33.5; meddling with timelines; magic is duct tape;

[sandinmyboots]

Kefka arrives at Issei's temple in his usual way, tumbling through a magic door that takes him to whatever room Issei and Lancer are in. He dusts himself off, then salutes. He looks tired but ready for all of this.

"Let's get rid of that contract! Is everyone ready?"

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Comments

[sandinmyboots]

"It's just an arm. Maybe if this was her head...." He frowns, snapping the box shut. "What were you supposed to do? Her captor didn't use magical methods, which is why we couldn't track him. Perhaps if you were an oracle, you could have prevented it. You were not given the information needed to prepare."

He stands, looking coldly at them both. He'll be tired again soon, but this fear. It's invigorating.

"When you're done with him, I'd like your help burying this. While I wait, I'll loop the magic out of it and back to the source."

[unknownrival]

"...Understood."

Issei leaned in and rested his head against Diarmuid's shoulder.

"You don't even know what happened. You probably just would have died."

[croibhristeoir]

"...it's still my fault."

[sandinmyboots]

"Will you shut it!"

Kefka slams a hand against the wall hard enough to make picture frames shake.

"It's not all your fault! You stupid idiot egotist moralizing overcomplex superego! You keep on nattering about how it's all your fault, then switch around and say you're powerless! Make up your mind! Which one is it?! You're not so great that you can mess everything up just by existing!"

And he's going to attempt to leave again now. Although he's liable to turn back and yell some more in this state.

[unknownrival]

Issei isn't going to stop him, given that he's upset.

"...he has a good point."

[croibhristeoir]

Lancer just stared at the floor without a word. He could barely speak, much less argue.

[sandinmyboots]

Kefka storms out. Issei and Lancer can probably hear him kicking the wall as he saunters down the hall.

[unknownrival]

Sigh. He'd have to deal with that.

"...Diarmuid, it's not your fault."

[croibhristeoir]

"Just...forget it. I'm sorry. I won't say anything."

[unknownrival]

"Talk to me. Please."

[croibhristeoir]

"It's nothing. Please don't worry about it, Master."

[unknownrival]

"Are you going to keep calling me that?"

[croibhristeoir]

"...you would rather I didn't? I'm your Servant, aren't I?"

[unknownrival]

"You're also someone I love. Which is more important?"

[croibhristeoir]

"..."

This is the face of someone trying to figure out how to answer that.

[unknownrival]

That... was really a question?

[croibhristeoir]

When you're Lancer? Of course it was.

"I...no, you're right. I'm sorry, Issei."

[unknownrival]

"That's more like it, a rún."

[croibhristeoir]

"...thank you. I can't possibly thank you enough for doing this for me."

[unknownrival]

"Keeping my beloved with me doesn't need thanks."

[croibhristeoir]

"Issei?"

He hesitated a moment or two, as if he wasn't sure he wanted to ask this particular question.

"...Could you give me your hand for just a moment?"

[unknownrival]

Issei wordlessly held out his hand to him.

[croibhristeoir]

Lancer lightly took it in both of his own, staring at the Command Spells on the back of Issei's hand with an expression that was difficult to read. He was contemplating things one way or another, but just what he was thinking was hard to guess.

Two from Sola and one from Kayneth. All present and accounted for, so he didn't need to concern himself with any more unpleasant surprises. More than that, he didn't have to worry about anyone else misusing them. If anyone tried to take Issei's right as his Master as they'd done to Sola, he'd kill them without a second thought.

It did hurt to think he couldn't trust the one that had summoned him to begin with. More so to realize he hated that person, when hatred was a concept he'd never had experience with before. But it was alright--no, it would be alright even if it wasn't now. As hurt and broken as he was now, Lancer felt no apprehension about letting the responsibility of control rest with Issei.

"...Thank you." With that, he placed a light kiss against the back of Issei's hand before letting go.

[unknownrival]

"Of course, my love."

Issei would never, ever hurt Diarmuid the way he'd been hurt before. Never in his life would he suffer that again.

[croibhristeoir]

"I'll make this worthwhile. No matter what it takes, I'll protect you and everyone you care for to the best of my ability. I won't...I won't disappoint you."