for solomon

[merchantable]

[Another day, another summoning. Life goes on, for Solomon as much as anyone, and even with Goetia defeated, there are still problems that need Servants to solve them.]

Hello, I'm here - Your Majesty?!

[Sorry, Ritsuka, you're her new Master and all, but seeing Solomon in the flesh takes precedence. Sheba's ears wiggle, giving away her delight.]

Comments

[foolswisdom]

So you do!

[ No arguments there. Her reputation for that had preceded her, even in life. ]

You might enjoy wrangling the shop with Da Vinci, honestly.

[ And somewhere else in Chaldea, Ritsuka feels a cold shiver go down her spine. ]

[merchantable]

Oh, believe me, I already have ideas for new products our Master could make use of.

[say goodbye to your mana prisms Ritsuka]

[foolswisdom]

[ "I'm going to throw him back out into the ocean," Ritsuka is telling Mash somewhere. "I'll drag him back to Antarctica just to shove him facefirst into the snow."

Solomon blinks, and then--he laughs. There's nothing dignified or polite about it: it's a surprised little snort, involuntary and fond. It's nothing like the rare times he'd laughed, before. ]

Why am I not surprised? I'm glad that part of you is the same.

[ Ritsuka's rage continues, far away. ]

[merchantable]

[That laugh is adorable and it's patently unfair.]

Not all of us have made such an impressive transformation as you, Solomon.

[She's still the same Sheba he met that day.]

[foolswisdom]

I had some extenuating circumstances.

[ The tour is slowly coming to its end, but he's reluctant, he finds, to stop talking to her, or even let go of her hand. What a strange wonderful thing, to even have desires to act on, rather than having them all quelled before they could become fully-fledged things. ]

But... to be honest, I prefer myself as I am now.

[merchantable]

[As for her, you couldn't pay her to let go of his hand right now.]

Are you happy, now?

[foolswisdom]

Happy...?

[ Ah. He has to stop and consider that seriously for a moment, as much as he had the riddles she'd posed, long ago. ]

...

Do you know, I think I am.

[merchantable]

[It's as important a question as those riddles, or maybe even more. And just like then, she's delighted to hear his answer.]

Then - I would be honored to be a part of your happiness, Solomon.

[foolswisdom]

[ He pauses for a moment, like he isn't quite sure what to do--but in the end, he lifts his free hand, enough to brush his fingers over the curve of her cheek. ]

I'd say that now that you're here, you are.

[merchantable]

[She's so soft and this is illegal??? Her whole face goes red, skin warm under his fingers.]

S-Solomon... It's unfair that you can pull out lines like that with that face...

[But she's definitely not pulling away from his touch.]

[foolswisdom]

[ He might not have his divine cheatsheet any longer, but some things are just kind of muscle memory at this point. This is surely the point where he should pull away, but all he does is laugh, a little embarrassed himself. ]

This is my only face, now. I did wonder, sometimes, what you would have thought of the other one.

[merchantable]

I-I'm sure it was equally handsome! Ah, um, I mean...

[Please let the earth swallow her up, thanks.]

[foolswisdom]

[ Oh no... she's cute. ]

I couldn't tell you, to be honest. No one was terribly interested--but I'm sure there are photos. One of the Servants has taken quite a shine to photography.

[ Someone is going to show her the Count Romani Archaman picture and it will be his turn to simply launch himself into the sun rather than face her. ]

[merchantable]

Oh, have they? I'd pay to see those.

[Not something she says lightly.]

[foolswisdom]

[ He chokes briefly, but manages to (mostly) smooth that over. ]

Would you? You must really want to see them.

[ Note to self: See if you can scrub the database before Leonardo or Ritsuka can pull those up for her. ]

[merchantable]

Of course! When else will I have the opportunity to see candid photos of the great King Solomon?

[She bets you look like a dork in half of them.]

[foolswisdom]

It wouldn't even be this face! I was a very unremarkable man, back then.

[ He's... whining. Just a little. It never really worked for him as Roman, and it probably doesn't work for him now, but those tiny human habits are hard to shake, even now. ]

[merchantable]

But I would still know it was you.

[Which makes it all the more remarkable for being unremarkable.]

[foolswisdom]

You'll only find yourself disappointed...

[ The protest is half-hearted at best. He doesn't actually think she will be, but look. He has to try. He definitely needs to try and scrub the databases before she talks to anyone else about this. ]

[merchantable]

You aren't trying to keep me from seeing anything em~ba~rra~ssing, are you?

[get fucked, solomon.]

[foolswisdom]

Oh, I absolutely am.

[ HE'S A COWARD, THROUGH AND THROUGH. ]

[merchantable]

My oh my~ Now I especially need to get to those pictures before you do.

[foolswisdom]

You could have a little mercy on me...

[ His voice tips up as he says that, something close to an outright whine. He absolutely has to make sure he can delete those photos as soon as possible. ]

[merchantable]

I could, if you have something of equal value to offer instead.

[She's not unreasonable! But he should know better than to come to the negotiating table without anything to offer.]

[foolswisdom]

...I'm afraid I don't have any of the riches I once did, my lady. Sheba. The most I have to offer is my own company.

[ When in doubt: act pathetic and hope she thinks it's cute. ]