I know I've been out for a while, if any of my subscribers reads this. I guess life has been very busy so it's been for a good reason. Been playing a lot of Fate Grand Order for that while so I had this very little snippet's idea and I felt the need to put it down and share it.

I still intend to finish "A Streak of Crimson" someday, but I hope you enjoy this Amakusa/Semiramis centric story with a dash of Jeanne Lily in the meantime. And if you'd like, I'd love to hear your thoughts about it, via review or PM.

An unconventional family

As the day turned into the night at the Hanging-Gardens-turned-to-Chocolate-Factory, Semiramis found herself doing the rounds to close up shop for the day. Sending off the little Paracelsus...es (Paracelsi? She wondered), listening to the Lancer crew's report, asking Lady Blavatsky to stop Edison and Tesla from going off the rails with their "innovations" and many other tasks. It was tough sometimes but also worth it, for her goal was one she had to achieve, no matter what...

And speaking of goals she saw him. With his seemingly permanent smile and youthful looks locked in a pleased expression, he was simply sitting. He was garbed in his japanese-style clothes, that getup on brown, black and red with the stylish cravat, his long silver hair done in a ponytail and she found herself unable to take her eyes off him until she caught herself. Her face quickly catching on crimson she shook her head and chastised such unbecoming behavior from a Queen. And as she calmed down she saw...her.

She couldn't even bring herself to hate the child, even as she always demanded so much attention from Shirou. Seeing little Jeanne resting with her head reclined on his chest while sitting on his lap was a common occurence. She recalled the first time she saw her, her blood froze from seeing the Maid of Orleans' face with the Shimabara Saint's silver locks and she dreaded the worst, until they explained to her how the little Jeanne had come to be. She would later that day reflect on the ridiculousness of two Heroic Spirits having a child, yet his part on keeping the girl into existance made it feel like he was the closest thing to a father for her.

So embroiled into her thoughts she was that she didn't notice the humming that came from him, some sort of japanese lullaby she surmised. And then as she had just noticed, he suddenly stopped.

"If someone finds you staring they might get the wrong idea, you know?" He said without turning to look at her, tenderly moving a stray fleck of hair from the young child's face.

Deciding to keep whatever dignity she had left, she started walking towards him and quipped back. "You seemed so peaceful I didn't want to break your moment." She said as she sat next to him.

"I appreciate your consideration, then." He finally turned to look at her. "Done for the day?"

"Just so." She confirmed. "Rather early for her to be tired, I'd think?"

"She was running around with her friends the whole day. I suppose chocolate can only fuel a child for so long."

She looked at them both as he looked back at the child, prompted by her sleepy fussing over not having Shirou's calming hand on her back. "Who would've thought you'd be taking care of the pocket version of Jeanne d'Arc? I must ask, whatever made you take her under your wing?"

"I was able to help her so I did. Simple as that." He replied matter-of-factly. And before she made some other quip, he continued. "I didn't expect to care for her this much either, yet here we are." He rubbed the little girl's back to soothe her rest. "Honestly, there's a part of me that wonders if I'm trying to have her become my morality chain."

"You mean she isn't yet?" He chuckled. She hated how much she liked that chuckle.
"I hope she can make me come to my senses when I end up betraying our master." He left the sentence hanging in the air, allowing her to think on it.
"I still haven't changed, Semiramis." He said in resignation. "I already tried once since I arrived here, a chance at my goal when a Grail appeared and it seemed I could grab it."

"What makes you think she'll make you stop?"

"Hope."

"You need to stop hanging around Dantés." She quipped again. He chuckled again. They stayed in silence for a while, listening to Jeanne's breathing.

"You care about Master that much?"

"I do."

Another long silence. She looked at Jeanne and thought it sad if that was the only reason.

"I'll make you come to reason, too." She whispered to herself.

"What was that?"

Her eyes went wide as saucers once she realized she had actually said such a thing. "N-nothing! I'm merely thinking out loud!" She passed her hand through her hair, to seem non-chalant. He smiled.

"Teacher..." little Jeanne suddenly said, as she groggily opened her eyes. "What time is it?"

He tenderly scratched her head. "It just turned to night half an hour ago."

"Hmmm." She nodded, then noticed the woman. "Semiramis is here, too." She smiled, still half asleep.

"Hey there." Semiramis greeted. "Had a rough day?"

"It was a fun one." She replied as she snuggled into Amakusa again. "We played all day." She closed her eyes. "Will you play with us tomorrow?"

The request left her flabbergasted for a moment, then she smiled warmly at the girl. She could understand whenever they talked, and knew that the morality chain part was not the only reason Shirou loved the child. "I'll make some time, yes."

Jeanne smiled as she fell asleep again. "I like it when you're around." She meant them both, and somehow the two of them understood that.

That was probably the day Semiramis decided she'd like to stick around with both Shirou and Jeanne Lily.