Confrontation

Ria's hunches regarding Cú rarely failed her, and this time was no exception. She knew she would find him on the bench in the garden where he had kissed her for the first time so many years ago. When she got there, he was leaning back on the court, deep in thought.

Neither one said anything until she got to the last handful of steps, and he rose and turned to look at her. "Dear god, you are more beautiful than I remember."

"I'm not here for your compliments, flirtations, or undesired sexual harassment." Walking up to him, she grabbed his hand, turned it palm up, and placed his earring in it before closing his fingers around it. "Good luck with your new master. Hopefully, you will make a great team." Then she turned and walked away as he opened his hand.

"If you still had this, why was there a grave with your name on it, yet you are here under an alias?"

Stopping but not turning around, Ria's voice is tense. "Why did you visit my grave?"

"Because no matter how much time passes, I am and will always be in love with you. It was my understanding you felt the same way."

"I did at one time. But then I found out what we had wasn't love but varying degrees of selfish, carnal lust that we masked as a sustainable relationship. It took you dying twice for me to begin to realize that."

"I died saving you."

"YOU DIED VALIDATING YOUR OWN SELFISH EMOTIONS! Such a graaaaaaand gesture of undying love to put your beloved in a compromising position twice, only to save her with your own life both times to fool her into believing you were genuinely in love with her! All you wanted was for me to love how courageous you were as I fell to your sweet words and your deft fingers, never thinking that you were emotionally starving me and denying me the real selfless love I gave you!" She was furious with anger that had simmered for decades, anger and sadness that now overflowed as she tore into him.

"I was a fool. What you gave me wasn't love; it was a hollow shell. A facade that boosted your ego. As a result, I no longer want any part of you in my life. If we fight together, we fight as comrades, but when the fight is over, we are also. Go find REAL love, Cú, or at least another dumb virgin who doesn't know better than you can manipulate."

Cú was stunned in the face of her anger and visible agony. He had never seen her like this before, roiling with hatred. Her love had been so sweet. She had been so sweet. He remembered her face under the covers that cold day he came home, placed the touch of her skin as he caressed her in the dark while she slept, and remembered her voice calling his name as she rode the ecstasy he gave her over and over again. Sure he had teased her, but he did it because he loved her. Her and only her.

"Never was my love for you a lie." His face was pained as he walked towards her. "I never loved you just to feel better about myself, I loved you because you treated me like a man, and I cherished you the best I could."

"Cherished? Really? Cherished? I can count how many times I genuinely believed the sweet things you said. I distinctly remember there was one battle where you kissed me and told me I was the sun that lit your path in the darkness, only to have you tell the female Master we were fighting with when you two got pinned between a rock and a wall that her body was like a living sculpture that you wished you could mold with your own hands!"

Cú blushed furiously. "That isn't exactly what I said, but I can see now where you misinterpreted what I said."

"What you said is only a small part of the larger picture Cú. I heard rumors ALL THE TIME of the servants and women you " interacted with" while you were apart from me for both mission objectives and personal reasons. I ignored them, though, believing what you told me."

At that point, she was so angry. She was beginning to ugly cry, causing Cú to move in her direction to comfort her, but she stepped back.

"I loved you without a shadow of a doubt for almost eighty years, Cú, and all it got me was heartache and your death twice. I can't wait anymore. I'm happy with Emiya. Happier than I ever was or ever could be with you."

Then she turned to leave as his voice followed her. "I refuse to believe that. I know the depth of your love, and I'll make you remember it even if it kills me repeatedly."

She responded without stopping or turning around. "Try all you want; you will only fail."

Cú watched until she disappeared, and he noticed a cloaked figure in red and white appear out of the shadows and disappear in the direction she went. "What the fuck." Fear gripped him as the thought of her dying before she fell back in love with him washed over him, grabbing his soul in a vice. Materializing his spear, he chased after her, but she was gone. He couldn't sense her magical signature at all. Then he looked down at the hand that held his earring.

She never knew what it had meant to him the day she asked to wear it so she could hold onto a piece of him constantly. He had initially gotten them for her but had kept one to signify their bond. Her giving it back felt like a piece of his heart had been destroyed.

"I waited too long, and this is my last chance. If I fail here, I fail her forever." Putting her earring on his other ear, he immediately picked up her signature. "Thank god she is alive." With relief, he set out to find out exactly what he was up against regarding her relationship with Emiya. If he had fallen short, he would have to improve his luck and though painful, learning from the source was his best bet.

Though his determination was strong, Ria's soul felt like it was shattering, having only made it a few steps into the hall after leaving Cú before she collapsed in tears. Trying to stand, she found her sobs overwhelmed her. Fortunately, Emiya had stayed close behind, clothed in his Assassin gear. Sniffling, she buried her face in his neck as he picked her up in a princess carry. "Did you think killing him was necessary?"

"Utilizing Assassin isn't always about killing; it is about stealth. I needed to remain hidden and easily accessible if he got too handsy."

"Regardless, thank you for coming. It gave me strength." She closed her eyes as he took them home in silence.

When they got home, he set her down gently before dematerializing his gear and opening the door. Taking his hand, they walked over to the sofa, where she pushed him down gently.

"Lie with me as we used to before I knew how much I loved you."

He smiled and lay down with his right arm behind his head."I'm ready to wrap you in my arms and love you until the world stops turning."

Maneuvering over him, she wedged herself tightly between him and the back of the sofa before laying her hand on his chest and snuggling into his shoulder.

"It was so painful, Em. I didn't realize it would hurt or how much I hated him for everything. Everything that happened that wasn't supposed to, everything that didn't happen that should. I'm so sorry I thought I would have a much easier time. I don't know what I would do if you weren't here. I love you so much. So very, very much."

"I know you do, and I love you too. We will get through this, and you will be even stronger. Just rest now."

Laying there, she nuzzled painfully into his side, knowing it was uncomfortable, but he would say nothing, just let her vent childishly. When satisfied, Ria closed her eyes and breathed Emiya's familiar scent in deeply, feeling calmed by his presence.

"I love you, Em. I need you to understand that."

"I do. I promise. I have no reason to doubt you."

"You have EVERY reason. He wasn't supposed to come back, and now I'm terrified you will shut down and stop loving me because you think I don't want to be with you."

"Rina, listen to me." He stroked her cheek, and her eyes began to tear up. "I have been madly in love with you for almost as long as Cú has. Even though we had hardly any time together, I fell in love with the ferociously attractive, independent, loving mage I found bleeding and half-dead all those years ago. I loved you at one of your worsts and have loved you well beyond that. Do I worry you will fall back in love with Cú? Absolutely. Do I believe you when you say you won't? I want to, but I also know you never stopped loving him and are angry because you still love him. I can do nothing if you stop loving me, but I will never stop being in love with you. I love you that completely."

He kissed two fingers and placed them on her nose. "Promise me something."

"Anything Em."

"Promise me you will never leave me. I can't live without you. My soul will die."

"I promise never to leave you except in death. And if I do die, I promise to always come back to you."

He smiled, and she climbed up his chest to kiss him as she held his cheek. Returning the kiss, he wrapped his arms around her and ran his hands down her back. There was no place she would rather be right then or ever, and she intended to prove that repeatedly.