Fate/Marvel: Chaldea Descend

( Hinako POV )

"You lie, I don't sense any killing intent behind those eyes of yours. Only... Loneliness."

"Just like me..."

"..."

His words pierced through my defenses with uncanny precision. My fingers tightened on the hilt of the sword, but my strength faltered, the flames dimming as though they mirrored my hesitation. For a moment, it felt as if time itself stilled, leaving only the echo of his voice and the dull ache blooming in my chest.

'What nonsense–' I thought bitterly, but the cracks in my mental armor had already formed.

I froze, stunned by the simplicity and weight of those words. My mind reeled, scrambling to make sense of them, but my heart—my cursed, stubborn heart—ached as memories I had long buried clawed their way to the surface.

A kaleidoscope of forgotten moments flashed before my eyes: the fear of being hunted, the helplessness of losing everything, the seething anger that had once consumed me. And then, amidst the chaos, there was him—the man who had saved me, the man who had turned my life upside down.

He taught me the basics of survival, the intricacies of humanity, and the painful yet beautiful truth of love. I had admired him, cherished every moment by his side, and believed, foolishly, that we would be together always. But reality is cruel. He left, as all humans do, their fragile lives like flickering candles against the vast, unrelenting storm of time.

The despair that followed his absence was suffocating. I had told myself I knew better—that I was different, that my kind could never truly coexist with theirs. Yet, disappointment lingered, bitter and unshakable.

Still, I moved on, wandering through centuries like a ghost, watching civilizations rise and fall, meeting a few extraordinary mortals. Some, like a masked warrior and a spirited young follower, even earned my respect. But they, too, eventually left, leaving me adrift once more in the endless tide of time.

Loneliness became my constant companion. To protect myself, I built walls—high, impenetrable barriers that no one could breach. I convinced myself I didn't need anyone. Yet, when Chaldea's invitation reached me, the prospect of summoning a heroic spirit, a fragment of my past, kindled a sliver of hope I thought long dead.

Maybe the kid in front of me was right. In the end, I was just a pathetic, lonely being who couldn't move on with her life and was stuck in the past.

"What do you know?" I snapped, my voice trembling with a mixture of anger and desperation. "A little twerp like you couldn't possibly understand how I feel!"

"Maybe... my loneliness couldn't compare to yours, senpai. But, as we share the same feeling, I couldn't let you be alone. Somehow, it just hurts me to see you like this, being alone and pushing everyone away. I don't know why, but maybe it's because I don't want you to feel the same loneliness as me, so I started to bother you time and time again."

"..."

"You understand what I'm saying right? Loneliness, it just hur–"

"Stop!" I roared, my voice breaking. "Just stop! You don't know anything!"

Yet, as I yelled, my hands trembled, betraying the storm within. Before I could unravel further, I shoved him out of my room and slammed the door shut, my breathing ragged. The silence that followed was deafening.

'Hurt?' I thought bitterly. 'Of course, it hurts. That's why I push people away. To avoid more pain. But… what do I even want anymore? What am I searching for?'

The next day, I sought solace in the botanical garden, tending to the delicate plants as I always did. But, as if the universe delighted in testing my resolve, he was there again. His cheerful voice filled the air as he helped me collect some sample from the greenery, speaking as if yesterday's confrontation had never happened.

And so, our days fell into an unspoken rhythm. He talked, and I listened—at first silently, then with reluctant replies that grew into genuine conversations.

He shared stories of his life before Chaldea, he talked about his old man, who had a peeping hobby, his two junior sisters who learned from his old man, and two terrifying onee-san who liked to fight each other while throwing a giant moon and a giant beam from a blue magic circle.

He described how everyone was always busy and how he was always confined to a certain area of Clock Tower for safety measures. Even though he lived there, very few people knew about his existence.

When I heard about his past, I somehow understood why he didn't even flinch when I threatened him. I thought, 'No wonder...'

Years passed in this strange companionship. I watched him grow, his once-annoying persistence blossoming into dependability. We debated books, argued about magecraft, and bickered over the best way to brew tea. Without realizing it, he had become a part of my life—a thread of warmth in my otherwise cold existence.

I didn't know what attracted me to him out of all the people here. Maybe it was the way he talked? His persistently annoying efforts to make me smile? Or maybe, as a fellow lonely person, I sympathized with him, and we sought comfort in each other?

Honestly, I don't know... But I know for sure that now, I couldn't imagine my life without hearing his annoying chatter anymore. A life without him is just too lo—

"Hinako... Hinako–!"

I was snapped back to reality by his familiar voice. The man held my shoulders with both hands, shaking me with a worried look in his eyes.

"Hey, are you okay? You've been zoning out for a while. I thought you were listening to my story…"

I stared at him for a moment, my mind still sluggish. Then, with a slow exhale, I took his hands in mine, attempting to peel them off my shoulders. "Sorry," I murmured, averting my gaze. "I got distracted."

His concerned look didn't waver, and I could feel the weight of his gaze as I tightened my grip on his hands, as if grounding myself in the present. My chest tightened, the emotions I'd been holding back bubbling to the surface.

"I… I was just worried," I admitted, my voice softer now, almost trembling. "After hearing about your Singularity journey, how could I not be?" My hands clenched around his, my frustration beginning to seep through. "That bastard Roman…"

I could feel my blood boiling at the thought. Thinking about how all this chaos had stemmed from his incompetence made me want to scream. Truthfully, the old me wouldn't have cared if humanity had perished. But now…

That good-for-nothing magus had to put Ken alone to resist and clear up that messed-up situation. After knowing how dangerous it was, he put the life of the man I care about on the line! How dare he!

I understood that it was our mission, as a master. But it was supposed to be a team mission! Not an individual mission! Listening to how he fought not one but two BEASTs in his journey alone...

Even others would feel desperate and helpless. Damn him...!

I was ready to kill him right after the Director finished her explanation in the medical room back there. But after knowing the result that he was fine and everything was cleared, I put that agenda behind for now.

But just as I was cursing that useless magus again, Ken interrupted my spiraling thoughts with a sigh. "Hina-chan, I understand how you feel. I really do," he said, his voice calm but firm.

"But it's over now. It's in the past. He's already paid for his mistakes. I'm not asking you to forgive him, but…"

"But what?" I snapped, glaring at him.

"But now isn't the time for this," he said, his gaze meeting mine. "There's too much at stake to dwell on it. Please, let it go for now."

The room fell into an uneasy silence. His pleading eyes bore into mine, and I hated how much power they had over me. I bit back my retort and reluctantly leaned back.

"Fine," I muttered, crossing my arms. "Whatever."

Ken let out a sigh of relief, his shoulders visibly relaxing. "Thank yo—"

"But," I interjected with a sharp grin, "I'm still going to beat him up until he can't leave his bed for a month. And while I'm at it, I'll delete that disgusting collection of magical girl Mari he keeps hidden on his private server."

Ken froze, staring at me as if I'd just declared war on a god.

"Uh… this…" he stammered, clearly unsure how to respond.

I smirked, leaning in closer. "You'll help me, won't you? You're my self-proclaimed boyfriend, after all. Surely, you can handle a small favor like this?"

He let out a nervous laugh, scratching the back of his head. "Ahaha… I guess Dr. Roman could use a vacation after all his hard work…"

"Fufufu, what a dependable man," I chuckled, enjoying his flustered state. These moments—these fleeting, ridiculous moments—were what I cherished most.

Leaning closer, I rested my head on his shoulder, letting out a contented sigh. The quiet hum of Chaldea's facility faded into the background as we sat there, surrounded by the faint hum of air conditioners overhead us.

'I hope life can always be like this,' I thought, my heart tightening at the impossibility of it. Deep down, I knew the truth. This connection we had, this fragile thread of happiness—it wouldn't last. One day, he would leave, just like everyone else.

"Hinako," Ken said, breaking the silence.

"Hmm?" I murmured, still leaning against him.

"There's something I've been meaning to tell you," he began, his voice tinged with both nervousness and excitement.

I opened my eyes, feeling a bit curious. I pondered for a moment, trying to guess. "Oh, let me guess? Is it about Mash? Did you already do it with her?" I teased, my tone light but tinged with bitterness.

Thinking about how much he cared about Mash back then, even to the point of almost killing that trash Beryl, it was no wonder he had already forged a relationship with her.

'This is good for him, compared to staying with me...' I bitterly smiled inside.

Ken flinched as though I'd slapped him. "W-Wait, what!? What are you talking about?" he stammered, his face turning crimson.

"Hm? Am I wrong? You and Mash are almost inseparable. She always follows you like a little duckling, after all. I can see that you are also interested in her." I smirked, feeling amused at his panicked face.

"I-I mean..." He started stuttering while his eyes tried to dodge my stare. Just as I was about to tease him further, he dropped a sudden news that was enough to make my jaw drop.

"I achieved The Third Magic."

"..."

The room filled with silence after he said that. I stared at him for a couple seconds, thinking that he is joking, but seeing how serious he is, my expression turned in a disbelief before I stood up, facing him.

"What!?"

.....

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