A.J.A (the author) reminds everybody that she doesn't own Deathnote just in case her muse FrappeG goes on telling everyone that she does.

FrappeG: Grrr… AJA got here before me…

Yume: Good move. B)

FrappeG: -points to readers- You should sue A.J.A for being so late in updating!!!

A.J.A: T___T

Yume: I baked cookies for those who were able to guess who the incubus was… and it was L! Grats! –Hands out cookies-

FrappeG: EYAY!!! –grabs cookie-

Yume: Nope, none for you, Frap!

FrappeG: -pouts- Well, moving on, I'd like to announce that L would be shirtless in this chap!

Yume: (0_o) What the F--!!!

FrappeG: Fan-service as DaAmazingMeepers, my awesome betareader, would put it! Thank her!!!

Yume: ACK!

FrappeG: It's something you wouldn't appreciate, Yume, you hopeless prude! XP

CHAPTER 24

Marshmallows and Abs

Ayame's POV

Marshmallows...

She was in a world full of marshmallow dunes and cotton candy trees. She never knew such a beautiful place existed. Ayame couldn't resist bringing her face close to the soft treat she had found beneath her feet. She inhaled and darn good, it smelled so sweet no doubt it would taste just as well. She took a bite and—

"OW!!!!"

Wait…marshmallows don't complain, let alone scream in agony.

Ayame opened her eyes in alarm and stared up at her victim, Ryuuzaki. She had been gnawing on his forearm. Of course the taste had not been fulfilling, but the smell…it wasn't as non-sweet as she would have expected. It was probably the only thing that her senses had taken in correctly in her dream. Maybe he stained some of the custard he ate from the party on his sleeves, whether or not that was true, it wouldn't make the whole eating-his-arm-off any more sensible.

They both stared at each other, both equally shocked to say anything else. Ayame shifted as the memories from awhile back dawned back on her. The last thing she happened to recall was her crouching over her knees, sitting on the floor attempting to get some shut-eye. And in this situation she is currently in with Ryuuzaki eyeing her weirdly as if guarding himself from an evil dragon who wants to devour his arm, she drew the conclusion: that what she would have intended as a short nap earlier had come to her snoring into full sleep now inside, she looked around, in Ryuuzaki's limo.

Her head was against Ryuuzaki's shoulder, he was probably trying to support and lull her head when she slept though she expected he regretted doing so immediately after she had tried to eat his helpful limb. She resumed composure, straightening her back against the soft leather chair, allowing distance between her and her quarry. Ryuuzaki was also wise enough to help by sliding further away from her. But his eyes never left her.

"I'm sorry…I was dreaming about marshmallows." she said honestly though obviously it wasn't much of a rational excuse.

"…That's…" Ryuuzaki replied rather calmly even after having sharp teeth dug on to his skin. "…not very surprising…"

Ayame nodded dismissively leaving no further room for the marshmallow discussion to continue.

"I'm taking you to my hotel room, if you were about to ask." He said nonchalantly breaking eye contact with her. It would have sounded lewd if one were dirty minded enough to have this translated to 'I want to bed you', but of course, knowing Ryuuzaki, she knew that he meant those words literally and without lecherous and subtle meaning.

Ayame gave him a single glance to let him know she understood then went on to stare at her drenched blue dress, the dripping water from it dampened the leather material and the rug inside Ryuuzaki's vehicle. It's not the first time either, last time it had been Misa's vomitus and now, it looks like the ill-fated rug needs to be washed again.

For most of the traveling time, both Ryuuzaki and Ayame have not really spoken much, either because they were embarrassed with the bite thing or just too tired to start any topic to tackle on.

Shortly they arrived at Ryuuzaki's hotel. If biting her friend's arm and ruining his carpet had embarrassed her, it was nothing compared to having the need for assistance in making her way to the elevator. Her sprain is not to be taken for granted, Watari had said and Ryuuzaki mutely agreed.

Without even a moment of asking for her consent on the matter, both men had her arms tucked over their necks and swayed her carefully to move her.

She protested fussily but Ryuuzaki shot her a warning glance threatening to do lover's carry on her. That was enough to let her shut up. The embarrassment brought by that action would be off the scale especially when there are people in the hotel who would be present there to watch.

Ayame snorted. Her injury was not that serious to begin with, there was pain on her ankle but pretty much, she was confident she is capable of movement on her own. Watari and Ryuuzaki may have exaggerated or maybe they just wanted to play heroes. Nonetheless, Ayame let them do their will, tired of arguing. Adding that with Ryuuzaki's threat then she can no longer as much open her mouth to retort for she knew Ryuuzaki meant what he said.

Ryuuzaki's room hasn't change much from the last visit she had there. It was plain as expected of guy's room and carried a sweet scent that could only prove Ryuuzaki's obsession over desserts. Probably its owner stuffed some frosting or piece of cake in every nook available.

Ayame wanted a shower. She badly needed it, actually. Though she would rather have a warm water to soak her self in on a bath tub, she thought more on it and figured it was too much to ask. She was grateful enough that Ryuuzaki had not surrendered her to her drunken uncle. Alan is a real pain the neck when he is drunk. As for Misa and Light, well, they disappeared all of a sudden. Ayame wondered where those two might be. Maybe the lovers were up in Misa and Ayame's suite making out which is more reason for her not to go back.

Watari had disagreed to let her bath in the shower, concerned about her injury, but she insisted that she couldn't wait any longer and limply went inside the bathroom. Grateful she was after having relaxing warm water touch her unpleasantly clammy skin. The weather outside was really cold, and the best thing to do on days like this is to take a warm shower, hot cocoa and warm bed to sleep on which she intended to make a possibility right after she's finished with her attentions to hygiene.

She stepped out from the bathroom, wrapping herself with a bathrobe provided by none other than the nice old Watari. The old man had carefully laid it out on a basket right outside the bathroom door. She had expressed her gratitude to him shortly.

"Thank you, Watari."

"You're welcome, my lady." The butler's eyes disappeared as wrinkles from his forehead and cheeks drew together in a sincere smile. Ayame found him inside the kitchen heating a kettle.

"Watari, you don't have to call me lady, believe me, I am not one." Ayame admitted. She found the old man's courteousness and formality uncomfortable. It was nice but Ayame just wasn't used to being called 'lady', after all, everyone in her family had always complained about her tomboyish-ness.

Watari arched a snowy eyebrow and smiled again. He shook his head a little. "I'll go make some hot chocolate for everyone, then. Please make yourself at home lady Ayame." He gathered his attention back to the kettle leaving Ayame sighing. He called her 'lady' for the second time she thought as she left the old man to his chores.

She paced across the rooms lazily to find a cozy couch to sit on. Rain was still pouring outside and she watched the droplets flow down the window hypnotized into drowsiness. She yawned and stretched. Weathers like this always make her sleepy. She had better locate that cozy couch fast.

Ayame moved to the next room then halted when she saw Ryuuzaki by the window half-naked. The man was indeed pale all over. Though he had a lean body, it surprised her that he actually had slight abs. He was not as bony as she thought.

Somehow she felt some weird turning sensation in her stomach. It was odd that such visual perceptions could alter his gastrointestinal system. Yet this was not the first time she had seen Ryuuzaki without his shirt. Didn't they swim together at the beach that one evening? Why is it that she did not feel like this when she first did? How come she did not notice his abs before? Was it because it was dark the last time? Is she just insanely ill tonight making her sense a certain degree of promiscuity in Ryuuzaki's activity before her?

No. Those things don't explain much, the sensations rolling inside her were, as much as she could describe, uncomfortable.

The lights off and the only light source is from the neighboring hotel room across the street that irradiated the room in a fuzzy white light.

She continued looking at him and noticed that his pants sunk too low below his navel and that she feared it might fall off and reveal THAT part. The thought alone made Ayame gasp.

Ryuuzaki stopped in the middle of drying his hair with a small towel and watched her through his penetrating dark orbs. He must have heard her indicative sound of astonishment.

His eyes were hollow and maybe even astute. Did he suspect her as a voyeur?

What the heck, she can't tell him it was maddening for her for him to look at her with those suspecting eyes! That would make her sound guilty! Her plan of action: play it cool. Act as if she saw nothing. Like she felt nothing… or rather deny whatever it was that she felt.

She approached him resuming to her usual aura of casualty, putting up a flat face refusing to let any sign of awkwardness betray her. She saw a new towel draped over a stool chair, took it and handed it out to Ryuuzaki. He eyed the cloth in wonder.

"Ryuuzaki, it's your turn to shower." She said in a voice that she struggled to keep from quivering.

His eyes went back to her. "I don't need one." He said curtly.

She rolled her eyes as if in disgust though she suspects he had never been as attractive to her as ever before. "Ugh, Ryuuzaki, you really are unhygienic."

He did not react to that, he must be deaf. He resumed toweling his soggy hair which was dripping wet making the floor a mess beneath him.

Ayame sighed. She propped the towel she previously held out to him over his head, placed her hands over it and rubbed vigorously to assist him dry his locks. Ryuuzaki froze and shot her a surprised look. Now that was a reaction.

Ayame froze as well. What was she doing?

She would have thought that her helpful approach as a platonic act, having done it to her brother a couple of times whenever the dimwit gets soaked by rain on the way home. But then she realized…

Ryuuzaki was not her brother.

As innocent as her actions would be it wasn't an assurance that Ryuuzaki may have viewed it the same way. It must be, to him, something else entirely.

She backed away in a single step and bit her lip in embarrassment. She gazed into his eyes, then regarded his nose, mouth…chest…abdomen…and lower… She felt that weird curling sensation replay in her gut.

What…What??? Why am I acting----??? STUPID!!!

Did she really think that having used to her brother parading naked in front of her at home would make her immune to another man's body? Ryuuzaki's body to be specific.

She backed away another step and tossed the towel into Ryuuzaki's face to cover the heavy stare he's giving her and to hide her reddened face from him.

"Hurry up and get dressed, bone!" She yelled, her voice louder and higher in tone than she intended.

She turned on her heels and ran (even with the pain throbbing on her sprained heel) to another room where she found the cozy couch at last and buried her face on to a pillow propped over it to scream.

STUPID STUPID STUPID AYAME!!!

Her heart pounded loud enough as if it were brought right next to her ears. Never had she ever looked at a guy like he did look at Ryuuzaki in all her twenty years of life. It was shocking, embarrassing, unexplainable and not to mention weird. What is this she is feeling…? It felt good yet… it shouldn't be! Her curses were muffled by the pillow.

STUPID STUPID STUPID AYAME!!!

Ryuuzaki's POV

Back in the dark room, a confused Ryuuzaki murmured, "…bone?"

FrappeG: Grrr… A.J.A wouldn't allow me to intervene in the story.

Yume: That's great, knowing that you are nothing but a disturbance…

FrappeG: -pouts- Oh well… Next chap, shopping with the Wammy boys!!! So please tune in!!

A.J.A: Thank y'all!!! ^^