— 𝖲𝖧𝖨𝖱𝖮𝖴 𝖤𝖬𝖨𝖸𝖠 。 ‍ˊ˗

𝖠 𝗆𝖺𝗇 𝗈𝗇𝖼𝖾 𝗍𝗈𝗅𝖽 𝗆𝖾, 𝗍𝗁𝖺𝗍 𝗐𝗁𝖺𝗍 𝖨 𝖻𝖾𝗅𝗂𝖾𝗏𝖾 𝗂𝗇 — 𝗐𝗁𝖺𝗍 𝖨 𝘀𝘁𝗶𝗹𝗹 𝖻𝖾𝗅𝗂𝖾𝗏𝖾 𝗂𝗇 — 𝗐𝖺𝗌 𝗁𝗒𝗉𝗈𝖼𝗋𝗂𝗌𝗒.

[— 𝖲𝖧𝖨𝖱𝖮𝖴 𝖤𝖬𝖨𝖸𝖠 。 ‍ˊ˗ @HisOnlyPath]

𝗧𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝗂𝗌 𝗍𝗁𝖾 𝘀𝘁𝗼𝗿𝘆 𝖿𝗋𝗈𝗆 𝖺 𝗐𝗂𝗇𝗍𝖾𝗋 𝗳𝗶𝘃𝗲 𝘆𝗲𝗮𝗿𝘀 𝗮𝗴𝗼.

𝖯𝖾𝗋𝗁𝖺𝗉𝗌 𝖨 𝖼𝗋𝗂𝖾𝖽 𝘁𝗲𝗻 𝘆𝗲𝗮𝗿𝘀 𝗈𝖿 𝑡𝑒𝑎𝑟𝑠.

𝖲𝗂𝗇𝖼𝖾 𝖺𝖿𝗍𝖾𝗋 𝗍𝗁𝖺𝗍, 𝘵̲𝘩̲𝘦̲𝘳̲𝘦̲ 𝘸̲𝘢̲𝘴̲ 𝘯̲𝘰̲𝘵̲𝘩̲𝘪̲𝘯̲𝘨.

[— 𝖲𝖧𝖨𝖱𝖮𝖴 𝖤𝖬𝖨𝖸𝖠 。 ‍ˊ˗ @HisOnlyPath]

━━━━━━━━ 𝙀𝙈𝙄𝙔𝘼 𝙎𝙃𝙄𝙍𝙊𝙐 𝘸𝘰𝘶𝘭𝘥 𝘣𝘦𝘤𝘰𝘮𝘦 𝘢 𝒔𝒖𝒑𝒆𝒓𝒉𝒆𝒓𝒐, 𝘴𝘰 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘳𝘦 𝘸𝘢𝘴 𝘯𝘰 𝘵𝘪𝘮𝘦 𝘵𝘰 𝘣𝘦 𝘱𝘭𝘢𝘺𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘢𝘳𝘰𝘶𝘯𝘥. 「複製者」

[— 𝖲𝖧𝖨𝖱𝖮𝖴 𝖤𝖬𝖨𝖸𝖠 。 ‍ˊ˗ @HisOnlyPath]

Their problem was more important. With tension drained from his body, Shirou plucked a cup from the cupboard.

"Oh, right. Need anything to drink? I've still got teabags."

Not nearly as refreshing as what is on the floor, but it'll do. ...Geez, he'll have to replace that later.

[— 𝖲𝖧𝖨𝖱𝖮𝖴 𝖤𝖬𝖨𝖸𝖠 。 ‍ˊ˗ @HisOnlyPath]

"A-A window?"

The answer was like water to the face. After all, it made perfect sense. The household's air conditioning was good during the summer. Too good.

It getting chilly was commonplace, anyone could've cracked open a window for fresh heat.

[› · 𝑭𝑨𝑬𝑹𝑰𝑬 𝑻𝑨𝑳𝑬 𝑩𝑨𝑺𝑻𝑨𝑹𝑫 . ‍ ‍ @END0FADREAM]

The Faerie King's smile went for miles. Not an ounce of ill intent radiated from him, but kindness and composure. Far from anything a home invader would have.

" . . . But, again, if you want me out then I'll head out. It's your home after all. "

[— 𝖲𝖧𝖨𝖱𝖮𝖴 𝖤𝖬𝖨𝖸𝖠 。 ‍ˊ˗ @HisOnlyPath]

Something about him just didn't add up. But even with common sense pointing toward suspicion, the redhead pushed that aside with an exhale. It didn't matter.

"...No, you're fine. It must've been important if you barged in, right? Make yourself comfortable, I'll hear you out."

[— 𝖲𝖧𝖨𝖱𝖮𝖴 𝖤𝖬𝖨𝖸𝖠 。 ‍ˊ˗ @HisOnlyPath]

Shirou's mind, free from the daydream, was just desperate for answers.

[— 𝖲𝖧𝖨𝖱𝖮𝖴 𝖤𝖬𝖨𝖸𝖠 。 ‍ˊ˗ @HisOnlyPath]

His trip from the kitchen to the dining room was as ordinary as ever. In his hand held a pot with freshly brewed tea.

A calming drink, something that'd serve as fuel to close out this normal summer morning.

But only the trip was natural.

[› · 𝑭𝑨𝑬𝑹𝑰𝑬 𝑻𝑨𝑳𝑬 𝑩𝑨𝑺𝑻𝑨𝑹𝑫 . ‍ ‍ @END0FADREAM]

@SelflessHeroics

" Well . . . this is kind of embarrassing. Hmm, what to do about this . . . "

Like a dazzling summer daydream, the Fairy King ⸺ as if seemingly born from fiction, stood before the youth with a puzzled expression.

[— 𝖲𝖧𝖨𝖱𝖮𝖴 𝖤𝖬𝖨𝖸𝖠 。 ‍ˊ˗ @HisOnlyPath]

"Crash here..? No, how did you even get in anyway?! Did Fuji-Nee forget to lock the front door?!"

His voice yelled out from the kitchen. It's not like he was terrified. Far from it.

The bounded field around the home didn't sound off, so this guy couldn't have meant harm.

[— 𝖲𝖧𝖨𝖱𝖮𝖴 𝖤𝖬𝖨𝖸𝖠 。 ‍ˊ˗ @HisOnlyPath]

"Hm, I still never made those Obanyaki buns... Wonder if I have enough ingredients lying around."

[› · 𝑭𝑨𝑬𝑹𝑰𝑬 𝑻𝑨𝑳𝑬 𝑩𝑨𝑺𝑻𝑨𝑹𝑫 . ‍ ‍ @END0FADREAM]

ㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤ⦓ 𝐖𝐑𝐘𝐌𝐌 𝐎𝐅 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐀𝐁𝐘𝐒𝐒 ⦔
ㅤㅤㅤ⁺ 𐨿 ໋ ្ . 𝐇𝐮𝐦𝐚𝐧 𝐎𝐫𝐝𝐞𝐫'𝐬 𝑫̵𝑬̵𝑪̵𝑬̵𝑰̵𝑽̵𝑬̵𝑹̵ . 𐨿 ໋ ្ ⁺

⸻ ❝ 𝑊ℎ𝑎𝑡 𝑎 𝗷𝗼𝗸𝗲. 𝐷𝑜 𝑦𝑜𝑢 𝐑𝐄𝐀𝐋𝐋𝐘 𝑏𝑒𝑙𝑖𝑒𝑣𝑒 𝑙𝑖𝑓𝑒 ℎ𝑎𝑠 𝒔͟𝒖͟𝒃͟𝒔͟𝒕͟𝒂͟𝒏͟𝒄͟𝒆͟? ❞

https://t.co/7BrlS56v2C

[— 𝖲𝖧𝖨𝖱𝖮𝖴 𝖤𝖬𝖨𝖸𝖠 。 ‍ˊ˗ @HisOnlyPath]

"It's lunchtime."

[— 𝖲𝖧𝖨𝖱𝖮𝖴 𝖤𝖬𝖨𝖸𝖠 。 ‍ˊ˗ @HisOnlyPath]

"Alright, I'll give it a go..! I've been needing a warm up and there's still daylight. Do you think we can find one quickly?"

[— 𝖲𝖧𝖨𝖱𝖮𝖴 𝖤𝖬𝖨𝖸𝖠 。 ‍ˊ˗ @HisOnlyPath]

"...Phew." A sigh of relief escaped under his breath. Was it concern for the bunnies or her touch weighing off his shoulder?

Whatever it was, it was short-lived. Once Boudica's smile blossomed, his inched into view, as if that moment of pain was only an illusion.

[𝕾𝖍𝖊 𝖜𝖍𝖔 𝖍𝖆𝖘 𝖓𝖔𝖙 𝖋𝖆𝖑𝖑𝖊𝖓 @HaresOmen]

Her hand withdraws after sensing his body being at ease. Boudica did not force anything, for it will do no good to revive those earlier feelings. “A hunt but not a ki//ing. It is a key difference to note. One can look at it as training. The feat of capturing the hare alive—

[— 𝖲𝖧𝖨𝖱𝖮𝖴 𝖤𝖬𝖨𝖸𝖠 。 ‍ˊ˗ @HisOnlyPath]

Besides, as much as it pained him to admit, his body gained rust. The second he could use magic reliably enough, the focus has always been his craft.

How long has it been since he sweat it out at the dojo for a change?