The Slums

[Elf]

Emiya

As soon as the shadows enveloped them and the disorientation started, Emiya closed his eyes.  He counted the beats of his heart.  He absently rubbed his thumb against the back of Tsumiko's hand.

Then, suddenly, they were in a very familiar kitchen.

He half expected Tohsaka to wander up to them, looking for affection and food. 

She was blushing as she announced that they had arrived.

Emiya looked around and said dryly, "Nice kitchen."

[SINIB]

Tsumiko

7:00 PM

"Yeah, well..." She muttered, shuffling her feet. "You know, this is just how I like to organize things." She muttered. She quickly pulled him out of the kitchen. It was too embarrasing. "Just help me pack!"

[Elf]

Emiya

Emiya chuckled and said, "Do you have any boxes or bags I can start loading your stuff in?'

[SINIB]

Tsumiko

"Uh... can't we just throw it in the shadow?" Tsumiko stuttered. "I've never actually um, moved. Only fled. So I don't have much experience."

[Panda]

Nanako

The squirrel girl took a few steps away from the door before hopping away now that her task was done, unaware of the silent spy that had crept into her shoe. The uneasiness creeping up her spine was something else entirely, the squirrel girl quickly making her way out without her usual massive leaps. This place didn't need any more damage than it already had, even if whatever services there were that cleaned up the messes left by people like her did service the area. Even back home, lifting this kind of place up seemed like an insurmountable task from where she stood. She could only imagine how tricky it might be here, but maybe Carin had a better idea of how to do it.

Shaking her head and trying to put the thought aside for now, Nanako continued on her way out of the slums.

[Elf]

Emiya

"Well that won't do," he said with a shake of his head.

Even though he didn't find any real boxes, he could at least take big kitchen things like pots and fill them with smaller kitchen things.  He attempted to keep the kitchen stuffs as organized as possible.  Then he carefully deposited a full container into the shadow only to repeat the process.

[SINIB]

Emiya

"Well that won't do," he said with a shake of his head.

Even though he didn't find any real boxes, he could at least take big kitchen things like pots and fill them with smaller kitchen things.  He attempted to keep the kitchen stuffs as organized as possible.  Then he carefully deposited a full container into the shadow only to repeat the process.

Tsumiko

As Archer packed, Tsumiko just wandered around slowly, looking at the bare walls and the weathered furniture. She listened to the floor creak, she felt the familar feeling of her bounded fields gripping her gently.

And now, again, she was moving.

But this time, it was of her voalition. Not because somebody had found her and was trying to kill her.

"Hahahaha..." She suddenly began laughing, staring at a random wall. She reached out and touched it. Tears began to fall from her eyes.

"I don't get it, Archer."

[Elf]

Emiya

Emiya blinked as he had his arms loaded with toiletries and whatnot he had found in the bathroom.  He had even made makeshift bags out of towels.  Then the sound of Tsumiko's laughter hit him.

There was an edge to it, almost as if she was crying at the same time.

Holding his bundle, he ran to where she was standing and staring at a wall, her mismatched eyes, one of Sakura's and one of Rin's, spilling tears as she laughed.  He watched as she lightly touched the wall and said, "I don't get it, Archer."

This is not the time to be a snarky asshole, he told himself.  He couldn't tease her like Rin.  While it was obvious the girl was made of sterner stuff, there was a softness to her.

He held his bundle wrapped in a faded towel and looked down at her.  He asked, "Don't get what, Tsumiko-chan?" 

[SINIB]

Tsumiko

Tsumiko laughed again. Tears were streaming down her cheeks. "Why would you help someone as horrible as me? I don't get it, Archer."

[Elf]

Emiya

Emiya's shoulders slumped before he set the bundle on the floor.  He walked over to her and rested his hand on her shoulder.  Giving it a gentle squeeze, he leaned forward so he could face her.

He remembered a long time ago where he hadn't been much taller than the girl before him, but now he towered over her.  He towered over a lot of people now, even considered "tall" by Western standards.  However that boy he'd been was long dead, even though Emiya got glimpses of the boy in himself more often than he wanted.

He answered, "Because I'm pretty horrible myself, that's why, and I needed help a long time ago, but I was too dense to accept it when it was offered to me."

[SINIB]

Tsumiko

"Mmmnnn..." Tsumiko wimpered. She grabbed him again into a hug. "I still don't get it."

[Elf]

Emiya

Emiya sighed, but accepted the hug.  He was slightly proud he didn't stiffen in the embrace. Well, Jack and Nursery sort of helped get me past that, he thought.

At first he was ribbed by especially the other male Servants because he liked to spend his free time in the kitchen, or doting on the two little girl Servants.  He didn't participate in the wild, heroic spirit sexcapades off mission like a lot of the Servants did (especially the Celtic ones, he was pretty sure Fergus would fuck a piece of fruit if someone drew breasts on it) because Master could only take so many Servants with her when she Rayshifted.

So he returned the hug and rested his head atop Tsumiko's.

"A lot of people don't get me, so it's fine," he whispered to her, "I'm helping you because it's the right thing to do."

[SINIB]

Emiya

Emiya sighed, but accepted the hug.  He was slightly proud he didn't stiffen in the embrace. Well, Jack and Nursery sort of helped get me past that, he thought.

At first he was ribbed by especially the other male Servants because he liked to spend his free time in the kitchen, or doting on the two little girl Servants.  He didn't participate in the wild, heroic spirit sexcapades off mission like a lot of the Servants did (especially the Celtic ones, he was pretty sure Fergus would fuck a piece of fruit if someone drew breasts on it) because Master could only take so many Servants with her when she Rayshifted.

So he returned the hug and rested his head atop Tsumiko's.

"A lot of people don't get me, so it's fine," he whispered to her, "I'm helping you because it's the right thing to do."

Tsumiko

"Is it?" She asked quietly.

[Elf]

Emiya

"I think it is," he replied as he gave her a slight squeeze. "And I might be a self-sacrificing idiot, but I think you deserve to be saved, even if you don't think you do."

[SINIB]

Tsumiko

Tsumiko's shoulders slumped. "I'm a monster. The kind of thing people like you are supposed to kill. A hideous amalgamation of bodies."