I ain't got nothing but love, Girl [OPEN!]

[gunsmokeangel]

Characters: Vash and anyone around!
Location: In front of the mission board
Rating: PG?
Time: Jan 02, morning.
Description: Vash is scoping out the missions, and keeping an eye out if anyone wants to partner up for the local or investigative missions.

Comments

[dead_black_eyes]

L had, despite not wanting a formal job of any kind, grown somewhat bored. Though he secretly kept a "case file" for the overarching mystery of BREW and Death City itself, the sheer scope of such a case was overwhelming for anyone, even the world's three greatest detectives. There was no way to know what kind of headway he'd been able to make when he'd been here before, because his memories of that time had seemingly been absorbed by his brain or lifted straight out of his head by some unknown but very inconvenient force

[dead_black_eyes]

Though L didn't by any means know Vash, it would be erroneous to think that he had no idea of what kind of person the other man was. L was getting quite clearly that he was a "handful", that his enthusiasm could contribute to a certain amount of unintentional but still potentially damaging recklessness.

Why was he agreeing to this, again...?

Ah. Right. Because L, too, was prone to occasional recklessness when his curiosity got the best of him.

[gunsmokeangel]

The fact L wasn't fleeing helped, and he was giving the same vibe the local cats usually gave him as Vash concentrated on putting up a protective shell. Vash had no end of terrible things to imagine, and after about a minute, a round sort of blue white shape started for form around L. It flickered in like it was coming into focus, before solidifying into a transparent, lightly glowing light bulb shape.

He smiled again, it was harder to create than maintain in a calm place like this. "How's that feel?" Vash asked. He was a little curious, since the cats never replied, and Vash couldn't find out for himself.

[dead_black_eyes]

Vash wouldn't be the first to compare L to a stray cat. He had a way about him that was just a little bit feral, curious and quiet, making the moments before the shell appeared tense and odd. L stiffened when the shell flickered into focus around him, but it didn't take long for his limbs to relax and his heartbeat to slow. It was... nice. Secure.

"It feels safe," he said candidly, too pleasantly surprised to be anything but earnest.

[gunsmokeangel]

"That's good to hear!" Vash hadn't considered that the seal would have an emotional effect. "Do you have plenty of air in there? Can you try moving it around?"

Vash was excited to have a test subject that could respond to the questions he had. He'd never left a cat in for but a moment because their bubbles were always so much smaller, and the oxygen situation really was a concern. It was a Plant Core, by definition it should be full of oxygen rich air, but the reality was more likely the soul barrier was permeable.

But knowing little things like that could make or break a situation that made it down to the wire, and Vash wanted to know before he needed it.

[dead_black_eyes]

If the seal did have an emotional effect, it was amplified for L. The man never felt safe, and when he wound down enough to actually do something like relax, it was a profound thing.

He isn't sure about "moving it around", predicting that it'll look rather like some sort of hamster ball, but he takes a few deep breaths (very different from the shallow, tense, suspicious ones he usually takes.) "It seems like the air quality is good," he said, "but it would be erroneous to draw such a conclusion this early on. Since most of what a human exhales is still breathable, it'll be awhile before I run out of air even if the surface of this barrier is impermeable. Have you ever tried using this in battle?" L's actually wondering how much it could benefit a person in battle, especially a Weapon who relies on contact with an opponent.

[gunsmokeangel]

"Actually I haven't seen much combat yet." Vash admitted, a little sheepishly. "I wound up using it for the first time when I was walking with a friend and she was almost mugged. I'd rather work the bugs out before I take it out into the field, but I have to admit I've been trying to think of all the things I could use it for."

A headache was starting to gnaw between Vash's eyes. Keeping the seal up was beginning to become wary, and Vash didn't care to go around for the rest of the day. It was enough to distract him and as soon as Vash's concentration was severed, the bubble disappeared as quickly as though it had been popped.

"Woah! Sorry! I hope I didn't startle you! It does that after a while," Vash apologized quickly.

[dead_black_eyes]

It was a bit startling, but nothing that shook L up too badly. It wasn't as if he'd been suspended above the ground... but that feeling of calm was starting to seep away and get replaced by his typical, default paranoia.

Still... it had been nice while it lasted.

"You could probably use that quite effectively to protect civilians caught in crossfire," he commented.

[gunsmokeangel]

"Yeah, I'm just gonna to have to train until it's large enough to do that." Vash agreed. Then thought for a second. For a reckless idiot, it looked like there were a few wheels turning. "I wonder if it could contain an aggressive subject, human or otherwise. It seems like the barrier works both ways, on cats at least. They're not always thrilled to participate, you know!"

[dead_black_eyes]

"Try again," L suggested. "I'll attempt to escape... unless there's some sort of refractory period..."

If that suggestion was awkward in the least, L didn't seem to notice.

[gunsmokeangel]

"None that I know of, but I haven't tried." Vash shrugged. "Getting it back up in a hurry might come in handy!"

L was already thinking of things Vash hadn't yet, and it was certainly endearing L to the man. Vash tried to focus again, distracted for a moment as he tried to anticipate how L might escape, but after a slightly longer moment, the barrier of the seal reappeared the same way and L was enclosed again.

[dead_black_eyes]

L reached out with his long hands, pressing his palms against the inside of the seal experimentally. It seemed to hold...

He knocked against it, listening for a sound, feeling for a texture. Then he pivoted on his heel and, with surprising force for someone so wiry, drove a roundhouse kick into the bubble encapsulating him.