Capable of Love? {Death Note's L Lawliet Love Story} [Chapter Nineteen]

"Hey cutie, where’re you going?"

Chills slipped down my spine as I stopped and watched Ryuzaki spin around to look at me with a panicked expression on his face. "Kumiko!"

Three men had come out of the mall after us; two snickered behind the one who had had forcefully snatched my wrist and turned me around to face him.

I shrank back from the smell of alcohol that radiated from his face as he chuckled. "What’s the matter, hun? You afraid?"

He snatched my other wrist and pulled me closer, hot breath against my collarbone while I pulled my head away from his smug expression. Heart pounding, I felt my chest grow heavy as I tried to take a step back. "Please! Let me go!"

The man and his friends laughed and suddenly I was grabbed from behind; one of the men locked my arms behind my back while the first fumbled with the buttons of my skirt–

I screamed and started to kick.

"Now, now..." the man behind me hissed in my ear as kneeled down, dragging me to the ground to lay on my back. "The less you struggle the less it’ll hurt–,"

I only screamed louder and struggled more. "RYUZAKI! RYUZAKI HELP ME!" I screamed, tears streaming down my face as the man unzipped his jeans–

BAM!

The man behind me dropped my arms and crumpled to the ground. The man before me stood up and backed away while I scrambled up and into (without my knowledge of course) Ryuzaki’s arms. He awkwardly pushed me behind him as I cowered, clutching his shirt with my fingers, shaking like mad.

The man who had almost done away with me pulled out a knife after glancing at his unconscious friend and lunged at Ryuzaki–

I screamed again–

But Ryuzaki’s leg shot out, his foot collided with the man’s wrist and SNAP! The man howled in pain, clutching his wrist as the knife clattered to the asphalt. With a twist of his body and an attack from his other leg, the man smashed to the ground beside his friend, unconscious as well.

The third man held up his hand and backed away slowly until he far enough away he thought it was safe to run.

Panting and shaking still, I jumped when I saw headlights reflect on the glass doors of the mall. Watari drove up next to us and got out of the car.

"Miss Kumiko, are you alright?" he asked, peeling my fingers off Ryuzaki’s shirt and helping me into the car.

I watched Ryuzaki stand motionless, glaring at the unconscious men on the ground, and pressed my hand against the window as Watari shut the door behind me. Finally he walked around the back of the car and got in on the other side, pulling up his knees and shutting the door.

"Watari?" he said.

"Right." Watari flipped the switch and after a couple of seconds Ryuzaki and I were alone.

He sighed and faced me, but I still stared ahead of the me, the entire scenario replaying in my head. I didn’t want it too, and when I couldn’t take it anymore and squeezed my eyes shut, burying my face in my hands, tears welled up and spilled over.

"Oh Kumiko..." Ryuzaki murmured, reaching out with a hand, unsure of what exactly he should do.

I threw my arms around his neck, sobbing into his shoulder, and he awkwardly put his feet on the floor and stiffly wrapped his arms around my shaking shoulders. I could feel that this made him uncomfortable, but I didn’t care– all I knew was that he had saved me, and most of all, that right now he was at least attempting to comfort me.

But after a few minutes of my silent sobs and the cease of my violent shaking, something happened.

His cool hand smoothed back my hair, and his shoulders relaxed in my arms. He seemed to be breathing me in, and when I laid my head in the nape of his neck he acted like it was the most natural thing I could do.

"I was afraid for you." he suddenly said.

I bit my lip and tilted my head up in a questioning sort of way.

"They were going to hurt you– no, they were hurting you."

I fought back my tears and tilted my head back down. "But you saved me." I said quietly. "How?"

"Capoiera." he shrugged. "Brazilian fight-dance. Misora introduced it to me."

"When she flipped you down that staircase?" I asked.

Ryuzaki nodded. "It hurt."

It was a silly thing to do at a time like this, but I had to smile– even if it was small. "Thank you Ryuzaki."

"Are you alright?" he asked softly.

"I’m okay now." I decided to pull away and lean against my own seat– just in case he caught on to how much I was enjoying myself (which probably would have never happened, but just to be safe...)

"Shall we take you home?" he asked, pulling his knees back up against his chest.

"Home sounds pretty good right now." I sighed, running my fingers through my hair.

He nodded and we rode the rest of the way home in silence, each staring out the window, wondering what the other was thinking.