(I'm skipping to the A Support because they have already spent over 7 ½ years together)
After we had finished up at Irisviel's grave, we went to our old house to get some casual clothes to wear instead of our combat clothes when we aren't fighting.
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After we had gotten the clothes, Illya had given us goodbye hugs & sent us on our way. While we were heading to the garrison Artoria decided to strike up a conversation to pass the time.
Artoria: I take it you're pleased that we have an official job now, & one that allows us to spend more time near Ylisstol at that.
Shirou: First of all, yes I am happy about both points you mentioned, & second, do you really have to be so formal all of the time?
Artoria: *Blushing while crossing arms & diverting gaze* I have no idea what you're talking about.
Shirou: *Grins mischievously* Suuure you don't...
Artoria: R-regardless, *Hides blush* I'm glad you also find this new opportunity appealing.
Shirou: There you go again with the formal talk, but I am curious now, have you always talked like that, or did you used to talk differently. I obviously wouldn't know because you've talked this way for as long as I've known you.
Artoria: ...
Shirou: Look, I'm sorry if you don't want to talk about it, I was just--
Artoria: No! It's not that at all, I simply wasn't expecting the question, that's all.
Shirou: Then...?
Artoria: Alright I'll tell you... my birth father wanted a son, not a daughter. For that reason he disliked me, while at the same time he tried to make me into a son in any way he could. For the first 5 years of my life since I could walk, he did whatever he could think of, from training me to use a sword to keeping me from doing anything remotely "girlish". When I was 6 years old, my birth mother received word that he was killed by brigands while returning from the next town over, she never admitted it but, I could tell she was happy that he was gone. So, for the next 7 years of my life, I was finally allowed to be a girl & do all the things that I wanted to do. I even developed a more casual form of speaking which I grew quite accustomed to, everything was finally feeling right in my life. However that all ended when a sickness swept through the village one winter & my birth mother passed away by the time spring came, the last thing she ever did was tell me take Excalibur with me when I left, as it was passed down through her side of the family for generations. For the next 2 years, I had stayed in an orphanage in a neighboring village, & the helplessness I felt when my birth mother died is what caused me to get back into training. Eventually, Kiritsugu came by the orphanage during one of his trips & for a reason which I still don't know for certain, he chose to adopt me while he was there. On the way back, to the village where Illya & Irisviel were, he had told me that Illya was lonely & wanted a sibling to look after her. So when we got there, I had immediately taken on the role of Illya's older sister & took on my old way of speaking to better fit the role, & I suppose that's why I speak like this--
Before Artoria could keep going, I had brought her into an immediate hug.
Artoria: *Blushing profusely* W-what are you doing Shirou?!?
Shirou: I'm sorry you had to go through that...
Artoria: *Blushing intensifies* H-how could you say that!? You've had things much worse than I have!
Shirou: I know... I'm just worried about you is all...
Artoria: *Blushing ceases* You're just the worst... dummy...
Shirou: *Grins & chuckles* So THAT'S how you talk when you're "girly" is it? I kind of think it's cute.
Artoria: *Blush returns* Q-quit it Shirou, what're you trying to do, embarrass me to death or something you idiot?!
Shirou: Relax Sis, I just want you to know that even if you keep your facade up in front of the others, you can speak however you want to me & I won't care, okay? *Smiles*
Artoria: *Blush dims* S-sure... *Hides smile*
Shirou: Now what do you say we go meet up with Robin & Lissa?
