Fate/Hijacked

Chapter 15

As the night settled over the Emiya household, an air of quiet calm finally descended after the chaotic events of the day. To help everyone relax, Shirou took it upon himself to do what he did best; cook dinner. Cooking had always provided a sort of quiet sanctuary for him, a space to clear his mind. The familiar process of chopping vegetables, seasoning broth and washing and preparing the rice provided him with a small sense of normalcy amidst the chaos of the Holy Grail War. The comforting clatter of pots and pans echoed through the kitchen as the aroma of a hearty meal began to fill the air.

Lady Avalon, maintaining her playful and affectionate presence, hovered nearby whist occasionally offering comments or "assistance" that mostly consisted of teasing Shirou as he worked. Her cheerful humming and light banter seemed to help ease some of the tension that had been lingering in the air since their return from the Einzbern Castle.

At one point, the Pretender class Servant scooped up a bit of seasoning with her finger and held it out to Shirou, her eyes twinkling with a mischievous glint. "Here, Shirou," she murmured, holding her finger close to his lips. "Try this—too salty, or just right?"

Shirou paused, a faint blush colouring his cheeks, but he dutifully tasted the seasoning and gave a thoughtful nod afterwards. "It's… just right, actually," he answered approvingly, keeping his focus on the rest of the food. In truth, he found himself grateful for her cheerful presence. She was helping him to relax from the day's events, in her own playful way.

Rin had retreated to the guest room, clearly worn out and emotionally drained. Illya had chosen to quietly sit and watch from the side, her eyes observing with curiosity. Shirou noticed her from the corner of his eye. she seemed subdued, a far cry from her usual self. So Shirou met her gaze and gave her a warm smile, which she returned hesitantly with a small one of her own.

When dinner was finally ready, Shirou called everyone to the table. Despite the circumstances, the meal turned out to be a surprisingly pleasant affair. The heavy atmosphere that had gripped the group began to slowly ebb away as they shared the simple joy of a delicious meal together.

Illya, who had been quiet and solemn for most of the evening, took a tentative bite of the food Shirou had prepared. Her eyes widened slightly in surprise, and for the first time that day, a genuine smile tugged at the corners of her lips. "This is… really good," she said, her voice soft but warm. "I didn't expect you to be such a good cook."

Shirou smiled back, relieved to see her in better spirits. "I'm glad you like it. Cooking is something I enjoy as a hobby. And it's nice to see people happy because they enjoyed my food."

Lady Avalon let out a soft, contented sigh, leaning back in her seat with a smile of pure delight. "Mmm, Shirou, you've truly outdone yourself. This meal makes all the hard work I put in today feel completely worth it. I can feel all the tiredness in my body being washed away by bliss." She shot him a wink that made Shirou feel a flush of embarrassment creeping up his neck.

Rin, sitting quietly at the table, merely nodded as she took another bite of her meal. She seemed lost in thought, but Shirou couldn't help but notice the slight weariness in her posture. Deciding to voice the question that had been bothering him since their return, he looked at her and asked, "Rin, is Archer…?"

She shook her head, cutting him off before he could finish. "He's… gone." Her voice was steady, but there was a faint tremor in her words that betrayed the emotion she was holding back. "My command seal disappeared, and I can't feel any connection to him anymore. That means he must have perished."

A heavy silence fell over the table, and Shirou felt a pang of guilt for asking. Rin cleared her throat, her gaze distant even as she tried to keep up a small smile to reassure him. "We'll talk more in the morning. Everyone should get some rest. I'm going to sleep early tonight. Tomorrow might be difficult and we'll need to be prepared."

With that, Rin excused herself from the table, leaving Shirou, Illya, and Lady Avalon behind. As the meal came to a close, Shirou noticed that Illya had grown quieter once more, her earlier smile fading. He felt a pull of concern for the young girl, and after cleaning up the kitchen he found her sitting on the veranda, gazing up at the moon.

He walked over and sat down beside her on the wooden floor, the cool night air brushing against his skin as he followed her gaze to the moonlit sky. After a long moment of comfortable silence, Illya leaned her head slightly against Shirou's shoulder, her silver hair shimmering in the moonlight.

"Tell me about him," she whispered. "About Kiritsugu. What was he like?"

Shirou hesitated, not sure where to start. "He wasn't… a very good cook," he said, trying to find something light-hearted. "I had to learn how to cook because his attempts were… well, disastrous."

Illya let out a soft laugh, though it was tinged with sadness. "I can imagine that."

Shirou continued, his voice quiet but steady. "He didn't teach me much about magecraft either. Only how to make a temporary magic circuit, but even that was wrong. He never wanted me to get involved in the world of magi. He only told me about the basics—reinforcement and structural analysis, and that was it."

A small, sad smile tugged at Illya's lips. "I used to think he abandoned me," she said quietly, her voice barely above a whisper. "After the Fourth Grail War, I was left behind with the Einzberns, and they trained me, harshly, for the Fifth War. They told me that Kiritsugu had betrayed us all and abandoned me because he found someone new. Someone to replace me." She glanced at Shirou. "They told me you were his new heir. That you were a cruel, selfish magus trained to be just like him."

Shirou's heart clenched at her words, and he looked at her in shock. "Illya, that's not true. Kiritsugu… he never abandoned you. He tried to save you—"

"I know," Illya interrupted, her voice soft but firm. "I know that now. I know he tried, and I know that you're not the monster I was led to believe you were." Her eyes softened as she looked at him. "And I'm glad. I'm glad I got the chance to learn the truth and to get to know you, Shirou."

Shirou smiled gently at her. "You can live here with me from now on, Illya. We'll make up for all the time you lost… all the loneliness you had to endure."

Illya's eyes shimmered with unshed tears, but she nodded, a small, grateful smile on her lips. "Thank you, Shirou."

The two of them sat together in silence for a while longer, the night peaceful around them. Siblings simply taking comfort in one another's presence, until they eventually parted.

Later that night, as Shirou prepared to lie down in his futon and finally get some rest, he heard the familiar voice of his Servant calling out to him in a sing-song tone. "Shirou~" she cooed, her voice filled with playful mischief.

Shirou barely had time to react before Lady Avalon dramatically sighed and latched onto him with a tight hug, her arms wrapping around him as she pressed against his back. "Oh, Shirou, I'm so exhausted," she moaned, her voice a mix of theatrical exhaustion and genuine need. "I've used up so much mana today—enchanting your clothes for you, using all that magic at the Einzbern castle, using my noble phantasm, facilitating our escape…" She sighed again, her breath warm against his ear. "I'm just so low on mana, darling. I really think I need another mana transfer."

Shirou gulped, his face flushing as Lady Avalon pressed herself against him, her arms wrapped snugly around his torso. He stiffened, his cheeks burning as she leaned in closer, her voice dropping to a playful whisper. "And this time, I think I'll need lots of kisses too."

Before Shirou could respond, Lady Avalon gently pushed him down onto the futon, her eyes sparkling with amusement as she hovered over him. Her smile was satisfied and sultry as she settled beside him, draping herself over him with a possessive, teasing grin. "Don't worry darling. I'll take very good care of you."

Omake

Throne of Heroes: Artoria's Wrath, Part 15

In the distant Throne of Heroes, Artoria Pendragon's patience had finally worn thin. For what felt like the hundredth time, she found herself watching in absolute exasperation as Proto-Merlin—Lady Avalon—once again engaged in another shameless "mana transfer" with Shirou, entwining herself around him like a predatory ivy vine.

"This is absolutely ridiculous!" Artoria raged, pacing back and forth as her frustration boiled over. "She's doing it again?!"

Her hands clenched into fists as she glared at the image before her. "If she's really so low on mana, it's because she keeps wasting it! She has no self-control or discipline!" Artoria's voice grew louder with every word, her irritation mounting as she continued to rant.

She turned sharply, her armour clinking. "Bedivere! Lancelot! Gawain! Mordred!" she bellowed, her tone sharp enough to make even the sturdiest knight think twice. The summoned Knights of the Round were quick to appear, most with alarmed, confused looks.

"My king, what troubles you?" Bedivere ventured, his voice gentle and diplomatic.

Artoria pointed a trembling, furious finger into the mists. "The problem is that snake, Proto-Merlin!" Her eyes narrowed, her voice rising to a war cry. "I should be the one standing beside him! Not her with her shameless mana ploys and… and indecent… everything! I will not stand by and watch her corrupt him any further!"

"Ah," Gawain muttered, giving a helpless glance to Lancelot, who rubbed the bridge of his nose in defeat.

"Every night, it's 'oh, Shirou~' this and 'mana transfer~' that!" Artoria's face turned pink with indignation. "And now she's practically…practically…" She struggled to even voice the image she'd seen, waving her hand in frustration. "I refuse to let this continue!"

Mordred, whose smirk was barely concealed, gave a small, approving nod. "To be fair, Father, I say let Proto-Merlin have at him. That woman's antics are hilarious."

Artoria glared. "You would side with her?"

"Not siding," Mordred shrugged, leaning back with a grin. "Just saying I'm here to watch. This whole ordeal's a highly entertaining spectacle."

Bedivere cleared his throat, stepping forward cautiously. "My king… as your loyal servant, I understand your grievances, but the fact of the matter is that we are far away from them, here in the Throne—"

"I don't care!" Artoria barked, her eyes blazing as she drew her sword, the ethereal glow of Excalibur casting her face in an almost terrifying light. "I will breach it! Now step aside, Bedivere!"

At this, the knights collectively paled. They shared looks of dread as Artoria, in her rage-fuelled determination, actually began charging a prana burst into Excalibur, aiming it squarely at the fabric of the Throne itself.

"My King," Lancelot said quickly, regarding her with widening eyes. "Please, think this through—are you truly planning to—?"

"Yes, Lancelot!" she declared, her voice resonant with fervor. "If that manipulative woman thinks she can just waltz into Shirou's life, charm him with her incessant flirtation and those shamelessly inappropriate mannerisms, she is sorely mistaken! I shall summon myself into the world, and I will remind her why I am Shirou Emiya's true Servant!"

And with that, she began gathering power and raising her blade to breach from the Throne. The sheer force of her presence, fuelled by righteous indignation, made the space around them shudder and vibrate. Bedivere and Gawain exchanged panicked glances before throwing themselves at her arms, gripping her shoulders tightly.

"My liege!" Bedivere pleaded, "You must not! To force your way into the world—do you realize the chaos it would cause?"

"Chaos? Chaos?" she scoffed, twisting her arm in an attempt to break free. "I shall show Proto-Merlin what true chaos is if she keeps…fraternising with my Master in such a brazen manner!"

"King Artoria, please reconsider!" Gawain said, his voice laced with exasperation. "You cannot simply breach the Throne because you're…" he hesitated, glancing around nervously, "because you're jealous."

"Jealous?!" Artoria's eyes blazed. "Gawain, I am not jealous! I am… simply asserting my right as Shirou's proper Servant. And none of you shall keep me from doing so!"

At this, she surged forward again, dragging both Bedivere and Gawain with her in her unstoppable path. Mordred cackled, only half-heartedly pretending to hold her back. But Lancelot, seeing the serious threat of Artoria's wrath actually breaching the boundaries of eternity, stepped in front of her, spreading his arms.

"Forgive me, my King," he said with a bow of his head. "But I cannot allow you to risk so much over… over… a Mana Transfer."

Artoria's eyes narrowed to a glare that could've cracked stone. "Oh, so now you too betray me, Lancelot? The knights I thought were loyal would stand by idly as that magic-wielding flirt distracts Shirou, the one who saved me from myself?"

"Actually, I think the lad's path is, well, quite pleasant right now," Lancelot murmured sheepishly, but seeing Artoria's furious gaze, he quickly looked away, muttering something about "protecting her best interests."

With her loyal knights now resolutely keeping her from her mission, Artoria's frustration boiled over. She clenched her fists, her voice exuding almost petulant irritation as she shouted, "Traitors! Every one of you! Is this what my Round Table has come to? To betray their King and allow a charlatan like her to wrap her claws around my Master?"

Bedivere sighed, patting her shoulder gently. "Milady, please settle down… for all our sakes. She may have an unconventional approach, yes, but she means Sir Shirou no harm."

Finally, with some considerable effort, Bedivere, Gawain, and Lancelot managed to guide Artoria into lowering Excalibur and dismissing her turbulent energy. After the intense struggle, Artoria huffed in reluctant resignation. Folding her arms, she glared at the vision of Lady Avalon leaning close to Shirou in their shared futon, whispering something into his ear with a conspiratorial smile.

"Mark my words," she muttered, her gaze like a blade. "Whenever we meet, Proto-Merlin will rue the day she dared to charm my Master with such indecency."

And though her knights exchanged worried glances, they simply nodded, choosing not to comment further on their King's very intense vow of future revenge.