"The beach!"

"Dibs on the surfboard."

"Heh, yeah right Mitsuzuri. As if you even know how to even use it."

"Is that a challenge, Shinji?"

Archer watched in mild amusement as the Homurahara students ran about. Everyone was there although with some exceptions. Rider had made a deal with Caster and was acting on her end of the bargain while Lancer had a thing to do with Caren at the Church. Makidera, Saegusa, Himuro, and Mitsuzuri are the new faces included in this party.

"Oh hi Saber-chan! You look verrrryy pretty today."

"Thanks, Gil-kun. You look nice as well."

And much to the bowman's chagrin, the younger version of the Golden King was present as well. He had no idea he was going to join in the fray. But apparently, he had managed to rope himself into this whole thing with Caren's express permission and Rin's acceptance. Archer guesses that's why Lancer couldn't come today. Without this blonde kid helping her out, the Irish hero in the role of assistant for a while.

The bowman already feels sorry for him.

"Y'know, Saber-chan. You and I should join the others in their sand castle building. It looks fun, don't you think?" Gil offered as he pointed at Illya and Shirou dumping buckets into one pile and quickly started making sand walls out of it.

"Sure! But you go on ahead. I'm feeling a little hungry." Saber said as she waved at the blonde boy. Who looked strangely defeated before masking it into glee as he ran towards the castle that's still in construction.

Archer meanwhile, watched on with curiosity as he looked towards the grilled barbecue he was making. He knew that Kid-Gil had a massive thing for Arturia. Hell, he endorsed it for sometime. Archer gave him tips on how to woo Arturia over, offered to be a wingman, and even hook them up by giving the two of them tickets to this new theme park back in the city. To see him give up that easily made him pause. Did something happen that Archer was not aware of? What does this mean for his plan of indirectly distancing herself from him?

"Archer-senpai! How's the food you're making?" Archer heard from behind him. When did she get there?

"Hm?" Archer asked as he turned around. It was at that moment that he wished that he hadn't done so. She was an absolute stunner in that swimwear of hers. A black and white striped bikini underneath a transparent silk robe. A closer look showed that Arturia was also wearing a white see-through sarong that's tied to her waist. And finally, topping her up was her black ribbon that kept her hair tied.

"I asked if the food was ready, Archer-senpai." Arturia beamed. She knew that 15 seconds of stunned silence passed between the two of them. With Archer just staring at her eyes wide. But she did nothing to stop him from appreciating the scene before him. After all, what would be the point of her get-up if she did?

"Well… oh shoot! It's burning." Arturia then laughed at the sight of the flustered bowman. Her smile shining brightly as he struggled to get a grip on himself whilst he flipped the barbecue sticks towards its undercooked sides. She knew that he was giving her side glances as she took a chair that Archer set under the table beside the grill. She knew the effect she was having on the poor man.

She loved every bit of it.

"Is there something wrong, Archer-senpai? You seem very out of it." Arturia knowingly asked as she rested her chin on the back of her hand. Coyly placing her other arm underneath her chest to give more emphasis on where she wanted him to look. Looks like that magazine underneath Shirou's bed really did have some good things in it, She thought.

"Do not mind that, I was merely lost in thought." Arturia knew he was deflecting the issue, but she'll let it slide. Watching him stumble upon himself in front of her was a gift that kept on giving. Oh, she wanted more of this. More of him.

But the one thing she couldn't understand is why he kept distancing himself from her? No matter how many hints she kept throwing at him. He always doesn't see it! She never complimented anyone's food more than she had when it came to Archer's. She never tried to look as sexy and as desirable as she has right now for anyone except him. Heck, she's never even loved anyone like how she's loved him right now. So, what on earth is stopping him from understanding that?

"You know, Archer-senpai. Giving Gil-kun the wrong idea with those theme park tickets wasn't very good." Arturia bluntly said. Completely catching him off guard with that statement.

"Hm?" Archer said as he tried to collect his thoughts. He did not expect Arturia to know that simply because it wasn't in her nature to assume that people are sneaky and do things behind others' backs.

"Gil-kun told me. He said that you were the one who gave him that in return for asking me out on a date with him." Arturia pressed on.

Shit, he's caught red-handed. Archer thought.

"I was merely working on the impression that the kid liked you. So, I gave him a helping hand and a few words to get him going." Archer calmly explained. His explanation caused a sour expression to appear on Arturia's face.

"But you knew that wouldn't work out. So, why did you push it through?" She asked sternly. Causing the bowman to blink at the sudden shift in tone.

"I'm sorry, but I did not know anything of the sort. I picked up his feelings, and in turn, did what I could to help." Archer tried to explain. But Arturia was relentless, she wouldn't let this slide.

"If you 'picked up his feelings' like you said, then surely you must've picked up mine! I know you know that my heart isn't in love with him." Arturia rose up from her seat as she spoke. Showing a glimpse of the Future King she would grow up to become.

Archer meanwhile, couldn't help but look towards a certain blonde boy dropping the bucket of sand in his left hand whilst slowly grabbing his chest with his right. Turns out the boy's hearing was keener than most, Archer thought.

"Right. Then I apologise for doing something like that to you, Saber. I was merely playing wingman for the poor kid." Archer acquiesced. He then brought a paper plate from out of nowhere towards the blonde girl and placed the newly made barbecue on top of it.

"A peace offering, if you will." Archer added.

"Hmph. I will accept. But I will not let you change the subject. You know who I truly love. And there is nothing you can do to change it." Arturia challenged. Although, her threatening demeanour was being diminished by the fact that she's currently melting in delight from the ever delicious barbecue the bowman made.

Archer could only grimace at what Arturia said. He did not want to hurt her in any way. But, she's not exactly making things easier for him. One way or another, he's finally acknowledged that she is in love. However,

She's in love with the wrong person.

And that is enough for him to come up with another plan to push her away. This time, he has to approach this in a direct manner. If this doesn't work. Well… we'll cross that bridge when we get there.

—-

"Do not provoke me, Saber. I am not the kind man you think I am. If you aren't careful, I will act on impulse. I am not afraid to hurt you"

Archer finally came to the realisation that this 'brief infatuation' Artoria has over him is going too far. He did not want to let her suffer the pain of being in a relationship with him. That boy is a way better choice for her than Archer could ever be. And it's a fact. The bowman is far too jaded, too broken, too cynical to ever let an idealistic, hopeful, and adorable woman fall for him. He needs to nip this fling right in the bud to save Arturia the pain.

He's cornered Arturia in her room at the Emiya residence. Alone of course. Archer's got the heart to save her from the shame of being rejected in front of everyone else. He even got her in a kabedon position to show how menacing and evil he actually was so that he can shake this 'false love' off of her psyche. The only expected outcome is that she runs away from him fully acknowledging that she doesn't actually like him in the romantic sense.

However, fate has decreed that Archer doesn't get what he wants. For the reaction he got was not expected.

"I… I'm not… against the idea of you…" Arturia bashfully turned her head towards the arm Archer slammed towards the wall. She was biting her finger in anxiety (?) while fidgeting all about. Her eyes then went from the arm towards the bowman's eyes. Looking at him expectantly and very, very strangely.

This moment is a prime example of extremities. We have the original Artoria, who in this scenario will fuck Archer up for his threatening demeanor. While Artoria Alter, the more uh, brazen version - completely opposite to Lily - would Fuck Archer dominatrix style simply because it's in her nature. If both of those two would react extremely at the moment, how would Lily react?

"I wouldn't ever do this with anyone but you…" Lily said as she brought her hands up towards Archer's chest. She was trying her best to look him straight in the eye, however she couldn't muster the courage to do so. But that didn't stop her arms snaking around his torso and resting on his back. Effectively closing the distance between their bodies.

Okay, Archer thought. I'm fucked.

"Saber, wait-" the bowman was suddenly stopped by a pair of soft lips crashing into his own.

'Take that, Rider.' Lily triumphantly thought as she resisted Archer's futile attempts of getting away.

'He's mine.' Lily thought before her vision turned black.

"Oof!" exclaimed Arturia as she felt a strong gust of wind knock her back towards the wall. It seemed that Archer pushed her away from his face. Even grabbing onto her shoulders to try and stop her from doing that again.

"Damnit, Saber. Why are you doing this? Why me? You've got so much better choices to choose from. Like that master of yours." Archer argued. It was hurting him inside this just like it was for Arturia. But it really needs to end. He already failed her once. He couldn't bear the thought of doing it again.

"But none of them are better than you! Look at you. You're the sweetest, nicest, most compassionate person I've met. Your food is great. Your skills in battle are amazing. You've even taught me so much during our alliance in the Grail War. Never once did you turn your back on me when I needed you. So, why wouldn't I fall in love with you? Why couldn't you understand that I want this love to be real? " Arturia asked. Her desperation flowed through her voice. She was even crying at that point. All so that her raw emotions could get across the stone wall that is Archer.

"Because I am not the right man for you, Saber." Archer said as he tried to convince both Arturia and himself. It wasn't that he was willingly blind to her advances. Simply that he was hellbent on making sure she was happy.

And being with him wouldn't give her that happiness. So he thinks.

"How do you know?" Arturia whimpered. The resolve in her voice vanished like the wind as the brokenness in Archer's voice shook her to the core. To be so resolute in what he said… who caused Archer to be like this? She thought.

"Sigh… Let's agree this never happened. For both our sakes, Saber. Please." The firm grip on her shoulders was a plea from the bowman. She did not want to let this slide. She wanted him to know that she really meant that she loved him.

"But Archer-!" Arturia exclaimed. But she stopped when those empty eyes, that jaded smile, that feeling of hopelessness emanating from the bowman struck a chord in her soul.

And her soul shed a tear at the sight.

She didn't even say a word as Archer left her in her room and calmly shut the door. She didn't need to say a word for the floodgates to open. She didn't even bother covering it up when Shirou slammed the door open and rushed towards her to comfort her.

All she could think of was the red bowman who was too broken to accept her love.