[private]

[curtainwizard]

It's a river, winding through the base of a shallow valley in spring. A cool, green smell hangs in the air. The sky is clear and blue, dotted with fluffy white clouds. It could be anywhere reasonably temperate

Comments

[chilichoc]

*Mel thinks this is her outdoors room, and by the time she realizes it isn't, the door has gone, melted back into the wall.

She walks along, deeper in; why not, after all?, thinking that this room smells like spring in a way the one she meant to go into smells like fall.

When she sees the bench, and Yagami sitting there, she huffs, quiet and annoyed, and hopes against hope it won't draw his attention to her.*

[curtainwizard]

The water is fast and deep, and almost silent as it rushes onwards; this is no babbling brook. There are glints here and there of fish, moving in the depths, complaining to the water's surface. Clouds of gnats hang here and there, shaded beneath willows, and what the hell is he going to do?

Light doesn't notice Mel at all. She could pull her gun and shoot him and he might not hear the safeties click.

[chilichoc]

*It's one thing to hope, consciously, because you ought, not to be noticed, and another to be ignored so entirely that you may as well not exist, may as well not register on the other person's mental map of his environment. She stops just within conversational distance.*

You of all people, Yagami, should be more aware of your surroundings.

[curtainwizard]

[He doesn't jump - wouldn't. But as he turns, his customary self-satisfaction drops over his face like a mask, covering the blank stare he's been wearing. And it's possible she might have seen it.

Mel.

[Nothing out of place in the greasy insinuation he touches her chosen name with. He might just be glad of the distraction. Something to play with.]

What am I supposed to be so afraid of, today?

[chilichoc]

No more than usual. *Airily, as if she doesn't think the usual things he ought to fear should be enough to give him nightmares. She can't read him very well, but she can tell something's off, that he's closer to playing himself on a stage than being himself.*

Not working on your artistic skills?

[curtainwizard]

Should I be?

[Somehow, he swings his legs over the bench to face her properly without looking like an idiot. Part of it's that annoying stalking-cat grace, and part of it's the way he's so convinced he's doing nothing amiss.]

It's a pretty room, as they go. Don't you think so?

[It's his usual surface politeness - the sort of glib question that makes people want to agree with him. Someone who wasn't Mel might be charmed.]

[chilichoc]

I'm just curious.

*It's not a lie, but it's definitely misdirected truth. The second question, and the charm, she gives the lack of attention they deserve.*

[curtainwizard]

[For all that he's not using it, the little black book is still on his lap, with the fingers of one hand looped around it. It's the same way he always touches the thing - unerring precision, loose but careful, as if he's reading braille. It's the same way he'd been wont to touch the other book, back in the past.]

It makes no difference to you how I occupy myself, Mel, surely? Nobody's at risk - except you and me, perhaps, humouring the room as we are. For all we know, the velociraptors are about to come over the ridge.

[It is a joke - not that he expects her to laugh.]

[chilichoc]

*She doesn't.*

You know that's not true. I'm very interested in how you spend your time.

*An echo of the silky, insinuating tone he uses so often on her.*

[curtainwizard]

[Amusement becomes clearer on his face, arch and mocking; he can hear the wheedling well enough.]

You're curious. That's nice - but I'm afraid you're apt to be terribly bored. It's not as if I spend all day making evil plans.

[He's laughing at her.]

[chilichoc]

*She expected him to be amused. That's fine by her if it helps her get the information she wants.*

More like disappointed that my mental image is so far off.

[curtainwizard]

Well, you understand how it is, Mel. You have to schedule carefully in a place like this. If I spent more than an hour each morning working on evil, the ceiling might fall in. And then where would we be?

[What is it she's after? It's not as if he's going to give her anything. Is she trying to provoke him?]

[chilichoc]

Then that bitch Assistant would send the velociraptors.

*She notes the way he holds the sketchbook, as if it's more precious to him than she thinks any person's ever likely to be.*

There's another girl-me here; did you meet her?

[curtainwizard]

Another one?

[His eyes don't narrow; the information's harmless enough, but that Mel has offered it? Presumably he's about to be warned off.]

That will be nice for you. The two of you can have little parties. Braid each other's hair.

[The dismissive teasing is worn like a veil. Two of them both after him - that could get difficult. Or maybe Mel is an anomaly...]

[chilichoc]

Gossip about boys. *Dryly. She looks up at the sky and goes on as if making idle conversation:*

I know you met the new Near.

[curtainwizard]

[For just a moment, his regard sharpens. I warn everyone I can about you, that was what she'd said. In a way, it's flattering. That Near is trickier far, and he works to keep his mouth from twisting, lemon-sour. This will be what she wanted.]

What if I did? He seems harmless enough.