.

.

The next night, Assassin was eliminated by Rider's Noble Phantasm.

Waver leaned outside an open window, looking out into the horizon. With Caster and Assassin gone, that left five more Servants. The wind stirred, and Waver brushed back a lock of hair that was moving over his face, frowning a little and squinting his eyes.

"Waver-chan?" Martha knocked on the door. "Grandpa and I are turning in for the night."

"Oh." Waver turned. "Goodnight, Grandma."

He turned to look back out the window, but Martha hovered. She pressed her hand to the door.

"Is everything all right?" Martha said. "You just seem so quiet, lately, Grandpa and I were worried. You barely touched your dinner even though I made all your favorite food."

"Oh," Waver said. He smiled. "Sorry, Grandma. I just have a little bit of a stomachache. I'll feel better in the morning, promise."

"Well, if you're hungry tonight the leftovers are in the fridge." Martha smiled and adjusted her shawl. "Goodnight, Waver-chan."

"Goodnight, Grandma."

Martha smiled again and gently shut the door.

xXx

.

He had tried several times to apologize to Lancer. The first time, he had waited a few hours after they had gotten back, ostensibly to give Lancer time to cool off. "Ne, Lancer," Waver said. "Can I talk to you a minute?"

Certainly, my lord.

"I wanted to apologize," Waver said. "What I said to you was out of line. I'm really sorry about what happened."

Waver waited. Across from him, the clock on his desk ticked softly. It seemed as though Lancer were considering his words.

Please do not trouble yourself, my lord. I assure you I am fine.

"But I'm sure I probably hurt your feelings and-" Now Waver just felt stupid. "Lancer! If you're mad at me just say so."

I am not mad, my lord.

"Okay, so...?"

Is there anything else you wish to ask of me?

"You are mad!" Waver said. He sat up, angrily. "Can't you just cut the passive-aggressive crap and talk to me?"

My lord. There is nothing to talk about. I shall serve you to the best of my abilities. Please know that I am loyal to you and please rest easy.

It kept going on like that, every time Waver tried to apologize. Eventually Waver just gave up and resigned himself to never really talking to him again, other than to give him an order or ask the status of the other Servants.

If only Waver weren't so freaking stupid! Of course Lancer would be mad, Waver basically took all his sore spots and threw them in his face.

I'm such an asshole, Waver thought, miserably. He wondered if Lancer heard that. In any case, he didn't answer.

Now Waver was staring at his hand, looking at the last command spell. He felt stupid for wasting that second one in Caster's atelier - any third-rate mage would have known Caster's territory was within a bounded field, which nullified any high magic other than Caster's own. That he blindly wasted his command spell depressed him. Kiritsugu was right - he may be an above average student, but in the Holy Grail War, against top-tier magic, he was floundering about, helplessly.

"Oi, Lancer," Waver said. "Can you come out a minute?"

Lancer materialized in front of him in a kneeling position, keeping his eyes deferentially locked on the floor. "Yes, my lord?"

"I only have one command spell left." Waver held out his hand. "Would you like me to use it?"

For a moment, Lancer seemed confused. He slowly lifted his eyes. "Use it, my lord?"

"To break our contract," Waver said. "I've been doing a lot of thinking and Kiritsugu is right. I went in this war thinking it was the perfect stage for me, a place without titles or names that could be fought with just pure ability. But I'm barely treading water," Waver said. "I'm thinking about going home."

Lancer lowered his eyes again. He kept kneeling on the floor, not saying anything.

"You told me you didn't have a wish. If that's true, then you wouldn't care if the Grail were forfeit. Do you want me to break our pact?"

"It isn't up to me, my lord." Lancer's eyes were fixed on a neutral point on the floor. "I shall abide with whatever you choose."

"But you're my partner, you have to have some say in this too," Waver said. Lancer shook his head.

"I am not your partner, my lord. I am your Servant. And as your Servant I shall support you in any way I can."

Waver frowned. He wasn't used to standing over Lancer, talking to him as he was kneeling, so as a compromise he squatted on the floor next to him. Lancer lowered his head even further.

"Okay," Waver said. "I'm going to have to think about it. But you're sure you'd be okay with forfeiting the Grail?"

"It does not matter what I think, my lord."

"Oi, Lancer. As your Master I'm asking you a question."

"And I am telling you my honest answer. Please do what you think is right."

Waver sighed. "Fine," Waver said, and he stood. "That's all I wanted to ask you."

"Thank you, my lord," Lancer said, and he shifted back into spirit form.

xXx

.

The next night, Lancer came back an incoherent mess.

"Lancer! What's wrong?" Waver said, and the air shimmered a little, the torrents of mana coalescing into a frenzied point.

"Rider," Lancer said. He was shaking. "He was fighting Saber. And..."

"And what?" Waver said, as Lancer tried to get a hold of himself.

"And Rider was forced to kill himself."

"What?" Waver said. Lancer sat shakily on the bed.

Ever since their falling out, Lancer had started scouting. He roamed the streets of Fuyuki in spirit form, keeping track of the other Servants and Masters and reporting his findings to Waver. Waver knew it was his way to get out of the house - he was uncomfortable staying with Waver, and staying in the woods gave him too much time alone with his thoughts. He knew scouting made Lancer feel useful while at the same time giving him an excuse to remove himself from Waver's presence. And the arrangement suited Waver just fine - he also felt awkward being around Lancer.

Lancer was hovering along Fuyuki's periphery when he felt a distinct flare of mana - Saber's - along the outskirts of the city. Following it, he found Saber engaging in honorable combat with Rider, mounted upon a motorcycle and racing his chariot along the mountain freeway along the city's periphery.

But something went wrong, Saber made a hard turn, and Rider's chariot, which should have been able to easily bank, suddenly spun out, crashing into the wall.

"It was the result of Lord Kayneth's command spell, which Kiritsugu forced him to use," Lancer said. He was clearly shaken. "I have never seen a Servant self-destruct like that. I did not know that was possible."

"So Rider crashed on purpose," Waver said. Lancer lowered his head, quietly.

"There is more, my lord," Lancer said, quietly. "Kiritsugu had Lord Kayneth sign a geas, which said that Kiritsugu would not harm him or his fiancée should he have his Servant kill himself. But after it was signed, he had his subordinate shoot them."

"That guy," Waver said. Lancer was visibly shaken.

"Oi, Lancer," Waver said. "I would never use a command spell like that, even if someone threatened me! You don't have to worry about a thing like that."

"I know, my lord," Lancer said. "But that is the nature of us Servants. In the end, we are nothing more than tools to be used."

"Tools?" Waver said. Lancer hung his head.

"Ne, Lancer," Waver said, and he sat up in earnest. "I know...I know things haven't been the best between us, lately. But I want you to know I would never use you like that! You're not just some tool to be used."

"I know," Lancer said, quietly. Waver watched as he stared at his hands.

"My lord," Lancer said, and he hesitated. "I apologize for the last few days. My actions were most shameful."

"You don't have anything to apologize for, Lancer! I was the one who was out of line," Waver said.

"No, my lord," Lancer said. "As a Servant, I failed you numerous times. By my pride and vainglory, I refused to see that. I served you with an empty obedience these last few days. By my honor, I truly apologize."

"Lancer," Waver said. Lancer shook his head.

"You were right, my lord," Lancer said. "I have not won any battles and I did indeed fall by my own Noble Phantasm. I let my pride as a man stand in the way of serving you to my utmost. Having seen Kiritsugu, and how he treats Saber, a most honorable and loyal spirit, has made me realize what a good Master I have, and how disloyal I've been to you. Please, my Master. Accept my apologies. I do no honor by failing you."

"You shouldn't be the one apologizing, Lancer! I should be! I was really out of line! I'm really sorry for saying those things."

"My Master, I disagree. It is a lord's duty to discipline his vassal when he is in the wrong. You spoke the truth, but my pride got bruised. Please forgive me for my blunders."

"Lancer," Waver said, standing. "What I said to you was unforgiveable. You had every right to be angry with me."

"You are my lord, I have no right to be angry," Lancer said. Waver huffed, annoyed.

"Well what if I was one of your brothers?" Waver said. "What if I were another knight? Would you get angry, then?"

Lancer hesitated. "...I suppose."

"And what would you do? Yell back? Duel them?"

"I-"

"You'd punch them in the face, right?"

"Er, perhaps-"

"Then it's settled," Waver said. He crossed his arms.

"I want you to hit me."

Lancer blinked. "My lord?"

"Punch me in the face, Lancer! I feel really bad about what happened and it's the only way we'll be even!"

"I don't think you want me to do that," Lancer said, doubtfully.

"Dammit, Lancer! Your Master is giving you an order!" Waver said. "Kick my ass, if you want to! Just...do it quickly before I get too scared."

"Um." Lancer blinked again, "Very well..." and he gently tapped his knuckles against Waver's shoulder.

"Are you serious?" Waver said.

"This is most unusual," Lancer said.

"Come on!" Waver said. "Clock me in the face! Whack my teeth out! You Devil's leftie...you stupid pretty boy!"

(Ugh, even when Waver tried to taunt someone, he just came across as sounding really whiny. Lancer looked confused.)

"Grainne was a whore," Waver said.

Crack! A strike to the face. Waver pitched sideways, Lancer punching him faster and harder than anything Waver had ever felt in his entire life. He struck him with such force that Waver spun a little as he was knocked off his feet, his hair flying up as his head whacked the ground.

"Ow!" Waver said. Blood dripped down his nose and shoulder.

"My lord!" Lancer seemed shocked that he had punched him so hard. "Are you all right?"

"Owww."

"I fear your nose may be broken."

Waver held his nose with one hand and waved his other hand around, vaguely. "You...really love Grainne, huh?"

"My apologies," Lancer said, and he helped Waver up.

"For what it's worth, Lancer, I don't think she was a whore."

"I know, my lord."

"But geez, you punched me really hard."

"Forgive me, my lord."