm yourself Misa and truly think about the position you're in. Although you claim it's a weakness that you lost your eyesight I find it rather a new strength. Yes it's true that had you been alone in all this it might have been a struggle but don't forget you have me and I will always be at your side until the day you die Misa."

There wasn't any doubt in Misa's mind that she was crying after that statement. Rem had always been at her side and touched Misa's soul each passing day. Even when Misa's passing came she still believed deep in her heart that Rem would find a way for them to meet again.

When the task force saw Rem for what she was they called her a monster. They didn't see anything beyond that because they were too easy to cling on what they saw rather then what they could have seen.

Deep in her heart Misa knew Rem could never replace her parent's kindness but at least she could identify Rem with just as much importance as them as well. Misa's mother always told her that she would protect her even in death and maybe Rem was the follow up to that final wish.

"Rem is to kind to Misa-Misa." Misa said softly not wanting to awaken the others that still might be up and bout on this cold winter night.

Rem strongly disagreed with this. The Shinigami didn't understand such emotions but Rem would never tell Misa otherwise knowing well how much it meant to Misa. "Could Rem do Misa-Misa a favor?" When silence followed Misa assumed it was safe to continue. "Can Rem show Misa different emotions so Misa can understand what each color means?"

"You are asking for me to do something that I am incapable of committing. I cannot grieve the way humans do and I cannot certainly grow excited about certain situations because I am indifferent Misa." The sound of an annoyed grunt followed and Rem shook her head. "If this truly will become a great asset to you Misa than perhaps you should see someone who is capable of helping you."

"Misa can't," Misa paused realizing she screamed and lowered her voice upon passing the living room quarters where Rem pointed out that Matsuda slept on the table somewhat drooling. "Possibly go to Light-kun because then Light-kun would know the truth."

"Misa I wasn't talking about Yagami, Light. I was talking about Ryuzaki." Misa paled. There was no way she could continue relaying on Ryuzaki for help could she? And just how was she going to explain to Light-kun about her sneaking out of her room in the middle of the night to see Ryuzaki of all people?

Misa shook her head, she refused and heading toward the kitchen. "You don't have much of a choice." Rem's voice seemed to fade out, and within that split second Misa felt Rem's guiding hand slip away from her. Misa panicked, she tried to call to Rem but the Shinigami refused to speak to her but at least Misa knew that she was close to the kitchen so reaching out she managed to touch the wall, good, now she'd just have to follow it until she reached her destination.

How would she know it was the kitchen? Well for one the lights were always on because the last time she entered the kitchen at the middle of the night Watari would insist she left the lights on. Misa didn't understand the meaning for the strange gesture that was until now.

Light…How she had grown to hate it the last few days. It was such a terrible thing because just turning corners it pricked her eyes and caused her to crumble against the wall for support. There was no greater pain that Misa could imagine because the stinging was a pain far worse than words could describe.

"Amane-san," Misa quickly struggled to her feet as she wiped her eyes trying to ease the consisting burning and bit down hard to stop any wallowing cries. She wasn't a weak person. For years Misa stood strong despite all the horrible incidents that befell her Misa never once gave up in what she believed in. Even if she was wrong, Misa stood by her thoughts because that's really what kept her going on in life. Not heart but mind.

"Misa-Misa is fine as she just slipped." Misa told the stranger, she didn't really pick up whose voice it was that spoke but their concerns reached well enough to make her jolt up from her moment of weakness.

"Would you prefer that I turned off the light's Amane-san?" Misa swallowed, so it was Ryuzaki, no one else would dare to ask her that.

"Yes." Misa breathed out weakly and then she heard him move passed her and with a flick of a switch he told her that it was safe to once again attempt to open her eyes.

She did so and with the feel of liquid running down her cheeks, Misa turned and caught a new version of Ryuzaki's presence. His aura, it made her gap somewhat and she wasn't sure what to say as he moved over to the table and dragged out a chair for her to sit in.

"Blue," It rolled off her tongue with such fascination as she continued to stare at the raven haired detective. "Ryuzaki-san is blue."

The detective's aura changed to an orange hue.

"Blue," He echoed questioning her statement, "No I am perfectly content Amane-san." Misa couldn't help but smile as he helped her to her seat.

"Content, huh?" Misa said following his own echo, "Is that what it means?" Ryuzaki hummed unsure what to say as the model giggled away. "By being blue Misa means." Still he was as lost as ever.

"Pardon me Amane-san but could you explain this deeper meaning that you are trying to tell me?"

"Ryuzaki-san is orange now so Misa-Misa can't really explain."

"Orange you say, Amane-san?" He wondered raising his hand to examine it. His skin wasn't changing any colors which was a good sign because L knew he wasn't a chameleon of any sort. Misa held onto her sides as she chuckled about. L simply frowned as he honestly had no idea what was going through her head at that point. "Forgive me when I say I do not understand you Amane-san."

Misa jumped out of her seat and pushed herself forward to the detective to the point where she was leaning over him smiling brightly.

"Silly Ryuzaki-san, Misa doesn't expect Ryuzaki-san to understand Misa because it's something only she can see." She told him poking him on the forehead. L continued to stare at her oddly. Misa shook her head. "Ryuzaki's aura is what Misa means. It was blue but now it is orange because Ryuzaki-san is confused." Misa watched as his mouth formed an 'o' shape like he had finally begin to get what she was going on about into his thick skull.

"You know Amane-san I have heard a bundle of strange things before such as Shinigami's existing but this by far tops it."

The model nearly toppled over at hearing that the man who could be seen as the strangest thing in the world just called her weird!

"B-But Shinigami do exist and we know that because of—"

"Rem," Ryuzaki added quickly and Misa nodded on.

"Yes Rem is always close by when Misa needs her." Misa finished with a gentle smile. "She is Misa's guardian and also Misa's friend. That is why Misa assumes she sees Rem in a white color because it must mean that white is protection…At least she thinks so because when Ryuzaki-san came to help Misa up his aura was blue and white. So there must be a connection. Don't you think so too Ryuzaki-san?" Misa asked as she glanced in his direction hoping to see a reacting color and she did because his aura was no a mysterious green.

"In honesty I would not know Amane-san because I do not own a Shinigami like Amane-san does." Misa stiffened at his words.

Tension ran high as soon as she realized she played right into his trap. How he figured out Rem's identity she didn't know but what could she do now? It was a wondrous thought. There was no way she could fix it, she had said much too much for him to piece it together. He knew she was sure of it that she was the second Kira and there was no turning back.

"Maybe," Misa swallowed dangerously, "Maybe Misa-Misa could show Ryuzaki-san one day." She was walking on thin ice and an imaginary blade sharp enough to cut was being positioned at her neck as she continued to drabble on fearlessly.

"…Maybe." He echoed in response as he parted away from her and she could hear him drag out another chair and possibly he had sat down in it. She wasn't positive until she turned head to see his glowing green figure uniquely sitting about at the table stacking some sort of object. "What color is my aura now Amane-san?"

Misa wasn't sure what to do because he wasn't really pursuing her on the subject of being the second Kira. She didn't get him at all but then again Ryuzaki-san was way too smart for her to figure out. He was a code that she couldn't solve or even at least hack into because it would simply reject her futile attempts to break it.

"Ryuzaki-san's aura is green but Misa has never seen that color before either so she doesn't know what to think."

"Green would be sadness, turmoil, and pain." He replied emotionlessly and Misa tilted a bit, her right hand clenching her left atm.

"Is that what Ryuzaki-san is feeling now?"

Silence flooded through the room. She watched him as he continued to stack the cube-like object and suddenly it collapsed without word before he could add on to it. Misa felt obligated and reached out catching one of the fallen pieces. It felt sugary in her hand and she chuckled.

Ryuzaki-san and his sweets, there was always something so funny at the way he preformed things. "Ryuzaki-san is so funny." She spoke as she placed her cube back onto of one that still held its place. "And that's why Misa-Misa likes him so much! Misa-Misa is sorry to have deceived him for so long. Ryuzaki-san plans to tell the other's tomorrow right? That she really is the second Kira."

"No," He replied, earning a shocked expression from Misa. "I have no reason to believe that."

Misa was slightly taken aback by this.

"But Ryuzaki-san knows—"

"Could just be an assumption...For all I know Amane-san is merely saying this to help me feel better."

"E-Eh—Misa doesn't understand…?"

"You don't have to Amane-san." He finished with a small smile and right before her eyes his green aura melted away into that soothing blue once more. "Just like Amane-san insisted before this is something that I alone have decided so please enjoy it wisely Amane—"

He was cut off when Misa ran over to where he sat and pulled him into a hug. L sighed, knowing his attentions might hurt her in the long run because he was lying to her in order to push out the truth about Light but saving the lives of thousands of people was much more important than hurting her feelings at the time.

"Ryuzaki-san is so different from Kira." Misa whispered and L found himself a loss for words when she pulled away and there were tears running down her eyes. "She doesn't have to worry about death." Misa joked with a somber chuckle that L didn't find funny at all. "She guesses this is why his aura is blue. Ryuzaki-san must think Misa is an idiot." Misa voice cracked then and it was then the tears really started to flow. "Because that is what she is right?" She laughed on away, biting on her lip and glancing at his aura which helplessly glazed a mixture of both green and blue.

Misa couldn't help but reach and slid her hands across his cheeks with a sorrowful expression. "Thank you Ryuzaki-san, Misa is happy Rem made her talk to Ryuzaki-san today." Misa said suddenly while smiling whimsically. "Now she can finally go to sleep happily." Misa did something she never would have seen herself doing in a million years because she leaned in and kissed him on the top of his forehead.

When she pulled away she giggled at the way his aura flickered about. It was changing into a degree of colors and she because of this she was sure that the little detectives face had become a color so bright that could easily beat the famous Rudolph in competition. "Good night." She added one last bit, and turned to leave but unfortunately she collided directly into the wall.

…So much for that classy exit.

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"This sucks." Misa grumbled as she used her right hand to hold the napkin over her nose while she listened to the detective chuckle at her constant whining. "This totally wouldn't have happened if Misa-Misa could have seen that coming."

"It happens to anyone Amane-san." L told her and she couldn't help disagree. She had never known anyone to run into a wall and in doing so cause a bloody nose to happen.

"More like this only happens to Misa-Misa." The girl carried on mortified.

When the incident first occurred Misa swore she heard Ryuzaki call her simply by her name – no formalities or anything of the sort. It caused her to blush and she tried her best to cover any evidence of this by simply holding onto her nose tightly and turning away from him entirely.

Yet even so he still insisted on evading her personal space. He was alert and didn't show any signs of embarrassment when he tugged her around and pinned her against the wall, examining close. She was still and silent when he pulled her hand away from her nose. Misa flushed a deeper red wondering what would happen next but finally he spoke easing the tension.

"Amane-san your nose is bleeding." It was after that where he had provided her with a napkin as Misa slumped down from the wall to a sitting position.

Nothing much really happened afterwards.

It was simply just a silent cycle of him providing Misa more napkins within every droplet of blood and then she would end up building a mountain of crumbled up napkins aside her. "Amane-san really should be more careful considering the state Amane-san is in."

"Why does everyone keep telling Misa that like she doesn't hear them the first time around?" Misa grumbled pulling a napkin from her nose and examining it. She didn't see anything and thought it was done but L handed her another napkin making her frown. Stupid eyes deceiving her like that.

"Amane-san tends to not listen that is why because Amane-san is a very stubborn girl." Misa huffed.

"Yeah well," Misa paused to rub her nose again and then she dropped the napkin aside with the others, "Misa has a reason to be like that. It is just her way of being unique." She let out her hand expecting another potential tissue in the making instead L closed her hand gently. "No?" She asked and at first he nodded but quickly answered remembering what happened the last time he hadn't be swift to reply.

The model sighed in relief. "Finally what time is it anyways?"

"Midnight," The detective replied and Misa hands flew to her lips.

"Midnight but Misa never stays up that late! It's bad for her complexion because she might gain…Bags under her eyes."

It wasn't something easy for her to say especially when she could picture in her mind Ryuzaki's facial expressions as she first met him. He always looked tired and stressed. Misa assumed it was because of his constant lack of sleep. "Does Ryuzaki-san even sleep?" She wondered out loud and covered her lips in shame.

"I do, occasionally Amane-san." He casually said and Misa thought he was simply insane.

"How does Ryuzaki-san stay awake?" She asked grabbing cheeks and pulling on them. "It must be all those sweets. They must keep Ryuzaki-san wide awake." Ryuzaki tried to say something but Misa's pulling on his cheeks made it rather difficult.

"Misa-san—" Misa ignored his protest now finding that she was entertaining herself by making Ryuzaki make interesting facial expressions for her. She pulled his lips out wide until there was a wide grin across his face, she could only imagine how it looked.

"Misa knows why Ryuzaki-san doesn't smile so much— it probably looks so perverted and scary."

His aura flared up then from blue to a flame red and Misa chuckled away as she could feel his glare a mile away.

"Amane-san…" He gritted out and she pulled his mouth to make a grumpy frown.

"Ryuzaki-san is very angry, grrr, angry face."

Oh how that glare how it made her smile, she never knew but his persistent glaring was only making her want to tease him more.

"Amane-san…" Misa chuckled, releasing her hands from his mouth and watching his cheeks snap back into place.

L groaned, his cheeks stinging now and Misa was just inches away from him giggling away. "I am not scary."

"Perverted then?" She inquired and he groaned again in response. Misa fanned him telling him to relax as she was only joking and he said something like some jokes can go only so far so in the end he managed to get an apology out of her. "Hey Ryuzaki-san," Misa suddenly called earning a yes from the detective in wonder. "Why is Ryuzaki-san helping Misa? Is Ryuzaki-san and Misa-Misa not technically enemies?"

"I do not know myself…Amane-san is my friend but also is one of my enemies. I should turn Amane-san in but I cannot bring myself to do so."

More silence followed that was until Misa finally broke it.

"Where is the trashcan again Ryuzaki-san?" Misa asked, grinning as she clenched one of her bloodied napkins.

"Here Amane-san, I will throw it away for you." Misa pulled away from him while sticking her tongue out.

"No way, Misa-Misa wants to shoot it!" The detective stared at her blankly. There was no way she was going to make it in with the way her vision was now. He figured he'd just cheer for falsely if she missed it and make her assume that she actually pulled it off.

"It's across the room Amane-san." L stated and grabbed her arm directing her where the trashcans location was. When he released Misa swallowed what little pride she had left and aimed it for what Ryuzaki showed her would be her victorious win. Surprisingly the napkin tapped against the side of the trashcan, rolled a bit on the edges before finally falling in.

L's eyes turned wide in astonishment as Misa begged for Ryuzaki to tell her what had conspired during that short time. "Amane-san made it." He plainly said still in utter shock while the girl squeaked out a cheer. "I do not believe it." He muttered as he placed his hands into his jean pockets still in awe.

"Misa-Misa is just awesome Ryuzaki-san." L had to sit down besides Misa to the left of her seeking a moment to actually try to grasp what had just happened.

"Apparently," He said and Misa nudged the detective who now rested to her left against the wall with a devious grin across her face. "What?"

"Ryuzaki-san it's your turn." Misa said picking up another bloodied napkin and waved it before Ryuzaki's face. "Go for it."

Ryuzaki eyed the paper. "Don't tell Misa-Misa that Ryuzaki-san is worried about getting a little bit of her blood on his hands!" The detective stayed silent at her request. "Ryuzaki-san is such a big baby." Misa commented casually throwing another paper and making it in once again.

It looked so easy when she did it but when L dared to try, the paper missed entirely bouncing against the tiled floor and rolled underneath the table. L sighed. "So did Ryuzaki-san make it?"

"No." He grumbled out and Misa patted his back, a large smile.

"See if Misa-Misa could do it so can—Wait Ryuzaki-san missed?" Ryuzaki head slumped and Misa saw his aura flicker into a green depression. "Geez Ryuzaki-san you must really suck if Misa can make it when she's blind."

His aura flickered red, she paled. "But—Misa could always teach him." His aura drifted back to green. "Oh come on Ryuzaki-san, Misa-Misa is a good teacher!" His aura continued to sink away into a darker shade of green. "Ryuzaki-san—" Misa whined out as she shook him. "Don't make Misa-Misa result to violence to have to wake Ryuzaki-san up! Ryuzaki-san…!"

In the end she managed to convince him to cheer up and she began teaching him different ways of how he can angle his arms to make a shot good. When it was his turn again he continued to miss, and as time passed by finally one rolled inside the trash can making him smile slightly.

"There I finally did it Amane-san, is that good enough for you?" When she didn't answer he turned his head to see the blonde snuggled up against his left arm sleeping away. Her soft breaths caused shivers down his spine. How he had not noticed it before -- he honestly didn't know perhaps he was so frustrated with the game he had lost track of what Misa was doing.

L checked the clock it was almost 2:00 am. It was getting fairly late, and gently he removed balancing her against the wall as he collected the missed pieces and the bundled leftovers and placed them into the trash. After that he washed his hands then very carefully picked her up into his arms to find that she weighed lighter than a feather which did not surprise him considering her agencies, "dieting plan."

He ended up bringing her back to her room where he had reached for the door and it seemed to open by itself for him which he too knew better and could only be the work of her "guardian." L didn't make any effort to contact the reluctant Shinigami because time was running short and people were soon to be waking up. Instead he just placed Misa back into her bed, and wrapped her in sheets.

Ryuzaki made motion to leave heading out of the room in silence, but as he reached the hallway to head back to his room finally the Shinigami made an appearance.

"I do not know what you have planned for Misa but know this, if you dare hurt her I will be swift to end you life." Before L could even comment the Shinigami's presence vanished leaving him to deal with this threatening statement on his own.

"I guess sleeping is out of the question," L muttered as he nibbled on his thumb heading towards the main room to continue on with his work. "Especially now with knowing that I could potentially die in my sleep thanks to an overprotective bodyguard…"

An image of Misa flashed through his mind then. It was her in a sorrowful expression as she turned to him crying.

Ryuzaki-san is so different from Kira.

Then it quickly changed into a next image with a smile across her face with her eyes closed giggling softly.

And that's why Misa-Misa likes him so much!

L stopped and glanced back at Misa's door with a tiny smirk.

Perhaps he could make an exception this one time...

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A/N - Tee-hee ! Another chapter done! I hope things are progressing well. I guess I'll find out. Let me know – one review will do! XD