king "#1 shitposter" gilgamesh (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
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epidemiology2016-03-03 09:58 pm
babbylon) wrote in epidemiology2016-03-03 09:58 pm
Entry tags:
[closed] smartass little girl, always on the run.
CHARACTERS: Gilgamesh and Rin
DATE: March 5th
WARNINGS: Mild description of gore; nothing else anticipated.
SUMMARY: Gilgamesh checks in on Rin, now that she's had ample time for recovery.
[He really shouldn't be bothering with this.
He really shouldn't have bothered in the first place, but with that imagery stuck in his head—of a pretty girl, torn and tattered and pushed to the end of her life—he just couldn't stay away. It reminded him of Saber herself, bloody and broken on that wretched hill. Something beautiful caught in the midst of something tragic, which would always serve as a lure to the King of Heroes. Even if he'd promised to stay away. Even if this, more likely than not, was a bad idea.
Shishi precedes him, romping ahead in the hall and nosing his way into Rin's room without so much as an invitation. He snuffles and grunts, wags his tail excitedly, and perhaps it's for the best that Rin might see the mount before the master. He makes for a stunning image, too, padding on over to say hello.
It's as if he knows Gilgamesh may just need an extra bit of leverage before entering. They were technically still on sour terms, after all.]
DATE: March 5th
WARNINGS: Mild description of gore; nothing else anticipated.
SUMMARY: Gilgamesh checks in on Rin, now that she's had ample time for recovery.
[He really shouldn't be bothering with this.
He really shouldn't have bothered in the first place, but with that imagery stuck in his head—of a pretty girl, torn and tattered and pushed to the end of her life—he just couldn't stay away. It reminded him of Saber herself, bloody and broken on that wretched hill. Something beautiful caught in the midst of something tragic, which would always serve as a lure to the King of Heroes. Even if he'd promised to stay away. Even if this, more likely than not, was a bad idea.
Shishi precedes him, romping ahead in the hall and nosing his way into Rin's room without so much as an invitation. He snuffles and grunts, wags his tail excitedly, and perhaps it's for the best that Rin might see the mount before the master. He makes for a stunning image, too, padding on over to say hello.
It's as if he knows Gilgamesh may just need an extra bit of leverage before entering. They were technically still on sour terms, after all.]
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... Hey! Who—?! Oh, you. You... You big lion, get over here.
[she sounds faintly annoyed as her voice softens, but like usual, it's designed more to give the impression she's displeased than expressing any actual anger. well, maybe. he won't really know if she's upset until he enters the room for himself. but shishi isn't shooed from her chambers (and can she dismiss a lion safely, on her own?), and a peek inside will find her sitting at the edge of her bed, mushing around shishi's large head between her hands while she soothes him.]
Why are you around all by yourself? [shishi's probably dying in the soft petting, soaking up the attention for all it's worth, and his tail swishes across the floor.] At least you're friendly...
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But it's true, Shishi takes an immediate liking to Rin and so rolls around rumbling delightedly at her feet. He rubs his massive head all over her leg and at one point makes a graceful leap to join her on the bed itself, flopping down beside her lap. He may not be particularly well-trained, but he's docile as a lamb despite those big sharp teeth and daunting paws, minding them around Rin and essentially acting like an oversized housecat.
Gilgamesh, after watching from the door for a few minutes, laughs under his breath to announce his presence.]
I see there's no need to introduce Shishi.
[Gilgamesh whistles for him, but Shishi grouses and seems to prefer his spot next to Rin. Gilgamesh looks unsurprised by this and shakes his head.]
He's a bit overzealous. Do excuse him.
[Like master, like mount, apparently.]
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the sound of his laugh, arriving at her ears with the servant unseen, is far more alarming than a sudden lion intrusion could be.
rin straightens with a stiffened spine immediately. the picture of shishi lounging next to her, nudging his giant muzzle into her lap, interferes with her strict composure, but she doesn't seem to mind. even as her fingers are tufted in elegant lion fur, her blue eyes glare directly at gilgamesh sharp enough to cut like a knife. naturally, she's aware of the lion's owner, though she wasn't in a hurry to speak with him again.]
To the contrary, I might think about excusing you. [her eyes narrow.] If you've heard girls are attracted by men with pets, I hate to break it to you, but you've got a long way to go.
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Hardly so. He got ahead of me.
[Which isn't exactly a lie. Keeping up with Shishi's energy was trying, even for him. As if detecting her displeasure, Shishi flashes fangs and growls at his own master—loyalty was not one of his stronger suits, it would seem, at least when it came to Gilgamesh.
Gilgamesh maintains an easy smile and doesn't allow it to ruffle him.]
If you are adverse to visitors, I will go.
[What he really means to say is if you're adverse to this visitor.]
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As long as you know I'm not so easy. What did you come here for?
[he has to be aware he wasn't going to earn a straight yes or no answer from her.]
What do you have to say for yourself? What are you hoping to do, because you won't fool me. I know you didn't just show up without a plan, Gilgamesh.
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[That's it. That's the plan. That really was the extent of it, beyond popping in and making certain she wasn't suffering any adverse side effects from her encounter with Koltira—though she's looking about as healthy and feisty as always, so he suspects she's just fine on that front.
But it's true that Gilgamesh wasn't here solely because of that. That smile turning slightly mischievous suggests as much.]
Did you not want it?
[It's entrapment. He knows women like Rin can't pass up the attention.]
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just as he's more mischievous, a flush of color brushes against her cheeks and her pout suggests she's been put in her place.]
—Give it to me. I'll decide if I want to accept it.
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Inside, should Rin choose to open it, there are gems—gems of all shapes and sizes, which, she may note, shouldn't actually fit in the bag, far larger than it seems within. Rubies and sapphires and emeralds and even diamonds sparkle in neat stacks, each and every one flawless, each and every one perfect for casting and storing of mana. This was clearly a very purposeful choice of gift, not simply something arranged by accident.
Gilgamesh coaches his expression even, so she won't have reason to scold him. But of course he knows it's the ideal present for a Tohsaka magus and he expects even she will barely be able to veil her delight. Shishi seems excited, too, nosing on over to get a better look.]
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barely? she doesn't veil her delight at all. any misgivings are gone following the first second, with just the hint of the familiar, earthy, pure scent of gems that a tohsaka mind (or rin's, anyway) will always associate with riches, money, magic, delicious freedom from debt and worries.
even shishi isn't acknowledged, now, as she spreads the mouth of the bag out to clearly glimpse every priceless jewel hidden inside. she taps the tips of a few fingertips against their surfaces only in disbelief, as if to ensure they're real. they are.
and after a long stretch of quiet, gilgamesh is responsible for a blissfully happy smile splitting across rin's face—one she doesn't realize is happening, herself. the world has stopped, and she's delighted.]
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A one time offering, and they will not last forever. You must use them sparingly, Rin, and I would expect for gainful ends.
[Ironic that Gilgamesh might lecture someone else on morality. But he hardly does so with any degree of sharpness; he's smiling back at her, and tempted to reach out and touch, except he's bound otherwise. Instead he just watches and basks in the happiness of a pretty girl whose day has been positively made.
Shishi celebrates, too, rubbing and rumbling at her side. It is a happy moment for however long it lasts.]
May there be peace between ours and yours, proud magus.
[A deal in fact already forged in secret, but it never hurts to have a public face of it as well.]
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rin wakes as though from slumber, then, jolting up and jostling both shishi's head and the heavy bag of gems resting in her lap. her smile has disappeared. she feels (and appears) scandalized, watching gilgamesh grin at her like his own ego's received a thorough stroking.]
Peace?! Why would you have reason to ask for something like that, for peace? You're no friend to us!
[she's more confused than outright angry.
... does she have to accept his peace offering to keep the gems?]
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[It's bluntly stated, but not really in such a way that suggests he's being snide. It's the truth of the matter, as getting along didn't entail friendship. Archer was no friend of his, and yet they managed their own separate peace; if he could wrangle cordial terms from him, than Rin's grudging respect should prove simple enough.]
That does not prevent us from making amends. Unless you'd rather I be left to my own malicious devices...?
[Alright, now he's being snide. Just a little. He couldn't help finding some amusement in being cast as the villain in her eyes.]
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rin is completely silent for a few long seconds, and he would have to satisfy himself with her glancing away from him to return her attention to the lovely bag of gems propped upon her lap. quite diligently and slowly, almost as if she's rewrapping it to hand the gift off to gilgamesh again, she collects the top together and winds the ribbon tightly around it to hold it stable, tying it at the end with an elegant little bow. she even coaxes shishi's snout from her thigh with two hands.
really, it's amazing she's been able to do all this, so far, without her hands trembling.]
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Don't try to threaten me! It'll get you nowhere!
[that's not true, of course, but she's counting on (1) her own mettle and (2) archer's strength, called in a pinch if she needs it, to allow her to confront a heroic spirit of gilgamesh's power one-on-one like this, inside her bedroom. the situation could easily go sour in a number of ways and she's aware of that.]
You have been the only one making trouble! And yet you have the gall to prance on in here acting like romancing me with a present of gems will erase it all. Well, it won't!
[she raises a hand and points at him accusingly (albeit from a very safe distance).]
I can't trust anything you do or say. You only do what suits you at the time. Even if peace is what you honestly want, it would be a mistake to believe it will last longer than it amuses you.
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Awhile ago, this would've incited his anger, put her in a situation like with the mistletoe—or worse. He would've hit her, he would've broken her, he would've ended her long before Archer got a chance to intervene. The fact she can so boldly address him, then, and expect to emerge unscathed from it, speaks to her naivete as well as her failings as a magus. It's almost disappointing.
Almost, but there's a certain fire behind it he must respect. That she would be so brave, and so unyielding, in the face of what very well could be her death. It is foolish, yes, but it also catches his attention, keeps him captivated rather than incensed. He doesn't bother to refute anything that she's said; instead, he reminds her with a softness that doesn't quite suit him:]
The geas remains yours to employ.
[He tilts his head. He blinks just once, the pupils of his eyes contracting to the thinnest of slits.]
What would you ask of me, that your qualms might be soothed?
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rather, rin thinks it's her duty to command him in this manner, to face him with this power. after all, he's a powerful, extraordinary being himself. he won't give her the time of day or listen to her—and in fact, he may be more likely to kill her—if she isn't trying her best to be loud, herself. it's the only option for a young magus whose father summoned this heroic spirit.
it wouldn't be a lie, however, to imply this sort of enthusiasm comes naturally to rin. probably, even if she believed it was a bad idea, she would be shouting at him. even if she was afraid, she can't show him that fear, so the fear is "nonexistent".
she has faith in archer. she has so much faith in archer, and the thought gilgamesh could kill her before he suffered the full wrath of unlimited blade works is arguably not a blip in her mind.
rin retrieves her pointing finger and wilts a bit, awkwardly dropping her shoulders, though, once he mentions the geas. she remembers it, of course. but is she reluctant to use it? —no, that probably isn't the case. still, she doesn't call on it, not yet.
staring into thin, snake-like pupils, she answers honestly—as she's learned she must, with these servants.]
... Answers.
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Then ask.
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What is the truth about my father's death, and your role in it?
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Are you willing to suspend your bias and hear what I have to say on the matter?
[...he needs to make certain this won't be a waste. As she should well know, hearing was different than simply listening. He will explain, but not if she's going to write him off from the start as the token villain in the tale. It's only fair.]
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he is a villain, too. he has done vile things and he would be remiss to forget that. clearly, whatever the bond between gilgamesh and tokiomi was, it was different from her bond with archer, and rin is inclined to shove a heap of the blame for that off on gilgamesh himself.
she stands firm and she offers her practicality freely.]
As much as I can. How seriously you seem to take my request will play into how I react to what you say, I imagine.
[it's a pointed remark hinting at his playfulness and inappropriateness before, in the jails and from then on.]
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Quite frankly, he wouldn't apologize for what he's done in her future, partially because he has yet to experience it but also because he trusts that any of his own actions carried a certain degree of logic to them. Was it wicked? He wouldn't doubt it. Was it necessary? He wouldn't doubt that, either.
Was it evil? That was a different matter entirely, and a judgment he'd very much disagree with.]
Your father sought the Grail for himself, as you already know.
[His words are measured. Slow, up until the moment they're not. Then they're bitter and sharp.]
What you did not is that he intended to discard me, by way of ordering suicide, once it was within his possession.
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but gilgamesh will discover that rin remains true to her word. she listens, and the anticipation sticks into her spine, yet she hears him out and she doesn't budge or even twitch, not when he reveals her father had intended to have his own servant take his life. that's...
well, she can't deny that perhaps it was the only way of "dealing" with gilgamesh once the grail had been won. it is also the case that, by her beliefs, a heroic spirit always defers to his or her master. the master's life comes before the servant's.
but this doesn't match with what she (thinks she) knows. would her father ever discard a powerful servant? was it necessary to have gilgamesh commit suicide? was she expected to have archer kill himself, the servant she forced into a contract here just to keep him alive, if they had proved victorious in winning a non-corrupt grail?
she's more intelligent than to criticize him or praise him without hearing further, so she fails to contribute much.]
Go on.
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[He's not being snarky or evasive. He really and truly isn't certain how else to elaborate, as that illustrated the crux of the matter and justified all the actions that followed, in his opinion. But Rin was a curious girl, an insistent girl, and it doesn't surprise him that alone fails to satisfy.
So he goes on, in that same even tone, which suggests neither gratification nor guilt.]
I sought to save my own life. The man known as Kotomine Kirei sought another path; thus it was shown, and through your father's death he came to know and embrace himself as a monster. Kirei drove the knife into his back, and relished in doing so. You were deceived by him from that point on.
[He still remembers, will never forget, the look on his face. The day Kirei's heart died, the day he discovered his destiny: to act as an agent of wickedness and discord.]
I accepted him as my Master henceforth and... ah, you seem to know how the story goes even better than myself after that point.
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try as she might, it's difficult to disguise this violent of a reaction from gilgamesh—but no doubt he's expecting it, when kirei's is a name spoken in the room. it makes her so mad. like before, she knows he isn't lying when he says kirei played a role in her father's death. that slippery, conniving, despicable son of a bitch... she grits her teeth, and kicks the side of her foot into the wooden leg of her bed, hard, the dull thud echoing throughout the room. he deserves nothing but hell, if only the deepest layer of hell would have him.
gilgamesh is wrong, though. she doesn't know how the whole story really proceeds, not yet. she wasn't even aware gilgamesh and kirei were partnered as master and servant prior to her arrival here, although she had suspected wrongdoing on kirei's behalf, and archer has basically been the one to fill in the blanks she hasn't experienced.
she seethes, but she bides her rage.]
And when Kirei was stabbing my father in the back... where were you? What were you doing? A Servant would realize his master was in danger of dying.
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[That's it. That's all he can argue in his own defense, and he wouldn't bother with much more, anyway. In the face of her building anger, Gilgamesh appears numb. At the time, it had been quite an amusing farce, one he sneered to think of, but now...
Now, everything seems like one big waste, knowing what he could've had for a Master—but never would, not back home. Just a doddering magus overinvested in himself and his own affairs and a snake he helped foster, one that would someday become so poisonous that in another world and another time neither of them would ever get to see he'd lust after madness itself. A madness beyond wiping everything clean which even he could not espouse.
Gilgamesh just stares at her, eyes blank. It seems this is the extent of explanation she will receive on the matter.]
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*waste, jeez
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