May 25, 2005

"I have found Kira." The distorted voice sent a chill through my spine. I was in the middle of drinking my vitamin enriched chocolate shake, when I heard those words. I quickly put in my ear buds, not wanting to listen to all of this. Ryuzaki had kept to his word about keeping up the farce that nothing was between us.

Light noticed my slight shudder as I continued to suck down my drink. "Maybe you should try a warmer drink, since you're cold?"

I gripped my glass tightly, glad that I was wearing my usual baggy hoody. "No, just a bit creeped out by the synthesized voice." I grumbled. The hotel we had moved to had plush armchairs; one of which, I took over with no regrets. I sat down, curling into myself, in a bastardized mimicry of Ryuzaki's posture. I quickly slid one leg back down, while sliding my hoody over my leg, making my look like a teenager to most. My hair hung down in a fashion that demanded a brush seemingly. I looked like I just rolled out of bed, which was the reality.

"You sure?" Light eyed my drink. I frowned. I wrapped my lips around the straw in my shake and pulled half of my drink without breaking my challenging stare.

"I'm sure." He blinked at me blank expression. I watched him look me over.

"Light, I do believe she put her medicine in that shake. She doesn't want to waste a dose just because she's cold." Ryuzaki's voice droned from his seat, as he watched the tape.

"Oh." He looked down. "Still. You seem to put down a lot of sugar. That can't be good for you. You might get health problems from it..."

"I'll worry about that when I get there." I quickly finished my drink and picked up a book. The book about pregnancy had been finished the day before, so I had settled down with Pride & Prejudice in an attempt to calm down. I readjusted myself, to the task forces confusion. I sat with my legs against the back of the chair, my back resting against the seat, and my head hanging off the edge, my hair pooling on the floor. I held the book right side up, reading upside down until Matsuda said something.

"Umm... Reiko-san? You aren't really reading that book upside down, are you?"

"No, the book is right side up, Matsui." I said in monotone, causing the others to shuffle in discomfort.

"Oh. Uhhh..." Matsuda stuttered, rubbing his head.

"Why are you teasing him?" Ryuzaki sounded tired. I knew he needed rest tonight.

"It's amusing." Short. Simple. To the point. He looked down at me. I could see he was getting grumpy.

"Those two are so alike... It's so weird. Just imagine if they had a kid. They're both such good detectives, it might wind up the smartest person on the planet." I studiously ignored Aizawa and Matsuda as they gossiped.

"She is starting to act more and more like him." Aizawa grumbled.

I tried to focus on my book with a frown. A donut appeared in my like of sight. I closed my book, slid it under my chair, and took the pastry from Ryuzaki.

"Maybe that's why they're always offering each other sweets." Matsuda.

"There's a serial criminal on the loose, and you're wondering why Ryuzaki and I share our sweets?" I was grumpy. I had been sleeping restlessly last night, and just wanted to sleep.

"Reiko, why don't you go get some rest? You didn't sleep well last night." Ryuzaki murmured.

I swung my feet forward, planting them on the floor along with my hands, and stood up straight. "Alright." I left them to their discussion, and curled up into a ball in my bed.

May 28, 2004

I tried to eat my pasta, watching Ryuzaki staring blankly at the screen displaying a restrained Misa Amane. I could see Watari torturing her, trying to get her to speak. I frowned. I glared at the screen, feeling inadequate in looks and figure. I knew it was the hormones talking, but I still felt hurt. The creamy garlic alfredo sauce warmed my throat.

"Barbaric, huh?" Light whispered to me. I noticed the slight twitch from Ryuzaki.

"It is necessary. Far from the worst thing I've ever witnessed." I muttered. Midori's memories had fully melded with my own by now, and I had been plagued by nightmares lately, and the images continued into the waking hours.

"Really? Then what is?" He sounded intrigued.

"Ever have a lover murder your family before?" I sounded so nonchalant about it, that Light choked on air.

"That happened to you? What did you do?"

"I continued looking for their killer until it was made obvious to me. He tried to kill me as well, but I found my gun first. I killed the man that shared my bed for two years." I looked into Lights eyes, unable to push a single emotion to the surface. He looked horrified.

"You killed him?"

"It may have been self defense, but it still happened." I shrugged. I could see Ryuzaki frowning in my peripheral.

"That is a bit messed up." Light confessed.

"I've also been captured by crime lords a few times. You'd think they would learn to use better methods of restraining someone. So long as I could dislocate at least one shoulder, I was set to go." I watched him pale. I could feel a sick sense of vindictive pleasure as he tried not to look sick.

"You prefer the hands on method, don't you?" Ryuzaki sighed.

"Sometimes." I grinned briefly. "Depends on the circumstances."

"Hmmm..." Ryuzaki eyed me quietly before turning back to the screen. "I think that you all should go home and rest. This might take a while." I listened as everyone grumbled their agreement. It took some time, but everyone else had left for the night.

"Ryuzaki... You need rest." I murmured. I began to rub his hunched shoulders, to relieve tension.

"I need to keep an eye on this. You should get some rest, yourself." He looked up at me. I frowned down at him.

"Tell Watari to go get some sleep, and come to bed. We can record her for the night. Please. Either you come to bed, or I'll sleep here at your feet." We stared at one another in a test of wills, but I was not going to back down. He raised his phone up, and dialed.

"Watari, you should get some rest. We'll start up again tomorrow." He listened to the reply before shutting his phone, and lifting me off the floor. I threw my arms around his neck, flushing in surprise. "You win."

"There's a surprise." I kissed him as he curled up with me in bed.