Chapter Twelve

Love on Your Birthday

Light should have known it was coming, since the bookstore owner was really into the 'family' atmosphere for a work place. It happened last year, but this year Light was hoping it would just slide by and be forgotten, but since when did things ever go his way?

He had gotten through the shift incident free, greeting customers as they enter in the required cheerful tone and ringing them up when they bought their books while providing the necessary 'how's the weather' conversation with all the social pleasantries when needed. His shift finished as the store closed for the night, so he and some of the other employees locked things down then headed to the locker room.

Only in the locker room did he notice how many people had been working the shift that night. Unnecessary, even for a weekend night. They hung around for some reason, slowly putting on their coats and avoiding making eye contact with him. He warily pulled on his own coat and shut the locker door and walked to the exit, feeling their eyes on his back. As he opened the door he was met with a puff of confetti and smoke in the face, causing him to stumble back and cough.

"SURPRISE!" Shouted the voice of the store owner.

She donned a birthday party hat and for some reason had a pink feather boa wrapped around her neck. In one hand she was armed with an extra party hat, and in the other another confetti popper which she used to disorient him once more and she attacked and secured the party hat safely on his head.

"Happy Birthday!" All the people in the room called out. Damn them, they were all in on it together, cutting off any chance he had to escape.

A cake appeared from somewhere, a few confetti blasts from hidden blasters popped around him, and the crowd converged on him, hands grabbing his arms and frog-marching him out the door and to the nearest bar.

Light wanted to refuse them, but for the sake of appearances he stayed polite and allowed the festivities to commence. He was considered friend to many of these people and seen as the nice acquaintance, and he didn't want to shatter their perceptions of him.

That's how he got stuck here at the bar, surrounded by drinking coworkers. Even though it was not a karaoke a few people were singing. They way they through their inhibitions out the window amazed Light. A part of him was jealous of how carefree they could live their lives.

Around him the conversation flowed as freely as the beer, intertwining between pop culture and everyday nonsense, glossing over current events and brushing politics, only opinions he had heard someone else voice before coming out of their mouths with full belief that what they were saying was true. It was all rather bland. Like the fries on the table before him, procured from a nearby McDonalds.

"Do you like Free Flower Falling?" One girl asked him, Rino was her name, a taunt girl with a superstitious nature. She usually worked the morning and midday shifts at the cash register.

Free Flower Falling. That was that J-Pop band everyone seemed to like these days.

"I don't listen to music much, but I suppose they are good." He spoke.

"Good? They are amazing! Hanri's voice is like an angels!" Rino exclaimed.

"What's your favorite song by them?" Akiko, a girl who usually asked him, leaning across the table to get closer to him.

"All the songs I have heard so far are good." He replied.

"I know, right? But those are the more mainstream songs. I personally love Winter Rose the best. It's more of a ballad then the rest. And they use only real instruments and no computer added elements, so it's like Shota is singing right to you!"

"Shota's voice is rather nice, but my favorite songs are when Mami gets her solos."

"Enough of this girly band talk. Don't bother Light with your pop songs. He's the cool silent type. He probably doesn't listen to music, and if he does it would be classical." Makoto slung his arm around Light while simultaneously gesturing to him.

The girls agreed immediately, their usual shyness around him melted away as they started gushing over him.

"I can just imagine him now, practicing the piano in an empty music room during lunch back in school." Rino said.

"I bet he always turned down girls who presented him chocolates on Valentines Day, because he was too afraid to feel, but would go home the night and give milk to stray cats."

"That's heart breaking!" Rino started tearing up, leaning on Light, trying to give him a comforting hug. Light stiffened up, his casual smile flickering.

"Now now, honey. This is a boy's night out!" Makoto dismissed her. Rino pouted and scooted away, embracing Akiko instead.

"Boy's are always trying to exclude us," Akiko comforted the emotional Rino, "My boyfriend is always blowing me off to goof around with his friends. I suppose this is what I get for dating a man who didn't go to university." She glance over to Light and Makoto and added, "No offense."

"They never grew up, did they? It's like I'm back in primary school and that one boy would let girls see what was in his bag. A handful of worms, mind you. Gross. But hurtful."

Makoto laughed. "Ignore her, Light. She can't hold her liquor. This happens every time we go out. You wouldn't think it from how quiet she usually is at work, but it's always the quiet ones."

Everyone else joined in on his laughter. Light felt a bit awkward. He had known the other coworkers tended to hang out with each other and he never wanted to join them but there was this small bitter feeling of exclusion.

A mug of beer sat untouched in front of him and considered taking a sip, tuning out the noises around him, smiling when the laughter roared and nodding if he sensed he was asked a question. By now everyone was tipsy at the least and deliriously happy. A drip of condensation made the decision for him and his throat felt dry watching it slip down the side of the glass, starting at the rim and stopping just before reaching the base.

The liquid was welcomed. Light didn't drink much so he nursed the beer cautiously but it wasn't long before the mug was drained. On the last gulp he heard a familiar voice that made him choke and get into a coughing fit.

"There you are! Misa has been looking everywhere for you."

Misa stood in front of the table, seemingly evaporating from nowhere. Her yellow hair was partially fastened back in two pigtails with black lace, matching her gothic Lolita dress exposed underneath the jacket he had left with her the night he rescued you.

The gleam in her eyes told him she didn't just walk in on him, but she had known where he was and waited for the right time to approach him.

"Who is she?" Akiko asked Light.

"Misa is Light's girlfriend." Misa answered for him, giving a cutesy smile and then a bow. "I'm honored to finally meet his friends and coworkers."

What was she up to? Light wondered. Just one of many questions in his mind. How did she know where he was? Why claim to be his girlfriend? How did she learn that these were his coworkers? How did she learn his name?

The crowd broke out into catcalls and cheers. Makoto slapped Light on the back.

"You didn't tell us you had a girlfriend!"

"He never tells us anything."

"She's so stylish!"

"I think I've seen her somewhere before…"

"Oh my god… I have seen her before! It's Misa Amane, the model."

"A model, Light, a model!" Makoto laughed, shaking his head in disbelief.

Misa giggled and nodded her head, "Yes. Misa Amane is Light's girlfriend, but she is hurt Light hasn't mentioned her before to his friends. She supposes he respected her privacy, but Misa loves Light so much, she doesn't care who knows anymore."

"Misa, what are you doing here?" Light asked, his voice calm and controlled. She smiled wider and she tilted her head to the side.

"Misa wanted to see you. She has some important things to tell you." Her eyes gleamed with meaning. Light fought back a frown. She glanced around, taking in the party hats and other festivities. "Is it your birthday?" Her voice had genuine surprise and her face fell into a guilty pout. "Misa didn't know…"

"Light! How could you not tell her? That's so unkind, now she looks unprepared and uncaring." Akiko scolded him.

"It's okay," Makoto comforted Misa, "He didn't tell us either. The manager looked it up in the files and wanted to celebrate it. We surprised him with this party otherwise he surely would have gotten away with not celebrating at all this year."

Shut up, shut up, Light thought.

"Sit down and join us," Rino smiled then hiccupped.

"No. It's about time I get going." Light excused himself and pushed his way out of the booth. He managed to get free and grabbed Misa by her arm firmly, pulling her away from the table.

"Light don't leave! It's not even midnight yet!" Someone called after him. He ignored them and the rest of the pleas for him to stay, leading Misa out of the bar.

The two walked for several blocks in silence, Light keeping a blank face even though he was furious on the inside. Furious at Misa and afraid of what her reappearance might mean, and furious at himself for somehow allowing her to find him.

He messed up.

Misa beamed, seeming to revel in his presence, gravitating closer and closer to him. She smelled of strawberries and vanilla. Not the real kind, like Ryuzaki would smell of because of his many desserts, but the artificial kind from spray bottles.

When he deemed them far enough away the brunette pulled the blonde into an alley and turned to face her dead on.

"How do you know who I am?" He demanded

"Kira, Misa couldn't stop thinking about you ever since you saved me. Misa was determined to thank you…"

"Don't use that name. Not here or anywhere. Now again, how do you know who I am?" His voice, though not cruel, had lost any trace of politeness.

"Misa has been following you." She said sheepishly.

Following? More like stalking. Light grinded his teeth together.

"You shouldn't have done that. Don't you know stalking is illegal?"

"So is vigilante detective work. Misa knows you have broken laws yourself." She smiled wryly. "Breaking and entering is considered illegal in Japan."

Shit. What else has she seen? How long has she been following him? Every night since the rescue? She wasn't as stupid as she appeared to be on the outside.

"You shouldn't follow me. You are putting yourself at risk. I have enemies."

"You have followers. Not literal ones like Misa, but others. People who look to you to protect them. Why should you hide? We'll protect you." She said earnestly.

"Putting myself into danger and unable to keep doing what I do. Forget me and everything you know. Leave." He urged her.

"Misa doesn't want to leave. Misa wants to help!" She exclaimed. Light was losing his patience, fighting the urge to push her against the wall. If he was aggressive with her it could be more disastrous them her apparent obsession with him. She could run to the authorities and reveal his identity, ruing all he has worked for and taking away the one thing in life he felt he could do right.

"I don't need your help." He told her. "I thought I made it very clear."

"But Misa knows things! Things she didn't tell the police when they came and searched Yoko's items at the agency. Why she didn't, they had escaped her mind and when they came back, she thought you would make better use of them."

"You should have told them. Kira is not working on that case…"

"Why not? So many people are being killed and Kira always helps, even on big cases the police are all over. Besides Misa has no idea of how to go about telling the police."

"Certainly going up to the nearest station is easier then stalking someone's movements."

"Well you are here now and Misa has information that she is going to share with you! A theory! The Kitchen Killer victims are not random."

"Not random? What do you mean?" He questioned.

"Misa remembers that a few days before Misa saw someone leave Yoko's dressing room at a shoot. She tried following him but the person disappeared. She went back to the dressing room and found it normal except someone had messed up these papers on Yoko's counter. They were her resumes for potential jobs, and other various documents. Misa think maybe who ever it was targeting her."

Light took in the information, frowning.

"And… and there is more…" Misa's voice went softer, "Misa got a call the next day. It was a blocked number, a delivery person for some company Misa has never heard of before. They asked where Miss Yoko Hari would be so they could deliver something to her. Misa didn't suspect anything at the time so she told them where Yoko would be working that day. The same day that happened to be the day she was killed."

They stood in silence. Misa stared at the ground, close to tears. Light didn't know if he should comfort her or not, and decided to try, putting a soft hand on her arm.

"It's all Misa's fault!" She cried out.

"No, it's not your fault." It was his fault. Misa was right. A case this deadly he would normally be trying to solve but it was his own fear that stopped him from trying. He was weak.

She started crying now. It was so awkward for Light. Her make up was runny and he was at a loss again for what to do. He wanted to just leave her standing there, but his built in social grace and mind wouldn't let him. He had to do something to stop the tears and he had to also convince her into silence.

He pulled her into a hug. That seemed to be the right thing as she didn't break out into sobs and instead sniffled.

"Now listen. You have never seen Kira, nor do you know Light. Tomorrow I'll tell my friends not to tell anyone what they saw, under the guise that we are trying to protect your privacy. I will also tell them that we broke up and to never bring you up again. You will go to the police and tell them what you told me, exactly. If I ever see you again, it will be purely by coincidence and under no circumstances do you show any signs of familiarity. I do not want to have to repeat myself ever again."

Light pulled away and took a step back. Just before he fled Misa spoke up once more.

"Happy birthday." She wished him.

"… thank you."

One second later he disappeared around the corner, once again leaving the blonde behind, hopefully this time for good.

But things never turn out in my favor, do they?

xXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXx

He was late. Again. Ryuzaki was not going to be happy. He had to stop at his apartment first after leaving Misa, and the way there he had to take a hug detour in case she was following him again. It was in vain, as she had likely already located where he lived and knew where he worked. He could not be sure if she would stalk him again or not, because the girl seemed enamored with him. Quite possibly believing she was in love with him.

And on the way to Ryuzaki's hotel suite he took a longer detour, praying that she had not followed him there before.

It was already past midnight when he finally got there, and he hesitated knocking on the door, not liking the scolding he was sure to get, but he wanted to see Ryuzaki.

He knocked and was hardly surprised as the door opened almost immediately. It only opened part way, enough so Light could see a dark eye peering out at him.

"You're late."

"I'm sorry."

"You're late."

"Let me in."

"You're late."

Light signed. "I'm really sorry. A lot happened tonight. It was exhausting. Let me in." He began pushing on the door but Ryuzaki stopped him.

"Wait thirty seconds and come in." Ryuzaki instructed him. Light nodded. Ryuzaki left the door mostly closed and ran off to do what ever he was up to. Light counted silently in his head. At thirty on the dot he pushed the door open.

Ryuzaki was sitting, waiting for him in his usual spot around the coffee table, but waiting for Light on the table was a surprise.

A small birthday cake with a single candle lit up.

Light stood at the door, stunned.

"I know it is not your birthday any more as it is after midnight, but in parts of the world it still is. And people tend to celebrate the occasion of each other's births in the form of cake."

Ryuzaki gave him a small smile, which disappeared when he saw Light had yet to move.

"Are you okay? Did I do something wrong? Should I sing that song?" Ryuzaki's lost smile was now a confused frown.

Light's sense came back to him and he shook his head. "Nothing's wrong," he said, "I just… wasn't expecting this. And please don't sing for. It's something we both don't want to hear."

Light was lying. Not about the singing part, because he was sure Ryuzaki's singing voice would be even more horribly monotonous then his usual voice, but about nothing being wrong.

He felt guilty that Ryuzaki went through all the trouble to get him a cake and candles. Judging by the look of concern on his face he was worried that he had done something socially unacceptable. This was probably the first time he tried to celebrate someone's birthday.

The cake was all for naught. Well, not really. Today was not his real birthday. It was Light Akino's birthday, his alias. His real birthday was still months away. But no one knew this. Not even Ryuzaki. The raven-haired man must have looked up his fake file and thought that this birthday was real.

Light slipped on a smile and walked over to the couch where Ryuzaki waited.

"Thank you," he whispered, placing a kiss on Ryuzaki's cheek.

Ryuzaki grunted, accepting his thanks, and the huffed. "Can we have the cake now? I've been looking at it all day, and I've never gone this long without eating a cake sitting right in front of me."

Light laughed. "Of course."

They sliced up the cake and ate. Ryuzaki had four slices to Light's one. The cake was washed down with delicious red wine. A short time later they were both laid back together on the couch, Light leaning back into Ryuzaki's chest.

Sleep pulled at Light's eyes but he was not ready to give into it yet. He turned his head so he looked up to Ryuzaki who was taking a sip of wine. The raven-haired man noticed Light's attention turned to him and took the glass away from him face, leaning closer to Light, placing a chaste kiss on his lips.

Light wasn't satisfied and instead grabbed the older man's head with one hand and brought his face close again for another kiss, this time deeper. Warmth spread out from Ryuzaki's touches as the kiss continued to deepen at both men's desire.

Just as it was getting good a shrill sound interrupted them. They pulled away and looked at the cell phone Ryuzaki had sitting on the table.

Fuck.

Light was not happy as Ryuzaki pushed him away after a moment of hesitation to answer the phone. The conversation went as short as it always did. Ryuzaki only confirmed several things before shutting the phone and turning to Light.

Enough was enough. Light stood up and walked straight for the door, not even bothering to wait to be dismissed and left with out another word. Ryuzaki just stood and stared at him as he left, phone in hand, face ever so fucking annoyingly blank.

Sorry it took so long to get this chapter out, but here you go! Happy belated holidays! Next chapter will hopefully be out soon. I have already started working on it. Thanks for all the reviews, they mean a lot to me. Hopefully I'll be updating more regularly, and I hope you are all dying to figure out what happens next!

Oh, I wrote a story about a man that has a small garden, but it doesn't have much of a plot.