24th Blast || Mello || [In Person]

[worldsrunnerup.livejournal.com]

[Bundled up Mello is making his way through the snow. To anyone looking out their window he appears as just a black dot making its way through the blizzard. (Mello's entire winter wonderland wardrobe is as black as everything else he wears.) If you happen to be crazy and are actually outside you may hear Mello's voice above the wind.]

MAAAAAAaaaaaaaaAAAAAATT!! MATT!! WHERE THE FUCK ARE YOU?!

[Mello lets out a muttered "fuck" under his breath, more of a breath of air than anything else.]

Comments

[ginsengismyfave.livejournal.com]

[Making his way across the winter wasteland is Iroh, bundled up in a long fur-lined cloak. An orb of fire danced around one bare hand, providing some semblance of light and warmth.

Then he heard something. Someone shouting.]

Hello? Hello? Is someone there?

[worldsrunnerup.livejournal.com]

[Oh great, he's hallucinating too. But that's Iroh.... Mello decides then and there that it's safe to assume everything that seems like a hallucination is probably reality in this place. Freakin' Author. He pulls his hands out of his coat pockets to wave a mittened greeting]

Yeah, it's Mello!

[ginsengismyfave.livejournal.com]

[The figure in the distance waves, then shouts. Mello. Iroh whips the fire through the air as a signal as he pulls his cloak closer to him and walks towards the figure.]

[worldsrunnerup.livejournal.com]

[Mello follows the light with his eyes and then begins to walk towards the beacon]

[ginsengismyfave.livejournal.com]

[Iroh keeps his eye on the black-clad figure in the distance, slogging his way through the knee-deep snow.

He finally reaches Mello. The fire in Iroh's hands casts a golden glow over the snow.]

You look well. Considering...

[worldsrunnerup.livejournal.com]

[Mello shrugs and gives a crooked smile]

I'm German, cold weather is in my blood.

[Although he's spent a total of five years in Germany...]

Not this cold, but you know.

[He does add that, because it doesn't usually get -this- cold even in the Ukraine except for in mid January, usually at night.]

[ginsengismyfave.livejournal.com]

[Iroh chuckles, despite himself.]

It never gets this cold in the Fire Nation. Though I've spent enough time at the poles and on the oceans in winter. Still haven't gotten used to the cold.

[He clutches his cloak more tightly to himself and exhales. The fire in his hand expands with his breathing.]

I think we need to find our way back to the safe house. Assuming it's still around...

[worldsrunnerup.livejournal.com]

Then you must have been in cold like this before.

[And colder.]

[He nods at Iroh's suggestion]

I'm sure it is, we just have to find it.

[Mello's very curious about Iroh's firebending. That breath he just took reminds Mello a bit of meditation.]

[ginsengismyfave.livejournal.com]

Something like this, but these old bones don't take well to cold anymore.

[He squints through the raging storm.]

Any ideas where it might be? I woke up in the middle of a field somewhere, and the snow makes everything look so similar.

[gamer-anon.livejournal.com]

[Matt happens to be crazy and outside.

Then again, Matt thinks he's crazy -because- he's outside.

He follows the sound of Mello's voice, steadily getting closer but not calling out until he can actually see him.]

Christ, you're like someone calling your dog.

[He smiles a little though.]

I'm over here.

[worldsrunnerup.livejournal.com]

[It's harder for Mello to see Matt than Matt to see Mello as the redhead's goggles are keeping the snow out of his eyes. Mello's face lights up, although he's trying to keep up his usual act. But he does run a bit quicker than he usually would to Matt's side]

Christ! When I woke up--

[But Matt knows because it happened to him too, when they woke up they'd been moved somehow, scattered in the storm by the Author. So he too woke up alone, cold, and confused. Although probably not quite as anxious as the high strung blond]

Where'd you come to?

[gamer-anon.livejournal.com]

[Matt chuckles under his breath, breath that comes out like smoke despite the lack of cigarette between his lips. Mello looks like a kid running through the snow.]

Some random shitty apartment. Reminded me of the one I grew up in.

[He pulls something out of his pocket -- a can.]

Had more in the cupboard though. Like beets?

[worldsrunnerup.livejournal.com]

[Which is probably a blast from the past. Mello always loved snow, but he hasn't really spent much time enjoying it since they were kids. As an adult Mello spent most of his time either walking briskly through it, every so often chancing a peaceful glance up before glaring at the ground again or watching it fondly out the window.]

[Mello raises his pale eyebrows and glances down at the can. His face twists in disgust]

You know the answer to that.

[Hell. No.]

[gamer-anon.livejournal.com]

[Matt actually likes the snow. Okay, he doesn't like blizzards with sub-zero temperatures, but he's a cold climate type of guy. Give him snow over a sandy, sunny beach anyday.

He shrugs and throws the can as far as his arm will sail it.]

Have you found L yet?

[He frowns with the question. That guy's been a bit of a basket case lately.]

[worldsrunnerup.livejournal.com]

[Mello shook his head, the look on his face is bitter as if he has personally caused L's breakdown, as if he let his mentor down.]

I haven't seen him.

[gamer-anon.livejournal.com]

[For some reason, that doesn't surprise him. Matt trudges through the snow for a few feet.]

Not frostbitten yet, if you wanna look for him.

[He does too, actually.]

[worldsrunnerup.livejournal.com]

[Mello nods]

Yeah, let's go.

[He gives Matt a pat on the shoulder]

Thanks.

[And his hand slips downwards into Matt's who had better not say a damn word about them walking through the snow holding hands.]

[b-isforbetter.livejournal.com]

[Mello, your idol is in need of help. He's sitting in the door of a building, bundled up in a decidedly awkward getup of purple snowpants, huge hiking boots, a furry brown jacket that engulfs his thin form until his head is barely visible, and on top of his spiky hair, a black Russian military hat. What can be seen of his face is no paler than usual, but something in the visible bit of his eyes looks dead. He doesn't speak, but looks balefully at Mello where he sits.]

[worldsrunnerup.livejournal.com]

[Oh thank God, Mello lets out a visible sigh of relief. He feels suddenly lighter. He's still worried about Matt, obviously, but one down. He steps carefully into the doorway]

Let's go to the safe house, it'll be warm there.

[When he gets no response, he ducks down to "L's" level reaching out a hand for him to take for support. Someone as skinny as L must...

And then Mello realizes it. He recoils for a second, the transformation is even better than he imagined it. Even better than anyone had ever described it. B really did become L. Everything, everything was aped so perfectly, every hair, every feature, every single detail. B buried himself underneath the persona so completely it was hard to see the original man underneath all the layers but Mello knew him. They grew up side by side and although they'd never been more than rivals something stirs in Mello.]

Holy Christ, B

[It was truly terrifying]

[b-isforbetter.livejournal.com]

[B... doesn't answer. B hasn't heard Mello's words; B doesn't even breathe. B is looking at something above Mello's head. Something... beautiful. Something he could not have imagined before now. He does not show his amazement; his face is as emotionless as a doll's. But his heart is pounding, pounding out the seconds, only five minutes to go, where Mihael Keehl is from... He slowly breathes out a cloud of steam.]

Hello, Mihael Keehl.

[worldsrunnerup.livejournal.com]

[The shock and sympathy on Mello's face and in his voice die quickly. The wind replaces the sound of his beating heart in his ears. And his face hardens immensely when he hears his own name. Suddenly he's reminded of all those years ago when B cornered him in the hall, trying to terrify him out of the running. B is a murderer, B is a madman, and although Mello has a substantial amount of sympathy for B he has almost as much hatred towards him]

You're accent always was terrible.

[b-isforbetter.livejournal.com]

[B's eyes slowly shift to Mello's face, shining in excitement through the grey contacts.]

Mihael Keehl, you do not scare me. You have already failed to become L. Do you know that you are about to die?

[worldsrunnerup.livejournal.com]

Is that what it says above my head? How long have I got left, B?

[Mello seems unfazed by all this. He's hiding the sting that he suffers hearing B point out his failure. Something about this is so painful, so -sad- two losers, two FAILURES meeting and acknowledging one another's fall. And B was relishing it so. That realization brought a new wave of pity, which Mello forced down]

[b-isforbetter.livejournal.com]

[B's brow creases in the most delicate of frowns. The makeup on his face is applied partially to mask any rouge emotions he might show, just as L's face naturally stays emotionless.]

You have five minutes and thirteen seconds, Mihael Keehl. Why do you believe me?

[worldsrunnerup.livejournal.com]

[Now Mello had to wonder, was B seeing his time in their world or was he about to freeze to death? Well, he'd find out in five minutes and thirteen seconds, wouldn't he?]

Because I know more about your eyes than you do.