Chapter 11

Hide and Seek

March 22, 2004; To-oh University; East Side – Aoyama Entrance

"Now, Matsuda, Aizawa and I will be right here if you need anything, any help at all. We are all eyes and ears."

Matsuda walked along the path in the college listening to Llana's disembodied voice and nodding to himself, he was sure they could see him through the cameras.

"We can hear you too but try not to say anything to us. Light doesn't know you're wired."

He nodded again. He felt so official right now. He felt like this was gonna be one of is chances to prove himself.

"Touta," It was Aizawa, "Don't screw this up."

Matsuda bit is lip before the voice he actually wanted to hear graced his ears, "Don't worry Matsu, you'll do fine. Just act natural."

"I'll try."

"Hey Light," Matsuda looked around at the other kids standing around, "What's going on?"

"Remember what Ryuzaki said, keep and eye on him."

"Oh, these are some of my friends from school." Light said pleasantly, "Guys, this is my cousin Tato, it's his first time in Tokyo and he wants to see Aoyama and Rapongi. I'm trusting you guys to show him a good time."

The kids laughed good-naturedly and Matsuda blushed, not used to the attention. Light smirked playfully, "He also said he was looking for a girl friend, Any volunteers?"

The kids laughed and Llana giggled in his ear, Matsuda freaked out and started blushing again, "W-wait Light! I never said that!"

"How is he doing?"

Aizawa and Llana turned and acknowledge L with a smile and nod. Aizawa sighed and put a hand over his mouthpiece, "He hasn't screwed up if that's what you mean."

"That's what I was implying." L stated bluntly, walking over to stand behind Llana's chair.

She rolled her eyes, "Don't be so cruel. He's doing perfect. He's watching Light without being obvious, he's blending in, he's…"

Aizawa scoffed, "Don't stop praising him now."

Llana furrowed her brows at the screen, "No. Shh. Look, turn camera twelve a little to the left."

"What? Why?"

"Don't question me, just do it!"

L watched in interest as Llana pulled up the visual for camera twelve. It was showing the inside of a small coffee shop through the shop's largest window.

"We'll lose Light and Matsuda!" Aizawa said sternly.

"There are a dozen cameras down this street Aizawa. We wont miss a thing." Llana said just as sternly.

L bit his thumb, "What do you see?"

Llana got closer to the screen and pointed, "Her. She's talking to herself." Llana clicked the mouse and the camera zoomed in, "I. Can't. Just. Go. Up. To. Him. And. Say. Hi. Kira."

L's eyes widened. This girl, she… "Ideal…"

"Ryuzaki…L…I know what your gonna say. We have no hard evidence on this girl, we don't even know who she is. But… this is big."

She turned her chair away from him. "Aizawa, I want the tape from that camera, now."

Aizawa smiled, Llana was useful, "I'm already on it." He grabbed his coat and left the room.

Llana immediately started tapping keys, Matsuda, Light, and the group of kids were now on the screen, "Matsuda. Go to the bathroom." Matsuda glanced at a nearby camera.

L rolled his eyes and took Llana's headset, "Now, Mr. Matsuda."

L and Llana watched as Matsuda disappeared from the screen.

L brought the set back to his mouth, "Mr. Matsuda, we have finished our mission in Aoyoma. I would like for you to inform Light that I want the both you back at headquarters ASAP."

"Alright Ryuzaki. We're coming."

L put the headset down after he turned it off. Llana stood up, "So…"

"Yes Ideal?" L asked innocently, he knew were this was going.

"Llana two…"

L sighed, "It's a tie."

She circled him like a hawk then sat down, smirking, "I know." After about a minute L sat down also. Llana's face turned into a serious one.

They were alone, should she ask? A ten-year friendship was hanging in the balance here, "L, can I ask you something?"

"You may Ideal."

"No, I want to ask you as… as Illiana." That caught L's attention and he turned his onyx gaze to her. He just stared at her, waiting for her to say something. "L, why did you kiss me?"

He had suspected that she had forgotten. After two weeks, a person would normally forget. But he forgot that this person was on the same intellectual level as he, and she knew him better than anyone else. He stared at her as if debating whether or not to answer.

"We're back!"

Too late.

Matsuda came in and immediately stopped in his tracks. The tension in the room was so thick he could touch it. Light came in soon after and sat on the couch with a sigh, "You called us back pretty fast Ryuzaki. Did something happen?"

L tore his gaze from Llana and stood, "No Light. Nothing of any importance, I just felt that we weren't getting anywhere."

Light nodded, totally oblivious to the tension in the room, "Well, if it's alright with you I'm going to head home."

He said goodbye to everyone and Llana smiled, "See you soon Light."

L noticed that Matsuda wasn't moving, "You're free to leave Mr. Matsuda."

"Um, Ryuzaki I wanted to ask you about that…"

L turned to face Matsuda painfully slow, "Yes?"

Matsuda found himself turning red, he glanced at Llana and she smiled. Yeah he was blushing, he remembered that she seemed to like when he blushed, it made him turn redder. "W-well Ryuzaki. I…well…um…I want to be of more use so I was wondering…"

L sighed, "Please get on with it Mr. Matsuda."

"I want to start staying at the hotel."

Llana fought the urge to grin; she glanced at L who glanced at her, he sighed again, trying not to let it sound like he was irritated, "That's fine Mr. Matsuda. I trust that you have no clothing or necessities?"

Llana stood from her seat; "I'll go with him to retrieve them tomorrow."

L eyed her and she eyed him back, "That's fine."

Matsuda sensed that tension again and decided to slip from the room. Llana and L noticed. Llana stepped closer to her friend, her best friend, "Are you going to answer my question?"

L stood there, silent and stoic. Damn he was good, but Llana was good too.

It caught him way off guard, but he didn't mind, her lips were constantly on his mind, distracting him, and now he had them again. He tried to follow what his body was telling him and kiss back, but she had already pulled away.

She walked to the door then looked back at him, he was giving her the same look she had given him. "Confused?" She asked, and with that she left the room.

Watari came from the kitchen hiding his grin behind his mustache; he set the tray of sweats on the table and patted L on the back before leaving the man to his thoughts.

Llana yawned as she left her room, cup in hand. She walked across the living room like room and glanced at the figure on the coach, she did a double take when she saw that brown eyes were staring back at her, "I'm sorry Matsuda, did I wake you up?" She was glad it was dark, her face felt hot as she remembered she was in her PJ's.

Matsuda sat up with the blanket around his shoulders, "No, I never fell asleep."

She took a step closer to the couch, they couldn't get him a room as of yet, "Is everything ok? Is it the case?"

He sighed heavily albeit dramatically, but that was just Matsuda, "I don't think Ryuzaki wants me here. I don't even think he likes me."

Llana smiled, "That's just him." She walked over and put her cup down, "He just likes to be alone, or rather just with people…"

"He likes." Matsuda finished, pouting.

Llana turned on the lamp on the table and picked up her cup, "We are ordering a movie on L. You need to relax. Popcorn?"

Matsuda looked up into her smiling face. Her hair was up into a messy bun, revealing her beautiful violet eyes. Her silk pajama pants hung of her hips and the top clung to her torso. (she had a bra on, she knows she's in a place full of men!)

Matsuda smiled back at her, "Yeah."

She grinned and ran to the kitchen, "We'll have some brownies too. I don't think L will mind." She sounded a little as if she didn't care what he thought.

"Matsu, go ahead and pick the movie." He heard her say over the popcorn popping in the microwave.

Matsuda immediately turned on the television and picked a movie. She came back out and put popcorn, brownies, and soda on the table. She sat on the opposite couch as Matsuda started the movie.

He glanced over at her. She was asleep. He bit his lip, bold move? Stupid move? He shook it and stood. She was so beautiful when she slept, even though he couldn't see the eyes he loved so much. He started to blush and she made a noise in her throat. Her eyes fluttered open and she sat up. "If your eyes weren't so warm, I would've screamed."

Matsuda blushed, "R-really?"

She nodded, "What's wrong?"

He mulled over his words and gulped, "I'm cold."

She raised her brows, "Really?" He nodded. "Matsuda, there is a thermostat in this room."

"I tried it."

Llana smirked and moved so he could join her. He lay down and she laid against his chest. She could practically feel him blushing and knew she was too, "Matsuda."

"Yeah?"

"That was kinda smooth. Especially for you."

He chuckled nervously, "I know."

A/N: I don have anything to say. ^_^ I'm lookin forward to the reviews on this one! See ya later guys!