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]

[Dazai, very carefully, didn't react. Yeah he remembered that horror show.]

I can imagine.

Speaking of legends - how relevant is a Servant's original cause of death? Like how Achilles' vulnerable spot is his ankle, or how Theseus fell off a cliff. [Pushed or otherwise.] Does that carry over?

[1stknight]

Thankfully, not that much.

[Not that his death was particularly violent, but the battle for Camelot had been long and he wasn't so keen on dying of exhaustion again.]

Though weaknesses, like with Achilles, likely would. Ah, if you are worried about my weaknesses though, you are fortunate. Many know of my time with the Round Table, but not of my travels after. So those weaknesses are a well-kept secret.

[neverwashere]

No offense, but even your history is hard to trace. I believe most still know you as having only one arm instead of having a silver one.

[He glanced at the arm not attached to Bedivere's shoulder. It was pretty conspicuous in Dazai's room.]

What kind of person can read those letters, by the way, and will it be a problem if they do?

[1stknight]

All the better, then.

[He saw that glance, and he nodded. Time to put that thing on, enjoy some shirtlessness while he worked.]

Anyone from my time would be able to read them, but fortunately most of the Round Table is comprised of Sabers. The Lancer could be troublesome- my King has been summoned as a Lancer before, as has Lancelot- but other than that we should be fine. And even if they could read it, that would trace the arm back to Merlin, not me specifically.

[neverwashere]

[The shirtlessness was greatly and blatantly appreciated. In the sunlight, Dazai could see the marks he left on Bedivere, and it left him feeling like a satisfied cat.]

That's a convenient misdirection. Is Merlin known for giving out artefacts like that?

[1stknight]

[Bedivere would have to inspect the bruises and bite marks later, but he could feel them on him as he re-attached the metal arm and slipped his shirt on. They ached slightly, but it was a pleasant ache, one that left him smiling.]

Not usually, no. It was a special case for me. For one, we had known each other for many years, as he had been a member of the Round Table as well. Secondly, it was less that he gave me something, and more that he took an artefact I already had and turned it into a form I could use.

[neverwashere]

[That smile.

Dazai, very deliberately, blocked away an incoming fantasy about waking up to that expression for a month, a year, a decade. Maybe this was just his perpetual loneliness using his attraction. Logically, he knew he couldn't get too attached.]

And your Noble Phantasm doesn't match any weapons associated with the Round Table.

[Merely a statement of fact. Sort of.

Not really. This was probably stalling for time again, before he had to actually stand up and head to the shower.]

Did you get that from Nuada, then? Whatever its original form was, that is.

[1stknight]

That was the cover story we used, to disguise what the arm truly is. Given how long my travels were, nobody suspected that I may not have come across Nuada, or that this might not be the arm from legend.

[His previously content smile suddenly dipped into a sadder one, and his words turned somber as he worked on buttoning up his shirt.]

...Ah. I suppose I should start from the beginning. My apologies, Dazai, I should have told you from the start. It's just...painful to think about. But knowing the truth may become important in this Grail War, as it is a truth that nobody else here will know. And it may be used to our advantage.

I'm...Well. When a Servant is summoned, they can be summoned from any point in their life, so long as they have done heroic deeds at that point. It's why babies of heroes cannot be summoned: they haven't done anything heroic yet. But if you were to summon a powerful warrior like Alexander the great, you could summon him at any age during his time as king. His skills and Noble Phantasm would be based on whatever age he is summoned at. He would also only carry the memories of who he is at that point, though he would be aware that he could be summoned as older.

[He paused to draw in a breath and steady himself, and then:]

I am, in my current iteration as you summoned me, over 1,500 years old.

[neverwashere]

[Dazai couldn't stop a sharp inhale, his chest constricting. Bedivere had hinted having to travel for a long time to reach a particular goal, but a millennium and a half?

He couldn't even imagine it, or what sort of willpower Bedivere had to pull that off.]

But you're human.

[Nothing he learned from Bedivere himself or his own research indicated that Bedivere had magical talent or non-human blood. Slowly, he reached out to brush away the fringe of Bedivere's hair, as if seeing him anew.

He was seeing Bedivere anew.]

Is it the arm? Did you see Merlin before you started your journey?

[1stknight]

I am human, yes. But Excalibur stops a person from aging. So long as I never suffered a fatal wound, I could continue living on forever while carrying that sword.

[As Dazai reached out to brush away Bedivere's hair, Bedivere drew in a slow breath, pausing for a moment at the gentle contact. His eyes fluttered shut, but he didn't stay like that for long, because as soon as the hair was tucked away he glanced down at his silver arm, tracing the runes carved into it with his left hand's fingers.]

Three times my king told me to cast Excalibur back into the lake to return it to the Lady who had gifted it in the first place. In the legends, I only failed twice, and the third time I cast the sword into the lake and returned to my dying king.

But that legend isn't the reality. In truth, I failed three times. And when I returned a third time, still carrying Excalibur, my king was gone.

Unable to die because I had not returned Excalibur, my king was eventually healed by the goddess Rhongomyniad, since the king carried the lance bearing the same name. Then the king and Rhongomyniad left. And I, upon finding my king gone, had to journey to find her once again.

[neverwashere]

[Then the king hadn't made it to Avalon at the time her legend said she did.

More importantly, that meant Bedivere had carried regret in his heart for more than one thousand five hundred years. That mental strain had to be significant: the kind that would've given someone a heart attack from the accumulated stress, shaving off at least a decade or two from their lifespan.]

Merlin must've been quite the smith, if he managed to reform only that much metal into an entire arm.

[Both his offered smile and that attempt at humor seemed to fall short. Dazai trailed his fingers down to cup Bedivere's jaw in gentle encouragement to look at him.]

The journey you undertook afterward sounds pretty arduous. But I can tell you this: it's not inherently wrong to wish for a loved one to survive a fatal wound and keep on living.

[1stknight]

[Honestly, it was probably Excalibur that had kept Bedivere from dying of stress and grief. Fifteen hundred years was a long time to carry those regrets, and there had been so much trouble outside of that too.]

He certainly is. I do have to thank him for everything, I would have died on the shores of Avalon if not for his intervention.

[It was just like him to take the humor and turn it into genuine praise.

When his chin was tipped up, Bedivere did look to Dazai. The smile made him smile in return, but his eyes were still heavy with sadness. It was such a difficult thing to talk about, but he knew he had to do it.

Still, he reached up to cover Dazai's hand with his own.]

I do love her, very much so. She is my king, and even now as a Servant she still has my undying loyalty.

...I failed her. I disobeyed her orders, and she had to suffer for 1,500 years until I finally found her again. By the time I found her, her personality had been so eroded by Rhongomyniad's influence that she was a shell of her former self. She-

[He stopped abruptly, his voice cracking mid-sentence. He had to swallow hard to regain control of himself, though there was a bit of wetness at the corners of his eyes now too.]

Well. You saw the memories. My king was no longer my king. And I had to stop her, and the rest of the Round Table.

That is my legend, which made me eligible to be summoned as a heroic spirit. Not my time in the far past, traveling with my fellow knights, but the time when I had to stand up to all of them to fix my mistakes. And it is why Airgetlám is my Noble Phantasm, even though I never carried this silver arm during any of the legends of the past.

[neverwashere]

Bedivere...

[This conversation hit a little too close to home. He ran his thumb on the corner of Bedivere's eye, the dull ache in his chest growing.]

I understand what you're saying and why you believe it's your fault. However, you have no way of knowing what exactly transpired between your final trip to the lake and you finding her in that other kingdom.

[As far as Dazai could tell, at least, it didn't make sense for the king to not wait for Bedivere unless something else had happened.]

More importantly: you were able to complete your quest. [Seeing Bedivere like this was painful, and he couldn't help but kiss his brow.] You're more than worthy of being a heroic spirit, you know? Very few will have been able to endure as you did, and it's worthy of admiration.

['I admire you for that' was his actual meaning, even if he was still a little overwhelmed by that revelation.]

[1stknight]

[Bedivere wanted to argue, to protest that it was his fault, if he had followed Artoria's orders then none of this would have happened.

But that touch was gentle, and those words reassuring. It was hard to keep berating himself when such warmth existed right in front of him.

(How long had it been since he had been with someone who could pull him out of those self-depreciating spirals?)

He exhaled, closing his eyes. He also pressed his face against Dazai's hand, craving that physical contact. It was rare for him to be treated so gently, and he was soaking it right up. He might even cry for real, if he weren't careful.]

...thank you.

[He could get that actual meaning, and it made his heart feel warm too.

(He really, really wanted to kiss Dazai there. But he held back, respecting Dazai's previous words about it.)]

[neverwashere]

Mn.

[Dazai still wasn't used to being thanked for something like this.

He lingered a little more, tucking a lock of hair behind Bedivere's ear before taking his hand back and stopping himself from sighing. They still had much to do.

The image of Bedivere leaning into his hand, he'd remember for a long time.]

I suppose we should start preparing for the day.

[Could he leave Bedivere like this? He could, actually, but Dazai knew the expression of someone who needed comfort, even if they didn't ask for it. There were a dozen excuses he could come up with to justify this next offer, although they'd all ring half-hearted to his ears.

Dazai stood up and extended his hand.]

Care to join me in the shower?

[It was going to be a bit cramped, but they could manage.]

[1stknight]

That sounds lovely.

[He took that hand, and he let Dazai lead him to the bathroom to shower. It wouldn't be a quick shower, though. Being in cramped quarters meant touching a lot, and it was hard to resist the temptation to touch Dazai all over. Odds were high that Dazai would end up with a couple additional hickeys, and that Bedivere would come out of the situation looking quite satisfied.

Of course, he still had to tame his hair after, and would likely be going out with wet braids. But that was fine. It was well worth it to spend more time with Dazai.

It helped to chase away the dark memories too, which had no doubt been Dazai's goal. Bedivere appreciated it, he didn't need to be distracted during the fight that day. He would have felt horrible if he had died due to being morose.]

[neverwashere]

[Additional hickeys were more than welcome. Bedivere's boldness continued to surprise him, and were it not for the cramped space and their long day ahead, he might've given in to the impulse to go down on his knees to show his appreciation.

Ah, well. He still gave as good as he got, and helped Bedivere towel pat and fan-dry his hair. Behold: the wonders of localized artificial wind.

Dazai stretched his arms above his head as soon as they were out the door after breakfast. Feeling this calm and content this early in the morning was an unusual experience, and he had to remind himself to not link arms with Bedivere on the way to the Agency before heading to Port Mafia's territory.

Any news on suspicious cult activity and the like?]

[1stknight]

[There were no reports on cult activity, though apparently there had been some sort of kerfuffle at the local government office overnight? Something about several people being arrested suddenly, and when Dazai checked his phone he would see a message from Ango that said 'the usual, 8pm'. Someone wanted to talk in person, it seemed.

But that was much later in the day. For now, Dazai's main worry (other than the fight in the near future) was a nervous Atsushi who was holding the files Dazai wanted. He definitely had something on his mind, but he seemed reluctant to bring it up. He was just stammering more than usual, a sure indication of his own indecisiveness over speaking up.]

There are- um- the reports?

[neverwashere]

[Arrests? From a government office? Without any announced changes to upper management? Dazai had to take care to not let his expression slip - either someone was busy, or the palm grease hadn't been enough to let things slide.

In any case - yes, he'd meet Ango later, although he wouldn't reply to that text unless he had to change the plan. This also meant he and Bedivere couldn't afford any extended fights.]

Thanks.

[He grasped one end of the file. Instead of taking it, though, he paused for a moment, examining that nervous face with a raised eyebrow. Not the kind of greeting he expected - if Atsushi was bothered with him and Bedivere banging, Dazai would've seen more blushing and stammering.]

Something the matter, Atsushi-kun?

[1stknight]

[Yeah, it was a huge mess and Ango had Quite A Story for Dazai. But later.

For now, Dazai had a nervous-looking Atsushi in front of him. And he wasn't nervous about the banging, no. Something else was on his mind.]

I just...well...Please accept this!

[And he shoved a small bag at Dazai before running away. That boy could be fast when he wanted to be.

If Dazai looked inside the bag, it contained two large spools of a thick cord, similar to cooking twine. Too thin to be used to tie up a person, but thick enough not to be cut easily.]

[neverwashere]

...ah?

[Guess who looked like an idiot with a stack of papers in one hand and a small bag in the other. Because that scene, right there? It would've looked like some clumsy confession scene, the kind where Person A shoves a letter in Person B's hands before running away, complete with a scenic sakura tree in full bloom.

Dazai, of course, looked at the bag, and was very confused to find cord. Not food or anything, but cord. He looked around to check if anyone else saw that - did anyone have a clue?

He'd figure it out when they faced a certain Servant, and he'd have lots of questions. For now, however, he tossed one of the spools in Bedivere's direction - might as well? - before pocketing the small bag and skimming through the report.]

Well. [And it was like he couldn't concentrate on the words he was reading unless he verbalized this thought, even as a mutter.] That was weird.

[1stknight]

[Ranpo might have had an idea, but Ranpo was not in the office at that moment. Everyone else there had blank looks on their face too. Atsushi had, once again, befuddled everyone.

Bedivere was also confused, and he squinted down at the spool of cord in his hands. Was this something meaningful? Or if not, was it a gift meant to confuse? Bedivere couldn't make heads or tails of it, so he just looked to Dazai and shrugged.]

You can ask him about it later?

[It wasn't like Atsushi lived that far away.]

[neverwashere]

I guess.

[The thing about Atsushi was that he was thoughtful and spendthrift. Dazai knew, without a doubt, that if Atsushi thought purchasing two spools of thread were necessary, there had to be some sort of reason for it.]

Maybe he figured something out.

[Hi report, what do you have to say for yourself?]

[1stknight]

From this?

[Bedivere stepped over to peer over Dazai's shoulder at the reports.

Said reports were about the port area specifically. Several bodies had been found in the area in the last two days, horribly maimed and mutilated. Most seemed to be cut with a large axe, but at least some had injuries that seemed to come from other humans. It was as if they had been convinced to attack each other, and then something else finished the job.]

How brutal...I think that answers the question as to the Servant's class, at least.

[neverwashere]

Berserker.

[Like hell would an Assassin or a Caster have those kinds of kills. Rider, of course, was already accounted for.]

Then the one with the gun was Archer? Unless he didn't use Presence Concealment immediately.

[Also, Dazai skimmed the report a second time. What about this gave Atsushi the idea that a ball of yarn was relevant? And actually, how much of this did he already know? Dazai didn't really mind Atsushi figuring out what this Grail War was about (minus the possibility of Dazai being a casualty more than usual). On the other hand, Atsushi usually volunteered information.

He absently chewed on the corner of his lower lip. Why was this different..?

If the report didn't show anything new, Dazai figured he'd ask Atsushi in the evening, assuming that the talk with Ango didn't take too long.

Also, well. Time to investigate the mess Q left! Hopefully there were no new victims today. If there were, it was time to find the body crumb trail leading to the kid witch's house.]