Midsummer Bash

[puppy_lancer]

Characters: Lancer, the people he invited to the party, and everyone else who wants to stumble in
Setting: Floor 25, July 5, afternoon
Format: Open
Summary: Lancer throws a party for midsummer, since the Tower obviously needs a breather.
Warnings: None so far.

[To be honest, Lancer wanted to have the party in the evening, sometime around twilight. That would have been the most romantic time for it. Unfortunately, when in the Tower, one had to account for things like monsters. As a result, he had to hold it during the afternoon. But it wasn't too bad of a compromise.]

[This was, of course, a more simple affair than Diarmuid's birthday. For food, he had hauled a couple of tables up here and lined the table with dinner food. The centerpiece was a cake which had a heart drawn on it in red frosting. In one corner of the meadow, he had used some boxes and tarp to make some sort of booth where people could hide from the sun (and steal kisses off of each other). In the center of the meadow, he had piled a large stack of wood, perfect for lighting a bonfire by the party's end. The structures had all been surrounded with wreaths made from the meadow's flowers.]

[As soon as he's done with the setup, Lancer will sit down next to the firewood pile, waiting for people to come.]

Comments

[oathshackledbird]

[Diarmuid is embarrassed enough at the compliment considering who it is from that he almost misses the question. Once he realizes one has been asked, he shrugs.]

I could be all mysterious and just say magic, but really it came from mom. Most of my looks did, father always said. The only thing I got from...him...was my coloring.

[puppy_lancer]

[He nods.]

Then your mother was a beautiful woman. I'm sure she must have given you your personality too.

[oathshackledbird]

She was beautiful, though it is hard for me to remember what she was like personality-wise.

[His expression suddenly saddens.]

She...was sad so much. I didn't understand back then because my memories were blocked, but I know now why. She suffered so much loss. He killed the son of the man she did love and then that man turn around and cursed the only son she had left to death. Father sent Roc away after that and we never saw him again.

I was all she had left and I every time she looked at me she remembered what happened...and I didn't...

[puppy_lancer]

[He frowns.]

And that...that was also part of your legend? I'm sorry that happened to you. And to your mother.

Did you ever know him? Your mother's other son?

[oathshackledbird]

Yeah...

[Diarmuid looks down at his hands, expression actually brightening a little. While what happened to them had been sad, he actually likes talking about his half-brother. It's not something he gets to do a lot.]

I didn't know he was my half-brother until after I was brought back as a servant, though. It was a detail the Grail gave me. Back then, he was just my friend. My first friend. My best friend. We trained together. We were going to join the Fianna together...

Then he took that all away from me. And...I wasn't allowed to remember what I had lost for a long time. I just knew I had lost something very important to me.

[He pauses and then turns a small smile up at Cu Chulainn.]

He...was a lot like you actually. Or at least what I expect you were like as a child. You two probably would have gotten along very well.

[puppy_lancer]

[He listens, not speaking until Diarmuid finishes his story. Then, he pr]

...Really? No wonder you always know what to say to get me in line. You've got a lot of experience, haven't you?

[oathshackledbird]

[Diarmuid chuckles lightly, but shakes his head.]

I don't know if I would say that. Everyone is different and I only knew him for a very short time. Still...there are times even now that I miss him. I wonder what he would have been like if things hadn't turned out as they did. I know I will never know, but I still wonder.

[puppy_lancer]

...He wouldn't have turned out too bad. After all, you're his brother.

[He falls silent for a second, and then suddenly his eyes light up.]

Hey, maybe someday you can ask him yourself! Humans aren't the only things that get stored in the Throne!

[oathshackledbird]

Maybe...

[Cu Chulainn's sudden exclamation startles Diarmuid and his words only confused the other servant.]

What do you mean the Throne holds things other than humans?

[puppy_lancer]

Well, uh, we're not the only heroes inside the Throne. Like, I hear monsters count as heroes too. Not that I've seen any getting summoned. But hey, sooner or later they'll run out of humans for the Berserker class.

[oathshackledbird]

Are you suggesting...?

[Diarmuid pales but then shakes his head.]

No. It can't be. Even if... He never got a chance to live let alone be a hero...

Besides, I know what that class does to people. I wouldn't want him to be called into it.

[puppy_lancer]

...Right, forget it.

[He mutters, averting his eyes. He had suggested the possibility to cheer his brother up, but it seemed to have the opposite effect.

[oathshackledbird]

No...no, it's okay.

[Diarmuid reaches out and ruffles Cu Chulainn's hair, smiling a small smile at the same time.]

I would like to meet him again badly, but honestly, I would not want him locked into that life--that role. Can you imagine what it would be like to forever be a child like that?

[puppy_lancer]

[Cu Chulainn looks up, a little bit more cheerful than he was before.]

It would be pretty tough, knowing that you're supposed to be older than you are.

[Illya was a prime example.]

...But it would be better if you were alongside him, right?

[oathshackledbird]

I would like to think so. We gave each other much strength when we were young. I would hope I could do the same now. If...

[Diarmuid seems a little worried.]

...if he didn't hold what happened against me. I don't know if he would or not. Neither of us liked...Donn. No one really did, but in the end no matter how much we disliked him, I still share his blood and that makes things different.

[puppy_lancer]

Did he know, though? I mean, he was a kid. I don't think he would blame his friend for something someone else did.

[oathshackledbird]

I...honestly don't know. If happened quickly. For all I know, he didn't know what happened or who did it.

[Diarmuid's eyes grow distant for a moment, distant and sad.]

I did. I saw it even though they thought no one had. I just was too shocked to say anything. They figured out who did it, though. Fionn did, so I guess it didn't matter if I couldn't bring myself to say anything.

[Diarmuid shuts his eyes for a moment and then nods.]

I prefer to think he didn't know.

[puppy_lancer]

Why didn't he care?

[Lancer grumbles.]

That man, Donn. Why didn't he care who saw?

[oathshackledbird]

He was jealous. He was enraged. It was that simple. The only thing I was to him was a chance to reach the glory that he had not found himself and when he saw me treated the same as the son of a 'commoner' he could not stand the threat to his ego.

[Disgust fills Diarmuid's eyes.]

I was not a son to him. I was a merely a step toward building his own name, but he made a misstep. He made a misstep no one could ignore when he took my brother's life...

[puppy_lancer]

Fuck him. He...he's not a father.

[He crosses his arms and scowls.]

No father would do anything like that to his own child.

[oathshackledbird]

You are right and that is the reason I do not give him the honor of being called my father. Only one has that honor and his name is Aengus, not Donn.

[Diarmuid falls quiet for a moment and then a small smirk curls the corners of his mouth.]

He wished so hard to make a name so that he would be remembered, and now he is hardly a memory. In some versions of my legend, he is erased completely and replaced with another who shares the same name as he. A fitting punishment for what he did.

[puppy_lancer]

[He nods.]

I'm glad you had Aengus, though. From everything the legend said, and everything you said, he seems like a good Dad.

[A pause.]

You think he'd be happy seeing you now?

[oathshackledbird]

He was the best father.

[Diarmuid smiles widely, obviously much happier talking about Aengus than Donn.]

I know I would be happy to see him. Father...

[He sighs and shakes his head.]

I often wonder if he blamed himself for what happened to me. He watched me every night but the night I died, after all. I would not want him to feel that way. I would rather we spend whatever time we would have together talking and things like that, not placing blame when it doesn't lie with either of us.

[puppy_lancer]

...Maybe he does. But like you said, it's not your fault.

Besides, he could watch your wife and kids.

I didn't leave any kids for my mom to look after.

[oathshackledbird]

It's not his fault either. I expect he did watch over my children at least. My wife...perhaps not so much, but she always knew how to watch out for herself. I'm sure she was fine.

[Diarmuid gives his brother a stern look when he hears those whispered words.]

That wasn't your fault. That was her fault. She shouldn't have sent him after you like that...