Test Drive Meme: The Overflow

[arielmods]

PLEASE CONTINUE YOUR THREADS OVER AT THE LATEST OVERFLOW POST, THANK YOU.

CITY OF ARIEL: THE TEST DRIVE THE OVERFLOW Since the last post is fast approaching 3k comments and getting laggy for some of our players, we have decided to go ahead and stick up the overflow post. Please continue your threads or start new ones here if you'd like. To make this easier on those continuing threads from the last meme, here's a handy form: <small>(<a href="THREAD URL HERE">Continued from here.</a>) between <user name="CHARACTER 1"> & <user name="CHARACTER 2"></small> Response here! Please remember to let your thread partners know you've bumped your threads over here as well! We started the meme early to give you plenty of room to do just that. ◆◆◆◆ With the City of Ariel grand opening only a month away, we are holding our first ever test drive meme. Tag in and see how your character would settle in the game. You're a fresh face in the city, newly processed, and arriving at a bustling time. The city is expanding and you are greeted first in the re-education center by your helpful counselors and then directed out of the building to a large festival. Be puzzled, make friends, have sex, or whatever you want! There are no restrictions on thread types played out here. Your first awareness that something has gone wrong comes during a groggy moment of semi-lucidity when you look around yourself and find that -- instead of wherever you remember being last -- you're in a chair, in a room with a man you don't recognize. He's sitting behind a desk whistling to himself and sorting paperwork. The whole atmosphere might remind you of a high school guidance counselor's office, only with far more comfortable chairs. When your head clears enough to speak and you ask him where you are, he smiles brightly and says, "Welcome to the City of Ariel." You were brought to Ariel during a very special time! There's a large festival going on celebrating the new expansions to the city and everything is decked out for it. Everything is bustling and vibrant in the city today because of the celebrations. There are decorations up, food vendors set up all along the streets, kissing booths, games, and just about anything else you can imagine an event like this would have! The people of Ariel are out and about as well, some are in vibrant costumes and others are just checking out the sights. Some of the more exhibitionist types are even having a little more fun out in public than you may be used to seeing back home. As soon as the grogginess from your arrival passes, you are allowed to leave the re-education center and see it all for yourself. Upon exiting, you are even handed beads of various colors, several of each so you don't worry about running out. Each color has a special meaning listed below: pink - toys blue - oral yellow - watersports green - age play lavender - crossdressing orange - multiples grey - bondage white - hands (mutual masturbation, fingering, handjob) red - blood black - wildcard These are to aid you in making a connection with others. Show your interest in others and tell them exactly what you would like to do with them by sharing the beads. If you would rather take a different approach, feel free to walk around the festival and see what (or who) catches your eye. The point is to relax and get settled in your new home.
TAG IN - Post your character's name, canon, and preferences. - Set up an opener in your comment or leave it blank. - Tag around and have fun!	USEFUL LINKS: [Premise] [Rules] [F.A.Q.] [Locations] [Local Citizens (NPC)] [Taken] [Wanted] [Reserves] [Application] [Main] [Logs] [OOC]

Please note that all CR in this meme can be carried over when the game starts between characters that are accepted into the game.

Threads can also count towards third and first person samples on the application, just provide links.

Take a look at our OOC Meet and Greet post! Meet. Greet. Make friends. Have fun!

Comments

[volatility]

[Unfortunately, despite the fact that it was not mocking in nature, the chuckle rubs Mello the wrong way — not a great deal, but enough that it's a little irritating. He was, after all, trying to be respectful. He gives a rough, uncaring shrug in response to that question, however, as though it's no big deal.]

I've been spending a lot of time abroad, in Japan. They bow there.

[It's said in a flat tone, but then Mello relaxes and lets it go. There's no point in letting something minor get in the way of what is going to be a fruitful relationship — partnership. And though Mello himself is not big on physical contact, he believes that shaking Setsuna's hand is a good way to show that he has accepted him as a companion.]

I'm Mello. Just Mello.

[He gives the hand a firm shake, and thinks fleetingly that it is a shame he's wearing gloves, that they're in the way of skin-to-skin contact — before catching himself, and then letting go of the hand. A stupid, careless thought. He can't sacrifice control of his mind that easily.]

I agree.

[And, Mello is a little surprised to find, he really does.]

Thank you for bringing me here.

[It's a rare expression for Mello to utter — thank you — but he wants to get off on proper footing. And besides, Setsuna saved him some time by bringing him here.]

[bursting]

[ It's something he's used to, rubbing people the wrong way. In fact, he can't remember the last time he rubbed someone the right way. Considering a woman he once threatened with death wound up being his closest confidant, it's unsurprising that relations would be somewhat rocky here. That, and Setsuna already knew him to be a volatile man—because he was, too, and so could recognize it in others.

But Setsuna doesn't dwell on the matter. He's never dwells on much for long, wanderer in mind and in spirit that he is. ]

I don't think it's called that, anymore. But I've been there before.

...and you're welcome.

[ Setsuna's hand lingers longer than necessary, fingers clasped around Mello's. It is indeed difficult to tell through the leather, but you don't become skilled with blades without learning how to use your hands well, to tell an entire story through touch alone. He'd hesitate to use the word delicate, as Mello gives off the impression he is anything but, but they are certainly slimmer than his, which are calloused from many, many hours spent piloting, and if only in a literal sense, more fragile. Oh, he could snap them. Easily. But he won't. Wouldn't ever, likely, unless Mello gave him ample reason to.

Once his hand drops, it's reaching into his jacket, pulling something out and offering it to Mello. ]

Here.

[ It's a small candy. Food?

...well, well. Whaddya know. It's chocolate, and it looks—and smells—rather tasty. ]

It's fine. I had some earlier.

[ A peace offering, perhaps, and because he already knows you're naturally suspicious, he's got more and will start munching away (and also because, as it turns out, he's rather fond of chocolate, too). So not poisoned, unless he deliberately had a death wish. And he'll just be heading to the side of the building to sit on its edge, regardless of what Mello chooses to do, eyes drifting back to the destruction. ]

[volatility]

[Mello is a little more at ease, now, but that doesn't mean that he entirely trusts Setsuna. That wouldn't be wise this early on. He does, however, take what is offered, but holds off on eating it until Setsuna himself eats some — a good move, because it encourages Mello to try the chocolate for himself, something he is all-too glad to do when he identifies it as such. He won't thank Setsuna a second time, but Mello gives him a small, genuine smile before popping it in his mouth. It's good, and exactly what Mello needs. He hasn't eaten any chocolate since his arrival, and while he doesn't need it, it is a habit he prefers to have fulfilled.

He chooses to follow Setsuna to the edge of the building, taking a seat beside him — a little close, arm almost brushing against Setsuna's. He doesn't tend to be one for small talk or prolonging interactions when business is done, but Mello understands the importance of forging alliances through communication. He also finds that he doesn't mind the idea of keeping this going a little longer. But that's probably the chip talking.

He, too, watches the barren land outside of the city.]

You know, even though it's so dead out there, that doesn't mean nothing can grow. I bet the city put more money into research, instead of sex, they'd be able to figure something out. They have the technology to put chips in our heads to control us, but they don't know how to fix this mess? I find that hard to believe.

[bursting]

[ Trust is forged over time, but a smile is a promising start. It doesn't hurt that it's surprisingly pleasant on Mello's harsher features. He should smile more often, Setsuna thinks, and is glad when the man decides to join him. And alright, if he doesn't mind it, he'll lean closer, too; it's not as if he hadn't done the same with his fellow Meisters back home, watching the stars. There's nothing sexual about it.

He's pretty sure, anyway. That skin, and that burn...

Setsuna shuts his eyes, and just breathes. ]

In a certain desert of my world, a single flower grows. It is small, and it is fragile, but it is also strong. It stands against the sand and flourishes where it shouldn't. It dares to do what should be impossible.

[ He opens them again, halfway, a faint gold circling his irises. ]

I believe we are capable of the same. Even if they hide the truth from us, we can find it. We can grow, and we can flourish in the midst of despair.

Because that is also the nature of mankind.

[volatility]

[They wind up meeting in the middle, and then there is contact, their two arms touching. Mello pretends not to notice, but of course he does — he rarely opens himself up for little gestures like these, so he's hyper-aware of it. In fact, he has to resist the tense to tense up and move back. It's as though he's at-odds with himself, the push-and-pull of wanting to, and yet refusing to give in fully. He blames the chip, the city — it's mind control, not personal desire. But he does not pull away.

Flowers are not something that Mello thinks about often — or ever, really. He's so focused on his goal, and has been since being told he had the potential to be the next L. There isn't any time for stopping to smell the roses, figuratively or not. But Mello can appreciate the analogy, especially as they face what seems to be a dead-end. There needs to be a sliver of hope, after all — just a little bit, and then Mello can stay focused, motivated, and intent on finding a way.

The mankind comment — now that's different. To an extent, Mello agrees. If it's there, it can be found, it's just a matter of how — where to look, what tools to use. But Mello has also seen — and participated in — the worst side of mankind, and knows it's double-edged. For every criminal L caught, Kira killed countless people. For every person that flourishes, another is trampled. There is balance in the world, and people like Mello participate in maintaining the balance. For justice, yes — but for incredibly selfish reasons as well.]

You have a lot of faith in mankind.

[bursting]

[ Setsuna had been there. He had a deep-seated dislike, borderline revulsion, for contact, closeness of any kind, not just physical. It stemmed from the years of violence he'd grown up in, being beaten into the dirt, punched, kicked whenever he failed to complete a training exercise properly. And even now, he's still wary. Hesitant of opening himself up to anyone, and for exactly the reasons Mello employs: because precious few could be trusted in this world or any other, and those that he did always wind up vanishing in the wind, taken from him, stolen from his grasp.

But this is fine. This he can handle. And if Mello chooses to linger, he'll allow it and welcome it. His arm is strong despite being so lean, and Mello can likely feel it. Setsuna is a protector, and if Mello feels protected in exhibiting this small gesture, he has no problem reciprocating.

The worst side of mankind. The best side of mankind. But Setsuna had learned that you couldn't separate them. Mankind could only be accepted as a whole—and that meant taking the good with the bad. A cruel fate awaits Mello at home, an even crueler death, yet maybe here things could be different.

Maybe a single flower can grow where there is only despair. ]

Someone has to.

[ And even if mankind betrayed him in the end, he'd still surrender his life for their sake. Because that was the nature of a man who'd already lost everything, and soldiered on regardless. ]

[volatility]

[Mello does linger, but he's careful not to increase the contact between them — avoids moving closer and instead sits there, arm-against-arm, thinking about Setsuna's words and his earlier statements about justice. He and Setsuna may have will and determination in common, but they do not share that faith in humanity. Mello does not believe in mankind — not when there are Kira supporters out there, following a serial killer as though he is a God. Not when the leaders of the world kowtow in order to appease Kira, leaving it so that people like him have to step up and take matters in their own hands. No, Mello believes in himself on his goals — in becoming number one and catching Kira, or putting everything into trying.]

Why you?

[Setsuna says it as though it is a responsibility that someone must take up, but Mello disagrees. Humanity will keep on being humanity without faith or belief — it will continue to run itself into the ground, or it will prosper, but whatever it does will not come down to one person's faith.]

[bursting]

[ It's comforting, sitting arm-against-arm like this. They'd only just met, and whatever trust they'd established was fragile at best, yet already Setsuna feels that Mello is one who could be relied upon, a solid ally, and perhaps even a friend, further down the road. There is a dangerous glint to his eyes when he speaks of certain things and then there are undoubtedly rougher edges to him, but they share that similarity, as well. Maybe that's why neither of their more violent sides had emerged yet. They keep each other in check that way, that silent understanding and kinship of spirit.

Faith in humanity, in truth, is still something he struggles with on occasion; as noted, he's seen its best along with its very, very worst. But even a faint beacon, a small glimmer of hope, is enough for him to keep moving forward, in spite of his uncertainty. ]

Because that is why I exist.

[ True, the world turns with or without him, but he won't allow it to descend into chaos, into ruin. He won't allow the scourge of conflict to spread.

He won't allow anyone else to become what he has, a shell of a person ruined by war. There can never be another Soran Ibrahim. Never, ever again. ]

I exist to fight for mankind, to have that faith. That is who I am. That is who Setsuna F. Seiei is.

[ Somberly: ]

And I will die in defense of that dream.

[volatility]

[Mello nods in understanding. Of course he understands — believing so hard in something, and giving all in return. Their paths and goals may be different, but they are bound by their ideals, and their willingness to sacrifice everything in return for a success that they may never see.]

You're idealistic.

[It isn't said as an insult, just an observation. Mello is a little more cynical, has less investment in the success of mankind and more interested in his own progress. But that doesn't make him any less idealistic. He, too, pursues an ideal — it's just more singular, and roots back to his own desires and interests.

And death. Death lurks around the corner for the both of them. Mello himself has come close to death once before, and spent weeks suffering for it. He'll come close to death again, or maybe he'll actually die — it will be worth it, if he can finally achieve what he has been working toward for years, now. Success is what matters — being number one no matter the price.

But dying in vain — that's a painful possibility, one Mello refuses to acknowledge. And yet, it still exists as a potential outcome, for him and Setsuna both. Dying in defense of a dream is not the same as dying for a dream to succeed.

In Mello's mind, it's likely that mankind won't appreciate such a sacrifice.]

You should try to stay alive. Humanity isn't going to bear the weight of your dream for you.

[Mello's eyes stay on the wasteland before them. He's one to talk, of course, but it's true. No one is useful dead. The dead are easily forgotten, their deeds distant memories. Even L, for all his hard work, never had the chance to be properly mourned by those to whom he had given purpose — forced into the past with little respect and even less dignity.]

[bursting]

[ He doesn't take it as one. Takes it as a compliment, even, as a person without ideals could hardly be considered a person at all. Setsuna is not one to sit on the sidelines, to assume a stance of neutrality when there was suffering taking place around him. He will take up his blade and fight—injustice, indifference, whatever it might be that stands in the path to peace.

Death he knows and understands. He's not sure how many he's killed, never started counting, really, but it had been hundreds. Perhaps even thousands. Ultimately, however, great sacrifice is necessary to achieve one's ideals. It wouldn't be an ideal otherwise.

He's accepted his own death, too, the death he knows will come in time. Yet he does wonder how it will come, what will happen after. Will he die on his knees, or die fighting? Will he die of old age, or simply another casualty of war? Will he be forgotten, lost to history, not as Soran, but as Setsuna F. Seiei, the Meister only a handful truly know?

Dying in vain. Dying forgotten. Is there a difference?

He's not sure if he wants to consider that. ]

I will stay alive for as long as it is necessary.

[ And not a moment longer, he believes. People like him, like them, don't last in the scheme of things. They live and die violently, not so much the nature of men, per se, but the nature of soldiers. ]

[volatility]

[Resigned, then. But it's not such a bad thing, to be resigned to what is inevitable for every human being, especially those who play dangerously and flirt with death at every decision. Acceptance is strength, in a way, because if Setsuna is not afraid to die, that means he will do everything in his power to succeed. That all-in approach is what Mello feels is necessary to achieve a dream or goal than is bigger than the person who is in pursuit of it. It's how people like them find it within themselves to take large risks, to cut down others.

It's how Mello has the fate of one Yagami Sayu tied to him, the responsibility of how she's never be the same, think the same, function the same. It's how he has accumulated the names of the dead in an effort to secure the Death Note, to secure his freedom, to survive in what has been an ugly war. It's how, before his arrival in Ariel, Mello started to plan an endgame. A final attempt of this-better-work-or-else, with the "or-else" being the fate of his mission, the fate his goal, and perhaps his fate in its entirety.

If he were afraid of death, he could have never forced his way into the mafia, could never have detonated that bomb. No — Mello doesn't want to die, will cling to life as a means for achieving his end, but he has faced plenty of death — both his and others, at his hand and at his word. Fear cannot be a factor.

He doesn't say anything, but stands, restlessness getting the better of him. The removal from the warmth of Setsuna's arm is immediately noticeable — an instant lacking that factors into his conscious, but he tries to shove that thought away. He stands on the edge, looking over, down, to the ground below. When he finally speaks, it's after a stretch of silence, of thinking and calculating and trying to put a puzzle together when Mello doesn't have all the pieces — which is Near's specialty, not his.]

I guess there's nothing left to do but find a way out of here so we can go ahead and meet our fate.

[Singular, because Mello gets the sense that despite differing ideals, they share the same end. Resignation, because that's how you find the strength to carry on no matter what.]

[bursting]

[ Flirting with death. Heh. If he flirted with anyone or anything, death would certainly be it; hell, they were practically lovers, at this point. No, there was nothing Setsuna truly feared, save that all his efforts would be for naught, and that the peace he'd striven for all his life would fall apart. He'd fall upon a thousand blades, and gladly, if it meant preserving that peace, the ultimate sacrifice, for a world without war.

What is Mello afraid of? He wonders. He wonders many things about the young man with the cruel eyes, the charred skin, the cutting words and hair trigger temper, but it's not his place to ask. Perhaps it was better left unsaid, just as what he'd done before an angel had descended from the heavens and rescued him from the depths of hell itself.

Setsuna cocks his head, dark hair ruffled by a gentle breeze, dark eyes trained upon Mello. For such a short person, relatively speaking, he carried a lofty presence, and it doesn't go unnoticed by the Meister. ]

What will you do? Where will you go, Mello?

[ Because he kind of wants to follow. Just to see. What kind of person are you, after all? ]

[volatility]

[At that, Mello smiles, but it is a far cry from the smile he gave Setsuna in return for the chocolate. It's a crueler smile, the one he so often employed when dealing with the mafia. The all-business, but I'm enjoying this business smirk that precedes trouble and difficult decisions. Mello is ready for a long battle, and he's ready to come on top and get out. No other options, just success.]

What I do best.

[Mello has fears, certainly, but they cannot factor into the equations he has worked so hard to develop; an invisible variable, perhaps, but one that cannot influence the solution. It will be the same here.

What kind of person is Mello? The kind that pushes forward through all obstacles at any cost. The kind who gets answers and goes as far as he needs to go. A terrible person, maybe, but no one can deny that in the end, he is responsible for progress.

And what is that Mello does best?]

Get my way.

[Just like with the mafia, just like with the Death Note, and just like with the explosives.

After the statement, he reaches down a hand to Setsuna, offering to pull him off, and perhaps offering a little more in that gesture as well.]

Want to come?

[True, he's not going to start calling a great amount of attention to himself — yet. But he'll seize any opportunity to learn more, even if it means taking risks. If nothing else, trying to get somewhere is better than sitting on the top of a roof waiting. There's still much of this city to see, and there are people out there who may have answers.]

[bursting]

[ It almost makes him shudder, that smile, and it's not from the wind. That smile looks even better on him, though hell if he can place why... no, he knows exactly why, it's this city that's making him think of those suggestive things. Mello is not a bad-looking individual by any stretch of the imagination, and perhaps for a moment his eyes will scan that leather-clad body in a more pointed sense of interest, but he soon returns to the business at hand.

There is gentleness in Setsuna's soul, but there is also a healthy dash of sadism, reflected in how he mirrors Mello's smirk with one of his own. Get my way, huh? Fine by him. More than fine. Getting his way meant getting out, a high priority for the both of them. ]

I like the sound of that.

[ And so Setsuna takes the hand without a second thought, standing face-to-face with the man. ]

My blade is yours, Mello. Wherever you may lead.

[volatility]

[Mello notices those wandering eyes — the way Setsuna briefly looks him over — and finds he doesn't mind it. Not at all. And, in fact, as he pulls Setsuna up, his grip lingers just a moment longer than it should. It's the chip, of course — what else? — but it must be having a stronger effect on Mello than he thinks, because he's finding it increasingly difficult to begrudge the implant for making the contact between himself and Setsuna so appealing.

Mello already recognizes Setsuna as a kind of kindred spirit, but seeing that mirrored smirk, that willingness to follow, participate, make things happen...that's exactly the kind of partner he needs — wants, even.

Mello has heard his share of pledges — mostly, they came from the morons of the mafia, eager to do his bidding, mindless in their dedication. This is different. It is rare that Mello thinks of another as a potential equal — but he sees that in Setsuna.

He won't say it, but Mello likes that — my blade is yours — and his smirk comes a little closer to being that smile from before as he turns to lead them down the stairs.]

Let's go.

[bursting]

[ The teasing must has been deliberate that time, bringing a further lift to the corner of Setsuna's mouth, but he lets the moment pass. Unlike Mello, he's not as reluctant to open himself up sexually; there's just more important matters to consider. The sex doesn't concern him so much as the frequency, so much as it's being used to brainwash the populace. Healthy sex, the normal kind, not the kind here, is just another way of understanding each other.

Granted, it's a way of understanding each other Setsuna has yet to entirely figure out, but as a fighter who's gotten high a fair number of times off adrenaline, he can easily see the appeal.

Setsuna follows after him, as he can follow just as well as he can lead, if not even better. Just find him a target, Mello, and he'll take it down for you. No questions asked. ]

Watch the gap down there.

[ Said jokingly this time. He knows you've got it in you to make it just fine. ]

[volatility]

[And Mello will take him up on that. Maybe not immediately, but if it comes down to it, he is glad to have someone at his back. Someone willing to work toward the same goal, and willing to do whatever it takes to get there. They may make a strong team, Mello thinks to himself, and it's a strange thought — so often he thinks in terms of I rather than we. Even when in control of the mafia, it was never about team work. Only about Mello's goals, and how everyone else could help him achieve them.]

Funny.

[Have a look, Setsuna. Mello knows it's a joking prod, but the glare is automatic.

He jumps down, landing without a problem, but it's not as effortless as he would prefer. He knows to expect that Setsuna will cover the distance with ease, but this time Mello steps aside and waits before forging on ahead.]

[bursting]

I try.

[ Setsuna takes the glare for what he knows it to be now, just a natural aspect of Mello's ever so charming personality. But he also figures it's a bad idea to push his buttons too much, so when he slips to the ground this time, he makes less of a show of it, and once again allows Mello to take the lead. A subtle way of saying that he's more than happy to fall in line and do as the other man pleases; he's used to taking orders, and so long as their goals align, he'll bow his head to them, and to Mello, whatever his wishes. A truly symbiotic partnership. ]

You like chocolate? [ Casual conversation is something of a difficulty for him, but he can try. ] But it might be better if we get something else to eat. Some of the festival food looked good.

[ If mildly suspicious, but between the two of them, he's sure they can find something edible. ]

[volatility]

[And Mello is all-too happy to take that lead, pushing on ahead and retracing their footsteps back to the action of the festival. He remembers each turn they took with ease, and doesn't hesitate as he walks. He recognizes the symbolism in the action for what it is, and while the real test will arise if — or perhaps when — they encounter conflict, Mello is content with the way this has panned out. There exists a tentative comfort in the arrangement.]

It's what I prefer to eat.

[Of course, Mello eats other foods as well — no one can survive on chocolate alone, and being that he needs his mind to work at optimal performance, Mello does try to maintain a healthier diet than just chocolate. More often than not, however, Mello picks at his food, returning to chocolate as a comfortable staple. Wammy's is an excellent establishment for many reasons, but it has a number of flaws as well, given how sheltered and insulated it is. The orphanage did little to break the children of their bad habits — encouraged them, even — and so childish indulgences and obsessions had a tendency to follow the children into adulthood.

Still, eating is not a bad idea. It's a good way to blend in with the crowd, to participate in the events without actually participating, so Mello nods in agreement. They can scope out people of interest without calling much attention to themselves, that way.]

What do you like?

[With his abrasive attitude and tendency to intimidate, Mello may not seem like the chatty type, but if given interest and reason, he can actually be quite extroverted. Small talk, showing mutual interest, learning more about a person — it comes quite easily to him. It just so happens that there is rarely a reason to be amicable when dealing with the underbelly of society.]

[bursting]

[ His expression betrays nothing, cool, calm, collected as ever, but inwardly, Setsuna is impressed. Mello's was clearly a calculating mind, and as a hunter, he is always pleasantly surprised when another proves their merit in being able to track, retrace, stalk like the very best of wolves. And Mello is, undoubtedly, a wolf, if a solitary one, lean with a hungry look about his features, on the prowl for prey. There's something exciting about it, too, if he's being honest. Setsuna is aggressive, and is attracted to aggression. Subliminal, sexual messages being delivered to his brain aside, has no qualms whatsoever accepting that about himself. ]

I like sweets, too. But they're hard to come by, where I live.

[ Where I live, of course, being in the middle of space. Processed food, cheap, fast, and easy, is his life. That's why a bit of endearingly childlike curiosity slips through in his tone at the chance of sampling something else, for once.

There's plenty of stalls, too, and while Setsuna is naturally drawn towards them and the enticing smells wafting about, he stifles the urge to approach, keeping in close tow with his companion. Also because he's sincerely trying to be civil, not embarrass him, and not draw attention to themselves, as Mello also wished to avoid. It's rare that Setsuna exhibits anything beyond dull interest, let alone excitement, but the place is exciting in its own way once one worked past the initial shocked of being, well, kidnapped and chipped. ]

I'll eat anything. Apples are my favorite, though.

[volatility]

That's too bad.

[He means it, too. Mello has difficulty conceiving of being in a place where he cannot find chocolate — good chocolate, too, and not the cheap kind that you can buy just anywhere. He'd be irritable for days, if not longer, without being able to quell his cravings. Thankfully, Ariel doesn't seem as though it will pose any problem when it comes to chocolate options.]

If I find the good stuff around here, I'll make sure you get to try some.

[Mello doesn't like to share — he is terribly self-motivated, and often that results in a spoiled sense of privilege — but Setsuna has shared with him, and reciprocity is important within budding partnerships like these. Not to mention, Mello operates off of the belief that no one should be deprived of sweets — especially chocolate.

Apples...

Scanning the stalls while also doing his best to avoid any inappropriate nudging or groping from the now-thickening crowd, Mello tries to find something that looks both appealing and safe. He trusts that Setsuna is behind him and doesn't glance back as he weaves, maintaining a leisurely but focused pace.

Finally, he chooses a pastry booth, and takes a place in the queue, turning to Setsuna.]

I bet they have something with apple here. Pies, tarts. We'll ask.

[It occurs to Mello, standing there, pausing for Setsuna step in beside him, that this situation is contains a degree of normalcy which Mello has not experienced in a very long time. True, he is not fully relaxed — he pays attention to every little detail, scans the face of every passerby, and continuously monitors the situation for anything upon which he can capitalize — and yet, it's such a normal thing to do, standing in line to get some food without actively tracking a person or thinking of Kira's next move.

Unsettling. The situation is uncomfortable in its comfort, because Mello has a concern — perhaps even a fear — of falling into complacency. Of enjoying. Too much enjoyment is a distraction, a deterrent from important matters. He refuses to give into such feelings, pushes himself back into a more structured frame of mind — business, this is about business — and discourages himself from finding simple pleasure in such little, meaningless trifles.]

[bursting]

[ Too bad, yes, but altogether not too pressing of a concern. Eating is something he could take or leave, easily, something done to survive, not for pleasure. That's not to say he doesn't appreciate good food, but if it's microwaveable and fills him up, it's good enough in his book.

Apples are most definitely a weakness of his, however, as Mello will soon discover. ]

I'm counting on you, then.

[ And Mello does not disappoint. Apple-related pastries happen to be his favorite, the few times he actually got the chance to try them. His mouth isn't watering or anything, but he's certainly perkier than he was a few seconds ago. Surprisingly thoughtful of him, too. No, he didn't seem the sort to share, not at all, so his willingness to seek out something for Setsuna's sake is rather...

Endearing. A word that doesn't fit for him, and would likely earn him another barbed glare if he so much as mentioned it, but it's a thought that strikes him nonetheless.

Mello won't have to worry about Setsuna falling behind, though. He's immediately at his side once they take their place in line, loyal soldier that he is. Maintaining a certain wariness about him, as Mello does, but more subuded, because damn if that food didn't smell absolutely delicious. ]

You should have some, too. [ Perhaps a bit boldly, he nudges Mello in the side. ] You should eat more.

[ The boy was skinny, that was for sure. Not in a worrisome way, but again, Setsuna is teasing. Maybe unwilling adding on to Mello's uncomfortable sense of comfort, but smiles are what he likes to see. He's not very good at them himself and Mello's are certainly... special, yet he wants to leave a good impression. He might even be overcompensating a little to accomplish this, inexperienced as he is with social conventions. ]

[volatility]

[If pressed, Mello would deny any inclination toward endearment or considerate behavior. This is merely about being a good leader. If Setsuna has pledged his blade and given Mello the freedom to lead, then it's only proper for him to make sure that his basic needs are fulfilled. And if Setsuna prefers apples, why not aim for those? It's not as though they are a rare commodity that takes great effort to locate. It's a logical step, and Mello is too stubborn to admit to any thoughtfulness beyond basic good leadership.

He does, however, notice that Setsuna seems a little perkier, but if there's any amount of interest in that, it's all chip-induced. Clearly, that was not the intent behind choosing this stall.

The nudge is a little invasive, but Mello remains relaxed, only briefly meeting Setsuna's eyes in response, before focusing ahead once more.]

I eat enough.

[A brusque reply, one Mello utters as they move forward in the queue. Mello is well-aware that he is slender — and were it not for the scar, his clothing, and his attitude, that he could easily be seen as unassuming or even frail. A sensitive spot of his, because Mello does everything in his power to seem anything but weak — something that hasn't always been easy for a pretty boy who left his sheltered home and entered a world of criminality.]

I'll get something.

[Sorry, Setsuna. No smile for you this time.]

[bursting]

[ Alright, alright. So that whole looking friendlier than a lion about to maul you thing is a work in progress. For both of them. No huge loss there, it's about what he expected, and he's not really disappointed, if not further intrigued and all the more eager to penetrate the iron wall that is Mello's expression.

Because he's stubborn, too, enough to take a bullet to the shoulder and still insist on fighting, and Mello will need a lot more than brusqueness and dirty looks to shake him off so easily.

Those eyes of his really are something, though. Alert. Focused. Alluring in their own way. If only Mello would look at him more. He's sure he wouldn't mind it. ]

Alright.

[ Setsuna will wait patiently for him to do so, allotting him his personal space again without complaint. He can take a hint, don't worry, and he's not underestimating that you're a feisty little thing if provoked, so don't worry about that, either. Sometimes the smallest opponents were the trickiest. ]

[volatility]

[The subject effectively shut down, Mello is quiet until it is their turn to order. He occupies himself with thinking of what to do next, after they eat. As a planner, Mello rarely goes without thinking through all possible subsequent steps — and even though he's prone to seemingly rash behavior, it's always carefully calculated, despite how dangerous it may be.

Then they are up, and Mello orders a chocolate tart — predictable, perhaps, but Mello is actually not incredibly interested in chocolate mixed with other ingredients. He prefers it pure, dark, and without flaky crusts and other unnecessary additions. Nevertheless, it's the best alternative, so he settles for it and accepts the plate.

He takes the liberty of asking whether or not they have any apple pastries, and sure enough, they do — Apple turnovers and apple pie! Take your pick!, the scantily clad concession worker exclaims cheerfully in reply. Mello then turns his attention to Setsuna, giving him the chance to order.]