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[It's a measure of Myr's worry he launches right into things without his usual politesse,]

Serah Connor, Linden's told me you two have a temporary Bond. I've a request for you, regarding him.

[Connor notes the worry in Myr's voice immediately.]

We have, yes. What did you need?

[He's open to whatever Myr might ask of him, knowing that both he and L are close.]

Niles is out there with you.

See that he and Linden aren't ever alone together, if you can. He's--[huff,] It's a long story, and not all mine to tell. But he means Linden serious harm and I think he's just waiting for the right opportunity to cause it.

[He's silent for a moment before replying. He hadn't known Niles had anything against L. He does wonder why...]

Got it. I'll keep them apart.

[He pauses.]

What can you tell me about them? There has to be a reason Niles wants to harm Linden.

[He hadn't expected Connor to say no--the android's heart is good--but it's still a relief to Myr to hear a yes.]

Thank you.

[He pauses, in turn. Then, quietly:]

Linden found Niles in a very bad situation, a few months ago--the day after all those items from our homes came through the mirrors. He tried to help Niles out of it, but did so poor a job he ended up hurting him badly instead. Niles swore revenge against Linden for it, and--having heard both sides of the story, I can't say I blame him for wanting that.

But I can't let him carry it out, either.

[Connor hums thoughtfully. How do you screw up helping someone so badly that they swear revenge on you?]

I wouldn't want Niles to harm Linden, either.

[If L's intentions were good, no matter how poor a job he did... that surely has to count for something?]

I don't see Niles as the kind of person to be talked out of it, but I can try to reason with him anyway. But knowing exactly what happened would help.

[He can't really reason with Niles if he doesn't even know why Niles is upset.]

[It's a testament to L's inverted talent in that realm that he'd managed such a feat.

Telling all he knows about the situation sits ill with Myr, but...

He breathes out a low sigh. Maybe it's a case where the evil of sharing what he knows is swallowed up in the good that might come of it, though...]

I don't believe him the kind of man to be talked out of it, either; I hadn't the words to try, myself, after I heard him out on the matter.

[From Myr's tone, he clearly thinks he failed there. But so it goes.]

The...details of it aren't all mine to share; they're touching on things from Niles' past I've no doubt he doesn't want noised about. [Which gave another light to why Niles was driven to revenge, wasn't it?

Myr's voice takes on a certain clinical detachment as he slips into relating the story.] Suffice to say Linden found him trapped in an illusion that took the shape of an awful memory; Niles saw Linden as a part of it at first, and wounded him in his own attempts to escape. Linden took it badly and paralyzed Niles with magic--then left him that way, at the illusion's mercy, while he worked on freeing both of them. [A beat of a pause.] He expected Niles to thank him afterwards, and demanded as much.

[And here's where his own need to defend his Bonded--in what little way he can be defended--takes over,] Because that's the rule for such situations, never mind Linden knew something was wrong in his own response. You--understand him in that, I think.

[Myr hopes.]

Edited 2020-03-15 05:32 (UTC)

[Connor knows a little about Niles' past, enough to surmise that whatever it was he was experiencing, it was probably pretty awful. He also knows that paralysing someone who is already terrified is a bad idea. He can see that L was probably trying to keep them both from getting even more injured in the process of him figuring out an escape, but there must have been a better way to go about it.

If nothing else, an apology afterwards would have been more appropriate than demanding thanks. Connor sighs.]

He should have apologised... asked him if he was okay. Demanding thanks isn't something that can ever go right, I think.

[Especially not in this situation.]

Still, I'd rather nobody got hurt again. I'll look out for Linden here, don't worry.

He should've. Even saying nothing or walking away would've come out better. But that's what he did, and this is what we've been left to work with. [Myr sounds, for a moment, utterly dejected and utterly exhausted.

Then he masters himself.]

Thank you. I've every faith you'll keep him safe, and if--if you do have some influence on Niles, and can turn him aside... I'd be glad of that too.

[L certainly has gotten himself into a mess, and Connor feels that dejection for a moment too.]

I'm not sure I could say I have any influence over him. I can try, though. Thanks for letting me know, in any case.

Of course. [He thinks a moment to bid his farewells and quit the conversation, but a thought stays him.] You're welcome--and if it isn't too much to ask, I've one other request, regarding Linden.

[Connor is more than happy to keep talking. He likes Myr, and he likes conversation.]

I'd be happy to hear it.

[And Myr likes Connor, so more of a chance to talk to him...]

I'm not sure I even need to ask, [his tone is suddenly wry,] but if you'd stay close to him even after this? He does need his friends nearby. And encouragement in doing--well, doing the right thing the right way.

I fully intend to.

[Sure, he won't be Bonding with L permanently any time soon... but they're friends, and he cares about him. He doesn't want anything bad to happen to him.]

I'll try my best, don't worry. Though honestly, I'm not sure how much he'll listen. He sure doesn't listen to me when I tell him to take better care of himself. The health potions I buy him can only do so much.

[Myr huffs to hear that, exasperation and fondness at once in the noise.]

Well I know that--and thank you for keeping him supplied with those, by the by, even if they're only a stopgap. He isn't, I think, accustomed to thinking of maintaining anything other than his mind; habits like that are hard to break.

Your mind suffers if your body isn't maintained, though.

[Connor knows that much. Not from personal experience as such, but it seems obvious to him.]

He does seem determined to suffer, though.

[He thinks of what he'd learned about Mello and L, and frowns to himself.]

Can I confide in you about something? It's to do with Linden. Something... worrying happened to him.

Yes--and think of how brilliant he might be if he weren't handicapping himself, [Myr agrees, with a sigh.] Though he's been eating and sleeping better so long as he's with me--it's getting him to stay around that's the trick.

[L didn't want to impose. L had many, deeper complicated worries about what prolonged time with Myr might do to their Bond. And Myr--hasn't yet worked out exactly how much space he needed to give his Bonded, afraid to stifle L on the one hand and on the other...

On the other, whenever he left L alone too long, the detective found trouble. And here's some Myr hadn't heard about, which makes him suck in a breath sharply before replying:]

You can--of course you can. What's happened?

Well... when I first Bonded with him, I got a glimpse of something. A memory. It was with M, I don’t know if you’ve met him? Linden was very drunk, and they were... well, having sex. But M was insulting Linden, and even slapped him. It felt wrong, you know? Like Linden was drunk just to tolerate that this was going to happen to him.

[The whole affair just didn’t seem like it should have been happening.]

And when I questioned Linden about it, he was acting as though he deserved it.

[...Oh.

Not new trouble at all, but it's hardly relieving to hear Connor relate it again. Hurts worse, in fact, to hear him say L was still acting as though he deserved it.]

Ah. That. [Breath in, breath out.] I'd felt that through our Bond. He was drunk to tolerate it, though it's--as you say, that Linden believes he had to.

[What even can Myr say further than that? Repeating those mere facts of the situation fills him with an awful guilt and shame that he'd been unable to prevent them--or suitably safeguard against a recurrence of what had happened.]

Me-- M is unwell. Dangerous. His upbringing's ruined him and Linden believes it's his duty to redress that, however he can.

I don't understand how that situation is supposed to help anyone. Letting M walk all over him is only going to make Linden miserable, and it's not like it's going to make M feel any better either.

[But he's probably just telling Myr things he already knows.]

If only there were some way to keep them apart...

[A small angry part of Myr very much does not want to think about making M feel any better.

He squashes it.]

I...don't believe it's meant for either of their sakes, emotionally. M might also be miserable with what he's chosen but if he isn't off hurting anyone else, Linden counts it a success.

[A quiet sigh.] If only. M's apt to take any sign of that in the worst way. I did try to reason him into taking better care for Linden and he threatened to kill me if I got between them.

[So. You know.]

[Oh. Well then.]

He's dangerous. He shouldn't be around Linden.

[But clearly he's unhinged enough to threaten the life of anyone who stands between them, too.]

I can try talking to him. M, that is. I'm not sure when I'll get a chance, but I'll contact you afterwards to let you know how it went.

No. He shouldn't. But he worships Linden and thinks, like any idolator, he's got a right to his false god. [Oh, and how bitterly Myr says the words.]

If--you would. I doubt it'll help much, but I wish you the best. [A beat.] And I may yet try again myself when I stop wanting to kill him.

It's worth a try. I'm not too worried about being threatened.

[Mello seems to like Connor well enough, and even if it turns nasty Connor is sure he can look after himself... as long as magic isn't involved.]

Be careful if you do, though. He's already threatened you once.

[Quietly,] He'd have done more than threaten if I hadn't silenced his magic to start. So you take care yourself, serah. At least he seems to prefer fire over lightning.

[And Fauns were no more or less flammable than anything else, for all they hated fire. Merrows, on the other hand...]

Aefenglom IC Contact

voice, backdated to the time of the Wilde mission;

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