Fate/Heaven's Fall

Bootleg Bar

"Hey! Over here!" is called after me, in the noise of more or less people. I'm busy enough as it is, as I'm serving a few pints to a small group of old men who have decided to visit the bar where I work. The bar is called Bootleg, and is actually a very cozy, small bar, "I'm coming now!" I call back to the customer, who apparently wants another beer, or maybe a soda this time?

I know the vast majority of the customers in the bar by first name by now, especially because many of the men have been there many times. At first I was quite embarrassed every time it happened, and after a while I got annoyed, but now I just let it pass - in one ear, and out the other.

I place a large soda on the table in front of the man who has been calling me for the last five minutes and who is starting to seem quite impatient, "Is there anything else?" I ask, forcing a small smile on my lips, as my boss has asked me to do, several times even.

The bar has a subdued lighting, and all tables as well as chairs are made of dark mahogany, and the same goes for the bar counter itself. However, all edges and surfaces have been damaged by the countless chats between old men that have taken place here. We also get a few small tips once in a while, which is quite tiresome.

"Oh, not so much", he says, giving me a warm smile, as if he finds himself quite cozy - he's old enough to be my father though.

Gilgamesh suddenly pops into my mind, and I am happy that he cannot come with me to work - mostly because I do not want him to see me in my ridiculous uniform - which consists of something resembling a mixture between a maid uniform and a waitress uniform; a short, black dress, with a white apron, and a fine white hair band. My boss loves that kind of thing, but what can I do... I desperately need the money. Besides, this is Japan, and that kind of thing is pretty popular around here, apparently.

"Oh, I'm very sorry," I say with a dear smile, which is a mask I'm mastering now.

The only thought I have in my head is that there is a possibility that I will get good tips if I play really sweet with the man. It usually works. I hear some giggles around me, from some of the men at the other tables - and my boss is not in sight right now; He always tends to save me from these kinds of situations.

I also hear that the door to the bar opens once again, and I am convinced that this means that there are even more men to see tonight.

"Oh, what he doesn't know, he doesn't feel sorry for," the man in front of me says, winking at me.

The others, men, seem to be amused at how terrified I must seem.

My head screams for me to say something strange at the bar, but for some reason, I can't really move and I feel like I'm close to breaking down or panicking.

I gasp in horror when I suddenly feel an arm around my waist, which immediately pulls me away from the man in front of me and directly into the arms of someone else - and I immediately recognize the smell of him; It's the same shampoo I use, and the strong, muscular, but slim, chest is unmistakable.

"Does this creep bother you, beautiful?" his rather pleasant voice asks, and I feel the softest, warmest lips against my cheek as he plants a kiss there, and it almost feels like it's the most natural thing in the world.

I slowly lift my gaze from the dark floor to confirm my theory of who it was that had just torn me to heart - it's Gilgamesh, who continues to stand with one arm protective around my waist, holding me close to him.

He's wearing a white jacket, with an even whiter fur collar, his golden earrings, and a pair of dark jeans — a set of clothes I haven't seen before, but that look a whole lot more expensive than I would ever be able to afford to give him. Moreover, his hair is combed back, just as it was the day I first met him in the library.

I notice that his gaze is not directed at me - rather, it is directed directly at the man, who just stays in his seat at his table and his draft beer with a rather frightened expression on his face.

Gilgamesh's ruby red eyes show something I'd think was angry, but I honestly find it hard to believe it — why would he even care if someone did something to me? After all, he doesn't care about anyone but himself, and his precious red wine.

"I--..." I say low when I realize that I haven't said anything to him yet, "I could do it myself, Gil." My voice is low as I point my face away from him.

The feeling of his strong arm around my waist gives me mixed feelings - I don't like Gilgamesh, yet it feels, somehow, now very nice, just the thought that this must be what it feels like if someone actually cared about you - not because Gilgamesh does, so much I was well aware.

The only reason he would help me out of this situation would be because of his own situation - if I die, he disappears, even though this situation would certainly not end in my death, just my own humiliation.

"You must be her boyfriend, ha? We were just playing around a bit, weren't we, my girl?" says the grumpy man with a sweet smile, followed by a warm laugh, even though he's the only one in the whole bar who is actually laughing right now - the rest of the bar is dead silent, while all the guests' eyes are on us; perhaps more specifically Gilgamesh.

However, the man quickly stops laughing when I feel Gilgamesh's arm disappear from my life - and before I can react, he has grabbed the collar of the man's shirt. He pulls him to his feet, and with a single hand, he lifts him off the ground in the so-called collar.

The man must weigh a good 50 kilos, and yet Gilgamesh finds no trouble lifting him by his collar.

"Listen, you disgusting creep," Gilgamesh hisses, and I can only see the old man's terrified look as my Servant speaks to him. "If you ever even think about putting a hand on this girl again, I'll gladly smear you like the disgusting insect you are."

"Gil!" I exclaim, grabbing his arm, which is not lifting the old man, "Gil! That's enough now, put him down!"

My voice has completely changed, from the defenseless, sweet girl's voice, to the commanding, serious voice of a true Master.

Gilgamesh looks at me over his shoulder, with a rather surprised look, and then smiles a contented, wry smile at me, "There's the girl I know," he says, quite low, then lets go of the man in front of him, who immediately tries to get back on his feet, without falling to the ground. The customers at the bar are all pretty speechless - they certainly think how a man as young, slim as Gilgamesh can lift a full-grown, slightly overweight gentleman with just one hand, and I sincerely hope that means they'll leave me alone for now.

"What are you doing here?" I ask him as he turns to me with his hands in his jacket pockets.

"I'm here to bring you home," he says, quite seriously, "right away."

"What? Gil, I'm at work, I can't just walk now! I won't be free for half an hour," I try to explain, not because I think it will help.

Gilgamesh just does what he wants without any consequences for him. It must be nice to be so strong without anyone to stop you.

"Change your clothes and come along, or I'll have to personally carry you out of here," he says, squinting his eyes slightly as he leans against me to appear more intimidating - and it works.

"You dare to do it... And besides, you were about to beat a nice gamel man!" I whisper low, frowning my brows in a rather annoyed grimace as I lean against him to try to seem as intimidating as he is - it doesn't work as well.

"Oh, I dare," he says, smiling, and I immediately regret what I said, what he grabs around my waist, and before I know it, he throws me over his shoulder. I let a loud, startled squeal leave my lips, attracting the attention of all the guests at the bar, once again.

"Gil--, you idiot! Sit down, immediately!" I exclaim, desperately starting to slap his back as it's the only thing I can actually do right now.

"Sorry, I can't obey your order, my love," he says sarcastically, glancing around at the people at the bar, who are extremely interested in what is going on in front of them, with a defenseless waitress now hanging over the shoulder of her so-called boyfriend.

"You never obey my orders, idiot!" I just yell as I continue to hit him on the back, but for some reason, he seems pretty serious, and I wonder why he insisted so strongly that I come with him?