I don't not own Fate or Witch on a Holy Night.
The morning sunlight filtered through the blinds of Aoko Aozaki's modest yet slightly cluttered home. She sat on the worn-out couch in her living room, a steaming mug of coffee in her hand. The space around her was a mix of chaos and care—books piled haphazardly on the table, a stray scarf draped over a chair, and a faint scent of burnt toast lingering in the air.
Her gaze was unfocused, her thoughts far from the present. She hadn't been able to shake the memory of her encounter with the man in red—Archer. There was something about him, something off-kilter yet oddly familiar in a way she couldn't quite place. It wasn't his cryptic demeanor or how he seemed unbothered by her probing questions. It was something deeper, something she couldn't ignore.
"Passing through," she murmured, tapping her finger against the mug. "What kind of answer is that, anyway? And that look in his eyes…" She trailed off, her brows furrowing. They were the eyes of someone inhuman, almost like staring into a void.
Aoko leaned back on the couch and sighed, leaning her head back to stare at the ceiling. "I don't have time for this. Whatever his deal is, it's not my problem."
Just as she began to settle into her thoughts, the faint creak of the front door opening drew her attention. She didn't need to look to know who it was.
"You're up early," came a soft, calm voice, tinged with mild curiosity.
Aoko glanced over to see Kuonji Alice standing in the doorway, her usual composed demeanor intact. Dressed in a long black dress that made her look like she'd stepped out of a Gothic painting, Alice carried an air of quiet elegance that was as natural to her as breathing. Her expression was neutral, but the slight tilt of her head betrayed her curiosity.
"Morning, Alice," Aoko said, sitting up and gesturing lazily to the chair across from her. "Coffee?"
"No, thank you," Alice replied and gracefully approached the chair. She sat down, folding her hands neatly in her lap. "You seem… distracted."
Aoko snorted, leaning forward to rest her elbows on her knees. "Yeah, well, let's just say I had an interesting night."
Alice raised an eyebrow but didn't press. Instead, she waited, her gaze steady and patient. Aoko knew that look—it was Alice's way of saying she had all the time in the world to hear the full story.
Aoko sighed and ran a hand through her hair. "Fine, fine. I ran into someone weird last night. A guy in red called himself Archer. Said he wasn't supposed to be here, whatever that means. He had this… presence. Like he didn't belong, but also like he could handle himself just fine if things went south."
Alice's eyes narrowed slightly in thought. "A spirit, perhaps? Or something similar?"
"That was my guess," Aoko said, sipping her coffee. "He didn't feel like a normal magus or anything close to human. And the way he talked…" She shook her head. "He was calm, sure, but there was something underneath it. Like he's been through hell and back and just doesn't care anymore."
"Did he seem hostile?" Alice asked, her tone careful.
Aoko shook her head. "Nah. He said he wasn't here to cause trouble, and I believe him. For now, anyway. But he's not normal, Alice. Whatever he is, it's way beyond the usual stuff we deal with."
Alice leaned back slightly, her expression thoughtful. "And yet, it seems he's left an impression on you."
Aoko blinked, then frowned. "What's that supposed to mean?"
"Simply that you're spending an unusual amount of energy thinking about him," Alice said, her tone neutral but her gaze sharp. "You don't usually dwell on strangers unless they pose a direct threat."
Aoko opened her mouth to retort, then stopped. Alice wasn't wrong, and that realization annoyed her more than she wanted to admit.
"Maybe," Aoko muttered, leaning back against the couch. "Or maybe I'm just tired and this whole thing is getting to me more than it should."
Alice didn't respond immediately. Instead, she studied Aoko for a moment, then gave a small nod. "Perhaps. But if this Archer reappears, I suggest you proceed with caution. His presence may be an anomaly, but anomalies rarely happen without reason."
Aoko let out a dry laugh. "You don't have to tell me that. I'll keep an eye out, don't worry."
Satisfied, Alice stood gracefully and smoothed out her dress. "Very well. If you need assistance, you know where to find me."
"Yeah, yeah," Aoko said, waving her off with a smirk. "Go do your spooky doll stuff or whatever it is you're up to today."
Alice rolled her eyes—barely—and turned to leave. As the door clicked shut behind her, Aoko leaned back into the couch, her smirk fading into a contemplative frown.
"Anomalies rarely happen without reason," she repeated under her breath. Her gaze drifted to the window, where the morning sunlight poured in, golden and serene.
Despite her best efforts to dismiss the encounter, a part of her couldn't shake the feeling that Archer's arrival was only the beginning of something much larger—and much more dangerous.
Author's Note: Hello everyone. I was surprised to see how well this story. Thank you for the reviews but to the ones asking for a collab, I'm politely declining. Anyway, thank you for the follow and favorites. I hope you enjoyed!