YAN-PARA au master post

[earthflames]

WHAT IT SAYS ON THE BOX.

Comments

[plotarmor]

[Whoa. That guy's tall.]

Uh, hi there...

[He holds the package out to Kirei, rubbing the back of his neck self consciously with his free hand]

Cu couldn't bring this today, so they sent me instead.

[unhallowed]

I've heard of his unfortunate circumstances. Alas, his clumsy openness does trip him up now and then. Come, have tea. You've travelled out of your way for my needs, allow me to compensate you properly.

[He takes the package, making room for Shirou to enter the back rooms of the church.]

[plotarmor]

[Kirei will, for a moment, receive a blank stare in return. Shirou takes a moment to go back through his day and remember whether he's busy or not. The answer is no. He steps inside]

You don't really have to trouble yourself, you know.

[unhallowed]

It's no trouble at all. I anticipated your arrival.

[And he did! Look, there's a tea set already laid out on the low table inside.]

Take a chair. Make yourself at home.

[plotarmor]

[LOOKS LEGIT. He sits down at the table, watching Kirei curiously]

How'd you hear about Cu? Does news really get around that fast?

[partyintheback]

In certain worlds, yes. It's wise to keep track of your contacts. They do, after all, hold your trust in their hands.

[plotarmor]

That's true...

Oh, if you're worried, he won't say anything about your stuff. He's, er. Professional like that. And trustworthy.

[partyintheback]

"Professional"?

[That is definitely not a word that describes Cu Chulainn.]

I suppose so. This isn't the first time he's been arrested, after all. He'll be out and shouting at everyone in no time, I'm sure.

[plotarmor]

...yeah, we're supposed to go get him. Some time.

[partyintheback]

"Some time", is it?

[plotarmor]

We're still working on it. It's going to be a messy deal anyways and my brother doesn't want to screw anything up. You do know who caught him, don't you?

[partyintheback]

I've heard whispers. If it's something "messy", can you be quite sure his lips are sealed?

[plotarmor]

I can. He knows not to mess around with that Blood Rose guy anymore, so he doesn't have a reason to talk.

[partyintheback]

That's an infamous name. If rumor is to be believed, not many men could keep a secret if that one wanted to hear it.

[plotarmor]

Cu could; he's not the type of person who'd give in to anyone. I think doing that would piss him off too much.

[partyintheback]

...Have you ever been tortured, Emiya Shirou?

[plotarmor]

What?! No-- What kind of question is that?!

[partyintheback]

You have no frame of reference. How much can a man take when his bones are snapped and the skin pulled from his body? Do you think a man that slaughters so freely will leave your friend in one piece?

[plotarmor]

No.

But he's not defenseless either. None of us would be alive right now if we didn't defend ourselves. Just because someone doesn't like fighting doesn't mean they can't do it. Sometimes you just don't have a choice.

[partyintheback]

You assume he'd be given a chance to fight. I'm sure many of that man's victims have tried.

[plotarmor]

[The suggestion that someone would do that offends Shirou's sensibilities, and reflexively he brings his fist down onto the table]

You can't just kill someone without giving them a chance to fight back!

[partyintheback]

Oh, you easily can. It wouldn't be honorable, but is a man who kills children "honorable"?

[plotarmor]

[he shakes his head slowly]

But I don't want to believe that someone would stoop to that so easily.

[partyintheback]

Oh, I'm sure the innocents he's killed had a fair chance.

[Finally he sits, opposite Shirou in a comfortable chair. As if the subject isn't gruesome at all, he begins to pour tea.]

[plotarmor]

[frowning, he takes his tea and takes a rather long sip -- he doesn't want to talk about it or think about it.]