sweethymns | ғaтe/alт.dιѕтorтιon ii

[ And, for some reason he can't quite grasp, his gut reaction is to say: ]

Damn, I'm not a dog.

[ ...Which is a reaction that makes him blink, and then wave aside. ]

...But, alright. You sure you don't want me to be sleeping in the bed?

[She looks up somewhat bewildered.]

... Oh... Um. [Lien glances to the side as the fluster begins to appear and spread across her face.]

If you want...?? I don't think I'd mind??

In the bed it is, then. Hey, now you have something to look forward to.

[ And, well. He takes her hand, as casually as he did the first time, and trots the both of them back towards the direction of their apartment.

He knows that being casual about it helps. Treating it like it's normal. Which, in his mind? It is. ]

[Her grip around Lancer's hand is stronger now, more confident. Their walk home with her hand in his is a memory she's sure she'll treasure forever.

More of those unsaid wishes that had started to emerge from her start to multiply even more. And instead of being cautious and afraid, she wanted to welcome them more, into the fold of what the days ahead of them were going to become.]

[...

Ai already started to make her way home and she's pensive to say the least.

There's a lot to take in. The War, her feelings, the future... But she reminds herself that if those things kept causing her uncertainty, the one thing she can be certain of is her Servant.

She turns to look at Diarmuid with a reassuring smile on her face.]

Lancer?

[She holds out her hand to him.]

I'm afraid I can't walk as steadily as I hoped. Will you be my support?

[ And of course, Ai's Servant is attentive to the things that would have her be concerned: the question of her sister, for one. He's mulled over the question that their tentative 'enemy' posed to them, and has decided, for now, that it could mean any number of things. It could also just be a ruse to stir unrest, for one.

It's his duty to be strong for his Master, so his expression softens when Ai calls for him, with her easy acquiescence of her hand. ]

If you would let me.

[ A light smile, and he takes her hand...

... then hooks arms. ]

—Is this comfortable?

Mm!

[Ai nods letting her arm settle into the hook of his own.]

This is good. Let's get going then.

[ He's glad for her peace of mind, for her smile. They're rewarding to him, gives him purpose: he'd die protecting that, and he wouldn't feel that it was a waste at all. ]

...You'll need to drink water, when we get back. Mornings after one drink too many can be agonizing at best.

Ah. [Her tone turns light and playful again.]

Of course! You'd have experience with that sort of thing. Warriors and drinking. [Ai nods affirmatively.]

It goes hand in hand.

I've been said to be able to hold my drink fairly well.

[ Read: do not drink with him, do not ever drink with him, this is a bad idea, these are bad things. ]

Hopefully that doesn't lessen your opinion of me.

Well, I can't speak for myself right now. Being drunk and all.

[~~this means drink with him yes~~]

Quite frankly, that would be insincere of me and we can't have that.

[ ~~IF YOU DARE...~~ ]

I couldn't imagine you being disingenuous.

[ Which is true, actually. He smiles. ]

On the day of our victory, then. If you'd permit me to toast for your valor.

But of course.

[With one hand, she brushes her hair behind her ear as she smiles at his request.]

... Although now I imagined Lien trying to compete with you when it comes to drinking...

Respectfully...

...I don't imagine I'll be losing that competition.

[Ai clears her throat and looks at Diarmuid...

To give her best Lien impression.]

Ah, so now you're getting cocky. The true enemy has appeared!

[Looks like booze helps improve the performance!]

[ Top marks, Ai. ]

If it's a fair fight you want using ale, it's a fair fight you'll be getting.

[She pumps her fist in the air determinedly!!]

You'll rue the day you tried to challenge me!

Take care that those don't become empty words.

[ Joking, joking. There's an exhale, genuinely pleased that Ai's playing around like this. ]

[She puts her arm and is quiet for only a few seconds before chuckling.]

This is... This is great actually. Being able to laugh and smile like this.

[Ai looks up at the night sky where the moon is.]

Lien tells me that I should never forget how to do those things.

[ A beat, and he ventures, carefully: ]

Had you forgotten, before?

I... It was... [She pauses as if struggling to find the words. Or the alcohol was making it hard. Her other hand reaches up to touch her eyelids that were closed in concentration as she recalled her younger years.]

It was difficult. The things that made other people happy, what other people lived for... Thinking about it now, maybe I looked down on others.

[Being in an all girl's boarding school, even with its limitations, gave the twins insight on several things such as what people valued; what they hoped to gain in the future, their present position in life, and evaluating the worth of what the had compared to others.

"Ugh, you two are so gloomy!"

A classmate had said this to the Kha twins during their first year of enrollment at school. It's merely a shadow of a memory and Ai can't even remember who exactly had said that.

Without really thinking about it, Ai leans her head against Diarmuid's arm, murmuring softly.]

"Why is it such a big deal?" I asked that a lot when I looked at people who seemed to live so easily.

Edited 2015-07-03 07:14 (UTC)

Why is it a 'big deal' to smile?

[ That's something he's never really thought about: in all his years of being alive, during the years of turmoil and the subsequent peace, he's never contemplated reasons to be happy, the hows and whys. He never had to, not in the same way that he supposes all these modern people with their time and convenience do.

In a way, he's the wrong person to ask; he's never been greedy, not by nature nor circumstance.

But he considers her statement carefully, thinks back to what made his heartaches worth bearing. It wasn't bitterness, nor out of a sense of obligation. What was it that spurred him, all those centuries ago? ]

—I can't say. Maybe because there are others who would be saved by your smile.

[ Grainne. There's still only fondness, even now. ]

[When Lien started to act out the way she did, it confused everyone, Ai Thao most of all. It was frustrating and even Ai who was reserved up until then lashed out.

"Ah. You got angry." ♥

... Lien smiled. And looking at her twin, her near identical reflection with such an expression somehow made Ai realize that she could smile like that too.

And everything else about herself fell into place one way or another. She found out that she didn't like hurting people unnecessarily. She was just naturally soft spoken, but hated it when things didn't get done. She had simple material pleasures and was by all means a normal person in that aspect. At some point, Ai Thao realized that other people weren't as shallow as she thought; all hurts were different.

And now she found out something else about herself when it came to...]

... If that's the case...

I like yours. Your smile. [Ai lifts her head up to give a little nod of appreciation.]

Edited 2015-07-03 07:47 (UTC)

[ A part of him hurts at that, at a vague recollection of a woman with red hair and her misguided desire to placate him. But this is different, different even if he can't exactly retrieve the source of his trepidation.

He knows what she means, and it humbles him in a way that he hasn't felt in a while.

So. After a moment's pause and a genuine look of vague surprise—

—he smiles, and the expression is, in a word, disgustingly vibrant. ]

A small price to pay for yours.

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