amber ♠ 02

[steelmyself]

I really have to wonder at how quickly we're destroying this place.

[ Archer announces himself over the amber with that casual and dire remark. His tone is bored. ]

First of all, we've upset the balance of nature by killing a predator and allowing defenseless prey animals to multiply unchecked. Those rabbits will probably suffer once they meet the cruel reality of life beyond this tree, you know.

And now we've nearly destroyed the tree itself with our meddling. Isn't that impressive?

[ Now his voice is just dripping sarcasm. ]

Well done, everyone. Whoever brought us all here should really have expected these results. It's exactly what human beings do, after all.

Comments

[steelmyself]

Before it splashes on the floor. I'd make you a stew but that's just indecent.

[ He gestures at his bleeding arm. ]

[gandere]

[ This is one of those times where she can't stand his insufferable personality. If he wasn't already bleeding, she'd punch him right in the nose. ]

Sit down on the bed so that... so that it'll be easier. [ It won't be any easier, in fact the position may be more difficult. There's just something about that part of the house that calms her and so she forces him towards it. ]

And don't bleed on my stuff.

[steelmyself]

[ He hastily holds up his arm, angling it so that the blood doesn't overflow too easily. Still, it starts to drip... ]

Very well.

[ He heads for the bed. ]

[gandere]

[ If he bleeds all over her stuff!! ] I mean it. No blood on anything!

[ Following after him quickly, she peeks through her fingers and tries to convince herself that this is fine. Everything is fine. FINE!! ]

[steelmyself]

Drink quickly, Rin.

[ He still seems totally unfazed by the fact that he's gushing blood. ]

[gandere]

[ Once he's on the bed, she'll get on her knees before him and pull his arm in closer. There's a lot of blood and she's not sure where exactly to begin. Should she clean up his arm or go for fresher blood? Running her tongue along the inside of his arm, she latches her mouth over his wound once she's adjusted to the taste and sucks on it slowly. Her own hands and shirt are a mess now, though she pays them little attention.

If Rider can do this every day, then she can do it just this once. It's easy to talk herself into it, when she compares herself to others who are just as strong as herself even when she's faced with the reality of what she's doing. ]

[steelmyself]

[ She's cute--

He barely notices the small pain of the injury, but the thought flickers through his head, this idea that Rin is cute with her face buried in the crook of his arm, her expression flustered and disbelieving. ]

I'm a really twisted person...

[ He murmurs something sardonic to himself as he thinks that. ]

[gandere]

You are. [ Rin murmurs around his flesh, lifting her gaze only a bit to acknowledge he's said something before she quickly looks away. Resuming her task, her fingers hold onto him gently out of fear that if she let go, he'll disappear again.

It doesn't suit her well to think of those things, but it's those things she thinks of first. ]

[steelmyself]

Well, I suit you.

[ Without thinking about it, he lifts his free hand to lightly stroke her hair. ]

[gandere]

[ The sweet gesture confuses her only because of the words that went along with it. How can he tenderly touch her in this manner while at the same time implying a twisted individual suits her? ]

Ugh... [ Hopefully he doesn't assume the groaning is at the taste of his blood. A small part of it is, but complaining about a selfless act of his may only hurt him further so she'll refrain from it. ]

[steelmyself]

Hmm, do I really taste that bad, Rin?

[ No such luck. ]

Blood is mostly water and iron, really, so it's somewhat like you're drinking swords. That can't be so awful.

[gandere]

[ Really? Lifting her head, this time it's with a disapproving scowl. ]

Drinking swords sounds terrible!

[steelmyself]

Does it to you? If you have no sense of excitement, I guess it can't be helped.

[ He might be sulking a little. ]

[gandere]

Have you ever swallowed a sword?

[ Besides your chest??? ] It doesn't sound very exciting at all!

[steelmyself]

Only metaphorically.

[ Which is as close to defeat in this conversation as he'll acknowledge. ]

Hmm, that should be enough for now, I think.

[gandere]

Good. [ Only because she's starting to feel a bit queasy from drinking so much. Pulling back a bit, she remains seated on the ground with her jaw hanging slightly as if the fresh air hitting it will free her mouth of the taste.

It wasn't bad. She's often had to suck at her own finger when she picked up a piece of glass too sharp or if she needed to clean up quickly from her arm to prevent it from getting on her clothing. Now she was a mess with his blood all over her red shirt and hands, having ignored her own caution to keep clean. ]

I feel better as a magus. [ It's important she says that since as a human, she feels revolted. ]

[steelmyself]

As a magus, huh.

[ He looks down at her with a trace of apology in his eyes, unable to help but pick up on the meaning there. ]

I'll look for another way, Rin.

[ He unwraps the cloth he was using as a tourniquet and starts to bandage the small wound with it. ]

[gandere]

Huh? [ What if she plays oblivious to her own feelings and pushes them aside? ]

It's important that since we're in unfamiliar territory that we remain ready to defend ourselves. I'm no good as a magus if I can't use any of my spells, right?

[steelmyself]

I agree, but it irritates me to make you kill your heart, so I won't do it. I'm unruly that way.

You should know that as my Master.

[gandere]

My heart isn't the one that's been nearly killed before. [ Hmph. ]

[steelmyself]

[ Unfazed. ]

That's right, you saved mine, so I should save yours. It's only fair.

[ He lightly touches his chest. ]

There must be another way. I'm stubborn, as you know, so I'll find one.

[gandere]

Don't speak as if my heart needs saving. It's already been restored.

[ Thanks to Shirou Emiya helping return her sister to her. The only thing Rin needs is Sakura--at least, that's what she thinks she needs for now. ]

[steelmyself]

Ah...is that so?

[ There's an uncertain flash in his eyes. What can he do with a Rin Tohsaka who doesn't need to be saved? ]

Then I guess it's just up to me to make sure it doesn't get broken again...

[gandere]

We have more important matters to concern ourselves with. [ Why focus on something as useless as her heart again? ]

Living in the wilderness with only this tree to protect us isn't good.

[steelmyself]

I wonder. Perhaps the mist is a boundary field of sorts...

But it only seems to keep us in, and not any threats out.