Examine: Emiya Kiritsugu on his deathbed in the far future, his hair white with age and his body so frail you can barely feel his shrivelled hand atop yours where it rests on the hospital bed.
Send “Examine!” and an item or person and I’ll write an RPG description angst novel of it/them.
Your father is dying. ►It’s not a surprise, really. Everyone dies, after all, but it’s worse when it’s someone you know, that you’ve known your whole life. Kiritsugu and Irisviel have always been beside you, so to have them disappear– ►It’s not something you like. It’s not something you want to accept. ►But old age is something that can’t be turned aside. Something inside just breaks, and it’s not enough to try and fix it. It’s something that happens to everyone.►You know anyone who’s seen you in the house probably thinks you’re his granddaughter, because even when freed from the chains of the Holy Grail, you haven’t grown any. And yet, there’s a tiredness to you, too, because even frozen in age you’ve still become ‘old’. Your heart is not strong, after all, and even if it cannot fulfill its intended purpose, it cannot be taken from you.►You don’t care if people think you’re a child anymore–it’s not important now. There’s something else that’s important, the reason why you’re here.►It’s the hand you’re holding, so different from the one you’re used to; this hand doesn’t have the strength to hold yours properly, not anymore, but that’s okay. You can be the strong one now, even if it’s only for a moment.►Your mother isn’t here anymore, and that time was hard enough. But Irisviel was a pure homunculus, so it was harder to change her fate. Perhaps you don’t deserve this, to lose both of them, when you should never have been without them, but the world is not so kind. ►The world may not be kind, but it’s given you these years with your parents, with your brother, this time that you would never have had otherwise. You’re understanding enough to appreciate that much, though a part of you can’t help but hate it too.► Spending so much time together, it means that you’ll suffer that much more when it’s time to say goodbye.►You don’t want to say goodbye. ►Shirou has given you this chance to be alone, because he’s said all he needs to, though he too doesn’t look happy with everything. Death doesn’t sit well with him, either, but he is more adjusted to it. He looks old enough now to be your father, but you’ll never make that mistake. Shirou is brother, always brother.►And Kiritsugu will always be father.►No matter if your words can’t reach him anymore. No matter if you can’t tug on his hand and show him something new you’ve learned. No matter if you can’t listen to him laughing with Mother, or listening to Shirou describe how to make some delicacy from another country.►Father, you want to say, I won’t ever forget you. I’ll love you always. But the words won’t rise to your tongue. They’re heartfelt, genuine, but you can’t make yourself say them out loud. That’s too close to accepting the bitter end has come.►There are many things you could say. ►Do any of them matter now?►No, your mind says. Yes, your heart says. Just because you can’t say them, doesn’t mean they don’t matter. ►You curl your hands around his; his skin’s papery against yours, a fleeting touch of warmth. He knows you’re here–isn’t that enough?►Maybe not. But you look into his eyes, and you know that he can see what you can’t bring yourself to say.►That’s enough.►He knows it, and that’s enough for you.► Let this illusion of happiness remain, for just a little longer.► Let’s play pretend, for just a little longer. ◼
