A Year of Jubilee [The Death Note Fanfic]

Chapter 70

Jubilee gaped at the slumbering detective. "How long has he been there?"

Three days.

"Three days?!?" she exclaimed. "You mean that's how long I've been out?"

Hellenos nodded.

"And he—I mean, has he eaten at all, or...?"

The others, particularly Mello and Matsuda, have coerced him to eat, drink, and bathe with occasional success, Hellenos answered her unspoken worry. But he has always come right back.

A great tenderness filled her heart as she continued to stare at L's sleeping form. "He never sleeps," she murmured. "How is he doing so now, with all the ruckus I was just making?"

Seventy-two hours straight of high-intensity stress will knock anyone out, Hellenos pointed smiled then. And anyway...I wanted to give you some time to gain your bearings first. I've been looking forward to this little reunion. With a wink at Jubilee's bewildered expression, he waved his hand and faded softly into the background as a faint shimmer.

L stirred. Opening his eyes, he looked blearily at Jubilee. They stared at each other for a second.

"Hey," she greeted.

L blinked owlishly once, twice. Then he sprang from his chair and was by her side in an instant. "J?" he said, looking baffled and concerned.

Her lips twitched upward. "I think," she said, "That it's safe to call me Jubilee now."

He stared at her.

"I saw what happened at the warehouse," she explained. "Or I was shown, at least. However that works."

He regarded her for a moment longer in silence. "I see." His eyes swept over her. "Are you—how are you feeling?"

"Great," she answered honestly.

His brow crinkled. "Do you feel any pain? Should I call for a—"

"No." She grabbed him by the arm as he was making to turn away. "I'm fine. Really, L."

He hesitated, then slowly faced her again. The air around him churned with a myriad of colors, unable to settle on one or the other as he looked at her.

Feeling awkward, Jubilee hastily withdrew her hand from his arm. "Congratulations, by the way. On solving the case."

L made a sound that might've been a laugh or a scoff, she wasn't sure which. "You know as well as I that it couldn't have been done without you. And I almost let you get killed in the process. That's hardly worth congratulating."

Jubilee lifted a shoulder. "Hazards of the job. Isn't that right, detective?" He didn't look amused, but she went on before he could retort. "Thank you, by the way."

He lifted an eyebrow. "For what?"

"For worrying about me."

The space between them blushed crimson, but L wore a serious expression. "That isn't worth applauding. That is just the basics of humanity."

Jubilee smiled. "Then thank you for what you did for Light. You did good."

L's head lowered, hair hiding his eyes as he rubbed the back of his head. "I figured that you would prefer him not to be killed—since we both know where he would instantly go." His gaze lifted to meet hers. "That, and I could hardly allow the same shinigami who got away with what he did to you and your family get his way again."