middaeg | [closed] you gotta be cruel to be kind

Entry tags:

[closed] you gotta be cruel to be kind

Who: Diarmuid and various others!
When: Early Mareuer
Where: The Coven, Chez Lanserkerflat
What: Catch-all for the month
Warnings: N/A

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[So, this is how a king of his deific stature behaves? Needless to stay, Diarmuid looks thoroughly unimpressed both with his attitude and his crass wording. Before Gilgamesh can take it any further, though, he holds out a hand- probably to the disappointment of some of their classmates. He makes a point to openly size him up, though not with quite the same aesthetic appreciation as some of the others; his eyes are hawkish and challenging.]

... enough. I'd hate to ask our mentor to judge [his dick copying abilities] such a thing. You will do as you are now, sir.

[Not that he'll be joining him in stripping off ~~unless he's provoked hard enough~~. You can keep it, Gil.]

[ kings of deific stature were not, as a general rule, known for shame. not the Gilgamesh and Ozymandias kind of King, at least. but Ozymandias had a certain sort of grace and poise. Gilgamesh, much like his only friend, is half-wild and becomes civilized only when he is forced to do so by the needs of his subjects. right now, he has no subjects. not per se. so you do the math, Diarmuid.

of course, the King of Heroes is not entirely oblivious to standard norms and social decorum. when forced into situations such as the one he finds himself in now, or such as those Grail Wars, he enjoys his rebellious temperament a little too much as a defense against complacency and the powers that be. so maybe he does flaunt what you would call good taste. so, what of it? it is all for good fun and entertainment. ]

It is a competition, is it not? [ he does, at least, halt in his clothing removal. so, just shirtless Gil. ] As the King, I aspire towards excellence in all things. If it is a spell, I shall master it thrice.

[ ... maybe that is true. or maybe it is a bluff. does Gilgamesh even work? does he even put effort into things? just who knows! ]

To show your true potency, you should reveal all of me. Yet, if you would not, then show at least the pride of my visage. [ Diarmuid, u better... ] Ua Duibhe, was it? Can you capture my eye -- the eye that has seen all eras, from the beginning of time?

Edited 2020-03-08 20:13 (UTC)

[The corner of Diarmuid's lip twitches, though he himself can't decide whether it's irritation or genuine admiration of this man's sheer shamelessness. Humility is a virtue, yes, but his people were never known to play coy; they made an art form out of boasting and trash talk, turned it into poetry when others might consider it coarse. He's never been one to indulge too deeply in such things but even he isn't immune. The competitive part of him rears up at his provocation, at once bristling with aggression and utterly delighted to be tested.

He regards Gilgamesh for a few moments more, drinking the sight of him in silence. It's not so much capturing his physical form that concerns him so much as the presence he exudes. Mimicry isn't his forte but he'll be damned if he lets this man get the better of him.]

Then it would be no great challenge to ask the same complexity of you.

[With that, he pulls his shirt over his head and lets it drop to the floor. Though not completely bare from the waist up, his singlet clings to every inch of his body, following the curves of his chest and waist and each muscle as tightly as though he were wearing nothing at all. The back is cut sharply between his shoulder blades, revealing a little moe skin- and a number of telltale scratches.

Diarmuid pauses to run a hand roughly through his hair, briefly pushing that stray lock out of his face. There's a certain defiance to his stance as he tilts his head.]

As a king, it's your prerogative to decide who moves first.

Edited (s p e l l i n g) 2020-03-11 22:08 (UTC)

[ This Escalated Quickly.

Gilgamesh silently looks on as the other man continues what he himself began: a rapid reduction in clothing. However, as Diarmuid pushes that curl of hair aside, as he throws down the gauntlet with those bold words, for the first time, there is a flicker of something in the eyes of the King of Heroes. It obviously does not rise to the level of admiration, and even calling it appreciation would be a stretch, but for the first time, there is something like recognition. It is not recognition of Diarmuid as a heroic spirit; no, though Gilgamesh might know Diarmuid Ua Duibhne's legend from the Throne, they have still never encountered one another in their respective summonings. It is rather a recognition that Diarmuid, the man standing across from him in this classroom, has at least demonstrated boldness in this encounter. Might he even be termed a worthy opponent? Gilgamesh continues to watch, his only expression that lazy little smirk which never seems to go away. But his eyes are more attentive now, his gaze sharper, his eyebrows and lips lifted ever-so-slightly. The expression is still regally all-confident, that of a king being entertained at his pleasure garden. ]

Not bad, mongrel.

[ Gilgamesh laughs, tossing aside his shirt. as audaciously as he began, however, he does not push the envelope on nudity any further. the look he gives Diarmuid is characteristically feline in its mischief.

well, their class is certainly getting an eyeful of man flesh. not to mention that unfortunate professor who is holding his head in his hands. the storm rages on outside; there is a low, distant rumble of thunder, and the rain droplets on the windows and streaks of lightning cast alternating glow and shadow on their half-revealed bodies. beyond the slight acknowledgment in his eyes, beyond the way that Gilgamesh seems momentarily more grounded in the world by a voice that challenges him, his reaction is otherwise ambiguous. if he feels at all intimidated by the other man's physique, he does not show it. of course, Gilgamesh does not think in such terms. there is no denying Diarmuid is a hero of handsome proportions, as befitting a fellow legend. the King finds no flaw with what he sees -- not in that respect. the scars are fitting for a warrior. however, as Diarmuid himself has realized, what makes Gilgamesh a difficult opponent in this kind of contest is his sense of presence. self-doubt is simply not a part of the King's disposition. granted, his powers here are not at all what they were, obviously. in the strictly technical sense, he may or may not be at a disadvantage. but if the idea is that his presence must be copied...

... well, this should be Interesting, at least.

when that feral smirk again splits into laughter, Gilgamesh folds his arms. he finally looks quite genuinely amused. ]

So, you have decided to show yourself a man, after all! Very well. Then, let your deeds be the proof of your boldness.

[ he reaches up, purposefully spiking his hair. it just suits the Intense mood more, ok. ]

We who were once called the heroes of our people. In this or any world, I cannot be constrained as less than that. Do you remember yourself? As I said, prove yourself now. Go first and let me be the witness of your capabilities.

[ after all, Gilgamesh just wants his Entertainment. ]

[It starts so subtly that Gilgamesh might not even notice it at first. The glow starts at his mole in a soft pulsing light but quickly floods the rest of his face and exposed skin. The tips of his hair lighten, taking on a blonde colour that spreads through the rest like wildfire, changing its very texture and style as it burns through it. In under a minute, his dark curls have been replaced by Gilgamesh's trademark golden spikes and his eyes follow, turning crimson and changing shape with a few blinks. Even his build is different, mirroring the differences in where they carry their muscle with surprising accuracy. There are missteps, of course; the face isn't quite right (he still has a mole for starters) and neither is his skintone but overall... it's not bad.

And yet there's something altogether too reserved about it; while a decent copy superficially, his attitude is all wrong. Peculiar as it is to see, the faux King of Heroes seems as though he's been knocked down a rank or two in the aristocratic hierarchy. For all his efforts, Diarmuid doesn't quite have the bearing to make his disguise believable for the moment. He's still a knight in emperor's clothing.

Stranger still is that, when he speaks, a decidedly Irish accent comes out.]

I'll make no false claims as to my ability but- [He looks away, frowning. Again, the gesture is an odd fit on Gilgamesh.] But I will rise to meet your challenge, my lord.

[It's true he doesn't like him- hell, even wants to best him thoroughly- but that doesn't take away his royal status. Or perhaps it was that flicker of acknowledgement in his stare that softened his hostility; as one warrior to another, a hero facing a hero, he owes him a degree of respect. This is a duel and he'll not sully it with such pettiness.]

A few minutes more is all I ask.

[As he talks, his features are still shifting slightly beneath the glow, looking for the perfect shape.]

[ little does Diarmuid realize something extremely important and in fact game-changing about this encounter:

if only he had not been led by his own sense of Honor (you know, that ridiculous, self-effacing Honor that Saber is also into) to agree to go first in this encounter, he might have actually easily defeated Gilgamesh here. because here is a secret --

Gilgamesh's smug expression is a complete poker face.

you see, in actuality, there is no possible way Gilgamesh can ever mimic Diarmuid or enact the magic the professor has tasked him with, because to do so would be to imagine his own body altered somewhat or to see outside of himself to an extent he, especially in this context, is incapable of doing.

so, if Gilgamesh had gone first, he would have instantly lost.

but, Diarmuid went first, so now Gilgamesh is just doing this thing as the other heroic spirit mismanages his face. ]

Watch it, mongrel. [ though he does look a little like he is on the verge of laughter, his voice is a little... offended. even Gilgamesh seems ambiguous on whether to be amused or irritated, this time. ] Are you trying to insult me, hm?

Edited 2020-04-26 17:45 (UTC)

Hardly. [Finally, the features begin to settle- admittedly, on something that still isn't quite right but at least his eyes don't have his usual characteristic sleepy look and his jaw is more or less right. The next thing to appear are Gilgamesh's tattoos- or markings, or whatever those crimson lines adorning his skin are- and they materialize just as the mole fades away.]

By no means.

[There's little he can do about his voice or... basically everything else that he couldn't nail the first time around but he's doing his best. Even after all his studies, this is probably the limit of his ability- and he's not even sure how long he'll be able to hold it.]

Have I offended you?

[Good is his first thought. His second is a reflexive self-rebuke for thinking it. Regardless, Diarmuid can't help but look a little dejected- and that certainly doesn't help his disguise because he's sure that Gilgamesh has never felt inadequate in any of his lives. As much as he'd like to say that the opinion of someone as arrogant as this man means nothing to him, he's still a fellow warrior and a king no less. It's a weakness on his own part, Diarmuid thinks, that he still seeks his approval anyway.]

Edited 2020-04-26 19:06 (UTC)

[ Gilgamesh does not actually appear as offended as Diarmuid might expect.

certainly, botching any one of the King's perfect features should be ample reason for the man to be executed under ordinary law, but the further Diarmuid strains to shift the details of his face and body towards those of the golden king, the more Gilgamesh seems to be seeing through him.

soon, Gilgamesh appears not to see Diarmuid whatsoever. he is staring at a blank space.

there is no expression in his eyes, and there is no indication that he views himself or any feature of his reflected therein. ]

Unacceptable. [ the King of Heroes looks sidelong at the teacher. ] If even one hair on my head is out of place, it is an abject failure.

[ he says this with utter indifference, then returns his attention to Diarmuid.

Gilgamesh's amusement is sharp. ]

I shall acknowledge your peasant efforts. [ the King's eyes do finally settle on Diarmuid, though his expression remains distant. ] However, I commanded you to reveal the pride of my visage. Such grotesque superficiality reveals a basic misunderstanding of priorities.

[ the pride is Gilgamesh, and everything else follows from that.

he shrugs his shoulder and waves his hand dismissively. ]

Hm, well, that was quite dull. [ again, he looks to the teacher. ] I grant you permission to dismiss this commoner.

Edited 2020-05-15 01:39 (UTC)

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