ғaтe/alт.dιѕтorтιon ii

[formidable]

Private AU/PSL RP, set in the Fate/stay night universe. Multiple Servants of each class are being summoned or are rogue and appear from mysterious rifts along with shadow-like monsters, threatening to tear apart this unstable and distorted alternate reality. ➤ PART I ➢ FSN AU Lien Kha. ➤ FSN AU Ai Thao Kha. ➢ Fate/ALT.distortion Playlist.

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[emotive]

[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.

[onoir]

[ A beat, and he ventures, carefully: ]

Had you forgotten, before?

[emotive]

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.

[onoir]

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. ]

[emotive]

[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.]

[onoir]

[ 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.

1/2

[emotive]

[Alright. She's prepared for this. She's used to this. She can take this. Yes. Just...]

[emotive]

[... No, she's covering her face up with one hand, but the redness of her cheeks remains visible despite her efforts.]

I can't wiiiiiiiiiiiin!

[onoir]

[ Ah, and he's not so dense that he can misinterpret this reaction... he blinks, and then falls into an easy laugh. ]

I see. Should I dematerialize?

[ don't be mean, Diarmuid. ]

[emotive]

[Ai pulls down her hand slightly so that her blue eyes look up at Diarmuid with indigence. And she mutters as she glances to the side...]

And to think I was gonna apologize for saying those troublesome things yesterday...

[onoir]

[ He catches that low mutter, and responds with another light exhale, a hand on her arm to steady her. ]

I would rather that you didn't feel the need to apologize to me.

[emotive]

Well, when you put it that way... I was being troublesome on purpose.

[Her sincerity sometimes aligns with Lien's audacity.]

[onoir]

Respectfully— your definition of 'troublesome' may be more mild than you think.

[ It verges more on "endearing", but he has a feeling he shouldn't say that... for Ai's sake... ]

[emotive]

So if I try harder...?

[onoir]

Then I would have to tread carefully, so as not to earn your ire.

[emotive]

Mm. I did get a little more exasperated than usual tonight...

[onoir]

...Ah.

Yes, you did break something.

[emotive]

[HEAD IN HANDS]

I really have the worst patience...!!

[Drunk!Ai seems to be hard on herself as well as being more irritable around others...]

[onoir]

Alcohol makes fools and fighters of us all. If you'd like, I could forget.

[ teasing... ]

[emotive]

You can forget, but it'll never leave!

[Damning words really, especially since he's forgotten something important...]

... But for some reason, I don't mind you knowing my bad sides.

[onoir]

That's just as well. Knowing the caliber of the one I serve is important.

[ And, after a beat: ]

...Knowing more about you is also important.

[emotive]

... I said it before, when we first started out with each other... You're free to ask me anything.

[Or something along those lines. It's been a few weeks since they've met each other. It feels so long ago now.]

[onoir]

Anything.

[ He parrots that word, then turns his head slightly to look at her. ]

A question, then— what will you do after this war?

[emotive]

Well... I want to continue my formal education as a magus at the Clock Tower in London. I'm trying to convince my sister to come along too! It's up to her in the end, but I think she should take advantage of what's offered there even if she doesn't plan to rise in rank or anything ambitious like that.

As for me, I'd want to become a magus that can teach others, especially those who aren't from prestigious backgrounds, such as myself.

[onoir]

A teacher. I see.

[ A moment to digest this, after which he breathes a short laugh. Not to patronize her, but because he isn't surprised— it's a nice feeling, to be able to know the quality of the person you've become closer to. ]

You have a knack for touching the lives of people you encounter. No doubt you'll be an excellent mentor.