章 1026: 40
039 - Rooftop Shenanigans III, The reckoning.
Tohsaka Rin
It's with some apprehension that I reach for the rooftop during school break and set up the usual privacy wards. Sakur– Matou has finally come back to school after being absent since her home mysteriously exploded in a way completely and undoubtedly unrelated to my person.
The official version is that she's been confined to bed rest due to an episode of anemia. An episode she suffered while she was visiting Emiya-kun, which just conveniently meant she wasn't home when… that happened. Nobody missed how she walked into school hanging from Emiya-kun's arm either… Cheerfully chatting with Haku, who was hanging from his other one.
That means the school has exploded in rumours and far-fetched conspiracy theories. From having her as the mastermind who bombed her ancestral home to claim the Matou Fortune to being kidnapped and mind-broken by Emiya-kun and turned into a sex-slave, which simply happened to save her from a terrorist attack on her family. Some of the most daring even claim all the above to be true.
Crazy, utterly crazy to the last of them.
… I mean, there are some nuggets of truth here and there, but just because they're partly right doesn't mean their leaps of logic make any sense.
In any case, Sakura is back and that means I can easily find myself in a three-versus-one situation if things go south. To top it off, apparently Berserker claims to have recognized the Caster of this War as Medea of Colchis, the fucking Witch of Betrayal and one of the top 5 strongest magecraft users in the whole story of the world.
I really need Emiya-kun to sign this Geas Scroll before he gets any funny ideas.
Anytime now…
'Anytime what?'
'That jerk will walk out that door and–' I cut off my reflexive answer with a sigh when I realize what I'm doing. 'I'm broadcasting, aren't I?'
'Don't stop in my account, Tohsaka.' My… ally retorts amusedly. 'It's kind of fun to watch you get all restless and flustered like that.'
'Screw you too, Einzbern.' I snap angrily. No, I'm not blushing.
'Anytime.' The succubus in a brat body quips unashamedly, sending the impression of rolled eyes through our connection. 'But maybe you should focus on your end, my familiars just picked someone walking past your bounded field.'
Biting back a curse, I hastily prepare for what's about to come up. There's something I need to make very clear today, so I can't afford to let Emiya-kun seize the initiative like always. As soon as the door opens...
"Tohsaka-sensei I come to–"
..I throw my shoe straight at his annoyingly (handsome) cheerful face. Of course, he catches it mid-flight, barely an inch away from the target. Arching a questioning eyebrow, he lets out a soft chuckle (that makes me feel all sorts of warm and fuzzy things inside).
"Wow, that was rude."
'Onii– Emiya-kun is kind of dreamy, isn't he?' Illya's voice inside my mind puts into words some very unwelcome thoughts. 'I had never seen him this up close before.'
I am about to snap something unkind and try to shut her up to focus on my conversation with Emiya-kun when I realize the potential implications.
'Einzbern' I ask very slowly, doing my best not to react outwardly, 'Are you hijacking my senses, by any chance?'
'Pfff...! As if I could do that.' She snorts amusedly. 'Nah, I just have a familiar sitting on that tree to your left. It's a great view. Your blush is adorable by the way.'
It takes considerable self-control not to snap my head to the side and try to (blast to smithereens) locate said familiar. It could be useful to have extra eyes around and I can't count on Emiya-kun missing it if I act up like that.
I'm far too high-strung, I need to center myself.
Taking a deep breath, letting air fill my lungs and forcing myself to relax as I slowly exhale it back, I do my best to get a hold of my fraying common sense. Familiars, yeah. That makes much more sense than Illya somehow corrupting a simple telepathic bond. Making sure my social mask is back in place, I throw my hair over a shoulder and cross my arms with a dismissive huff.
"That was for traumatising your sister."
"Haku?"
"Your other sister, you idiot!"
"What has Taiga said now? Because I promise you I erased anything worth complaining about from her memories !"
"Tai–!? You're being deliberately obtuse, aren't you?" His unapologetic smile is all the answer I need. "Your other other sister. She–"
"Uh… Tohsaka-sensei. Loathe as I am to tell you what you should do…" Emiya-kun cuts me off, Looking exactly as sorry about it as he feels. That is, not at all. "Are you sure you shouldn't keep that knowledge a secret?"
"Of course I should! But there's no point in kicking your ass if you don't know why I'm doing it!"
"… That's some strange leap of logic you've made there, Tohsaka-sensei. But thank you for keeping an eye on Little Big Sister, please treat her well."
'Little Big Sister?' The only answer I get through our telepathic bond is a sort of non-verbal sensation that I have some trouble identifying. 'Are you swooning?'
'Wha– No, I'm not!'
'Take this a bit more seriously, will you?' I chastise her with a mental sigh. 'That handsome idiot is the most dangerous contender in this War.'
'As if you're one to talk!' She snaps back. I would've had trouble avoiding blushing myself if it wasn't for the very juicy hint she lets slip immediately afterwards. 'And stop ogling at my Onii-chan!'
'… Onii-chan, eh? We are having a long conversation after this.'
There's no forthcoming answer or wisecrack to my words. In fact, Illya goes suspiciously silent. Finally settling that issue, I focus back to the here and now. And almost jump back with a startled yelp when I find Emiya-kun's (unfairly attractive) worried face mere inches away from mine.
"Tohsaka-sensei? Are you alright? You're acting a bit weird here."
"Me weird? I'm not weird!" I protest (panickedly) cooly, taking a step back to gain some distance and rally my composure. "What do you mean weird? You are weird! More weird than usual!"
"I look weird, eh?" He frowns, very much not fooled by my attempts at misdirection, but he lets it go. "Sorry about that, I'm… a bit distracted today. "
...It's kind of him to offer me an out like that. Don't mind me if I take full advantage of it! A mischievous smile comes unprompted to my lips as I get ready to exploit the free opening for all it's worth.
"Trouble in paradise, Emiya-kun?"
"Maybe a bit?" He hums distractedly, crossing his arms as he reflects on something I obviously know nothing about. Also killing my momentum before I can properly get going. "Or rather, I was the problem."
"That makes sense, you tend to be the problem in any given situation." Grumble, this was supposed to be my chance to embarrass him for a change, who does he think he is, getting all serious and introspective? I can't tease him like this! "Do I ever want to know?"
"I raised Haku to be a smart girl and my other human allies aren't slouches either." He shrugs with a helpless smile. "The less said about how competent Servants in general are, the better. In other words, I've surrounded myself with extremely competent women."
… Which confirms the fact that Emiya-kun is already building his harem (and I'm falling behind).
"Lemme guess, it hurts your big male pride. Are competent women making you feel emasculated?"
"No, I love it! I find competency sexy." The thrice-accursed fool declares cheerfully(, uncaring of how his admission makes me feel all hot and bothered). "But I might've not taken that into account while making plans. I really should've known better than to try to go behind their backs. Then again, they also should've known better than to try and go behind mine."
I… don't know what to say to that. I have a feeling he's not even really talking with me now, so I say nothing. We remain uncomfortably silent for a bit as he reflects on whatever is eating him and I do my best not to fidget in place of the suddenly heavy mood.
And Illya remains annoyingly quiet. Even her snips would've been a welcome distraction about now.
"Anyway, can we focus back on business?" Fortunately, Emiya-kun soon snaps out of it and pushes the conversation forward. "We have War-related matters to discuss today, I believe."
That we do. I have a Geas Scroll that's burning in my pocket. He's not getting away without signing it again. But before that, there's something I need to do. Something I'm fairly sure I'll live to regret, but living to regret something is leagues better than dying without having the chance.
"Actually… there's one last thing I wanted to bring up before that." I take a step forward, getting back into uncomfortably close range with him while looking anywhere but at him. "Though I guess it can be considered business."
This is a stupid idea. The last thing I need in my life at the moment is to overly complicate it with hormonal bullshit. Just because I find the shameless flirt attractive and he has made no secret of his -perfectly understandable, mind- attraction towards me doesn't make this any less stupid.
The fact remains we're enemies in a life and death struggle with a no-questions-asked wish as the reward and I shouldn't be forming attachments that are only bound to hurt me in the end. I especially shouldn't do it out of worry towards another enemy in that same war, temporal ally or not.
"Tohsaka-sensei?" The lovable idiot in front of me asks confusedly when I catch his hands and wrap them around my waist. "What are you–"
Yes, this is stupid. And unless this lovable idiot in front of me is far more skilled at harem management than I give him credit for, it's bound to end poorly. But at the same time, I don't expect things to immediately go to shit and it solves a lot of short-term worries. We can cry over spilled milk once it actually gets spilled.
… And maybe my sheets will stop getting drenched due to unfairly vivid wet dreams.
Resigned, determined, resolved and steeled, I force my flushing face to confront him and my suddenly shy gaze to stare straight into his eyes as I wrap my arms around his neck. They're big and blue, sharp with an intelligence that he always takes pleasure in downplaying and wide with incredulity at the current events. It almost makes it worth it, to see him this flustered.
"Toh–"
Whatever he's about to say gets lost when I claim his lips. They're soft and warm, incredibly warm. So much so that my mind blanks out to the feeling. I recover quickly though, ignoring his muffled protests to shove my tongue into his mouth and taking advantage of my hands on the back of his head to keep him from pulling back.
He releases my waist, but before he can try and get away I bodily turn him around to press him against the fence, taking a step closer to meld my body against his. Then and only then, with his body heat blasting against me from shoulder to waist and I can feel my breasts getting crushed against his strong chest, does he finally give up and wrap his hands against me again to reciprocate.
Melodramatic jerk… We both know he wants this as much as I do.
We remain like that for a while, simply enjoying each other as my body gradually heats up and… my underwear gets drenched. I feel strength leaving my body as Emiya-kun gets gradually more involved and starts actively seeking for my sensitive spots, but I'm not done yet.
Fighting against the weakness of my knees and the warmth threatening to turn my brain into mush to keep myself in control, I unwrap my hands from his neck. Sliding them to catch his wrists I guide him lower down the curve of my hips until he's cupping my rear. And then even further down.
… I might've rubbed them a bit against my ass over the skirt of my uniform before moving past.
I almost break our kiss when his hands land on my bare skin. Hot and strong, they feel bigger and so very good to the touch… great even. I wouldn't mind having him massaging my thighs for hours to end. But this isn't enough, this isn't where I want to stop. So I switch directions to guide him back up… under my skirt.
In spite of myself and feeling like my heart wants to jump out my throat, I shy away from having him dig his fingers underneath my panties, leaving his hands over the thin fabric of my underwear instead. The plan was to go further but… I just can't bring myself to it. (Not yet.) Letting him grope my ass like this will have to be enough for him.
Then I leave his hands here and bury mine into the locks of his black hair again, enjoying the warmth of another human against myself in the most intimate fashion I have ever allowed myself to be. Emiya-kun is a perfect gentleman and doesn't try to take things further, which is a bit of a (disappointment) relief. I'm not sure I would've been capable of denying him if he tried to take more than I was willing to give.
But nothing lasts forever and we finally part, blushing and short of air. There's a trail of saliva between our mouths that I feel strangely reluctant to break and no trail of the almost crippling embarrassment that kept me from looking him in the eye before.
"That was my first kiss."
"I hope I was up to the challenge."
"Idiot." I slap his chest before taking a step away from him, feeling suddenly bashful about the whole thing. "It was… acceptable."
I don't ask him what he thought of me. I don't want to know. It doesn't matter whether his judgement turns out positive or negative, I'm not sure I'll be able to say what I need to say afterwards.
"As much as I enjoyed this... " I feel all my blood rush to my head and my thoughts flee my brain again. Damnit! That's why I didn't want to know! "Can I ask what brought this up?"
Swallowing with difficulty and suddenly feeling his eyes impossible to look at again, I bite back a curse and trigger my magic circuits. A whispered 'Anfang' and a dagger through my heart ensure that I'm once more capable of actually having thoughts. It somewhat ruins the moment, but I can't be an incoherent mess right now.
"Infuriating as you can be, you are a handsome and charming man." I answer carefully. Even with the mood killer that is flipping my Magic Circuits on, I'm still (damn horny) a bit out of it. "If, if you win the war, I might not be… dismayed by the results of our wager. This was just a sneak peek."
And a serious mistake, I'm going to be remembering that kiss everytime I get some alone time for a veeery long time. And everytime I see Emiya-kun's face. Who remains my technical enemy until the end of the Holy Grail War. I'm not sure I could bring myself to kill him now, if it ever becomes necessary.
How the hell did I ever think that making out with (my crush) this womanizing jerk would somehow give me the upper hand?
"But that's only true as long as I have no reason to change my view on you." I sink a pointed finger on his (stupidly warm and comfortable) chest for emphasis. "You fucked up with your sister, real bad. Make her cry again and you'll learn why men fearing their own harem is such a persistent trope."
(If I act confident enough, maybe he'll forget which one of us actually holds all the cards.)
"You'll find the step between willingness and eagerness makes all the difference in these situations."
There's a moment of tense silence as I finish my rant. The worst of my (horny) turmoil has quieted down while I was spouting threats as if I had any power to enforce them, but I still find myself growing restless under the scrutiny of those blue eyes.
"I wouldn't have done it either way, you know?" He finally drawls out, clearly amused. "Illya is my Little Big Sis, I don't want her to die."
I feel like there's been some important revelations during this encounter I really need to reflect on at some point, but at the moment I'm a bit busy wishing the ground would swallow me. "...Why didn't you say that earlier?"
"I didn't want to take away your excuse to have a good time." The fucker answer with an unapologetic shrug.
For a moment, I contemplate spartan-kicking him off the rooftop. I'd need to break through the fence, but I'm pretty sure I can manage that with some reinforcement. Fortunately (for me) for him, I manage to cool down before I do something (I) he would regret. We still have a last business to talk before I can afford to (try to) kill him.
"I don't want to keep losing neurons with this conversation." I grind out, pulling out the Geas Scroll I have prepared for him to sign. "Just… take a look and sign, okay?"
"Oh, I trust you." He announces cheerfully, producing a quill from somewhere and signing the contract without sparing it more than a side glance. "You're too honest for your own good. There you go."
"Did you just sign a magically binding contract without sparing it a glance!?" Is he actually even dumber than I thought? How did I (fall in love) get attached to this guy? "And was that a blood quill from Harry Potter?"
"What? I'm a big fan!"
"Nevermind, you really shouldn't have done that." I recover with a smirk, quickly taking the scroll off his hands to stash safely out of his reach. "If you had read the contract, maybe you would've noticed that now you have to help me find and stop the Master trying to build a Bounded Field around the school."
"Huh."
"And I don't mean collaborating, it clearly says you'll be assisting me from a subordinate position." I smirk victoriously. It's good when something finally goes my way. "I'll be in charge until we manage to neutralize him. Don't worry though, I won't make you polish my shoes with your tongue, you might take the chance to peek up my skirt or something."
"The skirt you invited me inside of all by yourself, you mean?" The bastard asks amusedly, not looking worried in the slightest. "And we don't need to worry about the mysterious Master anymore. It was Shinji and we already took care of him yesterday."
"..."
"Sensei?"
"... All my work for nothing."
"No hard work is ever truly wasted, Sensei." He answers with a very fake sagely nod and a shit-eating smile. "I'm sure you'll be able to learn a great deal from this experience."
Insufferable piece of–!
"By the way, I regret to inform you that at this time I'm unable to entertain any additional offers of alliance." He continues without missing a beat. "This is truly a shame, but consider my open offer for an alliance temporarily rescinded."
"Well, I don't need you either!" Leave me out, will you? I'll show him! "Take your stupid new ally or whatever and shove it where it doesn't shine!"
"…"
"Emiya-kun?
"I… might do that, actually."
"… Take your stupid new ally?"
"Yeah, that too, I guess. It would be rude otherwise."
"You pervert!"
"You'll be thankful once you join my harem!"
"In your dreams, Emiya! You'll join mine! And I'll be ten times better at sex than any slut you've managed to entice so far!"
"Now, that's my sister you're calling a slut there, Sensei."
"Oh… sorry. It was the heat of the moment, I don't really think that your sister is… Wait."
"It's been nice to spend time with you today, sensei, but the break is about to end. See you around!"
I feel very, very tired as I watch him walk away at a relaxed pace, as if he didn't have a worry in the world and the Holy Grail War that has occupied three magus families for centuries and ruined countless lives is nothing but a game for him. Deep down, at some level I don't really wish to acknowledge, I'm starting to suspect that's really all it is for him.
"By the way… I hear my Little Big Sis is an otherworldly beauty." He stops with the handle of the door at hand, turning towards Illya's familiar and winking mischievously. "I can't wait to finally meet her face to face."
There's an uncomfortable silence on the rooftop after he leaves.
'You made out with Onii-chan.' Illya finally breaks the silence with an accusatory voice. 'And what was that about harems?'
'I don't want to hear anything from the one who got off watching.' I retort without missing a beat, too mentally drained to deal with more drama.
'I–! H–? How did you know?'
'Wait, you really did? I wasn't serious!' For a moment, my lips twitch upwards into a smile, before they fall back down again and I slump against the fence. 'Maybe I should– Nah, still too mentally drained. We still need to have a serious conversation in the near future about possibly vital intel we've kept from each other.'
'… Whatever. So the new plan is seducing him?'
'Nah, that was just me covering our bases.' I wave a hand dismissively. It's not that I haven't considered the option, but I have just received proof of who would lose if we tried the honeytrap approach. 'And good insurance in case things go South, but we're striking at him tonight.'
Assassins are weak when put on the defensive, after all.
Firmly shoving all the worries related to my magus life to an unobtrusive corner of my mind for now, I carefully remake my perfect student mask to walk out the rooftop and into the school halls. Unfortunately, there's a vital detail I had somehow managed to forget and doesn't come back to my mind until I actually take a step.
… I'm still missing the shoe I threw at his face.
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