Did I mention updates to this would take forever? (By forever I mean months, maybe a year, who knows.) The bunny for this one tends to die constantly, only to be revived again at a later point. And the style is making this totally awkward for my brain to wrap around, so.

My brother also broke my less than a week old headphones a couple weeks ago, so now I don't even have the required musical inspiration I normally have when writing.

If you love me, buy me headphones. ;=;

It's four hours later when Misa finally finishes her photo shoot and bounces back over to Ryuuzaki, all smiles and rainbows. She's like a completely different person, the Misa he'd comforted awkwardly is now replaced with this smiling version.

He doesn't like this fake Misa very much, he much prefers the Misa he spoke with before. The one who isn't made of plastic smiles and painted rainbows.

Misa doesn't notice his frown as she begins detailing for him the past four as hours, as if he hasn't been watching them himself. It's only when she stops to draw a breath that he interrupts.

"Amane-san, are you done for the day? Or are there more photos you have to take before we can speak privately?"

"Misa is done for the day," she says meekly. "She's sorry for taking so long."

He shakes his head. "You have no reason to be sorry. This is your job, is it not?"

She nods fervently. "It is! And Misa likes her job!"

"Good. You should like your job. But is there a place we can speak? About Kira and your parents." Misa nods again.

"We can go to Misa's apartment. She has a big apartment, and she lives all by herself." She pauses. "...But it's not proper for a young lady like Misa to be alone with a man she doesn't know, Ryuuzaki-san. Misa's neighbors like to gossip and Misa hates gossip."

"Surely it's perfectly acceptable for Amane-san's brother to be visiting her in her home."

"But Misa doesn't have a br-"

He holds up a hand to stop her. "Amane-san's brother is not as famous as his sister, I'm afraid, so of course it's not common knowledge that he exists."

She stares at him for a moment before it clicks in her head and she giggles. "Oh! I see. Yes, yes Misa's brother is camera shy, so she doesn't talk about him much. She doesn't want him hounded by the press with their cameras."

L smiles at her. "Yes, yes. Exactly. Now, shall we go?" Misa nods. "Perfect. Lead the way, Amane-san."

"You should call me Misa! Misa's brother wouldn't call her Amane-san."

"Yes, good point. Misa-san, then."

"No, no. That's still too formal! Just Misa. And you are just Ryuuzaki."

"Misa then."

"Much better." She looks pleased, and nods before leading him away. "We have to take the bus again, since Misa doesn't have a replacement driver, and her regular one is sick."

He nods. "That's acceptable, just Misa."

She pouts. "Are you teasing Misa!"

"Isn't that what older brothers do?" he asks, trying not to smile. She pouts again and crosses her arms.

"If Misa's brother is going to tease her, then maybe she should not bring him to her apartment! Maybe she should make him take her to a cafe instead so that he can't talk to Misa alone."

He looks amused as he follows her off the set, stopping only to grab her things before they're walking back to where they'd gotten off the bus earlier.

It's only when they're halfway to the bus stop that L pauses and turns to look at her. "Misa."

She blinks up at him curiously. "Yes?"

"I was just thinking, and it has occurred to me that you are quite trusting, and immediately assumed I was who I say I am."

There's a few seconds of silence as she mulls this over before her eyes widen. "Is Ryuuzaki saying that he lied to Misa and that he is a stalker!"

"No, that is not what I am saying. I have not lied to you, I am indeed investigating the murder and I have the papers to show you if you'd like. What I am saying however, is that you did not doubt this in the least. That is to say, you trusted me implicitly despite having no proof that I was not a stalker or some other unsavory character. I do not think that is particularly safe, especially considering recent events."

There's another silence as Misa processes this information and files it away in some corner of her brain. "So Ryuuzaki is saying that Misa needs to be more careful of who she talks to?"

"Yes, that is what Ryuuzaki -I mean I am saying. Be more cautious of who you trust."

She nods and he starts walking again, making sure not to move too far ahead. "It is very dangerous to assume everyone is who they say they are, Misa. Especially if you are as famous as Misa-Misa."

She nods again. "Misa is very very famous, and lots of people always stop to talk to her when she is out..."

"I would expect so. However, you should be more careful. Never go anywhere alone with someone you do not know very well, Misa."

"Misa won't! Misa will be very careful! She had a stalker once and he was very scary, so she wouldn't want that to happen again."

"Yes, I heard about that." The bus is already there when they reach the stop and he helps her inside before finding a seat. She settles next to him, nodding. "Perhaps you need a bodyguard, Misa."

"Misa has one! Er, sort of." She turns to look out the window. "Misa's driver is also her bodyguard, in a way. He's very nice to Misa, and he doesn't let anyone hurt her. But he's sick, so he isn't here right now."

"No, he isn't. And I'm sure he's also not trained as a bodyguard." L taps his chin for a moment before nodding. "Very well. I shall provide you with one myself. I shall introduce you later."

-collapses and slams head- I present to you, chapter two. Please shoot my plotbunny for his refusal to cooperate.