Author's Note: Sorry for the delay. My pc croaked last Friday, and it took me until a couple days ago to get it fixed. That aside, the next updates will be FFF and TGC. I'm not sure yet in which order, but I'll update both before moving to the next story.
<[]>
I pulled the covers aside and pushed myself upright. For a moment, I sat there on the futon, back hunched and palms flat against my thighs, waiting for the haze of sleep to clear.
It took its time.
I covered a yawn, my eyes darting to the alarm clock.
Six in the morning.
My face scrunched. A dull ache pulsed behind my eyes, and my head felt stuffed with cotton.
My gaze drifted back to the futon. It looked obscenely comfortable from this angle. I could just lie back down and—
No. I shook my head, and the ache sloshed around with it. I wasn't skipping school over a headache. I'd walked home with steel in my shoulder last night, I could survive Fuji-nee's English class. Nap during lunch break or something.
I planted one foot on the tatami, then the other, and pushed myself up. Fingers laced above my head, I stretched until a vertebra shifted with a satisfying little pop, and let my arms drop with a long exhale.
My eyes wandered across the room and settled on the neatly packed futon by the wall.
Saber…
A frown tugged at the corners of my mouth as memories from last night flashed behind my eyes.
That could’ve gone a lot better.
At least Medusa was safe.
I looked down at my feet, a heavy breath slipping out from deep inside my chest.
I could’ve handled it better.
Another memory flashed past.
Green eyes under the streetlights, cold and judging. She hadn't raised her voice once, but her silence had spoken more.
I ran a hand through my hair and combed the image away.
We'd talked, and I'd apologized. She'd accepted, but everything I’d said had bounced off that stoic calm of hers without leaving a mark. Was it enough? I've been ordering her around like a minion and keeping her in the dark the whole time, even though she was supposed to be my greatest ally.
Something sour settled in my stomach. Some ally I’d been treating her as…
I owed her an explanation. A proper talk. I really should, but…
My shoulders dropped with a sigh.
I still couldn't tell her everything, could I?
Future knowledge. From another world. Where our lives were an eroge.
Yeah.
That sounded insane even inside my own head. Maybe she'd believe me. That was the scary part, because then she'd ask questions. Anyone would ask questions if I just up and dumped a pile of future knowledge on them, and—
And then what?
Sorry, Saber, I only saw the future, like, one time. I can’t tell you how, but I can’t do it again anyway, so don’t think about it too hard. Just trust me on this one, ok?
I dragged both hands down my face and groaned into my fingers.
Yeah, that wasn't happening. I'd have to lie to patch the holes, and every lie would make it worse until everything came apart.
I could still give them what I knew. I just had to be smart about how it got there.
Sighing, I rubbed my neck and rolled it until something clicked.
I had to do something nice for her. Extra servings at breakfast, grill that salmon she'd been eyeing yesterday—
No. Feeding her wouldn’t cut it.
I had to do better. I'd been taking her for granted this whole time, treating her like a minion when she was supposed to be my partner.
I wanted her to be my partner.
My teeth dug into my bottom lip as I looked at her futon again.
I had to clear the air and make things right. Saber deserved better than me fumbling around her like an idiot.
The clock caught my eye again, and I covered another yawn with the back of my hand. The talk would have to wait a bit though. Morning routine first. A body was no different from a blade; skip the maintenance and it dulled.
I moved to the middle of the room and rolled my shoulders and neck. Then I dropped down, palms flat on the tatami mat, and started pumping.
<[]>
I slid the dojo door open, the wooden frame rattling faintly in its track, and stepped inside. Warm air brushed against my skin, a welcome change from the wintry chill outside.
Saber sat near the center of the floor, her back straight as a drawn blade and her eyes closed. Morning light streamed through the high windows and spilled over her hair, turning the pale gold into something that looked molten. The rays painted soft lines across her blouse and long skirt, tracing the gentle slope of her shoulders.
Beautiful.
I pushed the thought aside and padded closer, my feet whispering against the polished wood.
Her eyes snapped open, and I stopped mid-stride, the weight of her gaze pressing down on my shoulders.
“You’re awake, Shirou.” Her voice carried through the dojo, soft as a bell.
My back straightened a fraction. She didn't sound upset like last night, but her eyes stayed on me, steady and unblinking, and the air between us felt heavier than it should.
"Good morning, Saber." I tried for a smile. It came out awkward and slid off after a moment. "Had a good rest?"
“I did,” she said. “I may not need to sleep, but a quiet night helps ease the mind.”
The sour feeling from earlier coiled anew above my stomach.
She’d sat up through the night again, keeping watch over me.
I’d talk her into taking shifts once Rider showed up.
I crossed the last few steps and stopped in front of her. “Saber, I…”
My throat closed around the rest of it. Her gaze didn't waver, and that didn't help. I breathed in through my nose, slow, and tried again.
“I apologize.”
Saber stared at me. The silence stretched for one breath, her gaze moving across my face as if reading something written there.
“What for?” she said. “I believe you’ve already done so last night.”
“For everything. For how I treated you.” My hand found my chest on its own, pressing flat over my heart. “I wanted us to stand on equal footing as Master and Servant, yet all I’ve done was order you around and insult your pride as a knight and king.”
The words hung there, stretching between us like smoke. Then Artoria rose, her skirt settling around her legs. She smoothed the fabric with one hand, fingers brushing down the pleats.
"I admit that I haven’t been too fond of the way you’ve treated me."
My throat clenched again. I swallowed past it and held her gaze.
“But I’m glad to see you’re working towards the promise you’ve made last night.”
Promise?
I paused as the memory flashed behind my eyes.
I said I’d do better. I'd stand by those words.
My head dipped forward into a bow before I even realized I was doing it. “I hope you can forgive me, Saber.”
The floor seemed an eternity away as I stood there, stock still, arms hanging limp at my side, waiting for her verdict. Then—
“Raise your head, Shirou.” Her voice carried through the silent dojo like a firm breeze. “I accept your apology. But from now, I expect you to stay true to your word.”
“I will, Saber. I promise.”
I looked up—and found forest green eyes right there. Saber stood a hand-span away, close enough to count her pale lashes, close enough to see the faint texture of her skin and the way her lips looked so soft and inviting—
I took a step back without thinking, heel scuffing against the floor, and shook my head.
Too close!
Artoria tilted her head to one side. "Is something the matter?" Her voice tickled against my ears. "Are you feeling unwell?"
My eyes darted from her face to the floor at my feet and stayed there as my thoughts turned into a jumbled mess.
I thought I'd sorted this out last night, but it was sinking in all over again how terribly beautiful she was.
My gaze crawled back up and settled on the safe patch of skin between her eyebrows.
"Ah, no." I pulled in a deep breath, suddenly aware of my heart hammering inside my chest. "Sorry, you just surprised me, that's all."
Wrong answer.
A slight furrow formed along Saber's brow, two small lines creasing the skin between her eyes.
"You handled yourself quite well last night. Why would something like this surprise you?"
I took another deep breath. It didn't help. My pulse kept racing, a steady drumbeat that refused to slow. I doubted it ever would at this rate.
A healthy boy, alone, with a beautiful girl right next to him?
How could a king be so dense?
“It’s your clothes.”
Saber tilted her head again. “Is there something wrong with them?”
"No, they're fine." I shook my head, and a smile crept onto my face despite my effort to keep it straight. "It's just, you had the image of a dignified warrior in that armor but seeing you up close dressed like this… well, you really look like a normal girl."
Saber's eyes widened ever so slightly, a beat of silence stretching between us. She placed a hand on her hip, fingers curling against the fabric, the other dropping to her side. A faint shade of red bloomed across her face, spreading from one cheek to the other like watercolor bleeding into paper.
“I see…”
We stared at each other, the air in the room thick and awkward.
Maybe she wasn’t as dense as I thought.
Saber cleared her throat. A frown curled her lips despite those traces of pink still flanking the bridge of her nose. “I haven’t sensed any Servant around the house yet. Shouldn’t Rider have returned if Sakura was the true Master?”
It took a moment for her words to sink. I ran my tongue over my front teeth and scratched the side of my jaw.
“Maybe she’s hiding from you?” I offered, and the lines on Saber’s brow deepened by a fraction.
“Why would she have the need, if we are supposed to become allies?”
How should I know? Rider had dodged bisection this time around, so it wasn't like she had to hole up somewhere and lick her wounds.
“I don’t know, Saber. Maybe Sakura’s scared. I’ll talk to her later.”
“Why not now?” Saber pressed, and I pursed my lips, a long quiet breath slipping out through my nose.
Because we’d barely slept on it and some things needed time to settle before you went poking at them.
“She might come to us first if we give her a bit more time. She’s always been shy. And we have school and it's getting late. We should save this for later, sit down, and have a proper talk about it.”
All true. All reasonable. I even believed most of it.
Saber held my gaze for a moment, eyes narrowing a hair as she weighed something. Then her chin dipped in a reluctant nod. “Very well.”
Good. Sakura didn't need that kind of talk dropped on her first thing in the morning.
"I've also been thinking about a plan going forward," I said, "and I'd like to have your counsel tonight. I'll share everything I've figured out so far, and we can decide on our next move together."
Saber blinked. Her spine, already straight as a pole, found another degree to add, and a curious gleam flashed through her eyes before her brows arched a fraction. “A war council?”
“Yeah, that’s a good way to put it.”
A smile twitched on my lips. Saber's mouth mirrored it half a second later, the corner lifting into something small and warm.
“Of course, Shirou. We’ll talk at length when you have the time.”
My eyes flicked to the clock hanging on the wall, and my lips pursed.
Really cutting it close here.
“Anyway—breakfast. Let's go.”
The change was instant. Artoria's shoulders rose the tiniest bit, her chin lifted, and her eyes lit up with an eager gleam that no royal poise could fully leash. The stern warrior-king vanished, replaced by a glutton doing her best to hide behind a composed nod.
I pressed my lips together to keep the chuckle in, but it slipped out anyway, disguised as a slow exhale through my nose.
Cute.
We headed for the exit in silence. Somewhere between the center of the floor and the door, a stray thought from last night floated up, and I glanced at Artoria.
“By the way, Saber. Last night, when you sent Rider flying with that kick—you had this faint blue aura around you. What was that?”
Saber stopped. She turned her head and fixed me with a gimlet eye. “Are you perchance referring to the part where you did not heed my warning, and got yourself dragged across the park like a kite?”
Her voice stayed calm the whole time. A shiver crawled down my back, and every instinct I owned voted for the door. I fought the urge down and scratched the back of my neck, dredging up a sheepish smile. “I guess I got swept up with the flow? I don’t really have experience fighting, so I just acted on instinct.”
Saber kept the glare on me while I stood there, cold sweat breaking over my back.
Then her chin dipped with a faint nod. “I see.” An ominous pause followed, her mouth tightening ever so slightly at the corners. “From now on, you will meet me here every morning and evening. I'll beat some proper combat discipline into you.”
My lips pulled back over my teeth as I bit through a grimace. My gaze flickered to the training swords propped against the wall on the left, and I swallowed a lump in my throat.
Oh boy. Future Shirou really had his work cut out for him.
I’d pray for him later.
“...Thanks, Saber.”
What else was there to say? Sparring with her would help me a lot. And hurt me a lot.
Worth it in the end, though.
“But you didn’t answer my question.”
Saber blinked. Her lips parted, but nothing came out, and then they pressed into a thin line while a hint of pink threatened her ears. “...Apologies. I got sidetracked.”
“No worries.” I gave her a wry smile. “I appreciate your lectures just as much.”
A strange look flickered across her face, gone before I could put a name to it, and then she schooled her features back into that regal mask.
“That aura you saw was the expelled mana from a technique known as ‘Mana Burst.’ I infuse a large amount of mana through my body or weapon, then release it in an instant to boost my power.”
So basically a Kaio-ken. Awesome.
I gave her a look I hoped read as academic curiosity. “Is it possible to learn this power?”
The look she gave me back was the one you'd give a child reaching for a hot stove. “Assuming you had enough mana to attempt it even once, your body would probably explode from the strain.”
I paused, lips pursing.
Explode, huh.
“What if I Reinforced myself first?”
Her eyes narrowed to green slits. “You are not a Servant. Do not try anything foolish, Shirou.”
I folded fast, both hands coming up as I nodded. "Nothing foolish. Got it."
It was something worth thinking about though.
I nodded once more for good measure and filed the topic away for later.
Even if I couldn’t pull off a Mana Burst like a Servant, it might still help me take my Reinforcement to the next level.
<[]>
I ran the dry cloth along the edge of a fork, turning it over in my fingers before setting it inside the cabinet with a small, satisfying clink. I reached for the next piece of cutlery, only to grab at empty air.
Huh. Done already—
“Alright!” A cheerful voice broke the quiet. “I’ll be going ahead. Thanks for the meal, Sakura!”
I glanced over my shoulder. Taiga pulled herself up from the table, arms stretching high above her head like a cat waking from a sunbeam nap. Her back arched, and she let out a satisfied groan. Then her eyes met mine.
Despite the smile plastered across her face, a shiver crawled down my spine.
“You better not play hooky again, Shirou.” The words came out playful, but there was a subtle edge buried underneath.
I met her narrow-eyed glare with a dry look. “You know I wouldn’t skip school unless something important happened.”
We stared at each other. Her eyes stayed locked on mine like a cat waiting for a mouse to twitch. Then she relented with a huff, her shoulders dropping.
Taiga turned to Saber with a bright smile. "Bye, Saber!"
My mouth twitched. Despite her namesake, Taiga could be a real pushover.
“Goodbye.” Artoria's reply came curt. She lifted her teacup and took another sip, eyes half-lidded.
I should grab her some snacks on the way back. She had leftovers in the fridge, but I had no illusions they’d last long enough. Maybe some taiyaki from that shop near the station. Or those cream puffs she'd eyed when we walked past that bakery.
Taiga snagged her bag from beside the table, slinging the strap over her shoulder, and padded toward the door. Her footsteps echoed through the hallway, followed by the sound of the front door sliding open and clicking shut.
The sound of running water stopped.
I turned towards the sink.
Sakura placed the last plate on the drying rack, water droplets sliding down the side. Then she paused, her hands hovering over the edge of the counter, and turned towards me.
“Senpai…” Her gaze dropped to the floor, lingered there for a moment, then flickered back to meet mine. “You went out last night, didn’t you?”
My hands stilled on the damp cloth I'd been holding, bunching it between my fingers.
“Did I wake you up?”
“No…” Her fingers found her elbow, gripping it through the fabric of her shirt. “I had some trouble falling asleep and I heard the door. I looked out the window and saw you leave.”
I fought back a grimace.
Crap. I’d worried her, didn’t I?
“You shouldn’t lose sleep over this kind of stuff.”
“But senpai…”
“Look, Sakura. You don’t have to worry about me. I have Saber with me and I—”
“I can’t help it! I can’t help but worry about you!” Sakura's voice rang loud through the kitchen.
My mouth snapped shut.
“You’re fighting in the Holy Grail War…” Sakura's hands found her apron, fingers twisting in the white fabric. “You asked me to stay here because you’re worried about me, but now I get to watch you leave and risk your life. How could I not worry about you?”
I stared at her. The words sat in my chest like stones.
She never raised her voice. Not at me. Not at anyone. It was unlike her. It was—
Completely justified.
My heart clenched.
A breath left me, deep and heavy.
“You’re right, Sakura. I’m just being a hypocrite. But I want to keep you safe.” Keep everyone safe. “I have to go out and fight so I can protect you.” Protect everyone. “I won’t ask you to stop worrying about me, but please trust me. I’ll be careful and won’t rush into anything without a plan.”
A beat of silence stretched between us.
Sakura worried her bottom lip between her teeth, gaze roaming across my body. Her eyes flickered up and met mine.
“Did you get into a fight last night?”
“Yeah. With Shinji.”
Sakura went stiff, her eyes snapping wide.
“He had a Servant and they attacked a woman for mana.” A frown pulled at my face, the memory sitting sour in my gut. “Saber won, and Shinji used up all his command seals. His Servant vanished, but I’m not sure if she’s gone.”
Silence hung thick between us, pressing down on my shoulders. Sakura stood there, frozen, her gaze fixed on the cupboards at her feet.
“Senpai…” Her voice came out small.
I sought her gaze, tilting my head to try and catch her eyes, but she kept staring down at the floor.
“Yes, Sakura?”
Her mouth quivered. Her right hand found her left, fingers tugging lightly at the edge of her sleeve. Then she let go, and her gaze drifted towards the hallway door.
“I should go back home—”
“No.” The word tore out of my mouth before she finished. Her eyes snapped back to me, wide and gleaming with something I couldn’t place. “I want you to stay with me. At least until the War is over.”
Color flooded into Sakura's cheeks, spreading soft pink across her face like spilled ink on thin paper. Her gaze shied away, dropping to somewhere around my collarbone.
I closed the gap between us in a single stride.
My arms wrapped around her, pulling her close. A quiet gasp escaped her lips, breath warm against my shoulder. Then her body relaxed into mine, the tension draining out of her with a long exhale.
I wasn't letting her go.
My left hand found the back of her head, fingers sliding through her hair as I stroked gently.
Not now. Not ever.
Sakura's arms wrapped around my back, her hands pressing flat against my shirt. We stayed like that, her soft breath tickling the crook of my neck and her warmth seeping into my skin.
I don't know how long we stood there.
Then her hands pulled away from me, palms brushing a gentle trail down my sides as she took a step back.
"We should get going too, senpai." Her gaze settled somewhere over my shoulder, the tips of her ears burning crimson. "It's getting late."
Cute.
“Sure.” I smiled. “But before we go, there’s something I want to give you.”
Sakura tilted her head slightly to one side, a curious gleam sparking in her eyes.
I held both hands out in front of me, fingers curled loosely around empty air.
Trace On.
My circuits hummed to life, Od flooding through them like liquid fire as I reached for the blueprint etched into my soul.
Light gathered between my fingers, and the shape turned solid—a golden sheath that glowed like a fragment of the sun.
Sakura’s eyes went wide.
I grasped the Everdistant Utopia and held it over my palms.
“Here, take this.”
It only needed some mana from Saber, and it should last a good while.
Sakura stared at the golden sheath, her lips parted slightly.
“Senpai…” she breathed out. “What’s this?”
A smile twitched on my lips, pulling them up at one corner.
“Health insurance.”
<[]>
The walk to school was quiet. Sakura and I fell into step beside each other, our footsteps matching on the pavement. My gaze wandered around, scanning the street out of habit.
A shimmer of light caught my eye. I turned my head.
On a fence a few meters away, a bird perched motionless. Thin and glimmering, with a body that seemed woven from threads of light.
Illya’s familiar.
It stared at me. I stared back.
The moment stretched. My pulse ticked up a notch.
Then the bird spread its wings and launched itself into the air with a ripple of crystalline light.
My eyes darted to Sakura. She walked on, gaze fixed ahead and lips curved in a small, peaceful expression.
I looked back at the bird. It circled once overhead in a slow, deliberate loop, then flew off down a side street.
My teeth found my bottom lip, dragging over the skin as I glanced at Sakura.
Letting her go to school alone…
It should be fine, right?
Shinji didn't have Rider anymore. He might not even show his stupid face after that beating from last night. And even if he did, Illya could have a familiar keep an eye on her.
“Sakura.”
Her head turned towards me, and her eyes met mine with a silent question.
“Please go ahead without me. I need to take care of something.”
I stopped walking. She did the same, a half-step later. A beat of silence stretched between us while we stood there awkwardly on the street.
Sakura turned fully to face me. Her brows drew together, lips parting slightly as she tilted her head.
“Senpai? What about school?”
“I’ll come later.” I pushed a smile onto my face, trying to make it reach my eyes. “Sorry Sakura, but someone wants to talk to me, and it might be really important. I’ll explain when I get back.”
Sakura's expression shifted, a tiny frown curling her lips downward as her eyes searched my face.
“Please be careful, senpai.”
A dull pang stabbed at my chest.
“I will.”
I turned around and left, chasing after that bird.