PSL (closed)

[1stknight]

[Honestly, being summoned was quite the surprise to Bedivere. Being a saber, he knew he was at a disadvantage. After all, there were so many more sabers even just from the Round Table who were much more famous, so surely they would have been summoned over him. In fact, he was sure it had happened countless times before. That one master he had met, the one from Chaldea, they had spoken of singularities and grail wars to span several worlds and timelines. And with so many fine Sabers to choose from, he was sure that he hadn't ever been summoned before. The short time between the 'creation of his legend' and 'now' notwithstanding.

It made him feel a touch inadequate, if he was being truthful. After all, he was a simple knight. The master who had summoned him, he deserved better than someone like him. But if he was the one who was summoned, then he would fulfill his duty to this new master. Nothing would be done in half-steps, never again.

So as his form solidified in the summoning circle, Bedivere offered his new master a warm smile. Once again, his life was sworn to someone else's. Whatever his master wished for, Bedivere would help him achieve it.]

Saber, Bedivere. I am honored to be summoned by you. From now on, I shall be your Servant.

['I am honored to be summoned at all' was the truth, but he didn't speak that.

Then he paused, and he took a survey of the situation. The summoning circle was expertly made, but this man in front of him...well. He didn't look like a mage. He looked like a normal person. Perhaps it was a disguise? Or maybe there was more to this situation than he could see immediately. He would have to wait for his new master to respond in order to find out more.]

Comments

[neverwashere]

Oh, I think he'll like that description. Though you better be prepared for his questions once he hears it.

[Kenji was a delightful and carefree child. Dazai had a healthy appreciation for how effortless he made friends.

From the goats, he led Bedivere to the deer next, then to another area with lions.]

I'm aware these creatures are popular symbols, but was one ever presented to the court?

[1stknight]

It might not be too suspicious to talk of chivalry, no? After all, if he thinks I am merely a foreigner, he might accept it as normal.

[A pause, and he tapped his chin thoughtfully.]

Some of your co-workers may be too smart for that, though. The young man who lives next door, he seems to suspect I'm not who I claim to be. And that loud detective already knows too much.

[neverwashere]

Well, we are detectives. As much as it is to our disadvantage, it'd also be terrible form for them to not pick up on such details.

At the same time, however, your circumstances are also too far-fetched even for the chaos we encounter on a day-to-day basis. One mention won't hurt if we keep the details vague - a normal boy in England, for example, would have grown up hearing tales of knights and knaves and chivalry, and the era is covered in history class. It's only natural for them to look up how people actually lived in those times.

[In other words, as long as they stuck to known information about knights and talked about it as historical fact, it shouldn't be a problem.]

For our ease of mind, however - are there other topics you're comfortable talking about? Leading the discussion elsewhere is a viable tactic.

[1stknight]

So you're saying I should pretend to be a knight-fanboy?

[It was humorous to Bedivere because he felt like one sometimes. He had come from humble beginnings and was relatively plain compared to the rest of the Round Table. Knights like Lancelot, or Gawain, they were the ideal. And he couldn't deny his favoritism for the king.

The king...thinking about Artoria made Bedivere frown for a moment. His devotion to his king was very complicated, and Dazai just complicated things further. He barely even had to think about last night, and he could feel his skin heat up where Dazai had given his neck extra attention. His heart was a mess, and he didn't know what to do about it.

But he covered up that frown quickly, and he tried to smile as he answered that last part.]

Farming isn't a bad topic. Even if it's been a while, I can still remember it.

[neverwashere]

Something like that.

[Was that slight dip in Bedivere's smile just his imagination? Before Dazai could dwell on it further, however, he had other things to think about.]

It would be good to mention you use traditional techniques, or something along those lines. Not that the practice itself has changed, but certain innovations have introduced new strains of plants that weren't likely around before. Not to mention all the machinery involved.

[1stknight]

Ahh, so like, a 'traditional farm'?

[That was honestly for the best, Bedivere knew nothing about modern farming.

The dip in the smile was long gone though, Bedivere was covering up any strange feelings he had in his gut. His own confusion over his feelings wasn't worth getting Dazai upset.]

I imagine it is very different between England and Japan anyway.

[neverwashere]

We do have rice.

[Like hell he knew if there was a farm in England that cultivated rice.]

Want to look up the general differences later? Just so you don't get blindsided if it does come up in conversation.

[1stknight]

That would be a good idea, yes. The farm I grew up on mostly grew wheat, though we did have some animals for milk and meat. Oh, and we had a vegetable patch for us to live on. The wheat was made into flour and sold to bakeries in the city, though.

[neverwashere]

For bread, hmm..?

[Speaking of food - Dazai glanced at his watch and made a sound at the back of his throat. They've been walking for how long?]

Want to grab a snack? A sandwich and milk sound good right about now.

[1stknight]

It is about that time, isn't it?

[Seeing animals was valid, but so was eating. And a sandwich and milk sounded good.]

Do they sell food here?

[neverwashere]

Let's see...

[Time to pull out the brochure. And there it was: a spot with food stalls.]

They do, indeed.

Shall we?

[And he just casually tucked Bedivere's hand into the crook of his arm. Perhaps it was a sign of just how comfortable Dazai felt: any other time, he would've been mindful to not disable Bedivere's other arm while they were in public.]

[1stknight]

[Oh. What casual arm-holding. Bedivere accepted it, but he blushed a faint pink at the gesture while looking pleased at the arrangement.]

Yes, let's.

[Though when they got to the food stalls, Bedivere was distracted by the takoyaki stand.]

Ah, it's these again.

[neverwashere]

Yep.

[Bedivere singling out the takoyaki was enough of a prompt for Dazai to get them some, followed by taiyaki, dango, and whatever else Bedivere seemed curious about.

There were a couple of picnic tables nearby, and Dazai led them to be seated at one.

He blinked. It wasn't until he could stretch his legs that he realized just how much they'd walked around that morning. If he had to guess, though, Bedivere probably wasn't even winded.]

What kind of exotic creatures live in England, anyway? Well, exotic relative to Japan, at least.

[1stknight]

[So much food, and Bedivere liked it all. He was still very much a 'meat and potatoes' kind of person, but this food was good too. He would eat up anything Dazai offered him. RIP Dazai's wallet though. He wasn't as bad as Atsushi, but he still had a big appetite when he wasn't trying to be reserved.]

Ah? I'm not sure what counts as exotic, I grew up around them. I suppose cardinals a nd blue jays, though? Do you have those here?

[Dazai was also right that Bedivere wasn't winded at all.]

[neverwashere]

[Bedivere being here meant that Dazai a) wasn't able to gamble, and b) wasn't even interested in gambling. So in a sense, Bedivere's appetite was bringing equilibrium to Dazai's usual budget, and this was a far better activity compared to betting on races.

He liked that Bedivere was starting to cut loose around him, too. Who knew that a night of intimacy and open affection was enough to smoothen out things between them.]

I don't believe so.

They're small birds, aren't they?

[1stknight]

[Sometimes you touch another dude's dick and get some hickeys and your feelings get complicated. It's totally fine, nothing troubling will come of it.]

They are, yes. Blue jays, as the name suggests, are blue. But they're a bright blue, with white bellies and black lines around their eyes. the patterning is very distinct and- oh, actually-

[They shared dreams, so sharing mental images should be possible, yes? Bedivere's face screwed up in concentration as he focused on the mental image of a blue jay. He looked absolutely ridiculous, with his sight a little cross-eyed and the tip of his tongue sticking out of his mouth. But with effort, the mental image of a blue jay would come across eventually.]

[neverwashere]

[Hazards of the heart going doki doki. Nothing special.

The shared vision, on the other hand, was. Dazai visibly straightened - as a nullifier, being able to actually participate in something like this was incredibly new, and his first thought was about how lucky he was to have summoned Bedivere, however unusual the circumstances.]

They're beautiful. [He was so stunned with this whole memory sharing thing his brain hasn't caught up to how ridiculous Bedivere looked.] Has one ever perched on your finger?

[1stknight]

[The image didn't last long, because as soon as Dazai indicated he had seen it Bedivere stopped focusing. He was at risk of a headache and he didn't want to be in pain the rest of the day. No more silly face, he was back to normal.]

Not on my finger, no. But sometimes they got close when I was working on the farm. They were always looking for fallen grains of wheat to eat.

Cardinals are like blue jays, but they are entirely red.

Do you think either of them would be at the zoo here?

[neverwashere]

We can check after eating.

[He still sounded a little dazed, but he'd promise he was fine.]

If they aren't, I'm sure there's a tiny bird out there who'll be colorful and friendly to you.

[Also, have +1 dango for the successful telepathy]

[1stknight]

[He would take that dango, sure. But not before seeing that dazed look on Dazai's face, and oh he felt his heart flutter again. Butterflies in his stomach were dangerous, it could lead him to do foolish things.]

Ah...what bird?

[He was so caught up in seeing Dazai so cute that he had forgotten what they were discussing with the birds.

He was also busy wondering what it would be like to kiss Dazai, but he quickly squashed those thoughts.]

[neverwashere]

A tiny bird that isn't a cardinal or a blue jay. Maybe the meguro.

[Bedivere's secret was safe, because Dazai was trying to remember what species were part of the local bird population.]

[1stknight]

Ah. I will have to see, then.

[He still had forgotten what they were talking about. So he shoved the dango in his mouth so he didn't have to speak anymore, lest Dazai figure out he had gotten distracted by his face.

And then, after he had finished chewing his bite:]

Let's continue, then?

[Though there was still much to see, Bedivere would come away from the day saying that chameleons were still his favorite. So much so that, while they took the train home that afternoon, Bedivere was already busy reading the book on chameleons and looking over the pictures. It was a children's book, sure, but he had never seen images so bright in a book before.]

It still amazes me that such vivid images are possible in this day and age. All of this would have been hand-drawn in the past, you know?

[neverwashere]

Alright.

[Even the stuffed animal Dazai got from the souvenir shop was a chameleon: something he gave along with the book.

Something, perhaps, to remember Bedivere by, once everything was said and done.]

I can imagine.

Although there is a trade-off: some of the illustration techniques from those times are difficult to recreate. Restorers have it tough.

[1stknight]

[That chameleon was absolutely getting tucked under Bedivere's arm, though he would struggle with where to put both it and the book once they got back to Dazai's apartment. He didn't really have his own space there, and wouldn't be sure where to put them so they were out of the way.]

Oh? They're trying to restore that art? But why not appreciate it for what it is and make something new?

[neverwashere]

[Bedivere was welcome to put the stuffed chameleon wherever he wished in the apartment, although Dazai certainly wouldn't mind if it got carried around.]

They're to be treasured. To modern eyes, the past may as well be a different country.

It's not so different from having legends survive up to this day, you know? Old paintings, embroidery, pottery, metal craftsmanship - all of those represent what humans are capable of doing as they chase the pinnacle of their potential. They're there to remind us of where we've been and imagine where we could've been, even if we've forgotten the very language we spoke a thousand years ago.