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The room is very dim; a decent sized crowd encapsulates the room. People swarm the tables getting high on beer and munching on stale foods. Still, chatter fills the space, a reminder of how messy one’s young adolescent years can be. Just the fact that people had wanted to come to this party in some abandoned building proved that much. If it had been Light’s choice, he would have spent the entire day in his dorm continuing his plans to defeat L. Unfortunately, Misa had other ideas.
“Hey Light, a friend of mine is having a little gathering in the old library at the bottom of the hill! We have to go!”
Grumbling and peeling his eyes away from the computer screen, Light let out a heavy sigh. The last thing he wanted to do was party with some random people he did not know and spend his time with Misa. It would be a lot easier to just stay inside his room. Then again, wouldn’t it be suspicious for him not to accompany his girlfriend? People would start talking, which could raise loads of suspicion.
“Fine, we can go. But we aren’t staying the entire time. When does it start?”
“10:30 PM! Oh Light, I’m so excited!”
That is how he found himself here, and he deeply regretted it. Upon entering the building, Misa had rushed over to her friends and was clearly bursting with excitement. Light only hoped that she would not ask him to join. Hands in his pockets, the whiff of cigarette smoke and sweat made his nostrils burn, and a slight chill filled the air although he wore a jacket. Taking a sip of a badly mixed cocktail, he groaned. He would do anything to leave, but that would only cause a scene if Misa were to notice.
“Light come on! Let’s dance!” Misa rushed in front of him, grabbing his hand and practically dragged him to the center of the room. He decided it would be pointless to resist, although his facial expression showed he was bored out of his mind. The music starting brought him out of his stupor for a minute, feeling cold hands through the fabric on his shoulders. To start, their movements were slow and stiff, like a pair of twigs blowing in the breeze. They could go on like this, but Light needed to prove he cared, he was supposed to be her boyfriend after all.
Taking the lead, Light rotated the both of them, the speed increasing. Letting the song fuel his energy, he was not going to do this halfway. Misa looked up, surprised by the change in his demeanor, but loving it, nonetheless. Hips swaying to the beat, her short black dress hugged her slender waist, and it took too long for Light to realize that he had been staring. Still, that didn’t stop him from snaking his arm around her torso and pulling her closer. Twirling once more, Misa unraveled herself from his grasp and took to swaying solo. People muttered and spoke amongst themselves, the guys being especially loud. For whatever reason, Light felt a rush of heat creep up his face, and a sudden burst of annoyance. Gliding over to her, he pulled her closer than before, glaring back at the men he could hardly see in the dark. Sense when did he care about other guys looking at Misa?
She smiled up at him, and his heart began to race. Lifting her a few inches off the ground and spinning, he loved the sound of her laughter. Placing her back down, their arms rub against each other, sending shivers down both of their spines. They continue like this, moving as one. Throughout Light finds himself mesmerized by Misa, as she practically glows in the darkness. He finds it all breathtaking, the way her golden locks stick to the perspiration on her face, or how her eyes soften every time they land on his. All these things he had hardly noticed before, perhaps he had too much to drink?
The song ends and the flurry of people clap and shout, having enjoyed the performance. Now that Light thought about it, he was not sure if anyone else had been dancing. He’d been focused on only one person.
“Why don’t we go and get some fresh air?” Light suggested while taking Misa’s hand, and she replied with a nod.
The chilly air greeted them, a contrast from the space they’d been in before. Light noticed Misa rubbing at her arms and instantly placed his jacket on her bare shoulders. Looking at him once again in shock, she brought it closer to her nose, no doubt smelling his scent.
“Thanks for inviting me tonight, I truthfully didn’t want to attend, but I’m glad I did.”
“I’m glad you did too, things are always better when you’re around!”
How could she say something like that? When all he did was constantly use her for his own benefit. Sure, he had agreed to be her boyfriend in a sense, but it had all been for his own personal gain. Otherwise, she was nothing but a nuisance. Or, so he thought she was. Why had he thought that though? She had done so much for him already.
“Light, are you okay?”
“You don’t mean that.”
“I don’t mean what?! Everything I have said to you is true!”
“Things are better for you when Kira’s around, but I am not Kira. I’m just Light Yagami, a perfectionist who constantly overthinks every little thing because any misstep could point towards him being Kira. I have to be perfect. That is the only value I have.”
He freezes, not having meant to rant. It’s all so frustrating to the point where he feels the sting of incoming tears, but he will not let them fall. What will crying do about any of this? How could he possibly realize his life was miserable at a time like this, when he is so close to achieving his goals.
“In a way, we all struggle with that. Often times, we force ourselves to be the kind of people that others want us to be. I think you’re perfect Light, but I also know that you are human and nobody is perfect. Kira saved my life, and I am extremely grateful, but I have fallen in love with you. Also, just so you know, you don’t have to be perfect when you’re around me! I want to see every part of you, that includes the parts of you that you wish to hide. So don’t be so hard on yourself!”
Blinking back the tears, Light chuckles at her words. He still doesn’t understand how she is still so kind to him despite everything. She treated him with so much respect, and he should have done the same to her from the beginning. So, when he pulls her into an embrace, he hugs her extra tightly.
“I needed to hear those words, thank you.” His lips hover over her forehead before he presses a kiss there. Blinking hard, Misa’s cheeks flush. He smiles, a hand going to rub at her cheek, before he plants a kiss there as well.
“Light, why are you-?”
“I’m making up for lost time. I’ve treated you so badly sense the day we met, and I want to fix that. You deserve so much more than what I can give you. Still, I want to start over, if you’ll let me.”
“O-of course I will! How far back exactly? Introducing names? Talking about the death note-?”
“-I don’t care about the death note. I mean, I guess yeah, I do, but not now. I want to go back to seeing your beautiful face for the first time….” His lips tentatively brush against hers, fully tasting and savoring everything about this her and this kiss. Pulling away, he whispers “You’re so perfect, I don’t know what to do with myself.”
“You could kiss me again.”
“Whatever it is you want, I promise to give it to you.” This time the kiss is deeper, much more heated and passionate. Tongues wrapped up in their own dance, they are both panting when they come up for air.
“Do you really mean that?”
“I do, but if you don’t believe me what can I do to prove it to you?”
Biting at her lower lip, she considers his question, all the while he brushes his fingers through her hair.
“Do you love me?”
“Yes Misa, I love you so much. I’m sorry for not realizing sooner.”
She smiles at him again, feeling her insides get all warm and fuzzy. The pair end up leaving the party earlier like Light wanted to, although now with a completely different mindset. They walk hand and hand to his dorm room, with promises of more kisses and cuddles that should have happened from the start.