-Overflow- for 24 - Autumn Reception

[godsoffortune]

Who: Everyone!
What: Autumn Reception
When: September 30, 6 PM
Where: The Gods' Meeting Hall
Summary: The Heavens are throwing a formal party! Old and new gods alike are invited, so put on your nicest outfits and some good dancing shoes, and come see what this shindig is all about.

Continuing from HERE!

Comments

[waitingforhope]

[She watched him reach for her, wondering if he would follow through with the gesture. He didn't.]

[Why would it be?]

[Simply a new bond was formed.]

[Once again, it was his voice of phrasing that she focused on. How casual he made it all seen. As if...as if the idea of moving from relationship to relationship was just that easy. True, they were far from that level of commitment yet, but...would they ever be? Or was she just one more "bond" to form in the intern before he came across another?]

I...

[She folded her arms across her torso, beneath her chest. Hugging her frame lightly. Her mind was racing with thoughts, and she looked more conflicted than upset. But still upset.]

...how many? [She'd mostly been askig him questions until now, but this was the big one. The one that would ultimately decide what she did next.] How many "bonds" have you formed since you've been here?

[Or whatever he wanted to call it. She was nearly convinced Archer was on that list, at least.]

[futhark]

[ Without an actual oath making this guy treat anything serious or not casual is the a problem. From his point of view, they're on that road that started as friends- who shared a drunk kiss, some sweet nothings, and gentle, warm touches- it could go somewhere, hopefully, it would! But he didn't know where and made a mistake of not specifying. Going with the flow, is how he goes. Something he probably should avoid, due to the temporary nature of his existence, but it's easy to forget when you don't consider the future in first place.

That doesn't mean he doesn't care, he does- has no illusions about any relationship here being anything more than temporary. She got her own to return to, like everyone else. The whole failure here is not communicating that part clearly.

But now, bonds ]

Hah. This place literally throws us into them, doesn't it-? Shinki, pantheons, alliances... [ He pauses because he realizes, that's not what she's asking about. And for a moment he almost can't believe- is it a jealousy? Of this stupid bowman?

Don't fall in love with him, not because it's too early, but because it's a bad idea ] ...that's not a question you want to ask, isn't it? It's about Archer.

[ With a sigh he pinches a bridge of his nose. Archers always ruin everything- no this, time as much as he can say it, he can't. Maybe a week and a half earlier it would be possible to laugh it off "it's not like that", but not now. Not when this idiot finally started being honest and Caster- well, Caster enabled him. He did not shoot him down, partially out of curiosity, partially- because of what? That's a good question, hah. Not thinking about future, coming here to kick in the butt again. ]

So, that's how the story goes. I knew him before. Not in my life, later- [ He told her that already, but he can as well recount this fact. He doesn't consider himself a liar, even if all Servants lie- even if just by omission, not answering questions and such- so yes, he's used to not telling the whole picture, but confronted head-on he will answer the questions.

She deserves the absolute honesty, so he's not going to sugarcoat or hide facts. ] We always landed on opposing sides- but there was no other kind of sides there. Just yours, everyone else is an enemy even if an alliance is forged.

[ And for the record, he doesn't remember if there was any kind of alliance between them forged. His "memories" of the previous summoning are a haze, more like, vague recollection, but without definite knowledge. All he knows they keeping running into each other, and now the same dumb destiny put them together here and made them work together. Kids, don't challenge an immovable object with unstoppable force, only a paradox is created. ]

That probably doesn't matter much, he doesn't remember, and I'm not going to hold a grudge just because someone follows orders from someone else. [ Friends one day, enemies another or the other day around, all because of orders and oaths, that's how the life goes. ] So we were off for a rocky start in that cooperation, no wonder if got complicated.

[ He needs something to drink. Why is he talking so long? Or maybe better, another cigarette. He's a god now. Lung cancer is the least of his worries. ]

No idea what Lancer told you, but what I do think is he got wind of that idiot' feelings earlier than me. [ Yeah, there is a weird crush going on, it's coming from Archer though, not him. Get your facts right, Diarmuid ] Maybe a lot earlier than him too- But I think Archer finally made a peace with that and admitted it to himself. So, a progress, I suppose.

[waitingforhope]

[Mai was not in love. If she knew nothing else for certain in that moment, she knew that much. And she was too old to allow herself to be fooled into pretending otherwise. Love was reserved for the people who knew you better than you knew yourselves. Who accepted you for all your faults. Who were by your side even when they didn't need to be, who occupied your thoughts when they didn't, and who you would do anything for with less regard for yourself.]

[And while, yes, there were certain aspects that could be related back to her budding relationship with Caster, she did not Love him.]

[But Love was not the only feeling one could carry for someone, nor did she have to be in love to feel her heart...not break, exactly, but there was definitely some light bruising.]

I...see.

[Or at least, she thought she did.]

[At first, little of what he said was new to her. She knew he and Archer had a complicated past. She knew there had been tension between them for a time. And she'd brushed it off because it had been similar enough to her situation with Trunks that she never really allowed herself to entertain the idea of just how deep that parallel ran. On either side.]

[Now she was being told that Archer had feelings for Caster as well. Strong enough that Lancer had noticed. Strong enough that even Caster seemed to be realizing--no, more than just that. He'd called it progress. Which, to Mai, gave every impression that he was doing nothing to reject or discourage his shinki. Maybe he was even pleased by the realization.]

[She wasn't jealous, exactly...]

[...okay, no, that wasn't true. She was jealous. But she didn't hate Archer. She didn't even hate Caster. Only because she didn't know how she was supposed to feel about all of this. Only that the air around them felt so tense and her chest ached and she felt like she needed some air. Or just to get away. From the party. From him. From this awful realization that everything she had assumed until that moment had been wrong after all.]

I... [She wouldn't look at him. If she did, she might cry, and she did not want to cry.] ...I have to go.

[futhark]

[ THISISFINE.JPG Full version of it, the one that is not, just first two panels. Though perhaps not right till the last one, which ends in fiery death- no, no half-way through it. "That's okay, things are going to be okay"

She didn't deserve it, nor did she deserve it to end like this- Damn it. ]

Yeah, the party is ending anyway- [ His face is almost blank, emotionless. No stumbling over apologizes, no "wait let me explain!!", he deals with loss with the same resigned apathy as he always did. Because this is a loss, even if of something that could have been.

The question why is it even ending, is another one. And if anything he can probably offer is closure, but that's something for when they're sober and calm, and- what the hell is going on to be entirely honest? He'll figure it later. He never was hiding how he treats other people, but perhaps he didn't make it clear enough either. Temporary bonds of temporary existence, living and enjoying the moment for as long as it lasts- because they never last for long- not keeping people when they go, but often not driving those who approach either.

Seems he's really as outdated fossil as some calls him.

If he could dematerialize like back when he was just a spirit maintained by someone else's magical energy, he would. Boom, explode into glitter, communication problem solved. But he can't, because ah, godly shenanigans and all that. ]

See you later.

[waitingforhope]

[He...didn't even try protesting. Convince her to stay. Not even a single plea of emotion.]

[The party is ending anyway.]

[How could he say something so final in so distant a manner? Sure, the music was still playing; in the back of her mind, she still registered that much. The party wasn't over. Except it was. If not for them, then at least for her. She was done. Unable to resist the urge to turn and run all the way back to her temple. To drown herself in hot water and the thickest comforter the seasonal weather permitted. To scrub her face and change out of the dress she'd been so excited to wear at the start of the evening.]

[Her feet wouldn't move. Not yet. And while she had been trying to avoid his eyes until that moment, she couldn't resist lifting her head one last time. Fighting back tears with each blink. Able to keep any cheek trails at bay, but not the shimmering glint of moisture that reflected light above.]

...yeah. Sure.

[As casual a tone as he'd given her, she gave it right back. In spades. So casual, she sounded empty. Conveying nothing and everything all at once.]

[With that, she turned to walk off. Only then reaching up to dab at the corner of her eye. Carefully, so she wouldn't smudge her mascara too badly.]