Summary: He wasn't expecting to be a Hero again. He already failed twice before when Patroclus died in the Trojan War (with his armor) to Briseis' grief and Atalante cried while fading away in his arms in the Great Holy Grail War that followed. To see a little Princess smile at him without worry, though—

He could at least try again. For her.

Note: July 23, 2022 to December 27, 2023. That's how long it took for Achilles to get to Level 120. As much as I disliked the Tunguska Sanctuary event that came out in FGO NA at the tailend of 2023, it gave me the final Grail to bring Achi to Level 120, so I might as well write for him just like I did for Robin, right?

More so when my real life Achi, one of my bestest friends, turned a year older on the 27th. :) To said real life Achi — I love you. Thankie for being with me for a decade. Here's to many more years to come.

Content warning for violence, gore, cursing, and general spoilers to Parts 1, 1.5, and 2, by the way. Especially the contents for the biggest boss in Lostbelt 6, Avalon le Fae, and Singularity 7, or as the anime-only folk know the latter as — Absolute Demonic Front: Babylonia. Since we're going way back for memory lane's sake.

The themes for this chapter are (1) Cerulean by BACK-ON, from Gundam Build Fighters Try; (2) Snow Fairy from Fairy Tail; (3) Affection by Masaru Yokoyama, from Fate/Apocrypha; (4) Guitar, Loneliness and Blue Planet by Kessoku Band from Bocchi the Rock; and (5) the orchestral version of Sanctuary from Kingdom Hearts 2.

Here we go.

Day 75: Being There for Each Other

Achilles knew from the get-go that life was a blur in his eyes. Fleeting, quick to pass someone by, and never truly something to be codified under the word "forever." By the River Styx, his entire legend even dictated it, with constant battle after battle in spite of the divine immortality bestowed on him outside of his heel. Fighting in the Trojan War, killing Hektor and Penthesilea, and then seeing… seeing…

Seeing Patroclus die and Briseis being brought to tears thanks to his subsequent grief and rage.

It was why Achilles was resigned to not having a single semblance of peace in his new life as a Heroic Spirit. The Great Holy Grail War was proof of that belief, especially with Amakusa Shirou Tokisada promising a world beyond the Trojan War — perhaps to see Patroclus again, even in an impossible pipe dream where all the souls of humanity could coexist — but failing to live up to it when the Greater Grail was taken away in that world.

To fight for a world Incinerated and later Bleached, though? It would've been one hell of a weird and fucked up pipe dream in hindsight if not for the real danger inherent in all of it. Hell, it certainly explained Chiron showing up at Chaldea a few minutes before his own arrival, and how he was hiding his apprehension through a careful greeting smile. And this was coming from Sensei, who fought him to the death once upon a time. Sensei, who should've been the one who was unfazed at almost everything.

(But then again, Sensei's one wish for the Holy Grail, even back in that Great Grail War, was to regain the immortality he gave up to the Gods in order to die once upon a time, if only to bond with his parents who he never saw again. Achilles could at least understand Chiron's desire in having that much.)

Still, nothing could've prepared him for the greeting that started his career as a Chaldean Servant.

Bright stars shined in brown irises barely hidden by round glass frames, large enough to reflect his image with pure surprise and joy. With the small peek of white teeth past soft pink lips, the young woman he immediately knew as "Master" stared at him. "A…" she choked softly. "Achilles?"

It was faint, hard to make out, but the hero in his soul knew what she meant when she was calling his True Name.

Will you help me?

Achilles smiled, shouldering his spear. "Looks like I'm needed, huh? You certainly hit the Servant summoning jackpot in that case, Master!" With a proud toss of his head, he grinned with all the hope he could give. For the hero he still wanted to be. "Like you guessed, I'm the Rider-class Servant, Achilles, the man who's known for his weakness in his heel. But just because I'm weak in one heel, that doesn't mean anyone's fast enough—" Outside of Sensei, anyway! "To catch me! I'll prove to you what it means to have the fastest feet in Proper Human History, Master, that's a promise!"

Those stars in her brown eyes grew brighter as she took him in, accentuating the budding tears blurring her big irises. "A-Aye," she said at first, clasping both hands in front of her chest. "I-I'm really looking forward to that, Rider. I mean that." Her first smile was shaky at the edges, barely holding together, but joy and budding hope was obvious in her voice as she looked up at him. For first impressions, hers was remarkably plain yet extraordinary in terms of humanity. "I-I'm Vy, Chaldea's last Master. It… it's really good to meet you for real, Achilles."

Vy. A flower's name. A name he knew, even back then, that he didn't want to forget.

Achilles grinned wider. Now this was interesting. He couldn't help but love how his True Name sounded coming from her lips, making his reply all the more heartfelt when he said, "Glad to meet you too, Vy. Looking forward to working with you."

Because for once in his brief life, he meant it too.

(It was better than thinking about what was going on in his old man's head when Chiron smiled at them both. Or entertain the idea that, even back then, Sensei knew how much he would get attached to Vy. He wasn't sure whether or not that idea was truly a good thing.)

"Are you a fan of tea?"

"I wouldn't exactly say that I am—" And before he could finish his sentence, Marie was already pouring him a generous cup of the stuff while humming. Because if there was one thing the last Queen of France had down, it was how to get her way. Maybe that was why she became a Heroic Spirit and had the honor of being Vy's first Gold Rider, long before he arrived. She knew how to quietly diffuse any unease with a bright smile — just like a Princess. "Your Majesty…" didn't feel like much of a title when she was a Princess.

Just like—

Helen, Briseis, and—

A brief flash of white teeth echoed through his mind, accompanied by a tinkly high-pitched giggle. The thought was enough to make his chest tighten suddenly.

"You seemed to have something on your mind." Unknowingly (or did she know?), Marie pushed the teacup towards him with that same dainty hum, large white hat tipping forward just slightly to further emphasize the slight shadows of her face. "And I can at least say in my time, a good cup of anything warm can assist with demons of the mind."

"Sure, Your Majesty, if we had more tea, maybe Agamemnon wouldn't have been as much of a prick when I was alive," Achilles retorted, but it was a weak jab at his fellow front-line Rider considering how nice the cup — no, the whole teapot — smelled from his place at the table. It was why he did his best to ignore the slightly offended glance Marie gave him past her own teacup rim in favor of picking up his own to take a quick swig. "…Huh. But you've got a point. This tea is good."

And just like that, his sentence was successful in bringing a smile back to Marie's face. "Right?" She was humming again too, sipping her tea a bit more excitedly, to the point of Achilles feeling her joy from their shared table. "I made sure to ask EMIYA for his recommended blend!"

"That red Archer would know some good herbal ones, knowing his place in the kitchen," Achilles humored her, swallowing another mouthful of the stuff. "But I did mean to ask."

"Hm?"

"What gave you the impression I had something on my mind?" It was a probing question, probably not something to ask a so-called lady, especially when she was royalty and he was just plain bad with them, but he was still a risk-taker at heart. He couldn't just leave bygones be bygones if it meant getting answers. "We've been working together with Master for a while now, haven't we, Marie?"

"Yes, that's true. We have been Riders-in-arms for a long time." Marie delicately sips at her tea again, the sound barely audible but still noticeable nonetheless from the cold air around them both. Achilles couldn't tell if it was from the ambient mana from Chaldea's mana generators, the air conditioning, or his own heart tightening. Maybe it was from a mix of all three. "But it's because of how long I've fought together with you that I can see something is wrong, Achilles."

Oh. So the cold was from his own heart, then. Even if the air got slightly warmer from hearing the Queen call him by his True Name.

"…Is that so." Achilles takes another swig of his own tea, ignoring the burning of his throat from the liquid going down a bit too quickly as he swallows his newest mouthful. Pushing away the urge to cough took a bit more effort, but he still said, "What should I spill, then?"

"Whatever you feel like sharing," Marie answered, carefully replacing her teacup back into its matching saucer with a measured smile. Compared to her usual smiles, this one came off more solemn and sad to Achilles' eye. "We are Vy's front-line Riders, Achilles. And even if I never fought in an epic of a war like you, that does not mean I lack the ears to listen." She giggles suddenly, making Achilles blink at her in response. "At least in Chaldea, I'm just 'Marie' and you're just 'Achilles,' like mon petit chou said we are!"

Mon petit chou. My little cream puff. There was only one person Marie referred to with that nickname.

Vy.

Achilles felt himself smile past the throat burn, a laugh bubbling up in his esophagus despite all odds to escape his mouth. "True, that! That's what a Master like her is like." It was why he stayed, why he honestly laughed for what felt like the first time in years at the thought of their shared little Master. Knowing Vy, if she got a whiff of the room, she would easily notice something was wrong and offer a hand to help. Maybe even a hug too. It was all within her ballpark.

But…

There was no denying the tightening of his chest at the mere thought of her smile directed his way. Only his way.

"…Achilles?" Marie's own smile had slid off her face. Had he not said anything in the time his thoughts took full precedence? If so, well, fuck. "Are you…"

His throat burned uncomfortably as he rubbed at the back of it in an attempt to come up with words. His common sense knew that it would be better to admit to the growing warmth in his chest, but the last time he did—

Patroclus died because I refused to move. Briseis sobbed to the end of wherever history took her after I left. Penthesilea cursed me to kill Ane-san with my spear because I had to open my damn mouth. Ane-san could barely pass with a smile when her dream crumbled.

With Vy, who says I can't…

"Sometimes," he eventually choked out, "I wonder if I'm cursed to repeat history, Marie. Because… because if I say anymore, I'm afraid of dragging Vy into it."

Because I failed at being a hero before. I don't want to repeat that with her.

The sad gleam of light that surfaced in Marie's blue eyes spoke for her understanding far more than the tiny nod she gave him. He couldn't blame her for barely forcing a smile in return. Even he was aware of how Marie held her fair share of demons close to her chest — a possible black hole of things she didn't want to expose their shared Master to. He didn't have to be a Servant to fathom a guess as to what it could be. And with someone like Marie, he honestly didn't want to. It was why he felt like a traitor for breathing in relief once Marie put a hand on the handle of the centerpiece teapot to say softly, "…May I offer more tea for your thoughts, then?"

She's offering a way out.

So all Achilles could offer in return was a wry grin. "As long as it's something bitter, sure." From long and bitter work under Chiron, he knew it best not to turn down hospitality, at least. To let some things sit and rot far, far away.

For someone like Marie, he could do that much.

Yet if there was one thing that Achilles found himself irritated with very quickly, it was free fall. Because of course arriving in Ancient Mesopotamia in the Age of Gods (a time before him and his parents) apparently involved luxury free fall. Rayshifts were supposed to be controlled and programmed to allow travelers to land in one designated point, but judging by the air roaring past his ears and the surprised (and scared) high pitched screaming of the two humans left in this mess from afar (something along the lines of, "WE'RE FALLING, WE'RE FALLING, WE'RE BUNGEEING, WAAAAAH!"), Chaldea messed up. Again.

At least this time, that one Dr. Roman was trying to put the landing destination coordinates somewhat accurately. Damn ambient mana for messing things up. And damn that fake "Solomon" too.

He was already putting two fingers in his mouth to whistle when, past all the unlikely odds, he heard her voice loud and clear through the wind's roars.

"ACHIIIII! HELP MASH WITH THE LANDING, PLEASEEEEE!"

It didn't matter that she had shortened his True Name into something embarrassing. Hell, he didn't even need to hear Sensei's voice echoing in his head and saying dryly, Your chariot would be a good thing to summon right now, Achilles, because all that mattered — all that truly counted — was that Vy called him.

Vy called his name, so why wouldn't he answer?

He whistled with all of his might. And even screamed, "Xanthos! Get to me with Balius and Padasos right now, you asshole!", just in case. Green lightning crackled through his fingers, and once he heard all three of his horses neigh themselves into existence, Achilles gripped their reins tight once he got a jumping foothold on his chariot to run. Seconds was all it took for a familiar brown head of hair to become visible past the clouds, and he raised his nondominant hand into the sky.

No one else mattered in those precious few moments. He could only see her. And that small hand of hers, with the three lotus-shaped Command Seals that started his new life, was reaching out to him too.

"VY! I'M HERE! GIVE ME YOUR HAND!"

"A-ACHIIII!"

In the amount of time it took for Mash to grab a hold of Chiron's extended arm past her shield and scream, "REVEAL YOURSELF, LORD CAMELOT!", Achilles grabbed that tiny, shaky outstretched hand in his gloved one to pull, the Noble Phantasm chant barely cutting off Vy's relieved gasp once he got a grip. The slightly bitter warmth of tears soaking his collar past his armor didn't matter once he wrapped his arm around her waist to bring her close, all three of his loyal steeds neighing in unison as he snapped the reins of his chariot. That King of Knights and loner of a green Archer were close enough for him in the sky to catch too once the horses started a running pace, the cart barely shaking from their shared weight as green lightning flashed by his eyes.

One, two, three — there! The unmistakable castle of Mash's Lord Camelot made itself visible in his immediate range, allowing him to snap the reins of his chariot again, this time to guide his ride down to the ground. He could vaguely hear Arturia murmur, "It's alright, Princess, we'll be landing soon," to their shared Master still shakily nestled into his side, but what mattered was getting to safety. Ensuring Vy's safety.

And what kind of hero would he be if he failed the maiden in providing that?

"A-Are you okay, Senpai?"

"M-My eyes are still spinning… a-and I'm sorry, Mash, I-I feel like my life was spinning just now too…"

"I-I'm sorry! Should I get an ice pack?!"

"Mash," Robin cut in for the first time, although not unkindly, a hand on his hip from clear disbelief, "considering how we're standing in what looks like the middle of nowhere, I don't think an ice pack is in easy access right now." He even offered a hem of the No Face May King to the teary Vy, who apparently refused to leave Achilles' side thanks to a tight grip on one of the orange scarves of his armor. The sight of the little Master making a burrow out of his shoulder would've been cute if not for how uncharacteristically worried Robin looked above her head. Even glancing up at Achilles for what looked like an attempt at asking for help too. "Try to breathe, little sparrow, okay?"

What answered everyone's worried looks was a shuddery Uuu, the lenses of her glasses looking absolutely awful with the dotted tears and assorted sweat smudges as Vy attempted taking the offered mantle hem to gently wipe at her face. Emphasis on "attempted" — because from the looks of things, Vy probably hated the free fall more than anyone else. Her normally straight brown hair was now totally messy, her clothes were crumpled from dust and wind — even the collar of her blouse was pointedly not that straight against her neck. Add in the stars missing from her eyes past her dirty glasses, the brown irises of the girl he knew as Master were worryingly blank to match the weak sniffles leaving her lips. "Falling suuuuuucks… a-and what's with me having my stomach exposed for everyone to see, anyway…? A-A new Mystic Code for the desert of Uruk doesn't mean having a new weak spot…"

Achilles took a breath, ignoring the questioning looks of both Arturia and Chiron to instead curl his fingers.

I don't want to stand around and do nothing again.

It was why Achilles couldn't help but find delight in hearing what followed. All it took was one or two small impulsive curls of his knuckles against Vy's exposed sides, and the little Master rewarded him with a very loud, very high-pitched squeal of surprise. Something along the lines of a pleasant "Kyah!" Hell, Achilles felt himself grin in joy even when Vy jumped away from his side to nearly bump into Robin, cheeks flushing a bright, bright red as she hugged her exposed middle. "Wh-Who tickled me?!"

"Uh," Robin said blandly, catching Achilles' eye and proceeding to cough unconvincingly. "I didn't."

Arturia immediately turned her head away, placing a gauntlet to her mouth.

Achilles grinned again, ignoring Mash's slightly offended yet curious glance in favor of exaggeratedly taking a step forward. "Ohhhhh, so you're ticklish, Master?"

Vy flushed a darker shade of red, immediately taking a step back as the starlight started to re-emerge in her eyes. "N-No, I'm not."

"Looks like you are~!"

"Waaaaaaah!"

Vy did her best to turn and run, but Achilles knew he had the head start. She was light as a feather as soon as he swept her up into his arms, and there was just no beating the lightest, fastest feet of Proper Human History. (Maybe there would be a day she could outrun him. One day, long after this "Saving Humanity" business was over. That day wasn't today.) Her squeals transformed into surprised laughter the longer he held her close, the scared tears that soaked his collar from before slowly disappearing with each subsequent tickle, and as much as Vy continued to writhe in his hold, she seemed… happier too, giggling without a care in the world. "A-Achiiiiiii…! W-Waaaaaah…! Th-That really really tickles…!"

You called my name again.

"Of course, Princess~!" He cooed, spinning on his heels to swing her around. "That's the whole point of tickling!"

…Achilles, Chiron's voice, as slightly amused as it was running through his mind, quickly brought him back down crashing to reality. As much as you're having fun, you should probably put Master down now. Considering our previous fall, she could easily get sick with more motion.

Spoilsport.

It was why Achilles selfishly gave himself one more tickle at Vy's expense, enjoying the weak Muu that graced his ears before eventually yielding to his teacher's instructions. Levity was the first thing to disappear in the face of war, after all. Vy expectedly wobbled in place once her boots touched the earth down below, but the joy on her face was still unmistakable as she half-grinned, half-pouted at him with a softer Uuu noise. "W-Was that all really necessary?"

Achilles grinned back at her. "Yep." He could ignore Arturia's slightly faked look of disapproval in favor of patting Vy's head, memorizing the sensation of her hair threading through his fingers as best as he could. "Besides, I had to spoil you after you shortened my name!"

Despite making another Muu noise at the headpats, Vy didn't push his hand away, the stars in her eyes shining brighter past her glasses. "Shortening it w-was out of instinct, honestly," she demurred, a soft pink flush beginning to dust her cheeks as she raised her left pointer finger to poke one of the front plates of his divine armor. "C-Could only think of you when falling and b-besides… I have wanted to give you a nickname for a while, Achi."

Without warning, Achilles felt his heart tighten in his chest. His cheeks were starting to tingle too. When was the last time he felt like that? "…Really?"

"Really really, aye. Ever since you and Art-san started calling me 'Princess' too. Like… like how Daddy used to." The pout on Vy's face faded for a smile of honest, legitimate love as she lowered her left finger in favor of pointing at the others. "Chiron is 'Sensei'," the call which made the centaur beam, "Mash is 'fluffy kouhai' and Arturia-san is 'Art-san.'" The named women immediately started blushing in response, and once Vy pointed her finger at Robin and Achilles himself in quick succession, her voice came out more steady and confident to match her bright and fond smile. "And since Robin is 'Big Robin,' that makes you, Achilles, 'Achi!'"

And it was such a simple name. "Achi" — nothing that sounded like it would've come from a name that originated in the Age of Gods. But with the way Vy said it, with her signature warmth and sincerity — it was enough to wipe away the embarrassment and leave gratitude in its place.

Achilles could ignore his fellow green Archer's feigned roll of his eyes (he knew Robin was trying to hide his blush too) in favor of reaching over and taking Vy into another softer hug. Because at least this action could speak for more than any words he could come up with in the spur of the moment, in the middle of nowhere. Because he was still a warrior, not a human like she was. But with Vy—

I can be a hero again. For you.

"Achi…? Do you… do you not like the name?"

"Nope." He whistled softly, resting his chin on top of her head. "It's only with you I love it."

And he meant it. Thank you, Master, laid on the tip of his tongue the entire time Vy leaned into the embrace with another confused Muu noise. He could tell her more later, when they had a home base in this mess of a Singularity. Right now, it felt better to indulge into a warmth he hadn't had the chance to hold in a long long time.

It was why before the Lahmu were born, Achilles thought he had seen hell with the Trojan War. The number of bloodied corpses, ruined cities, and all-encompassing fires committed in the mere act of honoring Helen's original marriage to Menelaus made the whole ordeal seem silly in hindsight. But in the face of the monsters that Beast I called "the new Humanity," per Dr. Roman's words? He would've been tempted to punch his past self in the face for being so naïve. Twice too, for good measure.

Their screeches were nothing but eerie, their laughter almost childlike to contrast the slaughter they were committing almost for fun. Add in the lack of hands and feet (or, hell, a distinguishable face) to rage against — they were nothing but monsters. It was disgusting enough to know that Tiamat considered them the "new Proper Human History," but for their claws to gather men, women, and children all together into a normally bustling plaza to collectively stab in a pointless bloodbath?

This wasn't even war. This was an inhumane massacre.

Fuck, he couldn't blame Vy for nearly screaming the first time one succeeded in getting up in her face, screeching happily with one claw raised in the air. She had her prototype bo staff in front of her for defense, sure, but when freezing in the face of a giant maw of teeth that previously ate a whole Uruk soldier alive like he was a measly piece of bread—

Not again.

The other Servants, Divine and Chaldean both, were still trying to defend Uruk's scattered civilians. The one Lahmu in Vy's face just got lucky in catching her off guard. But Achilles had the fastest feet. This time—

Not again.

I lost Patroclus and Briseis and Ane-san.

I'm not losing you.

The battle cry that escaped his throat was coarse and instinctual as he ran (something caught between a "RAAAAAH" and "GRAAAAAH"), loud enough to make the Lahmu pause for a split second in its attempt at skewering his Master.

That split second was all he needed to close the distance.

Get the fuck away from my Princess.

All it took was for his fist to make point-blank contact with its giant chin (or a pointed lack thereof), and the amount of rage behind the impact created enough velocity to send it flying into a wall from what looked like kilometers — no, miles away, a sickening thud noise echoing through the air soon after. It wasn't a surprise to see purple goo splattered against the formerly strong tile mere moments later — abominations like them had no real red human blood. Achilles would've thrown his spear in along for the ride too, just for making sure the damn monster stayed down, but the glimpse he got of Vy's sweaty and scared face from the corner of his eye made him focus on the Pankration Chiron taught him instead.

I'm not leaving you.

"Keep up your staff, Princess, and straighten your back." He wanted it to sound softer, gentler so that she wouldn't be scared anymore, but the enemy was still vast in number. Uruk's tile would still be soaked in new blood for the next few minutes he bought, and softness was a commodity he couldn't afford right now. "Get a Gandr shot ready if you have to. We're not done here."

"Wh-What about you, Achi?" Achilles almost immediately thought, good girl, once he saw Vy lose the fear in favor of a determined face, her knuckles turning white against the metal of her staff from adjusting her grip. "What will you do?"

The Diatrekhōn Astēr Lonkhē was sturdy (and reliable as always) in his hand once he summoned it, green lightning flickering between his gloved fingers as he gently pushed Vy into huddling against his back. "I'm staying with the Princess to protect her, that's what." You're my Princess, no one else's outside of Saber, was left unsaid. Hot, angry rage belied the words once his mind made him even consider what the Lahmu had done — what they could do to the girl behind him if he wasn't careful — so he forced himself to inhale the stale, bloody air. Mana filled his lungs — mana from the Age of Gods, mana from Vy — and he exhaled. "So my heel might see some action. Make sure to watch my back in that case, Vy, okay?"

The tiny hand that gently pressed itself against his shoulder blade from behind was the only reassurance outside of the emotion in their shared bond that said, That's okay. I can do it.

Considering his rage would've qualified him as a Berserker class through the Throne of Heroes, he'd have to settle with just that.

"So." The golden king of Uruk tapped an unhappy finger against one arm rest of his throne, the equally bright jewelry of his crown and cuffs making soft clink clink noises from the motion. Because of course he'd be happy about seeing his city be ruined. Again. Achilles was sorely tempted to try throwing a bottle of Dr. Roman's most expensive wine in Gilgamesh's direction to see how he'd react, but now wasn't the time. "You all were able to defeat Gorgon. But not without sacrifice."

After all, from her place standing in front of their motley group of both Chaldean and Divine Servants, Vy looked remarkably small. Even to Achilles, he could see her shoulders hunched in on themselves, barely able to do so much as twitch underneath the King of Heroes' gaze. All she did was eventually (and quietly) nod softly in response to the King's unspoken question, the faded mark of the one Command Seal she used earlier now standing out awkwardly against her knuckles as they turned white from her grip on her Mystic Code collar. "I… I sincerely wish it didn't come to sacrifices, King Gilgamesh." By the Styx, even her voice came out weak compared to what Achilles could remember of their first days in Uruk since Rayshifting, almost plaintive and hesitant like that of a child's tone. Like she was admitting she messed up to her own parents. "I…"

Achilles didn't have to meet the others' eyes to know Vy was staring out towards the corner where — where Siduri normally stood in front of Gilgamesh's throne, her spot now shockingly empty.

Not even Odysseus had to deal with that in the Trojan War. And I—

Fuck, not even Gilgamesh was, well, an insensitive mongrel enough to miss it, his next sentence sounding (amazingly) sympathetic and almost sad as he said, "…Do you need a moment to rest, Vy?"

"N-No!" As if suddenly wound up by some kind of metaphorical screwdriver, Vy turned towards the King of Heroes, shaking her head vigorously. "I-I can still report our findings, King Gilgamesh! Because then—!" She choked.

Then I can do something— rung out like a silent gong through the ambient mana, a feeling that had a shiver travel up Achilles' spine. Judging by the minute twitches on his allies' parts, he knew they could feel it too.

Vy was pushing herself again. And considering the number of despondent faces of Uruk's remaining population that passed them by when heading to the Northern Wall of the Demonic Front, no one could blame her. Everyone's limits had been pushed with the Three Goddess Alliance and the advent of Tiamat, so when witnessing it all, she was probably thinking she had to do the same.

But…

"Senpai…" Mash said softly, hugging Fou close to her chest. "Master, are you…"

It's still my Princess.

It was why Achilles swallowed his pride in favor of a barely confident smile, stepping up to Vy's side and raising his hand in the air. "Hey, King of Heroes."

Gilgamesh tore his gaze away from Vy. "Oh? What does the legendary hero of the Trojan War wish to say to me?"

The soft whisper of "Achi?" on Vy's part came out all the more worried and vulnerable to his ears, but Achilles used it as extra motivation.

"As thanks for the extended courtesy, let's make a deal." Shouldering his spear behind his neck, Achilles winked. "We share as much information we learned from Merlin and Gorgon, and in exchange, we get at least 30 minutes of reprieve at our Chaldean home base in Uruk before setting off for Eridu. To gather our belongings and get ready for the next bout of saving the world. How does that sound?"

"A-Achi?" Vy said his nickname a little louder, enough to make his lips twitch at the edges as her gaze turned towards him. "What are you—?"

Achilles gave her his best grin in return. "Taking care of my Princess, that's what I'm doing. Hospitality's the best indulgence in war."

I couldn't give that to Briseis in the end. But for you—

He didn't even mind Gilgamesh suddenly tossing his head back to laugh loudly. Guffawing something about, "Of course a fool would ask! But I will oblige!" Or Arturia and Robin cracking smiles at his expense. Because the soft pink dusting of Vy's cheeks and the surprised starlight starting to emerge in her bespectacled brown eyes was a sight more than worth the retribution.

I can try to be there for you.

"Everyone, watch your step. The Lahmu may be gone, but knowing their previous behavior, they could easily re-emerge at any moment. Be cautious."

Chiron's words sounded like a bit too much in hindsight, but Achilles couldn't blame his mentor for saying them. The "Chaldean Embassy" that Siduri and Gilgamesh had set aside for their team didn't look as great as it had when they first took refuge. From the torn curtains of the entrance, splatters of purple and red against the stone walls, and shards of what looked like shattered glass and pottery dotting the floors — it was a total mess.

"Amazing what the 'new humanity' can get up to when left alone," Robin drawled sarcastically, gingerly moving pieces of a broken wooden chair out of the way to make for some more walking area. "Mess up someone else's home just for the hell of it. At least that part hasn't changed through monstrosity."

"Archer," Arturia cut in, tossing a concerned look at Vy. Since leaving the central ziggurat in Uruk, their shared Master had become shockingly quiet, only looking into the former embassy with furrowed brows. "Focus on the clean-up."

"Yeah, yeah, I know." It didn't stop Archer from turning his gaze towards Vy, his shoulders slumping from the realization, but Vy didn't seem to even notice that, slowly walking forward to approach the foot of the one staircase leading to the bedrooms one floor above. "Vy, will you…" Yet before he could extend a hand in her direction, he trailed off.

The mana in the air shifted once Vy startled in place (jumping a little too), turning to meet all of their eyes. Even Mash let out a gasp at the concerning lack of light (not even holding a single damning wink of a star) in Vy's brown irises as the girl smiled at them, her voice coming out frail (like a wispy shadow of her usual brightness) as she said, "What is it, Big Robin?"

"I…" Robin swallowed thickly, glancing at everything but Vy for a minute before rubbing the back of his head sheepishly. "Sorry. About what I said earlier, I mean. What will we need to get, little sparrow?"

"...Oh." Vy blinked, a glimmer of… of something re-emerging in her eyes past her glasses as she blinked slowly. The edges of her smile dimmed to match her timid voice as she said, "Maybe… maybe just weapons, supplies, any clothes and relief we can find?" She giggles to fill in for the stale air, but Achilles could tell it was forced and barely teetering on "composed" as she finished with, "It… It's going to be a long walk to Eridu. So let's just do what we can, to hopefully save as many people as we can."

Before Mash could say a soft, "Senpai," Vy shook her head and the mana in the atmosphere shifted again.

I can handle this.

It was such a simple statement, a single thought that echoed through their shared Master-Servant bond. It should've been something that in any other situation, would have resolved the tension in the room — but Achilles wasn't convinced.

Resolution was never so easy. Even back when he was alive.

It was why, in spite of Sensei starting to direct the others into salvaging what they could from the former Chaldean Embassy, Achilles found himself meeting Robin's eye before carefully following Vy's footsteps as she quietly started her way up the stairs.

Back during their first days in Uruk, the stone hallways were clean. A bit dusty, some mold here and there, sure, thanks to the old age of the building (per Siduri's words, at least), but there was supposed to be no blood. But whatever the Lahmu had been up to before their return to the building made the former base look horrible, from more messy splatters of red and purple (human and Lahmu remains) covering the walls, more torn curtains, and more audibly creaking floors thanks to a foot pressing down on the occasional crack in the stone. It was why Achilles kept his gait as silent as possible (only thanks to Chiron's teachings), hoping to take a page out of Archer's book (as much of a show off he could be sometimes, what was it with his No Face May King sounding more and more like a cheap cheat code in one of those modern-day video games?) to follow Vy to wherever she was planning to go.

And all it took was for one sight to get his attention. The one single thing that made his gaze go beyond Vy's tiny frame and peek at what was up ahead past her suddenly shaking shoulders to make his heart feel tight in his chest.

Once upon what felt like a long time ago, Ana — no, the former Medusa — had brought the Embassy some flowers — pink roses, was it? — from a stand she had seen in Uruk after helping the old woman there. She had been smiling back then when weaving it into a wreath, offering it to Vy as a makeshift reward/gift after they all had gone on an evil-spirit-killing spree underneath Uruk's sewers. That wreath had been carefully hung up near the entrance of the room all the Servants collectively agreed would go to Vy and Mash both for sleep, and—

"Oh…"

Rotted, wrinkly black leaves dotted the floor of the wrecked room, the formerly bright blossoms of the once brilliant wreath now wilted and shrunken down to brown husks of their previous selves against the string Ana had used to keep them together. Some of the dead blooms even had damning red staining them like a mockery of painting. And add in the smell of burnt… something, it didn't look great.

Fuck, Achilles couldn't blame Vy for freezing in place a few feet away from walking through the entrance. Or, the mess of what was once the entrance to her and Mash's room. With the torn curtain fragments littering the partition separating the room from the rest of the hallway and the telltale splatters of more blood drying inside, the Lahmu had hell in there. Looking deeper inside the room didn't make Achilles feel any better, with obvious scuff marks and the bedding materials thoroughly slashed — like someone had taken a sword to them standing out to his eye — all of the details visible even from the ripped entrance of the doorway.

Or like a monster used a claw without even thinking, Achilles thought angrily, lowering his gaze and clenching his fists. Damn you, Tiamat. Damn you for making the Lahmu and ruining this place. For ruining—

Before the rage could coalesce into his gut, a single sniffle cut it off, and Achilles raised his head from where he had been glaring daggers into the cracked floor. There were water droplets dotting the stone now. In absolute silence, Vy raised her left hand to her face, and even with her back turned, she was—

Vy is crying.

The last time he ever saw her cry was when fully Ascending Sieg back in Chaldea. And unlike that time, judging by the sound of her voice, she was trying to hold it in.

Like she doesn't deserve the chance to cry. Like…

An image of bright yet teary eyes flashed through his mind, making his chest tighten from how much his heart skipped.

Briseis.

"Princess…" left his mouth without him willing the word into existence, the call enough to make Vy flinch.

"Achi, I—" A noise caught between a hiccup and cough cut off her attempt to reply as she turned to look at him, the starlight in her eyes dangerously flickering in and out of view as she attempted wiping at her face with her sleeves. Was she still trying to keep up the strong face now? Even on a break? "G-Give me a minute, just, just give me a minute, I—" She choked, just as blotches of red started to color her nose and cheeks past her shaking hands. "I-I'm just overwhelmed, I'll get over it, I-I'llgetoverit, I just need a minute, Achi, a-and then—"

And then I can stop feeling overwhelmed, stop hating myself, stop standing still, and just keep going, so that—

So that…

Achilles didn't even need to see the smudges starting to form on Vy's glasses. All he did was take a few steps forward and open his arms towards her.

The resulting air was so silent between them, a Lahmu could've come in laughing at any moment and no one would've cared. By the Styx, Achilles could've sworn he heard the telltale hoof-steps of Chiron behind him, and he still opened his arms Vy's way anyway.

Vy sniffled, tears sticking to her face as she glanced between his arms and his eyes. "...H-Huh? Achi?"

Achilles ignored the itching of his eyes in favor of putting on a smile. "...C'mere," he said weakly, the divine armor gifted to him by Hephasteus fading in favor of the casual clothes underneath (for once in his short life) as he wiggled his fingers. "What it looks like you 'need' is a hug, Princess. And I think I can catch you."

Vy's bottom lip trembled, her brown eyes glazing over with more unshed tears before she closed them tightly, her legs making her take a shaky step back. "…You sure?" Her voice wobbled, a pointed whimper keeping her from moving anywhere else. "I… I'm not Briseis, Achi. I-I can't be her. O-Or Patroclus, or Atalante, o-or anyone else you knew in life. I'm just…" Clasping both hands in front of her chest with darkened red-rimmed eyes, Vy wiped at her dripping nose with a wry laugh. "I'm just me. The one person I-I hate the most, because it's hard not to hate me."

Even so…

"I wasn't ever going to ask you to be Briseis or Patroclus or even Ane-san, Vy." Even if seeing you makes me remember them. Achilles merely took another step forward, just as Vy took another step back. "You're still my Master, my Princess, and I say as a failure of a hero that you need a hug. Because I don't hate you." The itching backs of his eyes were becoming absolutely irritating, but he ignored it all in favor of a brighter smile. "So c'mere, Vy. I'll catch you, I promise."

I'll never let you fall.

Both of Vy's lips tremble in response, and she sucks in a watery breath before breaking out into a forward sprint, barreling herself into his chest just as he felt himself exhale the air punched out of his lungs. "A-Achiiiiiiii…! You dooooork…!" Her fists weakly bap his shoulders, but it didn't hurt. "U-Uuuuu…" Each subsequent bap lost more and more strength as he held onto her. "I-I hate this… I hate losing Ushiwaka, Leonidas, Benkei, Ana, Siduri — I-I just can't help but hate all this a-and I just—"

"I know, I know. And it's okay, Princess. I got you," Achilles whispered, ignoring the blurring of his own vision in favor of wrapping his arms tight around her small frame, hugging her close. Letting her hide away in his chest until the next battle. "It's gonna be okay. This hero's going to save you."

Because this time, I can.

Achilles doesn't even mind Robin, Chiron, Mash, and Arturia all running over in a mess of footsteps to join into the hug mere seconds later thanks to the sound of more sniffles. Because once Vy lets out the first pent-up, heart wrenching sob in his chest, Achilles allows himself a single tear in return while pressing his cheek into her hair.

"It's okay, Princess. It's gonna be okay. I got you."

And unlike with Pat, I'm never letting you go alone. Not without me.

The journey to "okay" would most likely take a long time. Achilles never had the chance to contemplate what that could be like when he was alive. Back then, it was all about battle — the honor, the glory. His child self had said it himself to Mother before the Trojan War, "Who cares about a long peaceful life? I want to be remembered as a hero!"

But now, when looking down at a giant fluff ball of a fallen god threatening to destroy Proper Human History after burning most of Faerie Britain to the ground? A god that made even that ice queen Morgan freeze? Achilles didn't care anymore.

I just want my Princess to live with the people she loves. Because even if this land wasn't able to — even if we've had to take down doomed worlds together —

All three of his horses neighed loudly in unison as Achilles snapped at their reins. A few meters below at the deck of the Storm Border, he could see the small, tired figure of Vy standing there with Mash and Robin, and he grinned.

A hero has to help bring about the happy ending, no matter what form that takes.

"HEY, ARCHER! NEED A LIFT TO GET A SHOT AT THE CURSED GOD?!"

"DAMN FUCKING STRAIGHT I DO!" Robin yelled back at him. "YOU'RE LATE, YOU MAGNIFICENT BASTARD!" The Yew Bow was glowing from its place strapped to Robin's right forearm, and that was a good enough sign for him. "THINK YOU CAN GET ME TO THE FLUFFY ASSHOLE'S FACE?!"

"WHAT DO YOU TAKE ME FOR?! HEROES ARE SUPPOSED TO BE LATE, Y'KNOW!" Avoiding the cursed tendrils Cernunnos kept sending his way with half-exaggerated, half-serious swerves and spins, Achilles directed his chariot into as gentle of a landing he could manage in the heat of the battle, parking just a few feet away from his fellow Grailed and their shared Master on the Storm Border's deck. Confidence was what made him shoot Mash a wink (much to the Shielder's flustered blushing) before turning to Vy.

Vy. Robin's little sparrow, and his little Princess (even if Arturia called dibs on coining the nickname first. Vy was still his Princess too, dammit). She was sweating and looking unhealthily pale compared to when they first entered this messed-up Lostbelt together (fuck mana exhaustion), but the stars in her bespectacled brown eyes still reflected him as Achilles grinned. "Achi…?" She said softly.

"Well, Princess, my chariot has three seats open just for you, Lady Mash, and Sir Robin if you're willing to depart!" Sure, playing up the royalties might've had Marie smack his shoulder if she was here, but Cernunnos wasn't going to rest by himself. Someone had to put him down, and even if Robin looked hesitant about using poison to do it after the god's history with the faeries, someone had to give him a push to do it too. Because as much of a pain the original curses were, the fluffy Celtic God had to rest sometime. "Offering a free one-way trip to stop the apocalypse!" It was why he offered Vy his free hand, grinning as the horses all nickered amongst themselves. "Ready for takeoff?"

"…Aye aye." A sharp burst of adrenaline coursed through his veins once Vy smiled at him past the stress lines of her brow, her left hand immediately reaching for his outstretched one to squeeze. "I got the Storm Border, I got my kouhai, ladies, and my guys, so I'm more than ready for takeoff, Achi."

Over her head, Robin pretended to scoff, using the gesture to cover up his wiping some blood off his cheek. "When did we become your guys, Vy?"

"Fweh?"

"Don't deny it, Archer, because yeah, we are her guys," Achilles shot back for an answer, pulling Vy onto the chariot before reaching over and grabbing the hoodie part of Robin's cloak to do the same, just to be a little petty. "Have been since we got summoned by her."

"Wasn't even denying it, mind, so yeah, we appears that we are," Robin acquiesced without much heat, giving him a wry grin just as Mash jumped onto the chariot behind him. Apparently near-choking for banter counted as an "okay" thing with all the curses flying around them. Good to know! "…How close can you get?"

Achilles turned to look down at their shared enemy. For an undead corpse animated by years upon years of curses, Cernunnos was massive, the Storm Border having to circle him constantly to try finding a weak point. By the River Styx, even, the dead Celtic God could have probably given Goetia and Tiamat both a run for their money. But if there was one thing he learned from the Trojan War and Vy, there was always a will to pave the way.

Even if there was a possibility he might not live to see the end of it. He didn't get to see the end of the Trojan War, after all.

But with Vy—

"My life's been a shooting star, Archer." Glancing at their shared Princess before looking into his fellow Grailed's eyes, Achilles grinned. "Who says I can't use it to take out a God? I can get up to his nose if we need that!"

Robin gave him a wry smile in return. "As long as you don't stab your own heel in the process of giving the old fluffy git a nosebleed, we're good," he said, absently tapping the drawstring of his crossbow. "You're supposed to be the best man at the wedding, y'know."

Achilles blinked, just as the horses all neighed their various opinions (and Mash gasped somewhere because okay then). "…Jabs at my heel aside — you're actually thinking that far ahead?"

Vy blushed, but still shared a smile with Mash just as Robin quipped, "Better to think about the future than how we all could die right now if this doesn't work, Rider, right?"

Achilles rolled his eyes. "How the Princess fell in love with you is beyond me." Well, not really. "Anyway, Noble Phantasm chain between you and me, Archer, and then — and just then if it's not enough," Achilles made sure to make eye contact with Mash, doing his best to give her a reassuring smile too, "Black Barrel to make sure there's no pulse?"

Mash beamed. "Of course!"

Even with the dried blood and exhausted bags highlighting the underside of her eyes, the stars in Vy's brown irises grew brighter as she glanced at Cernunnos over Achilles' shoulder. The red lotus petals of her Command Seals glowed brightly from her left hand as she nodded her head. "Pacific Rim sword tactics it is," she finalized, leaning her head back towards Robin for the briefest moment before the mana in the air shifted. "...Battle routine, set."

"...Execute," Mash whispered.

More cursed black arms were reaching out for them amongst all the banter, purple flames of curses licking at their palms, but all Achilles did was put his own fingers in his mouth to whistle.

"Xanthos! Balios! Pedasus! Run like your life depends on it!"

The horses neighed loudly, Robin readied his bow behind him, and Achilles summoned his spear. Vy rested a hand on both his back and Robin's arm, mana flooding the air through their shared bond as the undead God loomed before them all.

"TROIAS TRAGOIDIA!"

"YEW BOW!"

Cernunnos didn't stand a chance. Not when they were all together.