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

[hearthebell]

Who: L and the SQUIP (open later to Mello and Alice)
When: Before the full moon
Where: Their apartment
What: Tying up some loose ends, discussing new arrivals and developments, and addressing things Bond-related and otherwise
Warnings: Mushy stuff? Will update if necessary!



[The effort has taken many days, no small amount of magic that tests the limits of L's capabilities as a witch... but as he stands more or less in the center of the living room, surveying his work along the upper edges of the walls, he decides that, finally, he is satisfied.

The border is unbroken and uncompromising. The protection spell is a powerful one, and so long as they abide by its rules, no one they want in this apartment should be in any danger while they remain inside its area of influence. It took a lot out of its caster, however, and L sits cross-legged on the floor, considering the blood he used, the way his back feels after bending at a certain angle to etch the magical symbols into the plaster. He's the only one in the apartment, now, and as usual, solitude and a job completed mean that he can actually acknowledge what hurts, what's empty, what needs maintenance and attention.

He should probably eat; coffee isn't a meal, even if he treats it that way often.

Soon he'll conceal the runes with another spell, an illusion to make the plaster appear smooth and unmarked without even a hint of the magic the walls are infused with. For now, he'll look at his handiwork just a little longer, double-checking his work and making sure that there's absolutely nothing he missed.]

Comments

[fromjapan]

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.]

[onamissile]

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?

[hearthebell]

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.]

[fromjapan]

[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.

[onamissile]

[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.]

[hearthebell]

[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.]

[fromjapan]

[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.]

[onamissile]

[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?]

[hearthebell]

[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?]

[fromjapan]

[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.

[onamissile]

[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.]

[hearthebell]

[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.

[fromjapan]

[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.

[onamissile]

[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?

[hearthebell]

[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.]

[fromjapan]

[... 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.

[onamissile]

[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.]

[hearthebell]

[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.]