-007-

[clockwork_crux]

[Voice Post]

*Near's voice is quiet, a solemn sound at best as he speaks.*

I am sorry to say that I regretfully have to inform you that Mello is no longer with us.

*The sound of paper crinkling can be heard over the static. It's the note that was found, and on further inspection of the area, Mello's rosary had been found also.*

[Private Voice Post to

Comments

[ voice comment ]

[m_elioracogito]

*there's a long, quiet pause as the recorder picks-up a heavy silence. There's a steady breathing, but it's very faint, as if it's being picked up from a great distance as the recorder is held away from Mello's mouth... and then there's a wet clearing of the throat, and Mello's voice holds a dark, resentful tone buried beneath a mask of wry neutrality.*

...Then the omen was right for both of us, huh?

[ Private to OU!Near || Unhackable ]

You guessed right on all accounts. Just like you, Number One.

*There's another pause- and then Mello's voice has dropped the previous wry roughness and becomes much more soft, almost gentle but not quite there: a guarded kind of mercy, as if he's doing it almost despite himself.*

...You're in the mansion, right? You can come and find me at the Carnival or I can come and get you from there, whatever you'd like. I don't know that he'd be thrilled with your budding new sense of suicidal nihilism, but... I can't say that it isn't fitting, given the situation. If you want to burn-up with me, I won't

[ voice comment ]

[clockwork_crux]

*Silence is all that can be heard from the other end. It's not long before a small sound slips through, sharp, like a short intake of breath.*

Omen? Whatever are you talking about?

[Private to AU!Mello || Unhackable]

*Not once has Near's voice taken on a bitter tone, in fact he sounds uncharacteristically meek as he speaks. It's unable to be seen, but he's fiddling with the rosary he'd hung around his neck.*

I still have one of his guns, and although he taught me to shoot, it'd be a pity if I died on the way over before the fireworks even started.

If you would come and get me from the mansion I'd be...extremely grateful.

*Mello's last words causes him to pause, fingers tightening on the rosary. It's hard to hide the fact that his voice is wavering, choppy and quiet at best.*

That...maybe so...

[ Private to OU!Near || Unhackable ]

[m_elioracogito]

*It's pretty clear from the guarded tone his voice takes on that Mello is a bit unwilling to be gentle with Near. However, he's clearly applying an effort not to simply lash-out*

-Don't mope. If you want in on the fireworks I'll come to get you for firebombing the Asylum. That's next on my list, and-...

*He clears his throat, another softly wet noise... and then there's a wry, humourless chuckle that's more like a cough than a laugh.*

...When we met. He told me that when you meet your own flesh and blood doppleganger face-to-face, it's an omen that you're going to die. Then, we were both murdered.

He was right.

[ Private to AU!Mello || Unhackable ]

[clockwork_crux]

*A pause, until Near's voice cracks out over the static, a string of bitterness tied to his words.*

Then perhaps it's sheer luck that I haven't met my twin yet.