By Any Other Name

C.9

I woke up the next morning, trying to figure out where the hell I was. L's back was to me, and he was facing a number of screens, and looking around, the task members were doing their work.

Then it came back to me, and I let my head fall again, eyes closing.

"You're awake." I heard L say. I missed hearing his voice first thing in the morning.

"I wish I wasn't." I mumbled, looking over at him now that he was facing me. I missed seeing his face first thing, too.

He was quiet and seemed to notice my eyes studying his face, taking in details as they flitted across his features. I then let my eyes fall closed again, remembering what it was like years ago.

"Rosie, you might not remember, but I found you in the kitchen at one am, drunk. Would you like to explain?" He asked, and I was thankful he left out the crying bit as I was now being stared at by everyone in the room.

I slowly sat up and cracked my neck, then my back, and finally, my knuckles, before looking at L.

"New fact for you about me." I said and he looked interested. "When I get drunk at one in the morning, just know, I have good reason to." I said, staring deep in his eyes until he looked away, and I stood up to go to my room.

I locked the door, washed my face, and lied down in my bed under my blankets, feeling sad and just... tired.

I don't know how long I lied there, but I was shaken from my trance as I heard knocking on my door and a section of a song playing on repeat.

"Hey, Rosie. Your phone was in the kitchen, and it won't stop ringing." L was cut off by my ringtone playing again.

"All my life
I'm in the stakin' bar
I got debts and I'm a debaser
All my life
Saturnz about to make love
And I'm just a heartbreaker
All my life
And I won't get a take in
'Cause I'm out when I'm stakin'
And the rings I am breaking
Are making you a personal debt..."

I got out of bed and unlocked and opened the door, reached my hand out only, felt my phone being placed in it, then retracted my hand and closed and locked the door again.

My phone starting ringing and I answered again.

"What?" I asked, cutting off the song.

"Wammy tells me you're in Japan." I heard Roger's voice on the end of the line. "And you're with L again." I could almost hear his smile.

"I am. He doesn't know me." I whispered, in case L was eavesdropping. Knowing him, he probably was.

"He doesn't? That's interesting." He chuckled.

"Oh, shove it." I sighed. "I'm fine, Rog. You didn't talk to me." I said and ended the call.

I tied the scarf around my face and opened the door, looking right into L's face. "Anything else?" I asked.

"It's late and I don't think you've eaten today." He said and took a step back from us being face to face.

"Not hungry." I said and tried to go back in my room, but his hand closed around my wrist.

"I'm not having you starving." He said and pulled me to the kitchen.

"Well, I'm not eating." I said and he turned to me with hard eyes.

"Rosie."

"L." I was confused as to why he was acting like this.

After a moment of eye contact, he broke it by bringing his hand up and feeling my forehead.

"What are you doing?" I asked as he felt my forehead and neck with the back of his hand.

"I've deducted that in the past we were close. Also something tells me I have to look out for you, to worry about you. Not sure why, though." He said and I smiled, even though he couldn't see it.

"I almost forgot. You used to go insane when I went a day without eating." I looked down at our feet, his bare, mine in comfy thick socks. "I always found it funny how you would never take care of yourself, but go miles out of your way to care for me." I still avoided his gaze.

"It's nearly six and you haven't eaten. Please eat." He said softly and I nodded in agreement, going to fry up some eggs for myself.