A/N: MERRY CHRISTMAS! As it turns out! I work pretty well under pressure! This chapter wasn't supposed to exist. I planned this to be another chapter all together. But I realized that: Hey I need to write a Christmas chapter! So I managed to speedrun this into existence!

Now, Reviews!:

Guest: Depends on my mood really, Extraverse Shirou is marginally different from our EMIYA, I even consider them different people all together. But I might change my mind in the future.

matheushutv: I am planning to write that eventually, the POVs of the Chaldean residents should be interesting. But for now you just get this chapter.

Toa Solaric: I was planning Artoria… but I changed my mind. It's on a later chapter anyway so…

Bucio: Thank you for the review, well… the "attack of the imoutos" is a pretty funny idea, I might do it at a later date!

JLJLLJLJLJLJL: CG… Maiya… Huh, you just added more things to my list. Thanks.

Dragonlord001: She would lmao.

Now, unto the story.

Eight Years in Freedom

The weather is cold. Clouds covered the night sky, obstructing the stars in the process. In contrast to these, the city streets was busy, Christmas lights and decorations cover each and every establishment. The night was not as dark during the eve before Christmas. People from all over the city rushed as the buy gifts and go on dates with for and with their loved ones.

Amidst this chaos: Is a pair. A father and daughter pair, in fact. Shirou Emiya and Rin Emiya walked the city streets, the duo decided to go out for Christmas this year. The eight-year was holding tightly at her father's hand, scared to be separated.

EMIYA did the same, with so many people around them, who knows how long it would've taken if Rin got lost somewhere. The child's eyes gleamed in excitement despite the initial panic, lights everywhere, so many toys and food to choose from, she even ignored the cold for a while.

The father on the other hand, was deep in thought as to his next actions. Does he limit his budget for any requests that Rin makes, or does he let the child choose whatever she wants as long as it's not absurdly expensive?

They walked and walked up until Rin dragged EMIYA's sleeve while pointing at something. "Daddy, look!" She spoke enthusiastically.

She was pointing at a cardboard cut-out of Santa Claus with a hole to put a head in, there was a photographer standing there ready to take a picture.

"Oh? Do you want to take a picture?" EMIYA responded, immediately recognizing what the child wanted.

Rin nodded repeatedly in utter elation. "Yeah!" She said.

The father smiled as he approached the photographer. He gave a few yens and positioned himself behind the cutout, the photographer then guided Rin to stand in front of her father, which the child did so.

"Okay, say: Merry Christmas!" The photographer cheered.

"MERRY CHRISTMAS!" The two said in unison, smiling as the camera clicked.

The two walked away while thanking the photographer after receiving their photo. "I'm framing it." EMIYA said to his daughter.

A while later, they arrived at a department store. It was the store that EMIYA worked in a few years ago when he was still jumping from job-to-job, Rin pointed at the candy cane that was displayed at the store window so they decided to come in.

The store clerk greeted them. "Welcome, how may I hel- Shirou-san!?" She yelled.

EMIYA narrowed his eyes to the clerk, brown hair, brown eyes, kinda round face, a little bit on the petite side. "Who- Kana? You still work here?" It's his old co-worked a few years back.

"Well… I did quit, but I came back a few years later cuz I'm in a two-week suspension from office work." Kana fidgets her hand in shame. "… I threw coffee at my boss."

EMIYA raised a brow. "I'm surprised you didn't get fired."

"I said it was an accident. They pardoned me little- by the way, is that cutie there Rin-chan?" She changed the subject, noticing the young girl that was clinging to EMIYA's hand. "Last time I saw her she was still learning how to walk."

"Yeah, she's eight now." He patted Rin's head. "C'mon, introduce yourself to the nice lady." The father spoke.

Rin hesitated for a few seconds before coming forward. "H-hi! My name is Emiya Rin, I-I am currently eight years old, I like eating sweets- but not too much! Daddy gets angry when I eat too much!" She said shyly before retreating to EMIYA's back.

"Hooh~? Shouldn't you be more lenient to her since it's Christmas?" Kana jokingly called out.

EMIYA rolled his eyes. "That's why we're here- do you have those edible candy canes? The small ones?" He raise his finger as he requested the snack.

"Eh? The small ones went out of stock this morning, sorry. We still have the regular-sized ones though." The clerk relayed.

"We'll take it."

Kana picks up the candy cane behind her. The ones displayed at the window were inedible. She gives the cane to Rin whose eyes were literally bulging out in excitement.

"So how much is it?" EMIYA asks.

Kana shook her head. "For you two? It's free, I'll use my pay for it. Consider it a gift." She shrugged.

"Sure, thanks." EMIYA just accepted it without hesitation.

The pair got out of the store at, they walked their way to call a taxi. A few seconds a later, a taxi arrived near the two. EMIYA hopped inside while carrying and asleep Rin. It was past her bedtime now, they need to go home now.

EMIYA sent directions to the driver, in an hour they arrived safely at their house.

The archer turned off the house' bounded field as he opened the front door with a key. He entered and directly sent Rin to her bed after changing her clothes. He kissed her forehead goodnight as always and proceeded to go downstairs.

He sat down in his trusty sofa. Opening up a bottle of sake to drink it. EMIYA held a red piece of cloth with his hands. He looked at the cloth solemnly, for the majority of his afterlife this cloth has been with him, in every battle, in every hardship. It was called the Shroud of Magdalene, a holy shroud of a saint that was given to him by a woman who's pretty much addicted to curry.

It has been repurposed into a mystic code eventually, paired with his trusty body armor. His "signature look" as one might say comprised of these ordinary-looking pieces of garment. But now, eight years after his freedom, these equipment were left inside a hidden compartment below the kitchen. Staying

pristine due to its nature. But once every year, a day before Christmas. He would look at it as a reminder, of how far he's come.

'I did it Tohsaka, I tried my best.' He thought, addressing his long lost friend. Peaceful years had gone by, Rin is now on elementary school. EMIYA was transferring from one job to another in these past few years, well… he plans to build a restaurant one day. But that's gonna take a long time.

The ex-Guardian stood up and rolled his combat garments once more, shoving it inside the secret compartment again to be locked up for another year. Truth to be told, he has little-to-no respect for the outfit, he only wore it for more protection. The bowman proceeded to lock the compartment and moved the kitchen table to cover the opening.

Suddenly, he just realized something. In these past few years they've been celebrating Christmas by themselves. Sure it might be weird but he thinks it's peaceful this way. He looked at the picture of him and Rin once again, next year's probably gonna be the same again.

But it's happier that way.

Present Day

"Emiya-kun." A woman called. EMIYA ignored it, staring at a framed picture.

"Hey!" She called again. "We're opening the gifts now!"

EMIYA jolted a bit as Tohsaka practically yelled at him. "Oh, yeah. Tell them to open it without me, I'll go later-aak!" His ear suddenly ached as the second magician pulled it away from his skull. "Why!?" He asked, annoyed.

"Nope, you're coming with me." She dragged him out of the kitchen with her bare hands. "We're not starting without you." She glared.

"Sheesh, fine. Stop dragging me." EMIYA rubbed his blood-red ear.

The pair sat down at the couch, EMIYA sat beside Irisviel, Tohsaka and Kiritsugu while Rin sat with her friends. The Emiya Family decided to host a small Christmas party, inviting Copenhagen's employees, Rin's friends at school along with their parents, and lastly: Caster and Assassin… well they weren't really invited, they barged in at the last minute and decided to sponsor the rest of the night.

"Alright, let's start unwrapping!" Tohsaka announced. "So, Emiya-kun. What did you get?" She asked the tanned person beside her.

EMIYA unwrapped the box in his hands. He can probably guess what's inside using structural analysis but where's the fun in that? He gazed at the contents of the box… it was something he was dreaming of buying but never had the money to. A knife set, a damned knife set from Rin Emiya. "The Wüstof Classic Seven-Piece Knife Set! This- is! Rin!" He looked at his daughter. "Where did you get the money to buy this?" Is what he asked.

All of them palmed their faces in exasperation. He received one of the best quality knife sets in the world and the first thing he ask is: how did the gifter buy it? Shirou Emiya everyone.

"Ma?" He turned to Iri, who was whistling, trying not to look suspicious. Everyone decided to just stick to the whole family bit in order to explain Irisviel and Kiritsugu's existence, much to the EMIYA's annoyance and Irisviel's… utter glee. Assassin said that she bragged about it in Chaldea all day.

"What? She asked me!" Irisviel tried to defend herself.

The man just sighed and accepted his Fate. "Oh well, thanks sweetie." He smiled at Rin.

"Heh." The girl responded.

Moments later, the rest opened their gifts. The whole celebration went smoothly afterwards. The rest of the guests were happy with what they received… except Kiritsugu who was annoyed, receiving two boxes full of mint packets from EMIYA, it's to help mitigate his smoking habits he said.

Overall, the party was successful, everyone had a good time. After a few minutes, the rest of the guests came home. Kiritsugu and Shirou were sitting at a balcony upstairs, a bottle of sake in their table. The two decided to drink when the Assassin found out that EMIYA drinks a little sake.

"Didn't really expect it to be this chaotic before we got here." Kiritsugu said as he drank from his cup.

"Considering Rin invited a lot of people this time around. It's unsurprising." EMIYA answered, leaning into the handrails.

"So, is the restaurant doing well?" The assassin asked, turning his head to EMIYA.

The restaurant owner shrugged. "I guess. A competitor appeared a few blocks away, not that I care." He shook his cup before drinking. "Well, I guess I DID care once but the customers came back so it worked out in the end."

"Hm." Kiritsugu nods in agreement. "You know, I could get used to this."

"Huh, I thought you don't like being happy?" EMIYA raised a brow.

"Oh shut up." Kiritsugu snorted.

The rest of the night came by, the father-son duo drank under the moonlight. Wishing for a better tomorrow.

A/N: I hope you liked it. As always Follow and Favourite. Please leave a review if you can, it really helps. TM, out!