Charming Criminal | Light Yagami ✓

Charming Criminal [2]

"I am not-"

"Shush, Ryuk," Light hissed, scuffing his heel against the wall of the cupboard. You exhaled a long breath, hoping to encourage your heart back to its normal rhythm.

"Your pet?" You echoed dubiously. "That... thing is your pet?"

"I can hear you, you know!" Ryuk hollered, sounding mildly insulted as Light nodded, running his hands through his hair again.

You stuttered incoherently, trying to rearrange your thoughts to make sense of the situation. "Well... how come I didn't notice him before? And why can't other people see him?" You challenged, folding your arms firmly across your chest.

Light paused, as if he too were trying to clarify his thoughts. "Look, you're not going to believe me, but... that paper you touched has magical properties that-"

You scoffed loudly, throwing up your hands. "You're right - I don't believe you. Magical properties?" You barked a short, humourless laugh, trying to mask your growing confusion.

Light appeared unamused, pinching the bridge of his nose. "Yes. Magical properties," he repeated impatiently, holding up a finger to stop you from interrupting further, "that allows anyone who touches the paper to see him."

Silence filled the small space, only broken by Ryuk's laboured breathing from outside of the door.

"Okay," you murmured, lifting your shoulders into a shrug. "If you say that paper's magical, who am I to judge your sanity."

Light rolled his eyes, quickly grabbing your hand as you made to open the door. The contact made your cheeks flush slightly, not helped by your close proximity in the storage closet. "Look, I can't let you leave until I know you won't blab about this to the rest of college."

You pulled a face. "It's not like I have anyone to blab to," you muttered, turning away from him to hide the red staining your cheeks.

His face softened for a moment, and he let go of your arm. "What - that's not true. I see you hanging around with lots of people."

You sucked your bottom lip, grimacing at his words. "Yeah but nobody wants me there," you argued, taken aback by how personal your conversation had suddenly become. Your mind was still tripping over itself to comprehend the fact that Light had a magical pet. "Back to the point - I promise I won't tell anyone about your... pet."

Light visibly relaxed. "So, you believe me, right?" He asked, a hopeful glint in his eye.

"I guess," you said reluctantly. "I mean, it's hard not to when I can now see it."

"I'm male, just so you know," his voice drifted through, making you roll your eyes. "No more of this it. I find it highly disrespectful."

Biting his lower lip, Light took a step closer to you, his strong cologne making your cheeks redden further. "Thank you, [Y/N]," he said softly, a wave of hair zigzagging over his eyes.

All of a sudden, the door flung ajar and the janitor flashed his startled face before belting it across the corridor. Other students flocked to the storage closet to unearth the source of the commotion, and you felt your skin burning up with all of the glances being thrown your way. Pushing Light aside (who had the nerve to grin at them all, scratching his neck), you stormed out of the cupboard, focusing your eyes on the ground. Ryuk snickered after you, but you ignored him, hitching your bag further up your back.

Muttering curses under your breath, you left college - accidentally dropping the door on whoever was behind you at the time - and took a slow amble home.

The house was quiet when you pushed the open the front door, scuffing your feet against the doormat. "I'm home!" You called, shrugging off your coat and draping it over a hook by the door.

"In the kitchen!" Mum called down the hall. Following the voice, you poked your head round the corner, finding her crouched by the oven, hair tied into a messy bun and an apron wrapped loosely around her waist. "Vanilla cookies," she informed you, rising to her feet and dusting off her hands. "Should be ready soon."

"Mmm I could use a sugar rush," you murmured, feigning exhaustion as you propped your back against the counter, folding your arms.

"How was your tutor session?"

Your lips quirked. "Odd."

Mum shot you a questioning glance. "Odd? How was it odd? Did something happen between you and Light?"

"No," you said shortly. "He just... turned up late. Stupid time-waster."

She cocked a brow, unknotting the apron from her waist and throwing it aside. "Hm, that's unfair," she said distractedly. "You know, I think I made too many cookies. Maybe you could give one to Light."

You threw your hands up in exasperation. "Did you even listen to what I said? He left me waiting! He doesn't deserve a cookie," you finished with a pout.

Mum merely chuckled, donning her oven gloves. "You must've had a long day. Go upstairs and I'll bring you a cookie when they've cooled down."

Offering her a grateful smile, you jogged up to your room and collapsed at the foot of the bed, watching the ceiling spin in circles as you tried to organise your thoughts.

Light Yagami. What an odd boy. He had every girl pining over him and every guy envying his intelligence and appearance. You had conflicting personalities, but managed to get along on the basis of sarcasm and petty insults. He'd taken up tutoring you after the teacher noted your struggling grades and assigned Light to help with your homework. It was a nuisance, but one you were prepared to withstand simply for the sake of passing college.

Most tutor sessions were relatively mundane - finish off work with minimal conversation in between and then leave. But today - today was different. Something had happened. Light had revealed a different side to him; a secretive, sensitive side.

You were still unable to completely wrap your head around it. Why would someone as cool and popular as Light Yagaimi have such a hideous creature by his side. And why was he so urgent about keeping him a secret? Was he worried you'd blab about Ryuk and shatter his popularity? Or was there something else?

There was no doubt he'd been acting strange today - even before you'd discovered Ryuk.

A knock at the door pulled you out of your thoughts. "Oh, thank you," you mumbled distractedly as Mum came in and set a plate of cookies on the side. You gave her a goofy grin as she left, before letting it slip from your face and flopping back with a sigh.

Whatever Light Yagami was up to, it wasn't your business.

And you wanted it to stay that way.