☿ // 003; [video]

[fionnuisce]

[After his response to Ruana, the almost disturbingly composed Waver with his mercury maid behind him decided to address the network himself.]

I'll make this clear: I don't give a flying multiverse-traveling fuck how real or fake it is, I will give damn near anything for a cigarette right now.

[Either he'd gone completely insane or just snapped into harsh sarcasm and irritation as a defense mechanism.]

Comments

[fionnuisce]

Why shouldn't I be?

[oathshackledbird]

[He can't help but laugh at that reaction.]

Ah...with as much as I tease you I can't I can't argue that. You win. But for once I'm not planning anything. Does that make you feel better?

[fionnuisce]

No, because I'm sure you will be up to something eventually.

[oathshackledbird]

Mmmm...is it a good or bad thing that you think that?

[He winks at Waver.]

I'm not entirely sure...

[fionnuisce]

[Waver turned a slight shade of red, but seemed determined to keep a somewhat disapproving frown on his face.]

I guess I'd rather have a troublemaker than someone who could bore me to death.

[oathshackledbird]

I would tell you to blame my brother for turning me into a troublemaker, but I think Oscar probably was well on his way to doing it long before I met Cu Chulainn. It was a dreadfully slow process, but he was determined to see me learn to 'have fun.'

[fionnuisce]

How difficult it must be, for you to constantly have one terrible influence or another.

[oathshackledbird]

Yes, it's just terrible.

[Diarmuid flashes him a grin.]

And I wouldn't give any of them up for the world.

[fionnuisce]

I can't say I would dare give up my ridiculous troublemaker either.

[oathshackledbird]

Thank you.

[There is a truly grateful look on his face.]

I am sorry for this. It... I guess it was all too much on top of everything else. No matter how hard I try, I just can't go back to how I was before the war, and I don't know if that is good or bad.

[fionnuisce]

Don't apologize. You haven't done anything wrong, you idiot. I can't go back to the way I used to be either--that doesn't mean it's some terrible thing.

[oathshackledbird]

Sorry...here I am breaking down when you are upset too.

[He suddenly seems embarrassed, but at the same time the look gives Waver is serious.]

Do you need to talk about any of this? You know I will listen.

[fionnuisce]

I just said 'don't apologize', didn't I? Does the Lancer class have E-rank hearing now? [He tugged on the usual few strands of Diarmuid's hair in less than serious annoyance, sighing.] You've got as much right to be miserable as I do.

[Waver shrugged at the question, seeming to think very little of it.] There's no incredibly pressing matter we need to discuss as far as I'm aware. Unless you had something in mind?

[oathshackledbird]

[Diarmuid smiles slightly and then shakes his head.]

No. I probably will think of something later on, but for now I am okay as I can be. I just still feel selfish when I have to take time for myself. It feel wrong, though I know that is wrong too.

[fionnuisce]

You'll get the hang of being just a little selfish eventually. I have faith in you.

[oathshackledbird]

Yes, I know you do.

[Diarmuid smiles a little sheepishly and then laughs.]

Okay, I have made you hang out in this bathroom long enough. Lets get out of here, shall we? And you can tell me just who you managed to bum that cigarette off. Maybe I can get them to give you a few more since my try to get you some failed so badly.

[fionnuisce]

Your troublemaking brother. And don't worry about it so much--it's certainly something I can survive without.

[oathshackledbird]

Ah... I didn't know he even had any left. Perhaps if we are lucky, Zo will see she responded to no requests this month and take care of them. It would be something anyway.

Zo... Ruana is so very angry about all of this. I wonder how the rest of the administrators feel. Do you think they are as angry as she? And what of Zo who is so young compared to them?

[fionnuisce]

It's hard to say. I'm a little unclear on the kid in general; I want to assume logically he might have our collective best interests in mind, but his influence if any is likely minimal. So instead of offering salvation, he's unfortunately walking us into a deathtrap. Does that sound like a reasonable theory to you?

[oathshackledbird]

I have no idea. He is obviously strong from what we saw in February.

[He gives Waver a curious look.]

Did you go back and watch those Network posts? When that entity was fighting Zo and Riki and then when Ruana...ate Dax? Zo showed a great deal of power then, but if people expect that he will be able to take over the role Dax had, I think not only do they put us at risk, they are putting Zo at risk. He is only a boy, after all, and has no strong parental figures to guide his actions.

[fionnuisce]

I'm afraid I didn't--I've only heard that which everyone's told me.

[Waver pressed a hand to his forehead, considering this carefully.]

You're right. It'd be insane to ask any kid to do that, no matter how powerful they are. Still, if there was any of them left that I'd say could be potentially on our side, it'd probably be him.

[oathshackledbird]

Waver, he shouldn't have to be on any side. He's a child! We should be protecting him not looking to him to help save us!

[Diarmuid pauses here, shaking his head.]

No, we can't even say that for sure. Not after learning that all that we have been seeing has been fake all this time. How do we know they look anything like the forms they show us? For all we know, he is just as much an adult as the rest of them if they are even things that can be called 'adults' or 'children.'

[fionnuisce]

...I don't know--maybe you're right. Maybe it's still too early to form any kind of hypothesis to lean on no matter what it is.

At this rate I'll get a headache just trying to rationalize it.

[oathshackledbird]

Probably, though if anyone can figure things out, it's you.

[Diarmuid drops an arm around Waver's shoulders and turns him toward the bathroom door.]

Come on. Lets stop thinking so hard for a little while. I know my brain could use the rest and I am sure yours could too.

[fionnuisce]

You don't need to flatter me. [Laughing, Waver walked out with him.]

Do you feel a little better about all this in general, at least?