The insomniac detective knew something had changed. The strange thing was, he wasn't sure exactly what it was that had changed.

His mind wandered as he sat, perched in his usual form in front of his bright computer. He turned his head slightly to glance once more -as he had been doing all day- at Y/N.

Her e/c eyes flicked back and forth on her own computer, oblivious to L's wide eyed stare. She had come in when L had requested her assistance on the Kira case and she had arrived readily. Of the entire task force, L trusted her above all. They had worked closely on several cases and it didn't take long for the detective to start feeling...oddly around her.

Exactly when it was that the new feelings began, L could not be sure. But they were there and L had carefully considered everything about Y/N, who she was, what she did, how he saw her and eventually how he felt about her.

But that in itself had been difficult for him. He had no experience with the emotions that she alone seemed to stir. It was all completely and absurdly new to him. L had always been able to solve cases and focus without forming any sort of relationship with the people that helped him. And yet...

He watched on as Y/N tugged at her hair in thought, her eyes not leaving the screen. He wished she looked at him with those bright eyes.

He then considered Y/N herself. Even if he felt something towards her, what was to say she felt anything for him besides a work relationship? Never before had L felt so conscious about himself. His rumpled clothes, unruly hair, his odd habits and the prominent bags under his eyes. He never thought about his appearance. Not unless he was around Y/N.

"Ryuzaki, please tell me there isn't something on my face."

The black haired detective cocked his head to the side to hide his surprise. He did not think she had been aware of his stare. Then again, he thought, it was pretty obvious.

She had turned to look at him, her eyes meeting his. He liked their color. It was a color he could stare at forever. She was grinning at him knowingly and he could guess that she knew he had been watching her and he had been caught.

"Of course there is something on your face."

Y/N's grin faltered slightly as she began to fear there really was something on her face.

"R-really?"

Ryuzaki frowned as she began to tread her hands over her face.

"Oh yes. You have a nose, eyebrows, eyes and lips. That is what you have on your face."

Y/n stopped her movements and she huffed at Ryuzaki -who was laughing at her expression. On the inside of course.

"Really now Ryuzaki? I had not been aware of all these features." A smile tugged at her mouth as she attempted to frown at him.

In the same blank expression that was common to him, Ryuzaki nodded. "That is not normal. Perhaps you should consult a mirror to see. After all, you must look into one if you are to get that smudge of frosting off your cheek."

Y/N leapt off her chair and she ran to what he could guess was the bathroom. Counting exactly 44 seconds, she came back and she took her place once more on her chair.

"Ryuzaki, you liar."

"My mistake, it could have been the light playing tricks."

Finally she laughed and L wanted nothing more than to laugh with her but he repressed the urge, instead he watched as her eyes closed to laugh.

"That's your excuse? Come on, you of all people can do better."

He lifted a hand to nibble on his thumb as she turned back to the screen.

"If it was an excuse, which it was not, it is a completely valid one."

She grinned as he eyes rolled to the ceiling, "Whatever you say Ryuzaki."

She flicked her hair over her shoulder and he was suddenly reminded of his original train of thought. What could it be, he wondered. Knowing she was well aware of his eyes on her, he went on anyway. She wore nothing different. That could not be it, he reasoned.

His eyes moved down to her shoes that skimmed the ground. Yes, just as he thought. She still wore shoes. Nothing was out of place. She looked exactly the same.

And her humor was still intact. Nothing in the way she acted was different. Except perhaps the way she had seemed rather nervous when he had said there was something on her face and when his eyes had met hers.

But as Ryuzaki has observed may times, people tended to be embarrassed when something was remarked to be on their face.

Ryuzaki cast an eye around to the others who occupied the room. Maybe they knew what was different and they didn't seem to mind. But he did and Ryuzaki was bothered by it.

He made a show of swiveling around in his chair, turning his black orbs to the younger boy next to him. The boy sighed and he paused his frantic typing.

"Yes Ryuzaki? What is it?"

Ryuzaki played with his lip with the thumb that hadn't yet left his mouth.

"Light, have you noticed anything different here?"

Ryuzaki heard Y/N's typing on the computer slow down and he knew she was listining in to see where his question would go.

Light looked around the room and he soon declared that nothing seemed different or out of place and he found no meaning for L's inquiry.

"Why? Is something different? What did you do?" Light began suspiciously and the other pushed his chair back to face his screen which had fallen asleep.

"I have done nothing Light. Nothing at all. However something has changed..."

Light blinked at the muttering detective for a few seconds before he shook his head and he dismissed the strange question and behavior. He really should have been used to it by now.

Beside L, Y/N chuckled at Lights perplexed look and she too went back to work.

It was long after everyone had gone home and it was just the detective and Y/N. Even after he insisted that she too should go rest, Y/N refused. She claimed there was too much to do and time was constantly running against them.

Ryuzaki was more than irritated now. An entire day had gone by and he was no closer to figuring out what it was that had changed.

And he was supposed to be the best detective. This was truly perplexing to the him.

He wondered when he first noticed that something was just not the same as the day before. As he thought back he narrowed it down to when Y/N had entered the room. She had called out her regular greeting of, "Ryuzaki, cake should not be eaten for breakfast. Did you save me a slice?"

He knew, after countless hours of stealing glances at her, that nothing had physically had changed about her. He would have surely noticed if she suddenly changed some aspect of her clothing or hair style but no. Nothing.

Then he wondered...something he had just thought of...

It was then that he felt warm fingers trailing on his arm. And there she was standing in front of him, her eyebrows bunched together in a look of slight concern.

"Hey, I know you're always thinking something in that brain of yours but you've been staring at that wall for nearly 10 minutes now. What is it?"

Ryuzaki never really was one to be too subtle anyway.

"There is a 83 percent chance you have changed something about yourself and I have no proof that you indeed have, however, I cannot seem to put my finger on it."

To emphasize his point, Ryuzaki's thumb once again hovered over his mouth.

Just as he had predicted, Y/N gave another short laugh and she pulled back from him.

"That's what's been bothering you all day? Well when you figure it out tell me because I don't seem to know either."

He blinked owlishly at her and he nodded in all seriousness. "I will inform you when I have concluded what it is."

Y/N was giving him one of her special one-sided grins. The kind she gave him when it seemed she was questioning his sanity or when she was feeling particularly mischievous.

Then her eyes locked on something that was on his desk and she started leaning towards him or more accurately, his desk.

He knew what she was reaching for and just as her fingers grazed the red piece of candy, his hand wrapped around her wrist, stopping her inches from her goal.

"Oh come on Ryuzaki! I want some." She pouted and he was tempted to give in to her request. But he quite liked the way she was so close he could see into her clear eyes.

"Mine. Its my favorite." His hold on her didn't waver as she continued to reach for the candy.

"Yes I know," she said, "that's why I want to take it!"

Her other arm then shot out to grab the red tinted candy, propelling her further and by result she had to duck under Ryuzaki.

And he finally knew what it was.

The scent of strawberries now overwhelmed him and he knew what was different.

Y/N smelled of strawberries. He knew because her hair ticked his cheek and chin as she reached under him to finally obtain the candy he had tried to keep from her. It was strawberry. And it was already in her mouth.

Ryuzaki couldn't help but lean forward, just a bit, and he nuzzled his nose into her h/c soft hair. Now he knew. It had before smelled of some other fruit, one that couldn't come to mind because strawberry was all he could remember.

Then, she was pulling away, a satisfied smile on her face. Her lips were red.

"And I got the candy! Too bad it was the last one Ryuzaki."

Ryuzaki blinked once then, "I know what is different about you."

Y/N raised her eyebrows and she leaned forward subconsciously to hear his low voice.

"Well what is it?"

He purposely lowered his voice to a whisper.

"You smell of strawberries when you once smelled of apples." He had finally remembered.

She seemed surprised and then she laughed nervously.

"Oh um...yeah. I guess you're right. Its just that... They were out of my shampoo and so I thought why not? Strawberries are your favorite. I mean..."

As she trailed off he continued just as softly as before. "Its ok that you took the last one."

Y/N blinked and he could see the faint color that made her cheeks grow warm. As well as the question in her eyes in regards to what he had just said. He leaned closer so their noses almost touched.

"You will simply have to share with me my favorite flavor."

Before his mind caught up with his actions he closed the distance between them and even though he knew what was going to happen, he still felt a jump when his lips met hers.

Y/N seemed just as surprised as him but she quickly relaxed and her hands were tucked between his chest and hers. One of his hands went slowly to her hair -her strawberry scented hair- and he ran his hands along the soft locks.

He had been right. She did taste of the candy. Of strawberries. And he had never liked the taste of it more than in that moment.

Her lips moved gently on his and he felt that warmth he always felt around her. A warmth he would want to feel again and again.

All too soon they pulled away both breathless and now both smelling of the fruit.

She was smiling as she cleared her throat. "There is a 99.99 percent chance that I will keep buying this new shampoo."

Ryuzaki smiled as he did when he spoke of justice and Y/N had never felt happier when she knew it was only for her.

"Then there is a 99.99 percent chance I will have to do this again."

"Hm, I like those chances."

"I wonder if I may find more candies of that particular flavor for Y/N to share with me again."

Well there you go. Sorry if L was out of character but its my first Death Note fanfic. Or more accurately my first L one-shot. And forgive any mistakes of any sort; I am writing this from my phone and am prone to mistakes on it.

Please comment on my work it will be much thanked for.

Oh and I may or may not add another one-shot to this. I have other ideas but Time is a nuisance so keep an eye out.

Or if you readers would like, PM me to request a scene of sorts.