thehometree | amber ♠ 02

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amber ♠ 02

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.

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Ah, Rin, wait--

[ He gestures. ]

Your shirt. I need to clean it.

And what will I wear to bed? No doubt your blood has soaked through to my skin.

[ At least she doesn't sound too annoyed by it. ]

...should I scrub you off, Rin?

[ He's poker-faced. ]

... is that something you would like to do?

[ At least that's more romantic than drinking blood. Right? ]

Yeah, I'd like to make sure you're clean and don't have to worry about messing up the bed.

[ --he answers seriously, without a trace of lascivious intent. ]

[ Of course. He's every bit the Emiya he tries to deny. Valuing her life a bit too much, she won't point out that she would expect that sort of nonsense to come out of Shirou's mouth instead of his own. Instead, she rises shakily to her feet and looks around for her tunic and leafy slippers she's made. Finding them tucked away in a corner she's designated as her own, she heads over towards them to take them with her. ]

I'll go clean up and you can take my dirty laundry as usual.

[ It pains him that she's so shaky--after all, he's the one who just gave up blood, not her. She should be better than ever.

No, he can't do this again. He'll most certainly have to find a better way to give her prana. ]

Of course, Rin.

[ --but that's all he says for now. ]

[ Everything will be fine, so she tells herself. There's nothing abnormal about this, is there? If it had been Rider drinking her blood or even Archer himself, it would have been acceptable. What's so wrong with the recipient being flipped around?

Nothing. There's absolutely nothing wrong with it.

Still she's behaving rather entitled over the subject and recognizes it belatedly. With a fresh change of clothing in hand--if it can be called that--she faces him fully with a faint smile. ]

Thank you, Archer.

[ Still, he blinks at that. ]

You're thanking me, Rin?

[ No, that was too earnest. That was too open. He has to follow it up with some sort of sarcastic comment. ]

Expressing gratitude...are you sure you haven't taken ill?

Are you saying there's something tainted within your blood? Please don't tell me this was a poor attempt to poison me when you've had plenty of opportunities to silently dispose of me much sooner.

[ Her sense of humor is a bit twisted, but that works just fine with a man who is every bit bent himself. ]

No, I am feeling much better. While I don't have my jewels here to help heal my wound, I'm certain now the circuits within my body will work on the natural healing. I just need a moment to consider what I've done and sort through it--didn't you experience that at one point?

There's no harm in taking reprieve to consider the weight of consequences.

Jeez, if I wanted to get rid of you I could always take your gem and drop you from a height, Rin. It's that simple.

[ He recovers quickly, though he looks troubled at her latter statement. ]

Well, we are alike as Master and Servant.

[ But, he hopes, not too much alike. He can't bear to see Rin broken by regret. ]

[ Rolling her eyes at his former statement. He could, but then there would be a mess that obviously looked like a murder compared to a more subtle poisoning. Silently chiding herself for her twisted thoughts and lack of faith in her Servant, Rin catches that troubled look in his eyes. ]

Does it bother you that we're so compatible with one another, Archer?

[ He considers that in pensive silence for a moment--and then he steps close to her. ]

Only if it leads to your ruin.

[ His voice is soft. ]

As a magus, I'll surely bring ruin to myself and that I care about regardless of your influence.

[ That's what is expected of her after all.

At least here she doesn't have to accept that life, but that's what she is at her core. A cold and calculated magus. ]

Hmmm.

[ He looks down at her with cool eyes, unflinching, refusing to accept the truth of her statement. ]

I had a thought, Rin.

Isn't it absurd that Shirou Emiya rejected his fate as a hero? That should have been impossible...

So, if you simply accept your fate as a magus, you'll be allowing that stupid kid to outdo you. That's really disgraceful.

It's absurd, but he's dead. [ She speaks boldly only because he's pushed her into a corner and has forced her to lash out to defend herself. ]

Then there's the matter of the Shirou Emiya who has chosen to be a hero. It's obvious to you as it is to me--that the Emiya here has chosen a different path in more ways than one.

So I don't have to worry about being outdone. He's taken a leap backwards all on his own.

[ He gives a sharp hiss of breath at that revelation, his eyes widening a little.

It's not that he wants Shirou to survive for his own sake. Death is a mercy to someone so broken, after all--

But Shirou chose to protect Sakura. Shirou decided to protect Illya. How can he keep doing either one if he dies? ]

Yeah...he'll ruin himself for sure.

But I can't believe my Master would accept a fate like that for herself. She would've summoned a lesser Servant if that were the case.

[ He may ruin himself, but Rin admits silently to herself that it's admirable. To believe in something so strongly and to seek it out. That kind of determination is commendable and something to imitate, if she thought herself of copying another. ]

I just drank the blood of another living creature in order to get back to working order.

How is that humane, Archer? [ Isn't it better if she thinks she did it because she's a magus instead of accepting she did it because she's human? ]

[ He grimaces visibly. ]

You don't have to put it like that, Rin. You could say instead, "I accepted a favor my partner gave me." Or even, "I did something that made my partner happy."

[ He vanishes that sour expression and looks at her straight on. ]

It made me happy, Rin--to help you. But at the same time it troubled me to ask such a thing of you. I won't do it again. I'll find another way to transfer prana between us--that doesn't make you drink my blood, or force sex upon you. There's got to be a way.

[ For a moment, his earnest and clear-eyed gaze is oddly like that of a younger boy she might know... ]

[ That look in his eyes is what causes her to fumble back mentally as Rin's suspicions keep coming up to mind. She hasn't really acknowledged it much, mentioned it to him before, but whenever he does look at her that way she's painfully reminded of someone else with the same amount of determination in his gaze. ]

I'm still sorting out my feelings on the matter, but if I can be human enough to confess I'm happy for your sacrifice, will that be satisfying to you?

Hmmm.

[ That earnest innocence fades away, leaving him with cool, critical eyes once more as he examines her. ]

Yeah, that's fine.

I suppose I should go fetch some water to wash your clothes now.

Yes, I suppose that you should.

[ A tiny part of her wants to ask him to stay, but distance is something they possibly need after this. Especially if she's going to have to ask him for help again if Shirou does something stupid.

Which he no doubt will. He is Shirou Emiya after all. ]

[ He starts to turn to go, but he pauses, then. ]

I'll return, though. You should know that, right?

...for as long as we're both here, I'll return to your side.

That's an opportunity this absurd place gives me.

What makes you think I doubted that in the first place?

[ Completely ignoring the desperate plea in her own voice and actions as she haughtily turns a nose up. ] Of course you'll return. Where else would you go?

[ Her face is cute like this--flustered, trying to deny all her own doubts.

He thinks that, and then he tries to dismiss the thought as inconsequential. ]

I could simply fly away. I won't, though--you'd have no tea.

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