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"ALRIGHT MASTER!!!" The Rider's voice echoed in the empty halls. "LET'S GO! GO! GO!"
I grinded in response. "No need to rush, Astolfo. The stores aren't even open yet. It's bearly 5." I laughed lightly. The sun wasn't even rising yet. Well not like I could really tell in an abandoned building with very few windows.
And honestly, I was regretting asking Astolfo to go on a shopping spree already. Hard chance that they're gonna drain my wallet and my patience by constantly running off and buying everything they deem pretty. Which is a lot. But their enthusiasm was way too infectious to do anything else but laugh along. Besides we really deserved time off after non stop battling and scheming for the past few months.
I was met with a pout from my servant. So I gave them a comforting pad on the shoulder. I'd tell the Rider that we could pass the time by sleeping till then but Servants don't need sleep and I've been going through another insomnia episode (not surprising after we got ambushed 3 days ago, by Berserker of all people..!) so all we could really do is wait.
"And what do we do until they open?" They asked, while staring into the air and putting their hand under their chin and thunk hard.
"Dunno. This building is super boring, and doesn't have anything to offer. Same with the others in this area." I copied Astolfo and pondered with them for a moment. Until something popped into my head.
"Aha! How about two truths, one lie?" I asked with a triumphed grin. 'Always works to learn more about your special someone, heh.'
"Ooh what's that?" Astolfos eyes sparkled with curiosity, making me puff my chest out in pride for my achievement of finding something for us to do.
"It's all in the name" I said while brushing some loose hair strands behind my ear. "You tell the other person two truths and one lie about yourself and then the other has to guess which is which. And then the other does the same." I grinded again.
"Hey, we can even play the point to make it more interesting!" Astolfo beamed at their own Idea.
"Uuh nice! What does the winner get?"
"A free meal from the loser!"
"Astolfo...you don't have any money though…"
Their eyes widened at this revelation but quickly caught themselves again. "Erm… the winner gets a kiss!" Again, the Rider beamed at their own idea, with a small pink tint to their cheeks. You could practically see the sparkles flying off of Astolfo.
"But then the loser also gets a kiss, where is the punishment for sucking at the game then?" I asked, deciding to ignore Astolfos demands for kisses.
"UGH!" They scratch their head in frustration, ruffling their recently brushed hair. 'Can't Master take the hint already?!' I heard their thoughts and quietly laughed internally. Astolfo really can't separate their private thoughts from our mental bond.
"How about the loser has to wear whatever the winner chooses for a day. Battles not included of course. You need your amore after all." I smiled innocently.
"Huh?! Who said you will win, Master?!" Astolfo flashed a competitive grin towards me. Definitely an unusual sight, but a welcome one. And so it began.
"Alrighty then Master, you first! Since you're so confident!"
"Heh, easy!" I grinned while putting my hands on my hips. "One; I'm at the top of my school. Two; I've never eaten Ice-cream! Three; I heard all your private thoughts!"
"Ugh…" Astolfo looked like a deer in the headlights. Any one of the options at hand being true were absolutely horrible to them.
Their Master, the top of their school? As far as they knew, before the war they went to a prestiges elite school. They can't possibly be at the top. Not the same Master who they saw running into a glass door on three separate occasions. Definitely not the same Master who, just 2 days ago, asked what the opposite of a coconut is. Spiraling both of them in an hour long argument.
And what monster never ate ice cream? In their time ice cream wasn't a thing, but the holy grail filled them in on all necessary knowledge of this era and ice cream is mandatory in a good life, as far as they knew.
No need to explain why hearing Astolfos thoughts was horrible. They thought about super cool and romantic dates so often! And their Master never even acknowledged them?! Not possible. Their date ideas were top notch. No one could say no to them. Astolfo doesn't want to believe that their Master is boring enough not to immediately fall madly in love with them upon hearing about their cool and cute finding-gems-that-match-each-other's-eye-color-date-idea.
"Well… it has to be the third- no wait, the second..! I mean the first??" Astolfos brain was already overheating. The Rider hated thinking. Especially this much. "ARG! Master, you're so mean!" They ruffled their hair in frustration. I could only chuckle.
"No way I'll let you beat me at my own game! Hahaha!" I smirked
"It can't be! You're cheating! All of those must be lies!!! I can't accept any of them being true!" Astolfo stomped their feet on the ground like a toddler throwing a temper tantrum.
"Final answer?" I asked, my smirk growing wider.
"Yes! All of them are lies! No way any of them are true!"
"Well, well! First point for me! The second was a lie!" I smiled proudly, but it quickly dropped. "I can't believe you think I'm too stupid to be at the top of my school."
Now Astolfo was just even more dumbfounded than before. Awkward silence filled the halls as both of us just stared at each other for a while.
Then Astolfo awkwardly cleared their throat. "Uhm… yeah?" The rider scratched their head and looked to the side. "I can't believe you're not madly in love with me after hearing my cool date ideas." they mumbled, barely loud enough to hear.
"Eh, you shouldn't be so sure about that." I shrugged. Immediately they wiped their head back to me with a blush.
"REALLY?!"
"Alright Astolfo, your turn now." I innocently smiled again.
"Wha- No, No! I wanna talk about that! Let's talk about that!!" The blush now reached their ears as they looked at me with hopeful eyes.
Cute.
"But it's your turn now." I stated plainly.
"Who cares! We gotta talk about that, Master!" Astolfo argued with irritation in their voice, the blush still very much on their face.
"No, I want to win before sunrise. Your turn."
"No-"
"Rider." I started in a deeper tone making Astolfo swallow. "Your turn." I raised my hand to show off my command seals. "I still have all of them, don't make me use one~" I happily sang my last thread.
"..." Astolfo started at me intensely
"..." I stared back at them.
"..." Still nothing.
"..." I waved my raised hand with the command seal slightly back and forth.
"FINE!" They finally gave in and crossed their arms with a huff. "One; I love you! Two; I love you! Three; I hate you!" Astolfo smiled triumphed and proudly put their hands on their hips. Now Master has to talk about it! Again I heard Astolfos private thoughts.
"Oooh woow." I said with a monotone voice. "How creative. Wooooh." I limply waved my hands in the air with a generally unimpressed look. Which shattered Astolfos pride and replaced it with irritation.
"Hey! You have to pick!" They pointed their index finger at me. "Now do!"
"Well it's obvious that you're cheating too, my dear Servant!" I plucked my lips out in a fake pout. "All of them are true!"
"Wrong! Point for me! Haha!!" Astolfo smiled widely and bummed their fist into the air. "No way I could ever hate you!"
"A shame…" I sighed "I'm trying my hardest and it won't work..! A tragedy!!" I dramatically put a hand over my forehand and leaned backwards. "All of my efforts- it was all in vain!!!"
Astolfo only watched with mild interest. Then they shook their head. "You ruined our moment, Master…"
"We had a moment?" I asked, returning to my normal posture again.
"Master!!!" Astolfo whined. "Why must you be like that every time we have a moment??" They hid their face behind their hands. Again I padded their shoulder.
"Naaaw come on, Astolfo. You know I'm just playing with you." I chuckled.
"No, not really…" Their shoulders slumped and they let their hands fall to their side, revealing a deep frown. "You never flirt back but always allude to… something… No clue what's even going on anymore." Astolfo sighed deeply.
Wait what.
Suddenly I was the deer in the headlights. "Wait-" my hand dropped from Astolfos shoulder, making them look at me again. "Why do I need to flirt back? We're already dating???"
"Huh?" They blinked. "HUH??? WAIT WHAT??" Astolfo yelled, taking a step back in surprise, face completely red.
"WHY ARE YOU CONFUSED?? I TOLD YOU 'I LOVE YOU' TWO WEEKS AGO!" Now I panicked.
"HUH?!?!"
"WELL- I- I when you lead on my shoulder and stuff!"
"HUH?!"
"You DID look like you were sleeping but- I mean Servants don't need sleep right?" I flailed my arms around a bit. "Y-you weren't actually asleep, right?!"
Silence.
Both of us just stared at each other. The sudden realization that maybe Astolfo didn't hear my confession, and the way the Rider snuggled against me after I told them wasn't them accepting my feeling was… look there isn't a word in this world that can describe the level of embarrassment I was feeling.
'No way… so THIS how I confessed now?!' That realization hit me harder than a Berserker ever could. And I could feel my face redden in embarrassment. 'Great!'
Astolfo cleared their throat and shifted their weight from one leg to the other. "Sooo, you love me?" This is getting worse by the second.
"Sure do." I said looking to the side. Maybe if I see a window I can jump out of it to end this misery… But Alas, no windows. Just empty hall walls.
Suddenly I heard Astolfo giggling uncontrollably, bringing my attention back to my servant.
"Hahaha I knew you would!" They proudly crossed their arms above their chest.
"Uh- you did?" I tilted my head.
"Of course! After all, my date ideas ARE the best!" The rider said with a smug smile. Well, I could definitely argue with them on that for a while, but Astolfo just successfully released some of my embarrassment. So I was just gonna indulge them a bit.
"Well, wanna go on one then?" I smiled, mirroring Astolfos crossed arms.
"YES!!!" They beat, grabbing my arm faster than the eye can see and promptly dragging me behind them and out of the abandoned building.
"And that's how we got these stone necklaces that match our eyes!" Astolfo boasted proudly. Saber just gave them an unimpressed stare.
"I asked, where you found the stones. Not what miracle happened to bring two brain dead idiots together." She tapped the table they were seated at impatiently.
"Well we found them through the miracle of love!" Astolfo grinded. Saber only gave them an exaggerated sigh.
"How the hell did my Master lose to you two of all people?!" She muttered to herself.