…

A Moment of Respite

Blackness. That was all the eyes of his armor registered around him. It was quiet. No sound was present anywhere. No source of light found. So it all comes back to this. He found himself back inside the ocean of darkness. Was that all a lie? A dream? An illusion? As he moved his shoulders however, he could see the darkness around him shift slightly. Perplexed, he stretched his arms forward, and the shroud of darkness shifted, until a wave of moonlight graced his vision. It was only then could he feel the soft fabric of the mattress against his armored frame, and the soft blanket that was draped across his whole body and shoulders (and consequently directly over all his "eyes").

He sat up on the mattress, the comforter sliding off his body. Where was he? He looked around and saw that he was in a dark room with a TV in front of the bed, and a red leather chair next to a coffee table with some complimentary candies and mint on the glass surface. Right next to them is a big sign saying "Welcome!" and "Thank you!". A motel of some sort? He gazed at the window above the chair, and saw that it was open, the chill nightly breeze blowing against the curtains gently as the moonlight's rays reflected off his armor.

He did not know what happened after passing out, but judging by the open window, he could only conclude that someone must've smuggled him through the window. The room was most likely paid for by Emiya. A wave of shame washed over him, followed by a sense of worry. The woman. She was alone with an enemy servant after he fell. His panic subsided when he heard the sound of soft snoring coming from the side of the bed. He looked down and saw the white haired homunculus, sitting beside the bed he laid on, with her knees crossed on the carpet floor and her arms spread on the sheets. Her head laid on her arms as makeshift pillows as she snoozed.

Saber sighed as he placed his palm against his mask. Honestly, surely she should know that he's nothing more than an empty suit of armor, yet he's the one snuggled in a warm bed with comforters. Meanwhile here she was, sitting down next to the bed on the floor, shaking from the cold air that blew from the open window. She's gonna catch a cold at this rate.

"Troublesome woman..."

Irisviel sighed contently as she snuggled into the warm comforters that suddenly enveloped her body.

"H-huh?" Her eyes slowly opened, and she let out a slight yawn. She jumped slightly on the mattress when found herself on the same bed she made for Saber. Her eyes searched for the armor clad servant, perplexed as to why she was in the bed, and he wasn't. She found him sitting on the red leather chair with his legs crossed, and his elbow on the coffee table, supporting his head. The moonlight bathed down onto the armor, creating a radiant image, like she was staring at a righteous warrior from the heavens sitting on a throne. She was about to assume that he was asleep, until his voice pierced through the silent night.

"You should rest."

Irisviel was stunned for a second. She was about to inquire why he wasn't resting, even though he was the one that passed out after the fight. Still though, she smiled warmly at the servant. She lowered herself and pulled the covers over her shoulder, and laid her head onto the soft pillow.

"Thank you, Saber."

"Hmph."

…

A/N: Sorry for not updating in a while. I know it's been like 6 months since the last update. So I wanted to make this little filler as a way to say that this story is not dead, since a lot of you have been asking me if I abandoned this story. I've been working on my other story, but after I finish a chapter for that one, I'll be back to working on Hero Of Justice. So don't worry guys. Don't think of this story as dead. Think of it as...a moment of respite.