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

[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.