Author: undefmidi
2018
Boku no Hero characters, original story and everything belongs to Kohei Horikoshi, the author of said series. I only own the Plot.
Arturia is the King of Knights... I've misread it somewhere. Oh well, fixed!
Fate series characters, original story and everything belongs to TYPE-MOON, the owner of said series. I only own the Plot.
If you like it, please share it!
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Chapter 5 – Together
Izuku was locked in his room. The tears that fell from his face undermined the floor like an endless array of bombs on a rock. They exploded angst.
His lament reverberated throughout the rooms of the house, and periodically pierced the ears of his mother and Servant; they tried to get in his room, but it was locked... His mother was also crying, muttering, 'It is my fault!', or 'What a great mother I am, huh?'
Saber looked at Inko, trying to find a way to help them. It pained her to see both of the cinnamon rolls crying like that, and that scene with Izuku crying in his room, alone, reminded the blonde of her loneliness. She remembered vividly, every day after pulling out Caliburn of the stone... She regretted it. She felt as if she wasn't worth or necessary to the kingdom right then.
All she wanted was to live a normal life, find someone to love, build a family... be human. But after pulling that holy sword, all she could do was to be a king. She was no longer human.
Her 15-year old body stopped aging long ago.
Getting rid of those horrible thoughts, she was decided that she would help the family, try to make them happy... Like she wasn't able to be.
With newfound resolve, she tapped the shoulder of Inko and nodded. The mother didn't know what she was about to do but knew that she could leave her son to the blonde.
Something about Saber made Inko reassured... It wasn't the fact that she was a Servant, or that she was dignifyingly gorgeous or anything like that...
I guess Izuku finally made a good friend...
That simple statement removed any worry in Inko's heart; she somehow knew that Saber would comfort him... The mother smiled and observed her.
Saber got to the door and knocked, "Izuku, can I talk to you?" She placed her ear on the wooden door, trying to listen to anything.
"P... Please leave me alone..." His voice cracked, filled with heartfelt sadness. Angst poured out of it like a damaged cup that tried to hold water; his emotions couldn't be contained for he felt broken, cracked, full of holes.
Those feelings hit her harder than a dwarf slamming full-force onto her with the heaviest steel hammer available. Her usually cold and strict expression frowned, and her face was that of a sad mother.
Saber didn't repeat what she said, knowing that Izuku didn't need words... he needed actions.
Without saying anything else, she walked over to Inko and whispered something; the mother, after hearing that, hesitated... but agreed. She had to help her child before it was too late... before he could fall into a darker and deeper pit.
The golden-haired Servant stood in front of the door, lowering her body enough so that she didn't make any sound when unsheathing her weapon... Soundlessly, the sword was taken out of its sheath; both invisible and surrounded by a mysterious mist.
She tightened her grip on the sword, and with one quick and clean swipe, cut the wooden door like knife & butter. The wooden reminisces fell onto the floor, making relatively loud thumps; Izuku, hearing that, frantically turned his head to her direction... He was beyond surprised.
Who wouldn't be? A knightly figure stood where a hard, solid door would be; the pieces of wood surrounded her as she tightened her hold on the sword. He felt as if he was in line for execution...
But her face was... sorrowful. It pained him, to the deepest parts of his heart. Another person was affected by his quirklessness, his feelings. Another rush of gut-wrenching pain crushed his heart.
Useless, helpless, weak, crybaby, self-conscious, meek, prey, defenseless, unworthy, undeserving... and quirkless.
Izuku's head was filled with dark thoughts. He was embraced by himself; another version of himself, only seen to him. It was dark, cloudy and blurred.
But it was him...
The figure's face was contorted into a crawly grin, locking his soulless eyes onto the sorrowful boy. It began to whisper all of the things he was, or at least, what he was told.
The boy's eyes shot open, like the sudden news of a close relative's death. He felt like he couldn't breathe; with noodles for legs and venom as his blood, he fell to his knees.
"I... I'm useless..." He let his hair cover his face.
The Servant said nothing as she stepped closer to her Master.
"I... I'm weak, a self-conscious c... crybaby!" His tears felt heavier as if they pulled his soul to the cold ground. Where it belongs~
The blonde looked at him, her melancholy getting stronger. She had to act quickly...
"If... If I wasn't there when t... the grandma was..." He began, halting her steps, "They... wouldn't even be victims! I..." He cried out loud. That's right~!
Saber returned to her senses. She had to help the boy; he was at the edge of that bottomless pit. He needed someone to pull him back, to save him from himself... And the only person that could do it was in that room!
It wasn't Inko, since all the help and support she could give, she already did. It wasn't himself... It was the blonde Servant—Arturia Pendragon!
Why did she feel that way? That, she didn't know... But what she did know, was that she could support him; it was her true and honest desire.
In this world filled with Servants, being it the rare 'people who influenced time' like her, or the society heroes who did outstandingly good deeds from the heart... The Master-Servant relationship, or anything else—
"It doesn't matter," Saber gazed into his eyes; the heartfelt emotion in her own pair was clear like the purest water or the purest gem.
"It... It does!" Izuku raised his head, gazing straight into her pristine green eyes. His face was swollen with tears and drowned in sadness. "I-I am useless, a Deku!"
That new word surprised her, but not for long. "It still doesn't matter..." She crouched down to his head-level and smiled... The only times she did it so far was when she ate Inko's food.
But now, it was a different kind of smile; one that not-so-usually forms in the face of anyone in that specific 'I'll help you' situation. The smile of understanding and regret.
She gazed into his soul with that honest emotion, and he couldn't say anything else.
"You're not useless. You're not the one at fault for that incident... You're not a Deku..." She began.
Izuku's face twisted into confusion. Who would call a quirkless person like him 'not useless'? All the experience he had in his entire life was that of being shot down, eliminated before even starting... His dream was crushed God-knows how many times.
But he didn't say anything back. He only stared back at her.
"... I know you're the best Master I could form a contract with...." She finished, leaving Izuku speechless, breathless...
His head plopped on the floor as his cold tears warmed up; they welled up in his eyes like a fountain, and tenderly dripped down on the wet floor. His emotions weren't containable.
He was praised... In the first time of his life, save for his mother, he was praised! By King Arthur nonetheless!
The sad thoughts in his head were vanishing; the dark-him was slowly diminishing. Izuku's vision was cleared, and he could smile again. Of course, he couldn't remove 100% of every memory, every insult... But he could smile and move on...
And that's all thanks to that golden-haired Servant; all he needed was one simple, crucial and specific thing...
He needed someone to believe, someone to say 'you can do it' or 'you're worth it'. Arturia, one of the most iconic knightly figures and kings from history—one of the purest images of a hero—, said 'you're the best person I could be paired with'.
That was an incontestable honor that Izuku, and nobody else, had received.
But, even with his head clearing up, he still wasn't sure of his own dream. Even after hearing that he wasn't useless, it still didn't mean that he was able to achieve his dream—
"Izuku," Saber placed her hand on his head. "You can become a hero," she simply said what she believed on; what she felt required to be said.
When Izuku was in the hands of that villain when he was in his weaker state... he stood up for the victims, for the people that were being held captive. Even if his hands were trembling with weakness, even if his mind was going numb, even if his neck was being strangled with strength... his body moved on its own.
Saber, on the battlefield, saw countless births of heroes and legends... but also their final demise. Oh, how many friends did she see dying on that cold, barren and destroyed battlefield?
And Izuku, though weak, had one of, if not the most crucial things on a hero—his body moved on its own. He had the pure desire of saving, helping people; a quality that people saw in Saber herself.
That same king Arthur just said what Izuku desired to hear the most.
He abruptly raised his head and wrapped his arms around her strongly; an honest feeling breached his heart as he continued crying on her shoulder...
Gratitude.
Saber, though surprised by his actions, wrapped her arms around him as well... She also needed that heartfelt hug.
And with that, Izuku was happier. He felt that if he was with Arturia if they were together, he could become a Hero. With her, he could follow his dream.
She wasn't his servant... She was his partner.
...
Thank you for reading!
Hope you liked this heartwarming(?) chapter. Any critics?
I accept constructive criticism wholeheartedly if not, I wouldn't have improved so far! I mean, seriously, compare my first book 'Determination' (BNHA, Izuku x Ochaco) with this...
Oh well, I hope you enjoyed it.
I have a lot planned for this story! ^-^
That's it,
Undef's out,
Stay cold!