infestedwithmadness 

Visitors. Well, one visitor, and he wasn’t sure if he was happy about it - everyone who was allowed to visit him, he didn’t want to see. The few people, who actually would visit him… well, Rin were one of them, but he just wasn’t sure why she of all people would come visit him, after what he had done. What pain he had caused her. The therapist said, that he hadn’t been in his right mind back then, and that yes, he should feel bad, that was normal. And he shouldn’t forget, though he should forgive himself - something he hadn’t been capable of, ever since his mind had cleared up a little. He still sometimes felt it. What he called madness, and what he didn’t remember the clinical term for it was, but it didn’t sound as threatening, and still it made him nervous to hear it. It wouldn’t go away. The therapist had said that it would get better, but that was just a nice way of saying ‘your’re in for the long run, enjoy being crazy for the rest of your life’. Then again, he probably hadn’t been normal before. Better, he sometimes thought, but he didn’t think very often. Or very much. The medicine made him tired enough not to, and he was thankful for that.

Yet he wasn’t tired enough not to be nervous. Not to be scared. They were able to meet in his room. He wasn’t dangerous, not for others (not anymore) and most of the time, not for himself either. But if she wanted to, someone would watch, at the door. He had asked an hour ago. He didn’t want her to be scared, though he doubted it. Rin had had an impossible courage back then, the kind that couldn’t be destroyed by nobody and nothing, and what she had gone through had probably only made her stronger. She wasn’t very similar to her father on that regard (and he didn’t just say that because he still didn’t like Tokiomi) and to be honest, not like her mother, either.

He got up from his bed, walked over to the table with two chairs (one that he had gotten from someone for the visitor to sit on) and stopped, rigth in front of it. How old was Rin now? He had lost track of the time in here. He had asked not to celebrate any birthdays, like he hadn’t for years. He didn’t want to know how much time he had left. It couldn’t be much. But he already looked like a corpse, so how should anyone determine by his looks? Though he looked a little better now. His limp had gotten better, and walking didn’t hurt. Not much hurt, most of the time - but that could be thanks to the painkillers…

He stared down on the table, lost in thoughts, and for the moment, forgetting the world around him.

Sometimes you found the oddest things.

Rin had spent a lot of time perusing various medical options for Sakura. Her own knowledge of healing magecraft was sketchy at best. While she had learned a lot since she had discovered Sakura's condition, she didn't want to only rely on her own skills. Sakura needed expert care.

Talking with various doctors revealed that they had, in fact, seen someone with a condition similar to Sakura's.

Matou Kariya.

Rin had been shocked. She hadn't seen or heard from the man since she was a child. In fact, she had barely thought of him. After her father died, and her mother had lost her mind, Rin's primary concern had been survival. She would do as her father dictated. She would become a great magus. She would win the Grail War. She would be a successor the Tohsaka's could be proud of.

Well, she had won the Grail War, though she was still working on the 'great' part of being a magus. As far as being someone her father would be proud of... she wasn't sure she wanted that anymore. 

In any case, once she found out that Kariya was actually alive, she knew she had to visit him.

Rin entered the room, looking around for a moment. Where was he? She didn't - 

She flinched a little, seeing the man sitting, waiting for her. This was not the kind, gentle looking man she remembered from her memories. What had happened to him?

You know what happened. The Matou happened.

The doctors had said that the damange had been more pronounced in the 'other subject's case' but she hadn't expected to see it. The worms' alterations to Sakura had mostly been invisible, save for the change in her coloration. 

The same could not be said for Kariya at all.

She couldn't believe what she saw in front of her. It was someone who she hasn't seen for a long time, maybe before she went to study abroad, not knowing anything what happened in Fuyuki. Blame her father who kept her oblivious about everything.

“Would you kill to save a life?”

Kayneth would be lying if he didn’t know someone from a prestigious magus bloodline, or maybe former because he recalled Matou can no longer produce a magus, but he heard the one supposed to be the heir ran away? Not his business, but you can’t avoid a rumour if you had a pair of ears.

So, when he encountered the man, who doesn’t seem to have the power to fight him, he just threw the question to him.

∇ - Old age headcanon

The thought of old age doesn’t really apply to Maiya, since she was constantly on the battlefield or some dangerous business, it is almost a guaranteed fact that she would die in combat, or of a fatal wound. If, however, she managed to survive till old age, she would probably spend it volunteering in an orphanage. She still has a long way to go before she can show love and kindness openly to others, but she would contribute in her own way, either by donating anonymously or helping out in her own quiet way.

☄ - Food headcanon

For Maiya, food is fuel. She doesn’t care what she eats, as long as it is sufficient for her to function. One abnormality is that she has a special favor for western desserts, especially strawberry parfaits, in which she would try to acquire one and consume it once a week. 

☆ - Appearence headcanon

She doesn’t care about how she looks, as long as she is able to complete her job. If her job requires her to dress as discreetly as possible, she will do it. If she has to dress like a normal person to avoid being looked upon as suspicious, she would also do it. In short, she doesn’t care about fashion or the latest trend, she just wears what’s practical.

In terms of her hair, she decided to keep it short because its easier to manage, and also more practical that way. She is naturally slim because of her job. 

♒ - Family headcanon

[you’re welcome. c:]

It started out as an unexpected but happy reunion. In the middle of the night, Aoi had received a call from Kariya, telling her to wake Rin up and to meet him in the park where they always used to play. She didn’t know what to expect as she drove her way there with her daughter in the dead of night, wearing only jackets over their sleeping clothes.

But it definitely wasn’t Sakura.

The moment the mother and sister caught sight of the small girl, all prior agreements were forgotten as they ran and embraced her. It was surprising- how much Sakura had changed both physically and in terms of personality in only a year. At first, she didn’t even respond to the hug, like she didn’t know what to do or like she thought that the family before her was unreal but, in the end, she returned the gesture. 

But where was Kariya? 

As happy as they were to see Sakura, where was the one who told them to come here, anyway?

Given that they were the only ones at the park, the scarred man wasn’t hard to find after taking a quick look around. He was standing not too far from them, leaning next to one of the lamp posts, holding his arm close to his person as he smiled weakly at the three of them. 

Aoi was just about to approach him to say her thanks and ask him to elaborate on the Matou’s treatment of her second daughter when, without warning, he passed out.

He landed on the cold, hard ground with a thump that reverberated throughout the area. Against all expectations, he didn’t make a move to get up nor did he move at all. His sickly grey flesh only heightened his childhood friend’s fear for the worst.

"Kariya?" Hesitating for a brief moment, Aoi took the man’s hand and felt for a pulse.

None.

"…!!" She tried to feel for a heartbeat again, this time by putting a hand on his chest and placing two fingers on the side of his neck.

Still none.

 No, no, no! How could Kariya be dead? Wasn’t he alive just a few moments ago? How could this happen now, when she had much to say…to ask him?