They spent the next hours looking through data that got them no closer to any new conclusions, a tedious task that left Hitomi's neck aching and her eyes burning. Between the reasoning of L and everyone on the task force, the debate was just going in endless circles. The tedium was only interrupted by a few instances of L getting up for food, finishing most of the baked goods he'd had delivered over the past days. Once Matsuda was sent to retrieve lunch for the rest of the task force, and once by the blond bombshell herself, Misa Misa busted into the scene. Amane was a bubbly girl who seemed pleasant enough, after she got past the idea of Hitomi being so close to 'her' Raito. And after Hitomi got past how dumb she thought the 'goddess of the new world order to be' was. When the clock struck eight thirty, Hitomi was immensely grateful to have to excuse herself for work.
Another week passed in this same manner, an awkward series of day-long meetings with the task force and the relief of going to the club at night practically just to be away from the investigation. Raito kept his distance from Hitomi, even if his eyes didn't, but to her surprising disappointment, so did L. The detective hardly spoke to her outside of the task force meetings, and he certainly made not so much as an allusion to anything happening between them. Beside her technically being his employee.
It turned out that the task force got Saturday off thanks to Watari suggesting that everyone rest, and so Hitomi slept in then did laundry and other chores around the house before grabbing her bag and leaving for the club. It was their busiest night, and by ten she hadn't had any special requests yet, so she joined the rest of the girls on the main floor. It was just after midnight when Beth peeked in the dressing room where Hitomi was fixing her hair.
"Hitomi, dear... first request of the night."
"Really?" Beth nodded.
"Mhmm. Some weird guy. He's already up there waiting for you." Hitomi stood.
"All right. Thanks, Beth."
"No problem, hon." Hitomi headed up alone to the dimly lit room, paying no attention to the man who sat in nervous silence in the shadowy corner. Instead she went right for the stereo and turned on some unremarkable, bass heavy song and began to dance. The first thirty seconds were fine, until Hitomi was close to her patron and turned to face him, one leg straddling each side of his lap. She froze, sputtering and gripping the back of the chair to keep from falling over in shock.
"R- Ryuzaki-kun?" He was frozen as well, his eyes as wide with shock as hers. After a few horrified seconds Hitomi backed away, still speechless but suddenly very aware of the want to get away from him. She turned and almost ran from the room, taking the stairs down two at a time despite her heels.
Paying no mind to anyone else in the club, L followed her on her flight, craning his head over the other people moving about the main room. She cut across the room as expertly as he had ever seen her do it, weaving and pushing her way through without losing any speed. L was having a hard time keeping up with her, and when she disappeared into the back rooms of the club he almost second guessed himself. He hadn't even really been sure it was Hitomi until she'd said his name, maybe she'd already left and he'd followed another girl?
No. He wasn't wrong. Ever.
He slipped into the back and caught a glimpse of her ducking into another room at the end of the hallway. But when he followed her into the same room, he was chased out by the angry shouts and a few thrown objects, including a stiletto he barely dodged by sidestepping back out into the hall.
'At least there's only one door. She's got to come out this way,' L thought to himself, slouching against the wall to wait. He didn't have to wait long though, for Hitomi soon came speeding out in the jeans and sweatshirt he'd seen her leave her apartment in. Not wasting a second, he grabbed her wrist, making her come up short and collide with him.
"Hitomi." She didn't speak, not even looking at him from under the low brim of the baseball cap she'd pulled over her head. Her only response was to try and pull from his grip, but he tightened his hand on her arm, not realizing how hard he'd been holding her until she flinched and he reflexively let go.
Hitomi immediately took her chance and dashed off again, her speed just short of running. If it weren't for his longer stride and the peculiar emptiness of the street, she would have evaded him completely. This time he stuck by her side, half a step behind. Hitomi still ignored him and stayed completely focused on walking.
"Hitomi," L repeated, getting more than a little aggravated at her behavior. "Don't you have anything to say?" As soon as the last word was out of his mouth, she stopped, looking up at him with angry tears in her eyes.
"What the hell were you doing in there?!"
"Shouldn't I be asking you that?"
"Don't change the subject- you... ARE some kind of pervert, aren't you!" L's voice barely betrayed his anger.
"Me?"
"Is that the kind of thing you like to do? Watch strippers, Ryuzaki? Huh?"
"Me! What about you? Dancing naked for strange men?"
"That's not the issue! You listen here, you-"
"No, you listen to me," his voice lowered to a deadly calm, and he grabbed her arm, forcing her to face him still. "I was there because Raito said he was worried about you. I was in that place trying to figure out what the HELL you would be doing in a strip club!" She narrowed her eyes, and he half expected her to throw a punch, but she surprised him by stomping down on his foot. L flinched, releasing her again, and she was on her way.
"Hitomi," he called tiredly, his tone weakening. "I don't understand." The admission from him stopped her in her tracks, turning slowly to face him, then coming back to him.
"You don't understand," she began to repeat, "what?"
"Why you're so angry. I was worried. I came to protect Hitomi-chan, and found out you've been lying to me." Her gaze seemed to soften for a moment... and then she slapped him. L kept his eyes closed for a few seconds as the stinging sensation rung through his head, and when he opened them, Hitomi's tears had escaped. She wiped her cheek roughly with the heel of her hand, muttering,
"You would..."
"What?" He ventured, wondering if she would hit him again.
"You know exactly what. I'm trying-" she paused to wipe another tear that slipped from the corner of her eye and chuckled. "Trying to be mad at you, and you're making me feel like the bad guy. I'm not doing anything illegal in there, and you make it seem as if I'm killing puppies for fun or something."
"You purposely hid this from me, and got Raito to hide it too. If you'll lie about something like this, then how am I to know what else you'll lie about?" She raised her hand, but before she could strike him again, he caught her by the wrist. "You don't think I'll let you do that twice, do you?" Hitomi's shoulders slumped in defeat, and she dropped her hand.
"I have to pay for school, you know. With chichi gone, and ha ha in the hospital, I have to pay for it myself. It's all oba can do to keep her in a good one, I don't want her worrying about me too... But you're right. I should've told you right out. I just thought you'd think less of me if you knew what I did to get by. I'm sorry." She bowed her head, and L brought her hand back up, pressing the backs of her fingers against his lips as he mumbled,
"I suppose I can forgive this one transgression." She looked up, a small hopeful smile on her lips. "But there will be justice, for lying to me." She could feel his lips twitch into a smirk against her hand.
"I understand. I'll do anything." A small group passed them in the street, staring at the odd couple who'd been making a scene, and Hitomi couldn't help but laugh a little. She pulled L from the middle of the sidewalk, and as soon as they neared the wall, he blocked her from the street, cornering her against the wall. With his free hand, he pulled her hat off and dropped it to his side.
"A girl shouldn't say something like 'I'll do anything'. You intentions could be misconstrued." Hitomi felt a brief flash of anger at him, but it was quickly forgotten when he leaned down, bringing her chin up at the same time and capturing her lips in a feather light kiss. Hitomi's cheeks flushed, and she moved to pull away, turning her head down. But L stopped her, putting one hand on the side of her neck and pushing closer. She made a little noise of surprise, but did't resist, pressing her lips harder against his. As she was pressed against the wall, Hitomi bit at L's bottom lip until he voiced the slight pain of it. She smiled and pulled away, moving to his neck. Finally he fully reacted, his tongue grazing hers and his hands roaming a little on her body. But just as suddenly as before, he stopped himself.
"Ryuzaki?" He pulled back, not making eye contact, and Hitomi worried that she'd angered him somehow again. "What's wrong?"
"This-"
"What?"
"This isn't something that should be started on the street. Seeing as how it can't be finished here." She opened her mouth to reply, but he shoved her hat back into her hand, grabbed her wrist and began to practically drag her down the sidewalk. She was almost jogging to keep up with his longer strides, and though it unnerved her to see him in such a hurry all of a sudden, his words had distracted her. When they finally reached the subway entrance, L paused, looking between the stairway and the street, then shook his head, and led her to the underground station.
There were only three other people waiting in the cool tiled area, and from the look of it the train wouldn't arrive for a few minutes. He strode to the far end of the platform away from the others and to the side of a square tiled pillar that none of them could see, then let go of Hitomi's wrist long enough to shove her against the tile and kiss her again. Now his hands roamed more frenetically, abandoning all of his previous hesitations and soliciting a small muffled moan from Hitomi when he bit sharply at her neck just above her collar bone. But surprisingly, this time, when she felt his hardness pressing against her, Hitomi was the one to shy away.
"Ryuzaki-" she gasped. "I can't. Not here." He didn't listen, claiming her mouth again, only pulled away when she forcibly grabbed a handful of his hair and hauled back. He winced, finally calming for a moment as the train pulled up to the platform and let out a few of its passengers. she let go of him and he led the way to a pair of seats in the empty carriage they'd entered, letting Hitomi sit by the back wall before climbing into his own seat with his legs up.
'Not very comfortable with an erection,' his annoying inner voice mocked.
"Shut up," he muttered, not realizing it was out loud.
"What?" Hitomi asked, confused. He shook his head.
"Nothing. I'm sorry I did that to you. As I've mentioned before, I've been distracted lately, and I must have misread your physichal reactions.I took increased heart rate and vocalization to mean that you were-" Hitomi interrupted, putting a finger to his lips.
"Ryuzaki-kun, you don't have to apologize. My heart rate meant exactly what you thought it did. It's just... we're in public, people might have, you know, seen us."
"Oh." L's voice was muffled and Hitomi laughed, taking her finger away.
"What do you mean, 'Oh'? You like to do it in public?"
"Not at all, one could get arrested for such behavior if caught."
"IF- caught? Ryuzaki-kun, I knew you were an ecchi!"
"I'm no stripper." She caught him struggling not to smirk after his comment, and smiled herself, smacking him on the arm.
"I take offense to that, you know! Just because I dance for a living doean't mean I have all kinds of other sexually deviant behaviors!" L glanced at her from the corner of his eye, and she saw a hint of humorless consideration behind his gaze. "Is that what you really think?" She sighed, turning in her seat to face him more. "Go ahead, ask me what it is you're thinking about. I promise I'll answer. Honestly."
"How long?"
"... About a year and a half. Since second semester my freshman year."
"Do you like it?"
"No! I told you, I do it because I need the money!" He glanced over, and Hitomi knew that the big question was coming after his moment of hesitation.
"How many of them have you slept with?"
A/N: Gasp! a cliffhanger! naw, just kidding, the next chapter is also being posted. since iwrote it as like a huge 11 page block and had to split it awkwardly. SO! haha- mother, oba- aunt, chichi- father. used when telling someone else about your family members. and uh, echhi- i think you know... review please?