Chapter 21: Of Second Dates and Fights
"Okay... that I didn't see coming, but apparently you learn something new every day."
-Akane Yagami-
They followed her to her assigned room one floor down from the top so they could talk privately. It was more of her own little apartment there was a simple living room, kitchen, dinning area, bathroom, and a bedroom. This place was obviously meant to protect royals, rich, and high class people while they where staying in Japan. She couldn't understand how L or Watari had acquired it for their use. Wouldn't those people be outraged? Her room was pre-decorated for her use when she could just stay here after a long day of work, "Take a seat," she told them in a calm voice and waited for each of them to sit down. She slammed the door startling both Naomi and Miguel.
"Tenshi, what is this about?" L asked. Why is she angry?
She turned glaring at them, "What the hell is your problem?!" she demanded.
"What? Me? This asshole started it!" Miguel argued.
"I know, but you are the one who took the bait, you moron," Akane stated. "You two have been on each others' case since you started. Now tell me why?"
"I don't have a problem with him. He's the one who has a problem with me!" Miguel said crossing his arms looking the other way.
"I don't believe that for a second," Naomi voiced aloud.
"I quite agree with that, Naomi," Akane said.
"If I didn't know any better I'd say there was a girl involved." Naomi told her and Miguel blushed. "It's completely childish either way."
"I-I don't know what your talking about!" Miguel said.
"Sure you don't," Naomi said as she glared with narrowed eyes and her arms crossed.
"Drop dead, wench!" He barked at her.
"Enough!" Akane growled before turning toward L. "Ryuzaki, what's your excuse for starting a fight with Miguel? It better be good."
L looked back at her with a passive gaze, "Same reasons you don't like him."
"But do you see me letting that get in the way of things? Whatever you two have against each other do not let it get in the way of our work!" Akane told them firmly, but she felt like some mother scolding her own children. "We need to work together as a team. We can't have our differences divide us. It makes us look weak and the moral of our team will drop. Do you even realize how much danger we are actually in? One wrong move for now on and we all are going to die! So man up both of you and do you damn jobs. Especially you, Ryuzaki. You are our leader. Any sort of conflict between you and anyone else puts us all on edge. Are we in agreement or not?"
"Yeah, whatever, sorry." Miguel said.
"Yes, I apologize," L told Akane.
….
"Akane I apologize again for yesterday," L said sitting across from her at the elite desert restaurant. The staff in their butler like attire served them hand and foot with fine wines, menus, and tiny samplers. They ordered, well, L ordered one of everything for the both of them.
"It's fine, I understand. I know Miguel isn't the easiest person to like, but still... we can't let our differences stop us from catching Kira." she replied in a soft voice making sure no one, but L heard her and ignoring the fact that he had ordered way to much food.
"I see and I understand your point from earlier. I shouldn't of done what I did." L told her as he took one of the best strawberry cheese cake samples he had ever tasted. "Do you come to this place often, Akane?"
"Are trying to change the subject or make small talk?" Akane inquired.
"Yes to both," he nodded.
"Hmm... the answer is no to your question. Satoru never liked sweets. So I didn't get to come here often unless I was on my own. Personally, I like sweet foods and I hate anything spicy." She said. "Why do you ask? Is this your way of trying to get to know me, Ryuga?"
"Perhaps it is," he replied. "I don't like spicy foods either. Though I do suppose you already know well of my liking of sweets."
Akane giggled, "A bit too much, but I like that about you and I like the way you can just be yourself while not worrying about what others may think of you."
"Your flattery is appreciated. I'm sure you don't really mean that." L said.
"But I do. I never really get the opportunity to be myself like you do. I admire you for that." Akane said a forlorn look upon her face. "It must be nice, but perhaps a bit lonely as well."
His eyes slowly turned her way and he took in the sight. Yes that rare honest look about her. An image of her really self peaking through a door normal locked tight. It was when she was the most interesting and the most beautiful to him... not that he was ever going to share that information, "You're right. In fact I've never spent time with someone like this before."
"You mean as in a date? You can't be serious." She told him surprised.
"I am serious as you say. How is that surprising? Do I seem the type that does?" He asked of her his passive gaze held a somewhat curious nature to it.
"I guess not, but not even once? You're what? Twenty-four or twenty-five now, right? When is your birthday anyway? Mine is February 28th." Akane said curious herself.
"Halloween and I'm still twenty-four," he informed her.
"Oh," She nodded as their food arrive. "L you sure about all of this, it's a lot."
"Well, yes. I quite am and remember it's my turned to pay during this date," L told her.
"You remembered?" Akane asked.
"Why wouldn't I?" he questioned.
She didn't answered. Sure people listened to her, but it didn't mean they would remember any of the little things she would say. It was actually kind of nice to hear that. A smile rose to her face before she sampled the berried cupcake he had ordered. Now that she thought about her and Satoru's tastes in food where rather opposites. He hated sweets and she loved them. Then their was spicy food... Akane never like it, but he did. It seemed the more time she spent with L the more she realized that... they where so many differences between them and maybe that's why she fell for Satoru in the first place.
L was different from her two. He wasn't afraid of showing his true self. Though he was lazy on some fronts with bed head from the night before. Akane also doubted he had much sleep these days or sun with how pale he was and she doubt it that he was eating right. She sighed why was she always so worried about him?
L placed his hand on her shoulder, "You alright? You're quiet all of a sudden."
"Oh I just realized something is all. I'm okay, Ryuga. You once said your time as an Investigator was a hobby of yours. What do you do when your not? Sorry you don't have to answer if you don't want to." Akane told him.
"Teaching," He offered simply.
"And your not going to elaborate on that are you?" Akane guessed.
"No, I will not," He told her. "Will you tell me what you have realized?"
"That's kind of personal," She answered him, "I was thinking of Satoru a little and then you. If I was perfectly honest. You know I actually kind of envy you. You have far more freedoms and maybe even more courage than I do. I think your the only person I've never actually lied to. Sure I've held things back for my sake and your own, but I've never lied to you."
"Why not?" L asked curiously.
"I don't really know. I don't even think I can bring myself to do so," Akane answered truthfully.
….
"Kira has been quiet for the last two few weeks, though the murders are back to normal at one per hour." Ukita said as he when through his notes on the laptop to make sure he wasn't forgetting anything about Kira's newest activities that where listed.
"Still so many lives are being lost," the formal chief Yagami said with a heavy sigh. It was a regretful experience either way with people dying before their time. "Tenshi do you have something to add."
"For now on, we must be far more careful. Kira's plan was to isolate us and pick us off one by one. Whither it was to scare us into quitting or to eliminate us by murder. So never show your true names for now on and if possible don't show your face. Ryuzaki has arranged... the deletion any images of your faces from the police databases. So if Kira still has any access to the police databases he will not find anything to help him murder any of us." She told them as she lead against the desk. "We are to be more cautious then every before. Take my words to heart gentleman your life depends on it. Miss Shoko and Mister Neko has already been informed of the situation."
"I see," Souichiro said, "What of the rest of the police force?"
"They have been informed of the situation as let's say... a parting gift to them." Akane told them.
"Thank you, Ryuzaki," Souichiro told them.
"It was Tenshi's idea," he said shrugging shoulders looking only at his computer screen.
"Very well, though I am sure you and Watari were the one who delivered the news. However, thank you, Tenshi," he said.
"It just needed to be done. Do not thank me for something that I'm sure we all would of done. This world needs it's police to be protected. It's the least we can do," Akane replied.
"So what is the plan?" Naomi asked.
"We know of several of his targets, but not when he will strike them. We are all his goals for elimination, but there is someone he wants more than anyone else that we've yet to learn of why. Souichiro you know of who I speck of." Akane told him. "Her protection will be taken care of by both Shoko, Ryuzaki, and by myself as well. However, her identity will stay secret for her protection as well."
"Wait why not tell the rest of us? Is this have to do with you not trusting us, Tenshi?!" Aizawa demanded.
"That is not what I'm saying at all. Please do not think this is mistrust because it simply is not. Let me place this scenario into your minds. Kira figures out that you Aizawa is a part of the task force. You know my identity and that we know he is after someone pacific. He tracks down your family or he just simply takes control and forces you to to tell him all you know." She informed them. "Then he decided to do the same to me or one of our other members to spy or even worse. Uses you or one of the others to kill all those we care about including the task force."
"What Tenshi is saying is that having a multilayered defense against any Kira invasion. Information kept separate from the others including us will help keep everyone safer." L informed them. "Tenshi and I have been working on our defenses for the past week. This is one of the strategies we've have come up with. It will lower our risk by sixty-two percent. I don't think Kira will attack again for some time to come. He seems the type to plan things over months at a time. Though now we may find some sort of pattern after so much information is now available. Hopefully we will find a pattern of the chosen victims."
"I have a feeling he's using others to do his dirty work so we must keep on eye out for anything or anyone that might be keeping tabs on this place." Akane informed them.
"Agreed." L said.
….
"Why put me on babysitting detail for Akane?! I'm suppose to be helping you investigate not play that girl's pincushion!" Miguel yelled as he grabbed at collar of Tenshi's trench coat.
"It's an important role, you moron." Akane replied in a even voice through her voice changer. Apparently they held their private meetings in her apartment within the headquarters building. "Akane could be the key to finding Kira for all you know."
"That's not the point I'm not some damn babysitter!" he said slamming her against the wall.
Now that hurt, Akane thought to herself. This guy is really full of himself.
Her eyes turned to slits as she glared with red eye through her sunglasses she was always wearing in this false shell of herself, "You don't even realize this girl is placing herself in more danger than all of us combined. She is quite literally placing her safety into our hands. If you weren't such a selfish, pigheaded, narcissist you could see that too. Now unhand me at once or I'll make you."
"Oh and how are you going to make- Ugh!" he ground as he fell to his knees right after she have him a nice good kicked between the legs.
"You forget I'm still a woman under this facade. So please stop acting like some hotheaded child and be the man you pretend to be around Akane." She informed his a slight sadistic smirk under her mask as she ripped his hands off her coat and stepped away.
"Hey I'm not done with you!" He said reaching for her, but L grabbed his wrist.
"Enough Mr. Warder. That is enough, End this now," L said try to calm the situation.
"That's unfortunate. I was just getting started with you." Akane told him.
Why is he trying to protect me? I can handle myself after all, but... somehow... I'm flattered, Akane thought to herself as she blinked in surprise as her heart pitter-pattered wildly in her chest without permission, but it still didn't stop the anger steaming underneath her cool-headed composure.
"Get out of my way L! I'm not done with that wench! She pisses me off!" Miguel yelled.
"Yes and a selfish bastard like you pisses me off too," Akane said as she folded her arms a weak red glow appear through her glasses. She finally had snapped. He had been complaining about his role for the pass two hours in her room and at the moment had a splitting headache. So she let him have it. One of more cruel and sadistic sides she possessed. Even Akane wasn't perfect and could always be kind or cool headed as she sometimes had to pretend to be. Even she couldn't take so much annoyance. "The only thing you care about is your own wretched life. You don't care who you hurt as long as you get to live. People like you disgust me."
"So what's the high and mighty reason you joined the task force? What do you get out of this? Why do you hate Kira so much, huh?!" Miguel demanded.
"High and mighty reason, you say?" she repeated a bone chilling tone filled her voice. "Do not mistake me for the other detectives. My reasons are selfish in some ways. I'll admit that freely, but I was planning to join the task force even before Kira crossed me. What do I get out of this? That's rather simply I get to watch Kira bleed. Whither it's through my bullets, someone elses' or at an execution. I really don't care as long as he dies for what he has done. You're wandering why I hate him so much? He took my one light in my life when he murdered my fiance right in front of me. You can't understand what it is like to watch the one person that meant everything to you die in your arms a engagement ring in his hand. That is why I hate him more than anyone else. I want to see justice done, but I will not fall to your level to accomplish my revenge. I am protecting those around me to the fullest of my abilities and their safety comes first before anything else. I do things the right way. Unlike you I'm aware I'm rather bitter and selfish, but unlike you I do my best not to be. You could never understand the pain I feel nor the emptiness I have to live with each and ever day, you buffoon. So grow up boy. Nothing you have compares to what I was left with. Nothing at all!"
The room feel completely quiet. She had spoke of her lose before, but never like that. Their hearts where heavy from with pity from the weight of her pain. She always seemed so different from everyone else. Almost barely human with the kind way she usually spoke. Apparently even see had her moments when she couldn't hide what she really felt.
"I do actually," Miguel paused his eyes where on the floor, but his gaze was rather distant as if a memory was plaguing his mind. There was a haunting look there in his hazel eyes as he spoke again. "My father... he had accused the wrong person and the real serial killer was set free. My mother was one of the murders newest victims that very next morning. The false accusation that got her killed and it's one the reason he's dead now. It didn't even take me two days to find the real murderer. That is why I hate him and not my Shinigami. So don't ever judge a book by it's cover, Tenshi."
EDITED!