::Owl from A to L::

[i-am-an-hero.livejournal.com]

((the handwriting is odd; it's as close to Helvetica as the human hand can produce.))


I have something I'd like to tell you. I would have come to find you, but I thought you might be busy.

Mello thinks I should talk to you, too.

A

Comments

[ijk-mno.livejournal.com]

"The spell?"

Troubling. Because B attacked him. But it worked, so maybe a little bit of joy is in order.

"Wonderful. Come in and have cake and tell me."

[i-am-an-hero.livejournal.com]

Slipping into the room, A smiles and nods.

"It worked, it worked, I... he wanted to... I stopped him!" A's smile is triumphant. "And I didn't cut him, I didn't, not even a little, I wanted to, wanted to, but you said not. But I did," he whispered gleefully, "kick him."

[ijk-mno.livejournal.com]

"Good."

He beams.

"Very good. Now we need to teach you more, so that you keep winning."

[i-am-an-hero.livejournal.com]

"That was what Mello said." Just the faintest hint of disdain at the name; he didn't think much of anyone who would be rude to L. "That I should learn more hexes, and countercharms, and I should tell you."

[ijk-mno.livejournal.com]

"He was right. He is quite clever, you know."

Even if he calls A names, sometimes.

"And I have been looking. I have a list set aside for you."

[i-am-an-hero.livejournal.com]

"He was disrespectful," A counters, but he can't argue with the fact that it would be good to know more hexes.

"Are there many? Are there ones that hurt?"

[ijk-mno.livejournal.com]

"Yes."

He'll stick to mostly harmless ones, though, for now.

"Here. First, you should learn to defend yourself against anything being thrown against you."

[i-am-an-hero.livejournal.com]

"Tell me," A breathes, eyes wide and avid. "Tell me what you think I should know." Unspoken: I want to make you proud.

[ijk-mno.livejournal.com]

"Protego is a good place to start."

[i-am-an-hero.livejournal.com]

"What does it do?" He's already setting Schrodinger down and drawing his wand in preparation.

[ijk-mno.livejournal.com]

"It deflects things. Cast it, while I try to petrify you, to see if you can stop the spell. Ready?"

He'll count to three, if A is.

[i-am-an-hero.livejournal.com]

Nodding, A raises his wand. This, he's comfortable with; it doesn't involve trying to hex L.

[ijk-mno.livejournal.com]

"One, two, three, petrificus totalus."

Concentrating fiercely.

[i-am-an-hero.livejournal.com]

"Prot-" A gets out before the spell gets him; not quite fast enough.

[ijk-mno.livejournal.com]

"Finite incantatum."

He smiles.

"Shall we try again?"

[i-am-an-hero.livejournal.com]

"I'm sorry," A says dejectedly. "I want to do it right."

[ijk-mno.livejournal.com]

"It may take a few tries. Rome was not built in a day, after all."

And he wants A to have an impressive arsenal.

[i-am-an-hero.livejournal.com]

Pressing his lips tightly together, A raises his head, and his wand, with an air of grim determination.

He will get this right.

He will.

[ijk-mno.livejournal.com]

"Petrificus totalus."

He doesn't count, this time.

[i-am-an-hero.livejournal.com]

His wand is already raised, and A speaks as soon as L does, and his incantation is shorter, and that's what saves him, what makes it work, it's "Protego!" and he's still able to move and speak.

[ijk-mno.livejournal.com]

"You did it."

L beams with pride, practically.

"Entirely right. You will have to learn to be very quick about it."

[i-am-an-hero.livejournal.com]

And that almost blots away the shame of his failure, and A smiles with relief.

"I want to be quick."

[ijk-mno.livejournal.com]

"You are. You got me, the second time."

He smiles.

"I will keep practicing with you."

[i-am-an-hero.livejournal.com]

"Thank you," A whispers, and "Oh, thank you," because it means L still has patience with him, and wants to help him, even if he didn't get it right the first time.

[ijk-mno.livejournal.com]

"You're welcome. You should probably not curse Mello any more, though."

No matter how irritating he is.

[i-am-an-hero.livejournal.com]

"Even when he's rude to you?"

[ijk-mno.livejournal.com]

"Even when he's rude to me. There are some burdens that must simply be borne."

L doesn't really mind.

"It makes us stronger."

[i-am-an-hero.livejournal.com]

"You're already strong," A says, and the adoration bordering on idolatry is clear in his voice. "But if you say not to hex him, I won't. He knows I can, though."