Boy Meets Girl
"We can't escape this forest with Saber, and it's going to take a long time even if we are to heal her. Illya will catch us either way. Do you get it? For us to escape the forest with all three of us, we have to defeat Berserker. If we can't, we'll just share Archer's fate." After escaping the Einzbern mansion, Shirou, Saber, and Rin find themselves at the ruins of an old house. Now that Archer's been defeated at the hands of Berserker, and with Saber on the verge of disappearance, their firepower is almost nonexistent; finding some way of getting out of this situation is paramount.
"…Beat Berserker…?" But even imagining defeating that monster, that indestructible force of nature, is almost impossible. Rin must know that. She must know, and yet she suggests beating him all the same. "—No, that's not right. Oh—I see… Our only option is to beat him." Rin isn't suggesting they beat him to win; she's saying that if they all hope to survive, they need to beat him. There's just no other option.
"That's right. But it's not that hopeless. Even if it's Berserker, he should be wounded after fighting Archer. And I have all my reserve jewels, so if Saber recovers, I can come up with a few plans to beat him. —Looking at it from the other side, since Berserker is wounded right now, don't you think this is our best chance to beat Illyasviel?"
"…That may be true… but is there a way to heal Saber? Won't it be hard to treat her in a place like this?"
"No, the location doesn't matter for Saber's treatment. Saber is just weakened by lack of magical energy. If we replenish her stocks, she should be able to use her abilities like before."
"But what can we do, Tohsaka? First of all, our problem is that I can't give Saber magical energy, right?"
"There is a way. Yesterday… it's the day before, now, but I explained it to you then. There is one more method other than the sharing magic to give magical energy to your Servant. Back then… well, I didn't say anything because I didn't think it would end up like this.
"Hm—?" Yeah, now that he thinks about it she did say something like that. "I remember. Something about there being another way because a path exists…"
"Yes. You and Saber have not only a spiritually connected path, but also a physical path. So there's no need to use difficult magic to give her magical energy—all you have to do is transfer it directly."
"Hold on. You say 'transfer it directly', but how do I do that?"
Rin glances at Saber, refusing to meet his eyes. "Well… that's why I didn't bring it up before. Your… bodily fluids contain magical energy, and a… certain fluid is especially potent, so…" she trails off as her face turns deep red, not finishing her thought.
"'A certain fluid'…? W-wait, you can't mean—"
"I'm sorry, but yes, I do. H-hey, look on the bright side—at least it's with Saber, r-right?" She lets out a nervous chuckle in an attempt to lighten the mood.
"N-no, I can't possibly… there has to be some other way, right? If any bodily fluid would work, then what about blood?"
"Blood won't be efficient enough—any amount of blood that would be safe for you to lose won't have nearly enough energy to make a real difference."
"Then I'll give her an unsafe amount! I can't possibly—"
"No, Shirou. I shall not allow you to put yourself at risk in such a manner. What Rin proposes is okay. If it means your survival, I am willing to do what I must," Saber calls out steadily from the bed.
How is she so composed even at a time like this? But still, it wouldn't be right for them to just—
"I'm sorry to do this, but we don't have time for indecision. Stand still." While he remains frozen, Rin approaches, takes his head in her hands, and gives him a deep kiss. He resists, trying to pull his head away, but her grip behind his head is too strong and he ultimately only manages to break free when she's let go on her own, gasping for breath.
"Hah… hah… Tohsaka, you…"
"Sorry it was me, but I couldn't think of any other way to force a decision. Are you ready yet?"
"…Saber… are you sure you're okay with this? If you don't want to, I'm sure we can find some other way."
"As I said before, I shall do what is required to ensure your safety. Rin is correct, we do not have time for indecision."
"…Fine, I give. Err—Tohsaka, would you mind…?"
"Huh…? Oh, right," she says as she turns an even brighter red. "Yeah, I'll give you privacy. I'll just… wait outside, I guess."
She shuts the door behind her as she leaves, and Shirou and Saber find themselves alone. "I'm sorry I got you into this position, Saber."
"There is no problem, Shirou. Just give your orders, and I shall follow."
"…Orders? No, I'm not going to just tell you what to do and expect you to blindly follow at a time like this. If anything, you should be telling me what to do—it's my fault we're stuck like this to begin with."
"I cannot do that. A Servant should not give orders to their Master."
She's saying that now? It certainly didn't seem like she felt that way when she decided to attack the Temple on her own. "Fine, then let's do this together… I guess we should start by getting undressed?"
"Yes, if that is what you wish."
He sighs—she just doesn't get it. Even so, the two begin doing as he suggested. He strips himself of his shirt and sets it at the foot of the bed, Saber beginning to untie the ribbon around her collar as he does so. But in her weakened state, it seems to be causing her some difficulties.
"Here—let me help with that," he says as he gently pushes her hands away so he can finish off the knot for her. Once that's out of the way he continues down her shirt, unbuttoning it one by one as the fabric starts to come free of her body. Soon it's fully undone and he helps pull it out of her skirt and down her arms before piling it atop his own shirt. When he looks back at her, his face immediately heats up—he was basically acting on autopilot so he's only now realizing that he has a half-naked girl right in front of him, merely a plain white and blue bra covering her chest. "Saber," he breathes; even hardly able to see her in such a dark room, her beauty leaves him without words.
"Shall we proceed, Shirou?"
"Ah—yeah, right." He sits beside her on the bed and begins running his fingers along her soft skin. Gently rubbing her sides, he gradually works up the nerve to go further. With her breathing becoming more labored—though he's not sure whether that's because of his touch or her own weakened condition—he finally decides to take the next step and moves one hand behind her head.
Closing his eyes, he brings her in for a kiss, one that manages to be both soft and awkward; clearly none of them have much experience in this area. Their lips eventually part, both of them breathing deeply now. But even so, her expression is hardly different from when they'd started. If it weren't for the new slight redness to her complexion, he wouldn't have any idea if he was affecting her at all.
But they should move on. As much as he'd like to take his time, he shouldn't force Saber to remain in this state longer than necessary. And so, he moves his hands to her back. "Saber, can I…?"
"…Yes. Go ahead." At her confirmation—and with some difficulty—he unclips her bra and allows it to fall down and away from her body, leaving their torsos equally bare. As he leans back to help pull it off her arms, he takes a moment to drink in the sight in front of him.
"…beautiful," he whispers, quietly enough to be inaudible to her. Her small breasts compliment her slim figure perfectly, hardened nipples adorning them. Without thinking he brings his hands to her chest, softly caressing her breasts in each hand.
"Hmn—" she briefly moans with a closed mouth, unable to maintain her hardened exterior entirely. Taking the opening, he brings one arm behind her back and pulls her tight against his body, and she responds with a light embrace in turn. With their faces now almost touching, he closes the small distance separating them by bringing his head forward for a second kiss. This one is just as gentle as the first and only slightly less awkward.
The two separate again, gazing into each other's eyes as they take deep breaths. "…Shirou, I am ready to proceed," she says after steadying herself. How can she be so formal even at a time like this?
"…Yeah. Let's go ahead, then." He pulls away from her and gets off the bed before turning his attention back to her. Based on the ribbon earlier she'd likely struggle to get undressed on her own, so rather than undressing himself he begins untying her boots.
"Shirou, I can—"
"No, There's no reason for you to waste effort on this—or on arguing. Just let me take care of this." He pulls the first boot from her foot and then the next, then helps strip her of her skirt. With her body now only covered by her pantyhose and undergarments, he decides to finish undressing himself. He quickly pulls off his shoes and unbuttons and unzips his jeans, throwing the cloth onto the growing pile of discarded clothing.
But that's enough attention on himself. As he'd stripped his lower half Saber had begun to take off her pantyhose, but she seems to be having difficulties fully pulling them off her legs. He jumps in to aid her and finishes taking them off; now both of them are covered only by their underwear. Her panties match her bra, plain fabric in the same shades of white and blue. They're also definitely damp—so as much as she's tried to hide it, he has been having an effect on her.
"…You're sure about this, Saber?" He already knows what her answer will be. Asking again is really just a way to stall just a while longer.
"Yes. I am ready when you are."
He has no excuses left: it's time to face reality. As he briefly turns to take off his underwear, she pulls off her own. The last pieces of cloth that stood in the way are now gone; now everything can truly begin.
He climbs back onto the bed, propping himself over her with his arms as he simply stares down at her face. She still bears a neutral expression, her face not betraying any of her feelings. Yet even so, the way the dim moonlight reflects off her green eyes and golden hair enhances her beauty even further. When he tries to speak the words catch in his throat, so he simply lets his lips slowly fall into another kiss.
After a moment of this he brings an arm between her legs, gently prodding at her clit with a finger. "Mhm…" she lightly moans into his mouth, still not breaking her kiss. And with how she soon returns to almost complete silence, she's still not giving her true feelings away either. She was damp before, but soon he feels her fluids dripping down his finger and onto the bed sheets. It's time he stops hesitating. Breaking away from the kiss, he repositions himself so that his penis pokes directly at her entrance. He looks to her face a final time for confirmation, and rather than anything verbal he's met with a slight nod. With that, he slowly presses his hips forward, holding onto her waist.
Saber initially lets out a sharp breath as he first pushes into her, but soon she's fallen silent once again. He continues lightly thrusting forward, allowing both of them to become accustomed to the feeling as he plunges further and further inward, eventually fully enveloped within.
"Are you still okay, Saber?" Doing this might be necessary for their survival, but that doesn't mean her feelings shouldn't be taken into account—though he doubts she'd tell him if she were uncomfortable anyway.
"Yes. But Shirou, you do not need to hold back for my sake. Go at whatever pace you would like."
"…Yeah, I figured as much," he mutters. He can't tell if she's being honest or not, but if she's not complaining then he should probably start hurrying up a bit; they are on a time constraint. And so he gently pulls back before thrusting forward again, still gently but definitely with more force. Then again. Again. Again. Sweat pours down his body as he starts to burn up, breathing heavier and heavier. And though it's difficult, he can tell Saber must be feeling similarly. The dim moonlight reveals her complexion to be even more flushed, her skin shines with a layer of sweat, and her chest rapidly rises and falls with hasty breaths.
Putting more and more behind his thrusts, plunging in and out almost as quickly as he can, he can tell he's close to finally getting his release—or rather, to finishing their mission. He scolds himself for briefly thinking of this as anything other than a way for both of them to survive. It wouldn't be right to think of his own pleasure at a time like this, especially considering Saber continues to be silent even as he heavily pants—though her silence isn't absolute. She lets out another slight moan before biting her lip to stifle anything more, clamping her jaw shut with enough force to draw blood. The knuckles of her fingers are the only part of her body that remains pale as she tightly clutches at the sheets around her, and her eyes squeeze shut as she subtly writhes around on the bed.
"Saber—I'm almost there," he blurts out between breaths after a while longer, everything building to a boiling point within him. In response, Saber simply nods again and seems to bite down even harder. And a few thrusts later, he's at his limit. "Hah… hah—Saber!"
"Ngh—ahh!" As he finally orgasms she tries to muffle her own moans, but she can't fully hold back as she reaches her own release alongside him.
With their ordeal finally over, the two collapse on the bed, side-by-side. For a few moments they simply lie in silence as they calm themselves down and steady their breaths.
But this silence can't last. "Saber… are you feeling better now?" He has to at least make sure that this wasn't all for nothing—even if he's not ready to actually look at her again quite yet. It'll take another few minutes for that.
"…Hmm?—Oh, yes. I can already feel the mana coursing through my body; I expect my condition shall have returned to normal within minutes."
"…I'm glad." Nothing else needs to be said for now. Nothing needs to be said but they do need to start thinking about what comes next, so he pulls himself back up and stands to redress himself. A moment later Saber follows, and soon the two have returned to normal.
Well, not normal, exactly. The feeling in the air is definitely different than it had been before, though she doesn't seem to notice—the only difference in her mannerisms from days prior is what seems to be a reluctance to meet his gaze. It's only natural, he supposes; he can't deny that he feels the same. But even so, thanks to this they all have a chance at living to see tomorrow. No matter how things wind up between them, this was all worth it if it means Saber will be okay.
Author's Note
Before I get into anything else, I should probably explain my philosophy surrounding the Fate route's h-scenes. My belief is that having Shirou and Saber have sex in the story has a ton of potential for developing their relationship; unfortunately, the h-scenes we actually got didn't exactly do much in that area. Because of that, and because I wanted practice for writing smut in the future, I figured I'd take a crack at trying to write smut that could actually have a narrative purpose and keep Shirou and Saber in character rather than devolving into meaningless fanservice. This fic is written around that central premise. Between this chapter and the next, my aim is to showcase Shirou and Saber's character growth—but more details on that can wait until next time. For now, I'll just go over some of the changes I made in this chapter.
The first of these was to cut out Rin almost entirely. I kept her kissing Shirou in, but I knew she'd have to be gone before the actual sex. The Fate route's core is Shirou and Saber's relationship, so having Rin just insert herself into the sex scene doesn't make much sense to me. I also had her be much more awkward when she explains what Shirou and Saber need to do, which I feel fits better with her general personality. Stepping away from Rin, now let's look at Saber. One of her key character traits before the end of the route is that she constantly buries her feelings, and so I had her be borderline unresponsive throughout much of this. She barely moves, she barely moans, she barely does anything at all—but what she does do is hide the fact that she's enjoying herself, even when doing so means that she inflicts actual physical pain on herself. Even so, her emotionless facade isn't perfect, and by the end it begins to show cracks. This is intended to build into what we see over the next few days of the Fate route, her struggling with her feelings for Shirou now that they've become unavoidable and just becoming incredibly awkward around him. Finally, Shirou. I made him much more subdued than the original, and I tried to showcase his desire to put Saber over himself throughout this chapter. That about sums up what I did with him, really.
So this is the project I mentioned I was working on in the final AN of my other fic, Pursuit of the Dream. It's intended to replace the h-scenes within that fic's universe (and honestly, my mention of Rin taking Shirou's first kiss in chapter 8 of that fic is the only reason I kept it in here), but I can't imagine that'll ever come up when I write its sequel. Chapter 2 (What I've Gained) will be up soon, ideally on Valentine's Day. Until then, thanks for reading this far and just sticking with my first attempt at this kind of thing in general, I hope it isn't completely horrible.