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

Call me Lancer. It's a pleasure to meet a beautiful woman like you, Cecil.

[ Well, even she can't really miss that. At first, she just blinks at him in surprise, then once that wears off, she flushes. ]

Oh, I-I... Thank you, Lancer.

[ Cecil has never been good at accepting compliments. ]

Just telling the truth here.

[He leans in closer to her.]

You're even prettier with that blush. It's like foxgloves on snow.

[ The color in her cheeks and neck just blooms more brightly. She's not sure what to say when he continues to compliment her. She tries to push the thought that he is flirting with her very purposely out of mind, but it's difficult. ]

I'm sorry, I am... not very accustomed to being told such things.

Oh? Why not? Don't tell me that all the men in your world somehow happened to miss this beauty.

[ Is that supposed to be a real question? It's probably not, but Cecil actually tries to answer it anyway for lack of a better thing to say. ]

I... suppose it is not beneficiary to think of a fellow soldier as a woman— much less as a, ah, beautiful one.

You're a soldier?

[He gives a quick, barking laugh.]

You're the second beautiful soldier I've met here. Or maybe you're the first since the other one was a king.

But I can always think of you as a soldier and a woman.

[ Cecil pointedly stares directly at the surrounding crystals and not Lancer. She's only slightly stung by the laugh, but she lets it roll off her back. ]

If it pleases you to do so, that is your prerogative. I was a soldier, a knight, and the captain of a fleet for many years. I was elected to my country's throne shortly before arriving here.

[ Just don't ask her what sort of knight she was and everything should be fine. ]

...So I'm speaking with another king.

[He hadn't noticed it. At a glance, Cecil was much less regal than Saber was.]

Or are you a princess since you're not a king yet?

I have never been a noble or a royal bred for the monarchy. Becoming the ruler of Baron was not something I ever expected, let alone hoped and aspired to become. I am and have always been a soldier first. The last ruler had been murdered and replaced by an impostor. The citizens trusted me to lead them and who was I to betray their trust? They had been through so much already.

...Impressive.

[That's the only way for him to describe her. That's the only way he can describe any of the leaders here. Even more than a circumstance of birth, leadership was a choice. Lancer himself would never choose bear such a burden, but he greatly respected anyone who chose to accept the responsibility of leadership.]

There is nothing impressive about doing what was right. I don't deserve the recognition. It was the least I could do. And it seems I have failed to protect them and the planet anyway now.

[ Her head has begun to hurt from staring at the crystals, but she hasn't realized yet that they are the cause of the pain. ]

...It's not your fault. Whatever pulled you out of there did so against your will, right? Not even king or heroes are gods.

[Looking at her sad face, he can't help but remember Zelda and Saber.]

So it's not your failure.

[ The paladin queen clenches her hands into fists. Her vision blurs with unshed tears that sting hotly. Neither are the ones who brought us here, Cecil nearly says. This situation makes her angry, crushes her heart, but she stops herself from speaking bitterly because she knows he's right, even if she doesn't feel like she hasn't failed and it's a struggle to keep herself from thinking that way. It isn't helpful to blame herself over and over again, and she wants to stay hopeful that all isn't lost. She must remember to think positively. ]

I... suppose you're right.

...

[His expression is oddly solemn.]

...Give it some time. Either you'll find a way back or you'll...adjust.

[ A searing pain slashes its way across Cecil's forehead, from between her eyes to her hairline. She flinches and raises the back of her hand to press against the center of the pain and pressure, her brow furrowing. She doesn't mention it though. Seeing Lancer's demeanor change so drastically has her attention and she feels sadder for it. ]

Does anyone truly adapt? ...I'm sorry; I disturbed your work for such a depressing subject matter.

[He notices her reaction. He has to wonder if she's alright.]

Having friends around makes it easier.

[ She may be suffering from a migraine now, but she still tries to lighten the conversation a little. ]

Even ones who think you're a beautiful princess?

Especially ones who think you're a beautiful princess. Every soldier needs to take some time to relax now and then.

[He looks toward the staircase.]

You wanna go to another floor or something? Or at least sit down?

[He knows that these crystals can cause headaches, which is why he's tried hard not to look directly at them.]

[ Cecil isn't sure if she should laugh or not at the implication that dealing with such a person is relaxing, but in the end, she does give a why giggle just the same, accompanied by more light blushing of course. Well, at least he can make her laugh and remind her to not take herself so seriously all the time in the middle of such cold misery. ]

That may be a wise decision. I suddenly have a strong pain in my head, behind my eyes.

[He offers her a hand.]

Then you can lean on me a little bit. So you don't trip. Just think of it as one knight's courtesy to another.

[ Cecil thanks him with a smile and takes the proffered hand. ]

So you are a knight as well. I should have guessed by your weapon, Lancer.

...So spear wielders were also knights in your world?

[What a coincidence.]

I dunno how much I match up to someone's perceptions of knights, though.

Not all, but usually, yes. It takes much rigorous training to wield such a large and powerful weapon.

[ Her mind dares to think of home again. She thinks of learning what it meant to be a warrior alongside Kain, of holding hands with Rose just for the closeness, for the assurance of friendship— and later, of more. It hurts worse than the pain in her head, but she tries to ignore that. ]

My childhood friend was what we called a dragoon; they were an order of knights dedicated to the spear and special techniques involving it.

[ She sighs quietly. ]

As for what a knight should be... honor, nobility... but I suppose it depends on how one defines these things. Above all else, I would say a knight must be dedicated to a cause, a purpose.

[ She smiles up at him again. ]

If you are dedicated to your friends, surely that is enough.

[His friends...his Master...they are indeed the most important things to him. His smile grows wider.]

Well, I'd like to think I fill that requirement, at least.

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