The woods behind the orphanage [L x Reader] • Death Note [Discontinued]

Chapter 15 | love struck

He knew it, he knew the second that first hint was dropped that Miss applebee knew about the gateway.

And now the kids had gone back to class for the day, he was finally able to get answers off her. He sat opposite her in the library, and had a lot of questions to ask. But first, he'd let her explain what she knew.

"I'm surprised someone else actually found it, let alone managed to active it. It's been here since before the orphanage was even built. Back when I was still young and first started working here, I happened to find it by accident while cleaning up all the toys the kids left lying around by the woods, I accidentally wandered too far in and like you, tripped on it" she began.

"And you didn't think to tell me this?" L pondered.

"Well the sudden interest in fairytales did make a bit suspicious, there was every chance you just happened to find an interest in them. It wasn't until you began learning all these lure calls and started wearing the shell I figured you'd actually found it"

Interesting... so the gateway has been there for longer than he'd been alive. You did mention that multiple of them are scattered around the human realm laying dormant for thousands of years, this one seemed to be rather old like you said. The orphanage itself was rather out of the way, and the woods behind it even more so, it wasn't that surprising not many humans had found it.

"Have you been down there recently?" L asked.

"I haven't been down there in years. I'm just too old for the long walks through the terrain nowadays, I was just a bit older than you when I found it" Miss applebee replied.

"What did you do down there? All I've done so far is wander around and explore the place"

"I did the same. Stepping into a magical world is like having all your childhood dreams come true, it made me feel like a kid again. I'd spend hours just wandering around writing down things I saw or drawing the scenery. I occasionally came across people but I wasn't sure how they'd react to a human so I never approached them. But you on the other hand..."

L knew that she'd managed to connect the dots about him meeting a siren, it was probably obvious to her since she knew they existed in the first place. He put a hand over the shell that hung around his neck, fiddling with it as he spoke.

"I have talked to someone yes. They reacted well to me but warned that unless I wanted to become the talk of the town I should try and blend in" L explained.

"I thought that'd be the case. It's not every day you see a human down there, but for years I observed that world and how things worked and even though they seemed friendly I was always a bit cautious"

So far everyone he'd encountered had been nice, you were amazing, the fairies liked his music, the townspeople were friendly, he was sure that if they somehow did find out he was human they wouldn't really mind. But like you'd told him, he'd be the centre of attention which he'd rather avoid.

"So, a siren hey? Did you willingly approach them or did they lure you in?" She teased.

"I guess a bit of both? I heard the lure call the first time I was down there but never actually saw them. It wasn't until the next few times I actually went looking for them and approached them myself" L explained.

"I see. If you didn't willingly approach them I'd say you're under a spell with how obsessed you'd become"

He... was? He'd been so off in his own world he hadn't even noticed how obsessed he'd become. No wonder the librarian was able to connect the dots so quickly.

"I am?" He questioned.

"Sweetheart I haven't seen you so invested in something since you first became a detective as a kid! You devoured those books about sea mythology and memorised lure calls and sea shanties in mere days. Also you haven't taken that necklace off since you got it. You my boy, are completely love struck" she explained.

He hadn't thought about it like that. Of course he was interested in the world, it was magic after all. And since you were his only friend, I'd course he'd want to know everything there was to know about your kind. But he'd been so wrapped up in it he hadn't really noticed how odd the sudden shift in behaviour looked to outsiders. Maybe he was love struck... sirens lure people in with their charm after all...

"I never noticed I was that obsessed..." he pondered.

"I definitely have. And if I were you I'd tell your siren friend to be a little more careful when they spy on us, or Near will start telling the whole orphanage and we've got a bigger problem on our hands" Miss applebee replied.

While he didn't mind you coming to poke around his realm, understanding you'd be curious. He probably should make sure you don't get too carried away, or there's the risk you'd end up siren sushi. Humans aren't exactly friendly when it comes to new species, they love to take them away from their home poke around for all kind of information about them. And if the wrong human knew magic existed they'd definitely be using it for the wrong reasons.

L had decided it was for the best to keep the land secret. But it seems his childhood librarian was in on it now.

"I say go for it, as long as you're sure you won't end up drowned at the bottom of the ocean" she said.

"Go for..?" He questioned.

"L you're the worlds greatest detective and you can barley read your own emotions... you're so head over heels it's insane, that siren has got you hook, line and sinker. Look at yourself, they're in love"

He was silent for a moment, a bit taken aback by the comment. He'd never been in love before, he didn't know what it felt like. But maybe this was it? Maybe the reason he'd felt the need to go down there to talk to you almost every night wasn't just curiosity, it was a carving for your company.

But if he was in love... how did he go about being with a siren? You're two worlds apart and two entirely different creatures. It's not impossible, I've just didn't know exactly what to do about it. As if he didn't know much about love before, but love with a siren? He knew even less about that.

But... a secret fling with you didn't sound so bad...