Cloak and Dagger

Chapter 8

"Ai, leave."

"Where would I go?"

"The bedroom."

"What would I do?"

"Sleep."

"I can't sleep all day."

"This is beginning to feel like a round of 'There's a Hole in my Bucket', Ai."

"I cannot sleep all day, Ryuzaki, Ryuzaki~"

"Ai, please." L cuts in, putting the papers on the coffee table. "After what happened the other day, you need a break. Work on your manga or something."

"I can't leave you to do this alone."

"You're not here to work on the case, Ai."

"I refuse to be a fucking Disney princess!"

"Please mind your language."

I groan softly, looking over the papers again. It's all information related to the Goddess theme. It might seem like the worst thing for me to expose myself to, but I'm the only one who can recognise some of the patterns. That bloody sketch of Isamu is still burned into my mind.

Bzzt. L stands up with a soft sigh, heading to the intercom system.

"Yes? ... Does he know the password? ... Alright, send them up."

"I can tie a cherry stem into a knot with my tongue." I say, recalling that the password for the day is 'Cherry on top'. L blinks at me, then heads to the kitchen. When he returns with a small bowl of cherries, he plucks the stem from one and offers it to me. I take it and turn it between my fingers.

"No, this is too worn out." I say. "I need one that's really soft and green."

L nods, quickly searching the bowl of cherries and finding one that suits my request.

"... Why are we doing this?"

"Because you need a break and the only way you're going to take even five minutes off is if I set it in motion. And because I want you to prove it."

"Fine. You're so childish sometimes."

"I've never denied it."

I put the cherry stem in my mouth, scrunching my nose up at the bitter and sour taste. I close my eyes and begin to curl the stem with my teeth, gently working it into a pretzel shape.

I give a soft hum when I hear the door open.

"It's just Watari." L says. "If you give up, you have to take the rest of today off."

Nope. I wouldn't be able to live with myself, especially not knowing that I can do this. I give another hum as I work at the cherry stem.

"Bingo." I smile, pulling the stem free and tightening the knot. When I open my eyes, I find two familiar young teenagers staring at me.

"... Ryuu, if these kids weren't so cute, I'd drop kick you into next week." I sigh, glaring at him out the corner of my eye. Mello snickers a little at this.

"So, you're Aikurushii, right?" Near asks, curling his hair around his finger in that well-known manner of his. "The one Kira considers his goddess. You're not what I was expecting."

"Just what were you expecting?" I ask. Near holds up a finger puppet with long, curly, dark blonde hair and shining blue eyes.

"Nope, that would be my sister." I giggle. "I'm the punk of the family. But I did change my looks a bit after I 'vanished'."