fourth. text.

[torrefied]

In the interest of having it completed some time this century, I'm taking over the project to create a guide document for new arrivals.

[And he's starting it from scratch, no thanks to Chris.]

If you can tear yourselves away from telling ghost stories long enough to reply, I'm interested to know what information you found most helpful when you first arrived, as well as what you would have liked to know sooner rather than later.

Comments

[outermirrors]

you asked a question, i gave you answer.

[ bye. ]

private voice.

[torrefied]

[OK, this is probably a bad idea, but.]

What are you doing?

private voice.

[outermirrors]

[ It's a bit before she responds at all having gone back and forth on if she should answer or ignore him. When she does answer there's a question in her tone as she speaks.

What do you mean what is she doing?]

I'm answering your question?

permaprivatevoice.

[torrefied]

When I said you should stay away from me, Ebihara, I didn't just mean physically.

permaprivatevoice.

[outermirrors]

[ Yeah definitely should have just ignored him. Ai sighs heavily.]

Fine.

[ And there's a click as she hangs up.]

[torrefied]

[WHAT IS WITH PEOPLE HANGING UP ON HIM LATELY. Mello dials her back, obviously.]

[outermirrors]

[Seriously? This time she is ignoring him. Don't be all don't talk to me or come near me or anything and then call her when she agrees. Jerk. ]

[torrefied]

[Fine. He leaves a voicemail messages.]

Pick up your phone.

[And he waits a minute, then dials back.]

[outermirrors]

[She doesn't even listen to the voicemail. Just rolls her eyes at her phone as it trills for the message and then the following call, and goes back to what she was doing. She should probably ask Delight about nail polish and some basic nail care items. They could really use a good buffing. ]

[torrefied]

[You know he's going to just keep calling, Ai.]

[outermirrors]

[ She could just turn the thing off and she wouldn't know the difference. And it's really tempting all things considered. She even picks up the phone to do it when it trills again. Yep definitely time to turn it off. Enjoy wasting your time with her voicemail Mello, she's going for a walk.]

[torrefied]

[Enjoy coming back to a FULL INBOX of irritated messages, then, because like hell he's giving up on this so easily.]

action

[outermirrors]

[ Her feet take her to the river while he's busy filling her inbox. Even with Fear's intentional darkness covering the city she's less scared of what's out there than she was of the fog blanketed streets back home.

And after she's walked along nearly half the river she figures it's safe to turn her phone back on skips checking her voicemail (she doesn't need to listen she can just imagine what his messages say), and instead dives straight into writing a text to Near to get Mello to leave her alone. He asked her to stay away twice, she did as he asked. What is his problem?]

[torrefied]

[His problem is - well. We'd likely be here all day dissecting all of the various flaws and issues that one Mihael Keehl embodies. Let's just say for the sake of this scenario that he's incredibly bad at managing his emotional responses at times, and this happens to be one of those times. Yes, he's pushed her away twice now, but apparently that isn't what he actually wants, because he's irrationally, stupidly angry over it. He shouldn't give a shit what Ai Ebihara thinks of him, whether she gives him her attention - he knows this, and yet that knowledge does nothing to stem the tide of feelings crashing over him, again and again, as he huffs his way out the door of his house and into the darkness of the city. He doesn't care where he's going, he just can't stay inside the same walls with perfect Near and perfect L and have them both witness yet another of his perfect fucking failures.

It's a stupid tantrum he's throwing, and he knows it. He just doesn't care.]

[outermirrors]

[ The easiest solution to this would be to figure out what he wants then wouldn't it? Because clearly getting what he thought he wanted isn't working out for him if his blowing up her phone is any indication. And for the record those heavy breathing stalker messages way uncool. Neither is demanding she pick up the phone and for what another fight? All they do is fight and as much as she enjoys the verbal sparring, he's the one that said stay away. Getting pissy because she's doing what he wants is kind of hypocritical don't you think Mello.

She finishes the short text to Near and snaps her phone closed and keeps walking annoyed at the jerk as she goes. Ai just doesn't expect to wander with the sound of harsh footsteps as her soundtrack. Give it a break Fear, she doesn't find disembodied sounds creepy or scary.

Huffing she crosses her harms over her chest and doesn't really notice that she might be heading toward the source of the footsteps. Though she is probably going to wish she was using her cell phone as a flashlight before too much longer either from tripping over a rock or walking into something she didn't see.]

[torrefied]

[Unfortunately, Mello's night vision is incredibly poor, and he ends up walking straight into a tree and is thrown to the ground by the impact before he has time to realize what's happened.]

Ow, shit.

[Today is just not his best day ever.]

[outermirrors]

[ Then it's a good thing Ai can't see him walk into the tree but she can hear it. Too bad she doesn't realize who that disembodied voice belongs to. Otherwise she would be laughing at him so hard if she had witnessed such an amazing thing. Instead she's preoccupied with how much of a jerk a certain blond idiot is and how she would love to slap him silly. He more than deserves it at this point. Why does he have to be capable of being simultaneously infuriating and exciting?

And if she does see him while she's on this walk, it is highly likely she'll do just that. Who knows maybe in the near future she'll get the chance to exactly as she wants with him. Possibly even stumble right over him after walking into that tree with hissed curse at Fear for being a jackass about their safety.]

[torrefied]

Ow! What the -

[Ai ends up stepping on Mello's hand while she's en route to that same tree. Honestly, what did either of them expect, running around in the dark like this.]

Who's there?

[outermirrors]

Sorry.

[ She actually feels kind of bad about the whole stepping on someone thing. It wasn't planned she was just one of the idiots that that decided wandering around in the dark was a good plan.

At least until she recognizes the voice. Today is just not her day.]

No one important.

[torrefied]

[... Fuck Mello's life. Seriously, just fuck it.]

Oh, so is that why you can't answer your damn phone? Too busy throwing yourself a pity party?

[outermirrors]

[ Feelings mutual today. ]

Go to hell Mello. I'm mad at you not throwing a pity party.

[torrefied]

Really? Maybe it's the lack of lighting, but it sure looks the same on you.

[This is just the worst. Mello pulls himself to his feet, brushing dust that he can't see off the legs of his pants.]

[outermirrors]

Just go home and leave me alone.

[ It's weird turning basically exactly what he's said to her back on him, but neither of them can't say he doesn't deserve it. She picks herself up as she doesn't plan to stay where he is. He said stay away, right now she's more than willing to oblige. His voice is coming from her left so she'll go right.]

[torrefied]

I don't take orders from you, Ebihara.

[He's listening a little more closely now, paying attention to the sounds of movement, and she's definitely moving away. He turns and reaches for what he guesses is probably her arm, or a shoulder (he hopes).]

Don't walk away from me!

[outermirrors]

No it was a request much like the one you gave me.

[ And just like when she wouldn't let him leave she yanks herself out of his brief reach. ]

Why not? It's exactly what you want.