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I know what happened. Are you happy with yourselves? Doing things when you don't even know what you're doing, or why. Look what you did... there were people suffering, children crying. Do you know how much pain you caused? It isn't right. It isn't fair.

What gives you the right? You take other people's lives in your hands! Take their choices from them. Deciding whether we should live or die for us. Do you think that we want to die? I don't. While there's life, there still hope. We should keep on living, no matter what. We should always keep--

[After this brief speech, Kariya slumps, breathing heavily. His good eye widens, and the swollen veins in his face seem to pulse for a moment. The effort of speaking has obviously taken a lot out of him. The physical and mental shock of the worms returning has taken its toll on him. He looks as if he's having trouble standing upright at the terminal. A spasm of pain crosses his face. When he speaks again, his voice is weaker.]

I need a healer--is there someone who can help?

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I did not say you should be quiet, Master. I asked you to spare yourself agitation.
[Oh, the guilt he has not felt in an age stabs through him like a blade.]

I cannot say if it be Wrong or Right, for I cannot see all Ends.
But now you have said your peace, you should Rest. I shall come to fetch you.

I'm fine. I'm not agitated.

[Although he clearly is.]

What they did wasn't fair. I don't want everyone to die. What about Sakura, and Rin? And Shinji?

Rest? I... [He does feel like he needs to rest, but he protests.] I'm tired of resting. I want to do things. I want to help.

[Lancelot is clearly concerned his Master not become more upset than he is already.]
I know this, Master. No one better. But you cannot help at all if you exhaust yourself.

No one wants for harm to come to the Children. I swear to you that I will protect them with all of my Strength-- my very Life.

Please-- [It is not a Word he speaks often, even to his Master.] -- I pray you remain where you are. I will come to fetch you to a Healer-- have I your promise to remain?

How can I help anyone? I want to do something, but what? What can I do?

[It's frustrating, being so sick and so weak all the time.]

Please, protect them. Since I can't.

[There's a bitterness in his tone. Usually be feels more confident that he can help and more determined to do so, but today, he's had Enough.]

Yes, I'll stay here. Where would I go?

[Lancelot looks intently at his Master. In this terrible Place, this Man has earned his Respect.
This Man did not Abandon him in his Hour of Need, of a Weakness so extreme he had nearly Lost himself as before.]

You might go anywhere, Master. For in spite of the Pain you bear you have a greater Will than many I have known who had no burdens to equal yours.

I would not discount you so, to assume you are Helpless.
I will Protect them, and you shall be by my side. We will Prevail together. As it should be.

I don't feel like that. Sometimes... I feel so tired. So useless. I try so hard, but is it all for nothing? I didn't save Sakura. I didn't do anything.

[He slumps against the wall.]

But you're right. We have to keep fighting, no matter what. [He speaks again, though the words are weaker than they should be.] I know we're going to win.

I'll wait here, for you.

[Lancelot appears, swiftly and suddenly. Now that their Bond is reforged, he can sense his Master easily.
Just as suddenly, he drops to one Knee before the Man, overcome with relief and a hot rush of emotionally driven loyalty as he takes Kariya's good hand in both his own, bowing his head over it. The past few days have been trying.]

Master. You have done more than another Man would have done in your place. We will prevail, this I swear-- by any oath that I may still make. I shall not Fail you. I shall be your Arm.

Let this be another contract. One I make freely with you. Whatever befall, we will Rise together in the End.

[Kariya is used to his Servant's way of appearing, enough so that it doesn't startle him. What he isn't expecting is for Lancelot to kneel down before him and take his hand, and he blinks.]

Lancelot...

[Somehow, he manages to muster a smile, at this. He never would have thought, when Lancelot was Berserker, that something like this would come to pass.]

Another contract? If that's what you want. You don't have to. We don't have to be Master and Servant. We could be friends, instead.

[He nods, slowly, his hope returning at the man's words.]

I do want that. To win. We'll win. We have to.

[To win the War, and to win in this place.]

[His Master's hand is small in his. But he feels the strength in it and in the Man's voice when he speaks of winning. In this moment, he truly would perform any feat of arms, any feat whatever, if such action would give this Man his Wish. Lancelot looks up at-- yes, his Master still. Contract or no.]

No man has called me friend in-- longer than an Age.
Kariya.

We are Friends in this Place, if you Wish it and will have me.
But I am-- happy in your Service.

[No one could me more surprised by this statement than Lancelot. He rises slowly to his feet, until he stands over his Master, his Friend. He still holds the Man's hand.]

I need no new formal contract.
I will remain because I wish to-- and because you wish me to, whatever you are to me.

But we are friends, aren't we? After everything that's happened. I'd like for us to be. [He smiles, faintly.]

You are? Happy? Good. I know, I haven't always been a good Master, and I'm not strong. You could probably have done a lot better than me, but I'm happy to have you as my Servant, too.

[He looks up at Lancelot as Lancelot rises, leaving his hand in the other man's.]

I do want that. To be together. I'm glad we got to know each other here. I feel lucky to know you.

[Not until their connection had been cut had Lancelot realized how it had grounded him, how his Service to this Weak, Unreasonable Man had given him purpose apart from mindless slaughter.
He almost feels now that he might Belong, in some way. As his Master belongs to him. For indeed Kariya does.

It's an overwhelming idea. A name for the deepening obsession he feels. He is his Master's-- and his Master is His.
Now, so close to the smaller man, swept away in a tide of relief and guilt and need, he beholds Kariya with new eyes. Every flaw he counts is dear to him, belongs to him.

When he speaks it is softly and close.]

I have what I want-- a Master who is Worthy, and who Holds me so.

[In Life he was ever an impetuous man. He is tender now as well, as much as he is claiming, when he leans in to touch his Master's face, to press his lips to his mouth in a kiss that is many things-- but far more than friendly.]

[Kariya listens to Lancelot speak, intently. He's so glad, that Lancelot thinks he's a good Master. He knows that hasn't always been so, and he wasn't a good Master. He had summoned Lancelot as Berserker, which hadn't been fair to him, and he'd been too weak to support him. He'd ordered him to do things he hadn't wanted to do, and they'd had so much conflict.]

I'm glad--

[He starts to speak, but he's cut off as Lancelot's mouth suddenly presses against his own. He's so surprised that he parts his lips, and his surprise only increases as he feels Lancelot's tongue slide between them.

This is--

Not what he expected at all. Lancelot is kissing him.

He's too startled to think, to move, or to do anything at all.]

[His Master offers no protestation, opening his lips, taking him in-- and so he gathers the man fully to his breast. The Kiss he gives to Kariya is both Passionate and intensely Intimate. The embrace is a strong one, but there is Care in Lancelot's arms as well as Possession.

He allows his Master to know his Mind, to feel his intent-- but not, perhaps, to sense the depth of his possessiveness.

Mine. My Master.
My own.

He breaks the kiss briefly to speak against Kariya's lips, his hands on his Master's scarred back under his shirt.]

As am I, Master-- my Master...

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