art 2: A long night
As Shirou slumbered, completely unaware of the small girl nestled snugly against his chest, he began to dream. It was a dream of golden fields, blue skies, and a small village so idyllic it could only exist in the paintings of pastoral life that were so popular some centuries ago. It was a dream he had experienced every night since Saber returned to her own time and, likely, it was a dream that would continue every night for the foreseeable future. The dream was always the same, Shirou would find himself standing in a field of golden wheat and below a sky so blue it simply could not exist in the modern world. In the distance stood a girl with hair like spun gold and sporting a dress woven from the finest of silks. He would run towards the girl, his arms open to welcome a warm embrace. Then, with his dream girl's head pressed against his chest, the pair exchanged words. The words, like the dream itself, never changed. The girl always began the dance with a simple "Welcome home, Shirou." While the red-haired magus would answer in return "It's good to be home."
As Shirou dreamed of a mysterious place and time, Illya was shaken awake by the rapid beating of Shirou's heart and the words that he had begun to utter aloud. Illya was no fool and quickly surmised whom those words were intended for. Shirou's heart had only room for one love and now, and possibly forever, Saber reigned over Shirou, body, mind, and soul. The silver-haired girl let loose a tired sigh, if she was ever going to break Shirou out of the horrid hole he had dug for himself it would take a small miracle. For now, Illya imagined she would have a bit of fun with her slumbering brother. Moving her mouth close to Shirou's ear, Illya once more whispered sweet nothings meant to steal Shirou's heart and enthrall his soul. "We'll always be together, right Shirou?" In the world of Shirou's mind those words were transplanted from Illya's pale lips to those of the golden-haired woman. Coming from his beloved, Shirou had nothing but honeyed words to speak in return.
"Of course, I'll never leave your side ever again." Illya's heart raced as she heard Shirou's words, they were were like candy to the small homunculus; their sweetness only made her want more.
"Shirou...," Illya glazed her words with an spread of intense longing and delivered them to Shirou without a second thought.
"I know we have only just been reunited but... may I kiss you?" Illya knew she was taking a risk by speaking in such a frank manner. One misplaced word could break the spell Shirou's dream held over his unconscious mind and deny to her the sweet words she had wished to hear for so long. Thankfully, Illya had been around the King of Knights just long enough to imitate the basics of her noble yet caring speech pattern. As they sounded oh so close to the words of his beloved when filtered through the shroud of dreams, Shirou feel for Illya's trap hook, line, and sinker.
As her older brother nodded in the positive to her small request, Illya wasted no time planting a long and loving kiss on Shirou's lips. Shirou followed her lead, still thinking such an out pour of emotion had originated from his beloved Saber. A few moments later, the kiss was broken. Shirou's dream had ended along with Illya's chance to manipulate her older brother any further. Cursing her luck, Illya wiped what remained of Shirou's saliva from her lips and once more wrapped her arms round her sleeping partner's waist. As she had done all she could for the night, Illya resumed her slumber with a vaguely wicked smile upon her face.