7
Rin got up out of bed having gotten barely any sleep- all the nighttime hours had been spent thinking about Archer. Part of it was worry, part of it was reminiscence, and a little part was… joy, almost? The idea of reunion with him after all this time, to finally meet again for a second time was something no mage could have ever comprehended. But it was real.
She didn't tell Shirou, mind you. She knew he'd probably have a hell of a time even without talking to his own future self. It wasn't a good idea to drop all of that on him right now. And besides, he might have put the pieces together already. He was smart enough to figure that Archer would be watching.
She had too many problems. And the other one reared its head when the landline rang downstairs. Answering it, Rin heard the voice on the other end and internally groaned.
"The Matou have returned to Fuyuki, Tohsaka. The church has identified them as a threat. It's official- they're fair game."
And with that, the caller- Caren- hung up. Leaving Rin with the dilemna of Archer, the Matou, and the Church. "Wonderful. Just wonderful." She muttered, heading into the kitchen to brew some tea. It was what she needed to process this all. As the kettle began to boil, she leaned by the counter, wondering just what Shirou was up to while she sorted through dilemmas.
...
Across the city, Shirou was, in fact, grappling with a dilemma of his own; a dilemma with an ahoge and an appetite that could devour nations.
"Shirou, I'm hungry."
Those three words were now as common in the Emiya residence as greetings by this point. Five times a day, at the same time every time, he had to stop whatever he was doing and cook. But this time was different.
"I… I'm getting tired of the same dishes again, and again. I'd like to go out and have a meal downtown."
Shirou sighed, both in relief and frustration. On one hand, he didn't have to cook. But on the other, now he had to take her to town. And that felt suspiciously date-like to him. But did he have a choice? If he valued his life, he was obliged to take her. So, with some reluctance, he took his scarf and his wallet, and the two of them took the bus downtown.
As they travelled, the pair passed by the Fuyuki Bridge. Shirou noticed Saber shift a little in her seat as they crossed, and he knew why. It was this spot where the two had been separated after their fight with Caster, and Saber had been abducted.
Shirou looked over to her. "You okay?" He asked.
"...I'm just thinking, Shirou." She leaned against the window, looking into the waters of the river. She was silent for a moment, before continuing. "...It wasn't so long ago, was it? Maybe not to you, though."
"...I'm sorry, Saber. I… I failed in my duties as a Master, I didn't protect you…" He didn't get to finish, as she stopped him from speaking with a raised hand.
"...There is nothing to apologize for, Shirou. You were willing to lay your life down for me, and you saved me in the end."
"But… That's the problem. I was ready to die for your own sake." Shirou glanced down at his hands, shame across his features. "...It was stupid."
Saber sighed. "Maybe. I don't think I can deny it without lying. You were reckless. But I sense you've changed now. And so the odds of the same outcome, nay, the same circumstance- I'd say they're close to zero." She looked at him. "Shirou."
He looked up at her. "Yeah?"
"Look at me when I talk because this is important." She cleared her throat before speaking. "You are not the same boy I confronted in his shed that night. You're not the boy who offered his own life for another's on the bridge.
"I… I was a king once. I met many men and many women, and to know them, and what they truly were was a value I had to have. I know when a man has changed. I know when a man cannot. Shirou Emiya… I see in you a changed man, truly."
Shirou couldn't really put words together after that. He had no idea what he was supposed to say, no clue what he could do to convey his gratitude. He simply nodded. "...I…"
"I don't need thanks." Saber smiled, looking towards the city ahead of them. "...You have done more than enough to not need to say it. Now then, let's have lunch, shall we?"
The bus pulled up outside the Fuyuki mall, another familiar place from Shirou's adventure in the Fifth Holy Grail War. Thankfully, this place held happy memories- him, Saber and Rin, in the mall together… A bit out of place under the circumstances, but at least here there was no strategizing to do, no fear of being stalked by the enemy, and no blood to think of shedding.
The mall was more populated than last time. Crowds of people were all around, browsing, conversing, or relaxing in the spacious mezzanine. Shirou and Saber entered the cafe they'd visited last time- a quaint European place named 'Ahnenherbe'. Shirou had no idea what it meant, but their food was a nice taste of the cuisine of the west, like cakes and pies and other foodstuffs. Saber and Shirou took their seats, and an orange-haired lady took their orders- an iced coffee and blueberry pie for Shirou, and Saber ordered herself a scone, a slice of chocolate cake, several cookies to go, and a cup of coffee. Which was to be expected.
"Did you have to be so… diverse in your order?" Shirou asked, as Saber put down her menu. She simply replied with a 'Yes' and that was that.
After a while, their lunch was served. Shirou dug into his slice, but in the time it took to take one bite, Saber had taken several. She wolfed down everything she ate with the vigor of someone who had been starved for weeks, even if realistically it was only a few hours. It was nothing but impressive at this point, if Shirou was being honest.
"Mmmmph… This cake is… mmmph… So good, Shirou- GULP." She'd already eaten the whole slice as she finished the sentence, licking her lips with a satisfied pat on the stomach.
"Your appetite is something else, Saber." Shirou said it offhandedly, his eyes focused on his food, which meant he couldn't see Saber frowning at that remark.
"Shirou." There was that tone again. When she said your name like that, you'd damn well look at her. So Shirou did, realizing his mistake too late.
"I can take many comments, Shirou." Saber's glare was practically burning into him.
"But there is a line. You crossed it."
Shirou gulped, not daring to look away. "I…"
"You get the chance to apologize this once. Never again."
Aside from the internal fear from the threat of retribution, the rest of their lunch was spent in peace. They discussed Shirou's work, Rin, and things in Shirou's home life. Shirou wasn't sure what this felt like, but this definitely wasn't the date-like time he'd feared. Saber felt more like… Well, he didn't really know. Taiga seemed like the closest comparison, but Saber was someone he confided in, someone he trusted, and someone who confided in him.
Shirou soon finished his piece of cake, and with that, the two of them paid up and headed back home. The sun was beginning to set in the sky, and as he stepped into his home, he was about ready to head back for bed.
"I'm going to bed early tonight, Saber. Dinner's in the fridge." Shirou passed by her as she nodded, climbing into bed once again and soon falling asleep. As he slept, he soon grew cold. A chill filled the room, and he began to shiver. But at some point, a warmth overtook him. His sleep became more peaceful, and he spent the rest of his night in comfort. When he woke up, he wondered for a moment about the source of the warmth in the night. Which was when he noticed something.
There was a blanket draped over him.
He sat up in bed and smiled.
