towerofanimus | Have a Doggy Valentine

Entry tags:

Have a Doggy Valentine

Characters: Lancer and everybody. Strings characters welcome!

Setting: February 12-14, various floors

Format: Up to you

Summary: Lancer is unaffected by the event, but he's still celebrating! Time for him to make Valentines for everyone he knows.

Warnings: Nothing so far

Floor 99

[Lancer is hacking off chunks of crystals with his spear. They give him a headache if he looks at them for too long, but they make great materials for presents. He weighs them in his hand, wondering if they'll be able to stand his methods of working them into charms or other things.]

Floor 76

[He stares at the arrangement of flowers and herbs and wonders which ones are purely medicinal. The large amount of pollen in the air makes his nose itch, and he disturbs the relative peace of the floor with several loud sneezes.]

Floor 62

[He's strolling along the beach, scooping up shells, sea stars, and pebbles washed smooth by the waves. The pockets of his suit have been stuffed full and are weighing down on his legs. His hands are being quickly filled as well. Perhaps he should have brought a bag.]

Floor 51

[He's finally sewing a bag to carry all his supplies in. Every so often, he has to stop and curse as he stings his finger with the needle. Sewing is supposed to be women's work, so he never learned it.]

Floor 15

[With his supplies gathered, Lancer is sitting in the workshop, trying to work the shells, crystals, and other things into gifts to give to the people he knows. He's rather caught up in his work, so it would be easy for someone to sneak up on him.]

Floor 60 (14th only)

[Given the recent influx of people and the fact that so many food gifts were being given, the kitchens were rather busy. This is why Lancer only comes into the kitchen relatively late into the day. Right now, he's scratching his head at some of the recipes, trying to pick out the ingredients he needs from the huge stockpile of food that Kasumi had brought up to this floor.]

Floor 58

[Lancer has quite a big sack thrown over his shoulder. He's currently stuffing presents into the mail boxes of everyone whose names he knows.]

Room 01-01

[Catarina was one of those who didn't have a mailbox, so Lancer just knocks on her door and places his (awkward shaped) chocolates by her door along with a note.]

Happy Valentine's Day. Got you chocolate. We need to talk, though.

Room 01-09

[Saber's chocolate too is left by her door alongside a note.]

Happy Valentine's Day. I hope these taste good.

Room 02-17

[Ayaka's gift is a bag of cookies (again misshapen because Lancer couldn't use a mold properly) and a crystal charm carved with runes that spelled out a blessing of good fortune. Again, he's written a note.]

Happy Valentine's Day. Sorry Saber couldn't get his ass over here. Ah well. Guess I'm giving you presents on his behalf too.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

[Lancer follows suit, making that paper flower. He holds it to compare with Diarmuid's flower.]

That's because I have a great teacher.

[Diarmuid was probably the only one who could get Cu Chulainn to sit down and make a paper flower.]

And it still doesn't look as good as yours.

[Diarmuid looks away, blushing slightly.]

I'm not that great. It just takes practice. You did really well for your first time.

[He carefully smooths down an edge on his roommate's flower. Despite his dismissive words, it had felt good to teach someone again even if it was just something so little. A gentle and fond look crosses his face for a moment before being replaced by a slight smirk.]

Try not to overrun our room with all the ladies your new skills woe, hmm?

[Lancer quickly makes a face at his roommate.]

Wouldn't dream of it. After all, you probably overrun our room with ladies as is.

[Diarmuid shuts his eyes, his happy expression fading.]

No, I really hope not. I already have hurt enough people. I...I don't want to hurt anymore.

[His voice gets very small.]

Please...

...

[He had done this again. Every time he got his mood up, he'd start teasing. And then he'd say the wrong thing and hurt Diarmuid again.]

Sorry. I wasn't thinking.

[He extends a hand toward Diarmuid. He wants to ruffle the other Lancer's hair or give him a hug and tell him that it's alright because Cu Chulainn was the one not watching his mouth...]

[But memories of that night invade his mind again. Every time he tries to comfort Diarmuid, he just hurts him instead...]

[So his hand is just hovering above Diarmuid's head awkardly.]

[Diarmuid shakes his head, but doesn't open his eyes.]

It's not your fault.

[His voice is insistent.]

Usually, I would laugh at that, but I am just very tired right now. Getting my head straightened out is so much harder than I thought it would be. I'm trying, but...

[He retracts his hand. This isn't something that simple headpats can solve. He forcibly shoves the memories of that night into the back of his mind and, biting back his fears, puts his arms around Diarmuid in a hug.]

[Granted, it's an awkward hug. He's not used to embracing other men closely or as a method of comfort. And he still has lingering fears about what he could do if his emotions went out of control again. Even as he tries to be comforting, the truth is that every muscle in his body is tense.]

[But Diarmuid needs this. Like hell he'll let awkwardness get in the way.]

...You're doing fine. Give it some time.

[He's glad that Diarmuid has his eyes closed and can't catch Cu Chulainn's luminescent blush.]

[Diarmuid tenses for a moment in shock, but it melts away very quickly and for a very rare moment he just lets himself feel comforted and safe.]

Thank you. I know... I just worry the tower isn't going to give me the time I need. Even when I try to stay away and out of trouble, it still seems to finds me.

I'll be there for you.

[His blush only gets redder.]

I'll protect you from whatever happens in this Tower. I-I'll protect you until the world stops being so unreasonable to you.

[Just like he'll protect Kariya and Ayaka and everyone else precious to him.]

[But as much as Cu Chulainn can shield them from the world, he can't shield them from himself. He keeps on saying and doing hurtful things and...]

[He shakes his head. Now isn't the time to be thinking back on his own regrets.]

You just relax, alright?

[For a moment, he lets his head rest against his roommate's shoulder. There is a smile on his face. Somehow he looks younger and more at peace than he has for a long time. After a few seconds, though, he sits back and opens his eyes.]

I appreciate it, but please don't make promises that the tower won't let you keep. We both know how dangerous those promises can be. Just like you have told me, the best we can do is try to do those things.

[He pauses a moment to look a little closer at his roommate, confusion on his face.]

Are you blushing?

...

[In his embarrassment, he both wants to squeeze Diarmuid tightly and to push him away.]

I-I-I...I usually don't do this with a man! That's all!

[And don't ask about Ferdiad. Ferdiad was special.]

[~~And Diarmuid is special too.~~]

W-what? You're not embarrassed? I-I mean you don't have to be...b-but...I just...um...

[There is a gentle look in Diarmuid's eyes.]

I'm not embarrassed. You are important to me. I'm honored.

[Now his cheeks do color a little bit, but not from embarrassment.]

Thank you. I really don't know how to express how much this means to me. That you are willing to embarrass yourself to make me feel better...

[~~Lancer's ability to embarrass himself is already A-rank, so why not be willing to embarrass himself to help his friends?~~]

You're important to me too.

[Which is why he'll make and stick to those unreasonable promises, even if he gets killed in the process.]

Well, to start with, you can be willing to smack me if you ever think I'm being stupid. Or if I'm getting way too pissed off.

Oh, and get me a good present next time the holidays roll around.

[Since Valentine's day is sort of for lovers and all.]

I can't promise anything, but I will try my best. However...

[He pauses to raise an eyebrow at him.]

...do you really want me to promise to hit you every time you do something foolish? I may never have time for anything else...

[He pouts.]

I'm not always doing something foolish.

[Just 90% of the time.]

[Diarmuid smiles gently.]

No, after all, you did just do the right thing to comfort me. And...

[He gathers up the flower his roommate had folded and holds it out in the palm of his hand.]

...you did an excellent job with this. Do you have someone in mind to give it to?

Nah, I don't know if I wanna give it to anyone either.

[Seeing how it's roughly made and all. He'll probably make a few more practice flowers.]

[Besides, he favored less fragile gifts.]

If that is what you want. It really isn't bad. You'll be an old hand in no time.

[A small silly part of him actually wants to keep the flower as a memento of his roommate and their relationship. Maybe he's just feeling sentimental, but the flower seems to be a good representation of their relationship. A little rough around the edges, but still beautiful because of the effort put into it.

He's too embarrassed to say something like that, though, so he sets the flower back down and picks up what is left of the paper he had gathered.]

Do you want to try one more before I go? If not, I'll let you get back to your work.

I'll try one more.

[He wants Diarmuid to stay here just a little longer, if only so he can make Diarmuid feel better for longer.]

All right.

[Diarmuid smiles and holds out a piece of paper to him.]

The big question is, do you feel brave enough to try a different flower or do you want to go through the same one again?

I think I'll do a different one. Might as well as learn a couple of different folds right off the bat.

Of course. With the way things are in the tower, who knows when we might have time to do this again? This way you will have more than one style to practice with.

[Like last time, Diarmuid makes the first few folds of the flower and waits for his roommate to copy him. It's actually kind of funny just how calming teaching people things is for him, especially since he's suppose to be such a great warrior.]

[His tongue stuck out at the side of his mouth in concentration, Lancer follows his roommate's folds closely.]

Hey, if you've got time, I'd like to learn to fold more than just flowers.

[Maybe little paper people?]

Sure, if you want to. I was just going to be heading back to the room anyway. I have no real plans since I've been trying to take an easy like everyone is asking me to.

[He demonstrates a few more folds before continuing.]

Do you have something in particular you wanted to learn to fold? I just generally start with flowers because they are easier and usually only take one piece of paper, but you can do all kinds of animals and even people as well.

[Once again, Lancer follows along.]

I'd like to try to make little people. Or birds. What about swans?

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Re: Floor 15 (OMG! That icon! *dies*)

That is pretty much *the* icon when it comes to ProtoLancer

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Re: Floor 15 (OMG! That icon! dies)

That is pretty much the icon when it comes to ProtoLancer