for @sangxanh ! i had a few ideas jumbled around in my head, but in the end it narrowed down to this saber/iri one. i suppose just think of it as an au setting where the 4th grail war was more around the holidays? i hope you enjoy it!
Saber knew of holiday celebrations. She remembered the many feasts she had when she was King, with wine and rich meat for all. She and her guests would stay warm by the fire as winter raged on outside, and they would exchange gifts and stories amongst each other. Outside the castle people would be celebrating the birth of Christ in their own ways, whether through quiet prayer and meditation or having bards play merry songs. It was a good time of year, though as time went on her own celebrations grew quieter, and attended by far less people.
However, she could have hardly imagined what Christmas would become in the modern world. And now as she was walking through the streets of Fuyuki, she was quite honestly stunned. As much as being a Heroic Spirit compensated for any overt culture shock, the lights strung over the trees and buildings, along with the other seasonal decorations were a pleasant, but still jarring surprise.
Beside her, Irisviel’s eyes sparkled with excitement. With her white coat on she looked right at home with the rest of the environment, but at the same time she seemed to be just as new to this modern holiday as Saber.
“Ah, Saber, there’s snow in the display cases!” Tugging on her hand, Irisviel dragged her towards the window of a toy shop, which had its items laid out against a faux winter wonderland of white fluff. “It’s so adorable!” The white haired woman knew it wasn’t actual snow, of course, but the image conjured was just as fascinating to her.
“Did you ever celebrate Christmas, Irisviel?”
She looked at Saber and nodded. “Yes, but not like this. Kiritsugu would help me decorate the tree, and we’d give each other gifts, but it was always so quiet and subdued…”
The contrast between the calm, meditative indoors and the bustling, lit-up outdoors must have been obvious. But Saber didn’t have much time to think about that, as suddenly Irisviel was grabbing her hand again, and tugging her along to another shop. “Look!” It was a clothing store this time, and the front was adorned with a variety of winter outfits.
An epiphany hit Irisviel then, and she gained an inspired glint in her eyes. “Saber, what if we got gifts for everyone? Ilya would be so happy to have something from here!”
“It sounds like a good idea.” Saber had her worries, such as concern for how long this little excursion would take, for they did need to return to Kiritsugu soon, but she kept quiet. There was something about Irisviel’s enthusiasm that warmed her on this cold winter night, and it might have been selfish of her, but she didn’t want that feeling to go away just yet.
So she played along, and the two of them split up. Irisviel headed back towards the toy store, stating that she thought she saw something for Ilya there, while Saber was tasked with finding something for Maiya.
“You would know what she likes better than I do!” She said. What, was it because they were both stoic? Saber found herself scouring the isles of the clothing shop, looking at any dark-colored article of clothing that she could picture the woman actually wearing. Her efforts were hopeless, for the most part, and after a few minutes she settled for picking out a nice black scarf. Those were always appreciated in cold weather, weren’t they?
She was just about to buy the item when she spotted something else out of the corner of her eye. A few pairs of white gloves were sitting on a shelf, and upon seeing them an idea began to formulate in Saber’s head. She picked out a suitable pair and went up to the cashier.
“Getting some late Christmas shopping done?” When Saber nodded, the older woman behind the counter smiled. “So, who are they for?”
Somehow, Saber couldn’t help but blush as she staggered out a response, the image of the white gloves at the front of her mind. “J-Just a friend.”
“Mhm.” The cashier sounded rather incredulous as she bagged the clothing. “Well, you enjoy the rest of your night.”
“Thank you.” Her reply was brief, and she began to head towards the door where she spied a white hat and equally white hair waiting for her. Behind her, the cashier said one more remark that made her quicken her pace.
“Good luck!”
Good luck with what…? Saber brushed the thought from her mind, and stared instead at the large bag Irisviel carried. “Would you like me to—”
“No, it’s alright!” The reply was almost too quick. “It isn’t very heavy, and I found the right gifts.” The last details were intended to dismiss Saber’s worry, but it didn’t quite work. After all, she wasn’t very physically strong, and carrying the bag seemed like more trouble than it was worth. However, if she said she would be fine, Saber would trust her.
On the other hand, the contents of the bag were still troubling. As they started walking down the street, she couldn’t help but ask. “Irisviel, is that a sword?” She pointed at the wrapped-up, plastic object that at least was shaped like a weapon.
“Yes! Kiritsugu wouldn’t want her anywhere near guns, but she’s always admired her father so much…I thought the toy would be a nice substitute. I’ll have to ask him first though, and I have other things if he doesn’t approve.” She smiled sweetly, but there was a definite tinge of a more troubled emotion under it. For someone like her, who hadn’t been outside of a castle for most of her life, understanding context and others’ experiences was a difficult effort. Still, she seemed to be managing the best she could. “It also reminded me of you, in a way.”
Saber tilted her head slightly in confusion. “How so?”
“Well, I was trying to think of a…nicer toy, and I thought of Excalibur.” Irisviel paused as a thoughtful expression appeared on her face. “There’s something about the way you hold it — it almost makes your fights beautiful.”
They were still fights, though.
Both of them were thinking it, and both of them knew it, but neither said it. They just kept walking along in silence, letting the rest of the world fill in with its noise. It was a nice night. There was no snow to be seen, but the air around them still held that feeling of wintertime tranquility. They kept going, until the buildings and crowds thinned, and there was nothing but the light of the street lamps to guide their way.
They would have to head back soon, back to the mansion and back to the battle plans. However, for just a moment, Saber wondered. She wondered what it would be like to take a different path, and just keep going with Irisviel. She wondered what it would be like to keep this quiet peace for more than just a few minutes. She wondered what it would be like to stop all this fighting, and simply opt out of it.
Of course, neither of them could do that. They didn’t have the ability to. It was their duty and their purpose to fight, so that’s what they would do, for better or for worse. But at least, while the time was right…
“Irisviel?”
She looked back to see Saber rummaging through her bag, only to lift out a pair of soft white gloves. “Saber, what are those for—”
The knight’s face was quickly gaining a prominent blush, and her eyes were looking downwards. “I saw these at the store, and I thought that they might be helpful, just in case…you ever got cold…” She had made a mistake, hadn’t she? She spent money on something that Irisviel might have not even wanted, and now it was a waste. She expected the woman to smile, and politely let her off, telling her that it was at least a nice thought.
Instead, Irisviel walked towards her, taking the gloves – and by proxy Saber’s hands – into her hands. Then, though the action itself felt more like something out of a dream in retrospect, Irisviel softly pressed her lips to Saber’s cheek, and whispered in her ear, before taking the gloves and stepping back with a wide smile on her face.
“Thank you, Saber.”