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

[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.]

[hearthebell]

[There's some kind of impasse, here, and possibly not the one that Mello is primarily concerned with. Just being perceived as "not OK" would be humiliating, but this is a situation where, to Alex's knowledge at least, drugs and alcohol could be to blame, or something far more serious. Given the budding relationship between the two of them, her concern is extremely justified, and assuaging it would mean coming clean about the pills and opening a new can of worms.

Which is worse? She already knows about the alcohol, and so telling about the pills wouldn't be such a stretch in theory... but at the same time, that would open up an entirely new can of worms. Serious drug use is less of an explanation and more of an alarm bell.

He pinches the bridge of his nose, self-soothing because no one else is going to put his mind at ease in these harried moments.]

He's not in danger. He overindulged.

[L should have been the one to test those pills, whatever the effect. The fact that Mello actually did seems practically predatory, and even though Alex basically dragged him in here, he recognizes after the fact that it's probably appropriate that he is here. Considering.]

If you want to stay where you are, just now, it's alright, but we're not going.

[There's a lot about those pills they don't know, after all.]

It would go a long way toward assuaging worry.

[sing_for_me]

[ The touch of his wet hand brings out the black scales on her own. She helps lower him down, only letting go once he’s situated.

Fine? Bullshit. But M was proud, she knew that. He’d probably rather pass out and crack his head open than admit to needing assistance. That part of him frustrated her.

She hears Linden’s explanation. She knows the translation. Alex knew drunks, she lived and cared for one for years. This was more than that. ]

What else did you take?

[ Her voice was a little firmer, backing up Linden’s statement of not leaving M alone. ]

[onamissile]

[The look he throws L is enough to set buildings aflame; he knows Mello will be fine, because Mello's always been fine. He was fine when L up and fucking died, when he took off on his own, when he entered an underworld that was way over his head, when he integrated, when he survived and became something of an issue, himself.]

[This? Is trivial.]

[He presses his forehead against his knees shortly thereafter, exhaling a long, slow, breath.]

If the two of you want to stare at me naked in the tub, you could've asked before now, [he mumbles into one knee; he doesn't have the mental fortitude to keep debating the seriousness of this with either of them.]

[And Alex, oh. Curious, intuitive thing; Mello will lie to her over time — has probably lied to her in the past — but right now, what's the point? The girl's not stupid. Unfortunately. He peels his head up just long enough to look her in the eye, and she'll find his barely focused. Dull.]

Something to help me sleep. [An understatement.] Something for pain.

[He's not revealing the why of it; let her think he made the decision to get high. No one needs to know any more about L than they already do.]

[hearthebell]

[Daggers and armageddon sear through the tepid water; Mello can glare when he has a mind, and even L isn't immune to just how fearsome the effect is. His peripheral vision catches a glimpse of Alex's black scales, and she's canny, reading between the lines in a way even L didn't anticipate.

Most people would assume that he'd meant alcohol when he'd used the word "overindulged." Alex's soft, simple intonation is infused with her life experience, the things she's witnessed, the unpalatable truths that run beneath the rot.

It's rot that L put there, he's inclined to think. Mello should have just passed the pills off to him, but no; someone caring for his wellbeing has resulted in them getting hurt. Why did he let Mello as close as he did? Even now Mello's trying to protect him, losing face in front of a girl he's interested in, and L sighs. This is exhausting and painful.]

They were intended for me. He tried them to make sure they were safe.

[It's sounds dull and flat, but honest. Not screwing this up for Mello probably means not allowing his girlfriend to think that he's some reckless junkie who wants a shortcut to oblivion.]

[sing_for_me]

[ Alex chooses to ignore M's comment for now, not really the time to be flustered nor was it anything she wasn't used to. Her concern is with what he said about sleep and pain, and before she can ask him about it more, Linden gives a different explanation.

She turns to him this time, a little surprised by what he said. It sounded like those stories of people who would taste test the food of kings to make sure there wasn't poison in them. Was this really the level of reverence M had for Linden? He was willing to do something so risky, then even try to frame it like it was some brash mistake?

But really, how could she fault something that came out of caring for someone else? ]

Probably not with alcohol...

[ Though she suspects they know that. Sometimes knowing doesn't really stop one from doing certain things. ]

You should go lie down after this. Both of you.

[ She won't rub it in this time, their reasons for doing so not being something she feels she had a right to tread upon. But that didn't mean she was going to leave them to their own devices. ]

Is the water helping?

[onamissile]

[Really, Mello would prefer to shower and vomit alone; this level of attention isn't the type he would seek out under any circumstances. L is watching him being doted on by a female; Alex is seeing him at his weakest. Neither of these things are going to do much for his image, are they?]

[So he'll take control, because that's what he does. Even in his most fickle moments, Mello takes pride in bending situations to his liking. He's silent as he seals the plug, switches the water over from a rainshower to a steady stream to fill the bath. He'd prefer to be in here, because, well.]

It's helping, yea.

[Whether L wants to stick around for this or not is entirely up to him. Sometimes, Mello is spiteful. Now is one of them.]

I'll lie down when I'm ready. [He cranes his neck a bit.] Linden, don't ever do that again. If I wanted her to know what they were for, I would have told her.

[Ass.]

[When he looks back at Alex, his eyes soften.] You like the water.

[Of course she does.]

Come in?

[hearthebell]

[A rare blink interrupts L's pale features at Mello's words. Otherwise, he's guarded, their Bond closed and blunted by the imbalance of power and how it got that way. People who are allies cover for each other when they're trying to save face; it had been L's aim, but it had backfired, and while he may have been in the wrong, he believes it all hinged on Mello underestimating Alex's ability to sniff out the truth. Confronted by two children with chocolate on their faces claiming that the cookie jar emptied itself, he's rescued Mello from insulting her intelligence further, hasn't he?]

She'd have found out.

[He says so quietly, almost carelessly, as he turns to go collect his pills. Before he does, though, he glances back and pointedly addresses Alex.]

Will you be alright, alone?

[sing_for_me]

[ There was something in the way that M spoke to Linden that didn't sit right to her, especially when he could speak so nicely to her. All Linden did was explain things to her. ]

And you didn't want to tell me. So someone had to.

[ Her brow furrows, starting to feel a little frustrated. Especially when he offers a seat in the tub. A body of water like that was like putting alcohol in front of an addict--- But she shakes her head, fighting off the urge to jump in. ]

Neither of you should be alone right now.

[ She stands to open the door, giving her a good view of the living room. ]

Linden, stay on the couch for now. When M is done, we'll get you both to a room.
.

[onamissile]

[The way Mello's eyes narrow is both directed at his Bond and Alex. He's been on his own since he can remember; he can handle himself. Right now, he's sitting in a tub surrounded by his Bond and the girl he fancies, and.]

[It's preferable. Even through the awkward exchanges, this is. Nice. He slips a wet hand up Alex's arm without permission, sets his eyes on his mentor.]

This could go much more smoothly than it is, you know.

[He suggests it with a wolfish grin. Despite his life experience, Mello is still not even twenty, and his mind tends to wander to places they shouldn't when he doesn't have a direct enemy distracting his train of thought.]

Linden.

[He tips his head.]

You don't need to leave us alone.

[Besides, who knows how many pills L will take, given the circumstances.]

And you, [He addresses Alex with soft eyes. Quite a difference from his and L's interactions. A knee splashes in the water; he runs a thumb over her skin idly.]

You don't need to take care of me. I don't want that from you. You understand, yea?