solvethepuzzle | Hadriel IC Contact

I know. [He hears the unspoken question, but it's a reflexive statement, flat and bland rather than irritated and defensive.]

Perhaps now that we understand one another better we can attempt more stable interaction in the future. [He doesn't say "try to be friends" because he hardly knows what that is, and it seems too close for his overly cautious sensibilities besides. He doesn't trust Mello enough for that.

[But getting along better? That may be possible, if they put in the effort.]

[Neither of them is trusting, by nature or nurture or a combination thereof, and Near is less trustworthy than possibly anyone else Mello knows, simply because he knows him better than anyone else. Information can be a weapon in the hands of people such as they, and liking someone doesn't mean you'll never hurt them.

But everything is different now. There is an entirely new framework for Mello to exist within, and he agreed with what Sharon said earlier - he needs to accept this, adapt to it, work with it until it's as comfortable on his skin as well-worn leather.]

So you're proposing - what, an alliance?

[No, it doesn't mean Near would never hurt him or use him. He's done both of these things in spite of his longstanding fondness. Always for a purpose -- when the hurt had been intentional, though the majority hasn't -- and never as an end, but he's done it all the same.

[Here, though, there is nothing he stands to gain from it.] Knowing what you do now, would you accept one?

[In truth, Mello is already halfway there, and he has been since Near's arrival, when he suggested Near stay in the same house. It hasn't been an alliance exactly, because it's been unspoken and one-sided, but it's been something close to it - Mello is concerned with Near's safety and has worked toward that end, even against his own self-interest.

Mello considers the question for a moment, weighing pros - of which there are many - and cons - of which there are few. The end result of the equation is that it is slanted heavily in their mutual interest to band together in this place. Mello nods.]

Yeah. I would. With one explicit caveat - you treat me like an equal.

[It's really a reiteration of one of the rules he laid down for Near sharing the same living space with him.]

You think you can manage that?

[Near has long been of the opinion that an alliance would benefit both of them greatly. Mello has been the holdout, and both of them need to want it to work for it to be successful. It's one reason among others that Near had never tried to press him into it back home.]

I can do that. [Near isn't naive enough to think that this will be smooth. They are inevitably going to disagree on how to handle some things. What's important is how they handle those disagreements when they arise.] We're in agreement, then?

[An alliance isn't a panacea; Mello and Near have very different temperaments, ideas, and thought processes, and it's likely they will always disagree on something. An alliance isn't a guarantee of synchrony, only an acknowledgement that it is in their mutual interest to work together. Doing the actual working together will take effort, but Mello's agreement means that he is now at least willing to try.]

Yeah ... I think we are.

[He glances up to the door behind Near, chewing lightly on his bottom lip.]

Are you gonna let me back in? I'm guessing I have some damage control to do.

Good.

[He unwinds his finger from his hair, reaches his hand behind himself to make the requisite gesture to unseal the door.]

I don't believe he's upset with you. [Though it can be difficult to tell where L is concerned; their mentor is hard to read. Not that Near will dissuade Mello from talking to him if he wishes.

[He pushes himself to his feet and re-enters the house, confident in the knowledge that Mello is following him.]

I still probably better talk to him.

[Mello climbs to his feet, shoves his hands into the pockets of his coat, and makes quick work of following Near through the door.]

He deserves an explanation, at least.

[Mello wouldn't go so far as to say he feels like he owes L an explanation for his behavior, because Mello doesn't, as a general rule, owe anyone anything. But he'd been witness to something volatile, something for which he may not have been prepared. And Mello respects L and values his opinion too much to brush off any ensuing awkwardness.]

[He closes and seals it, the spell being second-nature by this point.]

I will leave you to it, then. [And he heads back to his room, removing the sheathed knife from his coat sleeve -- he's clearly taken Mello's "carry it whenever you leave the house" instruction very seriously -- before unzipping the coat.]

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