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

[1stknight]

Please do, I don't want people making assumptions about me.

[Rather ironic, given Bedivere's own assumptions about people who work in particular professions. Though his prejudice is more a product of his time and less him actively trying to be mean. He'll unlearn those assumptions eventually.]

I'm not a public person, Dazai. I'm the least-known of all the Knights and I prefer it that way. The thought of everyone seeing me is...I think the anxiety alone would kill me.

[neverwashere]

[He remembers the differences between their times, which is why that reminder isn't as cutting as something he might give to some rando on the street. Not that he can truly discount how Bedivere's become so much more than a hypothetical hostile stranger, and he tucks a lock of hair behind the other's ear.]

You'll survive.

[In an additional selective display of tact, any mentions of, oh, surveillance equipment and double standards favoring beautiful people are omitted. Thing is, Bedivere's graceful enough to make anything lewd look tasteful and magazine-worthy. Or maybe Dazai's just biased.]

But fear not: you might be taller than me, but I can still hide your face with my coat.

[He's joking.

About the coat thing. Not the saving Bedivere's dignity thing, if there's an actual threat to it.]

[1stknight]

[Dazai is probably biased, but Bedivere is indeed pretty by conventional standards, so he might have a point. They'll have to see how much Bedivere gets away with when he gets his new, less-conventionally-attractive body.]

Thank you for that, Dazai.

[It does get him to relax, though. Even if he's sure Dazai will find a way to tease him, he's also sure that there is some truth to Dazai's words. He wouldn't leave Bedivere hanging high and dry with no support, at the very least.

They'll be able to rest through the night now though, with Bedivere gradually taking in mana over the hours that he is curled up next to Dazai. And by morning, he's left feeling better. He's well enough to cook another big, English breakfast for Dazai, at least. Hope you like bacon and eggs, Dazai.]

[neverwashere]

[Dazai does, indeed, like bacon and eggs. Begrudgingly so when the smell pulls him out of sleep, and when he tries to curl up with the body that should be next to him, all his face meets is a nice-smelling pillow.]

...mmphhh.

[No Bedi? Boo.

The burdensome challenge of rolling out of the futon takes a while, and even then he's still a sleep zombie when he shuffles into the kitchen, guided by the scent of good food and a need for skin contact.]

Early.

[The actual hour is irrelevant: waking up is always early, and he slumps as he plants his face between Bedivere's shoulders.]

[1stknight]

[Bedi can't be in bed and cook at the same time, unfortunately. Neither of them will figure out the Atsushi-thing soon enough to take advantage of it.

But when Dazai finds his way to Bedivere and leans against him, Bedivere just chuckles. Dazai can stand right there, it's fine.]

It's nearly 8 already. Most of your dorm-mates have already begun getting ready for the day.

[He definitely heard someone take the trash out earlier, and someone else scream about their coffee being old.]

[neverwashere]

That's on them, though.

[Spoken like the veteran slacker that he is. At least his insomnia hasn't kicked back in.]

Come to think of it, did you use to cook a lot? Before you started traveling, that is.

[1stknight]

It depends. At home or at the castle, there were others to cook. I was a knight, after all, I was expected to do my duties instead of cooking or cleaning. On the road, though, I often did. When it's a few knights and not much else, someone has to cook.

[The fact that he keeps making simple dishes that can be cooked in 20 minutes or less should say something about his cooking skills, though. Namely, he knows just a few dishes and that's it.

He'll hold up a piece of cooked bacon, though, offering it up for Dazai to eat.]

[neverwashere]

[He makes a soft noise of understanding. Can't fault the good knight for practicality! And meals that are quick to cook and eat might be better in the battlefield, since there's no telling when someone might spring an attack...

Okay, maybe he's thinking of modern warfare or bandits. Dazai has no clue if chivalric honor extended to holding unspoken ceasefires for lunch, and he parts his lips, catching the bit of bacon between his teeth and pulling it into his mouth.

He blinks. Nice and crispy - wasn't there something about spending at least ten thousand hours to attain mastery? No doubt Bedivere's long surpassed that count, and he speaks after chewing and swallowing.]

That's good! [He'll chase after Bedivere's fingers if they're still up with his mouth, just because.] Ever consider cooking for someone to appease them? Assuming the absurd has happened and your smile isn't enough to calm them down.

[1stknight]

[Medieval warfare certainly is a thing! Battles tend to go on longer and have larger pauses when illness rather than injury is the primary killer. There's a reason why Bedivere is decked out in heavy armor, after all.]

I have done that before, for homeowners that needed a payment to allow me to stay for a night. Or even as a 'thank you' for those that allowed me to stay for free. A good breakfast puts everyone in high spirits, I've found.

I think you might be overestimating my smile, though. It sets people at ease, yes, but I don't think most people go looking for it specifically.

[neverwashere]

Makes sense.

[Just look at Atsushi and Kyouka.

Now that he's had a bit of food, though, he'll brush his lips on Bedivere's nape before stepping back with a full-body stretch - might as well get started on the coffee and bring out the crockery.]

Nonsense. They'll gravitate towards you regardless, mesmerizing as you are.

[Has he mentioned he's biased?]

[1stknight]

Hush, you.

[In a moment of daring, Bedivere reaches back to pull Dazai in for a quick kiss before letting him go. One kiss to his neck isn't enough to satisfy him.

That said, within a moment or two his brain catches up with his body and his ears go bright red. Watch him pretend to not be blushing there, Bedivere isn't embarrassed by his own actions, nope! He's just cooking breakfast here.]

[neverwashere]

[The sudden second kiss comes as a surprise, and his lips still tingle when they draw apart. Dazai blinks owlishly as Bedivere looks away, the stunned silence breaking when he spots a reddened ear peaking from behind flaxen hair.

The shameless snicker that escapes him sort of makes up for his dear knight's bashfulness? Maybe? As does the brazen way he reaches forward to tuck away that lock of hair and leans in to plant a third kiss on Bedivere's fully exposed cheek.]

You know I'm right.

[And he dances away to dodge any embarrassed smacking. The coffee should be done just in time for breakfast to be served.]

[1stknight]

I already told you to hush!

[His response is snappy, but that's because of embarrassment, not genuine anger. It's lucky Dazai has ducked out of the way though, Bedivere had been considering sending Dazai on his way with a smack.

The coffee does smell good as it brews, though, which helps. A good, hearty breakfast with some coffee is the best way to start the day. Especially a day that's going to have a field trip in it.]

Please tell me we have plenty of time before we're meeting your 'friend' today.

[neverwashere]

[Breakfast is good. Has been good since Bedivere's taken over the kitchen, actually, and Dazai drinks deep from his mug of sweetened coffee with a satisfied sigh. Talk about setting a new record for the number of consecutive non-canned or instant meals he's had in the past year or two.

Bah, as if he keeps count.]

Sure we do - unless you need more time than "after lunch." [He peers over curiously.] Need to prepare something?

[1stknight]

[Maybe if Dazai keeps eating real food he'll break himself of the canned food addiction. Maybe.]

I need to steel my will to keep myself from giving away everything. Given the nature of my Noble Phantasm, I'm sure they both can already guess at our trysts. But I would rather not give anyone an excuse to talk about it.

[He doesn't want his king to know he's having sex and enjoying it a lot. It may be a hopeless cause though, given how smitten he is with Dazai.]

[neverwashere]

[Canned crab addiction. For obvious reasons, real crab will fix the problem, but anyone supplying him might have to kiss their wallet goodbye.

And. Bedi.]

Including me teasing you? It'll be a shame, but I suppose I did promise to protect your dignity, and it's really not a proper discussion for... [A beat. Right.] Young ears.

[So sayeth Dazai reluctantly, pretending that he also doesn't want a certain someone with two moles and a pair of glasses bringing up this development.]

If you want to remain discreet, are you sure giving them the excuse of, oh, prolonged hand-holding won't work? Plus plenty of food and sleep.

[Flimsy alibi, but might be worth a shot?]

[1stknight]

You can tease me in private. All four of us will know what is the quickest way to provide a Servant with mana, but the polite thing to do is to not assume that's what is happening. After all, it wouldn't be good if we assumed those two-

[...no. He can't think about Ango and Artoria having sex. He refuses. They just hold hands too.]

...

They. They should beholding hands for that. And nothing more. And we should act as if nothing else is happening, much like they will be doing.

[Do not take advantage of the future king, Artoria.]

[neverwashere]

[--- yeah, no, his brain's not going there, and he grimaces into his coffee.]

Ango's not the type to go beyond anything platonic for someone like Caster, and you saw how he tried to defend her from me.

[Audibly vouching for the guy without a backhanded compliment doesn't come naturally to him these days, but Dazai figures making himself clear is the better step. Bedivere, he guesses, will be naturally concerned about the welfare of his king.

...

He sighs.]

No, if anything, he'll silently judge me for corrupting you.

[Kind of. It was better to think of Ango reacting that way instead of Ango linking Bedivere to Dazai's type - y'know, the same way Odasaku had been and. Yeah.]

[1stknight]

[Time to skip right past any implications that Ango and Artoria are sleeping together! Ango is too gay and Artoria is too pure.]

Now THAT is ridiculous. You didn't even summon me, you just took up the place of Master when the summoner died. And there's nothing corrupting about all of this anyway, it's a natural part of a Grail War.

[Bedivere, this man sucked your dick and you gave him a facial. Not even 12 hours ago.]

[neverwashere]

[Having his honor defended like this is so cute.

So of course Dazai has to demonstrate why it's false.]

By that logic, PDA is permissible.

We just have to make sure that Ango doesn't catch us.

[By "we," he means "I," and "catch us" is actually "call us out."]

[1stknight]

[Bedivere is literally Dazai's white knight. This is setting the precedent for Atsushi's future behaviors.]

He seems like the type who would catch us regardless. But if you absolutely must have some form of PDA, then holding hands will be acceptable.

[The major reason for no kissing: in Bedivere's experience, kissing tends to lead to other things that are not permissible in public. But maybe he just needs to tire Dazai out first, so he's not tempted to push the PDA envelope too much.]

We have about three hours, yes? Then perhaps we should work the friskiness out of your system before then.

[He is absolutely blushing as he says that, but he's trying to sound serious.]

[neverwashere]

[Not that Dazai's aware of the actual precedence unfolding right in front of him. Instead, he's zoomed in on hand holding now counting as permissible behavior, quickly followed by -]

My system?

[His expression resembles a lazy cat just about to pounce on the cute mouse. Look, it's not as if he's going to deny being frisky when the invitation for him to act on it's handed over on a silver platter, but. Bedivere's proving him right already in the best way possible.]

Oh, yes, on my lonesome I can be as energetic as two people getting it on. Plus two more with your enthusiastic assistance.

[C'mon, Bedi, fess up. Here's a foot sliding along your calf from beneath the table as encouragement.

(Ango really won't need to squint too hard to catch them.)]

[1stknight]

Yes, your system. Need I remind you that you're the one who can ta-AKE-

[Bedivere's sentence pitches up there suddenly, right as Dazai runs his foot over his calf. His brain also short-circuits for a moment and he has to fight to remember what he had been trying to say. His words after that crack in his voice sound much more rushed, like he's trying to get his thought out before he forgets it.]

-this is what I mean, you do it on purpose!

[And he can already picture Dazai tempting him discreetly by doing this exact thing, except under a table during a shared lunch, while daring Bedivere not to react.]

[neverwashere]

Take what?

[This is a 100% clean and pure move. Dazai just needed to stretch his legs until his toes draw up to Bedivere's knee. Completely incidental. Who knows if the same thing will happen over lunch?

(The innocent look's a dead giveaway here, as is dodging around that accusation.)]

[1stknight]

[The innocent look is not so innocent, which is why Bedivere is going to assume he's right. And for a moment he gets a bit huffy about it, but then he remembers something important: he knows Dazai is lewd, and this is fine because the goal is to tire Dazai out here so he behaves later.]

Take...take our time right now, yes.

[Bedivere that doesn't fit with your previous sentence.

But he has decided that two can play at this game, and he's going to lift his foot up slightly to bump it against Dazai's, playing literal footsie for a moment.]

I did say I would learn from last night and do the same to you, didn't I?