Shirou Emiya found Thrud in the dojo, at night. She was alone, training on her own against phantoms he could not see. The moment he stepped into the ring, she stopped, letting her spear and shield rest.
"Master." Her tranquil voice always put him at ease. But now, the way she addressed him was distant, much like the first day after being summoned.
"Hey, Thrud. You missed dinner." She did not turn to face him at all, as if he was not there.
"Servants do not require sustenance."
"You did not seem to mind a few days ago." He said with a smile. Thrud tensed for a second before slumping her shoulders.
"I do not wish to waste your resources. Why are you here, Master?" Why was he here? He knew Thrud would not abandon them. Their contract had been secured once again, and if anything happened, Ortlinde and Hildr would know about it. The boy had no need to find the Servant. However, against all logic, he he still wanted to see her.
"I guess I want to make sure you are okay." He said with a shrug. The blonde Valkyrie looked at him from over her shoulder. Her eyes were narrowed. The boy felt pain in his chest, for reasons not known to him.
"My fighting capacity is at full. There are no lingering effects from Caster's treatment. You need not worry about me." Her cold logic hurt. She had been warm towards him the days before. Maybe she was angry about what happened. He knew he would be.
"I'm sorry I relinquished you. I… do not believe it was a mistake. But there were better solutions. So please, forgive me." He bowed, and this made the Valkyrie turn around to face him.
"There is no need for that. I am but a tool." Upon hearing those words, he fixed her with a stare of steel. He had enough of that.
"You are not. If you were, then why did I save you?" She looked downwards, mouth bent in the same direction, as if in pain.
"That's… something I wish you would clarify. Why risk so much for a tool like me? You are not yet a hero worthy of Valhalla, so dying in that battle would have been pointless."
"I did it for you. And your sisters." She opened her mouth to answer, but no voice came out. When she found her voice, and she looked him in the eye, he could see something behind them. Regret, guilt, sadness. It broke his heart. It made him angry. Had Caster done this?
"But… I'm a Valkyrie. I'm disposable. My purpose is, and has always been, to find heroes to bring to Valhalla. But I was captured and stripped of that for a time. I should not have allowed such humiliation to befall me. I have failed. I am a failure, as sister, Valkyrie and Heroic Spirit." He could not resist it. He stepped forward and wrapped himself around the woman.
"Stop that. You are a Valkyrie, that's true. But… to me… you are something that… I cannot describe. But if I had to, I'd say you are the thing that keeps me from falling. Even if you are broken and astray; saving you, having you at my side, it will never be a mistake, just like the path I chose." Thrud didn't move, only stood there, stiff as a statue.
"Master…" He leaned back, holding her shoulders and looking her straight in the eye. He had never been this close to her, yet just now he had eliminated that distance like nothing. His chest felt warm.
"I… I could not stop thinking about you three. During my captivity, all I could process was how close I was to giving in to Caster, and what would happen to you if I did. Seeing you pull me away from that future, made my chest feel warm. I… I've never felt like this. I'm confused. My sisters are too. We do not know if these feelings are right. And neither our father, or our Elder sister, is here to guide us, to rectify these errors."
"Is that why you are so distant?"
"Affirmative." Shirou took a deep breath. He was confused as well. He wanted to call it anything else, because he did not know if this thing he felt in his chest could be called love. But he wanted to believe that. To believe that his heart, made of steel and covered by scars, could become something else. Something that burned bright, holding a warmth he had once forgotten.
"Thrud." he caressed her cheek, moving locks of golden hair away. He had to do it, there was no other choice here.
"I love you." She gasped, looking at him with glassed eyes and crimson cheeks.
"L-Love? Are you sure, Master?" She asked.
"I don't know. But I want to find out."
"But… that would lead you, us, away from our paths."
"Maybe. But… I trust you to pull me back if that happens. And I'll do the same for you." He smiled, a genuine smile. Thrud looked at him, flabbergasted.
"Then, it is confirmed. I... love you too." She leaned forwards, capturing his lips. He did not resist, he welcomed her, her warmth, her love.
The kiss was like he remembered from that night, except this time it was hot, and made his chest tingle. He craved for more.
He hugged her, wrapping his arms around her waist to pull the Valkyrie a little closer. Her arms linked together on his back, and with inhuman strength pushed his abdomen against hers. Her body was hard, full of muscle, yet also tender. He could feel her soft breasts press against his chest. It was wonderful.
They continued making out, separating only enough to catch their breaths before kissing again. It was not wild like he had imagined. It was slow, with some nibbles on their lips, sometimes one tongue licking the other, but it was all deliberate and calculated. They both wanted to keep each other safe, away from harm.
Eventually, Thrud stopped, but even so remained close enough that her nose touched his. He could feel her warm yet chilly breath.
"Mast- correction, Shirou. Please, I want to… be closer with you." If his face was red before, it ought to be crimson by now.
"You mean you want to have…" He was a young adult, his mind jumped to conclusions fast, especially when a really attractive, borderline divine woman was in front of him. Yet the thought still embarrassed him. He knew the precautions, and his traditionalist values made him consider that something not to be taken lightly.
"Intercourse. Please, I want to know how it feels. I want to make you feel good." That was a… strange way to call it, but it still made him both scared and excited.
"Only if you want it."
"I… My feelings should not matter." He grabbed her face, so that she would not look away.
"They do. They matter to me." Thrud closed her eyes, face scrunched up, as if trying to suppress something. Then, her face relaxed as she let out a breath.
"I want to be with you." That declaration was enough as she kissed him once again.
Eventually they moved to his room. Their clothes went away, and their bodies engulfed one another under his futon. Sex did not equal love, Taiga had made it clear one time she was drunk and upset over some guy he still wanted to punch in his horrid face.
Yet, he felt more connected to Thrud than ever before. And the way she looked at him, cheeks flushed and sweating as she moaned his name while on top of him, holding his hand was wonderful; divine, and much more. He had never felt like this. Never felt as complete as he was now.
Their path was far from over, but the destination did not matter, only the road. All Shirou Emiya cared about right now was being happy, and making his companion happy for the rest of the night.
Extra Scene: Sisters
Ortlinde and Hildr sat side by side, playing a game, on a game console Shirou had acquired for them on short notice. The sisters had argued it was a waste of resources despite the interest they showed on it, but the boy had ignored their advice and purchased it anyways.
But right now it proved to be a pleasant activity, to help sharpen the senses and keep the mind active outside of combat. At least, that was what they told themselves.
The game they played was a two dimensional duel between a man in yellow robes and a man in blue robes. One threw ice, the other fire. The perfect contrast.
"My victory is assured, sister." Ortlinde announced calmly as her character froze Hildr's, then kicked it away and left it's health bar in the red.
"It's not over yet! A true warrior never surrenders!" Hildr said with a defiant and loud voice, going on the offensive, which Ortlinde did her best to block.
Suddenly, the black haired sister's head wings shot up, and her eyes narrowed. The game had been forgotten, signified by one character standing still.
"We've lost contact with Thrud." She said, leaving her controller on the floor. Hildr mimicked her actions.
"Indeed. She was with Master last." The pink Valkyrie's voice lost all fire in it, going into it's default volume.
"What do you think? Should we go check on them?"
"Considering all factors, I'd say they deserve some quote, alone time, unquote."
"But sister, should we really allow Thrud to have Master all by herself?"
"We already got Master for ourselves, Ortlinde. We three are all the same, and thus should have Master in equal amounts of time." Hildr looked at her sister, smiling with raised eyebrows. "Didn't know you had such affections for Shirou." At this, Ortlinde looked away, her cheeks painted pink.
"I'm just worried about sister Thrud, that's all."
"Sure, Sure." Said Hildr, grabbing the controller again. Her face went serious.
"But it's my turn next."
A/N: And thus this mini Arc comes to an end. Sort of. I don't know what I'll do next, but you can be sure it'll be setafter an ending. Probably after a 'Sunny days' style one where Shirou and Rin keep the Valks around. But Rin won't be romantically involved with him, just help with mana maintenance. Having three Heroic Spirits is bound to grant you some status and protection in the magus world after all.
Sorry if this chapter was too cheesy or hammy, I'm new at this 'romance' and 'lite smut' thing. I also didn't want to indulge Shirou too much, but wether I was successful or not, I'll let you decide.
As for upcoming One-Shots, I've thought about one in the style of 'Last Episode' where Shirou finally meets the sisters in Valhalla, and another one in an Alternate Timeline where the sisters where turned into Alters by Sakura and the Shadow. That will be fun.
That is all for now. Chiao!