Bree! Beepbeepbeepbeepbeepbeepbeepbeep-
A closed fist smashes into the top of the alarm clock, silencing it rather effectively (and most likely forever, considering how much force was put into the punch). Bleary emerald green eyes hazy with sleep-mist and the dull remnants of dreams blink open into the unforgiving light of the morning sun shining through the window blinds. She grumbles from her comfortable position on the bed, throwing an arm over her eyes in order to protect them from the dreadful onslaught of waking aureolin glimmering from just beyond the horizon.
No, she wasn't very energetic today. Not at all. Was she ever?
Consciousness slowly creeps back as Artoria Pendragon rubs the sleepiness from her eyes, mouth open as a yawn akin to a lion's roar rumbles from her throat. She's always hated mornings with a passion - it's so much easier to just lose herself in the warm embrace of fluffy cotton sheets and the lazy swirl of a three-pronged fan hanging above her head slipping cool air across her face. And of course, it's a weekend, so she plans to do just that.
"Arty! It's morning time, wakey wakey!"
Oh, god.
The energetic voice of someone too familiar - Guinevere, nicknamed Gwen ever since their childhood together - bursts through her door almost literally, the brown-haired blitz slamming open the entrance to Artoria's room.
Gwen has always been like this for as long as Artoria can remember, the two being opposite sides of the same coin. In stark contrast to the blonde-haired college student, Gwen was bright, super sociable outside of her own circle of friends, loud, and a morning person. People had often laughed about how different the two were, joking that they were destined to either be the best of friends or worst of enemies. Thankfully, fate had guided them to be the former rather than the latter through a chance encounter as pen pals in elementary school.
Well, enough reminiscing, Artoria thinks to herself.
"God, Gwen, can't you ever come in at a decent time? It's Saturday and seven o' clock in the morning, give me a break," she groans, voice carefully tuned to carry just enough disinterest. Artoria isn't quite awake just yet, that much is obvious from the way her face is buried in the soft clouds of her pillows. This sort of exchange is almost a sort of ritual for the both of them, something that they both find intimate and familiar and an irreplaceable part of their mornings ever since the two had become roommates.
"Nope! It's seven thirty, actually, and I did tell you yesterday that I wanted to introduce you to the cute boy who works at that nice coffee shop you love! You know, the one on 13th Street? He only works in the mornings, but I know he's definitely your type~!" Despite her roommate's grumbles and growls, Gwen nevertheless kept prodding at Artoria to get up, bright smile completely undeterred. It's an infuriating kind of grin that she knew already that she'd won the argument ever since she'd mentioned the word 'coffee' in front of a tired Artoria. She wraps a hand around the blonde girl's arm, pulling her out of the bed and out onto the floor, earning a dramatic sigh from Artoria. "C'mon Arty, up and at 'em!"
Artoria shoots a glare at her, sitting up while stretching out her arms and allowing the bones to crack and relax in ways probably inhuman. "You could afford to be a little less loud this early in the morning. But buy me coffee and it's all forgiven," she quips, huffing a little bit in irritation as a hand finds its way onto the mattress to pull herself to full height.
She pulls irritably at a crease in her sheets. (Mornings were always so horrible. Back when she was younger, Kay would always shake her out of bed and Ector would always greet her with burnt toast and sour jam. She loved them both, of course, but sometimes it was nice to live, well, not quite by herself, but at least out of the house.
But other times, she wakes up in the middle of the night, realizing that she can't hear Kay's snoring or the sound of Ector rustling up a midnight snack. It's during those times that she feels the most lonely, and it's those times where she's glad that she has a roommate.
It's a good thing that Gwen's there.)
-x-
They're out on the street now, and the wind is damn cold.
Artoria shivers in her thin jacket, rubbing her arms as another gust ruffles through her golden hair. I should've worn something thicker, she berates herself. Thankfully, the coffee shop was only a few minutes' walk away, so the temperature was bearable until they reached it.
Nevertheless, she was still going to grouch at Gwen about how cold it was
"You dragged me out at seven thirty in the morning for this?!" she hisses, although it's not tainted with anger but rather playful teasing. "I'm freezing in my boots here, Gwen! You know that I hate the cold!"
The brown-haired girl merely giggles in between her fingers at her moping friend, like summer sunbeams through the frozen air, and try as she might Artoria can't even be angry at the cute idiot that Guinevere de Troyes was. "Oh, stop exaggerating, Arty! If you've got enough energy to grump at me about the temperature, you've got enough energy to tough it out! Besides, we're already here!"
The sound of a ringing bell echoes throughout the cool autumn air as Gwen shoves open the door, dragging a reluctant Artoria behind her into the cafe. Immediately, there's the bitter, nutty scent of coffee drifting around, making the blonde girl breathe in deeply. She's always loved the strong smell of the caffeinated drink; it's always managed to kick her awake, whether it be on a dark and dreary morning during exam week or a simple off-day with her friends.
And then the moment was ruined by an elbow to the ribs, courtesy of Gwen.
"Ooh, ooh, there he is! Mister Emiya Shirou himself, probably the cutest boy you'll find within a hundred miles anywhere around here!"
Gwen stretches out a finger to point at the barista working the counter. Well, Artoria did have to admit that he was rather good-looking; auburn hair, golden-brown eyes, and a face set into a smile that could send most girls reeling at twenty feet.
(No, her heart is most definitely not leaping out of her chest and into her throat right now. Just because he's handsome and cute and that awkward smile makes her feel weak in the knees doesn't mean anything.)
He smiles at them.
And suddenly something in the air changes, because nothing can stop the blood from rushing straight to Artoria's cheeks and ears and lighting up her entire face with a cherry pink blush-
Oh, no.
She's in love.
_
A/N: Hello! I hope you enjoyed the first chapter of USotR! This story is based of a modern-style AU for Fate/stay night (because I adore every bit of it to death) that my friend and I thought of. For some context, Artoria and Gwen are both college students attending the same school and sharing an apartment (if that wasn't obvious enough). The characters might be a little OOC than their original counterparts due to the nature of this fanfic, but I hope that it's still something good enough to read! Thank you.