Author's notes
Hi readers, welcome to my fanfiction about FGO and Blue Archive crossover! Side stories are my side projects that focus on daily life. This is exclusive, new content separate from the main story.
(I can't be writing the main story solely all the time, that thing was really exhausting. It requires too much brain power.)
The title 'Toki, Toki' is a play with 'Doki, Doki' (the sound of a beating heart in Japanese) as they sound almost the same. Therefore— Easy guess! TOKI BEST GIRL (This chapter)
This side story takes place between Clockwork Flower Pavane chapter 2 and Vol. F.
ENJOY!
Fate/Grand Order: Where All Miracles Begin, SCHALE
Side Story: Toki, Toki, The Maiden's Bewildered Heart (2/3)
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"Morning."
"Good morning, Sensei." Her melodic yet calm voice replied.
The sound of a coffee machine sputtered in the background, she poured herself and cup before bringing it over to him. He took it gratefully, the warmth of the mug a welcome contrast to the cool air of the room. A coffee in the morning— a perfect start of the day.
Fujimaru Ritsuka had always been an early riser. Every morning, he would wake up before her and proceed straight to his desk— skimming over the documents, overlooking the workload he planned ahead for the day.
"..." Glancing from a distance, the girl's sharp gaze looked a him.
As a perfect maid and the best agent, she took both roles of his personal maid and bodyguard seriously. As long as she didn't have a mission, she escorted him all day— lately, all night. She found sleeping here very pleasant... the reason? Provided that she was happy about it, she didn't need to bother thinking why. It was a waste of efficiency.
Performing the maid's duty, she set up plates of breakfast on the table.
This situation had become their daily life for a while now. The man would join her, eat breakfast, go back to his desk, then work— signing documents, consulting with students, whatever the day brought him. She, on the other hand, attended online classes, tried new hobbies, assisted him if needed, and just laid around.
"Hey, Toki. Don't you ever miss going back home?" Out of the blue, Ritsuka asked.
"Sensei, you asked a silly question. It's my duty to support you in every aspect."
"Well, but—"
"Please come take a seat before the breakfast gets cold." Despite her monotone speech and stern look, her little mouth lifted up into a small, almost unnoticeable little curl. The man quietly sighed under his breath...Look like it is too earlyhe thought, she was always contented when she was doing her job. She had even even make this place home, a part of his closet even had her spare clothes... The man moved his legs to the dining table, postponing the serious talk so as not to kill this blissful atmosphere.
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They progressed their day.
Glancing over the pile of papers, Ritsuka was sure Toki was doing nothing at the moment. The girl was too comfortable staying here. Today, in her student uniform, she ate snacks, rolled on the couch— No worldly matter could disturb her. Yes— she had been living here rent-free.
"Toki, Are you free at the moment?"
"Yes, I finished my class. What is it, Sensei?"
"I have something to tell you about. Let's talk, shall we?"
—!
Feeling an unexpected impulse. Out of nowhere, her woman intuition alarmed her of something.
Not quite understood yet, the girl made her move.
"I'm thirsty after eating all those salty snacks. Let me brew myself a tea over there."
"Mmm.. Take your time, I'll wait."
"It will take some time until finish. Sensei, are you not busy?"
"Don't worry— I'll always make time for you."
This is strange, very unexpected. The girl thought while excusing herself to the kitchen with a calm front. Her sense was certainly telling her something she should be worried about.
"..." With her back facing him, Ritsuka couldn't see her rising nervousness. She slowly took her time brewing the tea, she even drank some and brewed more. As though a psychological war erupted, the man realized something was up. He then made his move, from the desk, he moved to sit down on the couch... opposite to her favorite one.
"...!" Catching a glimpse of what he did, she instantly thought of escape plans.
Nonetheless, the man was not stupid. Living together for weeks, he knew her behavior— she was about to shake the matter off.
She couldn't keep getting away with it. I had told her several times already.
But this time— I won't fail.
"Toki."
"—?" The girl turned her head in question. Strangely, the man's voice just now was different from his normal speaking tone. It was low and serious, he had never been this hard on her.
"I have something to talk to you, a very important matter at that."
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"...Yes"
Toki slowly nodded. Despite looking calm and stoic on the outside, her inner thoughts became a little chaotic. A bead of sweat appeared on her forehead, her senses were tingling— her intuition was alerting her nonstop.
She swallowed a dry saliva. After a huge gulp, she returned to the couch, directly facing the man.
"..."
"..."
"Do you know what I will talk about today?" Ritsuka asked. His blue pupils that shone bright like stars now gave off an entirely different feeling— passionate yet resolute.
"Please elaborate."
"From today onwards, you are not allowed to sleep on my bed."
Like an absolute decree, coupled with his serious expression— an imaginary lighting struck down the maiden's heart. The lighting, accompanied by several thunderous branches, further gave her a flickering thousands shocks... rendering her heart in shamble.
Normally—even just this morning, he asked her to sleep at her own home too.
But... But this time— his tone, his face, his gaze, and her intuition, everything all pointed to one thing. This grave matter.
"..." Seeing the girl suddenly froze on the spot, the man dropped a little bit of his countenance but still maintained a serious and stern expression. Just as he was about to continue, she responded.
"Sensei... I don't see the point of your decision."
"—Then why do you want to sleep on my bed that much?"
"You ask the obvious. It's because the bed is there."
"I remembered you said you won't sleep on someone else's bed except mine... why?" His eyebrows twitched a little, trying his best to understand the girl who needed more common sense than common education.
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Toki became silent, she spent some time thinking about it.
"..."
"..."
"I don't know."
"..."
This was not the first time they had this conversation either. Every time it happened, it never was this serious... she could come up with hundreds of reasons no matter how nonsense they were. Nonetheless, she couldn't do that now— one wrong move and the bed was gone.
Until now, she didn't fully understand herself why either.
Why was she reluctant to part with it so much?
In her defense, she spent most of her time 'operating' in the SCHALE office. Essentially, sleeping on his bed proved the most efficient solution. However, SCHALE also a dorm, which wouldn't let her escape this situation.Why?She wondered in her mind.
In normal circumstances, she wouldn't even bother to spend time on something needed not to be solved. But if she did nothing like usual—she wouldn't be able to protect the bed.
"Sensei."
"Hmm?"
"Then why— why do you not allow me to sleep on your bed?" Like a determined rabbit, her confident gaze pierced him back. Returning a question with a question, the man felt a little shock.
"Of course, it's because you're supposed to sleep on your own bed right?"
The girl took a few seconds to process, she answered calmly. "You're right in some aspect. I can see where this is heading."
"..."
"Sleeping on your bed must have violated your belongings as well as your privacy. After careful consideration, I admitted it was unfair to you—"
"..."
"—So to make it fair, you can sleep on my bed too."
The respond made him speechless. Like a flick of a switch, her words instantly turned his brain off.. All his prepared reasons to why not to sleep on his bed, all his lessons he planned to teach her the basic common sense, all the norms he held into... All gone. This girl was unbelievable.
Letting out a heavy sigh, he facepalmed out of exasperation. "Toki..."
"Yes?"
"..."Why?! Just why does she want to sleep on my bed that much?He screamed mentally.
"..."Why— why doesn't this end already?At the same time, she thought to herself nervously. In all fairness, she also proposed an alternative solution to compensate him. Why did he not want her to sleep that much—after all, it's just a bed.
"A man and a woman shouldn't sleep together."Much less a teacher and a student.He added the later part just to himself.
"I'm listening, please clarify."
"It makes me uncomfortable." Ritsuka confessed. In this world, there were no more normal humans, as the last remaining human and male, he tried his best to adjust to a full society of female students. This situation is one of them— it should have been easy, just mitigate the problem away.
Only if the problem were not this stubborn.
"Sensei, you lied."
"When we sleep, your body temperature is normal, your heartbeat is also within a healthy range. In addition to that, you look very pleasant in your sleep. Sometimes you used me for your body pillow too." Not waiting for him to explain further, she rapidly countered.
"..."
"I suppose you were over-worried about it, Sensei."
"..." Fujimaru Ritsuka sank deep into his thoughts. Reasonings did not work well with her.
"..." On the other side, the girl's mind became at ease. She triumphed over another victory again, 'her' bed should be safe and sound... no one would ever rob it from her. Just as she was about to conclude this pointless conversation, the man spoke up.
"Listen carefully..."
"I don't want to sleep with you. Not you, not with any other student either."
The voice broke out. Little did he know, the maiden's ears shut after the first part already. She heard something internally shatter— it was her heart.
As though shot by a bullet, she felt a sharp, intense pain in her chest. Her vision also became blurry, she could sense some moisture start to form.
It was a feeling she could not understand.
Was she not needed? Would she return to her past self with no purpose? After the Millenium's incident, she was heavily shaken when President Rio was nowhere to be found. Thankfully, she managed to seek his help in time— he gave her purpose.Just what is this feeling?
Was she sad? Disappointed? Did his words upset her?
"So except for bedtime when you return home, you can still come here to attend online classes or hang around like usual." He continued, not noticing a little wetness in her eyes— he also didn't realize the girl had gone through a time chamber of self-thoughts and flashbacks.
"..."
"Toki?" Not receiving her reply, Ritsuka called out to her. After staying quiet for a few seconds, she finally responded.
Quietly and steadily, she voiced out asking. "What if I don't comply?"
"Sigh, then I will not let you escort me."
"—!"
"I will not let you perform your maid duty too. Please... Toki, it's just only bedtime we're separated, right?"
"..."
"You can come here everyday like usual, stay as long as you like— except for sleeping, of course. See? It's not so different at all. Just like in your earlier days here... Besides, we don't sleep together every night too, do we?"
"..."
"Sometimes you are on a mission, sometimes you go back home— you sleep fine by yourself."
"..." She remained silent, all his words had never been more true. Why did she even become persistent to a mere bed— She couldn't even figure.
"We can start off slow... starting tonight—"
"If you are troubled by anything, just contact me anytime okay? Tomorrow you'll also be here, right?"
Unable to find a supporting reason, as well as confused about her own feelings. Unconsciously, she responded—
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"Yes."
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Under the starlight in the night sky, Asuma Toki stood in front of her apartment's door.
Just as she was about to rotate the doorknob, she recalled what happened in the afternoon. Hours ago, she and Sensei had a stressful conversation regarding her sleep location. Unfortunately, she contradictorily agreed— back then, she was in a state of confusion. No— even now, she still was.
Afterward, they went on doing separate things, he went back to work, leaving her mindlessly lying on the couch. To make things worse, those acts weren't abnormal in the slightest. That was how the two coexist every day... With his busy schedule and her reserved self, they occasionally chatted.
She was puzzled, today seemed not for her—everything seemed the same yet different. It's just her, her feelings that were unclear.
Like he said, almost nothing was changed. Just why?
"..."
The door swung open, she was greeted by the lightless room. The air was still, the silence pressing against her, almost suffocating. The only light coming from the faint glow of the moon peeking through the window. Luckily, the moon, as soothing as ever, stood on her side...
"..." She hesitated, standing in the doorway for a moment, the feeling of loneliness creeping in. It wasn't a new feeling—she'd spent so many nights like this, in the quiet of an empty room. But tonight, it seemed heavier.Was it always felt this emptied?She questioned herself.
The amount of time she spent in his place couldn't compare to how long she lived here— yet, it felt as though she lost her home.
What is wrong with me?
Ding!Interrupting her thoughts, her smartphone rang a notification.
[Sensei]
Have you entered your home yet?Just now.
The source of problems, the one who caused her chaos, sent her the message. She admitted he was very considerate and caring— but now, some opposite feelings lingered within her. Upset? Betrayed? She couldn't figure it out quite yet. Nonchalantly, she replied.
[Me]
Yes, Sensei. Thank you for your company.
[Sensei]
You're welcome. See you tomorrow!
Good night!Just now.
The conversation ended. He probably drove off after sending her home too.
Reminded that tomorrow they would still see each other, a little hope emerged in her heart unrealized. Slowly, she put the phone away, headed to shower, and went to bed.
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The night was unusually quiet, the soft hum of the city outside barely penetrating through the windows.
Toki laid in her bed, staring at the ceiling. Every so often, she Every so often, she'd glance at the clock, watching the minutes tick by in the darkness. Sleep refused to come, no matter how many times she shifted under the covers or closed her eyes in the hopes of drifting off.
She sighed, frustrated. Her thoughts swirled restlessly
Am I feeling lonely? Since when have I become demanding?
She had no energy, her mind was clouded, the food tasted bland, and now she couldn't sleep. Just tonight, the bed didn't feel right. She also tried hugging a pillow— it didn't help either. The sensation felt wrong— she preferred not this one.
Finally, she picked up her phone and typed a short message.
[Me]
Sensei, are you awake?
She paused, staring at the words on the screen. It felt silly, like something that could wait, but her thumb pressed "Send" anyway. She set the phone down beside her, the small ding of a new message breaking the silence a moment later.
[Sensei]
Yeah, I'm awake. Everything okay?Just now.
A wave of relief washed over her. She sat up in bed, the cool air brushing against her skin, and typed back.
[Me]
This is an important matter.
I can't sleep.
[Sensei]
Hmm... I don't recall you having a sleeping problem, do you?
Have you tried adjusting the air-con? Did you forget to wash your mattress?
[Me]
Sensei, I am a perfect maid.
[Sensei]
Well, that's fair. (;-;)
[Me]
My mind won't shut off.
She confessed. It wasn't a lie. The conflicted feelings knotted her mind like a rope, and even worse— it turned into chains that tightened her chest.
[Sensei]
Wanna talk about it? Or just keep you company?
Her heart gave a small skip. She smiled softly, feeling the knot in her chest loosen a bit. The simple offer of company was exactly what she needed, even if it was just through a text.
[Me]
Keep me company, please.
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She set the phone on her lap and lay back against the pillow, staring up at the ceiling again. After almost five minutes, her phone buzzed with his message.
[Sensei]
I'm here.
A small smile spread across her face unknowingly. The loneliness of the room felt more bearable, not as isolating. Their conversation continued, her eyelids slowly grew heavier. The constant back-and-forth of simple words, the familiar rhythm of his responses, and the warmth of his support were enough to calm her mind. Little by little, the restless energy that had kept her awake began to fade.
Before she knew it, the tension in her body had eased, and her eyes fluttered shut. The quiet comfort of the exchange, the gentle words from the other side of the screen, finally lulled her into a peaceful sleep.
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"Hmm.. Toki—"
"What is it, Sensei?" replied the girl, her clear blue eyes looking straight at me.
"You are feeling well now right?"
"I slept— but for some reason, the qualities did not meet. Thanks to your company it made me feel slightly better." She responded in a monotone yet a little bead of nervous sweat appeared on her face.
"I'm sure You'll adjust soon."
After yesterday, when we changed our little routine, she made me worry a little.She often slept at her home— She hadn't had this problem before. Did she grow attached to my bed?I questioned in my head in confusion.Please bear with it a little— At the end of the day, I'm doing this for you.
"See you tomorrow, Toki. If you can't sleep, text or call me okay?"
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"See you tomorrow!"
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"Sleep well, see you tomorrow!"
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"Good night! See you tomorrow."
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About a week has passed since I prohibited Toki from sleeping in my bed. Ignore the initial reluctance, she obeyed my words in the end. However, a noticeable change occurred.
[Toki]
Sensei, I can't sleep.11.27 pm
The girl couldn't sleep. She requested my company until she eventually got drowsy and thus fell asleep. But tonight was unusual, I replied to her already... but she left me on read.
Did she somehow sleep already?But from the past days, it would take another hour or two until she did. As for why she couldn't sleep, she said she didn't know. She told me she tried matching everything already too— temperature, pillows, blanket, or even bed sheets. They didn't work.
There is one thing she didn't have at home— Me.
Was it possible that she couldn't sleep... because she had become attached to my embrace?
She's always been strong, independent... But lately...I breathed a quiet sigh. The thought lingered, it was foolish of me but I couldn't deny how quickly and easily she settled in my arms each night. Maybe I was the comfort she searched for?
I laid still for almost another hour in case she responded— my phone was completely still, no one had messaged me. With nothing left to take care of, I called it a day and buried myself in the blanket sheet.
With my eyes closed, my mind drifting deeper into the warmth of slumber...
Out of the blue, a soft rustling broke the silence, a barely audible sound of movement. At first, I thought it was just a figment of my half-asleep mind, but then I felt it— The bed dipped, a light pressure against the sheets that hadn't been there before. His senses were still clouded by sleep, but instinctively, his body tensed, the familiar warmth of another person slipping quietly beside him.
*rustle* *rustle*It was subtle, almost like a feather-light touch at first, but unmistakable. The weight beside me increased, just enough to make me realize—someone's sneaking into my bed.
"—!" My heart skipped a beat, the sudden realization pulling me out of the haze of sleep. I turned my head slightly, barely able to make out her form in the dim light of the room. The soft glow of the moon illuminated her features just enough for me to see her familiar silhouette, her hair cascading down as she carefully positioned herself next to me.
Before I could process it, she shifted once more, this time pressing herself closer. The warmth of her body seeped into mine, and her breath, soft and steady, brushed against my skin.
She didn't say anything. No words, no explanation—just a quiet, intimate presence
I didn't even need to think of the intruder's identity, this familiar sensation— the softness, the scent, the body size... all pointed to one person.
"Toki—"
"I couldn't sleep, so I came here."
"..."
"Sleep deprivation leads to less efficient performance. As a perfect maid and the best agent, I find this an urgent matter. After eliminating all possible factors... Surprisingly, it has the same cause and solution— You, Sensei."
"..."
"I need to sleep with you"
"...Wait—" Before I could respond, she continued. What I could hear and see instantly melted my heart.
"Sensei, just today—"
"Please let me stay with you."
With our faces separated by a few inches, the luminous blue eyes shining in the dark— and that face. Unlike her normal stoic face, there was a hint of gloominess. Her gaze which used to be sharp had softened, her arms wrapped around me tightly. As if, she was a begging little kitten... scared to be abandoned again.
Immersed in the moment, I gently place my hand on her head.
"Good night."
With my hand gently smoothed her hair, reassuring her she wasn't alone. She buried herself in my embrace, falling into slumber.
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As though back to square one, the man sighed. His eyes glanced at the problematic student who was enjoying her leisure time on the couch. Last night, Ritsuka lost to her— no, it was more like lost to his own heart, his rationale was gone the instant she approached him like that.
Ahh— I'm too soft.Like the kind-hearted he was, he was certainly weak to the opposition's advances.
As for the girl, she was enjoying the day more than the past few nights they were isolated. Nonetheless, it was today— she looked determined to be studying something on her tablet.
"..."
"..." Having no idea what it was kind of bothering him a little. Just as he was about to ask, the girl suddenly sprang up, headed straight to the bookshelf, and returned with a dozen of books.
Wait, that's not a book... Manga?
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The room was quiet except for the soft rustle of pages being turned. Asuma Toki was giving all attention to a manga— something she never thought she would get her hands on again. After all— she thought information could be relayed more efficiently in written or video visualization.
The story unfolding in front of her was about a girl who didn't realize she was in love until it was staring her right in the face. The heroine's confusion was strikingly familiar to her own. For the past few days, she had suspected the incomprehensible feeling was 'love'.
Why was it so complicated?
She had been feeling it for a while now—an odd flutter in her chest when she was around him, the anxiety when she was separated, a warmth that spread through she was in his embrace or when he looked at her with that soft, genuine expression of care.
Her fingers tapped lightly on the page, her eyes scanning over the text of the manga once again, seeking answers. The heroine's confusion mirrored her own, and as the story progressed, the girl in the manga finally realized the truth—the fluttering in her chest, the constant thoughts about a person, the warmth she felt whenever they were close. It wasn't just friendship. It was something deeper.
Love.She whispered in her throat. The word felt foreign, yet it also felt right, like a key fitting into the lock of her heart.
"..."
"—?" Her sharp eyes peeked at the working man, he returned her a confused look.
From what she had researched... when a man and woman were close together, they became inseparable. They developed a feeling called 'love'.
"..."
"—?" The girl shot him another glance, staring back at his even more confusing face.
Fujimaru Ritsuka, a human male— one and only, the lost species that long disappeared from the Earth's surface. Every condition matched, like a missing piece, it filled the incomplete jigsaw perfectly.
Maybe I love him?
She wasn't sure when it had happened. Maybe it was the way he always made sure she was okay, or the way he looked out for her when no one else did. Maybe it was the quiet moments when they would just stay together, and she could feel the calm presence of him beside her. It didn't matter how it started—what mattered was that it had happened.
She was in love.
Despite her calm appearance, looking at his dorky face made her heart race. And maybe, just maybe, she was ready to figure out what to do about it... But before that, she needed to check, verifying her feelings if they were real or not.
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"..."
"..."
"..."staaare
"( -_- )"
"..."staaaaaaare
"! ( -_- );;"
Something's definitely wrong!The teacher thought to himself, turning his head away from the unwavering stare. It'd been an hour since this started— whenever he glanced at her, he always found her sharp eyes locked on him. As for why he checked on her? It was because he felt she looked at him first.
"..."
"Toki...?"She's surely up to something!He shouted panicky in his head. Even worse, when he peeked back, she was there staring back at him. Unhinged.This is abnormal! Her behavior is strange!
"Hey— Toki?"
"What is it, Sensei."
"Come here for a moment." Following the man's words, the girl walked to his desk obediently, her eyes still focused on him like a baby bird's first sight looking at its mother. Feeling the awkward atmosphere, Ritsuka coughed in silence, his hand moved— placing it on her forehead.
"Hmm... you're not sick either. Is there something wrong—"
Abruptly cut his voice midway. With a hint of red on her cheek, Toki was blushing.
Countless thoughts rushed to his brain. Just before he could start processing, she spoke up.
"Sensei, this is a good opportunity. I have something to test too."
"Huh? What is it? What test are you talking about?"
"Sensei—"
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"Let me kiss you."
END.
Author's notes
See you on the last part!