towerofanimus | just this once, everybody lives!

Do not be so overdramatic.

[He snorts, though his lips remained lifted at the corners as he flicks the herb at her and goes to pick up another one.]

If you are a Heroic Spirit, it is hardly your last hope. Unless your hopes are rooted in this specific Master, there are other chances for you to fight. Perhaps even in a Grail War where I or my companion are not around to strike you down!

I...

[Grainne sits back on the floor, angry now mixing in with the determination, stopped for the moment that yes, he may be right, but...

It's the 'but' that she is having trouble with.]

Other chances! Where I lose my memory of this time...

[Would it really be so bad about losing her memory now, after being through so much here?

Wait... that's it.]

I can't lose my memory otherwise I will lose him. I would.... I would not know what to say to him to make things right. Everything that happened here would be repeated...

I cannot go through that again...

[Her anger deflates a little, and then more quietly,]

...and perhaps even if I did remember it would make no difference.

[As soon as the words are out, she realizes then just who she is talking to. With an infuriated huff, she grabs at some of the herbs and stuffs them in her bag.]

I do not even know why I am telling you that. It is not as if you would care. He does not, so why would a stranger?

[He raises a brow as Grainne stutters through her thoughts, but doesn't move to interrupt her miserable ramblings. Really, it's something that ticks away at the invisible clock, and his patience had become a dull thing in the past year, so he sees no reason to not listen.]

Clearly you want to tell someone. Perhaps you simply don't care who anymore.

Perhaps.

[She's not going to deny a possibility, not when she is too unsure of anything and has been for weeks. Frowning, she looks around for more of her missing herbs, using that to focus most of her attention instead.]

When you know all of the outcomes, the game becomes less exciting.

[It was a quote she heard somewhere, though at the time she did not understand it.

Pausing, she looks up at him.]

...Ah. So, that is how it is...

[Archer twirls the herb he had picked up, using it as a truly basic distraction in the face of no further conversation.

When he hears that quote, his eyes avert from the little sprig of green and back to Grainne.]

Realized something?

I talk about it because I am trying to work out what can't be worked out. For me, no matter what I choose the game's end is always the same. It would rest on other people's choices and I know I would lose there. I have already lost.

[Sitting up straight, she reorganizes the contents in her back to fit comfortably inside it again, and then stands up.]

You said you knew every pleasure possible... I suppose I understand what you meant now. It is a game for which you know every outcome, isn't it?

[He smirks at that. A spark of cleverness? Well, that was probably to be expected of a Caster, for whom there were no physical positives.]

Correct. When the world fails to present something new and exciting, I will of course be bored. Boredom becomes the normal state of existence.

Hmm.

[Grainne meets his smirk with a smile of her own. So his is a game of choice. It makes sense, in a way, but yet also...

That last herb he could keep if he wanted. She could get more.]

When the world fails... I see...

[She shakes her head, and the smile fades.]

Then I pity you. You, who chooses to be bored instead of using his head to find the hidden sparks of interest in even the mundane, who chooses to be entertained instead of taking the active role to shape the game. The observer instead of the game master.

I am... disappointed.

[Unlike Grainne's, Gilgamesh's smile doesn't fade; in fact, it grows stronger.]

Your disappointment is based on your own human rationalizing. But that in itself is not surprising -- you see only what's in your own world and time.

If I did not believe there was a hope that my boredom would be alleviated, I would not observe. The game master only relies on himself for entertainment; the observer relies on the world.

I think you misunderstand my disappointment...

[The smile is back, but just a tiny bit.]

There's so much potential in you that you can use, but you do not use it... You're rather boring.

[He laughs -- just a little. But his eyes are focused, considering, as he stretches.]

You are fortunate I do not have the temper I have heard of other versions of myself. It would not take much to do something about an insult.

[The herb he still holds is twisted around his finger.]

But as you are smiling, I do not think you believe it.

Not an insult, but an observation. I haven't made up my mind completely... there is much I don't know about you that could surprise me.

[She takes on a more serious look, shifting her bag to the other arm, giving him an overall thoroughly searching gaze.]

I think if you were insulted you would have done something already with or without a temper. Instead, you are thinking about it. Worried, maybe? And eve-... well, maybe there is something to what I said.

[Growing a little more distant, her attention wanders away from him and to the darkness outside.]

For the first time since coming here, I regret there is so little time left. I might have been interested to see if you can surprise me...

[If he thinks anything about what Grainne thinks, he gives no tells; his smile remains as he takes those slight steps forward.]

Then you can safely die again without regrets, because I already have surprised you.

[The little herb around his finger loosens and falls to the floor as he reaches up to pinch her nose as he had done before.]

[This time Grainne bats at his hand, frowning.]

Anger is not surprise. I am never surprised when it comes to men touching me without my permission. That is just what they do. Usually, they regret it later.

[A pause.]

You do not know my legend very well, do you?

[Even if she bats at his hand, it does little to actually make him stop advancing to tweak her nose. And keep his fingers there.]

Why? Do you wish to hear what trickles down from the Throne? How your legend sounds on the lips of others?

[He peers at her face, his own catlike eyes narrow.]

I am just wondering how much you know about me.

[She peers back, stone-faced as much as she can be with his fingers on her nose; a carefully practiced look, used for years on misbehaving children.

At least she isn't gearing up to slap him this time.]

You still do not have my permission...

[He does nothing more than hold on to Grainne's nose, speaking nonchalantly as if he is not in fact making their entire conversation ridiculous simply with the placement of his hand.]

I know your name.

[Really, what else did he need to know?]

[Grainne crosses her eyes to look at his hand on her nose better, then lifts her chin to adjust the angle... Opening her mouth this time is definitely not for more talk; her tongue pops out and...

Liiiiick!

She is secretly five.]

[......

If he wasn't a hero with a history of carnal interests, the lick might have been considered shocking or disgusting.

But now? From her? To him?

He laughs, releasing Grainne's nose so he can drop his hands to his hips and toss his head back.]

What a ridiculous girl you are.

[Well, not exactly what she was going for. Grainne looks at him with a seriously unamused expression, but something in her eyes puts the lie to it. Like she might be enjoying herself. Might.]

I was wrong before. You are no man; you are an equally ridiculous boy.

[Strange how she is not denying being ridiculous. Pot, kettle.

The gold cup that materialized behind her just hovers for a moment, as if she's unsure what exactly she wants to do with it now.]

Now I'm not sure if you're interested or just teasing me.

[Unaware of the gold cup materialized behind Grainne, Gilgamesh continues to lean over the other Servant, the laughter beginning to fade from his lips.]

How many different things have you called me now? Ridiculous boy, perverted brat. And yet you are not running away.

[He gives no hint of an answer to Grainne's latter comment, simply crowding over her as if he could smother her with his presence in the middle of a lounge room.]

[Grainne just stares back at him, still wearing that unamused look.]

Why would I? I have lived my most of my life around crass, dangerous men... I fear I might be a little desensitized. And I am a Caster. I can handle whatever you throw at me.

[He has to laugh at that, though it's at least a fairly short laugh.]

You want to say something like that to someone who was designated Servant Archer?

[Grainne stands her ground, but smiles slightly.]

It is a pity you weren't summoned as Saber. That would have been a little more difficult for me to handle.

just this once, everybody lives!

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