A Tale of Two Archers [Abandoned]

Chapter 2

"Emiya! In need of assistance!"

"Emiya! Can you help me out?"

"Head chef is this alright?"

"Do you have time for a match between one another?"

"Can you cook me this..."

"Sorry for taking your time but you don't mind helping out with this do ya...?"

"Emiya!"

"Emiya!"

"Emiya!"

...

...

"Just another day of work Archer... Same as usual." Archer muttered, cleaning a glass cup in the kitchen. His eye twitched slightly. "Just... Another... Day..."

He's not exhausted.

He's not annoyed.

He's not overworked.

With a heavy sigh, he shakes his head to clear whatever thoughts he had. He is fine.

He's fine.

He's not stressed at all...

Not... One... Bit.

Clang Shatter

"..."

The glass cup in his hand shattered, and the many fragments fell on the floor. With a blank stare, he stared at the palm of his hand which slowly dripped with the crimson liquid he's all too familiar with. The cut on his palm was deep and he heavily sighed.

"Accidents happen I suppose... I simply gripped a bit too hard." Archer muttered, the sound of a timer going off which caused him to look over at the clock. He stopped the timer and looked on from the window where he saw the doors to the Cafeteria bust open. And many Servants swarmed in with speed as if their life depended on it. "..." He found himself twitching a bit.

"Give me a break..." Archer exhaled with a frown.

"P-Perhaps you should take a break Emiya..." Boudica said.

"We'll handle it. Take the day off." Beni-Enma said with a chirp. Frowning slightly.

"Sigh Sorry for the trouble." Archer bowed at the staff.

"Worry not Eminya~! We'll handle the mouths to feed!" Tamamo Cat said with a grin.

"Thanks all of you..." Archer looked at his bleeding palm, then at the shattered glass on the floor, and frowned.

"Worry not, we'll clean up after your little mess." Raikou said with a smile. "It's best to get that treated immediately~ After all—"

"Mother knows what is best yeah yeah." Archer rolled his eyes with amusement. "You truly are a good parent, always looking after others."

"Hehe~ It's just what I do." Raikou happily nodded.

Archer simply blushed, scratching the back of his head as he walked away and left the kitchen. How embarrassing, getting told to take the day off from his fellow acquaintances.

-~-

"Emiya-Kun's not working today?" Ishtar frowned at the information she received. "What a shame... I was all excited for the time when the cafeteria would open up." She looked on at Martha (Santa).

"Emiya had to take the time off for today as much as it saddens us." Martha (Santa) said to Ishtar.

"Huh? Take the day off... That's unlikely of him to do." Ishtar perked up at what the Lily Santa Servant just told her. "If I may ask, why is it that he took the day off? It's so out of character of him to do..."

"He recently had an accident you see..." Martha (Santa) frowned with concern. "He accidentally shattered a glass cup with his bare hand. Cutting his palm as he then spilled blood in the process."

"!" Regardless of such a minor incident, crushing a glass cup accidentally is concerning. "To cut his palm on accident, honestly... What's going on with him?" She sighed in annoyance. She's not concerned. Totally not!

"We began noticing that Emiya has been looking far more stressed than usual. His stoic face would twitch from time to time. We take it that the accumulated stress of helping out whenever he's asked or in general, working, is taking a heavy load on him."

"..."

"Ishtar?"

"You know... I'm not surprised he'd help anyone out if they ask for it. Or if he insists... That's just like him to do. Honestly, that idiot. He's burning himself out even in such a peaceful environment." Ishtar shakes her head. "Then again, this environment isn't peaceful when much chaos happens each day. I'm gonna go give him a talk about how he should take care of himself! I'll keep telling him so that I can get that through his thick skull!" Ishtar ranted.

"Eh... Hehe. Emiya really is stubborn, isn't he? He should learn to take a break." Martha (Santa) laughed as she sweatdropped towards the Goddess's rant.

"I'm pretty sure the word 'break' isn't part of Emiya-Kun's vocabulary and overall life." Ishtar mumbled. "Let me go find him... He better be resting instead of working elsewhere. You know what? Who am I kidding? He's probably working instead." She floated away and out of the cafeteria. Martha (Santa) blinked.

Did she cause a fight between a couple to just burst out?

'Uh oh.' She thought.

-~-

"What are you doing?!"

Archer blinked as he heard all but that familiar voice that he can recognize from many miles away.

"Something the matter?" Archer looked at Ishtar, although he sweats a bit. That tone is something he's all too familiar with, and he knows that she's not happy with him.

"Ohoho! Is something the matter Goddess of Venus?" Astraea laughs as Ishtar growled a bit. "My, what's got you into a foul mood?"

"Quiet Goddess of Justice. I was searching for this idiot hoping that he was resting, but instead found him hanging out with an annoying woman instead." Ishtar said.

"Annoying?" Astraea twitched her eye. "Ironic hearing that from you."

"Emiya-Kun, how dare you go on a date with her of all people!" Ishtar said with a huff.

"D-Date?" Archer looked at Ishtar with a surprised face. "H-Hold on! You've got the wrong idea here—"

"So what if Sherou is on a date with me~?" Astraea asked with a cocky smirk. "It's not like it matters... Right? The two of you aren't in a relationship... Right? Toh-Sah-Ka." She grinned.

"..." Ishtar twitched her eye. Damn her...! "We are in a relationship. Emiya-Kun and I have been together for the longest time. Besides... It's obvious he likes me more instead of you, E-Del-Felt." She grinned back.

"..." Both Goddesses were at each other's necks. Veins popped in their foreheads as they stared one another down. Sparks emitted between them both.

"..." Archer meanwhile sighs.

He was just having a conversation with Astraea... It wasn't even anything bad. Just on what they've been doing as of late, why his palm is wrapped with cloth, and how he's been quite stressed as of lately.

WACK THACK

Archer winced at the catfight that began with both Goddesses. For his safety, he chose not to interfere as he sees them wrestle one another as they throw punches and kicks.

Truly...

Ishtar (Rin) and Astraea (Luvia) sure are terrifying...

In general...

Women are terrifying.

-~-

Word Count: 1,124