please, anyone ( closed. )

[offtune]

Who: zero (offtune) & archer (fakers)
What: how to be a master
When: some time after this mess
Where: house #61
Warning(s): weird drakengard and fate lore i guess; blood and mentions of violence



[ it's hard to miss the new insignia on the back of her hand. not like it itches, or looks weird, or calls for attention or anything, but it's still distracting as hell. zero finds herself staring at it often times, rubbing idly at it as though it's washable ink. it doesn't come off, but that doesn't stop her from scrubbing at it until her skin's raw when she bathes.

zero knows she should probably talk to archer about it. while that man's no where to be seen, she feels him everywhere. doesn't avoid him so much as she simply doesn't feel like seeing him yet, not entirely ready to face the reality of whatever the hell this marking means. and honestly, she doesn't know where to begin; tells herself that she didn't make a regrettable decision, but maybe, just maybe, it was a rash one. all for what, to save a guy she barely even knows?

despite this, she feels some inexplicable relief— with the ability to sensing his whereabouts, she knows that at least he's alive and (presumably) well.

there is a cost, archer told her. what he meant by that, she's yet to know, but on the second night of radio silence, she finally manages to contact him. a2 isn't home, which makes house 61 ideal for them to meet.

the door is unlocked for archer to open when he arrives— in fact, it's even slightly ajar. she'd told him as much over the phone. and as it turns out, it's a good thing that she did because of a minor accident. zero's seated on the kitchen counter, knife in her good hand. she's attempting to pull a shard of broken glass from the stub of her severed arm. he probably wouldn't need to ask; the story's right there in the scene: the remains of a cup is shattered across the tile, freshly destroyed from the way it still gleams under the light. she has scratches all up her arms from slipping, but it's not as bad as the glass that had plunged deep in her arm.

the prosthetic part has already been removed and dropped by her feet. with the sharp of the knife in the ideal position to nudge the piece out, she holds it place by clenching her teeth around the handle, then uses her now free hand to remove it. zero sighs in relief when it's gone, feeling instantly better. there are probably more on her person, but taking care of the biggest pain in the ass one was priority. lacking better items to clean the wound, she wraps it haphazardly with toilet paper. it seeps the blood almost immediately, but she continues to coil the arm in it anyway. her healing powers aren't as great as they used to be. ]

Glad you could make it. [ said almost too coolly for what she's doing (or have done), but she sets aside the knife and exhales before moving off the counter, dropping to the floor with a thump. before long, she's stepping toward the sofas, gesturing archer over.

no, she's not going to take care of the mess right now, don't even ask. but anyway, they both know why he's here, so she'll keep it short and sweet as she sits on the cushions: ] Just give me the abridged version.

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[offtune]

[ she takes a look at the command seals again, then tightens her hands into a fist before waving it off. there's a sudden realization that she doesn't know the extent of archer's powers, nor does he really know hers... if it were back in midgard, perhaps she would have cared to display who among the two is truly stronger, but only to deceive those around her that she desires domination. that's what she'd made her sisters, disciples, and even mikhail believe. but there's no need for that anymore; why does it matter, when the strongest are clearly the ones who brought them here?

does strength matter when there are godly beings watching them? ]

You sure you don't regret this yet? [ three command seals, three absolute orders. doubts she'll ever need it, nor is there really any temptation to use it. she'll be damned if she ever lets anyone risk their lives on her behalf again. ] But likewise, I don't care about what kind of power you have. I can protect myself fine without these seals. You worry about you, and I'll worry about me. Deal?

[ it still bothers her, this connection of theirs. since their contract, zero has noticed that she would feel his presence wherever she goes. he may never be close, nor can she pinpoint exactly where he is, but there's something that tells her that he's alive, even when it looks like he's no where to be seen. there's something about that that rubs her the wrong way; it's already jarring enough to have accord watching her back home, and now the natha. but to have archer, too, have the ability to feel her is almost too much for her to accept... at least immediately.

but if they keep their noses out of one another's businesses, she'd get used to it soon enough. when her gaze wanders back to archer, zero notices him eyeing the flower. he's right that she hasn't fulfilled her end of this exchange. feels like she already knows all she needs to know about the master business, but what of herself, an intoner?

she contemplates several lies before she decides to step slowly toward him. ]

You're wondering about the flower, aren't you?

[ her question is rhetorical. of course he's curious. while she'll be happy never to speak of it again, she feels it's only fair to share something. ]

This thing, this flower. It's the only thing keeping me alive. The original "me" has long passed, and before I — before that girl died, she cursed the world. That's when the flower rooted itself in this body, and I was born... I'm called an Intoner.

[ she realizes this sounds fictional. hell, don't any of this sound ridiculous? even she has to roll her eyes at her own story, uncertain if any of it even makes sense. she continues to make her way into the kitchen until she stands before him, looking up to meet his eyes. ]

But this — [ she gestures solemnly at her blind eye, adverting her gaze briefly. ] This is also the source of the magic you're feeling, called song magic. It's a powerful, dangerous thing, but it's currently dormant. What limited power I have is now split between the two of us.

[ at least that's as far as she knows. again, it doesn't help that she doesn't know the extent of archer's powers. but he promised to keep his head low, so she just has to take his word for it. she's close to him now, as close as she can be without touching him... and the temptation is there; she's never one for restraint, but in this case, zero actually feels it's terribly apt. ]

I spoke briefly about Disciples, didn't I? They're servants to an Intoner— they require us in order to keep their form. Sound familiar? [ she's leaning up against him, now - wearing a small, wry smile. ] Wanna know what their true function is?

[fakers]

Should I regret it? [ though as he continues picking up tiny glass shards off the ground, part of him wonders... no, he doesn't regret it yet. he knew she was a difficult person even before he had agreed to this contract, but he'd agreed to it all the same. perhaps because, on some level, he felt she was someone he could understand. ] I don't doubt you're capable, but that's beside the point. Worrying about you and worrying about myself is essentially one in the same now.

[ it's a little strange. normally during a Grail War, a Servant's priority would be protecting their Master. they're more vulnerable... essentially serving as a Servant's greatest weakness. that isn't the case here though. zero's current weakness aside, he can tell from her physical condition that she's known her share of battle.

otherwise, he simply listens to her story in silence. contrary to her expectations, he finds nothing about it particularly unbelievable. he's seen his share of unusual things... no, more than that, his very existence is just as tenuous as hers. ]

So you were given life again for cursing the world. [ it's not particularly funny, but he can't help but find it slightly amusing. ] Maybe we're more similar than I realized.

[ of course, his own story was quite different... but over time he'd come to feel much the same way. the only reason he'd become a Servant was much the same as hers; not a hatred for the world, but simply hatred for himself. hatred for everything that had led him down the path he'd walked. ]

It was obvious enough there was something strange about that flower, but I wouldn't have imagined it was that significant. [ so that's what powers him now as well? and yet at the same time, it makes him uneasy. if it had really responded to her cursing the world, that said much about it.

perhaps it really wasn't all that different from the Grail. that would explain why the flower could sustain him as well. ]

If a Disciple is truly like a Servant, then their function should be to protect you, no? [ ...something about that smile tells him he's wrong, but after her baiting, he can't very well avoid the question. ]

[offtune]

[ at the very least, it pleases her to know that archer is following her well enough. it even comforts her, if only mildly, that he can somewhat relate to her plight. she had cursed her world, and from the sounds of it, he did as well? the only difference is that she wished to undo it and stay dead instead.

unfortunately, it hadn't been that easy; her unrest resulted in more than a year worth of searching. the rivalry between dragons and flower predates history; and she can't even be sure as to why her only weakness is dragons. still, she's grateful that she even has a weakness; it meant that she only needed to find the strongest who would agree to slay her when the time is right.

that is how michael had passed. that is how mikhail had passed following him.

and now she peers as archer the same way she had peered at her former dragons, knowing he's capable, but... there is a risk in allying with her. ]

You may die.

[ that is the only warning she can offer him. there is no glory in saving her, after all. ]

But aside from summoning beasts, which I doubt you'll be able to do, Disciples are supposed to regulate an Intoner's drive.

[ zero is vague only because she wants archer to figure it out on his own. but in case he doesn't, she takes his hand and guides it to her breasts, then encourages him to slide down toward her naval. ]

Intoners are known for their libido. I'm sure you're aware. [ it's not as blunt as she'd like it, but this is entirely meant to turn him off from the idea. she is quite legitimately trying to use the fact that he had been so scandalized in the vr against him. in truth, even she isn't keen about bedding her servant when their feelings are so intertwined.

anyway, she's coyly stroking his cheek, now. ]

Do you understand my meaning?

[fakers]

I was prepared to accept death when you found me. That's no different now.

[ that isn't quite true through; dying pointlessly is no longer acceptable to him. he was saved, and the price for that is continuing to struggle to live. there is no other way to repay that debt; as a child, he had felt much the same way to kiritsugu. to repay the man who had been so happy he had survived, he had to continue to cling to life.

though her expression had been more complicated than kiritsugu's unadulterated joy, the image of zero saving him is quite firm in his mind now as well. and that's why dying in order to protect her was a different matter altogether; whether it was obligation or something else, he had a debt that now needed to be repaid. he was never the type to take such things lightly. ]

"Drive"? [ from the way she says it, he immediately gets an inkling what she might mean. no, it's not simply from her tone; he'd felt even in that simulation that there was something more to her desperation for physical contact.

when she grabs his hand he almost pulls it away immediately, but instead just lets her make her point. and then quickly regrets not pulling his hand free when he had the chance. once she begins trying to lead his hand further down, he merely pulls his hand back, not letting himself get caught up in her pace again. he knew she was like this, so he isn't entirely surprised... but still lets out a slight, exhausted sigh. ]

You've made your point rather clear. [ he tilts his head to the side,a way from her hand. he's pretty sure she's just trying to annoy him at this point... the cheek stroking gesture seems more provocation than anything else. ]

I won't deny there exist Masters that use their Servants for such things as well. [ he'll simply place the palm of his own hand on her forehead, pushing it back lightly. ] Things usually don't end well for either.

[offtune]

[ prepared for death. there's a slight hiccup in her composure at the very suggestion. that's not what she wants to hear. she wants those who serve her to be selfish; that's just how people are. but then she looks at the dragons, her disciples, the "sisters" that were given false memories to become more human, more relatable. were all able to understand, to some degree, sacrifice.

and somehow, it's zero who doesn't understand it.

she doesn't let the comment get to her, though; she instead continues what she sets out to do: making archer uncomfortable. and she knows she succeeded when he pulls his hand back and she's gently pushed with his palm. rejection. zero smiles regardless, deciding against pursuing for the very reason he says. things usually don't end well for either, huh? makes too much sense. ]

You're lucky I'm not so keen to find out why.

[ but for her own reasons, she's not going to allow it, either, as convenient as it would be. it makes her sick, thinking how an intoner that doesn't sleep with her chosen disciple. just like that goddamn virgin sister of hers, four. in the meantime, she'll just have to be creative— luckily, there isn't a shortage of people here to fuck.

zero backs away, knowing that her attempts at physical contact is gently declined. the remains of a glass crushes under her wedge shoes as she deliberately turns the other way. she's getting close to wanting, evident to herself in the way her thighs and knees ache for him. she reminds herself that it isn't because he's archer, but simply because he's her disciple, her servant, and the nearest person to her right now. what a damn pain in the ass.

she returns to the sofa and seats herself, suddenly exhausted. or frustrated. maybe she's just had enough of the deal and the conversation already. ]

That's all I need to know about the contract, yeah? If that's the case, you can leave.

[fakers]

[ unfortunately, self-sacrifice had always been the defining trait of shirou emiya. though seeing it through his own eyes had made it appear rather laughable, part of archer also understood the ideal that drove the boy he had once been. sadly, his entire life had been defined by discarding his own happiness for the sake of others; while he was free of that obligation in this place, some habits die hard.

being willing to throw your own life away for others is twisted, of that he had no doubt, but... if there was any word that could describe him, it would probably be just that. ]

Good. If this relationship is going to be mutually beneficial, it's best we understand each others' limits.

[ although she's clearly guarded with her emotions, he can tell she's frustrated: either through her body language or faintly through the connection between them. if intoners require disciples to deal with their sex drives, it's obvious enough that there's more to it than just lust. what an inconvenient existence.

though can he truly say he's much better, leeching energy from others in order to survive?

while there remain more than a few questions, likely for both of them, he's fine with leaving it at this for now. she understands what she needs to - the basics at least - and as long as he's keeping an eye on her, he can ensure nothing goes too horribly wrong. though... when he hears that piece of glass crunch under her foot, he grimaces.

no, it's not that straightforward after all. though she may be capable of taking care of herself in some ways, it's obvious she's quite lacking in others. ]

Though there's one last issue to address. Proximity between Master and Servant will ease the burden on both of us. [ that's not entirely true, but for the purpose of making his point, he's more than willing to bend the truth a bit. ] It appears one other person occupies this place already, but that shouldn't be a problem for me. [ he doesn't really need a room... or a bedroom... or anything really. he can spend most of his time just resting in spirit form on the roof, keeping watch (not that there's really anything that needs to be watched for at the moment). ]

I'll relocate here in order to make things simpler.

[offtune]

[ there's a part of her that wonders if they can truly, mutually benefit from this. of course, the fact that he's using her magic almost means that she can't fully be harm to people around her. there's benefit in being weakened, sure, but there's no promise that it'll remain that way. just because the flower is sleeping indefinitely doesn't mean that everyone is safe. she's certain the natha knows this as well.

there's a moment of silence following that; she considers telling him what she wants him to do in a worst-case scenario. he doesn't seem like the kind of man who would hesitate, would he? if her understanding is correct, he could still kill her, despite being her servant. hell, she can order him to kill her if he refuses— zero realizes that she hadn't been clear on just how dangerous the flower is, what it does to her and its defense mechanism to prevent itself from being destroyed. and if she is a host of such destruction, then she should be stopped.

but ultimately, she decides against telling him anything about dragons and their relationship with the flower— decides against telling him what she wants to do in addition to being her disciple. figures there will be a better time and place for it.

zero is lounged on the sofa, her elbow is rested upon the cushion of the armrest, cheek against her palm. she could fall asleep there, she's so damn tired. or maybe she would have, if he hadn't just— ]

... Did you just invite yourself to live with me?

[ she should be more surprised, but how could she be, when that's essentially how disciples are? still, it's not like he's actually one. servants have more limitations than she expected. ]

Well, have it your way. The other girl is suggestible enough. [ she'd be fine... ]

[fakers]

[ at his core, archer is the kind of man willing to always choose the path to save the most amount of people, even if that means sacrificing himself and those he cares about. he's never seen that as an admirable thing; if anything, part of him has always loathed that about himself.

it's something he's thought about in recent times... especially after hearing from kirei that there had lived a version of himself who chose a different path. who chose to turn against the entire world in order to protect a single person. hearing that had filled him with mixed emotions: embarrassment that shirou emiya could be so foolish, yet pride that the young man could have walked a "better" path.

if he had to turn against his Master for the sake of all the others living in this place, he could. but would he? no, he doesn't even know the answer to that question right now. ]

I wouldn't have quite phrased it like that, but... yes.

[ "live with her"... in his mind it was more "watch over her," but that's essentially just semantics. ]

Though it's hardly my forte, I am not unskilled at domestic tasks. [ as he's already made... abundantly obvious. ]

Other girl? [ a pause. he'd been a bit preoccupied on his way here, but now that he thinks about it... ] Ah, that's right. I've been here once before. [ actually, this works to kill two birds with one stone. he was a bit worried about that one's ability to look after herself as well... ] I imagine this arrangement will be fine with her as well.

[offtune]

[ she's not prepared to protest; if her disciple wants to (or in this case, needs to) stay in close quarters to her, they're entitled to. a2 might be confused, but zero can't imagine much debate over it. after all, if she's gotten close to zero, it would only be a matter of time before she gets to know archer, as well. ]

I suppose someone has to be.

[ zero isn't. a2... is a combat android, but still probably better at domestic tasks than zero could ever be. that says enough. ]

Wait, you've been here?

[ that's news to her, but considering how all the houses layouts are nearly identical, it's easy enough of a mistake to make. but more importantly, — ] I guess that means we don't have do introductions.

[ not that she would have, anyway; the two are more than capable of talking to each other on their own. ]

Anyway, you either take the couch, or you sleep with A2.

[fakers]

[ though part of him questions if this is really a good idea, it's not like he can change his mind now. for better or worse they are connected now, and it isn't as if he's particularly bound to his current domicile. realizing a2 lives here as well just reinforces the idea; though part of him has to wonder just how the two of them get along as housemates... ]

Not inside, but I guided your housemate to this place when she first arrived on the surface.

[ that said, he has never thought the house would turn out significant to him in any other way. it's strange how things turn out. ]

I assisted her inside one of those simulations. [ though perhaps it would be more accurate to say she helped him, even if it really should have been the other way around.

he falters slightly at how bluntly she says that; though he'd thought he was used to her attitude by now, perhaps he'll never be completely accustomed to it. ] The couch is fine with me. In truth, I don't even need that.

[ he'd go back to get his things but... he actually doesn't have any things? no, that's not true, he probably has his uniform for work, but other than that he's pretty much a bum. ]

[offtune]

[ they get along surprisingly well, if only because a2 is a lot more open about human experiencing than archer, it seems... regardless, zero doesn't seem to particularly care about how they met. considering they're all from the same group of refugees, it's only a matter of time before everyone meets each other.

and considering that everyone from their particular group of refugees needed some kind of... personal touch to wake from it, it's no surprise that a2 would require it too, even though she's almost too certain his encounter with a2 is far different from her own. although who knows, maybe he's into androids.

zero only recently found out that she's fine with sleeping with one, so... ] Suit yourself. I'm going to bed.

[ she stands suddenly, kicking her wedges off at last before stepping towards the her bedroom. but it's not without one last personal jab at her servant, even if it goes against what they've accomplished before, she feels the need to tease. she turns around, her smile light: ]

You sure you don't wanna join me?

[fakers]

[ in a2's case, their bonding had been about an experience archer is far more ready and willing to take part in: violence. that probably speaks volumes about what is truly wrong with his mind, but it holds true all the same. even if the circumstances had been fake, a2 was still someone archer had chosen to trust his back to.

that's more than he could say for many people here... though for whatever reason, that number had come to include his present company.

he cringes slightly at her question, if only because he knows she doesn't mean it seriously. at the very least, in light of everything else they'd said, it'd make little sense. there's a definite cheekiness to the offer that makes clear she's just trying to get under his skin.

which is essentially why it works. ]

I'll have to pass this time. You really aren't my type.

[ and with that said he'll do his own goofy vanishing thing so he can go back and get... the one or two possessions he's left behind in old, faithful house 5. ]

hi5

[offtune]

[ it's pretty much what she expected him to say, and it earn him an amused huff of her breath before she returns to her room...

he'll have been gone when she finally says: ] And you aren't mine.