Azure Dragon Emperor: High School DxD X Male Reader

FATE Ch. 68: Machinations

3rd Person POV

Neighborhood Streets

The trio of devils walked through the empty streets of Kuoh to their abodes. All with less than pleased expressions plastered on their faces.

Streetlights blaring the bright lights, and cicadas buzzing loudly into the night, as well as loud obnoxious finger snaps echoing into the night sky.

"Okay, that's enough!" (Y/N) declared, clearly annoyed.

A single snap was the response. "Whatever could you be talking about?" Asked the Spirit Form Archer.

"This! You! The escorting! The snapping!"

"Especially the snapping." Tsubaki grumbled.

"We don't need bodyguards! I don't know why Rin asked you to walk us home in the first place!"

"Oh, goodness, I'm so sorry." Archer physically appeared, offering his sarcastic apology. "Did I hurt the poor little devils' feelings?"

(Y/N) snapped at his comment. "Mother fu-Are you trying to pick a fight with me or something? Is that what all this hostility is about? You want a fight?"

Archer simply scoffed. "Well, at least you know enough to sense hostility."

"Yeah, because everyone wants an escort who wants to kill them." Kiba grumbled.

"I know plenty, asshole. What I don't know is why Rin had you walk us home."

Archer crossed his arms and simply glared at the three devils. "By some fluke of nature, she seems to have lightened up around you."

"What's your problem with us? You've been spiteful towards us since the night we met." Kiba questioned the Archer Servant.

"Well, for one thing, your naivete is infuriating." He declared, pointing to the Azure Dragon Emperor. "Do you honestly think you can end these Holy Grail Wars without killing a single person?"

"What makes you think I won't when the need arises?" He replied. "Unlike your Master or other Mages, I'm not too keen on sacrificing the lives of innocent people to achieve my goals. But I will fight. And if needed, I'm willing to kill."

"Is that why you didn't summon Saber during your fight with Rider?" Archer asked. "I can tell you're nowhere near your full potential. To a degree, you're crippled and recovering. Yet you still fight against Heroic Spirits?"

"I won't lunge into a fight if I know it will get me killed, I'm not an idiot. I've always been able to go up against seemingly impossible odds. And you know what they say, what doesn't kill you makes you stronger."

"So rather than have someone else carry the burden, you're willing to grit your teeth and bear the weight of the world yourself?" Archer bared his teeth in anger. "Pathetic. You make me sick. Your childish and suicidal notions to protect and save everyone serves no one. Having an immature Master like you must be a burden to Saber."

"You think I don't know that?!" (Y/N) yelled back. "She could've left whenever she wanted. I didn't force her to stick around! She didn't have to feel obligated to stay with me. But she has, and I'm grateful she did. We try to lighten each other's loads and we watch each other's backs as partners. She's my friend, and I care deeply about her and everyone else in my life. So what the hell gives you the right to judge the way we live ours?!"

"More than you can imagine." He simply replied.

"Which is still confusing." Tsubaki admitted.

"But you know nothing about me. Not even my name. So go ahead, try to cut me down! Preach to the Heroic Spirit who was ripped from his duties to serve as a glorified butler for a teenager in a war he doesn't have any stake in, how tragic pasts were to have you develop your idiotic ideals, and motivations. Speak up, though. It's hard to hear over the sound of the earth trying to erase my existence on a constant basis." He dared, glaring at the devils through his exposition.