[With a nod Takame gave his hand a confident shake, but still tilted his head curiously. It spoke volumes about his level of comfort with Waver that he chose to voice that curiosity at all.]
[Sighing in tired exasperation, he settled his glasses on top of his head.]
I've been...really stupid lately, back at home. I got it stuck in my head that I had to deal with everything myself rather than put anyone else at risk, and it almost killed me. I guess I'm just...trying to remind myself how futile that is.
[There's a soft "Hm" in acknowledgement. Maybe with a hint of disappointment, but not shown. Just deep within him despite not having the right to feel it. Or perhaps knowing how he was at his worst and feeling it at himself.]
I... understand. Frequently on my journeys was I reminded that I was not alone. Still, the majority of burden fell upon me and I would do all I could to keep it away from everyone else. [For a man who despised being alone, he isolated in his own way more than he knew.]
If we still have the means to take another's hand that is how we will stand again. So long as you know that now, you will prevail in the future against whatever stands against you. [He had no idea how bad things were for Waver. But he wanted to believe. This deeply pessimistic Au Ra wanted so hard to believe.]
[He laughed softly, in a tired and resigned sort of way.]
That's almost exactly what Diarmuid said.
[No matter how he tried to withdraw, his Servant could always find a way to see straight through him. Past the armor of iron and mask of ice to the terrified child still hidden beneath it.]
'What requires a powerful resolve is to reach out and admit you can not stand alone. True courage lies in trusting those who reach back to pull you to your feet that you may continue forward.'
[That wasn't intentional... he'd only heard about the man through Waver. Didn't have much of a clue who he was outside of the visions in Comhartha Mionn. Takame was unsure if he should feel glad he thought the same way as such an impressive man or simply unworthy of the comparison.]
He words ring true, regardless. [He fidgeted with his bangs a little, brushing the gesture off as moving them out of his face.]
He becomes more impressive the more I hear of him.
You're right, and so is he. It's...something I needed to be convinced of, but it needs saying all the more because of that.
[He should have known better, but the poison of living as a mage was something without an easy antidote.]
He's...a Saber, now. Without any of the firsthand memories of having been Lancer, which has been a weird situation all around. [Reaching into a pocket of his coat, Waver took out a small photograph.] But he's...just the same as he's ever been, more or less.
... [He turned the photo around to show Takame when questioned; while the scenery was that of a Japanese-style training dojo largely left to dust and disrepair, the two figures within it were simply talking with no concern for the conditions. One was Waver exactly as he looked at present; tired, a little embarrassed, but very much himself. And beside him was someone familiar yet different, speaking with a confident and patient smile.]
Wound up getting my picture taken with a weird enchanted camera around here, and that's what came out. Looks like it's from a couple days before I got back to this world, just before everything went straight to hell and back again.
I see. [An enchanted camera is the least surprising thing he's heard of here. But seeing the photo he wasn't sure how he felt. When multitudes of emotions came over him it was more of a struggle to identify one.]
That's him with you? Diarmuid. [Takame saw him as Lancer in the illusions, but this was him as Saber. Certainly both visions and pictures paled in comparison to the real thing, but Takame saw... the same man. Something about him despite being dressed different, handsome, confident and chivalrous, came across in both.
Diarmuid was stunningly handsome, but more importantly to Takame...]
Yeah. It's a different incarnation, but that hasn't changed much about him.
[He turned slightly red, not bothering to make an effort to hide it.]
We were mostly just talking, really. I was trying to refine a last-ditch sneak attack, and he was encouraging my technique. It was the most normal conversation we'd probably had since I summoned him again. So of course I was content, I-...
[Quickly turning more than 'slightly' red and determinedly ignoring the fact.]
[Well, if Takame noticed how tomato red his friend got he didn't mention it aloud. And yet there's a few quiet huffs from Takame. The echoes of a genuine chuckle purely meant to express fondness more than amusement.
Even someone as stunted as Takame could tell how deeply Waver loved this man. Or perhaps because Takame had a love of his own he could tell? He wasn't sure. What he was sure of was how much he wanted to support this, no matter what fate had in store.
There was a soft smile on his face.]
I am glad you have this photograph. I imagine it means a great deal to have some way to see him.
...heh. You're definitely not going to hear me argue about that. [Pocketing the photograph again, he tugged on a small chain around his neck to draw out a small ivory pendant of his own.]
Afraid I'm really just a sentimental bastard, despite everything.
Mm. I'm much the same, I confess. [Said twirling the ring around the chain before letting it against his chest again.]
This ring belongs to my sister. I was grateful to have it returned to me in April. [The less said about that month the better, but present tense in reference to his family was a good sign.]
[Fair enough. Takame didn't mind talking up his baby sister anyway.]
Ah, Hina is... she is kind, passionate... talented. She sees the best in everyone she meets and the world with a wide-eyed hope that the fighting our realm faces will come to an end some day. She is rare among Garlean nobility in that regard. 'Tis rarer that there isn't a smile on her face. I... would not have made the strides I have if it wasn't for her.
[The polar opposite of him in his mind. A good person.]
We aren't related by blood, her father was my former commanding officer, but we are still family. She gave this ring to me before I set out for Eorzea with the promise that I would return it to her when I came home.
[He held a hand over his chest where the ring sat.]
It was... a week prior to my arrival here that I tried to give it back to her. She told me that my journey was not yet over.
...If I had to guess, I'd bet she wanted you to keep it because she knew you had a lot more left to accomplish. So whenever you left, you'd be sure to have a reason to come back.
[Said knowing that along with Hina's ring, he also carried Azem's crystal with him at all times. Knowing how much of the world there was to see.
Not yet realizing how deeply in his heart a wanderlust laid as he who once bore the Traveler's seat. One he could allow to flourish knowing there would ever be a place, a person to call home.]
She has made me so proud. I hope I've done the same for her.
It was worse--a lot worse. The fact that I'm even alive means she already fixed as much as she could while I was unconscious, and I left without telling her what I was even doing exactly.
I didn't-...I don't think she's wrong, I just...I didn't...
[NNNNNOOOOOOOOOOO]
I made a mistake and I went about trying to fix it the wrong way. She and the others can call me every flavor of 'idiot' they want to, I know that they'll be right.
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Hm? Is there something on your mind?
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[Sighing in tired exasperation, he settled his glasses on top of his head.]
I've been...really stupid lately, back at home. I got it stuck in my head that I had to deal with everything myself rather than put anyone else at risk, and it almost killed me. I guess I'm just...trying to remind myself how futile that is.
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I... understand. Frequently on my journeys was I reminded that I was not alone. Still, the majority of burden fell upon me and I would do all I could to keep it away from everyone else. [For a man who despised being alone, he isolated in his own way more than he knew.]
If we still have the means to take another's hand that is how we will stand again. So long as you know that now, you will prevail in the future against whatever stands against you. [He had no idea how bad things were for Waver. But he wanted to believe. This deeply pessimistic Au Ra wanted so hard to believe.]
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[He laughed softly, in a tired and resigned sort of way.]
That's almost exactly what Diarmuid said.
[No matter how he tried to withdraw, his Servant could always find a way to see straight through him. Past the armor of iron and mask of ice to the terrified child still hidden beneath it.]
'What requires a powerful resolve is to reach out and admit you can not stand alone. True courage lies in trusting those who reach back to pull you to your feet that you may continue forward.'
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[That wasn't intentional... he'd only heard about the man through Waver. Didn't have much of a clue who he was outside of the visions in Comhartha Mionn. Takame was unsure if he should feel glad he thought the same way as such an impressive man or simply unworthy of the comparison.]
He words ring true, regardless. [He fidgeted with his bangs a little, brushing the gesture off as moving them out of his face.]
He becomes more impressive the more I hear of him.
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[He should have known better, but the poison of living as a mage was something without an easy antidote.]
He's...a Saber, now. Without any of the firsthand memories of having been Lancer, which has been a weird situation all around. [Reaching into a pocket of his coat, Waver took out a small photograph.] But he's...just the same as he's ever been, more or less.
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[Heavens knew they both needed it. With another tilt of his head his eyes focused on the photo he took out.]
Hm? [He wouldn't look without permission, but.]
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Wound up getting my picture taken with a weird enchanted camera around here, and that's what came out. Looks like it's from a couple days before I got back to this world, just before everything went straight to hell and back again.
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That's him with you? Diarmuid. [Takame saw him as Lancer in the illusions, but this was him as Saber. Certainly both visions and pictures paled in comparison to the real thing, but Takame saw... the same man. Something about him despite being dressed different, handsome, confident and chivalrous, came across in both.
Diarmuid was stunningly handsome, but more importantly to Takame...]
You seem quite content in this picture.
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[He turned slightly red, not bothering to make an effort to hide it.]
We were mostly just talking, really. I was trying to refine a last-ditch sneak attack, and he was encouraging my technique. It was the most normal conversation we'd probably had since I summoned him again. So of course I was content, I-...
[Quickly turning more than 'slightly' red and determinedly ignoring the fact.]
...I'm in love with him.
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Even someone as stunted as Takame could tell how deeply Waver loved this man. Or perhaps because Takame had a love of his own he could tell? He wasn't sure. What he was sure of was how much he wanted to support this, no matter what fate had in store.
There was a soft smile on his face.]
I am glad you have this photograph. I imagine it means a great deal to have some way to see him.
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...Yeah. It--....there wasn't anything like this last time, and correcting that wasn't high on my list of current priorities. So it's...nice.
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He fiddled with something under his collar, bringing out a plain, worn down silver ring hanging off of a leather necklace.]
It is. Having something from home that reminds us of those who brought us this far and the reasons we continue onward.
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Afraid I'm really just a sentimental bastard, despite everything.
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This ring belongs to my sister. I was grateful to have it returned to me in April. [The less said about that month the better, but present tense in reference to his family was a good sign.]
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[he has done Enough emotional vulnerability for a bit]
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Ah, Hina is... she is kind, passionate... talented. She sees the best in everyone she meets and the world with a wide-eyed hope that the fighting our realm faces will come to an end some day. She is rare among Garlean nobility in that regard. 'Tis rarer that there isn't a smile on her face. I... would not have made the strides I have if it wasn't for her.
[The polar opposite of him in his mind. A good person.]
We aren't related by blood, her father was my former commanding officer, but we are still family. She gave this ring to me before I set out for Eorzea with the promise that I would return it to her when I came home.
[He held a hand over his chest where the ring sat.]
It was... a week prior to my arrival here that I tried to give it back to her. She told me that my journey was not yet over.
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[Said knowing that along with Hina's ring, he also carried Azem's crystal with him at all times. Knowing how much of the world there was to see.
Not yet realizing how deeply in his heart a wanderlust laid as he who once bore the Traveler's seat. One he could allow to flourish knowing there would ever be a place, a person to call home.]
She has made me so proud. I hope I've done the same for her.
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[A pause, then a resigned grimace of Knowing You Fucked Up:]
...Irisviel is definitely going to kill me when I get home.
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[... Welp. As someone who Waver would be glad to have as a brother:]
Well, ah... given the state you returned here in... [That's Takame speak for FUCKING RIPPPPP]
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I'm in unbelievably deep shit.
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[BEHOLD. THE WRATH OF THE SAD PUPPY FACE.]
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[NNNNNOOOOOOOOOOO]
I made a mistake and I went about trying to fix it the wrong way. She and the others can call me every flavor of 'idiot' they want to, I know that they'll be right.
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I'm afraid in this circumstance I cannot argue with that. Still, I am grateful you are alive at all. And I've no doubt they are as well.
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