{In Progress} It's those little things that kill.

[incendo_crux]

Who; Near [veiled_veracity], Viktor [meekmagnolia], Matt [technopathetic] & Mello [incendo_crux]
What; A flower and a marshmallow try their best to save the day!
Where; Downtown - the shopping district.
When; Shortly after this.
Warnings; Fbomb showers, occasional bouts of gay, death and destruction - a normal day in the city of Tano, right?

Comments

[incendo_crux]

"Have I ever needed a reason?"

His voice cracked, chipped away to pieces, and Mello hated the way it grated against his ears, placing him in a position of weakness. With a shove a resistance, he pushed away from the pile of rubble that supported him, and forced himself into an upright sitting position, spine perfect and ramrod straight. He'd always been one to dominate the scene, seated or not, and he wouldn't allow Near to tower over him, especially in the face of death.

Teeth sinking into the flesh of his lower lip, Mello glared daggers at Near, only bothering to spare one quick glance at the boy who accompanied him. Viktor, Mello assumed, there was no one else with an extensive knowledge of medicinal herbs. But he wasn't of concern at the moment, was dismissed without a second thought.

"I guess I wanted to feel something."

Mello's arm was loose at his side, danging and bent at a sickening angle.

"A fight was the perfect test scenario, dangerous enough to reap what I wanted, and getting rid of that fucker would have only been a bonus." There, you have your motive Near, now what will you do with it? A good detective would pass judgment and leave the convict to die and rot away with his sins. Will you do the same?

"You can't let him die, though." A malicious snarl, one that twisted Mello's features into something ugly with the stretch of scar tissue. "Don't you dare let him die, I want that bastard to suffer."

[meekmagnolia]

Monitor Matt's pain. Dim the pain. Fix the burns with the aloe.

Near's orders were easily understood and followed. If he was able to help out in some way, he would feel much better about this whole predicament, but Mello's anger made him freeze in his tracks a bit.

What had the other boy done to deserve such a beating? Had he perhaps answered to Mello's call for a fight?

He wanted to help Mello too--but his snapping about the help before didn't exactly make him feel too welcomed. Near seemed to know what he was doing just fine, so he'd let himself just listen to the others orders...

Viktor quietly got down on his knee's beside the unconscious boy, the one Near had called Matt. He unscrewed the lid of his thermos, pouring a bit of the tea into the lid before lightly making the boy sit up. He had never done something like this before, so he wouldn't know if it was right or not, but if he failed, he had enough tea to keep trying.

Carefully placing the cup at the boys lips, he tried to get at least a bit of the substance down his throat. Even just a little should have some sort of effect, after all, a salve he had created healed a cut he had gotten right away earlier...

He placed the lid down beside him on the ground, wincing as he got a better look at the burn marks on the others body. His face didn't show it, but he felt incredibly uneasy, what if he wasn't able to help much? He tried to shove his uncertainty down as he held out his hands infront of him, he felt a warm sort of pressure against his hands before an thick-leafed aloe vera plant popped into his hands.

He wouldn't need a lot of the plant, just a bit should have been fine. Cracking one of the large leaves, he quickly placed it over the others burns. The white sap from inside the leaf leaked out onto the wounds, more than the average plant. He carefully coated all the visible burns before pulling back, plant in hand as he glanced back at Near and Mello.

"Um...do you...need it?" He questioned, voice quiet as he held up the plant.

[veiled_varacity]

"Matt will not die, you can rest assured of this."

Unconsciously a finger raised to his hair, pulling a strand of silver taut. The fire that burned in Mello's eyes was insane and pained; Near almost pitied him when he said that he'd wanted to feel.

That's right...You can't.

His attention was stolen away for a moment as the plant was held out, Viktor offering it to him to use. With a nod he moved over, taking it carefully in his hands before returning to Mello's side, the scowl on the scarred boy's face most unattractive.

Mello was stubborn, even in this state he was still being defiant, sitting upright and snarling.

"Please lie down."

The only way he could have a chance to even help Mello was if he was laying back.

[incendo_crux]

"There's no point."

The background noise, courtesy of Viktor and his efforts to dress Matt's wounds, was a pleasant sort of static. Snapping leaves and rustles of movement, both were points of focus that Mello could use to drown out Near's presence and keep the darkness that threatened to claim his vision at bay.

"I'll be dead within five minutes, with or without your help." Words were quieter now, but still carried the edge of a knife, carving away all former pretense of his survival. "Go help Viktor," A flash of burnished blond signified a nod in the direction of the wallflower and his current charge, "he'll be needing your expert advice, no doubt."

A combination of debility and pride kept Mello from looking up to meet Near's eyes, instead he kept his head bowed, face overshadowed by a disarrayed fall of hair, "It's not worth it to put Matt's life in danger by depriving him of the care that he needs. Favoring a man with a death-sentence is hardly like you, Near." If the brat took another step closer, Mello'd have no problem with using the last reservoirs of his energy to lash out and hopefully land a blow that would mar the pristine appearance that Near prided himself with.

There was no way that he was going to lie down and die like a dog, no fuckin' way that he'd accept the help that Near had to offer.

The journal post that he'd relayed over the network hadn't been made for his own well being, but to ensure that Matt couldn't escape into the cold maw of death so easily. If the bastard wasn't killed legitimately in a fight, Mello'd rather have him live with the burns that ran races across his skin.

Malicious to the very end, Mello was.

"I'm not going to comply."

[veiled_varacity]

"Then neither shall I."

Something akin to a sigh was expelled from Near as he stared down at the half upright, burned body, setting the plant down. Mello was too prideful to ever accept help from anyone, Near especially.

Why should now be any different?

He did not move any closer, nor did he stray away from Mello, his gaze hollow. Mello was no longer Mello - all that was left of his humanity had been stolen away from him. All that remained was a charred, feral animal, still clinging to it's desperate life no matter what.

Wordlessly he sat down, close but not so that Mello could reach out and touch him - he was still too far away for that.

"Matt will not die. However, you will."

Inky eyes never left Mello's scarred face, finger embedded within a head of white curls.

"If it is only 5 minutes that you have left, then Matt can surely wait."

[technopathetic]

It was a funny feeling, to wake up from being knocked out and not being sure if you were really alive because it hurt so. Fucking. Much. Even with the small amount of tea that Viktor had forced down him and the aloe sap and whatever the fuck there was, the fact still remained that the remains of his scorched-to-the-bone shoulder still hurt like a motherfucking bitch. Maybe just being unconscious would have been better.

Matt was vaguely aware of the way someone was propping up, and it was with jerky movements that he sat up, pushing away Viktor roughly - "Get off, I'm fine," - and biting down a groan - aw, fuck, fuck, fuck, he was so kicking Mello in the balls for this later. The moment he sat up, he nearly flopped back down again, pain dancing down his spine in jolts, but fuck no, he wasn't going to lie back so easily - propping himself up with his good arm, he glared at Near, and what he could see of Mello. Which wasn't a lot - there was too much blood. Fuck.

"--Near," the way he said the name sounded strained, forced, it was taking him a lot of determination not to just black out again, but fuck if he let Mello die, not before he got the kick to the crotch he deserved. "--the fuck are you waiting for?" A bitter laugh, and he gave a twisted smile, feeling pus and blood and aloe sap oozing from his wounded shoulder. "Hurry up and kiss his better."

[meekmagnolia]

What? Mello was going to die? He couldn't allow something like that to happen...but did he have a plant that could stop someone from death? What could he do...?

Viktor jumped up a bit as Matt awakened, snapped out of his thoughts--he hadn't expected that and was caught off-guard. Being shoved away didn't make him feel too bad, he had never met the boy before now of course--but he shouldn't have been moving around so quickly. His wounds weren't completely healed yet after all.

"Um...sir please take it e-easy..." He mumbled, holding up his hands. He glanced down before looking over at Near and Mello nearby. What had Matt meant by 'kiss'? Did it have something to do with Near's own power? Why had he needed his own help then? Perhaps it had limits...?

"I-If Mello is...t-truly going to d-die..." Viktor's words were strained as he tried to voice his thoughts by himself, but they simply came out on their own freely.

"Please do your best to heal him Near..."

[incendo_crux]

Too fuckin' late.

The individual sentiments were nice, really. Near's decision to observe death in action, forever remaining the silent and unbiased third-party, was painfully characteristic. Matt's protest, no matter what underlying motive it carried, was as amusing as it was irritating. And the wallflower's choice words only multiplied the sheer hopelessness of the ordeal. The ragtag group that had been assembled was truly stellar company, especially when Mello was fighting tooth and nail to hold onto a few more moments of consciousness.

Mello didn't even have the time to contemplate what exactly Matt had meant by 'kiss him better', before he crumpled to the ground, a collapsed heap of melted leather, singed strands of blond, blood and burns. The impact had jarred his vision, caused everything to blur over, and when coal-black eyes refocused they locked onto the stained-silver of Matt's Zippo lighter. For a moment, nothing else existed but that container of flame.

"The lighter--" a barely audible hiss, directed at his once partner-in-crime, "--open it."

Mello tried to laugh, but choked on the sound. "C'mon, Matt, I swear to fucking Jesus Christ that I'm not going to harm you or the others." I just don't want to die like this, that's all. Not like this. "I have no regrets or ill-will."

Well, it wasn't entirely a lie. Mello cast his ink-black gaze upward, trying to meet Matt's eyes. A past friend would fulfill a last request, wouldn't they? Matt would have been a heartless bastard if he didn't it, leaving Mello with only seconds left and no other way out. Near wouldn't have allowed it, and Mello didn't place too much faith in Viktor.

"--there's no time."

One last sentence was managed before Mello fell still, not completely gone but close.

[technopathetic]

It was like watching one of those old reel-of-film movies, the way everything flickered and fuzzed over with static and the sound quality was crap and it was hard to believe that you were really seeing anything - hard to believe that this was real. Matt couldn't stop smiling, lips curved up in a twisted imitation of amusement - I always knew I'd end up killing someone one day - as he met the flicker of ink-black eyes for a short moment. Because Mello, even though you don't remember me, you still know with terrible precision that I can't help but listen to what you say.

No answer spoken, but still, he reached out for the lighter, taking it in shaking fingers - fuck, his arm was starting to go numb again - and flicked it open with an effort, staring at the tiny system of flint and metal for a moment before looking back at Mello, where he lay crumpled on the ground, a pretty package of narrow limbs with a black-leather wash. Mello, Mello, what the fuck is wrong with you? But maybe that's why I even followed you in the first place.

The first time he flicked at the wheel of the lighter, his finger slipped, and he nearly dropped the lighter - cover up the mistakes with a joke, like always, and he shook his head. "Roast me if you want," he laughed, voice edged with ash and stained with blood, his throat dry with the taste of smoke and dust. A second try failed, and he bit his lip. "I always like a well-done steak."

A third try, and a tiny flame flickered up, red-gold-hues with the tiny spot of blue in the center - Matt held it towards Mello with a sick smile on his lips and voice cracking with the dull throb of pain in his arm - not much time before he blacked out again, he really shouldn't have been moving around before being healed - but who the fuck cared? And he ignored the twinge of self-loathing at the back of his neck - there was always time for regret later, but for now --

"Satisfied?"

Spoken with a laugh. He'd always loved playing with fire.

[incendo_crux]

It was a split-second reaction, as soon as Mello heard the third click of the lighter (third time's the charm), and the following crackle of flame, he smiled, crooked and broken, knowing that he'd found salvation at last. With an arch of narrow fingers, he bent the fire to his will, drawing it closer, feeding it with the leather of his coat, setting the leather bomber jacket alight without a second thought.

The only way out was to burn.

"Not nearly enough--"

The last of the sentence was drowned out by the hissing spitfire of flame, the size of the fire growing, swallowing Mello's body whole in unceremonious cremation.

Ashes to ashes and dust to dust.

[veiled_varacity]

There was no time for him to stop the reaction, nor would there have been a point to. Mello had been correct in his statement - There truly wasn't any time left. Near even doubted that if there was time to spare that he'd be able to do anything, Mello had lost too much blood.

The fire that consumed Mello's body glowed a brilliant orange and Near couldn't help but step away from it's intensity, shielding his eyes and nose with a white sleeve.

It was too much to watch so he turned away, leaving Mello's body to turn to ash and soot.

There was nothing he could have done.

Dark, hollow eyes fixed on the other, still alive boy.

There were other, more important issues to deal with rather than watching the bonfire Mello had created with his own body.

[meekmagnolia]

Viktor's eyes had threatened to pop from his head as he shakily got to his feet, stepping away from the burning mess that was now Mello's body. He felt a dull pain in his chest and quickly averted his eyes, closing them tightly as if he could will the entire situation away.

Thoughts failed him, he wasn't able to even think of the words he felt he so desperately wanted to say. Stop it, stop, don't let him die. He hadn't noticed the lone tear rolling down his cheek before feeling another follow closely behind it.

He couldn't remember the last time he had cried, but there could have never been a better situation for it. Witnessing his first, and hopefully last, death. He cried silently, making no noise except for the occasional sniffle.

He didn't understand any of this--none of it. Why would he want to die? He wished he could have asked before this entire thing had happened. He slowly lifted his wrist to brush away the fresh tears rolling down his cheeks, he still had a job to do...

He wasn't going to let two people die infront of him today.

[technopathetic]

Tears meant nothing, really, and neither did words - Matt watched the funeral pyre burn with hollow eyes and no expression, the light of the fire burning into his eyes. Not that he really cared. Was it bad that some part of him had been expecting this? Mello had always been one to go down in flames - a single gunshot would never do, it always had to be the whole fucking parade of dynamite and flames before he was satisfied.

Mello, you never really changed.

Near, cold as ever. The new guy? Crying. Funny how he was stuck between the two polar opposites. Am I supposed to fit the mold and start ripping my heart out? Not worth the effort, you know, more like I should leave the stage. You two make a fine pair together. It was without any words, without looking back, that he rose to his feet, forcing dead limbs to move and ignoring the way stabs of pain were assaulting his arms. No time for that. (Murderers aren't allowed near the funerals of their victims.)

One shaky step forward, another - it was easy, to be honest, just a matter of focusing on the movement of muscles and bone, all too simple as long as you could ignore the backdrop of roiling fire. Pain? What pain. The bitter imitation of the smile never left his lips, not yet. Laughter was always the best escape route.

[veiled_varacity]

Empty eyes tore themselves from the crying boy (what a waste of body fluids) at the sudden shifting and movement from Matt's direction, the battered figure lifting itself off the ground, lurching away, stumbling with every step.

"Matt."

His voice was clear and stern, the sound sharp like the crackles from the burning mass Mello's body had become.

"Please refrain from moving any further. You are in no condition to move anywhere."

Oh why did everyone have to be so reckless?

[technopathetic]

Matt was obedient enough, it seemed, and jerked to a stop at Near's comment, looking over with a bitter half-smile on his face. "Sure I am. I have higher pain tolerance than you know." A bit of a stretch from the truth - he really fucking needed some rest before he fell over, the pain was really fucking fabulous, and he couldn't feel half his limbs - but not here. Not where Mello's body lay, not where these other two were, not here - he needed to get away from these suffocating factors.

Arm raised stiffly to gesture at the ground, and a dog-shaped golem rose from the pavement, padding over to retrieve the bag of bandages and alcohol he'd bought just before Mello had come flouncing along. Matt laughed, giving Near a smile that was almost mocking. "See? Medical supplies."

[veiled_varacity]

What was with people and trying to act tough? Matt was practically falling apart at the seams and he was still acting like it was nothing. One should at least accept the limits of their own body.

How idiotic.

"Do not be foolish." Although the sight of medical supplies and bandages were something good they were useless if Matt tried to apply them on his own.

hastily walking over to the strange rocky dog Near snatched the bag, coveting it to his chest as he glared at Matt.

"Please refrain yourself from walking. You are in no condition to move."