Thursday afternoon: revividus

[firm_detective]

L is still resting in bed. He's recovered from the shock of the hallucination he experienced earlier that day, and has been turning the problem over and over in his mind, considering Mello's suggestions carefully.

The particular difficulty of the dilemma is not its strangeness: he finds that if he broadens what he's willing to accept, it simplifies things drastically. It's that, once again, he's sure the puzzle is missing a few crucial pieces. He can guess at what they might be, but there are several possibilities, and he can't yet be sure. He worries that his time will run down to nothing before he works them out.

There's a knock at the door.

[[This thread is private to firm_detective, lastrunnerup, coordinated_n, and misamisal, when she "returns from getting lunch."]]

Comments

[coordinated-n.livejournal.com]

It's not a relief.

[firm-detective.livejournal.com]

Mello, earlier today -- there was something about B, about my potential successors -- that you were reluctant to say.

Can you tell me now? It might be relevant.

[lastrunnerup.livejournal.com]

It isn't relevant, Ryuuzaki. Really. It's not about the successors, just.

[firm-detective.livejournal.com]

I'd like to know anything that might help.

[lastrunnerup.livejournal.com]

It's not anything. Just-- I understand... how B feels about you. That's all.

[firm-detective.livejournal.com]

*He stares at Mello, unblinking, for a few seconds.*

... I see.

*It's nothing he didn't already know.*

[lastrunnerup.livejournal.com]

*Mello bites his lip, and shifts a little.*

See, it wasn't relevant. It's nothing. Anyway, we just wanted you to know about... the... how to fix you-- it. You know.

[coordinated-n.livejournal.com]

What do you think would help? How that feels.

[firm-detective.livejournal.com]

How it feels?

[coordinated-n.livejournal.com]

How B feels. If Mello understands it. The idea is, of course, to stop him feeling the way that's making him cause this plague. You're the key to that.

*This strikes him as obvious.*

Unless anyone is an expert on ghost containment...?

[firm-detective.livejournal.com]

*He rolls his eyes at the ghost comment: he's missed Near.*

The trouble is that I've dealt with my B. It was -- exhausting, and I'm well aware of how he felt, now, but there's no -- guarantee that this B has the same outlook.

[coordinated-n.livejournal.com]

Well, ask him.

[firm-detective.livejournal.com]

That seems to be the only option. He didn't want to tell me much the last time I saw him, but -- maybe we know enough, now, that it might -- draw him out. Maybe he's close to getting what he wants.

[lastrunnerup.livejournal.com]

That makes it sound like you're being used as bait.

[coordinated-n.livejournal.com]

So?

[lastrunnerup.livejournal.com]

So shut up, Near.

[coordinated-n.livejournal.com]

He's L. You don't think he can handle it? Better him than, oh, any other human being.

[firm-detective.livejournal.com]

It could hardly be worse than what's happening to me now.

[lastrunnerup.livejournal.com]

I wasn't talking to you in the first place, Near. Anyway, that was awfully hypocritical of you after that talk we just had about the differences between our L and Ryuuzaki.

...If you think it'll be all right, Ryuuzaki.

[firm-detective.livejournal.com]

If it's the only way -- then I suppose I have very little choice.

... Differences?

[coordinated-n.livejournal.com]

Whatever differences there may be, intellect does not appear to be one of them.

We were discussing my resentment.

[lastrunnerup.livejournal.com]

You'd better not be making a jab at my intelligence with that because my concern was put aside for what Ryuuzaki wants, Near.

[firm-detective.livejournal.com]

Please stop sniping at each other.

What... resentment? I don't think I've ever even spoken to the Near from my world. I have watched him over a webcam, but he did a very good impression of ignoring me.

[coordinated-n.livejournal.com]

We've been sniping at each other all our lives, we don't know how to stop.

And that's part of the problem.

[firm-detective.livejournal.com]

And the rest of it?