Finally, another party

[puppy_lancer]

Characters: ProtoLancer puppy_lancer, Zero Lancer oathshackledbird and anyone interested in attending a birthday party. Details here.
Setting: Meadow
Format: Anything goes
Summary: Lancer throws his brother a party. Everyone can come except for the Archer (meaning they can come crash the party anyways)! Feel free to tag into any of the threads set up or invent your own scenario.
Warnings: None yet!

[It had taken some preparing, but the party was finally set up in a satisfactory way. There was a table for food and drink dragged in from the cafeteria, a wooden bucket filled with water with fruit floating in it, a strange paper mache Jason head pinata stacked on a scarecrow body, and a board with a pig with a Ganon head scribbled on it along with several spiraling paper "tails" attached to thumbtacks. There are no party decorations, but Lancer figures the flowers and sunshine should be decoration enough.]

[Now it's just a matter of waiting for people to show up.]

Comments

[puppy_lancer]

You shouldn't have to remember. It's nothing good. Better that we all try to forget it.

[His vice shakes a little bit. He's not just trying to convince Diarmuid. He's trying to convince himself as well.]

[oathshackledbird]

Do you really think I can just forget so badly hurting some of the people closest to me?

[Diarmuid looks over at him from the corner of his eyes.]

I may not be able to remember, but I certainly can't forget either. Not until I know those I hurt really are truly okay again. Maybe then I can start thinking about forgiving myself, but not before then.

[puppy_lancer]

[He puts an arm around Diarmuid's shoulders.]

Would you really feel better knowing?

[Maybe, if he really, really needed to, he would tell Diarmuid something after the party. Right now, everyone is supposed to just enjoy themselves.]

[oathshackledbird]

I...don't know.

[Diarmuid sighs, gaze dropping to the ground.]

I hate not knowing what happened and yet with as strongly as my body is trying to block the memory from me, I am almost afraid to find out. There must be a reason it is doing this.

[puppy_lancer]

See? If it was really that terrible, if even your body is trying to block it from you, then what right does anyone have to force you to remember?

[Diarmuid had gone through too much already. It was about time that he was allowed some peace of mind.]

Maybe you just remember too many sad things already.

[oathshackledbird]

What right do I have not to remember if I hurt you guys so much? I should have to remember...to suffer as much as you are.

[He shuts his eyes for a moment.]

Not that I need to know to feel pain for what has happened, but is it the same pain? I can't help but wonder even though I know how foolish it is to do so.

[puppy_lancer]

[He remains silent, and then pulls away from his brother to grab some drinks.]

...You know what? You need this.

[oathshackledbird]

[Diarmuid takes one of the cups from his brother and gazes at it for a moment before taking a drink.]

You're probably right. I am thinking too much again. There was a time where I needed to think about things to sort them out, but now I may be going too far. I think I just need to take what I have learned and actually make myself believe it instead of just putting it off for later.

[puppy_lancer]

[Lancer takes a large gulp of his own.]

It's okay to forget everything just for today, alright? We're here to celebrate something together finally.

[oathshackledbird]

[Diarmuid nods, taking another drink, though his is not nearly so large as his brother's.]

I am going to try. You and the others have done so much work to make this a good party that I can't let that work go unrewarded. I didn't mean to get so serious on you. I just worry. Sorry about that.

[puppy_lancer]

[He tsks.]

At this, rate, you're gonna start worrying about worrying. So how about we just discuss something else. Seen your presents yet?

[oathshackledbird]

[Diarmuid shakes his head and laughs.]

I have presents? That wasn't necessary. People didn't need to get things for me...

[puppy_lancer]

Yeah, they're under the food table. Come and take a look.

[He pulls at Diarmuid's hand.]

[oathshackledbird]

All right.

[Diarmuid doesn't argue anymore since he knows it will do no good. The gifts have already been made after all. Instead, he just lets his brother drag him toward the table.]

Are you one of the people who got me something?

[He vaguely remembers his brother mentioning a present earlier in the party, but they had gotten distracted by other topics and his brother hadn't mentioned it again.]

[puppy_lancer]

Yep! How can I forget?

[Once he and Diarmuid are at the table, he lets go of his brother's hand and reaches under the table to pull out his present.]

[It's a folded paper rose. Upon closer examination, the rose has writing on it.]

I did my best, but it still doesn't look as good as yours.

[oathshackledbird]

You have been practicing! It's wonderful!

[Diarmuid seems delighted with the gift even if his brother doesn't think it is very good. He notices the writing, but is saddened when he realizes that he will have to unfold it to read it. It can be very difficult to refold some things once unfolded--the folds just never line up quite right again.]

What does it say?

[puppy_lancer]

You're gonna need to unfold it to see.

[When he does, he'll see this.]

[oathshackledbird]

[Diarmuid nods, carefully unfolding the paper to avoid tearing it. When he sees the certificate, a wide smile crosses his face.]

Brother... I don't know what to say. You have no idea what this means to me...

[Seriously, the little boy who listened to all those stories and called Cu Chulainn his hero is screaming in joy right now. The older man who has come to know and care for his hero over the last few months is celebrating too, but more quietly.]

Where did you get this? Did you make it?

[It seems almost too professionally made to be something that was made in the tower, and yet where else would he have gotten it?]

[puppy_lancer]

Actually, I got it out of the request box. It was gonna be for Rin, but I thought you'd be a better person to give it to.

[He hadn't believed that Riki would even let him have such a thing, but somehow, his request had been granted.]

...Do you want me to make you another one?

[oathshackledbird]

Rin? Why would Rin want such a thing?

[Diarmuid seems confused by this. After a moment, he shakes his head.]

If you wish to make me another anything, make me another flower of the same kind that I can set next to this. Somehow, I don't think I will be folding this one up again.

I just hope the administrators don't try to use the fact that we are so close to each other against us now that they know.

[puppy_lancer]

Well...uh, she wouldn't believe we were brothers and told me to prove it. And you know how she is.

[She used the fact that he was an alternate version of her Servant to get to him.]

And if they try to lay an finger on you, you know what I'll be doing to them.

[oathshackledbird]

[Diarmuid shuts his eyes, shaking his head. He knows. He knows far too well.]

Brother, I wish you wouldn't let her get to you. Often, she says these things and then never thinks about them again. While things turned out okay this time, what if Riki had not been in such a good mood? Or if it had been another administrator in charge for the month? The request could have been twisted in many bad ways. You shouldn't let others no matter now...insistent...they are goad you into these kinds of actions.

[Though, he has to admit that he is secretly glad she did. Diarmuid is going to cherish this silly piece of paper for a very long time.]

I know you would fight for me if they did anything to me, but I would rather neither of us had to face them if that is okay with you. Alone, we don't stand a chance and you know they would stack any encounter in their favor. It is better just to not give them reason. The time to fight them will come soon enough.

[puppy_lancer]

...You've got a point. For both of those things.

[A pause.]

But...Rin. That girl. She needs someone who's willing to do things for her. And besides, the one who hurt her so much was someone I could have been.

Is there a way to make a copy of that? I wanna at least show it to Rin.

[oathshackledbird]

I know she does and I have been trying to help her, but you have to understand, brother, she is still a girl.

[Diarmuid stops to think of the current situation he is in with her and her feelings being so messed up. Yes, he is pretty sure his curse has something to do with it, but how different might things have been if he had told her no once and a while? He had thought that giving her whatever she wanted was the right thing, but now...]

I think sometimes she asks us to do things as a test, to see how far we will go for her. In that case, sometimes it might be best to say no. I won't lie. I think I have made this mistake myself. It is something I need to try and change.

[And he hopes he isn't making another mistake where she is concerned.]

The only way I can think of to copy anything here is by hand. Oh! The printing press is working now. This is a pretty simple certificate. You may be able to make a copy of it with the press. The younger Sephiroth, he's going to be teaching Waver and I how to use it soon. Would you like me to try and make a copy for you once he has?

[puppy_lancer]

...I like her, brother.

[This is Lancer's way of saying that he would go very far for her indeed. Not as far as he would go for a Master, but still very far. He dislikes the idea of having his loyalty tested, but at the same time, he feels an obligation to at least pick up for his other half's slack.]

[He nods eagerly when he hears news of the printing press.]

Of course! Where is this printer?