Archer x Lancer_I DARE YOU

Chapter 6: Gateway

I found it difficult to write the following chapter using Lancer's eyes, so yeah, I hope you like read this story from an eagle's eye view.
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With that said, the darkness opened up to the witch, swallowing her to another side of flashy violet. Right after she disappeared into the unknown, the room rumbled again, attempting to toss them around mercilessly. There was nothing else to hold on to.

All of a sudden, fire ignited from all sides, revealing the contents of entire place, except, there was so little content. It was a cube room with scarcely anything in it, except for the two of them and some posts holding the place. The materials of their prison was smooth stone. Lancer went over to touch water on the wall, having failed to see the thin stream layering the walls and ceiling. Above, instead of a hole, it was just a ceiling without any crack or the hole where they fell from above. The sounds, like wailing souls past this room was endless and Archer's best guess was they were trapped underground.

Where the woman disappeared into, there stood a door, an ancient-looking door with wood beaten at every inch and knobs hiding behind the crusts of crimson rust. It glowed with a glyph or an ancient number one. A brief moment passed with just the two staring at the door and waiting for anything to happen. Lancer was hoping for something to, because he could never get used to these kinds of situations, especially what's happening right here right now.

Lancer tipped the silence back to the cradle of conversation. He put his hand behind his hand and stared at the floor, kicking an invisible stone.

"Umm...I'm not saying that I need your help, but..." He coughed into his hand nervously before speaking again. "...umm...Can you tell me more about that woman?"

Archer who seemed preoccupied with his thoughts turned to Lancer, meeting Lancer's red eyes who tried to keep the gaze connected as long as possible, and why was he doing that? To prove to himself that Archer can't distract him no matter what, because lately-today-the man had served a distraction.

Archer smiled victorious, knowing that Lancer who has extensive knowledge over many realms and magic, was relying on his enemy.

"That woman is powerful mage who developed the unique ability to mold time, space, place and humans to anything she desires. Her ability has not been allowed study but rumours spread that she can also create, other than to manipulate and convert with her strange ability. But she is not all powerful however. She should have made a fine Servant, but she escaped that fate by tying her soul to this place for a century."

Archer looked down, enveloped by the thought of her being able to escape a Servant's fate. Lancer noticed the sudden change, his mockery fading into depression. The man folded his hands behind back, choosing to speak, after calculating that he might never ever have had the chance to know this witch because she originally Japanese, and in an era where his exploration was limited.

"You mean, she's dead?"

Archer looked at him and at the door.

Lancer took his silence as a yes, before moving on to another question unable to notice eyes roving his body.

"Why didn't she become famous? With powers like that, she should have made a name for herself. She crossed a boundary of magic that even I think is difficult for me."

At the corner of his eyes, Lancer saw Archer move, the red shuffling. Lancer turned his head to him, to see that the man was facing him, just staring at him and Lancer cannot fail to notice the way he was looking at him...Words popped into his mind.

Admiration? Desire? Lust?

He tore away his gaze, which he cast aside as one of his delusions this day. He returned to leaning his head on the hands folded behind him, hiding the obvious blush behind his elbow.

"Well?"

Archer opened his mouth and flinched, realizing his gawking pointed at Lancer. He quickly tilted his head to the opposite direction.

"She's known to use her powers to her amusement and clearly, she will use this place to get her way with us."

Lancer waited for a further answer but he heard tapping footsteps instead echoing in the room.

"Wait!" Lancer said, moving slowly to stand at his side but Archer didn't stop and the doors swung open to his bidding.

The man in red said walking into the darkness ahead. "Afraid?"

Lancer clenched his fist, he could just perfectly imagine the smile he uses to enrage Lancer at just the right moment. Cursing, Lancer followed him but again stopped him which made Archer growl and turn to him.

Lancer looked away, blushing. Archer saw him blush a lot today, and he wondered if the place was already twisting them from the roots. He noticed the change himself too. He was drawn in to Lancer ever since his eyes landed on him and he felt a tinge of jealousy when he protected the girl. Archer wanted...like a magnet, to grab him and pull him close-Archer dismissed his thoughts away and it wasn't enough to do it in his mind, he had to physically shake his head. Thoughts urged him, confident thoughts that invaded him, especially after the witch's fingers made contact to his skin. He was sure she had placed a sort of spell on him but he didn't see her touch Lancer, which may mean that he is free from her influence but probably not from the influence of this place. Well, it's not like he was attracted to this pervert womanizer. Is he? Of course not...

"This woman sounds suspicious," Lancer began. "We should...er, how should I say it...."

"Just spill it. If possible, I don't want to stay here any longer, I have other much better things to do."

Lancer frowned at the image of Archer's current master, a beautiful woman who Lancer somehow hated from the very start, she didn't deserve Archer. He hesitantly stated his question. "We have to make sure we don't get separated. Who knows what might happen once we enter through that door?"

Archer stared at the man who glowed with brilliance, smiling inside. Lancer was really a smart one. At first he didn't seem to be the type because he bites before he growls, but he was proven wrong. Lancer pointed at the alien symbols sketched deep into the bronze surface plating the door, glowing a light blue and red. "I am familiar with the runes engraved to it, ancient teleportation runes that will separate the entrants and send them through all sort of dimensional packets in this place, meaning we will be facing the traps alone."

Archer nodded. "Your point, is that we can't afford to burn time conquering the traps alone because there is a point that the witch set a time limit. We have to find the core quickly."

Lancer nodded, clearly impressed with his knowledge over runic traps. "And the best way to conquer traps like these-" He looked away, hesitant but clearly traumatized by nervousness. "-is physical contact."

Archer raised an eyebrow, smirking, amused with Lancer burying himself over so little a thing. "Are you suggesting what I think you're suggesting?"

Lancer huffed angrily but he might as well have used a mask of that anger to cover up his uncontrollable nervousness. "It's not like I would enjoy doing it with a man, especially, you."

Archer smirked, not really into the idea but he had a point and he actually liked seeing Lancer so distracted.

"Well, your suggestion is the best tactical choice, but I can't help but be flattered by your reaction. I didn't know you were capable of 'cute'."

Before Lancer can say anything about it, Archer grabbed his hand and pulled him into the darkness, to spare them both the embarrassment of their intertwined hands and to which Lancer offered no resistance.

Don't worry,they won't be holding hands for long! Ehehehe. I'll be toying then in the next chapters, and if I manifest myself into this book,I might as well be Madam Le' Strange!