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[excaliburden]

USERNAME: caster Altria Caster Fate/Grand Order TEXT • AUDIO • VIDEO • ACTION • OVERFLOW

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Image commissioned from elaulora.

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[hatinacat]

[he did mean siblings, yes! and if she had just said no without the strange pause, owlish blinking, and sudden change in subject, he would have just let it go. but because she is very bad at not seeming suspicious. . .]

Ahah! It's the toughest hat that ever existed. It has to be, to be a proper magician's tool.

[he folds his arms, one finger tapping against his skin]

I won't pry, by the way.

[but he is saying that to let her know he can tell there is more to her answer that she isn't saying]

[excaliburden]

[... Oof.

Altria pauses for a moment, and then she laughs sheepishly, tone light but weak.]

Sorry... it's just that Faerie Britain is really, really different from most of the places everywhere here is from.

We don't really have things like siblings or families. So I'm not really sure how to respond...

[hatinacat]

[ah. . . so that's why. . .]

[the dryer buzzes, and Lyney reaches out to open the front door, retrieving his hat in the process. it's so warm! and clean! and still in perfect condition]

I understand. . . it must be strange, when others talk so naturally about something you know nothing about.

[and he truly didn't mean to make her feel like she was weird]

[excaliburden]

Oh, it's okay!

[That much, at least, is both chipper and seemingly sincere.]

I don't mind hearing about it at all. I think people are really interesting, especially from other places.

And I guess sometimes faeries... make it up? Kind of? Having family, I mean. Like the queen has a "daughter", sort of... but it's just something she decided one day.

[... "had". Had a daughter.]

[hatinacat]

[with a flourish, he replaces the top had onto his head, giving it a good rap with his knuckles juuuust in case. FIRST LAUNDRY. . . IS A SUCCESS]

[and as an orphan whose family is mostly adopted. . . something about Altria's words resonates with him]

Human families can be like that, too. For instance, my younger brother and I aren't related by blood.

We also decided one day that we were siblings, and that was that.

[excaliburden]

[Huh...!! His words... make her think of Percival. Right. He'd done that too, right? With Tam Lin Lancelot.

... How nice, to feel that strongly without any ties connecting them but circumstance.]

I see! So that's how it is everywhere...!

[She peers at his top hat, curious, but trying not to get too in his space.]

[hatinacat]

[oh, right! he takes his top hat off again and hands it to her, so she can examine it]

Indeed. A "family" can truly be what any individual makes of it.

So in that respect, your Faerie Britain-- [is that what she had called it?] -- isn't that odd.

[excaliburden]

[... SURE. WE'LL GO WITH THAT.]

Right, right, I see!

[She takes the hat, puts it on her head, and beams.]

Oh...! It's warm!

[hatinacat]

It is. Intriguing, right?

That must be how the machine gets it to dry so quickly.

[excaliburden]

That makes sense!

[Cooool......... this place is cool.]

And it has the bonus of being really warm when you put it back on your head.

[She tries to tip his hat the way he did, and then twirl it in her hands.

She fails at that second part, and bobbles it, trying not to drop the freshly cleaned top hat. Uwah--]

[hatinacat]

[ALTRIA. . .]

It seems you might need a bit of practice in hat-handling.

[excaliburden]

[Uuuu... she hands it back to him with a bowed head.]

It is so much harder than it looks...

[hatinacat]

It took me quite some time to perfect the maneuver myself.

[he takes the hat, twirls it gracefully around his hand, and then tosses it to the next with just as much dexterity]

Nobody becomes this proficient in one day.

[excaliburden]

[............... her cheeks puff out just a little bit.]

Now I feel like you're showing off a little.

[RUDE.

SHE'S NOT NEARLY THAT GRACEFUL OR DEXTROUS.]

[hatinacat]

[HEH]

I might be. Just a bit.

[he cannot help himself]

[excaliburden]

[Ughhhhhh.]

... Show me again! I want to try it again!

[hatinacat]

Very well. . .!

[he doesn't move any slower as he twirls his hat again, tossing it to the next hand when he is done. and then he holds it out for Altria to take, one brow raised]

[excaliburden]

[... Um.

She takes it, but it's clear from her hesitance that she did not process any more of the proper movements this time than she did the last time.

.. .... ...

She tries anyway. The hat stalls on her finger and then begins to topple.]

Oh--no, no, wait...!

[hatinacat]

[. . . funnily enough, he doesn't make any moves to catch it when it begins to topple]

[IS SHE DROPPING IT ENTIRELY]

[excaliburden]

[She is dropping it entirely--but she dives for it at the last moment, hitting her knees on the ground of the laundromat, but managing to catch the hat before it hits the ground.]

Whew...! That was close.

[hatinacat]

[golf claps!]

Very good reflexes. And I appreciate you handling my hat with such care.

[excaliburden]

Well... it seems like it's important to you, after all. I couldn't let it fall on the floor!

[That would be so rude.

But, carefully, she offers it back. A second time might not go so well.]

[hatinacat]

It wouldn't have made it to the floor even if you had dropped it, I assure you.

[he was watching!! very carefully!! but he takes his hat back, spins it adeptly on his hand, and then places it atop his head]

[excaliburden]

[...]

Oh, right. Of course. You would've just caught it, right?

[Haaa...]

You're so nimble, Lyney...

[hatinacat]

It's nothing so impressive. I just have to be quick on my feet for some of my magic tricks.

[unrelated to magic, but the washing machine is beeping]