towerofanimus | The Responsibility Is Yours (Closed)

Characters: Diarmuid Ua Duibhne (

swordedpast )
Setting: Outside of Room 4-16/Room 4-16
Format: Any
Summary: Diarmuid and Archer discuss the only thing they have in common, Rin.
Warnings: Nothing for right now. Will update if that changes!

It is another day and another patrol. But, even so that is not is what Diarmuid's mind is focused on as he prepares to leave his room. It instead keeps drifting back to the list of names in his head of people he wants to...no needs to...to talk to. With Jason's horrible experiment coming so quickly on the heels of his curse's flare up, he hasn't had the time he has wanted to talk to everyone affected. It's really time to change that.

He's tired of this place making him feel like he's a failure in everything he tries to do.

Diarmuid checks the swords at his hip one last time, before opening the door...

...and stopping cold in his tracks. Not far away from said door is a familiar red-clothed servant. One he has not seen since the experiments started. Hopefully, his presence here doesn't mean bad things for the one person they both protect in this place.

"Archer, would it be wrong of me to hope the reason for your visit is more pleasant than it was last time we met here?"

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The look on Archer's face is, as always, insufferably smug. He shows no sign of any inner turmoil he might be going through. All he does is regard Lancer with brows slightly raised and the smallest smirk on his face.

"Some people would say it's never wrong to hope. They're idiots, but you'd probably follow in their path."

"Personally, I've decided to make my own path now, mistakes and all. It is the best way for me to be able to help those I care about," Diarmuid crosses his arms over his chest, mouth flattening into a thin line. "If you would prefer not to tread the paths of hope, may I ask what you are doing here? Is something wrong with Rin?"

"Hmm. Is something wrong with Rin?" Archer glances away casually. "I don't know. I haven't seen her in a few days. I'm no longer her Servant."

He drops that revelation in an almost painfully disinterested tone.

The glace is what clues him in. Diarmuid has grown used to Archer blank looks and emotionless voice and those he simply chooses to dismiss as the disguise they are. If Archer wishes to lie to himself, he can go right ahead. Archer's inability to look Diarmuid in the eye as he speaks, tells Diarmuid all he needs to know.

"If the contract between the two of you has been broken that means she died recently. I told you to be careful, Archer." Even as he scolds the other servant, guilt rises in him. Diarmuid's last letter to Rin had encouraged her to go talk to Archer in hopes that she as his master would have better luck controlling him. Had Diarmuid known then what he knows now about just how little control those modified had over themselves, he would never have suggested that. In fact, he would have told her to stay far away from her servant for now. Not that Diarmuid thinks that Rin would have listened, but he would have tried anyway.

"Do you really think depriving her of one of the few people she trusts is the best way to deal with this? A lot of people did things they did not want to during that experiment. So, you just plan to let Jason win this round?"

When Archer looks back at Lancer, the contempt in his gaze is almost venomous in its intensity. "I deprived her of one of the few people she trusts by breaking that trust, Lancer. The round is already lost, and if you think the worst of it is that I killed her while brainwashed, you have no idea." His mouth draws back into a snarl. "But I'm not here for you to convince me to go back to her. That's impossible and you should give up."

He folds his arms over his chest and stares hard at Diarmuid. "I want to know whether you'll be able to take care of her."

"I have been taking care of her already, Archer. I don't need or want your permission to continue what I am doing. The thing is, it is not me she wants as her servant. It's you. Even with all your failings, she wants you for whatever reason," Diarmuid's voice sharpens and his eyes narrow, but otherwise he hardly seems to acknowledge Archer's anger. "However, I cannot fully devote myself to her as you may wish me to. I will be her friend and I will be her ally, but there are too many others here that need help for me to ignore them just because a fake servant won't do his duty.

"You say this round is lost. That is fine. That doesn't mean the war is lost. You probably think that is a foolish view, but it is what I believe and will not change. I may not know the details of what happened, but I do know that I think it is equally foolish that you are so willing to let the administrators send you running with your tail between your legs," Diarmuid's chin lifts slightly. "I will do my best to see she doesn't suffer because of your cowardly nature and hope that you will learn quickly the mistake you are making, but I will not take your place. I have a master of my own now and unlike you, I know exactly what should be done to properly fulfill that task."

Archer's gaze remains bitter and full of rage--until Diarmuid says that. Until he speaks of all the others here who need help. Then Archer's eyes go blank, and his anger seems to melt away. He almost looks stunned, and he listens to the rest of the other Servant's recriminations in silence.

"You took another Master...? Heh, you're right. You're not what she needs in the end. How unfortunate--" His expression darkens and becomes pensive. "But you walk the hero's path as well, so you couldn't have been what she needs from the start. But then, neither could I."

He's not sure of that any longer. Can he continue to be a hero serving the world after he's already failed it so badly? But he has to believe that it's true, so his voice is firm.

To say Diarmuid is surprised by Archer's sudden change of mood would be an understatement. He had been expecting the other servant to do many things, but to suddenly deflate and lose all emotion had not been one of those things. Especially considering how hard the other servant usually tries to hide what he's really feeling.

Is he ever going to understand this man?

"If she doesn't need a servant who walks the path of a hero as you say we do, then what exactly do you think she needs?" The question is actually an honest one that has no traces of sarcasm or mockery in it. "I would say that is exactly what she needs, though perhaps she needs a hero willing to devote themselves to her and her alone. Unfortunately, that is something I cannot do. Even now that I have a master of my own, while he is first in my mind, he would be very angry with me if I ignored the needs of others to solely focus on him."

"You aren't going to give it to her." Archer's words are blunt; he's cold now. "So forgive me if I'm no longer interested in discussing what Rin Matou needs with someone else's hero."

It's plain to Archer now: Diarmuid ua Duibhne would in the end make the same mistakes Archer himself did when dealing with Rin. He might not betray her so selfishly, because no one is ultimately as selfish and broken as the hero Emiya, but he would fail her all the same.

Diarmuid looks at Archer out of the corner of his eyes. The gaze is annoyed, but Diarmuid refuses to let the servant rile him to anger, "If you don't know the answer to the question, Archer, I will not hold it against you. What I will hold against you is if she is hurt because you are being a self-centered fool. If neither of us are able to give her what she needs then we both should be working to find someone who can do that for her.

"Not that I have any plans to stop helping her even if you claim I am not what she needs. She has been abandoned by enough people. I will not be added to that number. She, herself, will have to force me away."

Abandoned by enough people?

A flicker of doubt passes over Archer's face for the most fleeting moment. Then it's gone. He has to keep being cold.

"I've got other business in this tower I should be attending to." He turns to go. "There's no point in throwing myself after one woman I'm not suited to anyway. I know what I came to find out from you now, so I'll leave."

"If that is what you want to believe. I think we both know you are wrong, but as you have said, I cannot make you change your mind. I can only hope you will eventually listen to the doubt that is screaming inside of you," Diarmuid had noticed that flicker of emotion, but other than just hinting at it he says nothing more about it. Pushing Archer will just cause him to lock down and Diarmuid would rather the man ponder why he is feeling that way instead of just ignoring it.

Hopefully, the other servant will realize the truth before it is too late.

The Responsibility Is Yours (Closed)

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