White Ink

19

"Master Inke, please wake up," the voice instructed. It was quite a magnificent voice by all accounts. The deific being that must have crafted it had truly outdone himself. That said it really wasn't something that he wanted to hear at this time in the morning. Not only was the bed comfortable but he was having a very good dream. It was a dream that certain parts of his anatomy desperately wanted him to continue.

Knowing that he had earlier given Nine specific instructions to not let him sleep to late and that his butler was nothing but not persistent he gave up. Blinking blearily he rubbed the sleep out of his eyes and sat up specifically ignoring certain hard parts of his body.
"Good day Nine," he said gracefully forgiving him from waking him from his most enjoyable slumber. "Can you tell me where everybody is today?"
"Certainly Master," he said his smile growing wilder. "I'm taking out Lady Von Einzbern to zoo in a nearby city to look at the animals. Lady Yumizuka is working extra days with Lady Sumire. Lady Arcueid is downstairs having some of the breakfast I made."
Shirou ignored the minor smug smile upon Nine's face. Due to his difficulty getting up in the morning Nine had all but annexed the morning cooking. However Shirou recently had a plan. While freezing food in this house would get you scoffed at due to the inherent loss of freshness that only applied to freezing food by way of cold.
Shirou had recently been experimenting with his magic and attempting to freeze an objects passage through time. Thus he could cook his food at night and freeze it to be eaten fresh in the morning. With this tactic he was going to seize back breakfast from Nine. He started smiling just thinking about it.
Nine genuinely smiled at seeing his Master happy. While he did believe that as a butler it was his duty to provide for his Master he also knew that it was his greatest duty to keep his Master happy. This back and forth with both of them competing to create the current meal amused his Master and thus he took every opportunity to one-up him in the culinary arts. However now not the time for whimsical musing, he needed to remove the white haired young lady from the house.
Despite now looking much more appropriate to her age the woman had not yet grown much up mentally. Thus he had cunningly proposed a visit to the zoo when he needed her to leave the house and his Master to his own devices. Turning on his heel and leaving the room he headed outside to meet up with the Lady Von Einzbern so he could take her to enjoy the day.
Shirou watched his butler leave the room. Standing up he quickly dressed himself in his clothes and headed downstairs. Walking into the kitchen he came across the quite unusual, for almost anybody else, sight of the last remaining True Ancestor in the world chowing down on Nine's homemade cooking. The sight of Arcueid enjoying both his and Nine's cooking never failed to bring a smile to his face. Especially since the greedy vampire actually didn't need food.
"Arc," he said right behind the vampire making her start. She turned towards him and gave him an innocent look which out of the one person standing in the room with her fooled precisely zero people.
"Arcueid how are you," he said. "I'm doing rather well today," he continued not giving her a chance to answer. "Except for one thing."
He fixed her with a stare which seemed to melt through Arcueid's façade of innocence. "For the last few days I've had recurring dreams. Odd isn't it. I mean my familiar is a dream demon; the least that should give me is a peaceful sleep. But all of these things had one thing in common, or to be more precise, one person in common." At this he shook his head. "And when you consider who the caretaker/owner of Len was before this it should be no mystery who conspired to let me have these dreams."
Arcueid stared back with an expression of curiosity mingling with carefully manufactured innocence. Shirou mustered up the will to glare for a few seconds before he smiled and relaxed.
"Arcueid," he said. "Want to go on a date."
"Yes Shirou," Arcueid said jumping up and hugging him without a hint of shame or modesty. "I've been waiting for you to say that."
"I could tell," Shirou said his face deadpan. "Very well, while I'm inexperienced with this I believe I have enough experience via manga, visual novels and other related media to conduct a successful date.
He closed his eyes and then opened them again. "All right Arcueid. This is going to be a whole day affair with multiple events. Together you and I will trip every flag and go for the golden ending. Are you ready?"
"Let's do this," Arcueid said, her face displaying utmost seriousness.
xxx
"Here we are," Shirou said. "Exciting Splash," he said looking at the imposing building. "A place where couples can look at each other in swimsuits and get really fucking awkward about the whole thing. I actually quite like this place although it's not as good as the beach."
Looking back at the blond vampire he took note that she still carried that package that probably contained the swimsuit she refused to let him see. As a proper date he must pretend to be overwhelmed by that admittedly tasty looking white swimsuit that she couldn't quite hide from him.
Walking into the building he and Arcueid nodded seriously to each other and headed into the changing room.
He left the changeroom about twenty seconds later in his swimming trunks. They were green with an orange stripe down the side. They were quite comfy and he had bought them for quite a reasonable price down at the Verde mall. He hadn't even been looking for swimming trunks, he had just been shopping for cooking materials and saw them and he just had to have them.
Arcueid left the changeroom about thirty seconds after in her swimsuit. "Wow," she said. "Those are some nice swimming trunks, where did you get them."
"Verde," Shirou replied offhandedly. "It's here in Shinto. Now that I think about it I've never taken you there. Maybe we should go there for the lunch part of the date."
"I see inviting the girl to a classy new place for lunch," Arcueid said. "Twenty points."
Shirou chuckled to himself. "Well let's see if I can't increase my points. Arcueid, do you know how to swim?" At Arcueids nod he continued. "We can't actually race or engage in feats of high physical activity because we are surrounded by ordinary humans. I'm afraid this bit will be more of a lazy activity."
Arcueid pouted at that, "minus ten points Shirou."
Shirou snorted, "Why don't we just talk Arcueid? With so many people coming in and out of the house we don't often get the chance to have a long one-on-one conversation."
After a moment of thinking Arcueid showed her assent by cannonballing into the water causing those in the immediate vicinity to get dunked. Shirou followed suit except when he hit the water it was barely displaced.
Popping out of the water he watched Arcueid start to float on her back. Seeing her relaxing he took a moment to gather his thoughts he asked the question that was on his mind.
"So, Arc. What brought this date on," he said. "I know you've always liked those romantic movies but you've never actually seemed to be interested in romance before today." That question stopped the mood and for a few seconds there was silence between them.
Arcueid stopped floating and paddled over to Shirou. "I wanted to see what it was like." After a few moments of thinking she shook her head. "No that's a lie." Her voice went quiet and Shirou had to strain to hear. "I never had friends or family or love. Spending time with you and the group has showed me what I was missing. I don't want to miss anymore. I like you Shirou. Whether it's as a friend or family or as my love I want to find out. I want to experience it."
Swimming a bit forward she pulled Shirou into a hug. "I was created by the True Ancestors with no point than to be the strongest. After that my point was to hunt down my mistake and kill the renegade dead apostles." She looked at him with gratitude in her eyes. "Despite cutting me into seventeen pieces that is always something I will be grateful for Shiki for. At that night the Arcueid that lived a joyless, loveless and friendless life died and I was born. I'm not going to hold back from pursuing what I want Shirou."
Shirou chuckled to himself. "What," said Arcueid defensively. "I just poured my heart out, don't laugh at me."
"No," Shirou said covering his mouth. "That happened two years ago I remember. If that's really the day you were born then it looks like I'm not getting lucky anytime soon."
Arcueid smiled with good humour. Then she leaned up to him and whispered in his ear. "Excellent flag Shirou. Fifty points. If you keep it up you might end up getting lucky sooner than you think."
At that she swam away and Shirou just stood there being treated to the sight of her shapely behind.
xxx
"A French restaurant Shirou, really? You're going all out on this romantic endeavour. Your determination to get into my pants is quite flattering," Arcueid said teasingly.
"You've been watching too many of your terrible movies Arcueid," Shirou said as he handed back the menus to the waiter. "I actually happen to like French cuisine. It's one of the few things the frogs got right."
"You don't even dislike the French," Arcueid whispered. "You're just trying to provoke an altercation." She shook her head. "You can have a fight with me later. Right now just concentrate on the date."
"All right, you got me," Shirou said. "I don't believe the French are better or worse than any other nationality."
"Good," Arcueid stated. "Now I do believe it is my turn to ask a question." She thought for a minute and then nodded her head decisively. "Here it is," she said. "What kind of girl do you like? I mean in terms of looks."
At this Shirou leant back in his chair. Trust Arcueid to go straight for the jugular. After a moment of contemplation he had his answer albeit one that was not very satisfactory.
"I don't," he said. "Believe it or not but I actually don't care that much about looks." He clarified as Arcueid looked at him in disbelief. "I know there are standards of beauty but unless they're horrendously unattractive I get turned on more from their personality."
Seeing Arcueid's questioning gaze he clarified. "There are three main personality traits that I really quite like." He took a breath and raised three fingers, lowering the first he started. "First is somebody who is competitive. Someone who can and would go blow for blow with me in whichever event I'm doing. I like somebody who won't back down and give in, somebody who won't let everything go my way."
Lowering his second finger he continued. "Second is their nature. I like somebody who cares about others, somebody who will help them gently along and be there for them listening to their troubles and providing advice." Shirou seemed to think for a bit and then shook his head sheep-faced. "Alternately I also like somebody who is cruel to others. Who will hinder other people and take laugh at their pain." He put his hand under his chin in thought. "I think the unifying point of those two natures is that they have to acknowledge others and actively make a difference in the world whether for good or ill. Maybe I just like extremes. Who knows?"
He lowered his last finger and put his hand down. "The last is one that often comes with the first. I like somebody who always strives to be better than their current selves, somebody who will not bow down to the expectations of those older and stronger than her. It is quite a touching thing to see somebody who refuses to listen to those wiser than her and lives by her own rules destroying all obstacles in her path."
Shirou once again refocused on Arcueid noticing that her face seemed to be worried. "Shirou," she said. "I don't fulfil any of those. I don't compete, I mostly ignore other humans and I'm content with how I am." She bit her lip and looked for her answer.
"On the contrary Arcueid, you meet all three criteria to some extent. You regularly compete with me. Not just in sparring but even in swimming, a competition in which you hold the utmost disadvantage. You regularly try against both Sumire and I and you're not the slowest by such a huge amount. You're could very well be the third fastest being underwater in the world."
He drank from the glass of orange juice he received. Being under twenty he wasn't legally allowed to drink alcohol. Not that it stopped him from regularly attacking Sumire's stash when the aquatic vampire was distracted. "Secondly Arcueid while you may not know it you've always been kind to humans. I'm not talking about the killing of vampires because that's your job but you've always helped me whenever you're available. Sure you don't run a charity or something but I've often seen you help strangers on the streets. I've seen you rescue a kitten from a tree Arc, I'm fairly sure that makes you qualify."
"Thirdly, you supress your thirst for blood for every day that you've been with us. You refuse to become a demon lord. Also you refused to become an unthinking pinnacle, a lonely person who only carries out their own duties mechanically. Better does not mean stronger Arcueid."
The both of them tucked into their meals, enjoying the unusual tastes that usually came with eating different countries foodstuffs. After finishing her food first Arcueid asked a question that had been idly bumping around in her head for the duration of the meal. "So you said you care more for their personality then their body right."
"While I admit I'm not entirely unswayed by beautiful women those traits inspire far more lust in me then how good their body is," Shirou clarified. "While I believe I would be moved to copulate with a woman of impeccable looks there would be no love there."
"So what about men," Arcueid asked with an expression of pure curiosity. "If there was a guy who met all your personality criteria then would you have sex with him?"
Shirou finished up his lunch and contemplated the question for a moment. "No," he said after a while. "While I would certainly admire that person I'm afraid I'm far too low down in the Kinsey Scale too be able to enjoy partaking in my own gender. What about you? Any girls caught your eye, Arc?"
Arcueid just shrugged not knowing the answer to the question and the second part of the date was complete.
xxx
"So what are we watching Shirou?" Arcueid questioned.
She and Shirou were standing in a line getting their tickets for a movie. Arcueid had often spent time in the movie theatre. Shirou had not as he tended to enjoy watching television more. While occasionally Arcueid joined him in watching his gameshows. Shirou avoided going with Arcueid to the movies. There was a very good reason for that.
"We're going to watch that latest romantic comedy you've been eying for the past week," he said, any distaste miraculously absent from his voice. Shirou despised romantic movies and would normally never go to them but this was a special occasion so the he had to support Arcueid in going to see this madness.
"Shirou," the vampire said. "Thank you for taking me. I know you don't like any movies with romance in for some reason."
Shirou stepped forward and paid the cashier for the tickets and also got two large popcorns and water for him and some form of sugary drink for Arcueid.
"I've never understood why you do like romance movies Arc," Shirou admitted.
Arcueid pondered for a bit. "I suppose I like the idea of those that are truly in love overcoming all the obstacles, and doing anything to win the girl or the guy and on the end having a happy ending with both of them together."
As Shirou opened his mouth she continued picking up speed. "You're probably going to say something about how they don't deal with real problems like economic or social status. How the mundanities of life are substituted for the fantastical storybook romance and that perfect relationships don't exist." At this Arcueid started imitating Shirou's voice. "How events after them getting together isn't dealt with like toxic marriages and infidelity." At this Arcueid stopped and looked Shirou in the eyes. "But I don't care; I think that romance movies exemplify the beautiful dream of true love."
At this point Shirou was looking at her eyes wide then he smiled. "How long have you had that speech prepared Arc," he giggled suddenly looking quite happy. "You're absolutely right. There is nothing beautiful about the human species. For the most part they are a tremendously destructive species that tends to slide down into apathy when confronted with the immense effort to receive a golden ending." Shirou looked at Arcueid who was still glaring at him defiantly. "But that doesn't apply to all humans. There are saints among humankind. There are people who manage to find true happiness. There are people who give there all to plot a bright path through mankind's future."
Shirou looked at his watch briefly checking on the time to go before they could go in. "I do actually believe in the potential of humans and as a person who deals in concepts it would be remiss of me to neglect the beautiful concept that it love. The thing you got wrong Arc was not that I don't believe in true love but I believe romance movies do a poor job of representing it."
Shirou took a breath to gather his thoughts. "Love isn't sending her a thousand roses. It's taking the garbage out for over twenty years. It's not running to catch the flight she's leaving on. It's giving up on your dream promotion because then you won't be able to see her every day. Love is not serenading her with a big romantic number. It's holding her hand when she's in hospital with no hair after poison is pumped through her because it's the only way she can continue to live."
For a few moments there was silence between them. Then Arcueid continued, "You know you've always struck me as a harem kind of person."
"Don't even get me started on harems," Shirou started. "That's not a problem of love but of low self-esteem."
They forgot to see their movie.
xxx
"A romantic walk in the park to finish up a date," Arcueid said a look of surprise. "Wow you've really done you research."
"Yeah," Shirou replied. "This park would look quite nice if it wasn't so heavily cursed."
"Yeah," Arcueid said with a look of wonder on her face. "It feels like Gaia just packed up and left."
"Yeah, it's actually fascinating," Shirou continued. "I did some research on this a few years back. I actually cleared a bit of the park up ahead with my magic but the curse was too embedded in the land and too strong for me to completely dissipate."
They both felt it as soon as they arrived at that point. The air felt cleaner and the atmosphere felt lest hostile. Bits of greenery were even growing there in defiance to the barrenness of the surrounding lands.
"Shirou I have a question," Arcueid said her red eyes fixed on his. "What do you feel about marriage?"
Shirou's eyes widened before he calmed down. "A purely academic question I assume Arc. I don't think even you would be so bold to propose on the first date." He stood there a moment playing with his hands deep in thought. "Marriage is meant for humans," he raised his head and looked Arcueid dead in the eyes. "Humans are driven by their instincts to have children and marriage provides the best model to do so. For specific humans and magi in particular marriages are used to raise heirs and keep the lines and research alive as well as build alliances."
He sighed. "True Ancestors were created whenever one was needed. You obviously don't feel the need to create anymore and you should presumably live for a long, long time so there is no need for you to maintain your lineage."
"As for me I could live forever with the use of the fourth, growing stronger all the while and harder to permanently do away with. Have you seen my new regeneration mystic code Nolava. With the addition of it I am almost impossible to kill. There is no need for me to prepare an heir and I do not need the security that marriage offers."
Shirou's fidgeting briefly increased before he stilled himself. "Furthermore I believe I would not be able to remain true to the marriage. Sooner or later I would be swayed by something and I would commit infidelity. Any marriage that I joined would be doomed from the start."
Shirou looked up at Arcueid who stood staring at him for a moment. Then suddenly lips were on his and he battled to breathe as a tongue like corded steel ravaged the inside of his mouth. "Let's go home Shirou," Arcueid said and there was a tinge of what could only be called lust in her voice.
"But the flags," Shirou spluttered his eyes wide for once in his life totally off guard.
"Flags are for humans," Arcueid said smirking. "Now let's go. I've wanted to try out making love for a long time."
At this the beautiful vampire took off at such speed that she would have been invisible to human eyes.
"I'm getting laid," Shirou said idly to himself. "I'm getting laid," he yelled out louder and pumped his fist.
And in an instant he was gone at blinding speeds following close behind the vampire.
Author Note: Hey I just had a one shot out called after the date. It may be a bit racy and not for younger viewers.
notonmypc I don't understand how it was dull but I am aware with the potential pacing problems. It's not something I'm going to be able to fix. Only to exercise it out through practice.
DarkRai99 Yeah it's not going to happen. It's an uncomfortable situation. They will meet but a lot of time has passed.
Rathalos000 Nobody stole Avalon from Shirou. He used it to teleport the demon to Avalon.
The Rupture There are less benefits than you think and a lot of them are inherently linked with the bloodsucking. The main benefit was the time curse and Shirou doesn't want to rely on it. He's only thirteen nearly fourteen an age he doesn't want to be forever. One thing you need to keep in mind is a dead apostle isn't automatically strong. The ancestors are strong because they are old and have survived through a lot of shit. Plus Shirou's already pretty inhuman. Dude's like a sentient lake.
cra0007 Even Zelretch wouldn't have either thought to do that or been able to pull it off.
DPSS Yes it was unique and Shirou took great pains to recreate a copy that has the dubious distinction of being pretty okay.