badfic_manor | 40th Blast || Mello || [In Person]

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40th Blast || Mello || [In Person]

[Another city, another church. Mello is in St. Patrick's Cathedral, one of the cities oldest and largest Catholic churches. On first entering the church you won't see him, he's in the confessional. No one can hear his hushed voice, not even the faceless Priest who is meant to can. But Mello isn't really concerned about that right now.]

Bless me father for I have sinned, it has been five months since my last--

Who am I kidding? Father, I know you're not really a priest, you're not even really a human being. You're not even actually listening to this, I don't think you can. But it doesn't matter because I know who is listening, even if He has to look in over the Author's shoulder to do it. So don't bother with any phony words or the pieces of prayers you saw in The Exorcist or whatever. I don't need to hear it. I don't need to know what the Author or her puppets think. I just want to be heard.

[He sighs and pauses. The pause extends into seconds, then minutes, nearly three have passed before he speaks]

I should have died once already.

[A scoff]

There are a dozen times I can think of off the top of my head, but, I'm talking about...

[Another pause while Mello runs his fingers over the scar on the left side of his face, the bare tips feeling the jagged flesh of his cheek but his cheek feeling nothing.]

That explosive should have killed me, it should have killed everyone in that building. I built the thing, I know how it should have gone. I was standing well within the blast radius, there was absolutely no way I should have survived. But I did. I wasn't even hurt that badly, sure it messed up my pretty face

[he says this with a voice laced with irony]

but I made it without even going to a hospital. I knew then that there was a reason I survived. I understood what He wanted from me. If I lived it was because I had some role to fill, some job to do. I had a reason to be alive. And I thought I knew what that reason was. I was supposed to kill Kira. I was supposed to topple the false god. I was supposed to restore justice. And even when...even when I thought I'd lost everything there was still that promise. Kira would topple, Kira would die, justice and balance would be restored.

I thought I understood it, I thought I knew what He wanted from me. But now...I'm not so sure anymore. I've been able to ignore it for a while, the whole idea that I'm here in this chick's dream world without any rules or really anything to hold on to. But then B showed up...and now Kira. Kira is here! But there's nothing I can do. If I kill him here he'll come back and even if he dies the most horrible death I can concoct he'll still come back and Yagami'll probably think he's on par with the Almighty for it.

I can't stand seeing him, father. It makes my blood boil, but what the Hell am I supposed to do?! There's no escape, there's no reprise, there's no finality, there's not even a way to disrupt the status qua! I'm just...I'm at a loss. I don't know what to do and I'm out of ideas.

God, please, what do I do? I know I'm probably the last guy on your list right now but I just...I need...help.

[Then as if he hears someone outside Mello curses softly, and squeezes out of the Confessional. He sneaks back into the central nave. He peers around, searching for who came in and if they heard him.]

((OOC: Odds are no one heard his confession but feel free to bump into him in the church or nearby))

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[Being called a kid by anyone often made Tom irritated. This time was no different, church or not.]

I have a name. Use it. Don't call me kid.

[Mello snickers, mostly because he can understand that sentiment]

You said it was Tom, right?

Right. It's Tom.

[His smirk returns and nods. He got that he didn't mean it maliciously, maybe it was force of habit.]

You a cop?

[There's a firm nod.]

Yeah. I'm a cop. Chicago jurisdiction Jumpstreet program. It doesn't matter all that much anyway.

Yes it does. If you're a cop you are always a cop. You're a defender of the innocent and weak. You're a tool of justice. That doesn't change just because the Author took your badge away. You're needed more here than anywhere else you've ever been.

That's not what I meant. I was referring to the secrecy of the program I was under. The badge will always be mine no matter where I go. I wanna get that straight right now and you're right.

Yeah, sure this place gave me a mental wedgie and if you're telling me that I'm needed here then I'm staying. Simple as that. I'm tired of lurking in high schools doing bathroom busts anyway.

Sometimes secrets should be kept.

[He's thinking about Wammy's House, and his most closely guarded secret the name Mihael Keehl]

[He smiles a little]

Good. I like your attitude.

Depends on the secret and the usefulness it has for someone else. I doubt that I'll see anyone here from my world that I've busted.

[He turns to fully face Mello.]

What's you're angle anyway?

Nothing's wrong with being careful.

[Or insanely paranoid]

I knew I liked you.

[Down to business, "what's your angle?"]

I'm a detective.

[Bites off a piece of chocolate]

[Tom gives Mello a quick glance up as he flips open his notepad and reads off some of the infractions that he's being investigated on.]

Just so you know, even you are not above suspicion. Your own record isn't entirely spotless and for a detective, it seems like you abused your authority...or maybe liked it a little too much. If I were you, I would be careful.

Soma hasn't pressed charges against you and considering that there's a very good chance that the laws are way different here than back home, I'm not sure what to do about this.

[He flips the book closed and sighs.]

So where do I fit in and how many detectives are running around this place? If I'm the only badged cop, the odds don't exactly look good in my favor as far as balance is concerned.

[He's smirking like the bastard he is.]

You do what you have to, and I like that you're not a push over. You feel like you have to haul my ass in, you're welcome to try it.

[Mello shrugs]

Big picture? Not sure how you fit in yet. Not sure how any of us fit in, really. But for now, you've got a job. Justice: serve it, protect it.

((OOC: I...don't think Mello's met Soma. Unless I'm forgetting one of Mello's many assaults.))

Sure, thanks. I'll keep that in mind around Christmas time.

[He flips the notebook closed and gives Mello a look-over before taking any action.]

Okay. I'll ask you this: Do you remember firing at a snowman while using the words, "Shut the fuck up" in a harsh tone? Despite that it was an inanimate object you fired at, the fact remains that you were armed and the intent was for intimidation which could have led to escalation of an avoidable conflict.

Do you remember this incident?

((OOC: Canon shift week plays funny things on a person's head and Tom's about to receive one weird wake-up call.))

((OOC: Oh! Right! Thanks for the reminder! orz))

Yeah, I do. I was also sixteen and a complete brat.

[understatement]

It didn't go anywhere, did it? I haven't talked to that guy since.

[Nor does he want to. White haired people always do that to him]

((OOC: No problem.))

[His brow raises and gives a rather incredulous look toward Mello.]

That was last week. No It didn't go anywhere because I just showed up and some guy was bitching on the network that he was shot at.

[He flips the book down on one of the pews and chuckles sardonically.]

And that's supposed to make it okay that you don't talk to the guy anymore and that I'm supposed to believe that you're clean on this matter. I don't know man. I know about the whole "we've been turned into stupid kids" week but I don't get something. Did you even try to apologize now that you're back to yourself?

Clearly you don't know me. Apologies aren't my strong suit. I haven't acted on anything, he hasn't either, nobody's whining, nobody got hurt. It would be one thing if I attacked the fucker, a public noise complaint's something I think you should let go.

[Nope, he wasn't going to let it go. The cop turned from a cordial man to hard definer of justice quickly.]

That's not the point. I don't have to know you to understand that you fired a gun at someone unarmed without any real provocation other than just noise. So what if he was shouting. There were better ways to handle it other than shooting off a weapon to prove that you're the bigger pisser. That's bullshit and you know it.

[His expression softens somewhat but not out of concern, more out of pity. He's not writing out any citation for it considering that he had really no leg to stand on in this matter.]

You know what, if that's how you deal justice, I want nothing to do with you. It's that self centered, arrogant attitude that's going to get the best of you.

And another thing. You don't know me either.

[He turns and walks away.]

[Dammit, now he feels guilty]

Tom! Hang on.

[He sighs]

I'll apologize. I'm being a bitch because that week is something I'd rather forget.

[No. He's being a bitch because he's Mello. And no, he doesn't think he should have to apologize the beautiful hypocrite that he is, but he wants all the cops he can on his side. No need to split the goodies into groups.]

[He stops and turns to face Mello and nods. Even he hated being separated from his team and now that he's got to find his own way here, it was better to make allies than splitting people apart. He nods and accepts Mello's offer and holds out his hand.]

Okay. I don't think that week was good for anyone. Listen, I'm sorry I blew up back there. I'm frustrated too. So let's call it a truce and move on. I'm not going to press this matter any further. It's done and over with and according to you, that supposedly happened years ago but in reality last week was a big mind fuck.

Do it this once and the whole thing'll be forgotten.

[Mello accepts it and shakes Tom's hand in his leather gloved one. He nods at the offer of a truce]

The kid I was back then is someone I'd rather forget about.

[Not that he can, more someone he won't talk about but digs at his mind constantly.]

You know where he is now? Soma, I mean.

No, I don't. If I see him, I'll let him know you're looking for him. Hey, I know what it's like to want to forget something from the past. I've been trying to do that since I was sixteen.

[He pats Mello on the arm and nods.]

If you want, I can deliver the apology and maybe he'll accept it from me. It's up to you.

[Sounds good, it's one less retarded thing Mello has to do. He doesn't think he needs to apologize to Soma, he thinks this is BS, but Mello is very good at bullshitting. The more allies the better.]

Sure, thanks.

[He gave a quick, uneasy grin that something wasn't up to par but Tom gave his word that he'll do it even if the other party doesn't exactly mean it or that the other would accept it. Diplomacy was something that he learned early on.]

Yeah.

[He taps the brim of his cover to the bend of his thumb and turns to walk away. He hated being played and that's how he feels at this moment.]

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