110

[looselips]

Characters: [OU] Shinji, [AU3] Archer, & OPEN
Setting: Cafeteria (CLOSED), Floor 14, Various
Format: Starting in action, will follow tagger's lead!
Summary: ~Master and Servant bonding~
Warnings: None come to mind...?


I. Floor 1 - Cafeteria [CLOSED]
[It isn't exactly out of the ordinary to run into any given person in the cafeteria over the course of the day, all things considered. Shinji just isn't used to the idea of Servants actually eating, and especially not something as mundane as a hamburger. But... Archer sure is there, and he sure is sampling this month's menu.]

[It's a little strange, having to greet his own Servant over lunch. It's certainly different than how things worked in the Moon Cell, at least, and he isn't quite sure how to go about it. After some deliberation, he decides that the Servant should be the one to greet the Master, so he flops down across from Archer without saying anything, chewing his hot dog as imperiously as such a thing can be done.]

II. Floor 14 - Media Room
[Archer grumbles almost crossly to himself and drops his head as his player character screams in defeat on the TV screen. He doesn't even have to think about how many times he's lost at this fighting game because his Master was ... well, Shinji.]

[For his part, Shinji puffs up, as boastful as ever. Like Archer's repeated losses, this is not exactly a surprising turn of events.] Hah, well, you tried. Don't feel bad, though! I doubt there's anyone here who could manage to beat Asia's reigning game champion.

[With just about anyone else, Archer may have given an unimpressed look, or at least thought of it. But his little Game Master is amusing and entertaining when he's in a such a good mood, which in turn helps with lifting his own. With an overdramatic sigh, he sets down the controller and turns on the couch to look at the boy.] I know exactly how to improve my mood. [There isn't any time to process what that means before he acts, flopping ungracefully on top of Shinji.]

Wh— H-hey! [The requisite squawking is accompanied by quite a bit of flailing, Shinji's little fists thumping against his Servant ineffectually.] Get off of me, you flashy buffoon...!

III. Various
[This is the second time Shinji has been carted around on Archer's shoulders like this. He is handling it somewhat better than he did the first, perhaps because of course his Servant should carry him this way. From his perch, he surveys their surroundings as best he can, trying to catch sight of the rarely seen daytime monsters they're hunting for.]

[(Riding on his shoulders this way is actually kind of fun, if he lets himself stop and enjoy it. Archer can move so much more quickly than a human, after all.)]

[Into the evening, the two of them can be found all around the Tower, sometimes with Shinji seated on Archer's shoulders and sometimes with the child trailing behind, scrambling to keep up as they hunt by foot on one floor or another.]

Comments

Floor 14

[sunflowerfairy]

[Yotsuba had wandered into the media room to explore, and while she would have looked over all the cool gadgets-and probably broken something-the familiar squawking of the brat she had met awhile back drew her attention, and she wandered up to the pair, smiling, looking quite pleased that the meanie was being treated like this. Thrusting a fist into the air, she cheered for Gilgamesh.]

Yeah! Keep the meanie down!

[bowandblade]

[The presence of another person in the room does nothing to deter Archer from his fun; in fact, upon hearing the little girl's laughter, he laughs and digs an elbow into the couch by Shinji's shoulder so he can prop up his chin and still pin the boy.]

It looks like we have an audience!

[looselips]

[Ugh. The moment Shinji realizes he's being held down in front of some stupid little girl, he squirms harder.]

Let me up already, you...!

[sunflowerfairy]

[Archer's laughter was infectious, and Yotsuba couldn't help but laugh at that and at Shinji's reaction. It was good that the mean boy from before was getting punished like this! Maybe he wouldn't be so mean now!]

Oh..what's an audience?!

[For right now, Yotsuba would just assume that this golden person was good, since he was attacking a bad little boy.]

[bowandblade]

[Completely adding insult to injury (in the most affectionate way possible), Archer ruffles Shinji's hair before addressing the little girl.]

You are an audience, of course.

[Maybe his cheerful response will get him out of actually explaining.]

III

[puppy_lancer]

[Lancer stops and just stares at the passing duo.]

...Wow, Archer. Didn't know babysitting was a hobby of yours. Watch out, though. That kid is a horrible brat.

[He snickers.]

Or wait, on second thought, you're perfect for each other.

[bowandblade]

[With Shinji still perched on his shoulders, Archer can only tense and stare back at the other Servant when he sees him, when he hears him. The memories of the last month have had a few days to settle, but he remembered his battle-- no, it couldn't even be considered a battle with how heinous that whole thing had been.

He smiles, but it doesn't reach his eyes.]

How right you are, hound. We are perfect for each other.

[looselips]

[Shinji starts to bristle in reply to Lancer's comment, but then Archer speaks in his stead, and his anger dissipates. Instead, he feels flustered. Pleased and flustered, but flustered all the same. S-senpai...]

[...But, it's not like he can just let Lancer's sass pass without comment, and, well. Archer is the strongest Servant, right?]

J— Jeez, get a load of this idiot, huh? Talk about not knowing when to keep your mouth shut.

[There is nothing ironic or hypocritical about that statement whatsoever. He shifts slightly where he's perched. Maybe it would be best to get down off of Archer's shoulders...]

[puppy_lancer]

[Lancer just shrugs.]

Suit yourself, Archer. As long as it keeps you away from Ayaka when she comes back here again.

III. floor 75

[pinnaculum]

[The seventy-fifth floor, with its tower inside the Tower, is an excellent spot for any hunter of monsters.

Sephiroth is busy eliminating monsters here himself (his clothes and face flecked with blood), and the duo of Shinji and Gilgamesh is unusual enough to attract his attention, particularly as he knows Shinji. He approaches quickly, teleporting to their vicinity. He doesn't bother to walk normally, as he usually does to be polite. He hasn't been spending much time in human company lately.

Hello, Shinji.

[Sephiroth follows up this flat initial greeting with a nod toward Gilgamesh. He studies them both, the glow of his eyes less apparent in the daytime, though his pupils are thin slits in the light.] Hello.

[looselips]

[Shinji jumps at Sephiroth's sudden appearance. Now that he thinks about it, it has been a while since they had seen each other—but, hey, it's not like they didn't need to talk to each other now, right? He isn't about to complain about a stroke of good luck.]

There you are. [He says it like he had been looking for Sephiroth all along, which is of course not the case. He squirms, trying to dismount from Archer's shoulders.] Look— I've got something to show you.

[bowandblade]

[The tower floor isn't an unfamiliar place to visit by now, but this is the first Archer has seen of the little boy who ... had apparently just appeared right near them. That's worth a quirk of a brow, at least until he hears Shinji's name and the recognition from his little Master in reply. He hums with mild interest the Sephiroth's greeting, patting Shinji's knee before easily shifting him from his shoulders to one arm, then down to the ground.]

Something, he says.

[Why yes, he's expecting Shinji to brag. Why wouldn't he?]

[pinnaculum]

[Sephiroth sheathes his sword, after ascertaining that there are no monsters in the immediate vicinity. He hasn't encountered Shinji in some time, but he sees no need to comment on the fact, or to state that it's good to see him. His emotional reaction is almost nil. He watches curiously as Archer sets Shinji down. If Shinji has something to show him, then he will politely observe.]

Yes? I would like to see.

[He looks up at Gilgamesh.] Is it you?

14

[vermicompost]

[Kariya doesn't really stop to think--even though he is currently without Lancelot and absolutely defenseless (seeing as how a camera doesn't count as defense), when he hears Shinji yelling, he doesn't hesitate to move toward the sound, as quickly as his aching legs will take him.]

Leave him alone.

[looselips]

[Shinji freezes and goes quiet at the sound of Kariya's voice, and then he cringes, looking very much like he has been caught breaking a rule and is now dreading his punishment. But it isn't in response to Kariya catching him with Archer; instead, it's the opposite, Shinji not wanting Archer to see him around Kariya.]

[He doesn't say anything to assure Kariya that nothing is wrong. Instead, he quietly drags a hand down his face, feeling mortified.]

[bowandblade]

[Archer tilts his head curiously -- mostly at Shinji's reaction more than the nearby voice that had led to that reaction. He props up a hand against the back of the couch but doesn't bother to look up; by now, he recognized that voice well enough.]

Such a tall demand, Kariya Matou. This is no concern of yours.

[vermicompost]

Not my concern? Shinji is my--

[This time, he catches himself before saying "nephew", but the word all but hangs in the air, unsaid.]

I care about him. Of course it's my concern.

[He looks from Shinji to Gilgamesh, frowning, feeling both confused and upset. He reaches out with his right hand to grab the left, a once-familiar gesture that's made strange by the fact that his left arm has been removed at the elbow.]

You can't tell me what to do, Archer.

[chevalier_mal_fet]

[Routine is a comfort. Even, and especially, the routine of Slaughter-- for he will not call it "Battle", what he does with the Monsters and Fell Beasts he Slays. He makes his way alone through the floors and hallways he's chosen to fill this span of hours, dimly conscious of his Master's state of Mind, but little else-- apart from the pleasure he feels in exercising his Strength and Abilities.

But he is Alone no longer. Sensing a Servant nearby, Lancelot lets his Sword fade from his hand-- only to come face to face with Archer-- and Shinji, riding astride the Servant's shoulders. An unusual sight indeed.

There is black blood beneath Lancelot's fingernails and his eyes glow a dim red, but otherwise he presents as his everyday grimly courteous self. A simple raise of his brows is the only sign of surprise he gives before addressing Shinji.]

Shinji. How fare you?
[After the Graveyard, the Boy had been quite shaken, thought He had acquitted himself well.

Archer, he acknowledges with a nod. Strange company for either of them to keep, seemingly.]

[looselips]

[Lancelot... Given the way Kariya had reacted, he is somewhat unsure how to approach this situation. He guesses he should play it cool and follow Archer's lead, after he sees how he responds.]

[At least he has gotten used to Lancelot's manner of speech well enough to answer casually.]

Pretty good.

[Acquiring Archer is the best thing to happen to him in a while, after all.]

[bowandblade]

[Archer hums with interest as he and his new Master come across the knight in ... well, a more Berserker-like disarray than he had seen thus far. Of course he had sensed the presence of another Servant nearby, but if he had known it was Berserker, he would have made a beeline over to him.

He casually keeps hold of Shinji's ankles as he closes the distance between them and Lancelot, looking him up and down with a wide smile.]

Caught at a bad time, Berserker?

[chevalier_mal_fet]

[Archer. Not nearly so offensive in speech as the one he recalls from his own War, but provoking nonetheless. He answers Shinji, but regards Archer flatly, neither friendly nor opposed. For the moment.]

That is well then, Shinji, and I am glad of it.
You have an-- interesting companion this day.

[His attention shifts fully to Archer.]
As I was coming along the Hallway freely, and as I have obviously been-- engaged on errands of my own, I hardly think you can claim to have caught me at anything whatever, Archer.

But for yourself-- my Master has bid me protect this child in the past, and as I have done so, I ask how is it you accompany him now?

III. now that I know I'm not dropping her =T

[angramaintsu]

[ While being carted around, an ominous presence will make herself known by jumping down from a higher position in this specific floor. She's without her Servant, but Rin on her own is a force to be reckoned with.

Provided she's hostile. For now, she's merely amused by the younger boy's antics. ]

What are you doing with this man, Shinji?

[looselips]

[Oh, Rin. Well, it's probably for the best that they ran into her. All the better to brag inform her of the change in his situation. Tone boasting, he turns up his nose and declares:]

For your information, this man is my Servant.

[angramaintsu]

This man?

[ Looking Archer over from head to toe with a scowl. ] Yeah, that makes sense. He's an Archer and they're only good for filling in the void while our real Servants are gone.

[bowandblade]

Such a tongue on this one!

[Archer seems both amused and intrigued; he can't take too much offense to the jab at his class when he himself did not like being the third-ranked Servant, and the girl's rather obvious issue with another Archer can't go unnoticed.]

Do not dismiss me simply because I am forced into a subpar vessel.