sweethymns | ғaтe/alт.dιѕтorтιon

[ Somehow, her words strike something in him, an exposed nerve, an unclosed wound. His reply is a bit sharper than he'd like. ]

Is it so difficult to believe?

[ "why don't you understand"—

—he wills it down, a deep frown cutting into his features. ]

[Cue a confused blink or two from her.]

What? No. I don't have a reason to not believe you. Hell, I don't think I'd buy it if it was from anyone else.

[She crosses her arms, one of her fingers tapping her elbow.]

Wishes are a weird beast to deal with in my opinion.

[ His outburst confuses him, makes him grip the edge of the sink a little too hard. Where did that indignation come from?

But he goes back to his work, taking care not to break any of the dishes as he dries them and sets them on the rack. ]

...I don't often find myself relying upon wishes. But the Grail itself is a miracle— it granted mine without my asking for it.

Well, at least it's something done right. And with a Master like Ai... [She closes her eyes and leans back in her seat.]

... She'll be a splendid magus one day.

[ ...Huh. The topic change is welcome, and he smiles a bit to himself as he finishes the last of his chores. ]

You both say the same thing about each other.

[ must be a twin thing ]

[TWIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIN]

... Silly.

[She says this gruffly, but not without fondness.]

She actually puts in effort though.

Miss Ai sees potential in you.

[ He wonders to what extent he's allowed to divulge this; it seems forward of him to say too much when she should be the one to come clean about her own feelings, someday.

So he stops there, wipes his hands, and turns towards Lien with a humble, but knowing half-quirk of a brow. ]

Perhaps you two will talk about it at length, eventually.

[She blinks because she realizes how much Ai must have confided in Diarmuid. While her sister wasn't without acquaintances (she was better at making those), people like them, who barely had a past or an origin found it harder to make connections.]

... She really trusts you that much, huh?

[ A beat, where he considers whether or not he should have said anything at all. ]

...If her confiding in me is an indication of her trust, I would be happy to consider it so.

We'll always have each other. That part is inevitable. But outside of that...

[Lien straightens out her legs and starts fidgeting with her long braid instead.]

... I don't think it's good to just depend on each other exclusively. That's no way for her to live. It's why this War is so strange.

It's like we're learning how to wish it seems.

Edited 2014-12-30 02:22 (UTC)

[ That also seems like something private, best shared between siblings— but he can also consider it as Lien thinking aloud. He's not sure to what extent his input is required, but he answers with some conviction. ]

As a Servant, then, it's my duty to see that wish fulfilled. My young Master should have the audacity to wish as much as she wants.

[ And, as an addendum: ]

Though I also hope that it doesn't bar yours from also being fulfilled.

[She's about to say, "I don't have a wish." Because that was true, at first.

"Find someone you can do this with someday, okay?"

Something was changing.]

... I don't know.

It feels like, the more you wish, the more you suffer.

[Maybe that's why Ai was hurting so much.]

Fate works in strange ways.

[ He knows. The cards he's been dealt have never been particularly good, but suffering aside, he's seen people wish.

And, to an extent, he wants to think that he's granted one, too— that his choice saw Grainne's wish through. ]

It's no crime to wish for happiness.

["If he's happy serving someone like me, than that's more than I deserve."

Lien has to resist the urge to roll her eyes as she runs a brush through Ai Thao's hair.

"Hopeless. I thought you two were suited to be Master and Servant, but it turns out you're too similar for this to work."

Ai cracks a smile.

"Not at all. I'm incredibly selfish. I kept what I knew about him to myself and then greedily took in the moments he says he'll stay loyal to me, no matter what."

"And you're happy, just with that? Are you sure it's not the..."

"I have trouble telling to be honest."

"That's no good."

"I know."

Ai Thao is looking more well rested and the sunlight casts a warm yellow glow in the room. Lien thinks that despite having an identical face, her sister has the air of a fairy; ethereal yet grounded at the same time.

"And even if it was, natural or not, what would I do? After what I saw, what good would it do for him?"

"So you'd be unhappy if he was unhappy?"

A long and quiet pause.

"Mm. I don't think it's any more complicated than that."

Hopeless.]

[Lien stands up and stretches her arms.]

I think she'll wake up in about another hour or two. You should check up on her when she does.

[A beat and she shakes her finger at Diarmuid]

And don't go on about how you feel like it's your fault she's stressed. As the elder twin, I don't want any of that nonsense.

Edited 2014-12-30 03:20 (UTC)

[ A blink, as Lien reprimands him— it's remarkable, how these young women hardly back down in front of him. ]

...If I earn her ire, I'll see fit to explain that it was your idea.

[ He laughs, even though they both know that he won't do anything of the sort: he's far too earnest to play the blame game. ]

Good enough!

Thanks for helping out with cooking by the way.

I was planning on cooking, with or without the surprise visit.

[ emphasis on "surprise". ]

Well, well. Sorry to interrupt your groove than, Sir Knight.

From what I understand, it's what you do best.

[ Is he teasing? Yes... ]

[~~DANGER ZOOOONEEE~~ wait no]

And it won't be the last time. I'll take my leave now, so play nice.

[She heads towards the door with her backpack (she already gave the rest of the contents to Ai), and with her hand on the doorknob, Lien stops and says:]

One more thing though.

[ A tilt of the head, to indicate his curiosity, and then: ]

...Yes?

If her dreams get... out of hand, let's say, then both of you come to me.

[A beat.]

The only memories I've never been able to recover are the ones Ai and I lost. [Or maybe they don't want to remember. It's hard to say.] But I can see the ones that people aren't even aware of.

Memories can be forgotten. It's the only way they can't exist, but...

... Well, I've said my piece. Goodbye.

[She doesn't wait for Diarmuid to reply and exits as soon as she's made her proposition.]

Edited 2014-12-30 05:51 (UTC)

[ "Memories can be forgotten". That sounds mildly ominous— as if there's a large weight that he'd been carrying for so long that he's failed to become cognizant of it.

What did Ai see?

And more importantly— if he doesn't remember, why did he forget?

There's too much to question, and it doesn't sit well with him. But there's hardly much he can do except wait, and reflect; Ai is still resting, after all. ]

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