Event Log: January, Return to Dorchacht

[faileas]

Event Log: January, Return to Dorchacht

I. A Tarnished Reality The teleporter to Dorchacht becomes operational by the 4th and the ambassadors return to their city with the first open, ceremonial operation of the device - along with any Mirrorbound who wish to join them, and Theodore Rosethorne and Sowilo, who make the trip as representatives of the Coven to ensure that all is well. Those who missed the first teleportation, never fear! Now that both waypoints are functional, Mirrorbound and others may travel freely between Aefenglom and Dorchacht at any point they choose to. Notably absent from the group, though - most of the Dorchacht refugees originally smuggled into Aefenglom. Only three or four are going back with the ambassadors, and they're primarily Witches. The rest have chosen to stay. Upon return to Dorchacht, it's obvious that some major changes have been made with the new regime. The sky is overcast, but it's merely fault of the weather at this time of year - the oppressive fog that used to hang over the Black City is gone, along with its effects on the natural lunar cycle. The auction blocks, damaged in the fires of the event the locals now call "The Rising", have been fully torn down, not a trace of them left to sully the streets. Where the triple stars of the Resistance used to be worn in secret, a majority of citizens now bear them openly (and in many cases, proudly) on pins and on clothing. In fact, any Witches who do not display the triple stars on their person somewhere, are generally regarded with suspicion, disgust, or fear unless they're recognized as Mirrorbound Witches - careful not to be mistaken for a Drummond sympathizer. The Monster citizens won't be outwardly cruel to any Witches, but will be somewhat fearful, hurrying their children along or crossing the street to get away. Recognizable Mirrorbound, those who were there during The Rising and before, are treated a bit like celebrities on the streets, though any Mirrorbound are given a warm welcome, albeit a little less warm for Witches. Storytellers share tales of how diplomats treating one another, Witches and Monsters alike, as equals so publicly and openly within Dorchacht gave them hope that such a life is attainable, or how a band of Mirrorbound snuck into the city under the cover of darkness and helped give their Resistance a leg up in the good fight against Drummond's extremists. Others share stories of being rescued from burning buildings or cruel Witches during The Rising by brave heroes. Many of these tales are shared in the form of song, as homage to those Mirrorbound who brought hopeful music to Dorchacht through the radio, which is still operational and playing a selection of music with a little more variety. Still a bit soft, their speakers and songs are, but as time passes, they grow a little more experimental, branching out from the lullabies that used to be played. Overall, the Black City is much less black these days, a little greener and brighter from the plants left by Mirrorbound before. Where the old Dorchacht could take your breath away with its feeling of barred oppression, many of those barricaded windows have been opened, reinforcements on the doors broken down. Though things are never perfect after a revolution, and it's clear that the work continues. Armed Resistance guards patrol the streets in trios, normally two Monsters and a Witch, to keep the peace. Their first priority is the protection of Monsters, many of whom still seem anxious and scared as they go about their days - not of the guards themselves, who they often greet with smiles, but of the Witches and humans they pass on the streets. In some cases, keeping the peace means breaking up fights between their own and those humans and Witches who do not want to accept Monsters as their equals, and in some cases it means putting Drummond sympathizers in their places with intimidation and force. While they do their best to keep skirmishes out of Mirrorbound sight, it's clear that despite the improvements, Dorchacht is still no utopia, and the road to a true peace is fraught with speedbumps. As noted, characters are free to travel between Aefenglom and Dorchacht by teleporter as often as they'd like! The waypoints will remain open even after this month and travel will be unrestricted; we will note if this situation changes in the future. Dorchacht quests are also now available ICly!

II. A Few Alterations a. The Coven Major changes are still underway. One of the biggest that Mirrorbound will notice is that the new administration of Dorchacht have moved the Coven. The old building is in a state of disrepair right now, doors and windows wide open, the interior stripped of trappings. The library has shed its books to somewhere else. The basement where so many horrors took place is abandoned. Instead, a sign has been erected outside it, stating that this center of Drummond's operations will be turned into a museum to remember their unpleasant history, and to memorialize those who lost their lives fighting for freedom. It's still a work in progress, and not high on the priority list when survival and care of the citizens have to take precedence, but inside, characters may still find small shrines set up in various places to Resistance members who died there. Instead, Dorchacht's new Coven is currently based inside an old manor located just a handful of blocks from the town square, and it's a much more informal affair. Magic lessons have continued with Resistance Witches, though the subject matter has changed instead. They experiment with different types of magic based on their own interests, but many are studying plant magic, medicine, and defensive spells that can be used out in the Wilde. Anything that will prove to be practical going forward. Lessons are also open to Monsters now, so they can see what their magical brethren are learning (and know that the compulsion and control spells that Morgana loved so much are no longer being taught). With the Coven being moved, visitors from Aefenglom are offered places to stay either within the manor of the new Coven, or in various empty houses around the city. Stay as long as you'd like, they say, and apologize that the accommodations aren't nicer - reconstruction is still obviously ongoing all over the city, repairing damages from The Rising and the fighting that happened afterward. They don't really have anywhere as nice as the rooms their ambassadors were given in Aefenglom. b. The Walls One of the biggest on-going projects in Dorchacht right now is removing the Monster control spells from the set of enchantments on their city walls. High on the list of priorities is making sure that Monsters can feel safe again, secure in their own minds and bodies. As the spells are made visible, particular sets of runes have to be ground down and smoothed over. A spell is either cast or provided to soften the stone temporarily, and then it's basically going at it with magitech-powered sanders created by Hilda. The particular runes that need to be gotten rid of will be provided on reference sheets - please don't touch the others, they chide! Those are to protect from the Cwyld, and are still very important. While help is welcomed with open arms and enthusiasm at most sections of the walls, those guards posted at one particular small district, guarded with trios of Resistance members at each entrance and warded with alarm magic to warn of escape, turn Mirrorbound away; these runes are being altered, not removed, to help contain unruly Drummond loyalists, they say. The people who now live in that guarded district are all human, whether they're Witches or no, and all refuse to bear the triple stars. "Troublemakers," the guards will explain grimly. "We have to contain them for now. It isn't a perfect solution, but they've hurt people, or tried to hurt people, since Drummond was run out of town." c. Bond Lessons Bonding is a bit of a tricky subject in the new Dorchacht. Many Monsters are afraid of the idea, as it was once used as one of the collars around their necks, but the Circle of Three recognize it as an important way to wean citizens off the lullabies and calming draughts that prevent going feral during full moons. As part of encouraging others to form Bonds, partnerships at the very least the way most Resistance members describe theirs, there are demonstrations and public seminars that pop up around Dorchacht on the regular. They may be as informal as a circle in what's going to be a park or as official-seeming as a talk held inside a shop or lecture hall, but they have one thing in common. Many of the citizens are keen on getting Mirrorbound in on it -- mostly by dragging them in, asking if they have a Bonded, and if they do, they tell the Mirrorbound to talk about their Bonded. They're interested in the ups and downs (but mostly ups) of having one in order to show that if the Mirrorbound are into it, you should be too! They accept all stories but prefer the happy ones - the aim is to encourage their Monster citizens and help them be less afraid of taking that step with Witches. And for those who aren't in a Bond, or decline to talk -- well, they get what amounts to a "flour sack baby" in the form of a Dorchacht citizen of the opposite role of their own (a Monster would receive a human/Witch, a Witch would receive a Monster) that they must hang with for a day, ensuring no harm comes to them, bound by one of the temporary Bonding potions so popular in the Wilders' ranks. (As a note, for the second option, you have free reign of the NPC; do the personalities you find fun, be they cooperative or mischievous, shy or loud, abrasive to your character or someone they can genuinely get along with. They are all willing - no one is being forced into this. No Fae or Dragons allowed for Monster NPCs, unfortunately, as they are still very much not about.)

III. Ahoy Mateys! With Dorchacht opening up again after the last few months of closed off internal fighting, plenty of trading ships' Captains are ready and raring to go build business relations with the new regime and find a new market for some of their wares. There has been increased interest in finding a shorter route to Dorchacht by sea - the teleporter is useful for small groups of people, sure, but it can't handle much cargo. The only problem? Ships are being turned back, barely halfway there, with significant damage to their hulls. Brave individuals looking for a seafaring adventure are asked to come aboard and help the crew navigate tumultuous waters, hopefully figuring out along the way what's causing the damage to previous ships. It's a three day trip to Dorchacht if the waters are kind, and characters can simply teleport back home once there. On board the various ships brave enough to return to the sea, Mirrorbound find the problem halfway through the trip: a colossal squid that's made it home at this point, thrashing ships that come too close to its den. While uninfected, it does have injuries on its body, which may be the source of its lashing out. The ships are able to bring themselves close enough for longer ranged attacks, and the Harpy on board are careful not to be captured by the churning waves caused by the thrashing, but there's others who want to seek a less violent mean to end this surf and turf conflict. Killing, healing, subduing, or relocating it are all valid options, but getting in close to do any of those will be difficult, as it has a tendency to ink up the waters around it and reduce visibility to nothing. Be careful of any creatures swimming around that are interested in the weakened squid as well, such as various carnivorous fish, sea-plants, and things that appear alike to Merrow, but rely only on instinct. The Merrow cannot be spoken to, nor are they infected; the Captains of the ships will explain that they're "wild", and refer to them as distant cousins to the Merrow that sparsely populate Aefenglom itself.

IV. Back At Home Back in Aefenglom, the stir caused by the Circle of Three's arrival takes time to calm. It's the talk of the town for days - many seem happy about Morgana Drummond's apparent demise. "Good for them," is the general sentiment in the residential areas more populated by Monsters and the Harbor District. They're glad to know that things are on the way up there. Others think this is a boon; should anything happen, now Aefenglom has an ally city to stand with them, one in their debt. Others still don't really care either way, and go about their lives as if nothing's happened. The refugees, in their neighborhoods on the far reaches of the Haven, seem happy to hear news from home and find The Dragon/Starlight/Fafnir freed, and while a few of them choose to return to Dorchacht, having never put down roots in Aefenglom, more still don't wish to leave the homes and families they've formed here, or the Mirrorbound who have helped them so much over the months. Some even doubt that things are as good as they say, and choose to remain for that reason - slavery and ill treatment from the upper class in Aefenglom instilled in them a sense of (well-earned) paranoia regarding the intentions of Witches, especially those back home. They hear that things have changed, but don't necessarily want to find out for themselves. Even still, the mood is upbeat, with a general consensus that if Morgana is really gone, that's at least a solid step in the right direction. In the Aristocratic District, though, the atmosphere is sour. The general sentiment is that they wish the refugees would have left with those ambassadors. The kinder ones think Aefenglom should focus on its own citizens - the people from the Outer City brought in to weather the blizzard have never left, after all, still living in the neighborhoods with the refugees. Those who are more vocally outspoken about the Mirrorbounds' presence in the city think they should have all left to Dorchacht. Let another city shoulder all the misfortune they bring with them! Many of the people grumbling about that are ones who were directly affected by the Mists back in October, either through temporary changes themselves or through being attacked by ferals. Some of the more hot-headed young people try to spread this message - through graffiti, on homes and businesses in the Haven and the refugees' district, though if caught, they're quick to run away and not willing to enter into a confrontation. The graffiti is wholly mundane and not particularly difficult to remove, just unpleasant, telling Mirrorbound and refugees alike to "go home" or "go back to Dorchacht", in so much colorful language. Seems there's still some work to do at home, as well.

Welcome to your establishing post for the current situation in Dorchacht! This log takes place through the entire month; characters can come and go as they please. As always, you can direct all your questions HERE. This month we're also putting up a City Tracker for PC actions, both in Aefenglom's plot later on and Dorchacht's log here. Let us know what your character is doing, good or bad! The cut-off for the tracker is February 3rd.

Comments

[hearthebell]

[This time, Mello's significantly more than just half-right, and it hits significantly closer to home. So much so that it's uncomfortable, and L's instinct is to withdraw... but Mello won't just let him have that, now. That becomes increasingly clearer as the younger man cages his him, first with a near-caress to the cheek and then by knotting his fingers in hair that is far too tangled to extract from, quickly. L doesn't comb it without the SQUIP; it simply doesn't occur to him.

Nor does a specific title for what Mello actually is, to L. He doesn't know, either... because there was nothing quite like the arrangement in their world, with a mentor at arm's length and children who idolized the idea of someone who was above the law, and common debasing human urges and laws. If they knew, intellectually, that L was a human compromised of flesh and blood, it was at odds with their emotional reactions to him, with one white-haired exception, of course.

He wants to pull away from this, because what he needs is Watari, or the SQUIP before the catastrophe, someone who could help him maintain the illusion that he himself knew what he needed. Things were simpler, with people like them around; communicating wasn't essential, the shame that came with admitting deficiency discreetly swept up like so many broken bits of glass.

If you would ask me what I need, and believe what I tell you... that is, itself, a problem. Because he's such a child; what he genuinely believes his needs to be are absurd and nonessential. Left to his own devices his health would in fact deteriorate rapidly, a lack of nutritious food and sleeplessness overtaking him and resulting in a spectacular crash, one of which Mello has already witnessed the aftermath of.

He holds Mello's gaze, though it's difficult.]

If you don't think that I should hurt... there are potions.

[Pills].

You could probably help with that.

[Because a substance is easier than speaking frankly, committing to what's mundane and overwhelming. If L can dull his senses and silence the noise that's agitating Mello so much, it really solves both of their problems.]

[onamissile]

[The dead stare L receives in return is enough to weight holes into stone; Mello is offering anything — everything — he has. And his idol wants drugs. Granted, it's the easy route; Mello knows that much. Numb it all, block it out until it doesn't exist. It's why he's on his nth glass of cognac, isn't it?]

[And there's no point in pretending he can't get anything. Playing stupid would only paint him a liar, and what they both need right now is trust. While M doesn't personally indulge in "potions," they're readily available not far from his harbor-side flat, and if this is what L needs — ]

[Doesn't matter that he's potentially being used. Didn't he just offer himself up for just that? A slow, elongated exhale when he drops his hand away from his Bonded, assesses him with glassy eyes.]

You want me to get you high.

[They should call it what it is, yea?]

[Oh, they all fall so far. Don't they.]

Think you're being a bit reckless?

[It's definitely not a no. Only a challenge against L's current way of thinking. He wants to shut down; Mello knows. Is that really for the best?]

[hearthebell]

[L's answering stare is blank and calm; he's in a state of numb acceptance that this is in fact the correct course of action to take under the circumstances. If the machine isn't working, and neither of them know how to fix it, pulling the plug might be the right answer. Maybe that's what peace means, and don't both of them deserve it, if so?]

You asked what I needed, and you asked me to trust you. Is it too much...?

[If any part of Mello is fundamentally balking at the idea, or the risks involved, L wouldn't blame him. He'd also never expect him to admit it.]

[onamissile]

[L has a way of twisting Mello's words and intentions in order to get exactly what he wants, doesn't he? His successor lets out a little huff at the rhetorical question; of course it's not too much. Does he think Mello so incompetent?]

[Pride will do funny things. Like prevent Mello from pressing the subject. L wants drugs so he doesn't have to mourn a lover? Fine. People have done more for less, and Mello drains his glass, pushes the bottle closer to his idol without a word.]

[Then he's slipping on his coat and boots, running his fingers through pale hair before tying it into a tail at his nape. It's grown since arriving here, just an inch or two. Enough for it to be in his face, and he's taken to wearing it pulled back. The swiftness with which he snatches the key from the counter denotes annoyance, but he's got nothing left to say.]

[Actions have always spoken louder than words.]

[When he returns two hours later, he's visibly more off his head than when he left. His connections are slim and not what he would consider trustworthy; it was only natural to test the product before bringing something potentially deadly home to his Bonded. He slips through the door without a word, closing and locking it behind him. L might note that his movements are more languid, relaxed. There's a slight droop to his eyelids that has replaced the glassiness from the cognac; that has worn off to the end of a headache. A throbbing around his temples, and Mello rubs at his forehead before going into his pocket to deliver what L asked.]

You're paying next time.

[Cantankerous thing that he is. The amount and potency he obtained didn't come cheap, and there's no way anyone could sustain a habit like this on a tavern income, even if Mello gets his cash on the side.]

[He withdraws two glass bottles filled with small, pressed powder. Pills in this area come in the form of bringing the loose contents to something of a pharmacist who then pressed them down for him to obtain desired potency per dose. Which was an extra charge.]

The brown ones are derived from Valerian root with other herbal elements; it's essentially the equivalent of a benzodiazepine from home. [He shakes the bottle.] It's much stronger.

[The next bottle he presents: the pills are much smaller, pure yellow in color.] Derived from Poppies. Don't think I need to explain these.

[Mello sets them down, head positively spinning from the combination of the two on top of a day's worth of drinking.] Don't take them together.

[Because right now? He's not feeling so great.]

[hearthebell]

[The last thing Mello will see before departing the apartment is L pouring himself another half glass of cognac. Drinking alone is easier; no one's there to see him wince at the way the alcohol still goes down stinging and bitter no matter how much he's had, or how much he wants oblivion.

When Mello returns, L's sitting cross-legged on the couch, drying his hair with a towel, because apparently, he's taken another shower. He immediately notices that Mello seems off, and it isn't much of a challenge to guess why. It's touching, in a way, that he would offer himself up as a guinea pig to make sure that he wasn't delivering poison into the hands of his mentor.

He listens to the explanation, watches Mello set them down, and moves aside on the couch. He has the distinct feeling that Mello may need to take an abrupt seat, because he isn't feeling great, is he?]

...noted.

[Just how potent are these? He doesn't take his eyes off the younger man.]

If you'll sit down... I have cash in my shoes. I can reimburse you now.

[They're right there by the door. Easy enough to balance this out on at least one scale.]

Sorry for the late pop in!

[sing_for_me]

[ It was one of those days when Alex thought that checking on M might be a good idea. Considering how he was the last time she saw him, a while back as that might have been, it could be hard to tell how he really was with how the young man kept things to himself. At the tavern he worked as usual, sharp and charming to the customers. His interactions with her seemed to go back to normal, or so she hoped. Alex wasn't sure if she the awkward tensions she felt was because of her own consciousness around him now. The things he said and brought up in their last talk shifted things. But that wasn't enough to deter her from being concerned about M.

She can hear a door shutting as she approaches, and she wonders if he might have just gotten home. As she gets to the front of his home, she knocks. ]

M? Are you home?

yaaaaay hiiiiii

[onamissile]

[The knock jolts Mello out of his temporary zone; he's leaning against the kitchen counter, considering the ramifications of L's offer to sit near him. Honestly, all he wants to do right now is vomit up the contents of his stomach. But the pills have already reached his bloodstream, as has the alcohol, and nothing will do him much good. Only time.]

Fuck, [he mutters at the voice. He'd intended for them to meet, but now? Now? When he's off his head and L is in obvious distress, despite his demeanor. When Mello has been drunk for over a day, high as a kite, and he didn't have the time to explain his and Alex's dynamics to L.]

[Whatever, not like he cares. He can refuse to answer the door, but that would break everything. If Alex is to know him, is to see him more than she already has, she's going to see everything. Isn't she?]

[He throws a half-worried glance at L, brings the pills to the loveseat in order to tuck them into the cushions before heading for the door.]

The girl I told you about, [He throws behind him.] you don't have to tell her anything.

[About anything. Period.]

[With that, he makes his way to the door — unsteady on his feet as he is — and flips the lock. His eyes are sunken, his hair is disheveled, and there's a small chance that Alex might just turn around and leave. Not a good look.]

Hey.

[He greets her when he pulls the door open. Stunning as always. Concerned as always.]

I've —

[Speak up, boy.]

— got a roommate for a little while, yea.

[As though he owes anyone an explanation.]

[But.]

Come in.

[He moves aside to allow her entry. Casts a side-long glance at his mentor.]

[hearthebell]

[L's eyes widen. They can improvise and roll with this, of course, if anyone can... but it certainly makes things more difficult, especially considering that both of them have been drinking, and one of them has been indulging in something a lot harder for testing purposes. He pulls his limbs a bit closer, too long for Mello's clothes, making him appear even more out-of-place and awkward.

They look like they've been doing drugs, or at least drinking to damaging excess. The apartment smells like it would go up in flames if someone lit a match in here, at the very least, and though L's come down from being actually drunk, he's heavy, tired, dizzy and dehydrated; his eyes are also sunken, damp hair also disheveled.]

Hi...

[Because if he just remained completely silent, and truly said nothing about anything, it would be so much weirder and more suspicious. Truly, he is happy that Mello's found someone like Alex, and doesn't want to screw it up for his Bonded successor.]

[sing_for_me]

He--

[ The smell of alcohol hits her nose first, catching her by surprise. His haggard appearance is what she notices next, but before she can express any concern about it, the "roommate" gets her attention. A default reaction to strangers, especially men, her weight shifts more towards M, her head lowering slightly. ]

Hello..

[ She gives him a polite nod, taking a moment to observe him. He almost looked like a ghost, with the way he was curled up in the corner like that, pale-skin, large dark eyes that looked like they could swallow you whole. The clothes he was wearing didn't seem to fit him--were those M's? ]

Is..this a bad time?

[ Alex wasn't entirely sure, but almost as thick as the smell of alcohol was an odd sort of tension in the room. ]

[onamissile]

[The logical side of him knew this was inevitable; the prideful lion in him swore he could prevent it at all costs. While it's not something that threatens his way of life, per se, it's something awkward and inconvenient, and the less they speak about personal issues, the better.]

[Hm?]

No, [He reassures Alex. He would've stepped out into the hall, disheveled thing that he is right now. He would have prevented this encounter at any cost. But it's fine. Everything is fine. At least that's what the pills derived from Valerian are telling him. Mello notices the retraction, the way Alex presents herself in the same manner she presented when he arrived at the tavern for the first time. He scrunches his brow, places a hand on her wrist for... something resembling comfort. He doesn't know. It's always a bad time where he and L are concerned; the realization jolts him more than it should.] You're okay. [He reassures her in more ways than one. If anyone were out to do her harm, Mello would stop them in their tracks.]

This is Linden. [The title which follows is strange on his tongue.] My Bonded.

[He nods towards the counter. None of them should be sober right now; he'll make sure of that with the copious stash he's nicked from the tavern.]

This is Alex.

[He offers L a grave look. Don't fuck this up for me, please.]

We work together at the tavern.

[And that? Is all L needs to know for now.]

[hearthebell]

[L regards Alex with equal wariness; either her demeanor is making him uneasy, or it's simply secondhand uneasiness from the way things always are with Mello. He never wanted the two of them in the same room, not so soon, perhaps not ever, and his agitation is absolutely palpable. L seems to be disengaged from the rest of the room to a certain degree, content for the moment to stay curled on that loveseat and turning his scrawny body into a fortress. Though his presence is off-putting at the best of times, at least it can be said that he does not come across as immediately powerful or threatening. He doesn't fail to catch Mello's look; maybe it would be better if he went somewhere else for a bit and allowed them some time to be alone together.

Never mind that his disastrous solitary exploits are what brought him here in the first place. He glances around for his jacket; what happened to the clothes he brought with them and wedged behind the bathroom door? All thrown out for their filth and otherwise sorry state?]

I understand. That's neat...

[It sounds so incredibly stilted and unnatural. Mello's used to it enough that it doesn't faze him but to someone meeting L for the first time, it scarcely ever fails to draw notice.]

It seems like a good time to go buy some donuts... don't donuts sound good right now?

[He can leave them alone. Perhaps he should, though it's debatable how far he'll get seeming as strung-out and wan as he does.]

[sing_for_me]

[ His bonded...? The one he was having such a hard time over? The person he looked up to most?

That has her feeling a little less cautious, along with the man's lack of a threatening aura and the reassurance from M. Now, she was more curious. Admittedly, she was expecting someone with...a little more presence? More intimidating maybe? Considering it was someone M respected. ]

Oh--I brought some food from the bakery but...not doughnuts.. Are eclairs okay?

[ She kind of regretted not getting the doughnuts now. It was a debate between the two, even if they were pretty similar. ]

Have you guys eaten yet..?

[ With the amount of alcohol she's smelling, she had to ask. It didn't look like they had slept much either, but that question would follow. ]

[onamissile]

[That's...neat. Mello casts his mentor a sidelong, half-annoyed glance. Maybe he's trying; maybe he's uncomfortable. The fact that he's attempting to bail for food when Mello just fed him two hours ago is ridiculous, and something in him bristles with pride when Alex offers eclairs.]

[Of course eclairs are okay. Spectacular, in fact.]

[Doesn't matter that Mello's vision is spinning so hard that it's taking everything he has to focus on the conversation at hand. He's leaning on the edge of the door — heavily — and if L thinks he's leaving, well.]

[Well.]

Eclairs are better; thank you.

[He ushers Alex in so he can close and lock the door behind him. Threats or no, Mello's always going to keep his personal living space on lockdown.]

Linden. [Oh, how he hates that false name. Despite existing purely on false names his entire life.] You don't need to leave; I was planning on introducing the two of you. [Something of a lopsided grin. Mello is gone, and it's visible.]

I'm sure Alex is fine. Stick around.

[Alex is fine because Mello says so; nothing bad will happen here. The company he's keeping nearly guarantees it.]

[hearthebell]

[This is an act. L knows and senses that Mello is not himself, whether it's due to the drugs and alcohol or some demanding need to put on an acceptable front for his girlfriend. Regardless, L will try to play along, and very likely fail, because he is so terrible at putting others at ease. Reliably.

Mello really should have let him leave; he'll be thinking this a lot in the coming minutes or hours, he's sure.]

If you're certain...

[There's still something haunted and wary about the way he looks at her, and in fact the way he looks at Mello.]

I'm fond of eclairs.

[His tone is cheerful enough, but there's no variance in his frozen expression, the one that says he is still second-guessing the wisdom of all of this.]

[sing_for_me]

[ Her eyes stay on M as she enters the home, taking note of his unsteady posture. M always carried himself with certainty, his gait full of confidence and his head high. This, this was not typical of him. Had he had too much to drink? Had he taken something...or both?

If she asks him how he is, he's going to lie, put up a front. It kind of felt like Linden was doing the same. She may not know him well, but the awkwardness in the room seemed to ramp up little by little. ]

Why don't you sit down, M? So we can eat?

[ She doesn't step too far ahead of him, in case he needs any help getting to his seat. ]

I can make some coffee if you guys want?

[onamissile]

[It might seem strange: the way Mello immediately shuts and locks the door, double-checks their security. Habit; nothing to cause alarm. So. They're doing this. They're sitting and eating, though all Mello has to offer in the way of space is a counter with no stools and a loveseat fit for two.]

I don't need to sit.

[He absolutely needs to sit. Especially with the way his steps don't quite line up on the way to the kitchen. It's a very short walk, thankfully. He'll take the nurturing, because God knows L is incapable of it.]

[More coffee sounds good, though Mello stomach rebels against the idea. He needs something to kick him out of this high. As a matter of fact — ]

Make yourself comfortable; coffee would be nice.

[Nice. More like necessary.]

I'll be right back.

[God knows when. He offers no additional explanation as he beelines for the restroom; there's no way he can go on with the world spinning around him. If there's anything ready to go in his stomach, Mello fully intends on getting rid of it. Less than twenty seconds, and he's got the bathroom door closed behind him, both the sink and shower running at full strength while he lifts the lid of the toilet and falls to his knees in front of it.]

[He's determined to be quiet. Again: not a good look]

[hearthebell]

[L could insist on as much, that Mello must sit, just by merit of their Bond alone. Even if it isn't the strongest, hinging firmly on well-greased empathy, he can feel the sudden jolt of nausea, the draw and pull toward loosing all of it on an unsuspecting but capable commode. He stands almost immediately after Mello suggests that they make themselves comfortable, starting after him when he bolts for the bathroom... only to crouch down mid-step, looking slightly green, when Mello starts the taps to mask the sound of his retching.]

Maybe, you should...

[He sounds like he's trying to avoid his own stomach revolting.]

Would it be better, if you went and checked on him? Aren't you his...

[He doesn't know how to suggest that he believes they might have seen each other naked, even engaged in intercourse. He does know that there's a sense of intimacy between them that he couldn't hope to approach.]

[sing_for_me]

M? [ Oh, oh no. That was a recognizable pace towards the restroom.

Alex takes a step, reaching out to go after M, but from the corner of her eye she sees Linden get up, only to stop and look like he's about to fall over himself. She shifts to head towards him, holding her hands out just in case he needs to be caught, but making sure not to touch him. It was a conscious decision, for both of their consideration. ]

I think..I think you should sit too..I'll go check on him in a little.

[ Though she's not sure what he was about to finish his sentence with, she focuses on figuring out how to tend to these two. Scratch the coffee for now, they needed water. If Linden is cooperative and sits back down, she'll head over to the kitchen to pour out two glasses of water, bringing one to him first. ]

Are you okay..? I'm going to bring this over to M.

[onamissile]

[The toilet seat is cool and comforting against his forehead; Mello isn't in the proper state of mind which would inform him that this is, in fact, disgusting. Emptying out his stomach is near-impossible, it's been too long. He's shoving his fingers down his throat, his stomach is tight and acidic, and nothing is coming up.]

[Fuck. This is why he doesn't get high. He's seen Matt go through this so many times.]

[Another go: this one yields a bit more, and his head is grateful for it. Still, his skin is hot, his stomach is in knots, and he would very much like to lie down on the restroom floor for the coolness it offers. Nap a little, though he knows that acute asphyxiation is a viable risk in his case.]

[Alex is here. L is out there with her. Fuck.]

[With the pace of an injured slug, he peels himself from the toilet bowl, staggers over to the door. When he opens it, it's merely a crack. His voice sounds low and interrupted over the flowing water.]

I'm fine.

[As though anyone asked.]

Gonna have a shower; you two eat. [A deep, deep breath. There's no easy way out of this. Goddamn pills last for hours.] I'll only be a minute or so.

[He's going to die. Here, in a restroom. On the floor like some junkie, and he has no one to blame but himself.]

[hearthebell]

[As L sits on the floor with his legs beneath him, listening to the sounds beneath running water, he finds it difficult to remain stationary and placid. Maybe there's a sense that some of this is his fault, because Mello tested his drugs; it could also be that pure and simple, he's concerned about what remains of his legacy. Either way, he's planting a foot beneath him and trying to stand, because he can hear the retching and the shower, and of anyone, doesn't he belong there?]

...He's not fine.

[This should be rather obvious, he thinks.]

One of us should shower with him. At the very least....

[Let it be her.]

[sing_for_me]

Neither are you!

[ She's looking back and forth between the bathroom door and where L is slumped over on the floor. How is she supposed to make sure both of them are alright?

And Linden meant shower him, not shower with him, right?

Not wanting to lose any time in case M slips and cracks his head in the bathroom or something, she says a quick apology before taking Linden's arm as he tries to stand and slips it over her shoulder for support.

They were both going in.

She pushes the bathroom door open, looking around for M. ]

M? We're coming in--

[onamissile]

[What?]

[Mello's eyes immediately shoot open in panic. His clothes are lying in a heap near the tub; he's leaning against the shower wall with ice-cold water running over him. Shocking and uncomfortable; he was hoping it would knock him out of his state. It's helping — a bit — but the announcement freezes him even more than the icy temperature of his shower.]

I'm fine — [He insists, though it's far from true. Mello is not fine, but this isn't anything he hasn't seen before. Besides, he only took one of each pill; the chances of overdose are non-existent. He closes his eyes, lets the cold water run over his head, his back. The door is open. His Bonded and his Intended are witnessing something neither of them should see, and if he were in his right mind, M would demand they both leave the restroom. Immediately.]

[But he's not in his right mind, and both of these people hold a place in his realm of comfort in one way or another.]

[Exhale. His hand is pressed so hard against the shower wall; it's the only thing holding him up.]

Been worse off, yea. [A complete lie.]

[It isn't nudity which makes him ashamed — never that — but the weakness which comes with being in this... position.]

Why are you both in here.

[Deadpanned. His eyes are closed. His legs are jelly. Mixing those pills, let alone with alcohol, was probably an extremely bad idea.]

[hearthebell]

[L is shockingly insubstantial, not much effort to support at all for a monster or a human. He shuffles along beside Alex, brain grinding through its paces, determining that Mello is unlikely to receive their intrusion well separately, let alone together.

He's right; he usually is, where these matters are concerned, even without what leaks through the Bond's osmosis to inform him on a somewhat more intimate and doubtless level. Mello's not well, and he steps forward to check the temperature of the water, for the second time today. Contrary to his previous claim, there is in fact hot water left after his own showers, and he carefully adjusts the taps to lessen the icy shock currently pelting his successor.]

You're not well; it'd be unwise to leave you alone right now.

[From a more selfish perspective, it sure gives L something to focus on that aren't his own depression and demons. He'll take it, is actually grateful for it.]

[sing_for_me]

[ Alex moves when L does, worried about letting him walk on his own just yet. M seems to have a similar issue, judging from the way he’s using the wall for support. She looks him over, not to be rude, and she notes the slight tremble of his legs. ]

M...you really should sit down..

[ She holds her free hand out to him, for support, if he was willing to take it. ]

[onamissile]

[Mello has never had anyone, let alone two people, show such concern for him. His initial reaction is a frown: he's offended to the nth degree. Doesn't understand why it was necessary for one of them to come in here, let alone both. So he's sick. So he needs a shower. This doesn't require assistance.]

[And, well. Alex has never seen him so vulnerable. It throws his pride off-kilter; doesn't matter that she's older. Mello is a fucking warrior; he doesn't require assistance. But "I'm fine' has already been thrown out there, and neither of them are listening.]

[So he'll play the game. Just to get this over with.]

I told you that I was fine.

[Bitter. Still, he takes her hand. It's comforting, honestly. Sinks down to sit beneath the shower's cold assault, and it's so nice, knocking him out of an overheated, nauseous state. Even as he accepts her offer, he looks to L. L doesn't need to see this. Mello is supposed to be taking care of him.]

[One knee, then the other. Slips his legs out to sit. He'll have an excuse for this later, he's sure. There's nothing solid left in his stomach to vomit; M will just get through this situation as it comes. No one here means him any harm.]

L.

[Linden. Fuck. His mind isn't where it should be, right now. All the same, it can just be a nickname for the false name L has taken on, here.]

You know I'm okay; you have the medical education.

[Or at least he assumes L does. He looks at his mentor with pleading eyes as the freezing water pelts his bare flesh.]

Tell her I'm not in danger; she worries.

[Yes, he realizes that he's speaking about Alex as though she isn't even there.]