You know that's not what I'm talking about, Saber.
[ of course he would try to dance around the subject. for what reason? is it for her sake? she frowns, upset that he continues to slow himself down in order to take her feelings into consideration. she has been a liar, selfish, and a coward, and here he is, thinking about her.
she rests her elbows on the table, setting her chin on her hands. ]
So much happened before coming here... you don't want to talk about it at all? We're not even in the war anymore. I can't even give you magical energy, nor do you need it. Isn't that important to you?
[ He shrinks back slightly at the unsuccessful diversion, closing his book after marking where he was with a wayward piece of paper. ]
Do you want to talk about it? [ Not so much of another deflection as it is a genuine question. It doesn't take a telepatic connection to know Ayaka's upset about it, but he's not sure if talking it out right now would be better or worse for her.
He pauses, and clears his throat. ] Of course it's important – now that I know what I want to wish on the Grail, I very much want to see it through to the end.
But given our circumstances of arriving, and the fact that I can't use your magical energy or whatever reserves I have, I'm not sure walking into a situation we know nothing about is the best path forward. So I'm willing to wait for Witch's update, for now.
[ And when if it doesn't pan out, there's always time for stabbing! ]
I don't know if I want to talk about it. I probably don't, really.
[ it'd be so much easier if she could bury her head in the sand and pretend none of that ever happened. but the reality keeps spinning in her head like a bad dance number, and keeping it in is only helping her feel worse.
she leans back, sliding down on her seat like she would rather melt away and evaporate into the ether. ]
What if we go back to Snowfield and... I don't know, someone else got the Grail?
Then it is a failure on my part for not acting soon enough. Not yours.
[ He's not about to let her shoulder any of what she thinks she may or may not have done as a part of this. ]
Perhaps it's best to view it as a brief respite before the battles that are in front of us meet us. Maybe when this illusion goes away, minimal time will have passed.
Minimal time... that'd be nice. Hopefully that's the case.
[ something that's hilarious NOW that they're neck deep in some weird murder mystery, but hey, they don't know that yet! ]
But you know, as your Master I'm not going to let you shoulder my failures on top of your own. [ sure, richard can shoulder the blame of not being proactive enough, but that's because he's been carrying ayaka around like dead weight for so long. even if she had decided half way into the war to become his master, she still feels responsible for the days before that and her actions after. ]
The verbal affirmation of her being his Master makes him pause, if only slightly. When he asked her the second time, she had only replied with a nod, so hearing her say it fills him with a great deal of resolve.
He has the thought to ask her if she's sure that she wants to maintain their relationship here as it is, since for all intents and purposes they're simply two people who know each other. But it seems like a betrayal of that resolve that she had showed to him before they were pulled into that illusion by the Prelatis. And on his honor as a knight and a king, that's the last thing he wants to do.
Richard smiles and nods, his hand closing into a fist like a shounen protag. ]
ayaka blinks, taken by surprise as he calls her 'master' with such fervor. even though she had gone ahead and said that without thinking, she would be lying if she felt like a true master yet. but it reminds her of what's important, and the goal that she must not let go of.
not only for her sake, but for saber's.
with a small huff through her nose, she does her best to hide a smile by covering her mouth with the palm of her hand. ]
You can continue to call me Ayaka, you know? It sounds too formal if you call me 'Master', even if that's what we are.
[ Hehehe. He nods, his eyes sparkling as he sits back in his chair. ]
Right, right. Sorry, Ayaka. It just felt right in the moment. [ ... ] Speaking of, how have you been referring to me as?
[ More of a curiosity than something that important. Especially since his True Name's out there in front of God and everybody, even if maybe two people would have a chance of knowing who he is. ]
![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
![[community profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/community.png){kind=small}
no subject
[ of course he would try to dance around the subject. for what reason? is it for her sake? she frowns, upset that he continues to slow himself down in order to take her feelings into consideration. she has been a liar, selfish, and a coward, and here he is, thinking about her.
she rests her elbows on the table, setting her chin on her hands. ]
So much happened before coming here... you don't want to talk about it at all? We're not even in the war anymore. I can't even give you magical energy, nor do you need it. Isn't that important to you?
no subject
Do you want to talk about it? [ Not so much of another deflection as it is a genuine question. It doesn't take a telepatic connection to know Ayaka's upset about it, but he's not sure if talking it out right now would be better or worse for her.
He pauses, and clears his throat. ] Of course it's important – now that I know what I want to wish on the Grail, I very much want to see it through to the end.
But given our circumstances of arriving, and the fact that I can't use your magical energy or whatever reserves I have, I'm not sure walking into a situation we know nothing about is the best path forward. So I'm willing to wait for Witch's update, for now.
[ And
whenif it doesn't pan out, there's always time for stabbing! ]no subject
[ it'd be so much easier if she could bury her head in the sand and pretend none of that ever happened. but the reality keeps spinning in her head like a bad dance number, and keeping it in is only helping her feel worse.
she leans back, sliding down on her seat like she would rather melt away and evaporate into the ether. ]
What if we go back to Snowfield and... I don't know, someone else got the Grail?
no subject
[ He's not about to let her shoulder any of what she thinks she may or may not have done as a part of this. ]
Perhaps it's best to view it as a brief respite before the battles that are in front of us meet us. Maybe when this illusion goes away, minimal time will have passed.
no subject
[ something that's hilarious NOW that they're neck deep in some weird murder mystery, but hey, they don't know that yet! ]
But you know, as your Master I'm not going to let you shoulder my failures on top of your own. [ sure, richard can shoulder the blame of not being proactive enough, but that's because he's been carrying ayaka around like dead weight for so long. even if she had decided half way into the war to become his master, she still feels responsible for the days before that and her actions after. ]
Because...we're, uh, a team, right?
no subject
The verbal affirmation of her being his Master makes him pause, if only slightly. When he asked her the second time, she had only replied with a nod, so hearing her say it fills him with a great deal of resolve.
He has the thought to ask her if she's sure that she wants to maintain their relationship here as it is, since for all intents and purposes they're simply two people who know each other. But it seems like a betrayal of that resolve that she had showed to him before they were pulled into that illusion by the Prelatis. And on his honor as a knight and a king, that's the last thing he wants to do.
Richard smiles and nods, his hand closing into a fist like a shounen protag. ]
Right, Master!
no subject
ayaka blinks, taken by surprise as he calls her 'master' with such fervor. even though she had gone ahead and said that without thinking, she would be lying if she felt like a true master yet. but it reminds her of what's important, and the goal that she must not let go of.
not only for her sake, but for saber's.
with a small huff through her nose, she does her best to hide a smile by covering her mouth with the palm of her hand. ]
You can continue to call me Ayaka, you know? It sounds too formal if you call me 'Master', even if that's what we are.
no subject
Right, right. Sorry, Ayaka. It just felt right in the moment. [ ... ] Speaking of, how have you been referring to me as?
[ More of a curiosity than something that important. Especially since his True Name's out there in front of God and everybody, even if maybe two people would have a chance of knowing who he is. ]
no subject
[ she blinks. ]
A mix of Richard and Saber. I know your name's right there and that it probably doesn't matter, but I can't really decide.
[ richard's his name, but... saber feels right. it's what she's been calling him this whole time. ]
Though I've gotten a few head tilts when I refer to you as Saber, so maybe I should just call you by your True Name.