He frowns subtly, unseen under the coat collar and the painter's mask he's got on beneath that. He's not used to Mello sounding so tired, so worn down, so . . . resigned. It's wrong, and Near decides that he doesn't like it. He's not a sympathetic creature; children from the House aren't designed to be sympathetic and Near had taken that more to heart than anyone. But Mello being like this just doesn't sit right, an uncomfortable change in the way things are supposed to be.
He doesn't like that answer, either. Near had simply assumed that Mello would come back after this, now that there is no longer a logical reason for him to be on the run. He'd considered his question a formality. But apparently the living arrangement is tenuous now. They've never been friends, never gotten along all that well. Near has gotten to a point where he can look after himself to a minimum standard. He's been handling it for weeks and could keep handling it, probably. Would it be better for them to separate? Safer, given how they don't truly trust one another?
Possibly. But that's not what Near wants. He'd liked their living arrangement. He wants it back.
Near is silent for a moment, mind working on how to phrase this. Mello so often sees criticism even when it isn't there, and wouldn't react well to anything that sounds like pity. Right now, he's obviously in a particularly bad emotional state and saying things the wrong way could wind up guaranteeing that Near gets the opposite of what he wants.
"You're free to come back to the house anytime, of course. It's yours." It's a fact, an acknowledgement that Near recognizes Mello has the rightful claim on the place. "If you let me know when you're coming should you choose to return, I'll make sure to be there to remove the spell from the door."
Having keys isn't a guarantee of getting into the house now that Near can employ those extra security measures. Not that Near leaves the house often even now, but he has to sometimes. This would just be more convenient for Mello upon his assumed return.
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He doesn't like that answer, either. Near had simply assumed that Mello would come back after this, now that there is no longer a logical reason for him to be on the run. He'd considered his question a formality. But apparently the living arrangement is tenuous now. They've never been friends, never gotten along all that well. Near has gotten to a point where he can look after himself to a minimum standard. He's been handling it for weeks and could keep handling it, probably. Would it be better for them to separate? Safer, given how they don't truly trust one another?
Possibly. But that's not what Near wants. He'd liked their living arrangement. He wants it back.
Near is silent for a moment, mind working on how to phrase this. Mello so often sees criticism even when it isn't there, and wouldn't react well to anything that sounds like pity. Right now, he's obviously in a particularly bad emotional state and saying things the wrong way could wind up guaranteeing that Near gets the opposite of what he wants.
"You're free to come back to the house anytime, of course. It's yours." It's a fact, an acknowledgement that Near recognizes Mello has the rightful claim on the place. "If you let me know when you're coming should you choose to return, I'll make sure to be there to remove the spell from the door."
Having keys isn't a guarantee of getting into the house now that Near can employ those extra security measures. Not that Near leaves the house often even now, but he has to sometimes. This would just be more convenient for Mello upon his assumed return.