Back in the hotel room, I shoved past Sayu and ran into the bathroom. Flicking the bathwater on, I rummaged around in my bag until I found my favorite bottle of lavender body wash and squirted a violet splash of it into the bathtub.
Turning around, I caught my reflection in the mirror. Smears of glitter, crusted with dried sweat, streaked my face. My bangs were plastered greasily against my forehead, and my eyes had raccoonish gray rings around them. All in all, I looked kind of like a drugged-out whore.
I stuck my tongue out at my reflection. What ever happened to Misa-Misa, the pretty girl?
Gone with the wind. Gone with…
Mello.
I had to see him, to make sure he was okay. But what would I say to him, this stranger-boy whose fate I'd twisted terribly?
Glancing at my tub, I sighed and clambered out of my–his clothes. Slinking down into the fragrant bubbles, I closed my eyes and gave a deep sigh.
…
Sleep didn't come for me that night. I had no more visits, but that was to be expected. Doctors bustled in and out, gave me bitter medicine, stuck more tubes in me.
The side of my face didn't even hurt much anymore. I guess it was mostly psychological pain.
Sweating between the scratchy sheets of the hospital as the sun went down, one face, one name flashed inside my head like a neon sign.
Misa. Misa. Misa. Misa. Misa. Misa.
Those dark eyes. That quivering lower lip. That porcelain skin.
She was dizzying to think about, like being twirled around on a carousel going at light speed. She was too much brightness, but too much darkness. Too many colors. Enticing as a butterfly, fluttering through your vision.
But everyone knows that some butterflies can be poisonous.
…
As soon as I was out of the tub, I reached for my bathrobe and realized, hand falling down to my side, that I couldn't wear it.
Not after what happened with Light. The bloodstains may have been washed away, but they lingered behind my eyes. I wrapped a towel around myself instead and slid out of the bathroom.
Sayu was sitting on the edge of one of the two beds in our sweet. "Hey, Misa," she called as I hurried over to my suitcase. "I checked Pay-per-View, and they've got Pineapple Express. We could order some room service; have a girl's night. How about it?"
Pulling my white sweater over my head, I reached inside the suitcase for my favorite Armani Exchange bootcut jeans and grimaced. I felt terrible about not spending much time with Sayu. She was my best friend, really, and she deserved better than this.
"Listen, Sayu…I can't. Not tonight."
Her face fell. "Oh."
"It's not that I don't want to," I continued, in a hurry. "I really wish we could hang out more together. But I have something I really, really need to do and I need your help."
"What is it? Some kind of secret agent thing?"
I bit the corner of my lip as I buttoned my jeans. "Sort of."
"Oh, really?" she perked up, interested now.
"What I need you to do is cover me. Call me a cab, and tell your mom I'm exhausted and I went right to sleep. And whatever you do, don't let her or Rico into the suite."
She was gnawing on the inside of her cheek. "If I do, will you tell me why I'm doing this?"
"I'll tell you tomorrow. And that's a promise."
She hesitated, but her loyalty won over. "I'll call a taxi."
I ran over and gave her a squeeze. "I love you, Sayu."
…
It was around nine when I heard a set of footsteps coming down the hall. Two sets of footsteps, actually. One of them I recognized as the nurse's, the other, I wasn't so sure of.
"You'll realize we're not usually into granting any special favors," the nurse was saying. "Since this is a family case, however, I will be willing to turn a blind eye just this once."
"I know, and I'm so grateful," the other replied. It was chillingly familiar. I tensed. Was I imagining things?
The door opened then. A short girl with her hair all tucked up inside of a beanie and thick-rimmed glasses stood behind the prim nurse.
"Your sister's come to spend the night," she informed me. "Please keep noise to a minimum, as other patients are trying to sleep. And in the morning we will have some forms for the both of you to fill out."
She left us then, swinging the door shut behind her. We both were still as waxwork statues as we listened to her heels receding down the hallway.
Finally she turned my way and pulled her hat and glasses off. Blond hair tumbled down her shoulders, and two espresso-brown eyes twinkled at me.
"Misa?"
…
I wasn't sure what to say to him.
So in the end, all I did was burst into tears and run towards him, grabbing him in a gushy, girly bear hug.
…
She pressed her face against my chest, tears searingly hot against my bare skin (I'd ditched the ugly hospital gown in favor of my jeans, thankyouverymuch), and despite everything, I felt myself give a little.
Maybe it was because I'm kind of a forgiving guy.
Maybe it was because I have a soft spot for a crying dame.
Or maybe, just maybe…
Maybe it was because she looked pretty damn cute crying and half-suffocating me in what I have to say is probably one of the only hugs I've ever received in my life.
Whatever the reason was, I found it all too easy to squeeze her back.
…
I fell asleep only a little after. I was exhausted, after all, and the hospital's Arctic, over air-conditioned atmosphere induced a drowsy stupor in me.
If it were any other guy, it would have been weird.
But it was Mello, and we had the strangest of relationships after all.
And so I fell asleep between the sheets of the hospital bed, feeling forgiven and somehow blissful.
…
Sometime around midnight, my body acted of its own accord and I settled into the space her body had left me, chin resting on top of her head, one arm around her waist. It was freezing cold, and I wasn't wearing a shirt besides.
It had occurred to me that I would probably have to tell her about the magazine article.
But that could wait till morning.
Right now, all I needed was to enjoy this foreign, mysterious feeling of actually holding someone.
And so I did. Up until I fell asleep.
...
My eyes peeled themselves open and I checked the wall clock. It was around seven in the morning. I knew Ms. Yagami would be over at the hotel to pick me up and take me to the studio in about a half an hour, so I slid out from Mello's arm.
Wait, his arm?
When had that gotten there?
He was still asleep, so I clambered gingerly over him and planted my feet on the chilly hospital tiles. Turning back, I took a good long look at him.
Asleep, all of the anger behind his eyes had fallen away, as had the tense lines around his mouth. He looked softer and younger and more vulnerable, lying in that narrow bed, surrounded by beeping machinery.
I knew I should have been hightailing it out of the hospital before that nurse made me fill out some whacked-out forms, but I felt bad just leaving him.
Rummaging around in my pocket, I pulled out an eyeliner pencil. Uncapping it, I yanked a scratchy paper towel out of the dispenser over the room's mini sink and scribbled down a hasty note.
Then I tucked my hair back into my wool cap and slid my glasses back on. No use feeding myself to the paparazzi.
...
She was gone when I woke up.
Just like the night before, when she disappeared from my room as easily as a wraith.
It was probably for the best, though, right? I mean, getting involved with her was a dumb idea.
It was dangerous. My scar had proven that.
So why did her absence leave a sharp pain in my chest?
...
Dear Mello,
I'm sorry I had to leave so early. I've got to be back at the studio.
Listen, a friend of mine invited me over for dinner tonight. Want to come? The nurse said you're gonna be discharged from the hospital today anyway, so I was just wondering.
If so, please call this number:
xxx-xxx-xxxx.
Love,
Misa
...
I touched the side of my face, feeling the ragged skin and bloody stitches.
Would I go?
No, I shouldn't. Should I? It would be a bad idea.
I tucked the paper towel back into my pocket and closed my eyes again.
A/N: So, there's another chapter of Blood and Chocolate. Hope you enjoyed! Oh, look! All the characters want to say something to me! Yaay!
Misa: Why'd I have to get raped? And why'd you hook me up with Mello? I don't even like him!
Mello: Yeah, and why'd you make us the same age? She's hella older than me!
Elle: It's AU. Alternate Universe. Quit yer whining.
Light: When's the chapter in my POV coming out?
Elle: Soon, my precious, soon.
L: How come I'm not really in this? This has gotta be the FIRST Death Note fanfic where I'm not, like, the lead character.
Matt: And how come I have to be the funny-man?
Near: And why am I a pizza boy?
Rico: AND WHY DID YOU BLIND MY PRECIOUS DAUGHTER?
Elle: AAAAAGH! LEAVE ME THE FUCK ALONE!