What are you doing? Why are you doing it?

[fujimaru]

But let's be real, when have any of us actually known that?

IN GENERAL: 1. Spoiler-experienced through the end of Part One 2. Spoiler-aware through current 3. Spoiler osmosis, ish, for events in all other fates 4. OTA Seriously I don't care if they've actually showed up in a fate property or if they're an AU of someone who has, cross-canon, OC, whatever; OTA is Open To All 5. Including for shipping because I'm easy and so is Ritsuka* * Not like, EASY EASY easy, but you know, easy. M/F, F/F, handholding or smut, however things go! 6. Flexible for commentspam and/or longer comments. 7. Hello friends please play with me (ﾉ´ヮ´)ﾉ*:･ﾟ✧ If you'd rather I write a starter just lmk!

Comments

[idleidol]

[Remember how the gorgons were hanging out in Ritsuka's room? Yeah, eventually she's probably going to head back to her room, only to find that her bed is occupied right now. At least it's only one of them. She looks downright angelic as she sleeps, for anyone who doesn't know better.

Too bad Ritsuka knows better.]

[fujimaru]

[ SHE SURE DOES, and she has learned to prepare for such contingencies. She'd initially developed this strategy to deal with the contingent who like to sneak into her bed when she's also in it, but it works well enough when she's not.

Which is to say, she has a replica of a replica of the Gae Bolg (thanks, Scathach, it's probably one of the most useful useless Christmas presents she's ever received), which she can use to prod an intruder. If necessary, it's also been useful in completely dislodging a person.

And also, since Stheno is an Assassin, Ritsuka doesn't have to worry about being as gentle as she might have to be with Euryale. ]

Hey. What do you think you're doing.

[idleidol]

Iyaa!

[Oh no, now you've done it. She awakens with a breathy little gasp, looking utterly scandalized as she sits up in the bed and clutches a pillow to her chest. . . . Well, briefly, anyway. It's a matter of a second or two before she's smiling sharply instead, even if her tone is still oh-so-offended.]

Oh? Master. I didn't think you had such capacity for cruelty.

[fujimaru]

[ She knows. She knows, but at least if she's going to wake the dragon snake, she might as well have done something to deserve some of the ire.

Ritsuka swings the toy so that she can lean on it like a staff instead. ]

I didn't think you'd want to be sleeping in a place like this. It's not like it's warm or anything here.

[idleidol]

Oh, I didn't plan on falling asleep. I only didn't expect you to take so long to return. Even Euryale tired of waiting . . .

[But she doesn't get out of the bed. She's upright, yes, but only making herself comfortable that way instead.]

[fujimaru]

Maybe you two shouldn't just come into my room uninvited.

[ It's a futile thing to ask for, she knows it. They're not the only ones who've barged into her room, and they'll not be the last. Mash is maybe the only one who consistently remembers to knock first -- even Da Vinci and Roman just like to charge in more often than not... ]

Look, you should go back to your own room. I'm tired, I want to sleep.

[idleidol]

What's this? You're too tired to save the world right now?

[She makes a great show of sulking, and moves to dangle her legs off the bed. Now there's room, though she's still not on her feet. Maybe that will come, and maybe it won't.]

[fujimaru]

Yeah, yeah, I'm an irresponsible human who needs things like regular amounts of food and sleep.

And for that, I need my own bed and peace and quiet. Got it?

[ It's something, at least. When Stheno moves, Ritsuka does as well, to plunk herself down on the foot of the bed, arms crossed. ]

[idleidol]

Hehe. Master, you've grown, haven't you?

[There is some core of something, maybe, more earnest in her usual Stheno tone. It's hard to tell with her. But some layer of artifice drops, just a little, as she swings her feet and watches Ritsuka settle.]

[fujimaru]

Have I?

[ She's tempted to snark briefly about that as her other option. Actually, I think I've lost weight. --Which is true, because it's not like there's always the time or the option to eat well when a Rayshift is happening. America had been pretty rough...

She cocks her head at the comment, eyeing Stheno with a mix of curiosity and trepidation. Even if she's acting slightly nicer than usual, there's no telling how long that'll last, or how sincere it is... ]

[idleidol]

Of course. I've been with you for some time now. Well, it's nothing to a goddess. But now, I'm your Servant, and our bond has lasted this long . . . of course I've noticed things about you.

[She balances all of that perfectly on the edge of teasing and sincere. But, despite her tone, it is still more and more seriously delivered than she usually graces Ritsuka with.]

You could stand to take better care of yourself. Or is it that you could stand to let others care for you? Hmm. Either way. I'm proud of you for kicking me out of your bed.

[So she says, still in the bed.]

[fujimaru]

I don't need anyone to take care of me.

[ She makes a little face, though whether it's at the comment or at Stheno still lingering, she's not sure herself. But rather than worry about it too much, she flops backward onto the bed, folding her arms under her head. ]

That's the Master's duty, right? You guys take care of the heavy lifting. My part is just making sure everything is held together.

[idleidol]

Me, do the heavy lifting?

[She sighs again, as if the ridiculousness of that should be so obvious that she may not even have the energy to continue. But she does.]

But a goddess is not a standard Servant anyhow. I wonder, is that truly what you think of the duties of Masters and Servants? I may have been wrong after all. I hate being wrong.

[fujimaru]

[ Stheno please, don't make Master talk about philosophy when she's tired...

But finally Ritsuka twists a little to look at her, thoughtful. ]

I think my job is to support, yeah. I trust you guys to handle yourselves in a fight a lot better than I ever could. I'm not really directing so much as... [ She flaps a hand listlessly. ] I guess I'm the second set of eyes that's not in the middle of the battlefield. I'm responsible for noticing if someone needs backup or some other kind of support.

That sort of thing.

[idleidol]

Well, I don't disagree with any of that. Really, it would suit me fine if you did my part of the fighting, too. But that isn't the decision of the Servant, in the end. And in return, we care for you.

[Stheno says this with some distaste, but . . . not as much as might be expected, and it may even be feigned. And she continues:]

I'm nothing if not interested in self-preservation. For a Servant, preservation of the Master is the same thing. We fight for you for our own reasons. But make no mistake, self-preservation is one of them, for every one of us. Master, though it is so tiresome to express concern for you, and insist you let your Servants look after you, I'm afraid I must.

[fujimaru]

...

[ Whoaaaaa. What? Ritsuka resists the urge (quite heroically, if you ask her) to do something exaggerated like double-take, or shake her head, or pinch herself. Stheno is still on the bed, after all, and Ritsuka is too tired to deliberately do anything that would trigger a full-on scolding. But she does gape for a few seconds, blinking hard. ]

I guess that makes sense. I could be better about it. [ Sometimes. ]

[idleidol]

Hehe. Did I surprise you? I only care for you, Master.

[Does she? Maybe it just comes down to her not wanting to come down on one side or the other of that question, ever, and so this is how it comes out every time she admits to it.]

[fujimaru]

[ Does she really? Ritsuka gives her a deadeyed look, but then sighs, letting herself curl up more on her bed again.

She does stay facing Stheno, though. She's not ready to turn her back just yet. ]

Let's just say that I'm constantly surprised by all of you at different times.