Summary: Vy and Robin finally talk. Ayako's internally suffering in the meantime because her fellow Master has been way too dense until now. Tamamo laments.

Note: Because the writing muse didn't let me go and I had to start a doc since Extra Day 4 kinda ended on a cliffhanger. Well, also because partialdignity and panyum on Tumblr have been very kind about supporting the RobinVy/Roby ship, so I might as well solidify said ship in ONE universe! More so since I can't exactly let the pining go off into nowhere with a good conscience. Not to mention my Immunology midterm kinda kicked my butt, so I needed some fluff in my life.

I'd like to think it's because of Ayako being present with the Count that Robin and Vy can even come this far in the first place. Have to follow a good example. :p

The theme I'll be recommending for this culmination of romance is Inori no Uta, or "Song of Prayer" from Yuki Yuna is a Hero. I may not like the show that much from how ableist its magical girl system is in the first season, but the music (sung by the original voice actors of all the girls) is still good. And I'd like to think the song is one Vy would sing to Robin and Mash.

Otherwise, CW as usual for light Tokugawa Labyrinth Ooku and Part 2 spoilers in FGO; not to mention copious amounts of fluff and romance (which you'll probably only see in the Extra Days, really — everything else past this, I wanna keep platonic). You have been forewarned. This "Extra Day" also acknowledges Partial's writing of Tides of Longing that can be found on my AO3 bookmarks as canon. Feel free to give it a read. :D

Please enjoy!

Extra Day 6: The Talk

"Hey, Aya-san?"

Ayako didn't move from her chair in front of her newest canvas, simply raising her paintbrush in Vy's direction past the easel in acknowledgement.

Vy did her best not to fidget from her place on the "posing" couch, instead trying to keep as calm of an expression as possible for Ayako's painting while opening her mouth. "How do you handle romance?"

Vy probably should have expected Ayako to react in some way. After all, Ayako could be very closed off when it came to her personal feelings on things, so advice-giving wasn't her forte. But nearly falling out of her seat wasn't one of the things Vy was expecting. It didn't stop Vy from yelping out in concern once Ayako was stumbling, and it took a couple terse seconds for Ayako to catch herself and not splatter paint everywhere. Once reoriented, Ayako gave Vy a half-hearted dirty look past her canvas, dark eyebags all the more prominent once she said in a slightly miffed voice, "What brought this on, Vy?"

"Um." Vy could feel the beginnings of a blush start to climb up her cheeks and she ignored the urge to grab some of her hair to fidget with it. "O-Ooku," she tried, taking a shaky breath. "Mana transfer. R-Robin. C-Can't stop thinking about it."

Ayako's previously miffed expression immediately dropped for that of bewilderment and understanding, her green eyes flashing with something as she lowered her paintbrush. "Confused?" she offered patiently.

"A-Aye. A-And you and the Count seem to be married, Aya-san, so…"

Ayako's face then started to rival a dark cherry as she sputtered, "Th-The Count and I haven't solidified that yet, Vy!"

Um. "But it's not a 'no' to the idea, right?" Vy tried weakly.

Ayako fell silent at that part.

Vy laughed sheepishly, both from embarrassment and wanting to break the silence. This wasn't a good start to what was supposed to be a conversation between friends. "A-Anyways! I kinda need help?"

"W-With what?" Ayako said incredulously after taking a moment to verbally reorient herself, the blush fading as soon it came. "Vy, you're the one contracted with Archer. It's your love life, not mine."

"I-I know that! I know that… It's just…" With Ayako no longer painting, Vy dropped her pose in favor of hanging her head and trying to hide her own blush. Her lips tingled almost immediately at the memory surging through her brain, making her response come out almost subdued. "I-It's kinda hard to talk to him right now…"

The number of times she and Robin kissed in that one room in the Ooku was almost… unfathomable, really. Almost like something out of a storybook Vy vaguely remembered reading as a child. But it still happened and she couldn't stop thinking about it. It didn't help that Vy already knew if she thought about it more, about him more, unintentional thought sharing could happen between her and all the other Servants and then she'd have a crisis on hand. More so when Goredolf and the other Chaldea staff were already back in business and still in heavy need of breaks.

Even when confronting a new crisis with half the amount of staff compared to the Incineration of Humanity, Chaldea had to get breaks sometimes. This was one of those times that Vy just didn't want to impose on.

"…First kiss jitters? Really?" Ayako let out a loud sigh, muttering something that sounded suspiciously like "Why me" before there was a screech of a chair against the floor, followed by footsteps. "Vy." Someone was kneeling in front of her now. "You just gotta talk to him. That's all you can do. Plus, following my example isn't the best idea when the Count does everything on his own for me in our relationship anyways."

…Um, did I need to hear that last part?

Still, Vy said, "I-I know that…" In spite of the familiarity and the warmth curling up in her chest at the closeness of her fellow Master, Vy couldn't meet Ayako's eyes. Guilt simply clawed at her from the inside of her gut. "But…"

Ayako sighed again. "But what?" she said in a softer voice.

Vy shrunk into herself, clenching the hems of her dress. "What if things change, Aya-san? What if he decides to go back to the Throne?"

Ayako inhaled and then exhaled a long deep breath. "…Vy, Archer's not going to do that to you."

"B-But what if? I-I could mess things up, things could turn out worse than before…" Vy pressed her hands to her cheeks in an attempt to stop the sudden burning sensation on her face, shutting her eyes. "I-I don't wanna lose him, Aya-san." It took a moment for Vy to realize she was close to holding back the beginnings of tears. "I-I want to stay with him."

I want to help him be happy. I want to help him live. But if I say anything, if I go about imposing my feelings on him…

What if he doesn't want to be around me anymore?

Even through the impromptu shade her hair provided, Vy could still make out Ayako's piercing gaze. In spite of that, Ayako said nothing for what felt like a long, long time. Then, she sighed a long, almost exhausted sigh and reached over with one bandaged hand to pat Vy's knee. "Then tell him that," she said, a gentle warmth in her voice. "Vy, just be you. Archer will understand." Another pat. "You'll be fine. Trust me." She paused, her hand stilling for that same interval, then she reached up and pushed some of Vy's hair out of her face, letting Vy see Ayako smile wryly. "If it helps, trust Archer like I trust the Count."

Vy couldn't say much else to that.

"—if you do anything to my little sis, I swear, ikemen—"

"You'll cut off all things essential to my being a man, yeah, yeah. I know, I know."

What did I exactly walk into here?

Vy did her best not to fidget too much, absently leaning against the doorway leading into the Novum Chaldea Dining Hall. From afar, it was easy to see the figures of Caster Tamamo, Archer EMIYA, and Scathach-Skadi all surrounding the green Archer she was looking for, but it wasn't exactly resembling a friendly gathering. Heck, if not for Robin wearing an expression that basically screamed, "I knew this was coming," Vy felt like she would've been more worried.

Still, nothing would progress if she kept watching, so Vy quietly took a step forward and opened her mouth. "U-Um, everyone?"

Whatever conversation the Servants were having immediately died once Vy spoke up, with all heads turning in her direction.

"Little sis~!" Tamamo squealed first, running over with her arms outstretched as soon as her yellow eyes caught sight of Vy in the doorway. Vy didn't even get a chance to blink before the fox shrine-maiden tackled her in a smothering hug, fluffy tail swishing back and forth behind her robes. "A hello to you! Oh, I missed you!"

"H-Hi to you too, Tama-san," Vy said politely over all the overt affection, arms stuck to her sides as the Caster continued snuggling her. "I missed you too. Did I miss anything here?"

"Nothing," Archer EMIYA said at the same time Robin Hood sarcastically quipped, "Everything." Still, both Archers were grinning, and Vy blinked at them from over Tamamo's shoulder.

Oookay then. With a small turn of her head, Vy did her best to pat Tamamo's back while asking, "What about you, Skadi-san?"

The purple-haired Caster seemed to demur as soon as Vy addressed her, red eyes warm and bright in her direction. "It is nothing you should concern yourself over, little one," she said fondly, striding over to press a dainty hand to the top of Vy's head over Tamamo's shoulders. "We were just interrogating your May King."

"Interrogating…?" Vy tried not to blush at the "your" part, instead asking, "What for?"

Skadi merely shrugged her shoulders, absently waving her wand in the air. "Do not concern yourself over what it was for, little one," she repeated. "It is nothing."

Vy glanced at Robin for answers while absently pushing Tamamo back, much to the fox maiden's whining (something along the lines of, "Oh, little sis, let me hug you more, please~!"), and Robin merely shrugged too. "Same thing as Skadi. Nothing major," he reiterated, a hand on his hip as he returned her stare, green eye soft and curious. "But what's up, little sparrow?"

Right. Vy took a breath, glancing back up at Tamamo before ducking her head, trying to suppress the incoming blush. "I-I need to talk to you, Big Robin. A-Alone." Vy internally felt herself scream in the time it took to muster up a shier, "Please?"

Something definitely fell to the floor after she said that. Vy wasn't sure if it was a hairpin or someone's saucepan in the Dining Hall. Skadi-san's shocked red eyes were easy to make out in the air even with Vy's gaze pointed at the ground, the hand she had on Vy's head having withdrawn almost immediately at Vy's words.

"Uh. S-Sure?" Robin fumbled finally after a moment. Wait. Was he nervous too?

It didn't help that Tamamo then let out a noise caught between a shriek and a sulky grumble, interrupting what could've been Robin's next response while metaphorically pinning Vy down with a look of disbelief, her ears perked up in anger. "Little sis! Why are you asking to be alone with that — that ikemen monster?!" It was hard to miss how, even through the shade of Vy's long brown hair, Tamamo had raised her hand to point a shaking finger back at the green Archer in question, much to what appeared to be EMIYA's visible amusement. "You do know he's suspicious, right?! He doesn't deserve his good looks! He's just an ikemen monster — an Ikémon!"

"I'm surprised you're still calling me that, pinky," Robin mumbled dryly, strength returning to his voice. The response was muffled enough to make Vy absently wonder if he was covering his face with the palm of his hand. "How many Ikémon are there to you…? Or am I the only one?"

Ikémo— Huh? Vy still did her best to school her own shock at the subtle Pokémon reference Tamamo made in favor of raising her head and looking Tamamo in the eyes. "He's Big Robin, Tama-san," she said as firmly as she could, trying not to fidget again in her dress. Maybe it wasn't a good idea to come in the white dress and sandals Ayako recommended, considering Tamamo's reaction, but she still went on with a smaller yet stronger, "I trust him. Just like how I trust you and everyone else here."

Even if I'm scared about what the future might bring, I'd rather be with all of you. It'll be okay.

At that moment, Vy could not miss how, out of the corner of her eye, Robin's cheeks looked a little more pinker than before through the spaces of his fingers. She tried not to get her hopes up.

But in spite of her words, Tamamo's tail was still standing on end, fur all puffed up past her robes as she narrowed her eyes. "Master… as much as you are kind, even towards an Anti-Hero like me, that trust can still be misused." It was almost strange to hear Tamamo talk so formally, almost timidly, as Vy continued to stare up into her yellow eyes. "Are you sure?"

Vy didn't even doubt her answer for a second as she smiled up at the Caster through her glasses. "Aye."

Tamamo proceeded to let out an exaggerated sigh, her shoulders sagging enough for it to show through her kimono robes as she put both hands on her hips. Then Tamamo threw her head back. "EMIYA, Skadi-san, what do you two think?"

"The little one seems to have her own agenda in mind," Skadi said mildly, raising a hand to once again rest it against Vy's head in a singular headpat. The gesture was comforting enough to nearly make Vy forget where she was for a moment, warmth curling up in her chest at the familiarity. "I believe we should trust her and let her handle it."

Tamamo sighed again, her fox ears drooping at Skadi's answer. It was enough of a sight to cut through the previous warmth and instead make Vy feel slightly guilty. "EMIYA?"

"As much as I don't exactly like the green guy," EMIYA said in what sounded like displeasure, "he's still a fellow Chaldean Servant, Caster." In spite of his crossed arms, the air around EMIYA seemed proud as he went on to say, "And I know he will never hurt Vy."

Vy smiled. Thankie, Shirou. Thankie, Skadi-san.

EMIYA didn't vocally respond to the thought, merely nodding towards her instead. Skadi simply smiled.

"Thanks for the vote of confidence," Robin Hood interrupted sarcastically, yet still conveying a hint of something else in his voice once his gaze fell on Vy again past Tamamo's shoulder. "But well, that about handles it, pinky, doesn't it? The little sparrow did say her word to you before."

Tamamo pouted, a sulky "Murgh" leaving her closed lips before she turned her head back to Vy, staring down at her with worried yellow eyes. "Little sis…"

"I-I can cook dinner with you later today if it helps you feel better, Tama-san, really," Vy said softly, reaching up with one hand to gently rest her palm against Tamamo's bangs, patting her as best as she could in spite of the small height difference and her own nervousness. "I'll be okay. Thankie for worrying about me, though."

Tamamo proceeded to let out a soft and touched "Kyuuuun" noise before wrapping her arms around Vy's shoulders and pulling her into one last hug, a chin bumping the top of her head. It was obvious any tension she was holding onto melted once Vy was resting her cheek into the shoulder of Tamamo's kimono robes. "Of course I'll worry for you, Master! You are my little sis! You deserve the world with how much you give us!" A growl left Tamamo's lips above Vy's head as she then went on with a darker, "So if that Ikémon does anything to you, little sis, I will—"

"He won't," Vy reassured, holding back the urge to sweat while gently patting Tamamo's head again in what little space the hug afforded her. "And I'll be okay. You don't have to do anything, Tama-san. We'll be okay."

I love you too, Tama-san, was left for their mental connection to deliver instead. Thankie for worrying about me.

The thought was enough for Tamamo to finally let Vy go, taking a few steps back while raising both her hands up to her lips, yellow eyes glimmering with tears. "Ah, I understand why this is happening, but why does it still feel like I'm a mother about to let her daughter go live with another man!?" She proceeded to bump her head against the taller Scathach-Skadi's shoulder, exaggerated sobs leaving her lips. The other Caster blinked, but raised her free hand that wasn't holding her wand to gently grasp Tamamo's shoulders as she cried out, "Ohhhhh, my little sis…! She's growing up too fast…!"

"There there, Caster," Skadi said in a monotone voice.

"P-Please work harder at comforting me, Skadi-san!"

"There there, Caster," Skadi tried again with a bit more emotion.

EMIYA sighed, placing a pointer finger to his forehead.

"Ooookay, that's enough from the great fluffy sponsor, as much as the support is appreciated," Robin Hood interrupted, striding over to breach the space Tamamo had left and easily wrapping an arm around Vy's shoulders enough for Vy to feel his presence right then and there. His smile was as comforting as always as he then said to her in a softer voice, "Ready to go, little sparrow?"

Vy stared into his visible green eye, taking in the bright color before nodding, goosebumps slowly forming on her forearms. "A-Aye. Let's go, Big Robin." She could apologize to EMIYA later when it came to Tamamo's antics. Maybe.

The atmosphere of My Room hadn't changed, even when in the Wandering Sea and so far away from the original Chaldea in Antarctica. In spite of Robin's presence and the coziness of the room, though, Vy couldn't help but feel anxiousness claw at every single part of her as she reached up and rubbed at her forearm once the door closed behind them.

What am I doing….?!

"So," Robin started mildly, "what did you want to talk about, little sparrow?"

Great. Isn't that the most loaded question of this year?

Instead of voicing that thought, Vy bit her lip, doing her best to take a deep breath while gathering whatever courage was left in her heart to open her mouth. "Um," was the great starter statement she found herself using. "A-Actually… Ooku?"

Even without looking into his eyes, it was obvious that Robin was caught off guard by her words because once she was glancing his way, Vy could see him not returning her wayward stare, a hand covering his mouth instead. "Ah," he said in a muffled voice, a faint dust of pink showing on his cheeks again. He was probably remembering that mana transfer just as vividly as she was when Vy was still talking with Ayako in her art studio. "So we're starting with that." Robin's shoulders slumped through the No Face May King enough for Vy to see some kind of resignation in his figure before he said through his fingers, "I wouldn't blame you if you decided to let me go now, Master. I did take a bit more mana than I needed back then."

Wait, what? "Nononono, NO!" Vy panicked, her voice pitching upwards enough for Robin to flinch and turn back to her as her cheeks flushed with heat. "Th-That's not what I was going for! I could never let you go, Robin!"

Robin's ears flushed pink to match his barely hidden cheeks as he leveled one shaky green eye at her. "Th-Then what were you going for, little sparrow? Starting the conversation with what happened in the Ooku is enough to make me feel embarrassed, and I'm the Archer here."

Vy inhaled a deep breath through her nose, one thought running through her brain from all the adrenaline at the situation.

Screw this.

"Little sparrow—?"

Vy grabbed the closest edge she could get of the No Face May King, pulled on it with all of her remaining strength, and closed her eyes while standing on her tiptoes.

Thankfully, she made her mark in kissing Robin's cheek before he could react. Still, once her lips touched him, Vy pulled back as fast as she could, backing away a few steps and then trying to hide herself with her hair. She did it, expressing her feelings while staying true to herself as Ayako recommended, but at what cost? This entire situation was a risk. "Th-There, okay?" Vy fumbled, feeling her voice start to crack. "D-Does that settle it?"

Everything in the room felt hot once Robin said, "Bwuh?"

What the hell.

"I-I love you, you silly Big Robin!" Vy blurted out, feeling frustrated and embarrassed all at once at his lack of a reaction. "Th-The Ooku just made me realize that, okay?! I wouldn't have recommended k-kissing you for the mana transfer if I didn't love you!"

Vy vaguely heard a sharp intake of breath before she gathered up more courage to open her eyes. "Little sparrow…"

Robin was staring at her, almost studying her, with one wide green eye, his jaw slack.

It took a moment for Vy to realize tears were starting to form in the corners of her own eyes as she looked up at him. "I-I'm sorry I'm so weird," she said weakly, feeling herself take a few more steps back. Where was a good corner to hide in…? "I-If you don't want to stay, you can go. Back to the Th-Throne of Heroes, I mean. I-I know Masters and Servants aren't supposed to have relationships according to Mage Culture, more so since we're still dealing with the loss of all Humanity, b-but, but I couldn't…" Vy did her best to hold back a sniffle, ducking her head and clutching her hands to her chest. The anxiety was too strong, too all-encompassing in her ribcage to even think about fighting it now. "I couldn't help how I feel. I-I just wanted to tell you that. Th-That I love you as a person, as my Robin Hood that I got to know. Th-That's all…"

You've been my Hero for so long, and now that we're here together, I don't want to see you hurt. I don't want to be apart from you.

So then why am I so scared of hearing what you might say?

All it took was one stray tear falling to the ground for something to happen.

A gloved hand was then cupping her cheek, raising her head to make Vy look up, and Robin Hood was smiling at her. "You silly little sparrow," he whispered softly, that same gentle smile that he seemed to reserve just for her lingering on his features as he ducked his head to gently bump it with hers. "What makes you think I'll leave?"

Huh? "I-I kinda just poured out my heart to you and in my anxiety, I thought you'd only want flings?" Vy said in a hurry, heat flooding her cheeks. "O-Or am I wrong, Big Robin?"

Robin blinked at her before closing his eye and chuckling softly, shaking his head while wiping at her eyes past her glasses with his thumb, removing any traces of tears from them. "The old me might've wanted that, maybe," he humored her, pressing his forehead to hers again, "but as a little sparrow's Big Robin, I can't do that now."

"…Eh?"

"Not 'eh', little sparrow," Robin said teasingly, bumping her forehead with his. "You're supposed to smile and accept the fact that someone loves you back."

"E-Eh?" Vy knew she was blushing now, not helped with how Robin was close enough for his breath to brush her cheeks. "Wait, are you—"

Robin closed his eye, a sigh leaving his lips as he bumped her head with his again. The number of bumps at this point was starting to make her brain hurt a little. "Now I know why Avenger said I should've made a move back in Luluhawa," he mumbled. "How I ended up with such an innocent Master is beyond me. At least I can say 'Fuck Mage Culture' with a straight face now."

Avenger… does he mean the Count? And, and, what does he mean by Luluhawa?!

Vy slowly raised her left hand to gently brush some of Robin's fringe back and out of his face. She wasn't sure if it was out of the desire to do so or mere unconscious instinct. "…Is that a bad thing? Being with me, I mean?"

Robin opened both his eyes at this point to return her gaze, the sight of his right eye unabated by his hair for once as he smiled. "It never has been."

"Robin—?"

Vy felt herself freeze once he took a hold of her left hand with his gloved right one while turning his head, pressing a kiss to the inside of her palm. The gesture would've tickled more if not for her heart suddenly deciding to feel like it wanted to run a marathon. "There it is," Robin said softly, keeping eye contact. "There's that pretty pink blush that matches my little sparrow." The smile on his lips seemed coy, teasing at this point. "Just what I wanted to see."

"Y-You're going to give me a heart attack, Big Robin…" Vy said quietly, but she couldn't deny she was smiling too. All the anxiety was gone, replaced with warmth and what Vy could only call hope. A shy giggle left her lips as she then added, "C-Could I get a proper answer to my c-confession, though? Right now, you're playing a bit unfair, a-and it took too much energy to get this far…"

"Always going for the kill, huh?" Robin mused, but he didn't seem intent on letting her hand — or Vy, really — go any time soon. The light tinge of pink on his face to match hers and the extra squeeze of her fingers proved that much. "I'm not the best at playing a knight in shining armor to a little princess, but I can shoot an arrow with my teeth. An answer is simple enough."

"So, um…" Vy tilted her head at him, more hope flooding her veins as she said in a higher-pitched voice, "W-With that in mind, am I allowed to hug you afterwards, Big Robin?"

Robin's smile widened enough to rival his usual smirk if not for the softness shining in his green eyes. Softness that, Vy knew, was only for her to see. "I think you could ask for more than that now, or am I the wrong one, little sparrow?" Before Vy could answer, he leaned in and Vy felt herself freeze again once slightly chapped lips brushed hers. Once he pulled back, Robin chuckled softly, probably taking delight in the face she was making right then and there. "My answer to your confession is obvious. I love you too, my silly little sparrow."

Something seized up inside her at his answer and once the sensation had passed, Vy noticed her vision blurring in spite of her glasses. She wasn't sure if it was from happiness or sheer relief. "Y-You dork," she said softly back, wiping at her eyes with her free hand. "I-I think you're supposed to ask before you kiss someone. E-Even if I did, uh… kinda like the one kiss just now." Vy did her best to avert her eyes once it became obvious Robin was staring at her and enjoying every single moment of it, tugging at the collar of his tunic in the strongest protest she could muster. "D-Don't get me wrong, it was just a little, okay?!" Vy's cheeks were starting to feel like they were burning. Everything felt hot.

"Fair enough, and it's true I probably should've asked," Robin hummed pleasantly, and the hand on her cheek moved past her hair so that it cupped the back of her head instead. "But I am still a rogue, little sparrow. Rogues don't play fair." One centimeter away, he whispered, "Thanks for the meal…"

Before he could close the distance between them again, though, Vy hastily moved her right hand to gently press her fingers against his lips, stopping whatever he had in mind. There was one last elephant in the room. "I-I get that, but wait a minute, Big Robin, please?"

Robin tilted his head to stare into her eyes, blinking while one eyebrow quirked upwards on his head. "Yes?"

A bit of shame clawed at her heart, enough to make the air feel a bit cold, but Vy still admitted in a quieter voice, "We won't be able to have sex in the near future for now, Big Robin." Both Robin's eyes widened in her direction, but Vy still continued with a smaller, "I-I think you've seen enough of me to know I'm too scared of th-that right now. Too much happened for me in the past for me to be okay with s-sex—" Vy did her best to not say the word with disgust, "—even if it's an option for emergencies. M-Mana transfer sucks in that regard." More so since there was no one Vy could apologize to now with the other four Lostbelts still on the horizon. With the other Crypters and the Foreign God still on the rise. Mom, Dad, and her big brother would all have to wait for her to come home again.

"Vy…" Robin whispered.

"So, um." Vy found herself unintentionally batting her eyelashes at Robin, her smile coming out shy as she said, "A-Are you okay with that? With me?"

Robin's gentle smile, the smile he used just for her, returned to his face as soon as she finished her bit, a soft breath brushing the fingers she was using to cover his mouth. It felt warm, gentle, and kind in Robin's own unique way. "…I wouldn't have stayed with you this long if I wasn't okay with it, little sparrow. And we both know being together like this is a miracle enough as is. Let's just enjoy what time we have, sex or no sex." Another chuckle left Robin's mouth as he stared at her with warmth in his eyes. "Romance isn't just about the physical aspects, considering you taught me that much. But thank you for confiding in me." Vy tried not to squeak once a kiss was pressed against her hand again, this time focused on the fingers keeping Robin away, but it was enough of a shock for Robin to close in on her with no interference. All that was left between them was maybe a centimeter at best now. "Though, I think I've waited long enough, but I'll still ask since my little sparrow needs it." Vy could feel Robin's smile against her mouth as he breathed, "Can I kiss you, Vy?"

In spite of feeling herself turn more red, a shy giggle left Vy's lips. "Aye," she whispered. "B-But not too long, okay? I-I did promise Tama-san I'd cook dinner with her tonight."

"That overgrown pink fox's request aside, roger that." Robin's smile perked up a bit at the edges at her response, looking like his usual smirk again if not for the lack of distance and the warmth of his breath. "I will do whatever my little sparrow wishes — whoa!"

Out of a sudden burst of courage (Vy guessed it might've been from joy or relief at her feelings being reciprocated, she still wasn't sure), Vy pulled at Robin's tunic collar with her free hand before he could finish.

Their lips came together rather messily no thanks to Vy initiating a kiss for the first time ever in her life, muffling whatever surprised response Robin had on the tip of his tongue as she stood on her tiptoes to meet his height. Still, whether it was because he had prior experience or because he was a Servant, Robin took control almost immediately, his fingers threading through her hair as he tilted his head and deepened the kiss to his liking. The gesture, the passion, the love — it was all enough to muffle Vy's own little noise of surprise as the room started to feel hot again.

"You have—" One kiss. "No idea—" Another kiss. "How long—" Robin exhaled heavily, almost hungry sounding, before changing the angle and diving back in for one more kiss, his voice deeper this time. "—I've wanted to do this." It was like he had been deprived of a favorite food or a valuable resource until now. His tongue touching Vy's mid-kiss did nothing to abate the embarrassing metaphorical butterflies starting to fly around in Vy's stomach. His smile seemed lazier, fonder this time once he pulled back and then pressed his lips to Vy's in a more chaste peck, a smacking sound echoing between them as he finished with, "My little sparrow."

"Nn, I-I think I can imagine it, a-at least a little," Vy stammered, her knees knocking against each other from all the emotion underneath her dress. Robin continued to look into her eyes, the hand on her head quickly becoming more of a support than just a vice to keep her to him with each passing second. "B-But, um, Big Robin?"

"Hm?" His mouth was inching dangerously close to hers again.

"D-Did you eat anything minty before coming here?" Vy did her best to hold back another embarrassed squeak once Robin's lips brushed hers in another chaste kiss, his green eyes flashing with mischief as he did so. Was he actually trying to make her start voicing things outside of her usual routine? "Uuu… I-I could've sworn I tasted mint in the last one…"

Robin laughed huskily, squeezing Vy's left hand in his right as he smiled. "Mint's a nice alternative to tobacco and I can't just let my little sparrow suffer from second-hand smoke," he said simply. "Besides, I think I just found my new favorite taste."

Vy weakly tugged at his tunic collar. "Wh-What's that, exactly?"

Robin wiggled his eyebrows. "Do I have to answer that one?"

"P-Please?"

Robin laughed again, the edges of his lips looking a little wet. "Just let me eat my share, little sparrow. You already know the answer to your question by now."

"M-Muuu…" Vy didn't protest once he took her up in his arms to move them both towards the only bed in My Room. She was positive her legs were frozen from all the emotion at this point, and Robin couldn't stand up forever, even if he was a Servant. Still, Vy said in a shy voice, "N-Nothing past kissing, though, okay? I-I still want a hug!"

"As my little sparrow wishes…"

Later over a pot of miso soup, Tamamo proceeded to grumble to herself in very sulky silence.

Vy did her best to hold back the first reaction noise that bubbled up in her throat, simply reaching over to pat Tamamo's back instead. "I-I said I'd be okay, Tama-san."

"I know that much, little sis," Tamamo said sullenly, fox ears pressed back against her head, "but why did your heart have to choose an Ikémon? He's not even a Legendary one! If not for the fact that he's hot…"

"Um, Ikémon or not aside," Vy said mildly, bringing over her share of cut tofu to drop into Tamamo's soup pot, "he's still my Ikémon, Tama-san. P-Please be a little easier on him. Please?"

"Mm…" Tamamo said sulkily. She still stirred in Vy's offering of tofu. "I'll try," she growled, her tail standing on end. "But I still don't like him."

"Aye… D-Don't push yourself…" Vy murmured weakly in compromise.

Tamamo simply gave her a half-hearted glare. "Don't push yourself either, little sis. I can hear the exhaustion in your voice."

"A-Aye…" Vy turned back to her cutting board, grabbing the nearest pack of seaweed.

Gray, the newest Assassin to Novum Chaldea and now current assistant to the cooking process, startled in place at her station gathering plates for dinner, her green eyes widening. "O-Oh!" she said loudly, a hand covering her mouth as Add jumped up from his cage nearby if the rattling at Gray's waist was any indication. "U-Um, congratulations on the relationship, Master!"

"Thank you, Gray-chan," Vy said kindly in the same time it took Tamamo to turn away from them both to pout over her soup ladle, sipping at the concoction of miso soup with an exaggerated slurping noise.

"So," Add spoke up suddenly, a smirk in his voice. "When will we have to worry about more kids, Master?"

There was a very, very long pause.

Vy flushed red as soon as Tamamo dropped her spoon into the soup, and in response, Gray put her armfuls of plates down on a nearby counter to grab Add's cage. "Add," Gray said warningly, green eyes glowing past her hood.

"What? You could do the same, Gray! Kiss your Sir and get it going, those kinds of things!" The box-like Mystic Code jeered. "We're all Servants here! We could do that now!"

Gray didn't even blush in contrast to Vy's reddening cheeks, instead raising Add's cage in the air. Add only had time to say a small "Eh?" before Gray started rattling the entire thing, causing Add's screams to start echoing in the Dining Hall.

"I—" Shake shake. "Do not—" Shake shake shake. "See Sir in that way, Add!" Shake shake shake shake. "Stop insinuating things!" Shake shake shake shake shake. "Consent matters!"

"AHHHHHHH! G-Gray, stop it, stop it, stooooooop! AHHHHHHH!"

I'm… not gonna answer Add's question, Vy decided. Nopenopenope, NOPE. Another part of her then thought, Good job on remembering consent, Gray-chan. I'm proud of you.

Tamamo pressed a hand to one of her ears with a sigh, matching Vy's own internal embarrassment as she said, "It can't be helped. I will have to prepare cold gauzes for the eventual headaches…" A sigh broke through Add's prolonged screaming as she continued with a lighter, "Why do I feel more like a mother now?"

Vy opened her mouth to say something, but a green-gloved hand proceeded to fall on top of her hair, making her inadvertently stop any attempt at consoling Tamamo. Instead, Vy found herself looking up just in time for Robin Hood to press a warm kiss to her forehead.

What the—

Somehow, the rattling of Add's cage and Add's screaming stopped in that very moment Robin made himself known. Vy could guess it was from Gray finally starting to blush, no thanks to the sudden gesture of PDA happening right in front of her.

"Well," Robin started pleasantly over Vy's head, leveling what was probably a confident stare in Tamamo's direction once the Caster was looking at them both with a look of surprise and disgust, "You have been acting like a mom. Plus, I didn't get the chance to be in the sun when I was alive, Caster, so I'll be enjoying this for as long as I can! Hope you don't mind me taking my little sparrow again later~!"

"Ooooooh, I still don't like you, greenie!" Tamamo shrieked, tail all the more fluffed up past her apron. "But alright! You will not die by kick today! My little sis is still here! When she's not—"

"U-Um, Tama-san…" Vy said weakly.

"Thanks," Robin shot back, keeping his hand on top of Vy's head. "I appreciate not being on the back end of another kick. Those still hurt and last time, I didn't do anything to warrant that much pain, fox lady."

Tamamo pouted, crossing her arms over her chest. "Says you, Ikémon!"

In spite of what looked like another looming argument, the hand on her head still was gentle as Vy looked up at him. Robin Hood. Her Archer. Her Big Robin.

I love you, Robin Hood, Vy thought with a smile. I love you so much. Outwardly, she took a deep breath and reached up to gently poke at his hand, hiding her impending frown as best as she could. "N-No arguing in the kitchen. We're still cooking, Big Robin."

"Awwwww," Robin groaned, shooting her a look caught between pleading and dark amusement. "But you could eat some good game tonight, little sparrow!"

"I said it before and I'll say it again, no hunting Tama-san, Robin! A-And Tama-san, no kicking Big Robin either!"

"Darn it."

"Little sis…!" Tamamo groused.

"Nada! No complaints! You two are allies now, so at least work with it!"

Behind them all, Vy could hear Gray nervously laugh. Inwardly, Vy already knew she owed Ayako the biggest serving for dinner after Robin got his share. The day was feeling warm enough as is.

Note: For little Easter Eggs/trivia tidbits, if you're looking for them—

- The Ikémon thing comes from what Tamamo calls Robin in their final fight in Fate/Extra CCC's story, where Tamamo references Pokemon's original Japanese catchphrase "Getto da ze!" when about to start the battle. I only know that much because I can understand spoken Japanese to an extent. Reading it is beyond my understanding at the moment, though.

- Robin calling Tamamo "sponsor" takes from their base conversation in Fate/Extella Link, where he's referencing the time Tamamo made herself Queen of the Moon Cell alongside either version of Kishinami Hakuno in the original Extella.

- Robin and Vy's conversation and later confessions heavily reflect things that I shared with my first and still persisting boyfriend, Leo, when we started our relationship. Boundary-setting and all. Same thing with the kisses. ;p

- Robin's character towards Vy in general reflects a lot of Leo when we first met, with his go-with-the-flow demeanor and sarcasm coming the easiest to me in writing. It's only when the romance gets turned on inside that I think Robin uses his Ikémon part of himself on purpose, just to let Vy know that yes, he's very much interested in her and seeing only her this time. She's too dense to notice any flirting and the like otherwise. (This reflects how Leo apparently struggled for a while during our days of friendship before he confessed to me over the phone all those years ago.)

- Vy's dress that she's wearing in this entire chapter reflects that of Matou Sakura's that she dons in the Ufotable-created movie trilogy of Heaven's Feel. Take that however you'd like, more so since Ayako's canonically shown with Arturia's casual outfit in every single drawing Pan's done of her. :p

- "As my little sparrow wishes" is Robin's take on a famous line from The Princess Bride. It's a good movie!

Otherwise, I think this is a good conclusion to a ship that happened thanks to a very happy simping-related accident. And considering Robin hit Bond Level 9 with me in-game as of this posting (5/9/2021), I'd like to think it's a good commemoration to my third Bond Level 9 Servant. It's time for me to sign out for now.

I'll see you all at the next update.