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.

Comments

[fakers]

[ okay, this isn't what he'd been expecting. he's not actually sure what he's seeing when he walks in. had she been attacked? though it seemed absurd, perhaps kirei... no, there was no way the priest could have known about what had happened. and if he was behind this, he likely wouldn't have left things half finished.

in fact, he hadn't sensed that zero was in any danger, so... ]

There will be time for that later. [ a sigh. once his alarm fades, it becomes all too apparent what's happened. he's not sure exactly how she had ended up in this state, but the shards of glass on the floor speak volumes. how she's chosen to treat herself just makes the spectacle even more grotesque, but what's most unsettling about all this is how she simply doesn't care. ]

Though I'm certain I already know the answer... don't you know how to properly treat a wound?

[ he's doesn't ask for permission before she walks into the kitchen, grabbing some paper towels... he assumes there must not be any bandages here, because why else would she be using toilet paper? anyways, he's still going to kneeling beside her to redo her... arm wrapping... if it can even be called that. it's not even tied tightly enough to truly quench the bleeding. ]

Before you get an mistaken impressions, my own life is tied to your well-being now. If you end up bleeding to death over something like this, I won't be far behind you.

[offtune]

[ ironically, the biggest threat to zero is herself.

that's always been true; back when she's a young girl, newly sold to the brothel in midgard, and it's true nearly a month ago, when she's finishing off one, only to die by a sword forged from gabriella's fang. she realizes what this makes their meeting that night. she continues to be a threat to herself when she decided she'd help this man without much of an explanation— there was a simple reason to that, really, one that she hadn't cared to think too much about:

there was no time.

there was no time for archer to explain what will happen thereon, no time to talk about the consequences, and no time to feel the connection between the two. because yes, she had sensed that they're closer now-- not just in how she thinks of him, but how she feels about him. it's not something she can explain when she's never experienced something like it before, but she attributes it to something so rare she dares not speak of it. regardless of her personal feelings on the matter, it's there, eating at her. it's perhaps what had driven her to finally contact him, despite having feeling him all this time.

zero squeezes the wound around her arm, hissing lightly when he draws attention upon it. ]

Usually it'd heal itself.

[ that's all zero's ever been used to. intoner magic is a force to be reckoned with, but it's different when it's reliant on a force that is currently sleeping. she only has herself to count for, and when her magic is shared between two persons, it's not as easy, she's finding.

zero does allow him to redo her makeshift bandages though, eyeing him carefully as he cleans the old ones. ]

Good to know this is for your own well being. [ she's actually not being sarcastic here— it's easier to think people as selfish. ]

Are you completely healed now?

[fakers]

[ while there is much to be discussed, none of that seems particularly important at the moment. he notes zero's comment, filing it in the back of his head. he knew she wasn't entirely human, but if she normally had regenerative powers, that only confirms it further. he's admittedly curious to learn more about this person he's contracted to, including why she is the way she is, but right now simply making sure her injuries don't get worse is paramount. ]

What did you even do to end up like this anyway?

[ he spares a glance back at the kitchen, along with the shards of the glass cup. though he was first taken aback by her shoddy attempt at treating herself, she's never seemed the type to be so clumsy she'd hurt herself just performing a mundane task.

which means this is likely his own fault. it makes sense; to heal himself, he's had to draw more mana from her than he normally would. for someone unaccustomed to such a thing, that would undoubtedly be disorienting. as that realization settles in, his frustration fades a bit, instead replaced by growing concern. ]

Just hold still. This will likely sting. [ there are still small pieces of glass in her arm, which he sets about removing as painlessly as possible. it's clear she has a high tolerance for discomfort, but this could hardly be pleasant for anyone. he wipes away the blood as he removes each piece, doing what he can to staunch any bleeding. ]

Is this really the time for you to be concerned about me? [ he scoffs a little as he continues to treat her wounds, simply using the paper towels and water to at least make sure the cuts are cleaned properly. ] I'm fine. My wounds will still take some time to completely heal, but I'm in far better condition than I have been in quite some time.

It's your condition that's more worrying. [ and he doesn't simply mean the cuts. ] Our contract has weakened you.

[offtune]

[ zero doesn't answer the question initially; instead, she closes her eye in momentary contemplation. truthfully, she isn't entirely sure how she got into this mess, but it's obvious enough that it's to do with the contract. she finds herself lethargic during all hours of the day, unable to fully wake. she presumes that's the price she has to pay for shared magic— and, if her vague understanding of her role as a master is correct, he's been "using" her song magic in order to heal himself.

similarly to archer, she is not actually living so much as there is magic keeping her alive. she should have died long ago, in that prison cell under the pattering rain... so it makes sense that, in losing some of that, she isn't in her best form, currently.

but it doesn't seem that she'll need to explain anything. judging by the way he quickly moves on to the next topic, zero sees that he's found the answer. ] Don't give me that look.

[ she bites her bottom lip to stifle another sound, but that's about all she gives him. she remains perfectly still otherwise, as someone who is perhaps used to superficial wounds like this. with each shard he removes, what appears to be dark smoke oozes out of it; perhaps a physical manifestation of her song magic— it's minuscule and gone before long.

there's a part of her that is relieved, though; while she continued to become less human home, she sees that she can feel some pain here. it's... a small comfort, but for the first time, gives her a bit of hope. perhaps something good did come out of the damn world ending, but while she managed to stop the world from being destroyed by the flower, what the storm had done is out of her control. she isn't responsible for that; she's undone her own damage, at least.

zero frowns at him as he continues dressing her injuries— he's better at this than she'd ever be; she's far too accustomed to waiting it out. ]

I'm only "concerned" because your condition directly affects mine. [ so don't give her that sappy shit either. at least he's actually healing, and all this stumbling isn't for nothing. she'd have to kill him herself, otherwise. ] And yeah, it has.

[ zero shrugs lightly. ]

But I sort of knew what I was getting into. Figure it'll get better with time... [ then, glancing at him, ] Am I wrong?

[fakers]

[ as he continues to treat her, it really only serves to raise more questions. though his own body's reaction to injury is hardly normal, her's still manages to surprise him. while her body may not be healing itself automatically as she pointed out before, it's certainly doing something to try and cope with the wounds. the magic at work unsettles him slightly, though he's not sure why. ]

How else should I react to something like this?

[ there's a tinge of annoyance in his voice, but it's borne more of concern than anything else. what that annoyance is aimed at is uncertain, though its mostly himself. he'd been so wrapped up in his own recovery that he hadn't truly realized how badly that could be affecting her; she always seemed more than capable of taking care of herself.

once the final shard is removed, he looks at his handiwork with an appraising eye. really, all he'd needed to do was pull the pieces free, and whatever regenerative power she had seemed to take care of the rest. he'd dressed the wounds anyway, just to be safe, though part of him recognizes doing so probably wasn't actually necessary. ]

Fair enough. I've recovered enough that I should be able to deal the rest of my injuries on my own, without relying too much on your power. [ it's not like he can completely stop mana from flowing through the connection between them, but he can at least make sure he doesn't draw anything unnecessary. he tightens the last makeshift bandage he's crafted, before finally deciding he's satisfied.

which means he should probably turn his attention to cleaning up the rest of the mess she created. he gets back up, moving to sweep up all the glass now adorning her kitchen tile. ]

That said, it's probably necessary that you learn more about exactly what's happened. [ he'd told her only the bare minimum before, and even that had hardly given her any understanding of just what kind of being he was. ] As I told you before, I am a Servant. In my world, that meant a spirit summoned forth by the Holy Grail to do battle with others as part of a magical ritual.

Seven Servants, each bearing a different class. Mine was Archer. [ he pauses for a moment, recognizing that essentially admits it isn't his true name, before deciding that hardly matters. ] Each Servant in turn had a Master, the one who called them back into the world. Each pair fought to be the last, chasing the foolish promise that the Grail would grant whoever emerged victorious a wish. A Master supplies their Servant with power and commands them; in turn the Servant fights to see their Master's wish fulfilled.

[ he'd truly never had his own wish, so he could never really relate to what the other Servants sought. ]

Obviously, none of that applies here. But I still awoke from my pod a Servant, only with no Master to draw power from. Needless to say, I have no desire for the Grail anymore either, nor anyone to fight over it with. I have no idea why I remain in this form, but that isn't important. Whether it was fate or merely coincidence, you are my Master now.

[offtune]

[ there's a tease at her tongue— what are you, my guardian? but she realizes now that that's not far from the truth. he's her guardian now, her servant, disciple... whatever the hell the combination of all three is. she hears it in his voice, and it almost catches her off guard how sincere the concern is beneath the annoyance. but if it isn't his tone, it's how careful he treats her that makes her pause. perfectly content with letting time heal her, it surprises her, his attention to detail.

... but for her sake, she dismisses it all; doesn't want to waste time overthinking silly things like that.

when he finally lets her arm go, she inspects the bandages before watching him move to kitchen area. ]

Isn't there an easier way to speed up your healing process? [ it's asked casually; it's more of a mild gripe if anything. but christ, it's exhausting being in this condition.

he's correct to assume that the first thing she recognizes is not this ritual he speaks of, but the fact that archer isn't his real name. it's not like zero is hers, either, so her only reaction to such is a quick grimace. still, the world he hails from is just as complicated as her own, and she finds that the most important part about this onslaught of information is the fact that she, his master, will be the one to fuel him with the power.

it explains everything. he was masterless before, which made him an easy target for elimination. of course, there was the bit he said that he picked the fight, but that's stupidity she's willing to overlook as she hadn't been a part of that fiasco. it will change in the future, most certainly, if he decides to do such a thing again... even though she is possesses the same kind of foolishness that would prompt her to go blindly into fighting unprepared. zero grits her teeth as she thinks about the first time she faced her sisters at cathedral city— she'd lost her arm then, but most tragically, she'd lost michael.

it feels like watching her past self, looking at him. because he fought, he was forced to lose his freedom. she wonders if it will haunt him like losing michael continues to haunt her. ]

Does none of that apply here because there's no Holy Grail, or because you don't desire what it has to offer?

[ it's a fair question, she thinks, because it'd at least tell her a little more about what kind of person he is. by the sound of it, calling the pursuit of the grail foolish, he doesn't sound like someone who cares about it. but she's willing to hear him out; it's annoying, but zero does actually, very briefly, think about what she would do if she were in his world as a master, fighting in this holy grail or whatever.

as it turns out, there isn't much of a difference. zero destroyed her sisters in order to obtain absolute power for herself... or so she convinced the others to think. isn't that kind of what masters have to do, killing others like them? all to what, obtain some thing that grants them any wish? ... but still, she can't help but think about what she would have wished for. she wishes she were strong enough to kill the "clones" the moment the flower birthed them. none of this would have happened then — ]

Sounds complicated. [ she sounds nonchalant, regardless. all of this truly doesn't apply to her, but there's a wistful part of her that perhaps wishes she could have ended everything before it could have gotten worse. ] Either way, the most important part is that you need my magic, right? And if I get killed somewhere along the way, I assume you'll be able to find another master.

[fakers]

[ though his immediate reaction to her question is denial, he actually pauses to consider it for a second. while she has magical energy in no short supply, zero is not a proper magus. without training, she can't control or guide the flow of mana between them. the only more efficient way of transferring mana would be... ugh, no, the less he remembers about their first meeting the better. ]

There are ways, but nothing worth discussing. After some rest, you should be fine.

[ the more he uses his magic, the more he'll be forced to draw upon her. he's admittedly been a bit reckless about it before now, but he's learned from that mistake. it isn't just his own life he's risking now; that changes everything. ]

Both. I never had a wish for the Grail, and the Grail itself is... [ not awake? ] ...not here. I fought in the Grail War for another purpose, but even that turned out to be a fool's errand.

[ that last part isn't entirely untrue, but it bothers him all the same. he actually noticeably rustles a bit at that, turning away from his garbage cleaning task. ]

I won't deny that's true. Were you to perish, I would be able to continue to exist if I found another Master in time. [ sigh. ] But I have no desire to do that. If you die before I do, that simply means I'll have failed as a Servant. I'm rather tired of failing.

Those symbols on your hand. [ he'd of course noticed them that night, and again when he was checking her wounds. now seems as good a time to explain as any. ] They aren't simply for decoration. They symbolize the connection between us, and are the basis of your power. [ over him, at least. ] Three command seals. Each grants you the power to issue one absolute order to your Servant, transcending even their normal limits. If you are in ever danger, all you need to do is use one to call upon me and I will appear.

[offtune]

So waiting it out is the best option after all.

[ her tone is dismissive by now, decidedly taking his word for it. she assumes it's only not worth discussing because there's already too much information he's throwing at her. "abridged" version isn't very much abridged at all, but at least she's still able to follow well enough... if only because the majority of the things pertaining to the holy grail wars doesn't directly affect her.

zero moves to pick up her prosthetic arm. with it properly bandaged now, she screw it back in place, grunting softly as the parasite molds itself unto the stump of her arm once again. it takes a moment, and she's still listening to him when she's able to move the fingers. she doesn't turn her attention toward her servant until she can make a fist, then flexing the fingers out, only to test her grip once more. ]

You mean this thing.

[ her other hand is now raised, and she finds herself distracted by the flower design of the symbol once again. she chooses to ignore the sentiment, at least— archer has likely done this several times in the past. how many times, she doesn't care to know, but he fills role as a servant immediately. even after his explanation, she doesn't think she'd made the wrong decision, but she doesn't need all these goddamn benefits... and she especially doesn't need him to protect her. does fine on her own, but as it stands, zero doesn't feel like protesting.

it's then when she clicks her tongue and looks elsewhere. fucking flower. ]

What happens when I use all three?

[fakers]

I don't intend to put myself in mortal danger any time soon, so it shouldn't matter.

[ at least he means that quite seriously. being reckless had gotten him into this mess, and, more importantly, gotten other people involved. there remains a sting of remorse that he's pulled this girl into something she would have been better off having nothing to do with; but he'd accepted her off all the same, so there's no sense in regretting it now.

he watches her reattach her other arm, perhaps admiring the craftsmanship of it a bit. it's clearly seen a good deal of use, but remains operating well enough. it could probably use some fine tuning, but... no, that's getting a bit ahead of himself. you can't just tinker with someone else's arm. ]

The bond between us would remain, but you would no longer have the power to issue an absolute order. Between a Master and Servant... normally that would mean their roles would reverse. [ in almost all cases, a Servant is more powerful than their Master. the command spells are the only thing really giving a Master an advantage over the other. ]

Though since I entered into this contract willingly, that hardly matters. [ he's not planning on betraying her, at any rate. he has no reason to. ] We aren't working together towards any particular goal other than survival, so I have nothing to gain by turning against you.

[ ...he lets that linger for a moment, before deciding this has been a bit too one-sided. understandably so, since his information is more pertinent than hers, but... ] Along those lines, you know what I am now, but I still know little about you. [ his gaze lingers for a moment on the flower in her eye, though he doesn't directly say anything about it. ] You have magical power in no short supply, but... there's something strange about it.

[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.