[open] // do what we must because we can

[fionnuisce]

Characters: Waver and open
Setting: Floor 27, cafeteria, dorm floors
Format: Either
Summary: Tea, science, and sleep are Waver's priorities. In that order.
Warnings: None yet.

[floor 27]

[Waver had spent the majority of his time in the laboratory; being the leader of the group researching the clear collar fluid, he might have felt obligated even if it didn't fascinate him. Luckily (for some value of the word), he was a researcher that often became utterly absorbed in his work to the point of forgetting everything else. 'Minor' things like sleeping and eating, for example.]

[Though he hid it the best he could, if the ponytail-wearing magus looked exhausted that was likely no one's imagination. Today he was looking over his own hastily-written notes and narrowing his eyes at the container of fluid itself as though it had perhaps insulted his mother, thin cloud of cigarette smoke hanging in the air in front of him.]

[cafeteria]

[It was a remarkably simple thing, tea. Last time it was available, Waver had taken quite a bit of it to store in his trunk (along with a whole lot of alcohol.)]

[Then, glamour failure. If asked for one petty thing Waver would never forgive the administrators for, he would always answer with that.]

[Needless to say, he'd finally dragged himself away from his work long enough to enjoy the shift in provisions. Today in the cafeteria one could find a magus in a black and green suit sitting by himself, looking over near-incomprehensible notes with a cup of tea in his hand.]

[And if one happens upon him in the evening, it's likely he's minding his own business and leaving with a bottle of wine or two, liquid mercury maid trailing a step behind him.]

[dorm floors]

[Only at some ungodly hour did Waver finally give up for the night and leave the laboratory, Volumen Hydragyrum behind him carrying two bottles of wine. If he was willing to stop at all, it was likely he'd reached his physical limit or damn near to it. Sure enough, it had been several days since he slept a full night--or slept, period. As a result Waver was pale and walking just a little unsteadily, but at least he didn't seem ready to drop dead.]

[Drop into a coma when he got to his room, sure. But not drop dead.]

Comments

[oathshackledbird]

Mo Stór, stop.

[Diarmuid presses his fingertips to Waver's mouth for a moment to keep him from saying more, before letting his hand fall away.]

What you have is the same right as all of us to be worried and to doubt. It doesn't make you a coward or a failure.

Besides, what makes you think you haven't already accomplished things here? Perhaps they are no so grand as cracking the mystery surrounding that fluid, but they are important nonetheless. Give yourself time. Your study has only just begun. You will find what needs to be found. I believe in you.

[fionnuisce]

What have I really accomplished in this place? I'm not...I'm really not anyone you should believe in.

[Waver set his bottle of wine aside and moved closer to Diarmuid, looking tired and defeated.]

[oathshackledbird]

[Diarmuid sets his own bottle down and gathers Waver into his arms, letting his friend rest against his chest if he chooses to.]

You have helped a lot of people Waver and maybe it's predictable of me to say this since I've said it before, but you are the only reason I am still sane right now. I know you say I'm underestimating myself, but I don't think I am. People were trying to make me understand, but it just wasn't getting through no matter how hard they tried. Then you arrived and suddenly everything started to make sense again...

You give me hope and you give me direction everyday. The least I can do in return is believe in you even when you don't believe in yourself. One day I will make you believe, but until then I will do the believing for you.

[fionnuisce]

...you're such an idiot. [Waver hardly hesitated before settling into his Servant's embrace, muttering that halfhearted and failed insult as he did.]

You really expect me to believe you needed me to point you in the direction of common sense? That's completely absurd.

[oathshackledbird]

It's not so absurd as you think.

[Diarmuid reaches up and starts to stroke Waver's hair again.]

Not when what is common sense now is so very different than what was common sense in my time. The Grail can dump all the information it wants into my head, but it does little to make me able to understand that information. That takes someone who has lived and experienced these more modern times.

Someone like you...

[fionnuisce]

N-nearly anyone could...could do something like that. [Waver sounded a little distracted by the attention to his hair for whatever reason.] You hardly need me specifically foe information like that.

[oathshackledbird]

How many people do you think really have the patience to deal with me like you do? To really listen when I am confused and don't know how to explain it?

[Diarmuid smiles and continues to stroke Waver's hair. He seems oblivious to the reaction it's causing for whatever reason.]

All of that aside, I chose you. As a friend, as a partner, and as a master. I promised myself if I ever bowed to someone again it would be the person of my choice. Who else is a better choice than one who understands me like no one else does? And is more my friend than my master?

[fionnuisce]

I don't want-...no, I shouldn't say I don't want to be your Master. That's not true; I won't stand for anyone else but me contracted to you. [Was that a small note of jealousy?]

But I can still say you have terrible taste, being satisfied with someone like me. [Waver seemed to have lost any argumentative edge, sounding no more than mildly irritated instead.]

[oathshackledbird]

[The words make Diarmuid smile and he leans down to place a light kiss on the top of Waver's head before resting his head against his friend's.]

I wouldn't say that's a bad thing, especially considering I don't know that I could handle you being contracted to someone else.

[Another Waver...maybe, though it would still be hard. Especially since so many of them are contracted to Rider on their worlds... But this one, this one is his.]

Waver, think about some of the things my people and my culture are known for. Terrible taste happens to be one of those things and I am quite happy with what my terrible taste has gotten me this time.

[fionnuisce]

Hmph...as though we're known for much better. I must have awful taste, if I'm content to be here drinking substandard wine. That, or just desperate.

[oathshackledbird]

Well, I like to think the company helps make the bad wine a little more tolerable at least. Perhaps that is why you are so content and not the wine?

[fionnuisce]

Good company often does help with things like that, doesn't it?

[oathshackledbird]

I always have thought so.

[Diarmuid's hand unconsciously returns to stroking Waver's hair.]

And I know I could not ask for better company than I have at the present, so the wine tastes pretty wonderful to me.

[fionnuisce]

...you flatterer. [Waver laughed mostly to himself, leaning into Diarmuid's hand so slightly as to nearly be an imperceptible shift in position.]

[oathshackledbird]

[Diarmuid smiles at the laughter. Even if it is soft, it is much better than Waver being angry at himself.]

Flattery would indicate a lack of sincerity on my part and I assure you, I am quite sincere about this.

[fionnuisce]

Then we're back to the matter of you having awful taste.

[oathshackledbird]

Hmm...or you could just accept that maybe you aren't as bad as you think you are. What about that?

[fionnuisce]

I'll do that the same day that you do, my dearest knight.

[oathshackledbird]

Blackmail is it?

[Diarmuid laughs and gives Waver a squeeze.]

I see how you are, but you might want to rethink that. I am actually trying pretty hard to see myself in a better light. It might be a slow process, but there is process being made. Are you going to hold up your end of the deal and start feeling better about yourself soon?

[fionnuisce]

I'm not blackmailing anybody. I'm just being honest--if you can change like that, maybe I can too.

[oathshackledbird]

The blackmailing thing was a joke, Mo Stór. However, if you really promise that you will work harder to believe in yourself, then that is all the encouragement I need to work harder myself.

[Mainly because he's doing it for someone else instead of himself. Oops...he will fix that someday. One thing at a time.]

[fionnuisce]

I'll do the best that I can if you will. Fair?

[oathshackledbird]

Doing your best is all I ever ask of a person, so that is a deal I will readily accept.

[Diarmuid shifts his hold on Waver so that he can reach down for his bottle. He takes a drink out of it before frowning.]

It would be nice if this stuff was getting me even a little tipsy. I wouldn't mind being drunk tonight. It might numb the pain of my daughter being gone and the worry of my son being missing a little...

[fionnuisce]

What? Who disappeared this time? [Waver's arms slipped around Diarmuid's waist almost protectively, concerned.]

[oathshackledbird]

Mami Tomoe. I don't know if you ever got to meet her. She was one of the first people I met when I arrived and she was like a daughter to me.

[Diarmuid smiles sadly, tilting his head down so he can bury his head in Waver's hair.]

Mami was one of the strongest most caring people I ever met. This place gave her a chance to live again. She's like me, Waver. Death is the only thing waiting for her and it's not right. It's not! She still has so much to give...

[He pauses a moment to steady himself.]

She was teaching me how to cook. Her specialty was sweets. She left me a cookie recipe...

And Ryoji has been missing for several weeks. His stuff is still here, but he... All I can think is he has been sent back to his home and if he doesn't come back...