IBHJ 1414

The final battle was over. The ancient evil that had festered at the world's foundation for eons—the thing that had slowly poisoned reality itself—was finally gone. People had watched the Savior of Light deliver the killing blow, seen that terrible presence finally snuffed out like a candle in the wind.

There were still problems to solve, loose ends to tie up, people to help rebuild their lives. But for the first time in years, none of that weight pressed down on Shirou's shoulders. His part in the war was done.

The household had actually grown livelier since Vivian moved in three weeks ago, making her the sixth person under their roof. Though she mostly kept to herself—still adjusting to civilian life after everything they'd all been through—her presence added a new layer of energy to the home. After a brief visit to check on his parents—who were thankfully safe, but fully aware of how close the world had come to ending—Shirou had made a decision.

He was done putting his own happiness last.

For too long, he'd buried his feelings, convinced himself that duty came before desire. But watching so many people die, seeing how fragile life really was—it had changed something fundamental in him. The people he cared about, the ones he'd fought beside and bled with, deserved to know how he felt. And he deserved a chance at the happiness he'd spent years pushing away.

Tonight, he was going to do something about it.

"Finally," he murmured, watching the last traces of twilight fade behind heavy storm clouds.

Shirou slipped out of bed, his bare feet silent on the wooden floor. He made his way through the darkened house, checking on each room in turn.

Mordred stirred as he passed her doorway, her instincts still sharp even in sleep. Her eyes opened just a crack, but when she saw it was him, she simply pulled her blanket higher and settled back into her pillow. In the next room, Artoria's breathing hitched for just a moment—she'd sensed him too—but like her daughter, she recognized his presence and relaxed back into sleep.

Shirou made his way to his own room and closed the door softly behind him. His heart was racing now, anticipation and nervousness warring in his chest.

"Alright," he whispered to the empty room. "Time to stop being a coward."

He raised his hand, feeling the familiar tingle of ether gathering at his fingertips. The world seemed to fold in on itself for a moment, reality bending like heated glass. His vision went dark, and then—

Sunlight. The smell of hay and horses. The rough scratch of wool blankets against his skin.

Shirou blinked, disoriented for a moment as his surroundings came into focus. The room was smaller than he remembered, with rough wooden walls and a single narrow window. He swung his legs over the side of the hard bed—God, he'd forgotten how uncomfortable these things were—and caught sight of himself in the small, tarnished mirror propped against the wall.

His younger face stared back at him. The jawline was softer, the eyes brighter. He reached up, running his fingers along his cheek, almost surprised by the smoothness of unweathered skin.

"Huh." The voice that came out was higher, less rough. "I actually wasn't bad looking back then."

‘Diarmuid always said I had unusual eyes. Guess he wasn't just being polite.’

The thought made him smile, even as his stomach twisted with nerves. He was really doing this. After all these years, all the regrets and missed chances, he was actually going to—

The steady rhythm of hoofbeats on cobblestone drifted in from outside, growing closer. Shirou's pulse quickened. He knew that sound, knew exactly who was approaching.

He moved to the window and pushed aside the rough hemp curtain, letting morning sunlight flood the cramped room. The familiar sight of the castle courtyard spread out below him, and there—

There she is.

His hands trembled slightly as he gripped the windowsill. This was it. This was his chance to finally say the words he'd kept locked away for so long.

He stood by the window, taking in the view that felt both familiar and strange. The manor looked exactly as he remembered, but seeing it through younger eyes made everything seem different somehow.

The sound of hoofbeats grew louder, and then he saw her—a blonde figure in gleaming silver armor leading a dark horse through the manor gates.

Shirou leaned out the window with a grin. "Morning, Artie! How'd the patrol go?"

Artoria looked up at him, and even from here he could see her frown. She secured her horse's reins before calling back, "Shirou... what exactly are you up to?"

"What do you mean?" He tried to look innocent, which only seemed to deepen her suspicious expression.

"Merlin stopped visiting my dreams a long time ago." Her voice carried easily across the courtyard. "The only person who could manage something like that is you."

"Alright, you got me." he swung his leg over the windowsill. "Just think of it as... taking a trip down memory lane together."

"I suppose that's fine, as long as you're—"

"Hold that thought." he dropped to the ground and jogged over to where she stood. From behind his back, he produced a single red rose.

"For you," he said, holding it out.

She blinked, clearly caught off guard. She took the flower automatically, turning it between her fingers. "You never did things like this before. Back then, you were always so focused on duty.”

"Yes, well. Things change. People change." He met her eyes, his heart hammering against his ribs. "But just so you know—"

"Know what?" She tilted her head.

"Taking that flower..." He swallowed hard, suddenly feeling like that awkward teenager he appeared to be. "It means you're willing to give me a chance."

Her grip tightened on the rose stem. Her eyes went wide, and for a moment she looked almost panicked. "Shirou, this... you can't possibly mean..."

"I do mean it." The words came out rougher than he'd intended. He ran a hand through his hair, feeling heat creep up his neck. "Look, I know this is sudden, and I know we've never... we never really talked about this kind of thing, but—"

He took a deep breath and looked directly at her. "I love you, Artie. I have for a long time. And I'm asking—would you marry me?"

The question struck her silent. She stared at him, the rose trembling slightly in her hands, her usually composed expression completely shattered by surprise.