damned_institute | [NIGHTSHIFT 35] M31-M40 HALLWAY

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[NIGHTSHIFT 35] M31-M40 HALLWAY

[from here]

Still no one. Although he could hear muffled voices through a few doors, the corridors were so black that if it hadn't been for his flashlight, he wouldn't have been able to see where the walls met the floor. The circle of yellow light bobbed with his footsteps, periodically swinging towards the walls. He'd been caught off guard before, and he wouldn't let it happen again.

He counted the room numbers: M34. Easier than last night, that much was certain, but the design of the institute still infuriated him. Landel had gone to great lengths to make their stay difficult, with the monsters and sedative-armed nurses. Something like bad architecture just seemed petty. He gave the door a solid knock then leaned against the wall beside it, the beam of his light still darting around the shadowy space.

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With some annoyed effort, Mello ignored Near's voice. Hadn't he just said that himself, with more precision? The teenager always went around stating the obvious in complex language to sound as if he was saying something intelligent, and people always seemed to fall for it.

In actually, Near had said very little throughout the conversation and none of it was exceptionally offensive, but that didn't keep Mello from bristling at the perceived sense of smug superiority.

Biting his lip, he repressed the majority of his irritation. There was no reason to drag Omi's roommate into their rivalry, and it would only make him look more petty. It was impossible to hide all of his disdain, though, and he wrinkled his nose as he moved a step away from Near.

"Usopp organizes the group," he said, clearly responding to Junior rather than Near. "There's another person, Sai, who works with Usopp as kind of a bodyguard." He didn't respond to the idea of a projectile weapon. Mello was as fond of guns as the next person (assuming the next person was a Columbian drug lord or lifetime NRA member) but it wasn't feasible to craft one out of the available materials. Junior would have better luck taking up archery, but there was no reason to be the bearer of bad news.

Now, he folded his arms and turned his attention to the figure crouched on the floor. "Looks like our group's disbanded then," he said. He kept his voice light for Junior's sake, but Near would have sensed the relief. "Maybe next time."

Mello hadn't stated the goal Near wished to achieve in a satisfactory way for the younger, but he wasn't the type to be so bothered by the elder's annoyance to nitpick over the details in such an instance. If they both had the inferiority complex that plagued Mello, neither would have come so far as they'd managed. Thankfully, at least one was more capable of restraint in his emotions, the separation that had perhaps been the most decisive factor in Near's ranking as number one among Wammy's children. And despite what Mello might think of it, Near's attitude was not one of smug superiority, but of neutrality, as he would have when he mulled over any simple fact.

Near noted that Mello seemed to be directing his answer more towards the room's occupant, and that suited the younger well enough. He was still very capable of hearing it, after all, and now had two people to potentially seek out in the future. Near's talents were limited in this situation, after all, and it was best that he find the best place to apply his particular skill set. Being of enough use would perhaps make up for his social failings, or so Near could reasonably hope to enough of a degree to make the effort.

"It does seem that way." Mello's glee was indeed quite evident, but the younger knew him rather well. Even if he had chosen not to comment on it, Mello's satisfaction at the situation would have been obvious enough simply from Near's preexisting understanding of the other. He held out the maps to Junior with a single hand, collecting his items with the other. "Thank you. I've finished with these. And since I doubt anyone has time to linger here for long, we should likely be going." Near had his plans, after all, and enough potential obstacles without unnecessary loitering. Now that he knew exactly where to go, the younger intended to take as much advantage of his time as he could.

Well, it looked like things were wrapping up. Whether it couldn't have been sooner or not was hard to tell, but Junior figured that if he really had more questions. He took the maps back from Near with a smile and a nod. "No problem. Thanks for dealing with my questions." Then he turned that smile to Mello, as he slid the maps back into his journal. "Thank you, too. I might need to go speak with Sai at some point, and that room information's gonna come in real handy. Be careful, you two."

"Anytime," Mello said with a pleasant smile. Normally, the expression would have been faked for the purpose of making friendly alliances, but now he was genuinely pleased to escape working with Near.

Mello turned and stepped through the doorway without glancing back, confident about the rest of the night.

[to here (http://community.livejournal.com/damned/457725.html?thread=37360381#t37360381)]

Edited 2008-09-23 02:34 (UTC)

Mello's confidence was obvious enough, and typical enough, especially considering that the elder no doubt believed he wouldn't be held back by the time-consuming power of Near's observations. It didn't matter, however, as pending trouble in the halls, Near could accomplished what he wanted that night by himself. While it was inconvenient in normal terms to not have a subordinate to do the task for him, as Mello put it, Near had to adapt.

So he would.

"Thank you for your cooperation." Junior could have very well protested Near's theft, after all. But that hadn't been the case, and that made things much easier. "You should take care as well." It wouldn't do if Junior got himself killed, after all. Then any data gathered from that room would be invalidated.

With that, Near turned and followed after Mello.

[To here (http://community.livejournal.com/damned/455439.html?thread=37399567#t37399567)]

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[NIGHTSHIFT 35] M31-M40 HALLWAY

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