Just as You Are || Death Note || L

Chapter 31: Focus, I'm Fo-

Katelyns feet drag across the floor, her fluffy slippers brushing the carpet as she rubs sleep from her eye. The events from the previous night kept her from getting a good nights rest, and now she's paying for it. Thankfully, there are things that can remedy this situation.

The opening of her door breaks the otherwise quiet atmosphere in the suite before it closes behind her. Still in her pajamas, she tiredly shuffles her way toward the kitchen, unaware of the sleepless detective following close behind.

The pads of her slippers slide over the cold kitchen tile as she heads toward her goal; the coffee pot. She continues toward it only to see that it's empty. No matter though, she'll make more.

Pulling the coffee grounds from the cabinet, and adding water to the reservoir, the only thing still needed is a filter. She hums softly as she searches every cupboard before sighing.

"Hey!" She yells as she continues her hunt.

"Yes?"

With a yelp, she nearly spills the grounds on the floor from the low voice behind her. Her hand rests over her racing heart, "Are you trying to kill me?"

"The results from the crime lab are here."

A gasp fills her lungs as her eyes widen, "And?!"

"The hair fibers were a match for Misa Amane. She's now our main suspect for the second Kira."

"Yes! I knew it!" She squeals excitedly before enveloping L into hug, his body stiffening.

"Thank you Ryuzaki. For everything."

Giving a quick squeeze before loosening her arms, she flashes a bright smile. But before she can pull away, his arms wrap around her waist, pulling her back again, completely into him. Her breath catches and her heart skips a beat as she settles against his chest and body.

"You're welcome."

Never before has L returned one of her hugs. Sure, she may have wondered what his arms would've felt like around her, but she never thought it would happen.

Heat pricks her face as her focus fixates on his lean body against hers, and how big she seems in comparison to him. Her blush only deepens, both from her pleasant surprise from L, and her own embarrassment.

A low, very low rumble emanates from the back of Ls throat as his hand presses into Katelyn's back, making her heart race from the long forgotten touch as her chest bursts with butterflies, almost to a sickening point.

She swallows a squeak that would escape her mouth as his hands glide to her hips, before they fall and slip back into his pockets. Just as soon as it happened, it's over.

"Here, come take a look."

As L begins to walk toward the common room, Katelyn takes a moment to steady her breathing. For months she's been battling her feelings toward him, and more or less has kept them at bay. But with each passing day, the battle grows more strenuous. If she's looking for a way home... what's the point in letting feelings develop? Is it even healthy to have feelings toward a person who doesn't exist?

Katelyn takes a deep breath and she glances at L as he takes his seat in front of the computer. His black tufts of hair falling down his neck and over his dark eyes. The way he pinches the file between his fingers to pick it up and as he examines its contents.

He doesn't exist? Here he is. Every day.

The thoughts in her brain get scattered as she shakes them away. No. She can't. Even if he's here now. With his personality and his lifestyle... has he had a relationship before? Has the thought even crossed his mind? And if so, no way would he consider one with her, not with her looks. Her size.

This life... it doesn't belong to her. Focused is what she must remain if she wishes to see her family again.

Focus Katelyn.

She walks over and takes the report from him, her eyes scanning every word on the page.

"Finally, a break."

While still looking over the report, her eyes dart to him, "This is it. You believe me now."

"Please understand, I will always have some amount of doubt but I am choosing to believe you. Logically, there's no other explanation I can give for you knowing the things that you do."

"Thank god."

Taking an armchair, she pulls it beside L and continues to look over the pages inside the file. Having grown accustom to L's behavior, she doesn't notice his eyes on her. Carefully, he examines her features. The movement of her shoulders, arms, fingers. Her eyes as she scans the pages. He has so many questions, where does he even begin?

Thumb pressed to his lip, he begins leaning until he's merely inches from her face.

"So... what was it like?"

"This sounds like the setup to a really bad pick-up line."

"I suppose you did fall from heaven. In a sense."

With a quiet giggle, she swats his shoulder, "Well if you mean when I ended up here. I had a massive headache. I think I remember hitting my head on something, but I can't be sure. It's all so fuzzy..."

"What do you remember?"

"Me and Ashley fell asleep in her living room. I woke up during the night to pee. I think I fell in the bathroom, and waking up under a tree in broad daylight, in Japan... Not much more than that."

"And why Japan of all places? Why not a tropical island? Or Paris?"

Katelyn hums, asking herself the question. She had always thought it was because she was watching Death Note before she had fallen asleep. But then, why hadn't that happened when she watched Supernatural? Or Criminal Minds? Or Game of Thrones? Or any other number of shows she had watched in her lifetime. Why after watching Death Note?

What is meant to be a quick glance at the man next to her, turns into someone she can't look away from.
Why only after watching Death Note?

Swallowing the lump in her throat, she takes a deep breath. "I don't know. The answer would probably be my way home."

"We'll find the answer together."