towerofjamjars | Good End Meme

Good End Meme

Congratulations! Ruana and Jason are dead, Zo got a pat on the head and a cookie - nobody's really sure where Riki went - and you've found a way to restore the destroyed worlds. Zo can send you back to your homes any time you ask him. You're free!

But, once you go, you're never coming back. And you won't ever see the friends you've made here and suffered unimaginable horror with again. No take-backs - your life in the Tower is done.

Maybe now's a good time for some tearful goodbyes. Or, you could always stay in the tower... Without the experiments and the monsters, it's not such a bad place, is it?

(Post with your characters, what they're doing, whether they're staying or going, etc.)

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

[Diarmuid flinches back a little at the blow but still doesn't pull away.]

Why am I not allowed to sacrifice for you when you have sacrificed so much for me? Tell me!

[His anger starts to fade back into pain. He doesn't want to be fighting with his brother. It hurts as much as the idea of him dying does. Diarmuid just wants to hold him and not let go. Tears start to flow again and he goes limp, reaching for Cu Chulainn.]

Please...

Because...because you've already suffered too much!

[He raises a hand to wipe away his brother's tears.]

I told you before. I was a hero who had a happy life. I'm not the one who needs a chance to be happy in his second life.

[In his first life, he had friends. He had a wife who loved him. He did whatever he wanted to do. But Diarmuid had been caught up in tragedies that were no fault of his own. And in the end, his brother had died twice, betrayed by Masters who he had devoted himself to.]

So stop crying and go with Waver, alright? It's your turn to be happy now.

How can I be happy knowing you will...

[His head falls forward to rest against his brother's.]

I will always feel like I abandoned you. It will never be okay. I will always want you there. I wish...I wish you could come with me and Waver. You could help us destroy the Grail. You know how troublesome he is. I could use your help...

[Cu Chulainn releases Diarmuid's collar to put his arms around the other Lancer in a hug. He can feel the tears slipping down his cheeks.]

Whether I go back to my world, or if I stay here, I'd want you with me too. But...if I went with you, who would be my Master?

I...I don't know. Maybe Waver will know? We can ask.

[Diarmuid buries his head against his brother's shoulder.]

Maybe Waver can take us both for a while. Just until we can go back and find you a real master. Or maybe...maybe I could be. I was told there was a version of the 5th war where the Caster summoned her own servant so it's not impossible! I probably wouldn't be a very good master, but I can try...

You'd...be willing to do that?

[It all sound good, but he knows Diarmuid is no Caster. And in the end, the prana would come from Waver anyways. It would be an added strain for him.]

[Diarmuid steps back so he can look him in the eye and let him see how serious he is.]

Yes! I would do it for you. And once we get where we are going, we can look to find you a different master if you don't want to stay with me. I know...you are probably already worrying about the prana drain. We won't be fighting in a war, so that would help.

[His mouth twitches up slightly in a nervous smile.]

What do you say? Maybe we can find you a pretty lady to work with? Or you can just hand out with me and Waver in the losers club for a while...

...Thank you.

[Just knowing that Diarmuid is willing makes him smile.]

How long do you think you can give me? To think on this, I mean?

[It was hard. Duty and desire were clashing in him. It was a somewhat unfamiliar feeling, if only because this time, desire was threatening to win out.]

However long you need.

[Diarmuid reaches out and squeezes his brother's shoulder.]

I don't know that Waver is in too big of a hurry. He won't rush me out of here before I am ready anyway, and I won't be ready until this is settled.

Got it. And are you gonna stay by my side until I make up my mind?

I would like to, but if you would rather me leave you to yourself for a bit, I will do that.

[Though much less willingly. Diarmuid has this strange irrational fear that if he leaves his brother now, he will never see him again.]

You can stay.

[Lancer himself is a little afraid of what he might do when left alone. He could very well run to Zo and go home, but he doesn't want to imagine the devastated look on Diarmuid's face.]

[Diarmuid trusted Lancer to tell him his final decision, so Lancer would do so.]

[After all, he's not a man who would betray his friends.]

Thank you.

[Diarmuid reaches out for his brother's hand and then pulls him toward a nearby wall so that they can sit down next to each other.]

I won't say anything else. Just think as long as you need to. I will wait for you.

[Wait and just enjoy how it feels to have his brother there beside him just in case...]

[Cu Chulainn sits down and leans against his brother's side. It takes a long while before he speaks again.]

So...what if I told you I wanted to go back to my world? Even after thinking about it?

[Diarmuid's arm curls around his waist, nails digging painfully into his side. He wants to reach for his brother's hand with his free one, but he just can't.]

Why?

[His voice is soft and shaking as he tries to hold back the sobs that want to claw their way out of his throat. He'd known this was still going to be the answer, hadn't he? He's known.]

Don't you want me to be happy?

I do. I'm not just saying I've made up my mind yet. I just wanna hear what you'll do if I decide to go.

I-I will probably just sit here after you go. Sit here until Waver eventually comes for me. He will make me go with him. You know him, but even if I go, part of me will always be gone. I...probably won't ever feel whole again.

[Diarmuid finally looks over at his brother, eyes bright with tears. That's it, isn't it? The real truth of the matter. It's not so much that his brother is going home to die. It's that he's going period and taking away part of Diarmuid's soul that he will never be able to replace.]

He can't take your place, you know that, right? You and him. You aren't interchangeable. I...I need you both to truly be happy.

[And of course, Lancer knows that if he had to leave his brother, he too would have to leave behind a piece of himself. It's just that he won't live for more than a day with that feeling, while Diarmuid might feel it for many years.]

[He quietly pulls the dog head amulet off of his neck. It's nothing special. Not for a man who can make rune stones. But it's been with him for a long time.]

[He pries Diarmuid's fingers away from the other Lancer's arm and tries to squeeze the amulet into his hand.]

Here. Can you hold on to this while I think some more?

[Diarmuid nods, taking the amulet and pressing the hand it is in against his chest over his heart. He starts to say something and then stops, not wanting to put anymore pressure on his brother than he already has. No matter what he wants or what he might have said earlier, the choice is one only his brother can make.

In the end, he might not like it, but Diarmuid will let him do what he needs to do. Even if it means...

Diarmuid bites his lip to hold back a sob, his hand squeezing tighter around the necklace.

Even if it means letting him die.]

You can keep it, you know. In case I ever decide to split from you.

But isn't it important to you?

[Diarmuid takes a moment to look from the amulet in his hand to his brother.]

I can't take it if it is important, unless...

[He pauses and removes the torc from around his neck. Diarmuid then holds it out to him.]

...unless you take this. It was given to me by one I called brother during my first life. It is only fitting I give it to one I call brother in this one.

[He starts at Diarmuid in surprise.]

R-really? You're letting me have that?

[He hesitates in taking it, but finally reaches for it and lets out an exaggerated sigh.]

Fine, you win. Can't let something nice like this get dirtied with Grail mud.

It's not tha-- Wait. What?

[He turns to look at his brother. There is still fear in his eyes, but deep in them there is also the smallest glimmer of something else.

Joy.

He had been preparing himself to hear that his brother was still going to go, and as much as he didn't want to let him, Diarmuid was going to honor whatever decision Cu Chulainn had come to this time.

He hadn't been expecting his brother to change his mind.]

You're...you're going to come? Really?

I think so.

[He had weighed his promises back and forth. He had a promise to protect Ayaka, and he had a promise to protect Diarmuid. For Ayaka, he was just a temporary protector. And Archer would be more than willing to help the woman he called his "bride." Meanwhile, Diarmuid needed him to feel complete.]

[...In the end, he loved his brother a little too much.]

I'd like to see the look on the faces of Kayneth's relatives when Waver brings back two Lancers and not one. Besides, I hear the head of the house is a cute lady.

[Diarmuid can't speak for a moment. His relief is just that strong. Finally, he gives up on trying to talk and just hugs his brother, spilling them both onto the ground in his enthusiasm. He buries his head against his brother's neck, laughter bubbling from his mouth.]

Thank you, thank you, thank you!

[There is something very young in his face and tone of voice right now. It's almost as if he's a child who has been given the thing he wants most in the world even though he knew he could never have it.

And that's probably because in Diarmuid's mind, he just has been given the one thing he really wanted and never thought he could have.]

Good End Meme

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