[And Mello. Stops. Draws his brows together, studies Alex's face, analyzes her words over and over in the matter of a few seconds until they string together into something he can accept as a possibility.]
[He tips his head, offers a wry chuckle in return.]
You've got a lot up here for someone with no education.
[As he leans forward, affectionately flicks her left temple.]
I don't think that's possible, though. He's supposed to be smarter than that.
[ That analytical look of his always makes her freeze, like everything is being scrutinized. She's quickly snapped out of that when he flicks her forehead. While it doesn't hurt, it certainly shocks her. ]
Wha--
[ There's something embarrassing about that being done by someone much younger than her. ]
Even smart people get scared.
[ She makes a point to look directly back at him as she says that. ]
[Eye to eye, then. Alex can be a brazen thing, despite their initial interactions, can't she? It's admirable.]
[And of course smart people can become afraid; Mello's been downright terrified multiple times, which usually leads him to doing something rash and downright aggressive in order to compensate for the fear.]
[He lifts one shoulder in a shrug; decides to distract himself instead of dwell.]
True enough. But he's skilled in reading people. Trained. Like me. He should know better.
[But it doesn't matter. Not when he's speaking of his Bonded to the only bint he's shown interest in since he can remember. It's important to form relations that aren't inherently painful, and Alex offers him just that, doesn't she? Giving and open; the girl who shares his sofa is something to be noticed.]
Here.
[He offers the bottle. He certainly doesn't intend on drinking alone.]
[ She exhales slowly, taking the bottle, but not drinking it just yet. ]
What do you want him to do?
[ He seemed to hold the other in such high regard, and for someone like M, she could only imagine the expectations M had. But what did that fulfill for him? ]
[Another loaded question. He doesn't know what he needs from L. Respect? Acknowledgment? Adoration? Ownership? A combination of all of these things that define a single thing he can't put into words. It's a question that slams him in the chest; it takes him back to that night and memories that he's been working hard to bury so deeply.]
He thinks I'm someone else.
[A murderer. A textbook psychopath.]
I need him to understand that I'm not that person. But he won't; he sees similarities. That's why he's afraid.
[Mello can insist and insist and he'll always be the wayward protege who went on a killing spree for L's attention, won't he? The idea makes him grim. So grim. He doesn't want to think about it right now. He has a stunning beauty sitting next to him, and he'll hone in on her instead.]
I don't want to talk about him anymore.
[His voice is low when he says it. Defeated.]
We're here, now. I like you; I almost trust you. I can't say that for anyone else.
[Thin fingers reach out to brush against her hair.]
[ The rest of his words fall on deaf ears, her focus remaining on his tone and what he had shared earlier. That much she could understand, to always be seen as one thing no matter what you did. It was painful. Wasn't that why he wanted to avoid it so much?
When his hand touches her hair, she reaches up to take hold of it, her grip careful but firm. Her tone is the same. ]
[This time, a touch doesn't threaten to burn. Tense as he might be, Mello allows it. After all: he'd initiated, hadn't he? He shakes his head, just allows the contact to be what it is for now.]
[Important is an understatement, and Mello — for once — doesn't possess the words necessary in order to properly articulate the magnitude of his situation with L.]
[So he won't.]
[Because next to him? Is someone who wants to be here, someone he doesn't have to prove anything to, and that's enough to assuage a good percentage of the turmoil he's been experiencing.]
He is.
[And that's that.]
You trust me?
[He presses closer, himself, though not enough to smother. What trust means to Mello is something beyond average comprehension; it's not given or taken easily.]
[ She holds her gaze, but M remains a difficult person to read. What had he meant by trust? In what sense?
Did she trust he wouldn't hurt her? Yes. That he had well meaning intentions? Probably. That he wouldn't lie to her? ...That one needed more considering.
Alex didn't have a very good track record when it came to trusting the right people, and yet... ]
[Despite the uncertain tone, there's confirmation. Mello takes it and eats it up; this one doesn't think he has ill intentions. He never has, unless he calls the opposite party, Enemy, and well – ]
[ – that's not the case here, is it? All right, then. Okay.. Without another word, he moves in, presses his lips against Alex's neck, grips her waist with a free hand. If she pushes him away, he gets it. Something in her has her perpetually skittich, but she came here, didn't she? For him. There's no way this is out of bounds.]
Then trust me.
[One hand is going to wrap up in her hair, the other keeping her close unless she resists. She's beautiful – something he'd noticed immediately – and that she's willing to come here to ensure his well-being?]
[They're building something here. What, remains to be seen.]
[ She doesn't push, but she does pull back, pressing against the arm blocking her way. Her mind almost freezes at that moment, uncertain of what to do. The magic that seeped through from his touch made it all the more difficult, all the more enticing, and the more feral side of her mind had no issue with feeding right into this. It felt like two sides tugging at her, not sure which to listen to.
Too many had taken advantage of her in this way, but this was...different. M was someone she trusted, wanted to trust. He wouldn't forcer her, she believed. But was this what he really wanted?
Her memory may have been a haze, but the blurred memories of the Johns she's taken in floated by. Some, quite a few, weren't there just for the pleasure of it all. Some wanted to drown out the shittiness of their lives, to forget, to seek comfort. They could think of no other way to cope, not the better forms anyway. Unlike with those men, however, she actually wanted to comfort M, to make him feel better. But not like this...He deserved better than that. ]
M...
[ Her hand rises to press against his head, turning it slightly but not pushing him away from her. Her other hand rests against his back, shifting him into a proper hug. ]
Can you trust me too? Can you trust me...when I say this won't make you feel better? No for very long...
[Trust is such a fragile thing. Such an objective thing. Mello is positive that this will make him feel better; having an intimate encounter with someone he fancies will give him just what he needs but — ]
[Alex is reluctant, even if she doesn't immediately pull away. M isn't accustomed to something like rejection and it burns something inside of him that only came to a head for the first time since his and L's encounter.]
And if I want you?
[A legitimate question. What's been brewing between Mello and Alex has absolutely nothing to do with L, in any sense.]
Alex.
[Her name feels alien on his lips. Maybe he's used it before; maybe not. He honestly doesn't remember. He closes his eyes against the attempted rejection; her body is warm, her voice soft. Mello thinks this is exactly what he needs, right now.]
What I have with him — it has nothing to do with us.
[And for the first time, it's the truth.]
You think you're that disposable? [He plays the game while turning his head to nuzzle his mouth against the palm of her hand.] You think you mean nothing to me?
[ There is so much for her to wrap her head around, too much, maybe. Wanting her, that there was an us, pinpointing exactly what she thought of herself and insinuating..that that wasn't the case.
There was so much that it confused her, stunned her to silence. There was no full moon, and he was no monster, so what explanation was there? Then there was that sensation that tickled her and drew her in as he nuzzled her hand, uncertain whether it was just the magic, or if it was the unfamiliar affection behind the gesture.
That she could mean something to anyone was alien to her, she had it at one point, but her sense of self was beat out of her over and over again that she didn't even dare to think it. She was just another statistic in a group of people that no one thought twice about. Another body to be found on the side of the street eventually.
So surely, surely he didn't mean it. He's distressed, in pain, he's young, she's seen it before. ]
M, I--I want to be here for you, I do, but that...[ Her brow furrows, bothered by the mere thought of it. ] I can't do that to you..
[ There were so, so, many reasons to not dirty him like that. But she'll allow herself to caress his cheek, this was okay, wasn't it? ]
[Do that to him? Mello is no victim: he's an international terrorist with the intelligence of a dangerous genius; he's fought personal and public wars. He's stolen, he's lied, he's killed. He's gone on a one-man path of fire to seal the fate of something that was affecting the entire world.]
[And Alex is — ]
[Kind. Insecure. Whatever she thinks she's doing, she's misguided. Still. While he might have pressed L that night, Mello will never press a woman. The gorgeous thing up against him has already voiced her distaste for the situation, and he'll oblige.]
[Doesn't mean it doesn't feel like rejection; doesn't mean it doesn't sting.]
[The softest sigh as he draws his head back; blue eyes slip shut for the briefest of moments before re-opening. The thing is: he wants her, has never had to put in work when it came to obtaining women before. This is alien to him. This is what people who aren't him have to work with.]
[Something salacious is on the tip of his tongue; Mello's never been one to keep his mouth shut. But he does, because the last thing he wants is to make her more uncomfortable than she already is.]
You are.
[He reassures Alex, leaning back to raise his glass.] Here for me.
[And after a long pause:] Thank you.
[Doesn't matter that his skin has heated, doesn't matter that he's more than ready to crawl between those long legs.]
Tell me something.
[Now that they're friends and all. Mello hasn't really ever had one. Save for a particular individual he's chosen to wipe from his memory as a means of psychological self-preservation.]
What hurt you so badly? [Eyes locked on her face when he asks.] That you've so little self-worth?
[ Her hands fall down to her lap as he pulls away. If he let's her, she'll keep a hand on his free one. It probably was a good thing she had a bond right now, which helped with keeping her more feral instincts at bay.
Her eyes meet his when he gets her attention again, but his question makes her stiffen.
A direct question, clear in its meaning, leaving no where to hide. She can feel her stomach flip, unsure how to answer. No one here knew, and foolishly, Alex thought it was something she could keep hidden. But someone as sharp as M surely was bound to notice at some point.]
Are you..trying to keep the topic off of yourself?
[ Her hands start to fidget, twisting and plucking at her fingers. ]
Yeah, [he throws back immediately; his own motivations and reservations are obsolete in the face of Alex's eternal trepidation. Whether or not he's in a state of distress beneath the surface, the blonde is doing is best to avoid outwardly exhibit just how bad it really is.]
[So they'll talk about Alex, then. If he has his way.]
[Someone holding his hand is alien to him; he would even snatch it away from adults as a child. He's never liked being touched — not at all — and has always preferred to initiate contact when it came down to the wire. His hand might feel tense beneath hers, but he hasn't pulled it away, so.]
And I also want to know.
[Another sip.]
Because you're projecting whatever that was on to me, and it's bullshit.
[ She has a sort of guess about what he means, piecing together the way he says it and the tone. But her lack of knowing coupled with feeling that he's upset has her brain scrambling on reflex to try and appease him. ]
Are you upset..about what I said?
[ Was he mad that she didn't let him have what he wanted? ]
[And Mello — stares. For a moment. Two. The frantic nature with which she's searching for words, for the proper thing to say causes something that has to be guilt. Mello doesn't feel it often, but when he does: it's enough to crumble him. He immediately regrets his response to her trepidation; of course he makes her nervous. He makes everyone nervous.]
[Even L.]
[Now, he does pull his hand away; it's not rejection, no. Just an attempt to straighten his stature, set his feet flat on the floor.]
Alex.
[No. Just. No.]
I wouldn't hurt you. [At least not physically.] I don't do that to women. I never have.
[And that's the fucking truth.]
You're afraid of men. [Despite his training, it doesn't take a psych to understand that.] I'm asking you not to be afraid of me.
[And as though he could ever fully return the favor — ]
I'm asking you to trust me. We don't need to fuck in order for you to do that.
[And now, he initiates contact again. Just her shoulder; Mello's always been shit at comfort.]
Do you think I would hurt you?
[If she believes he would? Well. That's a dealbreaker, isn't it.]
[ It hadn't occurred to her that she would come off as afraid of him, or that he would take it that way. She couldn't say it didn't make sense though, based on her reaction. ]
I don't--! That's now what I..I didn't mean it that way...
[ It never crossed her mind that M would hurt her, and that was the truth. But he didn't have the full story, so how could she expect him to fully understand. ]
[Alex is an insecure thing; Mello isn't sure as to how to reassure her. Would he hurt her? Not physically, no. She claims trust, and that is such a fickle proclamation. She doesn't know what it is to trust someone wrapped in paranoia so hard that it dictates his every decision.]
I don't know.
[Honesty at its finest. His voice is low, his hands drawn back near his sides.]
Words don't mean anything. I want to believe you.
[He cocks his head]
But you're afraid. I don't know how to assuage that without you telling me what's made you that way.
[A pause. A moment. Two. Mello considers his next move. It's monumental in the grand scheme of things where the two of them are concerned.]
Do you trust me enough to tell me?
[Probably not.]
If you trust nothing else, believe that I'll keep your secrets safe.
[ She doesn't go after him when he pulls away, her fingers curling into the fabric of her clothes as they rest on her lap again. Alex hadn't considered that he would tell anyone else, that wasn't her worry. What she was so uncertain of was if he'd still want anything to do with her. But would he want anything to do with someone who hides things from him too? Was she ready to say everything? ]
There..was a man I used to anger a lot...and he'd get rough when he was...angry..
[ Maybe not everything, and the bits that were left weighed on chest. ]
[No, continuous concealment would break everything Mello is attempting here. Here, with a girl he honestly doesn't know at all. Only that she seems to care for some reason; Mello's never failed to question someone's motives so strongly. She's just. Alex.]
[This might be what trust feels like, he thinks.]
[Empathy has never been his strong point. Never will. He's had exactly two instances of men trying to rough him up in ways that had nothing to do with business, and neither of them are alive to tell the tale.]
[He furrows his brow at her admission; it's all he has to give in the way of understanding. But he's trying, and that's what matters, right? So he won't attempt to re-initiate contact. If she does, she does. Just. Listen, then?]
Which was a lot, [he confirms. Some cunt roughed her up enough times to make her perpetually afraid, and he only thing Mello can think is — ]
You could've killed him, you know. [Flippant and logical.] Men never expect it from women who haven't threatened it.
[ Her eyes flick back to him, just for a moment, before falling back to the hands on her lap. ]
I didn't.
[ She tried a lot of things, but she was never successful. Killing was...probably the only thing she didn't try. Couldn't. There were just some lines she couldn't cross, it seemed. She wasn't that brave. ]
...But someone else did.
[ It's the only reason she's alive right now. Even if she was originally a target as well. ]
[Mello can speak from experience. As a matter of fact, he will. As appealing and tempting Alex is on his sofa right now, despite her drop in mood, it's clear that M isn't going to have the chance to explore what's beneath that dress tonight, so — ]
He deserved it.
[And if she loved him? Well, that's just stupid. It's a gesture he's never even bothered to attempt with anyone, but he furrows his brows in what could be mock concern, urges her chin up to look at him when he speaks.]
![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
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[He tips his head, offers a wry chuckle in return.]
You've got a lot up here for someone with no education.
[As he leans forward, affectionately flicks her left temple.]
I don't think that's possible, though. He's supposed to be smarter than that.
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[ That analytical look of his always makes her freeze, like everything is being scrutinized. She's quickly snapped out of that when he flicks her forehead. While it doesn't hurt, it certainly shocks her. ]
Wha--
[ There's something embarrassing about that being done by someone much younger than her. ]
Even smart people get scared.
[ She makes a point to look directly back at him as she says that. ]
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[And of course smart people can become afraid; Mello's been downright terrified multiple times, which usually leads him to doing something rash and downright aggressive in order to compensate for the fear.]
[He lifts one shoulder in a shrug; decides to distract himself instead of dwell.]
True enough. But he's skilled in reading people. Trained. Like me. He should know better.
[But it doesn't matter. Not when he's speaking of his Bonded to the only bint he's shown interest in since he can remember. It's important to form relations that aren't inherently painful, and Alex offers him just that, doesn't she? Giving and open; the girl who shares his sofa is something to be noticed.]
Here.
[He offers the bottle. He certainly doesn't intend on drinking alone.]
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What do you want him to do?
[ He seemed to hold the other in such high regard, and for someone like M, she could only imagine the expectations M had. But what did that fulfill for him? ]
What do you need from him?
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He thinks I'm someone else.
[A murderer. A textbook psychopath.]
I need him to understand that I'm not that person. But he won't; he sees similarities. That's why he's afraid.
[Mello can insist and insist and he'll always be the wayward protege who went on a killing spree for L's attention, won't he? The idea makes him grim. So grim. He doesn't want to think about it right now. He has a stunning beauty sitting next to him, and he'll hone in on her instead.]
I don't want to talk about him anymore.
[His voice is low when he says it. Defeated.]
We're here, now. I like you; I almost trust you. I can't say that for anyone else.
[Thin fingers reach out to brush against her hair.]
I'd rather focus on that.
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[ The rest of his words fall on deaf ears, her focus remaining on his tone and what he had shared earlier. That much she could understand, to always be seen as one thing no matter what you did. It was painful. Wasn't that why he wanted to avoid it so much?
When his hand touches her hair, she reaches up to take hold of it, her grip careful but firm. Her tone is the same. ]
What do you need?
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I don't know.
[As honest as can be.]
You being here helps, I think.
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[ This was about as honest as she's felt his been since she arrived.
She lowers his hand, still in hers, and shifts a little closer to him to make things more comfortable. ]
This person sounds very important to you.
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[So he won't.]
[Because next to him? Is someone who wants to be here, someone he doesn't have to prove anything to, and that's enough to assuage a good percentage of the turmoil he's been experiencing.]
He is.
[And that's that.]
You trust me?
[He presses closer, himself, though not enough to smother. What trust means to Mello is something beyond average comprehension; it's not given or taken easily.]
no subject
Did she trust he wouldn't hurt her? Yes. That he had well meaning intentions? Probably. That he wouldn't lie to her? ...That one needed more considering.
Alex didn't have a very good track record when it came to trusting the right people, and yet... ]
Yes..I do?
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[ – that's not the case here, is it? All right, then. Okay.. Without another word, he moves in, presses his lips against Alex's neck, grips her waist with a free hand. If she pushes him away, he gets it. Something in her has her perpetually skittich, but she came here, didn't she? For him. There's no way this is out of bounds.]
Then trust me.
[One hand is going to wrap up in her hair, the other keeping her close unless she resists. She's beautiful – something he'd noticed immediately – and that she's willing to come here to ensure his well-being?]
[They're building something here. What, remains to be seen.]
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Too many had taken advantage of her in this way, but this was...different. M was someone she trusted, wanted to trust. He wouldn't forcer her, she believed. But was this what he really wanted?
Her memory may have been a haze, but the blurred memories of the Johns she's taken in floated by. Some, quite a few, weren't there just for the pleasure of it all. Some wanted to drown out the shittiness of their lives, to forget, to seek comfort. They could think of no other way to cope, not the better forms anyway. Unlike with those men, however, she actually wanted to comfort M, to make him feel better. But not like this...He deserved better than that. ]
M...
[ Her hand rises to press against his head, turning it slightly but not pushing him away from her. Her other hand rests against his back, shifting him into a proper hug. ]
Can you trust me too? Can you trust me...when I say this won't make you feel better? No for very long...
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[Alex is reluctant, even if she doesn't immediately pull away. M isn't accustomed to something like rejection and it burns something inside of him that only came to a head for the first time since his and L's encounter.]
And if I want you?
[A legitimate question. What's been brewing between Mello and Alex has absolutely nothing to do with L, in any sense.]
Alex.
[Her name feels alien on his lips. Maybe he's used it before; maybe not. He honestly doesn't remember. He closes his eyes against the attempted rejection; her body is warm, her voice soft. Mello thinks this is exactly what he needs, right now.]
What I have with him — it has nothing to do with us.
[And for the first time, it's the truth.]
You think you're that disposable? [He plays the game while turning his head to nuzzle his mouth against the palm of her hand.] You think you mean nothing to me?
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There was so much that it confused her, stunned her to silence. There was no full moon, and he was no monster, so what explanation was there? Then there was that sensation that tickled her and drew her in as he nuzzled her hand, uncertain whether it was just the magic, or if it was the unfamiliar affection behind the gesture.
That she could mean something to anyone was alien to her, she had it at one point, but her sense of self was beat out of her over and over again that she didn't even dare to think it. She was just another statistic in a group of people that no one thought twice about. Another body to be found on the side of the street eventually.
So surely, surely he didn't mean it. He's distressed, in pain, he's young, she's seen it before. ]
M, I--I want to be here for you, I do, but that...[ Her brow furrows, bothered by the mere thought of it. ] I can't do that to you..
[ There were so, so, many reasons to not dirty him like that. But she'll allow herself to caress his cheek, this was okay, wasn't it? ]
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[And Alex is — ]
[Kind. Insecure. Whatever she thinks she's doing, she's misguided. Still. While he might have pressed L that night, Mello will never press a woman. The gorgeous thing up against him has already voiced her distaste for the situation, and he'll oblige.]
[Doesn't mean it doesn't feel like rejection; doesn't mean it doesn't sting.]
[The softest sigh as he draws his head back; blue eyes slip shut for the briefest of moments before re-opening. The thing is: he wants her, has never had to put in work when it came to obtaining women before. This is alien to him. This is what people who aren't him have to work with.]
[Something salacious is on the tip of his tongue; Mello's never been one to keep his mouth shut. But he does, because the last thing he wants is to make her more uncomfortable than she already is.]
You are.
[He reassures Alex, leaning back to raise his glass.] Here for me.
[And after a long pause:] Thank you.
[Doesn't matter that his skin has heated, doesn't matter that he's more than ready to crawl between those long legs.]
Tell me something.
[Now that they're friends and all. Mello hasn't really ever had one. Save for a particular individual he's chosen to wipe from his memory as a means of psychological self-preservation.]
What hurt you so badly? [Eyes locked on her face when he asks.] That you've so little self-worth?
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Her eyes meet his when he gets her attention again, but his question makes her stiffen.
A direct question, clear in its meaning, leaving no where to hide. She can feel her stomach flip, unsure how to answer. No one here knew, and foolishly, Alex thought it was something she could keep hidden. But someone as sharp as M surely was bound to notice at some point.]
Are you..trying to keep the topic off of yourself?
[ Her hands start to fidget, twisting and plucking at her fingers. ]
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[So they'll talk about Alex, then. If he has his way.]
[Someone holding his hand is alien to him; he would even snatch it away from adults as a child. He's never liked being touched — not at all — and has always preferred to initiate contact when it came down to the wire. His hand might feel tense beneath hers, but he hasn't pulled it away, so.]
And I also want to know.
[Another sip.]
Because you're projecting whatever that was on to me, and it's bullshit.
[There it is: his frustration.]
no subject
[ She has a sort of guess about what he means, piecing together the way he says it and the tone. But her lack of knowing coupled with feeling that he's upset has her brain scrambling on reflex to try and appease him. ]
Are you upset..about what I said?
[ Was he mad that she didn't let him have what he wanted? ]
Did I..Did I overstep?
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[Even L.]
[Now, he does pull his hand away; it's not rejection, no. Just an attempt to straighten his stature, set his feet flat on the floor.]
Alex.
[No. Just. No.]
I wouldn't hurt you. [At least not physically.] I don't do that to women. I never have.
[And that's the fucking truth.]
You're afraid of men. [Despite his training, it doesn't take a psych to understand that.] I'm asking you not to be afraid of me.
[And as though he could ever fully return the favor — ]
I'm asking you to trust me. We don't need to fuck in order for you to do that.
[And now, he initiates contact again. Just her shoulder; Mello's always been shit at comfort.]
Do you think I would hurt you?
[If she believes he would? Well. That's a dealbreaker, isn't it.]
no subject
I don't--! That's now what I..I didn't mean it that way...
[ It never crossed her mind that M would hurt her, and that was the truth. But he didn't have the full story, so how could she expect him to fully understand. ]
I didn't think you would hurt me...
[ Maybe that wasn't convincing enough. ]
How would I..show you that I trust you?
no subject
I don't know.
[Honesty at its finest. His voice is low, his hands drawn back near his sides.]
Words don't mean anything. I want to believe you.
[He cocks his head]
But you're afraid. I don't know how to assuage that without you telling me what's made you that way.
[A pause. A moment. Two. Mello considers his next move. It's monumental in the grand scheme of things where the two of them are concerned.]
Do you trust me enough to tell me?
[Probably not.]
If you trust nothing else, believe that I'll keep your secrets safe.
[And that's all he has to give]
no subject
There..was a man I used to anger a lot...and he'd get rough when he was...angry..
[ Maybe not everything, and the bits that were left weighed on chest. ]
no subject
[This might be what trust feels like, he thinks.]
[Empathy has never been his strong point. Never will. He's had exactly two instances of men trying to rough him up in ways that had nothing to do with business, and neither of them are alive to tell the tale.]
[He furrows his brow at her admission; it's all he has to give in the way of understanding. But he's trying, and that's what matters, right? So he won't attempt to re-initiate contact. If she does, she does. Just. Listen, then?]
Which was a lot, [he confirms. Some cunt roughed her up enough times to make her perpetually afraid, and he only thing Mello can think is — ]
You could've killed him, you know. [Flippant and logical.] Men never expect it from women who haven't threatened it.
[Blink.]
Unless you did.
no subject
I didn't.
[ She tried a lot of things, but she was never successful. Killing was...probably the only thing she didn't try. Couldn't. There were just some lines she couldn't cross, it seemed. She wasn't that brave. ]
...But someone else did.
[ It's the only reason she's alive right now. Even if she was originally a target as well. ]
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[Mello can speak from experience. As a matter of fact, he will. As appealing and tempting Alex is on his sofa right now, despite her drop in mood, it's clear that M isn't going to have the chance to explore what's beneath that dress tonight, so — ]
He deserved it.
[And if she loved him? Well, that's just stupid. It's a gesture he's never even bothered to attempt with anyone, but he furrows his brows in what could be mock concern, urges her chin up to look at him when he speaks.]
You know that, yea?
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