The argument between L and Ty lee had left the task force members quite on edge. They weren't sure what to make of the strange relationship that the acrobat and the detective shared. It was clear that they didn't get along very well, but it was also very clear that Ryuzaki found the young woman very interesting. He probably hasn't met too many women during his career, thought Matsuda as he regarded the odd pair over his soup bowl, Which gives me an advantage if I'm going to compete with him for her attention and stuff. He sat across from them on the couch beside Ukita. Ty lee sat in a lotus position while the detective crouched as usual. The only thing they seem to have in common is that they both sit strangely. Ty lee ate her veggies and rice with surprising skill with her chop sticks. The girl had forgotten to mention that she was a vegetarian so Matsuda thought it was lucky that Watari had thought to bring a meatless option.
"So Ty lee, you're pretty good at using chop sticks, don't most people in the states use forks?" asked Matsuda gesturing at Ty lee with his own chop sticks. L frowned and Ty lee looked confused.
"I'm from the states?" she asked with a tilt of her head.
"Aren't you?" Matsuda asked equally confused. The girl shrugged.
"It depends on who you ask," she said nonchalently. This peaked the detective's interest.
" What if we asked you?" asked Ryuzaki turning his head to face the strange circus performer. Ty lee glanced at the man sitting next to her who was now leaning awfully close to her. She looked thoughtfully out the window to her right.
"I'm not entirely sure how to answer that question," she said almost sadly, " maybe I was in the very beginning, but now I would have to say no." She rubbed the back of her neck almost as if it were aching. "My heart hasn't been in the U.S. for a long time." She finished.
"Where was your heart last?" asked the detective, eager for another clue to her mysterious life story, Her hand trailed down her collarbone and rested on the notch under her throat.
"Mexico," she said distantly. Ukita and Matsuda couldn't help but to feel the weight of her sorrow. L on the other hand was both frustrated and triumphant in equal parts. That proves it, he thought, Jet was in fact her lover, but it's abundantly clear that she is still grieving over the loss of her... soul mate? Yes, yes that's what she would call him. He began chewing on his thumb and studied her carefully, acting oblivious to the disapproving glares of Matsuda and Ukita. People grieving this deeply are prone to make very unwise decisions, her decision to come after kira was an extremely unwise decision. Her turned his attention to the plate of fruit on the table in front of him. He eyed up an especially yummy looking strawberry and began to nibble on it. I wonder what that would be like, to love someone to the point of insanity. Logically it couldn't lead to any good, but...why is it that humans constantly search for it, risk their lives for it. He turned his gaze to Matsuda who was still staring at Ty lee and frowned. People in love also make unwise decisions and Matsuda doesn't need any help in that regard.
Matsuda was determined to make the young acrobat smile again so he shook off the sadness that hung to him like snow and spoke again. "So Ty lee," he said, Ty lee turned her head to face him.
"Mhm," she said still not smiling, but not drowning in sadness either.
" I got to see your act and I gotta say, I was extremely impressed, you are quite the acrobat. How long have you been doing crazy stunts like that?" he said his voice growing with enthusiasm as he went. Ty lee smiled and blushed a bit so she covered her cheeks with her hands. That is just too cute, thought Matsuda, Ukita and L all at the same time.
"Well, since forever I guess," she said with a little giggle. Matsuda felt accomplished having made her, not only smile but laugh as well.
"I don't suppose you'll juggle for us later?" he asked playfully. He was on a roll now.
"Yeah sure! I'm done my lunch so I could do it now if you want." she said getting excited, then she caught herself and looked at the detective who was sitting beside her remembering one of the many discussions they had shared earlier. "If that's alright with you Hei Bai,"she said turning to face him.
"Well...we're still on lunch so...I don't see why not." said the detective causing the girl to once again grin. He too was eager to make the acrobat smile, her face seemed to be made for smileing after all. Furthermore, he felt strangely frustrated by the fact that it was Matsuda and not himself making the young woman so happy. Could I be jealous? thought the young man objectively, No, that's improbable, I just don't don't like Matsuda and would likely find him even less tolerable if he ever did get into a relationship with that girl. Ryuzaki picked out another strawberry and chewed on it while the young lady beside him scarffed down the rest of her meal. Once Ty lee finished eating she went about on a search for objects that she could juggle. It occurred to the detective and Matsuda that they aught to maybe help her but they both found watching her mill about to be enchanting, so they both pretended to still be interested in their meals.
After a short while Ty lee had assembled a small pile of knick knacks and placed them on the table, amongst these were glass figurines and utensils from the kitchenette including some knives. "Miss Ty lee, I'm not sure that that's safe" Ukita said gesturing to the knives. Ty lee blinked a couple of times, clearly not expecting him to ever actually speak to her. Another smile spread across her face.
"Don't worry silly goose, I've done this before." she said nonchalantly.
Ukita raised his eyebrows, "Juggled with kitchen knives?" he asked. Ty lee simply nodded.
"I've also juggled torches and swords" she said.
"Aren't you afraid that you'll hurt yourself?" he asked; Ty lee shook her head.
"Nope, I trust me,"she said. She picked up five pieces from her little pile and began to juggle. L had never seen anyone juggle in real life. He had seen images and he had seen her video on the circus website but never had he seen a real life performer juggle in person. He immediately recognized the appeal of it, it was humbling in the best possible way to witness someone doing something amazing that you could not. He would never openly admit it, but to go to a circus was a childhood dream of his. It was something that he had allways wanted but could never have and as he grew older the possibility of him ever having the opportunity to actually go to one seemed to grow more and more remote. When he at last had the opportunity to go to one two days ago, he was shamefully terrified. He didn't know how to handle it, he didn't know what to do, what he would become after his dream came true. He didn't want to be disapointed, to know that what he had dreamed of for years was a waste. He didn't want his idealized image of the Sakura Angel to be shattered either, but as he got to know her, he didn't mind how his perception of her changed.
Watching her juggle not only deepened his respect for her as an individual with impressive skills, it also seemed to be a visual representation of what he did for a living. He felt a lot like a mental juggler, his astral self throwing and catching facts, evidence and profiles into space, faster and faster until they became connected in one continuous loop and thus, the mystery solved. He had thought that they were worlds apart, the detective and the acrobat, unable to ever relate to each other on a personal level. Unable to connect like the imaginary balls in his mind. Seeing how well she juggled, almost effortlessly, changed his mind, if only a little.
Ty lee's audiance grew when the older members of the task force came to watch as well. Oddly enough, Aizawa wasn't at all bothered by the frivolity of the whole scene but then again, after the sakura TV situation everyone needed a moral boost.
Deciding that juggling just five objects was too easy for her and thus boring, she shimmied off her sock and, with her toes grabbed another object off of the table and tossed the small statuette into the air behind her. Gracefully she moved herself around to catch the item, introducing it fluidly into the cycle of objects. L found this display to be massively impressive and Matsuda gasped in awe, which made aizawa shake his head a bit. It made Ty lee happy to have an audience, to use her skills in a way that made other people happy and inspired them. after a short while later, she decided that she had enough of juggling, it was time for the grand finale with a flourish she tossed the items even higher into the air. she then proceeded to do a small pirouette and gracefully catch each object one at a time until at last with three in each hand she threw her arms out to her sides and bowed. Her small yet captivated audience burst into applause. Matsuda stood up and went to stand closer to the girl.
"That was amazing!" said Matsuda his hands gripping his hair on either side of his head in amazement. Ty lee giggled.
"Well, thankyou! Can you juggle?" she asked.
"Yeah, a little bit," he said bashfully, "only about three things at a time."
"Well lots of people can't even juggle at all so you should be proud!" she said enthusiastically. "And you're a great shot too aren't you, so I think you're doing alright!" Matsuda's eyes widened in surprise and Watari's and L's interests were peaked.
"Yeah...how did you know?" he asked slowly.
"It's in the way you move, 's an impressive shot to aren't you?" She said looking past Matsuda to the grandfatherly man now standing behind the couch that the detective sat, chewing on his thumb. Watari smiled and nodded.
"I don't understand, what do you mean it's in the way I move?" asked Matsuda concerned. Ty lee thought for a moment deciding on the best way to describe it.
"Well, Watari's a "sharp shot", so his movements are very controiled and it's because of this control and skill that he's so dangerous." said Ty lee, " You're different than he is though, you're the exact opposite. You're wild and unpredictable...kinda like a butterfly. You can make excellent shots on the fly and are you can't stay still for very long, so you're what I would call a "wild shot." Ty lee finished, looking pleased with herself. Everyone was silent for a moment. She's clearly been involved in violent activity in the past, thought L, Why else would she be so familiar with this, did her life at one point depend on her ability to distinguish possible threats? She's awfully cheerful for someone with a history of violence though.
"I'm a butterfly?" said Matsuda breaking the serious silence. Everyone with the exception of Ryuzaki broke into laughter.
"I always did think that you reminded me of them," said Aizawa grinning
"Hey," said Ty lee somewhat indignantly, "what's wrong with butterflies? I think they're nice."
"Nothing's wrong with Butterflies, Ty lee" said the detective amused, " They're just not terribly masculine." Ty lee looked at matsuda, who looked very embarrassed.
"I hope I didn't offend you by what I said, I really didn't mean to embarass you." she said looking Matsuda in the eyes.
"No not really, besides even if I am a butterfly at least I'm a bad ass butterfly." Matsuda playfully. Ty lee looked relieved, He's lying about not being embarrassed, thought Ty lee, but at least he's not mad at me.
"Well I still feel really bad, so how about we make a deal: you forgive me and in return I'll give you acrobat and juggling lessons! how does that sound!" Ty lee said enthusiastically.
" Oh you don't have to do that..." said Matsuda.
"Why not? I can teach you at lunch. Imagine what an asset you'll be to the team with your new skills!" she said growing more and more excited.
"You really think I've got what it takes?" he asked, she nodded.
"Yup, you've got plenty of spirit!" she said with enthusiasm. The detective felt a strange clench on his heart and a foul mood settle into his emotional climate. He remembered the first ever real conversation with the girl, right before the both of them fell asleep. She had told him he had no substance, no spark, no heart...no spirit. What was this spirit that Matsuda allegedly had and why did it make he so joyful. Why did they get along so well, Matsuda and the acrobat. Was it an imbecile thing? No Ty lee is no imbecile, he refused to think lowly of the girl any longer. It must have something to do with this "spirit" that she's talking about. The detective had spent far more time with the girl than Matsuda had and he wanted to have a better relationship with his body guard than the imbecile. So it was decided, he would figure out what this "spirit" was and he would somehow get it and become better friends with her than Matsuda.
"Alright, everyone, time to get back to work, we're dealing with a crises here still, don't forget that" said the chief. Everyone went back to work, while the acrobat returned to the window. she watched the people below mull about in an array of colours and imagined what their stories were. Where did they come from, what could she learn from them, how could she help them? She felt disappointed that she couldn't be down there with them, sharing a spot in their lives if only for a moment, instead she was stuck up above them watching.
L had decided that he was going to reveal the plan to release a counter video to the public after lunch since he knew that the idea would be met with much opposition, but even he couldn't have anticipated the firestorm he was now under. Matsuda and Ukita were yelling, even Aizawa was upset. Watari just looked extremely disappointed in the young detective.
"She saved my life! I refuse to allow you to do something that could endanger her life like that!`` said Ukita.
``Ukita please calm down, she understands the risk and she has agreed to evry-`` L was cut off by Matsuda.
``Are you sure that she really understands?" he said, his voice dripping with venom" We all know that you would do anything to solve this case, so why wouldn't that include deliberately misleading a young woman?"
"Ryuzaki, I believe that you are the only one who can catch Kira, so I have and will continue to support your investigation but I simply cannot accept this," said the chief.
The young detective was completely aggravated, This is why I never work with people, he thought sourly.
"We've already filmed the video, all we need to do now is send it to Sakura T.V to air" The detective said audibly frustrated with their lack of understanding. Suddenly Ty lee dashed to the coffee table they were standing over, nearly knocking Aizawa over. Frantically she began searching and shuffling through the papers that were once stacked neatly there.
"Hei Bai, Hei Bai, I need two pieces of paper and a pen stat!" she said urgently. Immediately everyone was silent and staring at her.
"C'mon guys stat, please now!" she said again, clearly becoming desperate.
"Of course..." was all the detective could manage and Watari went off to retrieve two clean pieces of paper and a pen. She then began to scrawl in almost childlike writing on the paper. The task force looked on, completely bewildered at the girls behavior. Was she trying to stop the argument? What on earth was she doing.
When she finished writing she tossed the pen behind her and began to fold the paper into two perfect paper airplanes, she looked up at Hei Bai.
"I need to get to the roof NOW!" she said.
"What, why?"Ryuzaki asked.
"No time to explain, but we need to go now!" she said.
"No!" he said growing angry again, "not until you tell me why!"
The acrobat glared at him and stalked straight to the window. She began to open it and remove the screen.
"What do you think you're doing!" said L, absolutely livid.
"Whether I go through the door or climb up on the side of the building, I am getting to the roof and there is nothing you can do to stop me!" she said with iron in her voice. L knew that she was an acrobat, but it was an awfully long drop...she had won this round.
"Alright, lets go." he said completely defeated. Ty lee ran to him, grabbed his arm and ran to the door. He was caught off guard by her strength and speed and had to struggle just to keep up with her. They sprinted down the hallways and up flights of stairs, the detective began to get a little excited, almost like he was going on an adventure . Which was ridiculous since they were only running to the roof, but then again everything about the acrobat was ridiculous. He had been feeling more and more like a child ever since he had met her. He was getting tired though, which was discouraging since The young woman's breath hadn't even quickened a little.
Much to L's relief they finally reached the door to the roof. She grabbed his hand as they plowed through it together and the detective felt his pulse mysteriously quicken a little. they were momentarily blinded by the bright sun but that didn't stop his petite angel from continuing to run to God knows where. My body guard is going to get me killed thought L dryly. Their eyes finally adjusted and Ty lee flung herself to the railing along one of the sides of the building. She looked down, left to right and held the paper air planes in her hands. What is she doing? thought the detective incredulous. He shuffled to stand next to the young woman. He looked down over the railing at the people below, then back at Ty lee as she moved her arms, loaded with the airplanes back and forth. Her eyebrows were furrowed and her toungue stuck out in concentration. She can't be trying to...
"There's no way your message will reach them. It's impossible, your wasting your time." he said dryly.
"Yes they will, have a little faith" she said without even breaking her concentration. She sounded absolutely positive which irked the detective.
"No they won't Ty lee, don't be so Naive," he said bluntly. Something sparked in her eyes and she released the airplanes. As expected they flew in completely the wrong direction. L smirked, "See, I told..." but he stopped. They were spiraling downwards, almost as if they were being directed by some unknown force. L was flabberghasted. He watched Ty lee wave her arms about as if she was urging the paper downward or directing the wind with sheer power of will. The paper spiraled downward and downward until it was almost invisible.
Two men walked past each other on the street below. They had passed each other man times before, in fact they had done so earlier that day and every time they passed, their hearts would flutter with longing. little did the know that someone had witnessed this longing and understood what their hearts truly desired. a fluttering white paper caught both of there eyes. A paper air plane. They glided down to their faces and they each reached out to retreive them. When they opened them up they discovered a note that read "turn around, your other half is waiting," and beneath was a drawing of half of a heart. When they turned around they saw the other holding the same piece of paper. Their life was about to begin.
Above on the roof top the acrobat and detective watched one in euphoria the other in complete shock that the idea had been a success. The whole situation defied logic and it was just to much for the young man to handle. He turned to face the girl once more. All this effort, he thought in wonder, just to bring to people in love together. Earlier that day, he wouldn't have understood why it was so important, but now as he watched the young woman next to him, he did. Before his very eyes, his world changed completely. He realized that he never wanted to just be her friend, he wanted much, much more than that. He wanted to share his life with her, to know her every secret, to make her laugh, to hold her when she cried. He wanted her sunshine to light up his life, like it had just brightened the lives of the two men on the street below. He wanted it, no, needed it like he needed air to breath. She gave him a new reason to find Kira, to protect her, which was odd because he had searched for her protection. It was crazy, he hardly knew her, but it was true.
"You're amazing," he said to her. She looked at him and smiled which sent his heart fluttering.
" Thank you, your pretty amazing yourself."
He watched her some more as she leaned on the railing, eyes closed, simply enjoying the out doors. He marveled at how the world around her seemed to want to complement her so. The wind blew through her air sending wisps and flyaways dancing in the air. The sun light kissed her cheekbones, making them look flush and bright. She was so beautiful, and he wasn't at all. He thought of Jet and for the first time he had envied Light's appearance, even Matsuda was more attractive than the detective. He was wealthy and incredibly smart, but he knew that that would count for very little with her, she was looking for substance, spark, heart, spirit and he had none of it. So he fell into despair, for who could ever learn to love someone like him, a dark, heartless, lying monster.
Sensing his distress her eyes popped open and she turned to look at him concern in her eyes. "Hey, Hei Bai, buddy, don't be sad," she said grabbing his arm and hugging it. L prayed to God that he wasn't blushing. "Cuz, I'm here to protect you now, you're my friend and I don't let my friends die, so lets go back inside and calm your team down." She began to tug him along to the door.
"I cant go through with it, I can't allow your life to be put in jeoperdy like that," he said freezing to his spot. Ty lee moved to stand in front of him, her hands were on her hips.
"Oh no you don't," she said," I knew exactly what I was getting into when I came to Japan. I know that this could kill me, but I need to make it right and this, me helping you is the only way that I can. I'm not afraid to die, I am afraid to let people die when I could have done something to stop it." she stared him down, "I'm trusting you to solve this case, so trust me to help you because I can! I WILL keep you safe as long as I can for you to do it, because I know you can. If doing this helps you to catch him quicker then you have to do it!" she averted her eyes. "I know that you know about Jet and what he means to me. I know that you know about the rest of his friends and their history. Me helping you is about a lot more than just righting a wrong. It's about protecting my friends." her eyes began to tear up, "I've lost so many of them already. I can't loose any more. I don't think my heart could take it." The tears ran down her face with full force now and her body shook under the sheer weight of her sorrow. He felt his once cold, numb heart break at the sight of it. He awkwardly embraced her as she cried, she smelled like strawberries and vanilla. She reminded him of strawberries and vanilla. Sweet and vibrant. Alive and tangy. Warm and caring. He found it apropos that she smelled like his favourite tastes in the world. He wondered if kissing her would taste like strawberries.
"We'll catch him, we'll do whatever it takes," he said with certainty. " but are you sure you still want to do this?"
She pulled away, and wiped her eyes, "I was sure earlier today, why wouldn't I be sure now?" she said sounding tired.
"We'll do it then." he smiled.
When they returned to the room Ty lee immediately scolded everyone for yelling at her Hei Bai. She told them that she was not so Naive that she couldn't understand the nature of their plan and everyone backed down. They sent the video to Sakura T.V. almost immediately after.
Later that night, after everyone had left L worked away on the lap top in his bedroom while Ty lee slept on the bed behind him with Mo Mo curled up in her arms. He looked back at her, the glow from the computer illuminating her form, making her look other worldly and beautiful, like she fit right in in his world. He decided right then and there that somehow they would end up together, he just had to have a little faith...and plot and scheme like he had never plotted and schemed before.
Thankyou to everyone who hav favourited thus far, you rock my socks and I honestly do continue to write this mostly for you. I feel that this is your story just as much as it is mine (Although I'm in control of it ;)) Please comment guys, I want to do better, I want this story to be better. The fate of this AU is in your hands.
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here's a link to a drawing I did for this chapter, enjoy!
