decorator | a stolen fruit; a childish sin has taken root

That's the part I'm trying not to think too hard about. She does know I'm just a regular human, doesn't she...? I've performed on some pretty out there stages before, but even I don't think I could handle one that's on fire.

[ Siiiiiigh. For the first time since they'd gotten started, her perfect idol mask properly slips out of place and she just looks a little tired. Maybe even a little embarrassed, too. They're only in this much trouble and going through this much trouble because of Ai, after all.

She catches hold of his sleeve - a compromise, since she really shouldn't be holding his hand - and does her best to smile. ]

But I'll figure something out. I can't lose at being an idol, can I?

Either she forgot or she's claiming it as an inherent advantage... either way, we'll just have to cross that bridge when we get there.

[ ...he might be trying to figure out in his head if he can slap together some kind of magecraft that'll fireproof her a little bit, or just work it into her Mystic Code.

In any case, all he can do is grin confidently to give her some kind of confidence with what they're dealing with. Honestly, it's not even really her fault... since Elizabeth would've just found some other reason to make trouble. Halloween is, after all, cursed. ]

Hey, it's not me you have to convince.

[ Is... is that his way of saying she's got this? ]

... Heehee. Thanks, Oberon.

[ At that, she does brighten - and somehow, her smile is all idol and all pure Ai at the same time, bright and pretty but warm and fond even so. It's not too dazzling to look at and even though it's the sort of smile she could never wear on stage, it's even more captivating.

Her hand slips into his, just for a second, so she can squeeze - then lets go. ]

Alright...! Let's head up to the next floor and finish this!

[ That single, brief squeeze, may as well have been one of the most powerful boosts Ai could have given him. Elizabeth Bathory and Oda Nobunaga, you two are so fucked... ]

Yeah. Let's put an end to this...

[ Nobody tell them that they have another hour of grinding to do before they can reach the top floor... ]

[ Ai likes to think she's a patient girl, but even she has her limits.

It takes what feels like forever to clear the next floor - wave after wave of Nobbus, a few sentient pumpkin monsters and the inexplicable appearance of a few Christmas themed enemies, presumably just to spice things up a bit. Even with her mystic code speeding things up, it's an absolute slog.

To make matters worse, it's not like things are easy. There's gunfire from the Nobbus, regular fire from the pumpkins and maybe someone heard her tittering to herself about Oberon's unusual ammo because the Christmas fiends take it upon themselves to hurl candy and cookies. It's all... pretty patently ridiculous.

They barely get a chance to speak until the final wave is cleared. The instant the final Nobbu vanishes into one of those cartoony explosions, Ai unleashes a huge groan of exasperation. ]

That's it, right? Please tell me that's the last one...!

[ It's not even Christmas yet! God he hopes that they don't have to go through the whole bit where a single Servant gets selected to be "Santa" just like in Chaldea... except things seem to be following the Chaldean trend quite a lot, so he wouldn't be surprised if it did.

...God it better not be him. ]

Ugh... it better be.

[ Said as if he can even bother to do anything worse than instantly murder if another Nobbu dares to show their face. Elizabeth aside, Nobunaga is getting thrown off this goddamn tower no matter what. ]

[ She waits for a few dreadful seconds - in just about every sense of the word - for another round of war cries from the approaching Nobbus but there's nothing but blissful, merciful silence. It looks like they really have managed to clear them all out. ]

Finally... finally...!

[ With an enormous sigh, she just sort of... flops against Oberon's side, head butting against him. Forget the appropriate distance to keep from fans or whatever - right now, Ai's just an exhausted Master. She'll worry about being an idol again on the next floor. ]

You fought really hard, though... you're not hurt, are you?

[ God he wishes he could just flop back against her... but he's so much bigger than her that if they mutually leaned against each other to rest right now, he would just fall on top of and crush her. ]

Hah... nothing I can't handle.

[ Thank god those stubby arms mean they aren't the greatest at aiming. He leans back against the nearest wall and continues to let Ai flop against him. ]

Rest up while you can... you'll need it.

[ All of this... and she still has to put on a performance... ]

[ And that just makes her puff out her cheeks. He's a liar! Is she supposed to just take that at face value like a dummy? ]

So that means there is something. Hold still, okay?

[ Not that he's going anywhere when they're both in a state like this...

She reaches up and gently cradles his face in her hands. It's not very idol-like but it does well enough in pouring her healing spell into him. ]

I wouldn't be able to perform properly if I knew you were hurt. [ pout, pout. ] How am I supposed to smile and have fun on stage if I'm worrying about you?

Mngh...

[ It's a little embarrassing how much he's getting used to having her hands on his face like this... and it does it's work. His natural Servant healing had already closed up his wounds, but it was surface-level... and Ai's support is doing wonders at making sure he's properly healed as well. ]

Ai...

[ She can't perform... she can't smile and have fun if he's hurt, huh? ]

Right... I'll have to make sure I don't get hurt once we're up there then, huh?

[ So that she can shine as bright as she can... ]

[ With a huff; ] That goes without saying, doesn't it? Whether or not I'm performing. I hate seeing you get hurt.

[ That's always been the thing she's hated most about being a Master, after all - watching someone else get hurt on her behalf. It's not like she really deserves it and even though she's made a little progress on accepting that a little fighting will have to happen if she wants her wish...

She still hates it. Of course she does. Servant or not, how could she ever be fine watching him get hurt?

With her hands still cradling his face, one of her thumbs gently traces his bottom lip. ]

I'll do my best. So you have to make sure you do yours too, okay? So we can finish this for sure.

Ai...

[ Part of him thinks that it's ironic to hear her say that considering what he's done to her, but he banishes that thought... it's really not the time, after all. Whether she likes it or not, he'd allow himself to be hurt in an instant if it meant her safety...

Of course, her wish can't be granted if he dies, so he has to survive as well. Honestly, it can only be described as a pain... but that's love for you, isn't it?

His hand comes up to clasp hers. Who cares if they're seen? He gently kisses her hand... ]

Yeah. Always.

[ For a second, her smile stays soft and fond - and then it flits into a little grin, playful and catlike again. ]

Now that's for sure a lie. I know just how grumpy you get when you have to actually do some work. You're one hundred percent the type who'll give it maybe forty percent if you can get away with it.

[ There. That kind of teasing is a little more like them, isn't it? The perfect way for Ai to get back on her feet. ]

Come on. Let's go up and get this over with. This is the first time you're gonna see me perform for real, right? So I'll give it my all.

[ He blinks... but then laughs. It is more like them, isn't it? He stands up straight, helping Ai to her feet in the process. ]

Yeah, you just give it your all... and I'll make sure that we get our revenge on those two.

[ And that right there is genuine, because for the grinding hell that they just experienced? They might be in for more than they expected... ]

[ . . . ]

You're not allowed to actually kill them, okay?

[ SHE'S JUST MAKING SURE ]

[ ... ]

...Ugh, fine.

[ WELL IT'S A GOOD THING SHE KNOWS HIM WELL ENOUGH TO CATCH THAT... ]

[ It's like belling a cat to keep it from decimating the local bird population... ]

Just a reasonable amount of revenge, too. If you can manage it.

[ And with that, she casually takes his hand so they can start heading up to the final floor. He's... a little less likely to go full Avenger on them if she's holding his hand (read: physically restraining him), right? ]

[ To Ai's credit, it did work! Nobody died! Nobbu, however, ended up having it particularly rough when Oberon got especially vicious with her... but being Nobbu, she's bound to bounce back with a "well, it can't be helped!" eventually.

Eli, meanwhile, was soundly defeated... much to her clear chagrin and a promise that this isn't over, meaning that Ai is bound to have to deal with her again later... but at the very least, the absolute abomination of a tower that they fought through finally disappeared.

The grind was over. ]

Finally...

[ At last, he touches down at their apartment with her in his arms. It feels like it's been ages... ]

[ The whole thing is a little surreal, truth be told. Ai had been pretty sure she'd been getting used to all this magic and Servant stuff and there's been more than enough trouble around the city that it's far from the first time they've had to deal with something like this.

No, the surreal part isn't being a Master. It's having it cross over with being an idol. Those are two entirely separate things in her mind and having to do both at the same time... it's strange. She'd won, at least, which was never really in question. Not that she has an ego about it or anything, but if Eli's singing was anything to go by, then...

But they're done! They're home! That's the really important part. Even if going into their apartment while she's still dressed like Ai of B-Komachi is all kinds of strange. ]

Finally...! [ With a shaky little laugh. ] I still can't believe she actually let us win. I had a horrible feeling it was going to last forever.

[ She gives his cheek a poke. She's really too used to getting carried like this... ]

So? What did you think of your first B-Komachi concert? ... Even if it was just me, heehee. Did I dazzle you a bit?

[ asking that when she knows he has to lie to her face is kinda.... ]

[ To be fair to Eli, her singing could have netted her a victory... if only by making herself the last one standing. Fortunately for everyone, this didn't end up being the case. Are they now the saviors of halloween? Since now nobody has to be forced into attending one of Eli's concerts?

Thoughts for later. The point is that ultimately, none can defeat Ai as an idol. At the very least, what they got out of this was confirmation that Ai can use a mystic code... even if it is her idol costume.

He takes her poking at his cheek in stride, too used to her hands on her face in general, really. He opens the door and carries her in like this, giving her a look when she asks about his opinion on her performance that all but says "really?" out loud. ]

...I've seen better.

[ If she's going to ask knowing that he's gonna lie to her face, then a blatant lie is exactly what she gets. At least that's makes that technically a compliment? ]

[ Just the answer she was expecting. Ai laughs, shaking her head. It's getting way too easy to prod a little honesty out of him now she knows what she's looking for. ]

Oh you have, huh? That's news to me. Since when were you such a big idol otaku? Hmm, did knowing I was in B-Komachi get you curious? So you decided to get into it yourself?

[ Her eyes are sparkling in the way they do when she's got A Bit going. Play with her!! ]

If you have some other girl as your oshi, that's totally cheating, you know. I'll have to do my best and make sure I steal you from her.

Yeah, yeah, I'll have to introduce you to her sometime. I just love having women fight over me, what can I say?

[ It's funny... since there are actually quite a few other Servants here besides Eli who have been idols... or at the very least, wouldn't do badly as one. ]

Who's to say? Maybe whoever comes out on top will be my new oshi. I'm a very fickle Servant, as you know.

[ Well, at least he's clearly having fun playing along. ]

[ Oh, come on. That's probably the worst lie he's ever told her. ]

Oh, you are, huh? Now you mention it, I've been thinking that too. [ She's visibly struggling so hard not to crack up... ] You're just soooo wishy-washy. Hm, I guess I'll have to really work my butt off if I want to properly hook you.

[ She makes a show of thinking, hm-hmming to herself before she tilts her head, eyes still glittering. ]

I guess all that fanservice today just wasn't good enough... but I'll figure something out.

Is that what you think? Then...

[ They make it into living room... and Oberon just keeps on going, still not letting her down while he heads to the bedroom. At least they're on the same wavelength... ]

What exactly do you have planned in order to convince me? Don't forget to work hard~

[ If Eli could see them now... ]

[ So she's not even being given a chance to take a breather, huh... well, she one hundred percent expected that, at least. Not that she's going to just go belly up and give up that easily. She's Ai of B-Komachi right now, after all. She's got to act the part. ]

Hmm, you know, this is actually my first time doing a private handshake session with a fan. So I'll have to wing it a little bit. ★

[ Some more hm-hmming, even as he carries her right into the bedroom. ]

Let's see... everybody likes skinship, right? I'll pat your head, you could put your head in my lap... I'd say I'd clean your ears for you, but I'm pretty sure an earpick would be a deadly weapon with me using it...

[ She flashes him a Perfectly Innocent smile. ]

How does that sound to start with?

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