Flowers of the night

Prompt: litigare e poi fare pace
Missione: M2
Parole: 1635

Ritsuka is a calm person. No matter the Servant you ask to, it’s rare for every single one of them to affirm that their master is someone who easily gets angry - some of them could casually remember that time he was furious with some enemy who did really bad things, or how frustrated he is at himself sometimes, but nothing more.
«Then do as you please and don’t show your face to me ever again.»
Ritsuka shouting, storming out of his room and marching in Chaldea’s corridor like his entire life depends on it is something they are not used to. Something they would never ask for, to be honest.
«Senpai…?» Mashu tries to call out for him, a worried expression on her face; it’s Cù the one who puts a hand on her shoulder to stop her, a reassuring smile on his lips; he shakes his head: «Don’t worry, young lady. Master needs some time alone right now, but he will be alright.»
«Yeah.» Seta adds, munching something «Dontcha worry, Miss. ‘t’s not master’s fault, anyway.»
Mashu doesn’t look completely convinced, but she nods. She can always check on him later and offer some help if the situation will still be bad.

«Master» Enkidu calls him, green eyes on him. Ritsuka looks at the Servant, a small “hm?” to show that he heard them and is listening to them. Enkidu always spends most of the time in that room, the perfect copy of a forest. Since several Servants grew accustomed to that kind of environment in life and since Chaldea is in the middle of a neverending snow storm, Ritsuka thought it could be a good thing for everyone, to have a room like that. Nobody asked him, but he’s happy to have talked about it with Leonardo back then. It makes him feel like he’s doing something for his comrades, for once.
«Do you know there are some flowers that only bloom at night?» Enkidu asks, and it catches Ritsuka’s attention; he lets his blue eyes wander towards the Lancer and stays silent, trying to understand if the question has some deeper meaning or if it’s just a simple one. Enkidu is not looking at him, but at the grass; they are sitting under a tree, and they have been doing their own stuff until a moment ago. It’s often like that with Enkidu, after all, and that’s one of the reasons why Ritsuka has been here with them for the past two days while trying to avoid Caster after their fight.
He knows several Servants are starting to worry - if they weren’t yet, after hearing almost the whole fight because of him shouting. There are a few, though, that even if worried still manage to not ask nor force him and Enkidu is one of them.
So, in the end, Ritsuka supposes this is just a simple question.
«Yes, I know.» he finally replies «Not every one of them, but I know they exist. Do you like them?»
«Quite a lot.» Enkidu admits with a soft smile on their lips, but lifts their gaze so that they can look at Ritsuka. «And you?»
«I like them too…?» he knows there’s an invisible question mark in that sentence, but isn’t that a strange question? Well, not that he doesn’t like flowers in general, which means those that bloom during the night to, but…
«Do you like them less because they bloom at night?»
«What?» Ritsuka can’t really catch up with the conversation they are having; Enkidu chuckles, and it’s like listening to a very clear sound that fits completely the forest they are in. «Gil was right: humans really tend to get confused when you speak through their complicated language. That is why animals are way easier to understand.» they speak softly, almost like a secret whispered to the sky and the earth, not meant for anyone else.
«Master, you are a very kind soul.» they keep going «You would probably like a withered flower and have pity for it and keep it even if everyone else told you it’s too late and not worth it.»
«...I don’t think I’m that kind.» Ritsuka tries. He wasn’t with Caster and he knows it; the real reason he’s avoiding him is because he knows that no matter what, even if Caster did something wrong, the moment he sees him will be his loss.
«But you would do it, right?»
«Do what?»
«Keep the flower with you.»
Ritsuka falls silent for a few seconds, fights the answer he already knows. Then, he surrenders.
«I would.»
«I know.» Enkidu says, like there was no doubt about it from the beginning «Master should do what he’s very good at.»
It’s Ritsuka’s turn to chuckle - a not very convinced laugh but still.
«Forgive?» because he already understood what this is about. Enkidu lets his eyes wander again, somewhere else, as if Ritsuka is not important anymore or isn’t there to begin with. Ritsuka supposes this is how it feels to try catch the water with your own hands.
«No» Enkidu says, voice as soft as the warm (artificial) breeze «Accepting.»

Ritsuka looks at the door, a frown when some Chaldea workers pass through the corridor and whisper something, surely about the fact that he’s been there for at least half an hour. Enkidu’s words still linger in his mind, and that’s why he is outside of the common area, unsure about entering and look for Caster - and admit his defeat - or not.
In the end the door opens, and for a moment Ritsuka can see only blue hair and is already thinking about going back; yet, no matter how similar, the eyes that stop on him are not Caster’s: it’s Cù, who smiles at him and points at his back with his thumb.
«Better now that the room is empty.» he says, a complicit wink for him before turning for a moment towards the common area to call a short «Emiya!» which, after a few seconds, results in the Archer coming out.
«There is no need—»
«Believe me.» Cù says, an amusing tone «There is.»
They go away, steps in the corridor that are more and more distant, leaving him there. He breathes in and goes inside. It’s easy to spot Caster: he’s sitting on a chair, his rod next to him. Ritsuka can’t see clearly what he’s doing, but he doesn’t look that busy so he moves forward and doesn’t stop his steps until the last moment. Then he stands there, in front of Caster; the Servant immediately looks at his face and, after a very brief moment of surprise, a smug smile is already forming on his lips.
Ritsuka has to stop himself from telling him to stop doing that.
«I hope Master won’t yell at me for showing my face, since you were the one to come and look at it.»
Ritsuka crosses his arms against his chest, stubbornly still.
«I still haven’t forgiven you.» he clarifies.
«As you wish, young master.»
«I’m still angry. You have no modesty.»
«You have too much.»
«You touched my butt in front of everyone.»
Caster looks at him, a shameless expression, almost like he’s challenging Ritsuka to prove him wrong: «Just because you deceive yourself that the whole Chaldea doesn’t know we make out and fuck doesn’t mean—»
«Look! This is what I’m talking about!» Ritsuka stops him, feeling almost hysterical «Just because everyone knows doesn’t mean I enjoy them looking at us when you do stuff!»
«Sex. Not my fault you are so shy.»
«Well you could buy some shyness from me for a change of pace!»
«Why should I bother with something so useless.»
Ritsuka facepalms, incredulous «I can’t believe you.»
«Then don’t look at my face since you are so pissed off, Master.»
He steps forward, both his hands at Caster’s sides, staring at the Servant’s eyes. Caster looks back at him (of course), and he’s still challenging him (of course) and then he moves and kisses him. Ritsuka pulls back but it’s just a moment: Caster’s hands are on his cheeks and then the Servant is stopping him from moving more than that. He kisses him, hard - when Ritsuka tries to say something Caster’s tongue slips inside his mouth, deepening the kiss. Ritsuka feels his knees as butter and closes his eyes, surrenders; Caster puts one of his hand on his waist and pulls Ritsuka towards him until he is on his lap, more or less.
The hug around his waist is a possessive one and when Ritsuka is allowed to pull back a bit, Caster is already smiling with that smug expression of his - he hates him.
«Want to go away so that you won’t have to look at my face?» he provokes him, and Ritsuka wants to punch him but he doesn’t. He pouts, though, without noticing.

«I don’t like it when it’s in front of everyone else.» he murmurs, serious face and tone while he looks at the other in the eyes; maybe Caster notices it, or maybe he just wants to go back at funnier businesses instead of fighting again about how inappropriate is for Ritsuka to make a show of themselves or being caught in intimate situations.
Caster grumbles, but gives him a «Fine, but I don’t do favors for nothing, Master.»
Ritsuka wants to point out that it’s not a “favor”, it should be common sense. But the truth is, he doesn’t like to fight or to be angry; if he can just give up a little bit and gain some quality time with Caster again, like now, then so be it.
He bends a bit, clinging onto the Servant.
«You can have it.» whatever you want, is implied «In my room.»