I've been fumbling with your heartstrings

[swordedpast]

Characters: Archer (swordedpast) and Sakura Matou (cherrygrail)
Setting: Outside room 01-01 on Wednesday, April 24th.
Format: Prose to start, whatever works as it goes on.
Summary: Having cut his ties with Rin, Archer enlists Sakura's help in seeing that his erstwhile Master is safe.
Warnings: Oblique references to sexual abuse.

In the days following the release from the modifications and brainwashing that plagued the residents of the tower, there's a mysterious presence around room 01-01. No one is visible. It's just a sense of magical power. Nothing but a presence, gone as quickly as it arrives.

Five days after things go back to normal, insofar as normal exists in this insular little world, the presence outside the room becomes more than a flickering ghost.

Archer materializes there, leaning against the wall opposite the door to the room, and he waits for Sakura Matou to emerge. His expression is as cold as ever. But it might also be a bit more empty than usual. Of course, it's usually pretty empty, so that's a hard thing to judge, really.

Comments

[swordedpast]

A shadow flickers across Archer's face, there and gone as quickly as a ghost, as Sakura grasps his meaning without further explanation. Fortunately, it's replaced by an awkward frown at her objection. "Of course I'm not implying any such thing. But if I'm not there to--" He doesn't finish the sentence, instead moving on. "Then you might be able to help her find someone."

A beat. "I'll speak with this other man myself. But if he no longer supplies her, it will fall to you to find her someone who will. Do you accept that, Sakura Matou?"

[cherrygrail]

"As I said, I can deal with the problem."

She crosses her arms at that. Sakura's not hiding the fact that this doesn't sit right with her. Honestly, that sounds like a request from Zouken to her. While she understands the importance better than anyone else, she won't do anything to hurt her sister.

It's probably better that she finds someone to deal with the problem herself, seeing as Archer clearly has no idea what he's dealing with.

[swordedpast]

There's at least one difference, though. Archer lowers his eyes when he speaks of these things, and the faintest of blushes lies on his cheeks. So maybe he's not even seeing how poorly this sits with Sakura.

"Then that's all I need to impart to you. I'll go on my way, and Rin will be taken care of." His voice is totally neutral, so it's hard to tell if he's convincing himself or not.

He pauses before turning away, though. "Well, there might be one more thing, but it's unrelated."

[cherrygrail]

"If we're here, you might as well."

She's still a little frustrated with him, but her general goodwill towards all stops her from turning him away.

[swordedpast]

He speaks casually. As if it's nothing. As if it's totally incidental to him. "When I first arrived here, the Einzbern homunculus told me something."

(And if he calls Illya that, he doesn't have to confront the fact that she was once important to him.)

"She said that Shirou Emiya threw away his ideals to save you. I told her it was impossible, but I suppose you'd know better. Is it true?"

[cherrygrail]

Sakura looks up to meet Archer's eyes. Her face actually shows a bit of surprise at that question, mostly because she has no idea why that would be important to him to begin with. Since she has nothing to hide on the matter, her shocked look melts away to a warm smile.

"He did. Shirou Emiya was the person who saved me those months ago."

[swordedpast]

The way his eyes flash in response to that might be a bit too personal. "And I'll tell you the same thing I told her. It's impossible. That kid can't give up his ideals; he'd be destroyed if he tried."

His mouth sets into a bitter line. "You should be wary of him. He'll turn on you as soon as protect you, if he needed to. It's probably only good fortune that allowed him to save you rather than destroy you."

[cherrygrail]

Sakura just smiles more at that. Archer should be getting some weird vibes from her, it's almost like that smile's hiding something more dangerous.

"You understand more than you realize. In order to save me, Senpai destroyed himself... Well, not completely, thanks to a miracle on Illya's part." Even Archer should get what that means, hopefully. "You won't believe how difficult it is to find a replacement body."

[swordedpast]

"That's natural." Archer seizes on that knowledge as if it makes everything better. Even though it doesn't. Shirou still shouldn't have been able to give up his ideals. How...?

"Don't be so calm about it." He sees the danger underneath that smile, but he doesn't care. Who is he to care about danger? "You may find a replacement body, but you'll never bring back his heart. In the end, he doesn't have one."

[cherrygrail]

"I don't know what kind of relationship you have with Shirou Emiya, and I don't care. It's obvious by your words that you know nothing about him."

She moves towards the drapery, the exit to the room, with her face towards Archer. She doesn't trust him enough to turn her back to him.

"You understand what I'll do for Nee-san, but you still have no idea what I'll do for Emiya. Please keep that in mind."

[swordedpast]

It's not her professed lack of caring that breaks through Archer's cold and bitter demeanor. It's what follows: the assertion that he knows nothing about Shirou Emiya. His mouth pulls into a snarl, and he leans forward as if about to attack.

But he has no reason to attack this girl. And how can he? He's just entrusted Rin's safety and emotional health, such as it is, to her.

Instead he leans back a little. He lets the tension slowly drain out of his pose. He returns to giving her the coldest stare. "I'll remember that."

And he packs as much contempt and disappointment into those three words as he can.

[cherrygrail]

That contempt wasn't lost on Sakura. She gives a slight bow in return.

"Thank you for putting your faith in me."

And then she's off, back into the frosty wasteland. She can find her own way back, she doesn't need your help, Archer.

[swordedpast]

As for Archer? He's just going to lurk here behind the tapestries for a little while longer. In the cold and the shadows: that's where he belongs.

He needs some time on his own to be melodramatic and sad, all right?