Chapter fifty- Slipping.
The mansion doors slammed hard behind the worn out teen idol. L and Light had refused to even look at each other since their fight, despite all her useless coaxing. Then L had stormed out, leaving her alone with Light and the rest of the taskforce. Then it had rained the entire way home. And not a slight mist either- it was full on pouring. The pathetic patch of clothing she wore was not even thick enough to take some to the blow, instead it stuck to her slim form. Misa was sick, tired, drenched, and done with both geniuses' crazy antics.
The moment she entered the house, Watari smiled gently and wrapped a towel around her. His grandfatherly face became concerned when he felt her pale forehead. She was cold to the touch and her skin was slightly tinged blue. She shivered despite the towel wrapped around her shoulders. Watari instantly understood that she had the beginning stages of hypothermia. He had to tell L.
Misa noticed his worried expression. "What's wrong, Watari?" She mumbled. Her mouth was starting to go numb.
He smiled confidently at her. No need to worry her. "Nothing. I shall be back in a moment. Stay here, Mistress."
For all her pretty words and big actions, Misa soon realized she couldn't even protest properly. She was shivering far too much by now for that. Instead, she settled for gently nodding her head.
Misa watched the old detective's descending form. She felt weird; why was Watari drowning? Was it possible to walk on the ocean bed? Why was there water around them anyway? Weren't they in a hallway a second ago? It was HER doing! No lucidity would be found in her choatic mass of thoughts. Only gibberish and nonsense.
She barely felt her body hit the floor.
It was so cold. Misa lay lonely in the pale snow. She was no more older than that of an innocent nine year old. Her small body blended in with the transparent color since the dress she wore matched the exact shade of white that painted the winter it's color.
She somehow knew the snow wasn't really there. But if it was all imagination, why was the frost touching her? It was obviously there.
And then, somewhere in the distance someone called her name.
"Misa, Misa, wake up!"
She scratched her head and stared aimlessly up towards the sky. "I-I think I'm lost," she whispered to the voice. It was so familiar. She'd heard it before. Why else would she trust it so much?
That's when he appeared before her. She knew she was right when she saw the shaggy mop of black hair that hung from his scalp. Dark, piercing eyes studied her wordlessly. This boy couldn't be much older than her present self. Fifteen, at best.
She cocked her head when she saw the dark wings that sprouted from his back. Death. She gulped fearfully. "You're not going to kill me, are you?" She asked him, her brown eyes wide and pleading.
"No, Misa. This is all just a dream," L offered his hand towards her. "And I want you to come with me."
The tiny blonde pouted and crossed her arms over her chest. "Mommy said I shouldn't trust strangers. I'm not going with you."
This was maybe the worst time for Misa to be playing the stubborn card. But L always knew that when a player plays their best card, you should always have the courtesy to do the same. Besides, stubbornness was a game they both could play easily.
"And what exactly led you to believe that I'm a stranger? Think about it. In the moment you unconsciously understand you're in danger, why would you conjure a person you hardly know? Wouldn't you be better suited to think of a dear friend?" He knew he'd won the battle when he saw her lower lip quiver ever so slightly. Time to win the war. He gestured her towards him again. "I'm just asking you to follow me. Nothing more."
The lass unsteadily climbed to her feet and started enchantedly towards the boy with the outstretched hand. So welcoming. The snow collapsed around them the moment their hands touched. A gentle smile caressed his soft lips as the wintery wonderland disappeared behind them.
Coming back into reality so suddenly scared both caretaker and patient in the mysterious process. Her eyes slid open slowly. L sat over her with a worried expression apparent to her. Her forehead blossomed warmth the moment his lips pressed against it. The air stung her bare skin the moment he pulled away.
Her head still was still a bit confused. L was less amused when an ice blue finger caressed his lips before stroking his nose giddily. The expression on Misa's face almost gave him the impression that she'd never seen a nose before.
He let her have her fun for a moment before pushing her hand away. "Stop that. I'm trying to help you. Just stay still. You're soaked through and through."
The young woman was sprawled out over L's bed- the place both Watari and him had dragged her then dropped her. She could only lay pitifully where she was, quivering and sprouting random nonsense. But he was happy she was awake at all, in all honesty.
She beamed and pulled him down so she could brush her lips against his. It took a second before the touch turned from sweet to nearly causing his mouth to become frostbitten.
The Japanese man paused briefly, realizing how awkward his next sentence would inevitably sound. "Misa, I need to get you out of your clothes," he mumbled from embarrassment. "They're wet, and your temperature is dangerously low."
"You've got pretty eyes," she replied instead, curling her body slightly as she paid him the compliment.
He ignored her completely and wrung her hair out before fanning her hair out above her head. The drenched tresses clung to the pillow.
Now for the hard part. She giggled, making the whole thing that much more awkward. "S-stop tickling me there!" She cried as he tugged the black dress off slowly. He was bright red. And under normal circumstances, he'd be enjoying this. But this wasn't normal and Misa was more ditzy than usual.
Soon she only wore red underclothes. L forced himself to zone out while he moved the clothing off her body and exchanged them for a dry pair Watari had left for him.
He didn't expect her to suddenly find strength enough to grab him and pull him down beside her. He could feel her convulse slightly. He tucked the blankets up around her before resuming his former position. He cradled her close to himself as though she were the most precious thing in the universe. And to him, she was.
"Don't die on me, okay?" He whispered timorously into her ear.
Misa, still in her unhelpful state of deliria, laughed into his shirt. "You're silly. I'm not going anywhere, my loyal Angel. I see stars."
In spite of himself, L actually felt like crying. "You have to know I love you so much, Misa. God, you just have to know."
He clung to her desperately. Who knew what the morning would bring?
Dun, dun, DUN!
