Coffee

Rider entered the cafe. She placed her loose fist on top of her chest and looked around. She had agreed to meet Archer Emiya here the other day, but she immediately wondered if she got the time wrong or if he maybe decided not to come.

"Over here."

Rider looked over to her left to see the tan skin man flagged her down. The teacher walked over to the table where the man stood. He pulled out her chair for her. A small smile appeared on his face. "I'm glad you could make it."

"Yes, thank you." She sat down into the chair before Archer pushed it in.

Archer moved across from her and sat in the chair opposite of her. A waitress came over to them to ask what they wanted. The two ordered individual styles of coffee before they focused back on one another. "So tell me about yourself, Rider Sensei." A light expression filled the man's features that made it seem easy to open up to him.

Rider's heart beat slightly faster at the sight. The man seemed so cool and easy going. Most men she had met in this country were all uptight and closed. Even the boys in her class never seemed to open up that much other than perhaps Shirou. She started to see where he got it from.

"Well, when I'm not working I like to read a lot," she began.

"Ah." Archer folded one arm over the table and rested his other hand on his cheek as he leaned forward. "So what's your favorite subject to read about?" He cracked a smile with interest. HIs eyes tickled as if he could listen to her all day.

Rider blushed. She placed her hands in her lap, lowering her head to hid some of her embarrassment. "Well, I like all kinds of subjects, but my favorite subject is ancient mythology."

"I've always found mythology interesting myself. More practically the different swords and weapons the heroes wielded." Archer interlocked his hands and rested his chin on top of them. He stared at the young woman intently.

Rider looked up at the man. "Why would you be so interested in their weapons? It was the heroes that won the battles and saved the day."

"They were ordinary men and women as well as demigods, but if they didn't have their legendary weapons they wouldn't have been able to destroy the monsters." He points at Rider. "Think about it. Where would King Arthur have been without Excalibur or Athena without her father's shield?"

Rider wrapped her hand around her chin. She fell into deep thought. "I never thought about that before." It was true in many stories most heroes didn't become great until they received some type of weapon or armor. Some had amazing abilities on their own, but they still wouldn't have defeated all their opponents without their legendary tools.

She smiled at the man. "Yes, I see your point. I guess I really never focused on the weapons. I'll have to keep that in mind from now on." She leaned forward. "So are you some type of weapon expert or something?"

"I have a strong interest in them yes, but I have a lot of other interest too," Archer informed.

"Like what?"

Archer sat up in his chair as the coffee was placed in front of them. He folded his arms across his chest. "When I was younger I did a lot of traveling to different countries. I never got to visit Greece though."

Rider took a sip of her coffee. "What countries did you get to see? England, perhaps?" She eyed him like one of her students who tried to hide something from her.

Grin appeared on Archer's face. He rubbed the back of his hair. "You caught that from my interest in Excalibur?"

"Maybe." She took another sip of her coffee, closing her eyes. Her eyes opened to glance at her watch. She jumped up to see the time. "Oh, no I'm going to be late for my first class." The school teacher grabbed her coffee and headed toward the door.

Archer shot up and stuck out his hand. "Hold on."

Rider quickly spun around. Her hair flown around her in a dazzling display that would capture any man's eyes. She stared at him in a panic.

Archer's body quivered as he tried to collect himself.

"I have to go, Mr. Emiya."

"Then please go out on a date with me."

"What?" This time Rider was utterly shock.

Archer walked up to her. "I like to go out on a date with you if that's alright. You seem like a beautiful person both inside and out and I like to get to know you a little better than just the meeting we just had. I also like you to get to know me better." He put on his most charming smile as he looked down at her.

Rider blushed brightly. "I-" She lowered her head. "I like that."

Archer closed his eyes and tilted his head, looking even more light hearted and charming than before. "I'm glad."

Rider gave a nod. "I have to go."

"Right."

Rider left the shop.

The door to Shirou's classroom flew open, getting all of the students' attention. Rider rushed into the room with her books and bag in hand. She quickly dropped her things on top of the desk as she caught her breath. "Sorry, I'm late class. I had uh, meeting before school."

Rider turned in the direction of her confused students. She placed her hands in front of her pants. "Let's begin."

The students still seemed to be bewildered by the sight. Rider sensei had never been one to be late beside Kazuki, she was the most professional teacher in the entire school. The students under their teacher's gaze soon got themselves together and welcomed her good morning.

Rider grabbed her book and quickly began row call. Only two of her students were absent for the day and she began homeroom for the day. Though Rider acted like her normal self for the rest of the day she couldn't help thinking about a certain tan man throughout.

The man had took a quick interest in her hobby and even had a unique prospect to it. The idea he was so interested in the weapons rather than the heroes or their exploits was kind of weird though. Still he was kind and he wasn't like most men around Japan. He took a true interest in knowing others and other cultures. He even had been to other countries like England.

He wished to know more about her and she wished to know more about him. The man had managed to slip her his cell phone number before she left the coffee shop so they could decide when they both were available.

"I'm home," a voice announced.

Archer slid open the door to the dining room. Illya sat on one of the cushions, watching one of her favorite shows about magical girls who collected cards. Archer rested his hand on his waist while he placed the other one on the door. "Where's Shirou at?"

Archer had already called his siblings to let them know that he would be late due to the number of repairs he had to finish by the next day. So Shirou would have to cook for his friends and do his homework before he got home.

Illya looked over at her big brother with her innocent red eyes. "He's in his room. Some people at school asked him to fix some stuff."

Archer sighed. His younger brother acted too much like he did at that age. He knew he needed to straighten him out. He left the dining room and headed for his brother's room. He slid open the door to see Shirou's back to him and his legs crossed.

"Shirou."

The redhead looked back as he held an open clock in his hands. "Oh hey, big brother. Did you finish all of your orders?"

Archer crossed his arms over his chest. "Just barely. Are you still putting your classmates' needs over your own?"

Shirou eyed his brother. "You did."

Archer lifted his head, shutting one eye. "And you know what happened to me."

Shirou knew that after his brother had graduated from high school he went out into the world to become a Hero of Justice. Shirou was only four years old at the time and didn't get to see his brother again until he was ten. When he came back to Japan he wasn't the same happy person their father and mother had told him about. The man that had come back seemed devoid of hope and was greatly angry.

Things were like that for an entire year. Archer refused to help anyone including his own siblings; his anger was greater toward Shirou than anyone else who reminded him of his younger self. He repeatedly tried to crush his dreams by telling him of the horror he witness and the evil things he had to do to save others. The man had lived up to his name, archer.

Archer had enough with his family's 'help' after a year and moved out of the household into his own apartment. He found himself a decent job and worked it, only acting well enough to keep his job, but kept to himself outside of it. Shirou came to hate his older brother. He had never bothered to visit his family when he ran out to be a hero and then after he came back he simply talked down to him and ignored him. Shirou swore he be a better hero than Archer ever was.

Two years later the unthinkable happened. Their parents were in a car accident as a robber tried to flee a bank heist. Their sweet mother died instantly at the scene while their father managed to hang on for over an hour after he was raced to the hospital.

The three siblings had went to their parents' funnel. Shirou tried to be strong only to let tears run down his face as he looked at the tombstone. Archer just stared at the sight, reading their names over and over again. His fists tense and tight. Illya cried her eyes out, hugging herself as she calmed it couldn't be true.

It seem the stone heart of Archer finally broke at the sight. Whereas he had always ignored the fact that he had a younger sister since he disappeared from Japan he finally came to see her for the first time. He saw the pain she was in and it washed over him.

To both of the younger siblings surprise their older brother's wrapped his large arms around them and he pulled them into him. He lowered his body down to theirs. Tears poured down his face. "I'm sorry, I'm so sorry for everything." He repeated the lines over and over again.

Afterward Archer moved out of his apartment and went back to his family home to take care of his siblings. His attitude toward them changed greatly. He still didn't agree with Shirou following the same path he had as he didn't want the boy's spirit to be crushed like his was, but he no longer talked down to him like a mere brat or verbal abused him every second they happen to run into each other. He just wanted his brother to look out for himself first then think of others. As for Illya he truly acted like a proper big brother and played with her, took her to the park and gave her gifts to make up for all the years he wasn't there for her.

Shirou looked at his brother. "You're forgetting one thing, big brother. I have Sakura."

Archer stared at his brother in surprise. "Oh, so you finally found the balls to ask her out? Good job, little brother."

Shirou blushed. "Sh-shut up! We've been going out for awhile you know that."

Archer chuckled.

Shirou looked away from his brother. "You should try to find someone yourself."

Archer shut his eyes and lowered his head. "Maybe you're right." All his life he focused on being a hero so much he never thought much about dating. It wasn't like he didn't have chances, plenty of girls found him handsome and he had saved many people that made him even more popular with them. Still he had only ever had one girlfriend in his life and she turned out to be a total witch.

"Goodnight, Shirou." Archer left the room and slid the door half close. "Don't screw things up with her. You'll be screwed for life if you do." He finished shutting the door.

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