Her lonely hand ghost around the cold glass of the cryogenic chamber — her fingers linger around the area above his cheek before she slides it away.

"Back again, Kama?"

She hears a familiar sigh and deigns not to even turn around; her gaze still on his face — eyes still closed to a reality that should have been his.

"Shut up," Kama snaps, tired of dealing with her over and over again. "Who else can better monitor his condition than me, right now? Why are you still even here anyway? Go back to that damned Shiva and leave me alone."

"And why are you still here, Kama?" Parvati counters with her arms crossed over her chest. "You're not the only one in Chaldea who worries about Master, you know?"

"Like I care. He only needs me," Kama scoffs, but her voice isn't as confident as it could be. A multitude of Servants did come to the front of her forethought, but it didn't matter.

Parvati frowns, but her eyes are sympathetic towards Kama. "This is about her, is it? Kama, you should've known that—"

Kama clenches her fist as blue flames spark around her and enveloping it. "Shut up, Parvati! Of course I knew! I'm the God of Love. How couldn't I know about her?"

Kama pauses, glancing at the dancing cinders before she closes her eyes to calm herself down. The flames subsides as she exhales out her frustration. "All that I could have given him, any fantasy that he could live out, he still chose only one thing — his love for her."

She stomps her feet rather childishly despite being in her higher, more adult ascension Saint Graph. Kama rants, "Going out on dates after school, listening to music with the same headphones, sharing the same drinks — it's rather sickening!"

"Sickening?" Parvati interrupts, a hint of teasing in her voice, "or is that just another term for being jealous, Kama?"

"Shut up. I'm not jealous." The sneer on Kama would've been intimidating if not for her resolute pout. "I only gave him those dreams just so he could have the strength to carry on. Why would he choose her? Another wannabe idol? They're like a dime-a-dozen over here in Chaldea! Even I can be one too if I tried!"

Parvait could only shake her head at Kama's denials. "Oh Kama, continuing on this path will only hurt you."

Kama sighs, rubbing her temple. She rests her hand over his chest, her fingers fanning outwards as if they could grasp his metaphorical heart. "For the last time, shut up Parvati. You're the last person that should care. I'm doing this because even if it sickens me, I'm still a God of Love — for his one wish was to see his beloved on the stage one last time.

"He deserves this much after everything."

Ai Hoshino didn't have fond memories of her own mother — not much of a surprise to anyone considering how she left Ai at a young age.

But that is not to say that she didn't have fond memories of a mother.

Though fondness was far from the first emotion she experienced when meeting her boyfriend's mother.

Ritsuka had mentioned that she would be welcomed no matter what. Ai thought that she no longer got butterflies in her stomach after being on the stage, but each step towards his apartment was a never ending aftershock to her overthinking mind.

Upon further reflection, Ai realized she wasn't just nervous — she was afraid. Afraid that his mother wouldn't approve of their relationship — of her.

What if she was just like her own mother? Who would want a troublesome child in the family? What if Ritsuka began to reject her and abandon her as well?

A gentle grasp of her hand shook her away from her pessimism, and his warm smile brought back her own as well. She embraced his arm and leaned deeper into his shoulder.

One time she wondered and asked how he seems to always know how she was feeling, no matter how much she never let it show on her face.

"I don't think it's anything special, really," he had tried to downplay it, but he was always excessively and frustratingly modest at times. "I just pay attention. Everyone has their own story to tell, their own circumstances that shape them. And I just saw you — always smiling, but it felt so lonely. That was when I realized that I wanted to be your friend."

He was really such a busybody, Ai had mused, but she wouldn't change that for the world. It was definitely his kindness that helped fill a void in her heart — an emptiness created by the lack of connections in her life.

No one else really had made the step forward to get to know her better, but she realized that she never really let others do so either.

It made her want to change — to fill in that gap with something much more. It was why she became an idol.

Another deep breath to settle her nerves as they stood before the door to his apartment. The door opened before Ritsuka could even put his key to unlock it. Through the doorway, Ai could see a young woman, wearing an apron — if for not Ritsuka's earlier description, she would've thought she was his older sister instead of his mother.

"Sorry for intruding, my name is Ai Hoshino," Ai introduced herself, bowing her head deeply to show her respect.

"Oh my, you're much cuter in person than on the television! Come in!" Without a warning, she rested her hands on Ai's shoulders and steered them inside towards the living room where there was a kotatsu. There was a teapot — still warm judging by the faint wisps of steam leaving the spout — and cups set out for them. "Ritsuka, you should've brought her over earlier!"

Ritsuka could only do his trademark sheepish laugh and rubbing the back of his head. "Just wanted to be sure everyone was okay with it first. Is Dad still working?"

His mother sighed, leaning her cheek into her palm. "Unfortunately, he called in to say that his team was kept in overtime. But that's okay, we'll have more chances in the future."

She poured out the tea into a cup and offered it to Ai first. "Please."

It almost reminded Ai of the times where she and President Saitou went around to do interviews, but the smile on Mrs. Fujimaru was much warmer than the company she previously had.

"Oh dear, I forgot to bring out the snacks," she exclaimed before winking to Ritsuka, "Ritsuka, would you be a dear and retrieve them from the dining room?"

He rolled his eyes before patting Ai on the shoulder as a sign of small comfort. "Don't tease her too much, Mom."

There was no doubt that she had wanted to talk to Ai alone. Perhaps she could sense Ai's nervousness when she reaches for Ai's hands and pats them gently.

"Don't worry, I just wanted to know you a bit better. I can only know so much from Ritsuka, but seeing you right before my eyes now — you must not have an easy life?"

Ai almost frowned, trying not to let her confusion and panic color her voice. "Eh? What could you mean—"

" — It's your body language. Being nervous isn't strange, but being so guarded is another story. Just like the times I've seen you on television, you haven't let slip your mask and still wear that same smile, even when sipping your tea. I can only imagine what kind of life you had lived for you to wear such a facade already at this age."

Ai had to wonder if his mother was the main reason why Ritsuka was so astute at times.

A solemn smile adorned her face. "Both of you are different yet so alike in the same way. He was always a kind child, but he never placed his own desires above others. Oftentimes, it felt like he was taken advantage of since he could never really say no. So when he first told us about having a girlfriend, it was the first time that he expressed something that he wanted for himself. What I wanted to say is thank you for being with my son."

"No," Ai tried to stop Mrs. Fujimaru from bowing to her. "If anything, I'm the one who has so much to thank him for."

"And that is what love is — the two of you supporting each other, filling in for what the other is missing. I just want you to know that no matter what, you will be welcomed here. You'll be as much a daughter to me as my son is."

In that brief moment, Ai had learned a small taste of what motherly love was. Someone who had her back even as she may fall down.

Perhaps things might've been different, Ai had mused, if Ritsuka's parents had lived on.

Both of his parents passed away before she could meet them again. All the police reports could say was that it was an accident as the brakes in the car they were driving in failed to work.