Disclaimer: I'm not clever enough to own Death Note.
A/N: Well I threw the pineapple at writers block and this time it worked ActionFry! Haha it's still not great but I found it easier to write this time.
Accidents Happen
Misa stood for a few seconds just staring.
"Echo?" she said, beginning to panic when Emily didn't move. "Raito!" she called, though there was no need to. L and Raito had skated quickly over when they spotted that something was wrong. Matsuda followed slowly behind.
"Oh my gosh! I'm so sorry!" Emily could hear them all. Could she respond? No. All she saw was black and she was dizzy. The ice beneath her was freezing her skin and making her numb. She wished she could understand what Misa was wailing and what Raito was muttering.
"Misa, she doesn't speak Japanese."
"B-but she was listening to me and… How do I say it in English?!" Raito rolled his eyes and muttered some words.
"It was an accident, I'm sorry!" Misa said, uncertainly in English. Emily understood what somebody was saying! Finally.
"It was an accident! I'm sorry!" Misa repeated, saying it over and over again, her voice desperate. Gentle arms lifted Emily off the ground, bridal style. She had a feeling that people were staring and she wished that she could move. All she could hear was the sound of Misa's high pitched voice, choking back tears as she repeated the same phrase; echoing it at Emily.
"It was an accident!"
Accident… Emily had heard this phrase said many a times. Only those times, it was all lies. Misa was telling the truth. She could tell. Slowly, as the word accident rested in her head and twisted around her mind, she lost the ability to hear.
---
"How did Emily get that black eye? The twins haven't been ganging up on her have they?"
"No. It was an accident. She walked into the table."
---
"So you're telling me that she broke her arm while falling down the stairs?"
"It was an accident. Emily has always been clumsy."
---
"Stay away from me."
"Be careful. Nasty accidents happen to those who don't watch the ground that they walk on."
---
"Oh dear Emily. All these accidents just keep happening. Wouldn't it be terrible if something else happened? I guess you better do what we say so you don't make a mistake and get hurt."
"Oops!"
---
"Are you sure you don't want me to help you, Ryuuzaki?" Raito said; trying to hide a smirk as L carried Emily across the ice and towards the locker rooms, looking for first aid. Somehow, he managed to maintain his slouched position.
"I'm stronger than I look, Raito. I'm sure that out of everybody here, you know that best." L replied calmly. Where an earth was the stupid first aid? Raito was looking at L and gently rubbing his face.
"Yes… It still hurts to think about it…" Raito muttered, wondering whether he should begin training in martial arts.
L gave in looking for first aid and lowered Emily down to the locker room floor, half cradling her in his arms. He was sat down cross legged. Why an earth did this girl force him to do things he hadn't done in years? She was laid across his lap with her head resting against his arm, her legs resting on the ground, ice skates still on her feet.
"Where an earth is all the muscle anyway?" Raito asked with a smirk as L checked Emily's pulse.
"Under his shirt?" Misa suggested, worry still showing on her face as she glanced at Emily. Raito raised an eyebrow.
"Oh because you've seen him without it on of course." She said rolling her eyes and trying not to splutter with laughter.
"I think you're forgetting that I used to have to be with this guy twenty four hours a day and seven days a week."
"Can we please stop talking about all this crap and look after my cousin?" Matsuda snapped.
They all turned to L to see him holding Emily close to him and looking up at the ceiling. His fingers twisted through her hair. She could have just been asleep. He sighed and then looked back at them.
"The chances of her being able to hear us are very high. Rather than arguing, it may be better to actually speak to her. Raito, you're fluent in English, come and speak to her with me."
"Hey… I can speak English too!" Matsuda said wistfully.
At first as Emily's hearing came back, it sounded like everything was being said through water. She could make out a few words but then she realized it was all in Japanese. Somebody was holding her. Matsuda? Raito? Misa?
"Echo? Echo can you hear us?" Raito's voice was becoming clearer now. Ah so that must be who was holding her. The main suspect. Could it be possible that Kira was keeping her safe? She should respond. But could she? It felt like she was flying. It was so comfortable in her own little world.
But then she felt something different. Soft hair brushed against her cheek and somebody's breath tickled her ear as somebody whispered her name.
"Emily?"
Emily forced herself to respond now. Her eyes flickered open and she clenched her fist as everything swayed into view. It wasn't Raito who was holding her, it was L. She gasped and tried to take in everybody's faces. They were all crouched beside her looking at her in concern. How did she get here? They were all still wearing ice skates, so it mustn't have been too long since she had passed out. She forced a faint smile and tried to speak.
"D-Did you know that over seventy percent of accidents happen in the home?" she said.
Everybody but Misa looked at her for a few moments, stunned. Misa looked confused and wished she knew English. Matsuda furrowed his brow and tried to translate it, positive that he had gotten it wrong.
"But you're not at home." Raito said gently, half reaching out a hand, trying to decide whether he should comfort her or not.
"I know." She said, shaking and without warning she burst into tears and sobbed, burying her face into L's shirt. He sat still, confused and surprised as she clenched her fists and ended up taking a firm hold of his shirt. He wrapped his arms around her and rested his head on hers, trying to work out what to do.
Misa suddenly snapped into action.
"How about we go return the skates?" Matsuda and Raito paused for a moment and nodded. They all left L and Emily alone.
"Are you ok?" He asked as she continued to cry. He couldn't work out whether it was a stupid question or not. "Are you hurt anywhere?" he added, deciding that this would probably be more helpful. She shook her head and continued to cry.
"Then what's the matter?"
"N-Nothing. It's just… Memory lane." She whispered. He nodded and resisted the urge to kiss her on the top of the head.
"I understand." He said quietly.
For five minutes, they sat on the cold floor. Emily's shudders slowly weakened and her sobs turned into whimpers. L wanted to ask her what was hurting her so much but he felt that it was none of his business. In her eyes, they were just friends. She didn't care for him in that way.
L was beginning to want to leave by then. He hadn't cried in years but Emily's sudden emotional state didn't help him at all and the others must be wondering where they were. He refused to cry in front of anybody. Also, sitting with crossed legs was painful to him after so many years and the socks were driving him crazy.
"Are you sure you're not hurt?" he asked when was wiping her eyes and apologizing for soaking his shirt in salty water.
"I'm fine she muttered. Carefully they stood up and he supported her so that she wouldn't trip over her skates.
Dizziness swept through her as she tripped along in the ice skates on the rubber floor. She felt overwhelmed as they traded the skates back for their own shoes.
"Thank god I can take off these socks."
September air blew past them as they stepped outside and made their way to the car park. Emily rubbed at her eyes and kept her face pointed towards the ground. She knew that her cheeks would be pink and blotchy after crying so much. Matsuda was stood by his car. Raito and Misa had already left.
"Ryuuzaki, do you want a lift back?" Matsuda asked as he opened the back door for Emily.
"Thank you." L said gratefully, and sat down next to Emily.
The car journey was awkward. L sat in silence, apparently oblivious to that fact that Matsuda was watching him carefully through the rear view mirror for most of the journey back and very nearly crashed the car a grand total of four times. L noticed that he was being watched so he tried to ignore it. Argh! Why did he agree to go ice skating?
Matsuda stopped the car to let them out when they got to outside the headquarters. He watched them carefully as he drove around the back of the building to park the car.
"What's his problem?" Emily asked, sniffing and wiping her eyes one last time as they entered the building.
"No idea." L lied, keeping his eyes on the floor as he walked her up to her apartment.
She stopped walking and looked at him with a hurt expression. He turned back and looked back at her. It was best not to say anything. She swallowed and brushed her tangled hair out of her eyes. It was falling out of the bunches and her hat was lopsided. It was cute in a unique sort of way.
"You know." She said simply then she continued walking.
"He's worried about you." L said glumly, deciding that if she could tell when he was lying, maybe she can't tell if somebody only tells part of the truth.
"Oh." Emily said quietly. She didn't bother pursuing it. She had a feeling that L wouldn't tell her the full story.
She stopped to unlock the door and he watched her fumbling with the key. He sighed. After all of this, he would never be able to work again. Distractions. Distractions. Distractions. She opened the door and turned to him. For a few moments they stood in awkward silence.
"Want to come in?" She offered weakly.
A/N: "No, I fear this chapter has gotten far too long!" L said.
Haha! Sorry it's so long! Danicasdeath, I tried it but I'm trying so hard (and failing so badly) to keep L in character. I'm not too good with that seeing as L wasn't really the type to fall in love. D: So yeah the 'freak out' was pathetic and Emily is oblivious. :P Sorry! Thank you very much The Blonde One but take a look at one of ActionFry's stories and see what good writing really is. xD Tis wonderful stuff.
Thanks to Danicasdeath, The Blonde One, ActionFry, XthirteenX, watergoddesskasey and Sybil Corvax for reviewing. I guess what I said about the eyes really encouraged people to review. xD Haha tis all true. Bad feedback is just as welcome as good feedback as well so don't be afraid to tell me what needs to be done!
Sorry it wasn't so funny!