wow, i loved these, especially the last one. good mello/near fic is a rarity in this fandom; most people make near terribly weak, or mello terribly ooc, and you've done neither, instead creating a really interesting dynamic between the two. i am, of course (like most people, probably) a sucker for mello-isn't-dead stories, and i really like the explanation you've come up with here. i also like the concept of them not having always been rivals, it's one of my favourite ideas in MN fics, and i like the way you've played it here. nice stories, thank you for sharing them, and i'm looking forward to reading more from you in the future. :)