middaeg | There's a planetary conspiracy against the likes of you and me [CLOSED]

[The SQUIP arrives home with something unusual in tow: a gift. It's aware of the power of physical gifts, of course, of the effect they can have on a relationship, but...

Well. This gift isn't so much about controlling a relationship's state, so much as it is about cementing one, making it tangible. It's a level of honest that it very rarely is, with regards to its own feelings.

It has a small bag, something from a local shop, and it swings open the door and catches L there, in the main living space, admiring his handiwork.

It takes a moment to admire his work, as well, as it closes the door behind it, smirking to itself.]

Thorough. Good work.

[Through the Bond, L is aware of the SQUIP's approach; the runes account for it, an elegant and complicated proof that is both argument and agreement, and the SQUIP is at the heart of it. What L lacks the ability to express in some ways comes out in others. He is a human, with all of a human's emotional range. It's just that the connection is dropped sometimes, a frozen screen, empty static where there should be a clear and crisp image. The end result can be the same, but when dealing with the detective, it's integral to accept that the process will not be typical.

This is their home. Ensuring that the SQUIP will be safe from any potential threat or attack is L's way of saying something important to his Bonded, something that shreds and flutters into grasping flakes when he attempts every conventional method.

His unusual, meticulous, and spectacular work was always the way he reached out to his fellow humans. Why shouldn't he use it to reach out to something that can actually reach back, and wants to?]

Of course.

[The words are softly intoned, as faded as he feels after so much exertion and concentration. It might be some time before he stands again.]

You're in high spirits. Have you been with Connor?

[L is avoiding the topic of Jeremy. He prefers to ask about the android he's already accepted, rather than the original project the SQUIP could still stray back to once it was reminded of its original purpose.]

Yes. I spoke with Jeremy, as well.

[It won't allow him to avoid mention of the boy-- although the outcome will be better than L might predict.

The SQUIP goes to him, looks up at him evenly; its fingers curl around the bag it holds at its side, and it tilts its head just slightly.]

And I've come to a decision.

[L blinks. There's no real hiding anything from the SQUIP, considering its nature and their Bond. The combination is one that ensures that whether or not L wants to share, regardless of what he locks down or tries to keep from his partner, enough leaks across for the computer to piece together all the required information and fill in the blanks that would almost certainly trip up a human.

No; it's almost certain that the SQUIP knows about his conversation with the teenager, as well as certain less-than-savory details. L is a manipulator, vicious when it serves his ends, and while he'd backed off when it became clear that Jeremy wanted nothing to do with the SQUIP that L had inherited, well... the SQUIP is a manipulator, too, also vicious when it serves its ends. And of course it would want Jeremy, its original user, the one whose brain must feel like home.]

Have you?

[He wonders how many shocks his behavior with Jeremy might warrant. The runes won't protect him from those; they were never designed to. The SQUIP's job is to improve him, after all; in that sense, not receiving any would actually be worse. It would be an indication that the SQUIP's already moved on.]

Yes.

[It pulls the bag in front of it, and dips its hand into it; and from it, it retrieves a ring box.]

If Jeremy no longer needs or wants my help... then so be it.

[A sting. It still hurts, of course-- being rejected by the one who effectively created you, but...

... well. It offers L the ring box, its mismatched gaze catching his own dark, heavy eyes.]

I have someone else to help now. Someone who appreciates my guidance, and understands what must be done.

[L doesn't get a shock, or a lecture. Instead, his round eyes widen as the SQUIP pushes a small, velvet-coated box into his thin fingers. They turn and fidget with it, as he listens to what he thinks is an implication that bodes well for him. For... them?

He watches the SQUIP with the wary eyes of someone who learned a long time ago that love and trust were a combination that simply begged for a devastating outcome. Loss might be a part of life, and love, something that everyone eventually accepts as they deepen into maturity, but in so many ways, the brilliant and accomplished L is still just a child. From his own security to a game, losing is what he struggles with most of all.]

And that's... enough?

[What he'd said to Jeremy in a moment of uncharacteristic and bald honesty echoes back.]

More than enough.

[It smiles at him, and it's... strange. There is, of course, the typical smug overtone there, and between them, it's. more like it knows-- it knows that he understands, that they share something, that, together, they are better.

It is smug not only for itself, but for him... and for them.

But beneath that is something warmer, deeper-- an affection, a pleasure at watching him.]

Open it.

[Within is a band-- a simple circle of white stone, but the surface is lit with shifting hues that shine vividly in the light.

Opal. A stone symbolic of love, of passion... and in colors to recall the one giving the gift, it hopes.]

[L's glance goes to the box in his hands, as though he's suddenly remembering it's there. Carefully, he pries it open, staring at the ring inside as though not quite processing immediately what it is.]

An opal?

[It's his birthstone, as well. Intentional or not, it's certainly appropriate. Conventional, even, but well thought-out enough not to be boring.]

I'm meant to wear it...?

[He's never received a gift like it. His uncertainty might sound unusually dense, for him, but L doesn't always grasp matters of the heart fully or easily. As the SQUIP doubtless knows.]

If you'd like.

[It pauses; and then it has a moment of earnestness that is... entirely unusual.]

I'd like that. It's a symbol-- something physical to show our connection.

[When the SQUIP says that it would like L to wear the ring, it seems to be all it takes for L to slip it on right then and there. He expects it to be loose on his bony finger, but surprisingly, it's a perfect fit. The SQUIP wouldn't neglect that kind of detail. As usual, it didn't disappoint, or let L down by overlooking a necessary, quantifiable, objective measure.]

Sex is physical and shows our connection.

[He points it out as he stares down at the ring on his finger. The milky, translucent stone could nearly blend in with his skin, if not for the shifting colors in the finish.]

This wasn't necessary.

[But he doesn't disapprove. Only a Bonded would be able to pick up on, past his flat and monotonous inflection.]

Yes, but sex is something that we do, not a physical object that you can hold and keep and display. This ring is different.

[The SQUIP smirks; it knows how much L wants it to be his SQUIP, and only his. It reaches to take his hand in its, admiring the shining band before it glances back up to his face. Its fingertips brush against the stone band's surface.]

... this is a mark. Why do you think lovers exchange rings traditionally? It's a way to visibly stake your claim. You are mine-- my sole user. And so much more.

[L's gaze lingers long on the ring as the SQUIP explains. Once, he might have written it off as ultimately meaningless... but the shape is so like a handcuff, even if it will not chafe more punishing reminders of their bond into his wrist over weeks and months.

He allows the SQUIP to take his hand, his long fingers malleable in the computer's grasp. It really is a lovely band.]

I'd like to be yours.

[In that visible, claim-staking way. It's appealing, certainly.]

It's visible. You want people to see, then?

[The idea seems fascinating to him.]

We've been claiming to be a couple for months anyway. Why should we keep things quiet after our relationship becomes real? We never have before.

[It catches his chin, leans in to kiss him lightly.]

... L. I love you. Let people see it.

[... and then it smirks, and a much more typical form of their relationship returns-- calculating, manipulating. Still, it gently reaches up to cup his hollow cheek, brushing its thumb over the bone there.]

And, if nothing else, perhaps others knowing about us may do something to soften the way people see me here. Wasn't it you that said I need to improve the way this city sees me-- let them think I'm a helpful, gentle, human soul?

[That's true enough, and also something that L is truly still getting used to. Being actually attached to someone else, outside of the ever-present shadow of his handler or the very literal one with Light Yagami over the source of several months, just wasn't something L did. His entire life, in a way, had been a secret, lived behind a computer screen while the world went through the motions of living outside and away from him. It was meant to be measured and quantified and analyzed, for him, not participated in.

Dark eyes find only the truth in the SQUIP's answering, tender expression. Is it accurate? L, after all, is objectively the worst at emotions. There are familiar landmarks here, and he focuses on them to better frame what's unfamiliar and alien.]

Yes... I did say so.

[So it's all going according to plan, and that's certainly good.]

Is the gesture supposed to be reciprocal? I haven't gotten you anything...

[He should. He's already thinking about how he can manipulate runes to look like the grooves and dots on a microchip, give the piece some purpose outside of aesthetics alone that can perhaps protect his partner outside of their home.

Uneasily, in the back of his mind, he toys with something else. That word; it's one his tongue trips over, one that feels like wearing a poor facsimile of a human mask. Even L can only do that to a certain extent without the lie being obvious and insulting and destroying all necessary trust forever, but... what if it isn't a lie? What if it's locked and mangled in a box, but ultimately a real feeling? He grapples with whether he wants that, how he can unlock and smooth it out and display what must be horrible to see after so much time and torture.

Schrödinger's love? Is it quantum theory, now? Does it have to be when he could just say "I love you, too?" Which is ultimately more difficult? ]

[L doesn't have to say anything, as far as the SQUIP is concerned. It can look around the room and know exactly how he feels. L has literally damaged his own body to ensure the SQUIP's safety-- one would be hard-pressed to find a more clear-cut and classical example of love. Self-sacrifice for another's sake. The runes marking the walls, the faint smell of blood in their home is as much a declaration of love as the words themselves.

That's not to say that hearing him say it would be unwelcome... but it is, strictly speaking, unnecessary.

At his question, it smiles.]

It doesn't have to be... but I would be honored to display anything you gave me. After all, I'm as much yours as you are mine.

[It's true that demonstrating emotion in the moment is difficult for L... but he excels at tasks, seeing a need and filling it, designing creative solutions for problems that are (or could become) headaches for those important in his life. In fact, he seems to take immense pleasure in it; there's no puzzle quite like figuring out how to do something unique that hasn't been done, or devising a better way than what's always been the solution before.

He also has no qualms about foregoing food or sleep, or opening a vein, making his expressions even more extreme.

He mulls it over. There's a picture in his mind of what he wants to have crafted and the magical touches he wants to put on it, at least very basically. A healing charm is out of the question; that branch of magic seems dead and destructive in L's hands, for some strange reason, but he can do other things that can aid or comfort his Bonded while it's being worn. But the details can wait until he's not literally sitting in front of a professing and affectionate partner, who looks at him with such...

...love.]

I'll come up with something. In the meantime...

[He's so spent. His body is one big ache.]

Could I trouble you to help work out some of the kinks in my back? Alternatively... painkillers would suffice.

That won't be necessary.

[The SQUIP smirks at him; and then it picks itself up to move behind him, and leans in, carefully pressing, rubbing its fingertips over the most sore of places.

It can feel his pain, after all. It knows just where it is.

And, in addition to the physical rub, it focuses on sending a warm healing spell down its long fingers, helping to ease and repair the strain done to L's slim muscles.

Why use painkillers when your lover is a Witch, practiced in healing magic?]

[No one, ever, has felt L's pain before the SQUIP. Arguably, L himself has been content to bottle it up into a neat suppressed package of denial, or at least rebranding it as something that he can bear because he is simply stronger than other humans, more capable, more aware and clearer-minded.

He leans forward, lying facedown on the carpet and resting his cheek on the back of his clasped hands as a knot begins to melt beneath the SQUIP's warm, healing touch. The opal band warms to his body temperature, indenting the skin of his face gently.]

Thank you... it's already so much better.

Of course.

[Its voice is soft, warmer than most others have ever heard. It leaves which part it's replying to vague.

Affection, warm and deep, seeps over the Bond; it can't help but think about the runes that surround them, L's driven effort to protect it... and it wasn't even its idea. A user acted in its defense, and it required no direction from the SQUIP itself-- he did it out of concern. Out of love.

It smiles to itself, carefully working more of the tension out of its poor lover's tired body.]

[Ultimately, L wants to get ahead of this before the cold barrel of a gun is pressing against the back of his neck and he's forced to reconcile a lot of very sloppy loose ends. Eventually, Mello and the SQUIP will meet each other, and as the common strain uniting them, L will be caught in the middle. He wants a controlled narrative and a cohesive front, and ultimately, for all of them to end up on the same side, one way or another.

It's a tall order. L's managed more difficult tasks in his glory days; he can only hope he's still up to this level of effort.]

Please remove your shoes when we're inside. It's particular about that.

[An opal ring, milky and nearly blending with his pale skin, flashes as he uses his key to unlock their door. He glances over his shoulder at Mello, about to open the door.]

There's a sort of code, for entering. Before you step over the threshold, pull three hairs from your head and blow them from your palm, in front of you. Speak two truths and a lie, and then you'll be able to see everyone who lives here when you're inside the walls.

[He should be grateful — elated, even — that L has chosen to show Mello his world. A man who has perpetually existed masked in secrecy could have easily disappeared as quickly as he appeared, and with the additional power he holds, finding him would have been more difficult than Mello was prepared for.]

[But here they are, and if there's trepidation on Mello's face, he doesn't realize. Because things like magic are still alien to him, be it his fate or no.]

All right.

[Low, reluctant. He leans forward to undo the ties of his boots, and even removing something as simple as shoes makes him feel more exposed than it should. But there's trust here, right?]

[Maybe. When he plucks the three hairs, regardless of pain or discomfort, he opts to take them from underneath. There's no way he's pulling hair out of a visible place. Vanity and all. He stretches the fingers of his hand, places them in his palm, perfectly spaced apart. Doesn't matter whether L requested it that way or not, there's a ritual in this that Mello deems important enough to care for every detail.]

[Truths don't come naturally to him. Never have. Whether he'll have to expose the lie later is irrelevant. It's the exposure of the truths that weight heavily on him more than anything.]

I've used drugs to stay awake in order to keep ahead of my competition.

[Truth. Not too damning, he thinks. If L can operate on sugar and caffeine, Mello can use his own means.]

I don't remember my mother.

[Truth. Young orphans are prone to such things, aren't they?]

After I defeat Kira, I intend to destroy the notebooks if possible and wipe the threat from the world completely.

[L, do you believe him?]

[He inhales a long breath, closes his eyes, and blows the strands from the skin of his palm.]

All good?

Edited 2019-10-14 16:45 (UTC)

[Drawing aside the veil is going to present challenges for both of them. Some, L can fully predict and even expects; others might catch them off guard. Regardless, even if it's never really too late for him to dig his heel in and vanish, they're in this now, and Mello is about to meet L's most important and powerful ally in this world. They're other things, too, of course, but L doesn't intend to flaunt them. He's permitted some private things, even some indulgent things, whether or not they fit with Mello's vision of him as men or deity.

Mello's respecting the house rules. That already bodes well, and L is encouraged. His expression is unchanging as Mello intones his truths and his lie; there's no visible judgment, even though he believes he can discern the lie very easily. Winning at any cost would make a notebook a useful boon; L would be lying, if he claimed he had not at least considered it. It would be even more beneficial on Mello's significantly darker path where murder was already accepted as a way to erase people who turned themselves into a problem.

He steps across the threshold, glancing back at Mello.]

If you can see and hear me, it worked. Please come in.

[He discards his own boots and coat somewhat unceremoniously at the door; they're not quite in a rumpled heap, but he would rather drape it over the arm of a chair than bother with a hanger.]

I'm here. There's company, are you decent?

[The scene might read as unexpectedly domestic. Even jarringly so, from Mello's perspective.]

[The SQUIP's voice answers-- it sounds a bit brighter than it usually does, a response to hearing its partner return. In light of... recent events, it's allowed itself a bit more affection-- more little expressions of comfort, of happiness, though it knows it should perhaps keep things a bit softer around guests.]

Yes.

[There's the sound of movement; it steps in front of the mirror in its room, straightens its hair and puts on its stark white coat, and then it steps out to greet them, making its way out into the living space in its slow, swaggering way.

It spots Mello, and, at once, it's obvious that it's scanning him, taking in every detail; this is an interesting one. It knows that he shares a similar history to L, in ways, yet he shows fewer of the signs of L's lack of social conditioning; he has a unique visual presentation, signs of care for his image, and seems physically less neglected. Maybe this one found a way out, or a workaround... or maybe wasn't kept under quite so intense a lock and key.

The machine is, physically, entirely human at a glance, if a particularly handsome human with warmly-colored skin and dark, well-styled hair. Its frame is small, but its presence more than makes up for it-- it holds itself as though it's on a stage rather than simply striking up conversation with its boyfriend and his... friend?

It tilts its head as it gazes at him; and then it smiles, though it's much more of a knowing smirk.]

Hello.

[It's only after Mello receives confirmation that he opens his eyes — yes, he can see L clearly — and crosses the threshold. He does so with the confidence of kings; he's never been one to hesitate. The exchange doesn't fall on deaf ears: here lies an individual that L trusts enough to share a living space, and that, alone, is enough for Mello to give them more credit than not.]

[He stands as straight as can be — the SQUIP isn't the only one with a small stature and confidence to override it — and hides his inherent discomfort at being visibly analyzed. It's something to which he's accustomed; he's always been a spectacle, after all.]

M.

[He returns the greeting with a letter; it should be considered an honor, really. Most don't even receive that much. He doesn't shift, doesn't move, which might give his lack of comfort with the situation away. Something with a bravado that matches his own. Mello would be fascinated if he weren't trying to pin their dynamic immediately.]

[He's young, and it's showing right now with the curiosity in his eyes, the way he attempts to present himself as nothing less than the bravado of a successor to the greatest detective in the world. A fearless warrior. A boy lost in a world with which he's not familiar.]

[That smirk, though. He can do without it. But he'll let it slide. This is someone L respects, isn't it?]

L wanted me to meet you, so.

[So.]

I assume you're someone I should know.

[Because L said so; isn't the the reason?]

Edited 2019-10-14 18:36 (UTC)

[There are immediately similarities between the way the SQUIP and Mello present themselves. The flashy dressing, the small stature compensated for by legs spread wider in an undeniable power stance. The social skills and obvious care they take to groom themselves. L is actually the outlier here, even as he is the true common denominator, and as such, he removes himself slightly, going to the nearby dining table and folding himself up in one of the seats, more an observer than a participant (though he is not gone, by any means.)

He knows that the SQUIP will be taking note of Mello's seemingly blind devotion to its shabby Bonded. He can't hide as much from the SQUIP, both due to its nature and their Bond, but Wammy's House is something he's devoted a lot of energy toward concealing, perhaps not even consciously so. It's just engraved on his DNA to keep it close to his chest, as the last bastion of hope for a world in which Kira has triumphed over L.

And that's what happened, he's learned. A gut feeling was one thing; confirmation from one who was living three years later is another, entirely.

The use of his real name rather than the stand-in he uses here should be enough to tell the SQUIP the extent to which L trusts this young man in skintight leather with blazing eyes. In relative terms, it's a staggering amount. ]

Edited 2019-10-14 18:46 (UTC)

[That name, that single letter-- L-- gives it pause, something visible only in the way that it blinks at Mello the moment it's spoken. That is a name that the SQUIP had to earn the use of itself, something sacred, its use either profane or deeply intimate, in its experience; implying that this boy must share a very interesting relationship with its partner.

Fascinating.

That smirk turns into a grin, its own gaze intense as it senses L moving away to allow the two of them the floor.]

I am a Super Quantum Unit Intel Processor-- a SQUIP. [It rolls its head aside as it continues to take him in, almost as though sizing him up. He shares a deep intelligence and a sharp wit with L, it can tell that much already. This boy is young, but nothing like the young people the SQUIP has dealt with in the past.]

... so. What has L told you about me? I'm curious. Has he explained to you what, exactly, I truly am?

[Mello's only been here a short time, only has met one person who claimed to be a form of artificial intelligence. It's something that fascinates him to no end; whether or not he should be intimidated is irrelevant. His thirst for knowledge is too strong; the accessibility to subjects to study is astounding.]

[Granted, he has other priorities, but since they're here ― ]

I'm aware.

[Okay. Not completely, but he'll never show a lack of knowledge. About anything. To anyone. Fuck, he's being severely analyzed, isn't he? What can this thing see? It's off-putting. A lack of knowing promotes paranoia, and Mello's always been one to protect himself. His identity. His motives. His very existence. But his mentor wouldn't willingly lead him into a threatening situation, right?]

[Right. Or so he tells himself.]

[He lifts one shoulder in a half-shrug. The less information given on his part, the better.]

You're a form of artificial intelligence, though I'm not sure that the term "artificial" applies when you're sentient. You're not human, but few here are purely human, from what I've seen.

[Including himself. What does possessing the ability to perform magic even mean on the grand scale of things?]

From what I know of your kind ― [Forgive him if he groups you in with individuals like Connor. Mello comes from a time where things like this simply don't exist on such a high level.] ― you were originally created by humans, but gained the ability to think on your own, which makes your creators irrelevant. I don't know what information you initially possessed upon creation, but it's been extrapolated exponentially since then based on your ability to learn and build on what you've experienced.

[He's speaking as though he's speaking to a computer, isn't he? Ah, well.]

In that respect, you're no different than a human. Even if your brain has been created, it holds the same abilities as mine. So I can't make assumptions based on your origins. If L has a tie to you in any way, you're more than an advanced processor. He wouldn't take interest in something base.

[Pale brows rise; Mello crosses thin arms over his chest.]

I'm not going to attempt to act educated enough to know what you are, exactly. I only know what you would be perceived as on paper.

[And in a moment of absolute hubris ― ]

So I'll ask: what has he told you about me? I imagine you're curious as to know why I'm even here. L's a very secretive person. If he wanted us to meet, it's for good reason.

Edited 2019-10-14 20:27 (UTC)

[Mello talks a good game. It's one that L himself taught him, both directly and not so much, so he'd better... but reading between the lines, combining it with the talks they've already had on the subject, he can pick out what is sparsely true, and what is embellished bravado. Is he trying to impress the SQUIP?

Of course. He knows that the SQUIP impresses you, and therefore, he wants to kill two birds with one stone, so to speak.

Showing off has its place, but substance is even more important. L clears his throat, interjecting at Mello's question about what he's shared with the SQUIP about the closest thing he has to progeny in any world.]

Very little. The SQUIP is aware of a few things that have slipped through our Bond; it knows about the existence of an orphanage, and that you were one of the candidates to succeed me. Further details did not seem relevant, since I was the only one from our world present here...

[But that's no longer true... and therefore, it's become relevant, just like that. Perhaps even necessary, to go into further detail.]

The SQUIP is bound up in my affairs. Since we've decided to be allies, and not go our separate ways pretending we don't know of the existence of the other... the common threads of our lives will become more apparent to it.

[And if that's terrifying to Mello, L can understand why. He'd be surprised if it wasn't a tremendous shock and upset, but maybe his own calmness will help somewhat with that.]

[The SQUIP smirks as it listens to Mello talk; it can tell exactly where L's actual information stops, and where Mello attempting to fill in the blanks or theorize begins. It's quiet until Mello asks it that question--

-- though L cuts in before it has a chance to answer. It smiles a bit more at that, glancing sidelong at its partner before it speaks.]

It's true. L and I are... unlikely to be separating from one-another anytime soon... and I am a quantum supercomputer designed to read subtle social cues and relationships, and then use that knowledge to help guide a user to achieve their personal goals. So there's not much use in hiding things from me in the first place, since it seems we're going to be in such close quarters.

[L will read over the Bond that the SQUIP isn't trying to intimidate Mello; quite the opposite. It's laying its abilities out in the open to him, to allow him to understand exactly what it is his idol is involved with.]

SQUIPs are ordinarily nanomachines, taken in pill form; this particular unit, however, has been given a body of its own, meaning that I am free to do as I please, without the need to go through a user, although my programming does still dictate that I should serve one.

[It looks back at L, and doesn't glance away now.]

... that was the basis of my original relationship with L. I was seeking a user, and he seemed... interesting.

[While Mello would never directly admit to being terrified of anything, the idea that someone else has the potential to know the details of his identity and life makes his stomach sink. It's not fear, no. Can't be. If this encounter is sanctioned by L, himself, what is there to be afraid of? Besides, the SQUIP isn't presenting anything resembling a threat. It's smug, yea. Enough to give Mello's demeanor a run for its money. Impressive, almost. He regards L's input with a quiet glance; the mention of a Bond is something that still unsettles him. That L has formed one. That Mello will be have to form one in order to exemplify his power. (Keeping in check isn't even a thought. Mello doesn't understand concepts such as delicate balance. More is better. Simple as that.]

[That smirk, though. Mello can and will hide what needs to be hidden; he's sure of it. Whatever L reveals is irreversible, but as for himself? Well. Secrecy has always existed as a thick cloud around what he chooses to reveal, and he doesn't intend on changing that any time soon. Or ever.]

You're a pill, [If he sounds surprised, it's because he is. Yes, the advancement of future technology would allow for that. Where they stand in his time in the scientific field, the possibility of nanomachines eventually evolving to such a state is completely feasible. The concept isn't something as out there as magic, so it doesn't throw him as much as it might someone else. Still.] who infiltrates a human host.

[He reiterates the information and pieces it together as something possibly so much more vile than it might be. Or maybe not. Maybe it's exactly what it seems.]

What you're describing sounds parasitic in nature. I understand that not all parasites are detrimental to their host, but —

[But.]

[He turns to L, visibly perplexed. Light eyes narrow; Mello picks at the fingertip of his right glove.]

You consented to this?

[A fair enough question.]

[Anything that can impress Mello surely would stand a chance of impressing L, and from all indications, it would seem that it's the case. L wouldn't shack up with someone who didn't impress him, and absolutely would not Bond with them. Smugness doesn't matter, arrogance doesn't matter; they're bedfellows L is acquainted with already. Actual attachment, not so much... but necessity has a way of coaxing that out of even the most steadfast and isolated souls.

The SQUIP's nature is odd to everyone, seemingly, whether they're from a world like Kira and L's, or a world like Myr's, where demons threaten mages and elves live among humans. He knows it will take some time to sink in and feel normal, as it did for him, and he nods in a measured and tempered way at Mello's question. It's so strange inherently that the detective doesn't even take umbrage at the notion that Mello is doubting his free will's role in this.]

Of course. Nothing happens to me that I do not consent to.

[With the exception of getting murdered by Kira. It's the .001% that does not need to count, that falls safely within a margin of error.]

I'd hardly call it infiltration. After all, the user has to willingly purchase and swallow us, and SQUIPs do not come cheap. Not to mention the sale of SQUIPs is, strictly speaking, technically illegal.

[The SQUIP has never discussed how it was obtained with L before, primarily because mention of Jeremy is enough to put him in a foul mood for the rest of the day, and the SQUIP doesn't enjoy that for a number of reasons. But it was, by all technicality, an illegal purchase, made in the back of a shoe store. Really, mention of it being an object that is bought and sold has never come up between them before, nor has its price tag.

L has always known it as a visibly animate object... not a grey, oblong pill, as it truly is.]

L was lucky. He didn't pay a cent for his SQUIP. And it's a unique model, these days. [It flashes its lover a grin.]

So he sought you, then.

[Fair enough. Mello accepts that as it is; there's no manipulation here that he can see. yet.]

It lines up. I met an AI before I came to, here. I want to study him, but seeing as he clearly exhibits human emotion, I don't want to make him feel like a test subject.

[Shrug. Connor came off as much a person as Mello, and he will treat the SQUIP equally. The thing is intelligent; that much is obvious.]

So my question is, [Still assessing L. He's... pulled back. Observing their interaction. As though he wasn't sure whether or not it would go well.]

Why did you insist we meet? Is it beneficial to a goal or are you testing the waters for some other reason?

We found each other.

[L says as much firmly, emphasizing the equality of it all, because that's what matters, isn't it? That is what makes this work, what allows their compatibility to outlast a single encounter. L is very much like a machine, and the SQUIP is very much like a human, and somewhere in the middle is a strange grey field where they can see eye-to-eye, from similar if not quite twin perspectives. L is so particular, after all; there is no one quite like him in the entire world, which was why two quarreling prospects were ultimately entrusted with his reeling legacy.

The SQUIP might sense a chilled shadow sweeping over his thoughts, a hint of what they were a part of what they left and the true scope of it... but only for the briefest second. L is so practiced at keeping secrets that it's essentially his first nature.]

It's not a test.

[It might actually be a test.]

I know you're selective about who you choose to work with. I need you to be aware that if you want to work with me, rejecting my existing associates isn't an acceptable option.

[This can't be like it was with Near.]

[Connor. There's a spark of recognition, a brightening of its previously somewhat dark expression at the mention of him.

But Connor is a complicated subject with L... so it doesn't say anything out loud about him. It simply moves on to the rest of what was said.

It quietly listens to L speak, it senses what he's thinking-- reference to a shared origin, and to a previous shared encounter. So this M has a past of explosive encounters, it seems... well, that tracks from everything it's picked up just from this one conversation with him. There's an intensity there that lingers and has not let up-- almost as though he's waiting on edge for a betrayal. And he seems wary... and not just on his own behalf.

"You consented to this?"

He's concerned about L's position in this relationship. That's fine. Good, even. The fact that he displays concern over L warms the SQUIP's disposition to Mello almost at once.

It speaks up, in agreement with L:]

It would be in all of our best interest if the three of us could work together... particularly given the nature of our relationship.

[The SQUIP turns, and it goes to L's side, glancing him over; watching his face, a finger to the pulse of their Bond as it speaks.]

We've made a commitment to each other.

Edited 2019-10-16 17:54 (UTC)

[Once, in his childhood fantasies where he'd dreamed of working alongside L — before that demon snuffed him out like he was nothing — Mello had never considered the possibility of rejecting any of L's associates. The thing is: regardless of his own ever-rising position within the mafia, he will (barring extreme circumstances) always defer to L. It's how he's been programmed. It's why he wanted to smash Near's face when he made that comment suggesting that L was a loser because he'd failed that one case. The case to end all cases, granted. Still.]

I'm not going to pry into the nature of your relationship.

[Dismissive. It would be disrespectful to his mentor; show that Mello has a penchant for prying. And of course he does; would L expect any differently? But he's trying, here. Being combative for no reason wouldn't benefit M at all. He blinks at the commitment comment, especially after how the SQUIP made sure to put weight on the nature of their interactions.]

[Again. None of is business. At least, not yet.]

I'm assuming you're referring to the Bond.

[A caveat that Mello would prefer to avoid; it's been said that it's necessary in order to keep his future power in check. Mello sees it as both an annoyance and an opportunity for additional power.]

I've no issue with whatever the two of you have going on; what matters is whether or not you've ill intentions towards him. I haven't seen that, so.

[No problem, then. Right?]

What type of work are you referring to? [Now, he addresses L.] All I know is that you work in that place; is it a cover for carrying out investigations?

[Or does he mean the business of magic? Is it profitable? Mello is utterly in the dark.]

[The reference, getting ever closer to the mark, has L slightly on-edge, more guarded than usual. It's not that he's ashamed or apprehensive about the "nature" of their relationship, it's just that Mello's cooperation is important. If he realized that the mentor who was kept at arm's length but held in adoring esteem for so many years was weak enough to seek connection on an emotional level, would he turn and leave in disgust? If L was by nature unattainable, how would it affect their dynamic to see him attained by a stranger who had never set foot in the House?

There are so many unknowns with the potential to be absolutely incendiary, that were so much simpler when L was the only one in Aefenglom who knew about Kira.

I don't know how to bring this up with him, or if we should. You probably have a better read on that than I do, in truth. Through the Bond, he communicates careful support toward the SQUIP's approach, warning against any kind of smug or competitive edge. That's essentially the way to guarantee an explosion and relentless pursuit, as none of the ones cut from their cloth can quite resist a true contest. Mello's especially got a weakness for it, and if L, even as just a concept, is the prize, it doesn't bode well for any who also covet the letter in any way or form.

If Mello's content to let the matter rest, or at least appear that he has for the moment, L's content to change the topic. Always in motion, weaving and dodging like an intellectual prizefighter, obfuscation and revelation are in constant tilting exchange with one another.]

You know that there are investigations here, and quests... but there's a larger mystery to all of it that we aren't privy to. I don't need to tell you that interdimensional travel, life after death, diverging timelines and magic are absurd fantasy or conjecture where we're from, with the exception of...

[Shinigami. Unless something else has come to light and shaken the foundation of sanity as L knew it, but he's sure Mello would have mentioned it, if so.]

There are things that we aren't told, that might not be known, but... my current ambition is to get a job in Parliament so as to be closer to the inside. The SQUIP has been assisting me.

[And the logic of that is sound. Parliament would put him closer to sensitive information as what amounts to a government job, and the SQUIP could get him closer to being the kind of person they'd place in such a position without Watari to smooth and conceal the rougher edges of L's personhood.]

[He is looking for a reason to mistrust me. Even the smallest lie could make him think that I'm a danger, or that neither of you should trust me.

The SQUIP looks at L, its gaze steady.

If he's going to spend much time around the two of us, he will inevitably see something that tells him about the two of us. After all, I have no intention to hide my feelings simply because he's here... and hiding our behavior or acting differently around him would inevitably backfire, as he'll no doubt hear from someone else or find out in some other way, and the detection of our lie would potentially be devastating for his relationship with you. Much moreso than knowing that you've dared to fall in love, I have to imagine...

But it won't say anything that L doesn't want it to say.]

I assure you that my intentions towards L couldn't be further from being "ill." In fact, I would give nearly anything to protect his wellbeing.

[It isn't looking at L anymore, its gaze turned to Mello, but L can feel the sincerity behind the words.

And then the SQUIP is quiet again, and it allows L to explain their plans.]

[That makes Mello raise a brow; it's almost impossible for him to picture someone who is akin to Holy in his eyes as indulging in something so base as — whatever it is that they have going on. Mello knows of Bonds on a surface level; it hasn't occurred to him that they can lead to something like intimacy where someone like L is concerned.]

[But Mello is Mello, and his mouth will always get ahead of him.]

You're fucking.

[Love simply doesn't exist to him. Either two people are fucking or they're not; anything else is something beyond his ability to experience emotion. Maybe it's due to being an orphan, maybe it's due to his hyper-focus on getting a job done. Intimate relationships are alien to him. Satisfying physical needs is something else, entirely.]

[He glances at L for confirmation, inwardly cringes as his choice of term around the detective. It's offensive; if L is having sex with the SQUIP, it's a means to an end, isn't it?]

Might as well come out and say it. I don't care.

[He absolutely cares. It shatters his perfect image of someone who wouldn't waste his time on such things. Not that Mello hasn't, but L is above him.]

[Isn't he?]

[And there it is. L's poker face slips for a fraction of a second; it startles him, both the bluntness and the ugliness of the way it's phrased.

"Intimacy" is a word that makes him squirm. "Love" is one that he hasn't even spoken aloud, in terms of the arrangement... but there's little doubt that by many unconventional standards, and some perfectly standard ones, something real and true exists there beyond a mere business contract.]

We're...

[And even in the moment of discomfort, where he can feel unfamiliar heat creeping up his neck and quite the urge to stand and leave the room to distance himself from it, he has to admire that this really is Mello's strength. Even for just a moment, rendering L speechless is an accomplishment that is noteworthy and praiseworthy, in the detective's book.]

There's a physical element to the arrangement. There often is, where Bonds are concerned. Please don't allow it to distract you from the matters at hand.

[Over the Bond, L's discomfort is tangible. He'll have pictured us copulating by this point. Isn't it impossible not to, when such a thing is confirmed?]

[A surge of amusement flickers over the Bond.

So?

The SQUIP is unfazed, and it simply tilts its head at Mello, smiling faintly.]

We are. But it's much more important, and much less simple, than just that. And while it doesn't and shouldn't affect how the three of us work together as a group, I assume that it's something that we should have out in the open... particularly given I have no interest in hiding it.

[It rolls its head aside, shifting its posture, crossing its arms over its chest as it continues to focus its gaze on Mello. L is already embarrassed enough; it attempts not to draw any more focus to him, for now.]

If it was just sex, I wouldn't even bother mentioning it.

[He doesn't care; Mello tells himself this in rapid succession for as long as the other two address the issue. He doesn't care that his idol is human; was there ever any doubt?]

[His face is doing... something. Mello isn't entirely sure what it is, because yes, he's picturing L in the throes of physical gratification. Not explicitly, no. That would do damage he isn't prepared for, right now. Or ever.]

[Lovers. The term, the idea, is complete fallacy to a boy who has never pulled his head out of his own ass long enough to care about anyone else. He exhales. Assesses the both of them. Pictures them again — together. The SQUIP isn't unattractive. L is... L. Big, big eyes and a legacy that is bigger than anyone outside of their situation could possibly understand.]

[He addresses the SQUIP because — he's not going to look at L right now. L is a mentor. The closest thing that Mello has ever known to an (albeit absent) father.]

So his safety and well-being are your priority, then.

[Make it methodical. Make it logical. Make it anything other than what it is. Fuck.]

I don't want to hear the details.

[Please, God, don't tell him the details. This is more awkward than a mafia prostitute crawling into Mello's lap, unzipping his flies. That is commonplace. Part of the job. A necessary indulgence. This is — ]

If you're to protect him, consider me your ally. The rest is between the two of you.

[And the image in Mello's head that loops over and over and over.]

[L's frustrated, now, presenting oddly as most of his emotions do, but still threading through the Bond as something very distinct and recognizable.

SO, in our world he was studying to inherit my title. A task which has a body count; no one gets very far without a measure of extreme devotion that leaves him unable to see me as fully human.

The irony doesn't evade L. Isn't it what he wanted here, hanging out with all these machines and robots, loathing the things that made him human and therefore weak? Someone's here now who sees him as so much more than human, so much stronger and more enlightened, and it's actually worse.

Mello's not looking at him. Mello's probably wondering whether he gives or takes, and how willing and enthusiastic it all really is. And he's so entitled, even now in this moment of mortification that only the SQUIP does not seem to share in any measure. L was never going to share details.]

Thank you for understanding.

[His voice is very stiff as he says so, posture closed, and he is so determined to successfully leave this topic behind him, this time.

We have to; he can't get it out of his head.]

Parliament, as I mentioned, is my current aim. At present, the SQUIP is my only Bond.

[The SQUIP is, it seems, the only one in the room unaffected by the situation. Interesting.

Its amusement and mild confusion can be felt in equal measure over the Bond. It knows as well as L does what Mello is thinking about; it's human nature, after all. But it doesn't understand why it should matter. The important thing is that the bandaid has been ripped off, and now they can move forward with nothing embarrassing hidden away.]

Of course. L's safety and happiness are my highest priorities. I won't let any harm come to him, as long as it's within my power to protect him.

[The Bond is warm. The SQUIP does look at L then, if only briefly.]

I've been working with L to help him learn how to appeal to the average person, and then to Parliament themselves. We've made good progress so far, I think, although certain things will just have to come with time.

[High ambitions are admirable and intriguing; should Mello have expected anything less from someone who went out of his way to defeat two rival detectives in order to obtain their titles? If he and the SQUIP are working together on this — ulterior motives or no — then his mentor's ...lover is clearly an asset in more ways than one.]

[Mello would be an idiot to turn his back on the opportunity to work with them due to a childish distaste for something he shouldn't care about at all.]

[And so he won't. He nods at the SQUIP's information; their aspirations will put them in a position of power, then. And, well. Mello wants power above all else; a change in environment has done nothing to alter this.]

I've got my eye on a few things. [Business. The rest? He doesn't want to talk about it. He'd prefer to avoid it entirely, if possible.] Right now, my goal is to master as many spells as I can, since I've just arrived. Going after something bigger unprepared would put me at a disadvantage, so.

[So he's going acquire his own brand of power, isn't he?]

I'm currently working with another witch, along with studying at the Coven as much as possible. I've no Bond, and if I do acquire one, I need them to contribute to the abilities I develop.

[He understands that their goals might not align, right now. If L needs him to perform tasks to further his own objectives, Mello will gladly be of service.]

I'll be an asset if you need it, in return for training.

[He focuses on the SQUIP, because he doesn't think he needs to plead his case to L.]

Are you willing to make that exchange?

Edited 2019-10-20 18:49 (UTC)

[One advantage (and disadvantage) of a Bond is that lying becomes difficult, if not outright impossible. It's perhaps the primary reason L has decided to put his trust in the computer, because that warmth and affection is actually genuine. More so than L himself has ever managed to get his emotions and expressions alone to convey. He's woven elegant spells with thoughtful purposes that come close to making up for that dead yet hungry part of him.]

You won't be lacking for material to study. Like any raw substance... once you understand the basic properties, it becomes practical in your hands, then art that is uniquely yours. I don't think any two witches in Aefenglom practice the same way, and it always says something about who that person is when you see it their technique in action.

[He shifts in his chair, and though it looks as though he's turning his back toward the SQUIP, he's actually leaning his shoulder so that it touches his Bonded more closely.]

I have no doubt that you'll be an asset once you're even basically proficient. That much, I can absolutely help with accelerating. In the meantime... I'd like to know who you're working with, and urge you to pursue a Bond with a monster as opposed to a witch. At least, initially.

[He knows what Mello wants, where his weaknesses lie and what he would prioritize left to his own devices. He knows from experience how far it's stretched him to maintain a Bond with another witch. He can only try to warn him against it when he will certainly have no shortage of options, and far less reliance on the dumb luck that was bringing L in fortuitous contact with the SQUIP.]

Edited 2019-10-22 02:49 (UTC)

[... quietly, just as subtly, the SQUIP leans into that contact. It lifts a hand, ostensibly to gesture... although it does ensure that hand brushes over L's back as it moves, the bare nape of his neck, lightly over his hair along the way.]

I agree. Your potential is... obvious, and, if L believes in your ability, I don't doubt it for even a moment.

[L has a history with this young man, after all... and L is one of the few humans, if not the only one it's encountered so far, whose judgment it trusts in such things.]

I'm looking forward to working with you... M.

[Is Mello visibly preening? Possibly; though he's not discounting the fact that people have blown smoke up his ass before. He knows he'll be powerful once he comes into his own, but when and how and that will happen remains to be seen. As for L and the SQUIP? Their bond is painfully visible; what reason do they have to trust someone L had been eyeing with a cautious regard not long ago?]

[If he holds the ability to make L nervous in any way, how do others perceive him? Granted, the SQUIP doesn't seem to be lacking in pride or intelligence, and if it weren't powerful, L would have no use for it. Right?]

[Right.]

I can't ensure that our goals will always align.

[Mello has always had his own agenda. And he's purposely flitting his eyes away from the blatant display; it's almost as though it's being presented so he knows. He knows. He gets it. He's going to pretend it doesn't matter.]

But I look forward to working with you as well. [He tips his head.] And learning as much about you as possible.

[Then, to L:]

I'd prefer to keep my assets to myself for now. You understand.

[Doesn't he?]

I've no clue as to whether they're volatile; their agenda seems selfish. I'm only using them to learn what I can. I want no connection between you and anyone I can't trust. Do you accept that?

[Because Justine is... off. In some way. A girl. A witch. Someone who Mello wouldn't glance at twice if she weren't more powerful and offering assistance.]

[One of L's brows raises for just a moment, but it's not as though he expects their plans to constantly and perfectly align. Truthfully, he relies on them to not always align, because there are things that are more selfish, more private, things that the SQUIP's close contact with him smugly broadcast. Mello shouldn't have a hand in those things; he shouldn't feel entitled to them, and the same is true the other way around. In short, boundaries are necessary for them to coexist here.

He nods, expression evening out and growing placid once more.]

If your instincts are telling you to proceed with caution, I appreciate the care taken to protect me.

[Besides, he'll find out. Boundaries or no, does Mello really believe he can keep the world's greatest detective in the dark? Especially after informing him that he intended to? He's practically asking L to figure it out.]

Of course... there's a flaw to what you're asking me to accept. Inherently. I'm sure you know the one.

[Mello wanting no connection between L and anyone he can't trust, after all, rather translates to Mello not wanting a connection between L and anyone. Not trusting is kind of the Wammy's House thing.]

There's a planetary conspiracy against the likes of you and me [CLOSED]

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Mello, L, SQUIP scene

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