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It's Valentine's Day in Chaldea, and many who worked here subscribed to the idea that saving humanity from incineration didn't mean anything if they'd forgotten their traditions - no matter how commercialized or overhyped. The winter party was one example of why such an event is important in keeping morale up, and to remind everyone what they are fighting for.
After all, no one wants to save a reality that is grey and lifeless. Where's the fun in that?
However, Valentine's Day always struck Alethea as odd, especially since her own Servant is from Japan, and their take on the holiday is quite different from her own. Where she came from, giving someone a Valentine meant that you liked them and wanted to spend more time with them. But in Japan, it seems, they can give gifts of chocolate for something as simple as gratitude.
It was, to be honest, a little disappointing for her. The last few years in Chaldea, her partner, the Archer, Emiya had gifted her chocolates. The first time, she got flustered, stumbled all over her words, and he had been deeply confused by her reaction. When he calmly explained the purpose of his gift - that he was grateful for all his partner does and believes it should be properly recognized - she was both relieved and crestfallen.
It had taken her a few hours holed up in her private quarters, playing games to get her mind off of it. She'd been embarrassed and a little bit hurt, but she couldn't have blamed him for that. She misinterpreted his intent, that was all.
So for her, Valentine's Day brought much trepidation. The younger Masters and staff milling about the facility all seemed to experience joy whenever someone gave them a gift. Servants gave gifts to other Servants. Humans would also exchange gifts.
But somehow, Alethea always seemed to slip through the cracks.
That was just fine with her. Getting 'gratitude chocolate' from Archer was awkward enough. She doesn't know how she would handle receiving a holiday gift from someone else, especially someone half her age. It'd be... weird.
So, she kept to herself in the days leading up to and following Valentine's Day. Let the younger people have it. She was content to avoid the whole thing.
She would not, however, hide in her quarters all week. She had things to do, jobs to carry out. So, she would happily smile and wish each engaging passerby a happy day. After all, they deserve it. Everyone here has sacrificed their daily lives in order to preserve history, and would forever go unthanked. That's why she refused to be a stick in the mud about it.
Late in the day on February 14th, she lazily lounged around her quarters. She had finished her tasks for the day, and already showered. The evening was hers. She decided to spend it between reading books and playing games - quite a welcome break from a hard week of work.
"Mind if I come in?" Archer spoke through their bond rather than knocking on the door, or simply passing through the wall. One too many awkward encounters led to him being more cautious when it came to barging in on her.
"Yeah, I'm decent. Come on in, Archer," she answers verbally.
The door slides open, and her partner walks through, carrying a wrapped package under his arm. She peeks over the cover of her book with a raised eyebrow. "Is it that time of year again?" She asks, sounding a little bit bothered.
He scans the room and finds it's actually tidy for once. No pots and pans in the sink. The bed is made. Even the books are in their proper place on her small book case. He was a little bit stunned. Typically, this late in the day, Alethea's room looks like a hurricane came through. She'd have left the tasks of cleanup for the morning - or let him do it, if he happens to visit. He softly sighs.
"Oi! What's that for?" She grumpily asks when he makes no effort to hide the fact that he inspected her living space.
"Hmm?" His eyes land on her again, and he quirks a brow. "Just surprised. Your room's mostly clean."
"'Mostly'!?" She closes her book and sets it on an end table. "This place is spotless!"
He shrugs and smirks. "If you say so."
"Oi!!!" She repeats, more offended. "You know, if you don't approve of my cleaning habits, you can take over!"
"I usually do," he acknowledges with a nod. "But that isn't why I'm here."
She huffs a sigh, but her façade cracks, and she starts to smile. "It's good to see you, Archer," she says with genuineness in her tone.
He grunts and casts his eyes sideways, avoiding eye contact. "Yeah. Well. You too," he says with some strain in his voice.
"Hmm?" She tilts her head quizzically. "Everything okay?"
"Yeah, well," he rubs the back of his neck. "I'm no good at this, so. Here you go." He places the box on the table.
Her eyebrows climb her forehead. "What's this?"
"A present," he describes the brightly-wrapped packaging as if she couldn't figure that out.
"Yeah, but," she hesitates. "Isn't that... massive for something as simple as chocolate?"
Indeed, the box on the table nearly took up all of the space on it. The way he carried it under his arm made her think it was a lot smaller than that, but appearances must have been deceiving.
"I noticed some of your things were getting sort of worn," he began to explain.
"Ah-ah! Stop," she pointed at him. "You don't explain a gift before someone opens it. That's tacky."
"Uh, right. Sorry," he awkwardly mumbles.
She snorts and shakes her head. On most days, Archer is composed and quick to wit. Today, it seemed like his brain was mired in muck. It struck her as a bit odd, but she dismissed that feeling as, maybe he was simply tired.
Do Servants even get tireed?
She chews on her lower lip. It's clear this wasn't his typical offering of chocolate. She looks up at him with a big, curious eye and a light smile at the corners of her lips. "Hold on," she festures for him to wait, and before he can say anything, she disappears into her closet to rummage.
She had a gift for him, but she didn't know his birthday. After over a year had passed, she still couldn't figure it out, and whenever she asked him, he dodged the question. A while had passed since then, and she had all but forgotten its presence in her closet. It was relatively small in size compared with the huge box on her table, but she knew what was inside, and she felt a giddy warmth bloom in her chest when she locates it.
She emerged from her closet, beaming with pride. "Found it!"
He tilts his head, but doesn't ask any questions. A gift exchange between them on a holiday wasn't exactly uncalled for. But it having been hidden in her closet meant it wasn't the same offering as previous Valentine's day. Besides, her mostly-clean kitchenette proves she hasn't actually used her cookwear in at least a few days.
Still wearing her brilliant grin, she trots back over to Archer and gladly hands him the wrapped box. He gingerly takes it from her hand, still looking a bti on guard.
"Thank you," he mutters suspiciously.
She giggles. "Relax. It's not a joke gift. You'll like it, I'm certain of it."
Her calm and serious tone has the dueling effect of calming his nerves, but setting off more alarms in his head. Whenever Alethea took something seriously, she got things done. Whatever was in this box must have been well-thought out indeed. He began to wonder if his gift would measure up.
He clears his throat. "Well. Shall we?" He gestures to the box for you to open, then fingers at the edge of the wrapping on the gift she'd handed him.
"Yeah!" She plays oblivious to his worry.
"Please. You go first," he insists.
She shrugs. "If you say so."
She carefully peels back the thin, colorful wrapping paper. It isn't long before she realizes what he's gotten for her.
It's a professional quality set of cook pans and pots. Her heart hammers in her chest. He had tried to speak to her about hs choice of gift, something about a coating that allows use of metal cooking tools on these particular pots, but she couldn't really grasp his rambling.
She was stunned.
She looks up at him, her eye wide and soft. "Why did you get these for me...?"
He shrugs, trying to hide a light blush on his cheeks. "It's Valentine's Day. I wanted to do something nice for you."
She gives an irritated grunt. "No... 'something nice' would be the chocolate you make for me every year, Archer." She turns to him and places her fingertip on his chest, though she doesn't push. "This is something else. What's going on?"
The heat in his cheeks begins to climb, and he averts his eyes again in an attempt to hide his apprehension. "It's a gift," he lamely explains.
"Is that right?" She says with some disbelief. "All right then. Open yours." Her bright blue eye peers, unblinking at him in challenge.
He huffs a sigh and, grateful for something to do besides get the third degree, he takes his time unwrapping the box.
It's a case of some kind, dark in color, slightly bumpy texture, nondescript besides. His eyes raise to look at her again.
She nods. "Go ahead and open it," she instructs him.
He finds the hinge on the case and carefully pries it open.
Inside of a beautifully-lined box is a Mac Mighty MTH-80 kitchen knife. He stares at it for a solid few seconds before he voices his confusion. "A... knife?"
She grins. "Not just a knife," she explains. "I talked to a bunch of the people who work in the mess hall, and they all swear by this thing. It's great quality for its time, and..." She begins to trail off when his gaze doesn't budge. "... are you okay...?"
He blinks and allows himself to breathe with a soft chuckle. "You know I can make knives, right?" He asks her.
Her lips turn down in a frown of thought. "Yeah, well," she fidgets. "Now, you can make this one, too."
She had given him a forever-gift. Even if he loses this original, he can take the blueprint of it with him for the rest of his existence.
He was speechless.
"Are... you blushing?" She finally asks him.
"What? No." He denies the obvious.
"Aw, come on," she chides him. "It's okay. I know. It's an awesome gift from an awesome partner. You may emote now," she gives him permission.
He grumbles, closes the case, and carefully sets it on the table. He begins to help Alethea unbox her new cookwear set.
Both of them seem to have dismisssed the magnitude of their gift exchange. Archer hid behind his desire to help her out with practical things, and she hid behind her teasing and wit.
But, both of them felt a little warmer for the exchange all the same.