Fate/Forever Found (Fate/StayNight Fanfic)

Chapter 20

Archer's POV

I didn't want to leave her, but I couldn't just stand there and watch him kill her. The pain only lasted a few minutes. I heard the desperation in her voice, the pain, the fear. I tasted her tears when she kissed me. "Don't give up, May...win this..." was the last thing that left my lips before everything went dark.

I awoke in a field of white flowers, the sun blinding me as I sat up. I stood and gave myself a once over, no more wounds, no more blood. "Where am I?" I looked around at the vast expanse of white flowers in the field, as far as the eye can see.

"The Grail." I heard Rin's voice behind me. I turned to see her standing there, just as I remembered her. My confusion must have been clear because she giggled, "What I manifest as depends on you. Makes me more approachable I think." She took a few steps forward, "I would manifest as Mayumi, but I feel that would be really hard on you." She paused, "Mmm, normally this would be the end of the line for you, Shirou Emiya...but this war has a few...extra contenders that I wasn't counting on."

"Alright...sooo I'm stuck here?"

"No, silly. That's good news for you. What this means is I'm giving you a choice." She smiled.

"A choice?" It wasn't making any sense to me.

"Mhm. A choice. I don't need you. So you can either go home or you can stay in her world. You'll be able to communicate in a way with her, you just won't be able to fully manifest. Additionally, you'll be able to do as you see fit in regards to her protection in range attacks. A backup servant if you will. If you wish to stay with her and she wins, I will grant the wish in both of your hearts."

"But...this isn't how any of this works...." I take a couple steps closer to her.

"As I said, normally no. And normally, you wouldn't be able to protect her in the slightest no matter if you stayed in her world or not. But...that crest on her arm. You've seen it, yes?" She continues when I nod, "That crest bonds her to you. She was wearing the pendant when the crest was passed to her. And it just so happened that the crest and the pendant...." She thinks for a second, "kinda fused...for lack of a better term, giving her crest its unique appearance. So in a way, you are her Guardian."

"So I was destined to be her servant from the beginning?"

"In a way, yes." She stops, "Anyways, I'm assuming you want to stay with her?"

Of course, I want to stay with her. "Yes...Yes, I want to stay with her." I take a breath as Rin touches my chest, "Very well, Just be ready for what you might see....your bond is still strong." And with that, I was in her room. I could hear her and Lancer talking in the bathroom.

"He's gone...Archer's..." I hear her soft cries. I can feel her sadness, That must've been what she meant when she said our bond's still strong.

"So...what are you going to do now.....are you going to keep fighting?"

"I have nothing to fight for...He's dead. There's no reason for me to fight anymore..." She sounds so broken. Their voices fade out as I get lost in my thoughts.

"NO. AHHH. ARCHER!" She laughed as I pinned her to the wall of the practice room, "You cheated. Cheater!" I turn her to me and smirk, "What are you smirking at? Cheater." She giggled.

"That was fair. You lost focus. Never. Lose. Focus." I said as I moved closer to her with each word, "I know I don't have to go easy on you, but yet you're the one pinned by me." I felt her tense slightly in my grip, "But I must say, I don't mind this position."

She swallowed as I watched her green eyes travel down my chest, "Um...." I watched her cheeks turn red, "Uhhh...." She bit her lip.

I smiled a bit and kissed her softly, feeling her kiss me back, her body almost completely limp under me. I pulled away, going to the known sweet spot on her neck, reveling in the soft noise that left her lips, "Archer...no fair." She whined as I chuckled and looked at her, "I can't help myself, it's too easy to get you to submit to me."