Day 142 overflow

[apriori]

[continued from here]

[He's familiar with that expression and it delights him. Saber calls him a monster and a threat, says he shouldn't be allowed to run loose, but here he is, letting the 'monster' have his way. For his master? That's fine, Shirou supposes - that's okay. He doesn't like hypocrites like Saber, but if that means he can have his fun, well, he won't argue]

Say 'when,' okay?

Comments

[beautymark]

[It's complicated, to put it lightly. He doesn't really know what's what half the time anymore -- at least not as far as his own values. What he believed in then, what he believes in now, what's the whispering of the mud in his veins, none of it lines up, and he's not sure where to place himself.

But protecting Ky is something he can hold onto. Regardless of anything else, he'll do that. Even if it doesn't mean anything to anyone but him, it's something his sanity relies on.

So he gives in, sinking to his knees to minimize the gravity. He can't look, but he tries to make his expression calm and confident despite the frustration and the fear.]

Do as you wish. It's your game now, isn't it?

[apriori]

Something like that, yeah!

[He doesn't look malicious when he smiles about it - there's a childish sort of eagerness to all of this, and it's completely unnatural.

And then he kneels down by Saber, shoves him back, and delivers one, clean slash across Saber's abdomen. He doesn't take particular care to not cut too deep; this is a Servant, after all, and it shouldn't matter if he gets a little bit carried away]

[beautymark]

[There is a benefit to being a seasoned warrior. It means he's practiced in disassociating from physical pain and not screaming. Of course he still goes white, one hand clenching white-knuckled in the grass and the other reflexively coming up to Shirou's shoulders.

It hurts. It's too much like that first miserable death. But he can take it if he forces himself.]

You're... completely insane.

[apriori]

I don't think that's true!

[He shoves Saber onto his back, for easier investigation purposes. There's definitely stuff inside the Servant, and he wants to take a closer look]

I mean, I know exactly what I'm doing. So I can't be completely insane, right?

[He'll give Saber time to think about that while he pushes the skin and muscle away with his bare fingers]

[beautymark]

[He allows this because he said he would, and only because of that. If it weren't for Ky -- If he had a better choice, he'd behead Shirou right now. But there isn't another option he'd rather take right now, so he just grits his teeth and tries not to whimper.]

Insanity is not... a-always mindless.

[apriori]

Really? Then what is it?

[Honest curiosity! He's had enough people call him crazy -- maybe everyone else is using the wrong definition!

Of course, he's only half listening. He's occupied gently pushing his fingers into the knots of organs and feeling around]

[beautymark]

Gh--

[hrrrgh no that's not words

no not that either that's a gaspsobwhine pain noiseeeeee]

It's-- It's believing in a reality you made up for yourself, or someone made for you. It's thinking that-- that there's nothing more important than what you want to see a-and persisting no matter how many times you're proved wrong.

[apriori]

[Wow thanks a lot, Mr. Buzzkill. He frowns, then without a word, sticks his knife into Saber's other shoulder.]

That sounds stupid.

[beautymark]

[WINCES...]

If you're angry, then I'm right.

[apriori]

No way, I'm angry because it's dumb and annoying!

[Experimentally tugs on some guts - wow can he get some of these to come out and slide back in later?]

[beautymark]

[NO NO THAT IS BAD AND NOT EASILY PUT BACK, GRABBING AT SHIROU'S HANDS]

The fact that you say that proves my point!

[apriori]

Man, it's too bad I said I'd put you back together...

[Stops the grabbing, but he'll leave his hands in there and frown down at the big mess he's made. Guts, plz cheer him up again]

[beautymark]

[he is preeetty sure Shirou is probably going to kill him if he does not backpedal a little bit. And that would be a pain.]

...If you leave me alive with wound closed, I'll never speak to your lover again.

[apriori]

Sure! You better not - he really hates you!

[beautymark]

I keep my word.

[apriori]

Hm, okay then.

[He stands up, grinning down at his bloody hands]

I'll get something to patch you up, then!

[...yep, like. Now. Saber can have a few minutes of peace while he's off on his errand]

[beautymark]

[oh good. He can just... try to carefully poke things back into place himself. SOLDIER ON DIARMUID, YOU HAVE AVERTED A SECOND DEATH BY EVISCERATION.]

[apriori]

[Shirou returns before long with a needle and thread - lacking his father's healing abilities, he once decided to sew himself up for the heck of it and received a pat on the head for his efforts. He figures he did well enough then, so stitching up a crazy Servant shouldn't be too different.]

Am I allowed to say thank you to your Master after this?

[aaaand taking that needle and jabbing it into Saber without much warning. He's very careful and meticulous about the work, for better or worse]

[beautymark]

[this hurts less than the organ-pulling, tbh! but it still hurts, and the muscles are twitching in protest of the pain]

Don't seek him out. Please.

[apriori]

I can make him a bento and give it to you.

[He's determined, okay.]

[beautymark]

...What?

[r u fucking srs]

[apriori]

[So super serious. He pauses to untwist the thread and gives Saber a confused frown]

It's thanks to him that I got to cut you up, so I wanted to say thank-you. I'm not supposed to leave myself in debt to others.

[beautymark]

It wasn't a favor!

[apriori]

Oh, that's right! You were just protecting him, right? Should I change the thanks to "Thank-you for having a good servant" then?

[beautymark]

[No self don't let him see any hints of how much you want to be a good servant NOPE NOPE NOPE NOPE]

...If you intend to keep talking about contacting him, you should probably step back.