Cold by MissCaster
Rin muttered a one-word cuss under her breath as she sneezed for the umpteenth time. What's worse? She has been out there for only twenty minutes and she has been sneezing along her way to the grocery store and back home.
If Archer was with her, he has no doubt of filling the atmosphere with endless sarcasm on her stubbornness of accepting that she has a cold. It wasn't her fault that Emiya suggested the idea of celebrating New Year at her home and everyone agreed, including her, though reluctantly. Everything had gone perfectly fine until she started to sneeze continuously this morning when she was awaken from Archer's morning call.
Being his usual concerned self, he had told her that he'll run the errands of buying the groceries instead, that was before he started to speak sarcasm. Just by remembering that conversation was enough to make her grit her teeth in annoyance.
"That Archer. Who does he think he is?" she muttered to herself, her voice ceasing to feel better from her sore throat.
She clutched her thick coat tighter as she noticed the snow had started to fall again. If there was one thing about her that everyone should know was that she is a determined person. She will not give up just because of this cold she's having. Archer simply noted her attitude as stubborn.
Rin started to walk faster as the weather turned into another shade of darker gray. It's better to reach home before nighttime, she had noted while glancing up at the sky. This has nothing to do with the story that none other than that certain servant had told her the other day. For some reason, he seemed to have been enjoying his every spare time in teasing her in which she ignored, most of the time. Her head started to hurt and all she wanted now was to get home, fast.
As she reached for the doorknob of her home, she twisted it open with a grateful sigh. At least the torture, or she meant by the typical flu, will lessen. She wore her slippers and dashed for the kitchen in order to obtain some medicine. Gulping down the bittersweet liquid, she quickly drank the glass of water to rid of the taste. She didn't even bother to clean up the glass.
Lazily, she went to the couch and switched on the television to fill in the deafening silence that she had grown to. Her coat still clung loyally to her as she slowly daze off to her dreamland thanks to the effectiveness of the flu medicine.
"Rin, Rin," she grunted at voice and a gentle force that shook her body awake.
"What is it?" she demanded without blinking an eye open.
She could make out a sigh from the latter. "You'll definitely have your whole body aching from your bad sleeping position."
"Mmm." She grunted again without inching a bit at his advice.
Then she could feel a colder hand touching her forehead. She then blinked open both her eyes only meeting the blinding lights of the chandelier. She quickly closed her eyelids.
"Feeling any better?" she squinted her eyes at Archer and shook her head. "Come on let's get you to your room." He tried to support Rin but was pushed away in response.
"I can walk by myself." She replied.
She tried to sit up straight but her throbbing head sent her back into lying down again. Clasping her head with her left hand, she tried to sit up again, with another supporting at the hand rest of the couch. Blinking her eyes open again, she met with another pair that looked her back with an amused smirk.
"Your stubbornness has reached a whole new level, are you aware of that?" he stated, smirk still visible on his lips.
"Shut up." Rin hissed while struggling to sit up straight.
Moments of trying, with him still watching at her, she had decided gave up.
"I'll be fine lying here." She said while covering her eyes with the lower part of her right arm.
She then heard a sigh coming from her opposite followed by footsteps that went closer and closer towards her but she merely ignored it. Next, she felt a pair of strong arms scooping her body upwards in which made her startle greatly.
"Don't go against it, you're still too weak now." He spoke before she could protest.
Leaving with no other options but to obey, she wrapped both her arms around his neck as he carried her upstairs and to her comfy bedroom. She coughed a bit before she started to speak.
"Thanks." She muttered in a very small voice, a tint of blush appear across her cheeks.
She could easily recognize the warmth of her bedroom as they entered. For some reason, since Archer had carried her back to her room, she couldn't help but stared at the pair of gray eyes thoughtfully. Caught up with her sight, he flashed a gentle smile. It felt different, Rin had thought. There was no hint of sarcasm this time. For some reason, she turned away as her cheeks felt warmer. For the second time in just mere minutes, he had succeeded in making the emotionless Rin Tohsaka blush. Unbelievable, she thought.
When he placed her on her bed, she quickly took off her damp coat and snuggled in her thick blanket, in which she might add Archer had helped in tugging her in. Without even realizing, she had dozed off.
"Hey," she felt a nudge on the shoulder only to see none other than the silver-haired man. "It's time to take your medicine."
Still feeling groggy but with a reduced headache, she got up and drank the medicine and a glass of water without saying a word. She instantly went back lying down and covered her face with a plush pillow.
"Get well soon." Archer said as he started for the door.
"You're annoying." Rin replied in a muffled voice.
Archer chuckled as he walked out. At least the Rin he knew had returned and got better from her mortal enemy, none other than the usual cold.
Shiro glanced at his wristwatch that showed 8:15 p.m. Fifteen minutes later than promised and he knows better than anyone else that she's definitely unpleasant for it. But now, confusion clearly settled in him and Saber, whom stood silently with furrowed brows.
"Why do you think she's not opening the door?" he asked her while his fingers kept on pressing the doorbell. Saber shrugs as she brushes off the snow on her hair. "She's probably not home." He stepped back to look at the window only to see it light up.
"Something's wrong." Saber said in alarm while glancing Shiro a worried look.
Without wasting another second, Shiro dashed to the door and twisted it open slowly. He shot Saber a look as he successfully pushed the door inwards. As the duo entered, they had noticed that the living room was darker than usual. There was no sign of the others except for the two. Glancing around the empty room to make a brief observation, Saber then told Shiro that nothing looked suspicious except for the fact that it was quiet, too quiet for their own comfort.
The two then walked up the stairs to Rin's room to investigate more. Just like earlier, Shiro was the one whom reached for the door. Much to his shock it was not even closed. He then pushed the door as quiet as possible while peeking in the semi-dark room and was frozen by his sight.
"Shiro, what's wrong?" Saber asked but didn't wait long for him to respond.
Curious, she decided to peek in as well and was caught speechless.
They saw Rin sleeping soundlessly on her bed but what really did catch their full attention was that particular person next to her. In the dim light, they could make out that it was Archer. He stayed sitting up with his head tilting to the left a little, indicating that he was asleep.
Being as caring as ever, Shiro stepped inside to ensure the two was alright despite Saber's protest. Little did he knew, he had accidentally knocked off a pen from the study table beside them. Glancing over at the two, he found that Archer was wide awake and Rin stood up straight.
"I'm sorry." He muttered while Saber was fighting the urge to scold the red-head.
Archer went over to switch the main light on with a smug expression.
"Not interrupting anything important, I hope." Saber stated out of the blue.
Ilya and Taiga had arrived later. Everyone started busting in and out the kitchen preparing late dinner. Rin had insisted to help but Archer had forbid her to even enter the kitchen, much to her annoyances.
The small get-together went on well for everyone, even for Rin. Being the less talkative one, she did engage in multiple conversations in the group. Archer, who had been studying her since then, smiled a little at his master that goes noticed by her.
She had shot him a questioning look but he only dismissed it with a shake of his head.
He had woken up from a nap that he didn't even realise he had by a cold gust of wind. He got up from his seat to close the window at the far corner of the room. Looking out for awhile, he noticed that it was still snowing.
Walking back to his seat to clean the table without waking up the group, he had noticed that someone's not there. Rin.
He abandoned the scattered wrapping papers on the floor and went upstairs in search of her, worried that she might have trouble by her cold again. As he walked pass by, he caught a glimpse of a figure similar to her at the balcony. He walked back to it shortly.
"You shouldn't stay out in the cold." He advised and leant to the balcony rail right next to her.
She scoffed and that made him look at her. Yup, the Rin Tohsaka he knew was back and feeling a little better now.
"I know."
He had expected a retort from her, but agreeing? That's new.
"Thanks," she avoided looking at him even the slightest bit. "For going through all that."
Rin was never someone who could open up ever so easily. But to him, she's like an open book, easy to read but hard to decipher. She's been trying her best to show her gratitude towards him. He just chuckled at that.
"You're welcome."
They just stood silent while enjoying the view of snow and the thickening snow pile underneath them. A smile crept upon her face as she continued to look beyond. From the corner of his eyes, he had spotted her smile, again.
"What are you looking at?" she snapped.
He returned the same genuine smile to her in which made her look away again. Taking a glance at her wrist watch, Rin grinned and turned at Archer, totally forgetting the moment before.
"Happy New Year, Archer." She grinned and he looked somewhat shocked.
He cocked an eyebrow and smiled. "Happy New Year, Rin."
Archer then took off his sweater and wrapped it around Rin's figure, simply adding up the already-thick layers of sweater Rin had been wearing.
"I told you, I'm fine." She said while pushing the black oversized sweater off but he pulled it up to her shoulders again.
"For once in awhile, don't be stubborn would you?" He rested his hands atop of her shoulders.
"Fine." She sighed in defeat.
Archer, on the other hand, was smiling triumphantly behind her. Maybe, just maybe, she had always had a soft spot for him.
She just smiled at that thought.
Hope you enjoy the story and Happy New Year !
MissCaster