…I can't believe I started another story. This was supposed to be a oneshot, but oh well. Might as well make it its own thing. So here we are.

I don't own anyone but Tomoko. Kei belongs to Lang Noi (yes, that Kei from Catch Your Breath) and Saber belongs to those who work on the Fate franchise.

This was originally inspired by the first three episodes of Fate/Zero, the many conversations Josh and Leo had about the lore behind the many Servants, and a passing thought encouraged by a friend. I wanted to write this to give a well-beloved character a break, because sometimes, there's only so much a Servant can do before they reach breaking point. And, well, after what I've seen of Fate/Zero, some Servants need some well-deserved love and respect.

Note that this is a story borne from passing inspiration. Update speed will be sporadic from that, handling other stories, and studying for my undergraduate degree. I'll do what I can, just wanted to let you, the reader, know what you're getting into.

Josh and Leo mentioned oneshots don't stay oneshots in the Nasuverse for long, and welp, it holds true here.

Theme for this chapter is Qonell's 2 Violins, 1 Piano rendition of Oath Sign, the first opening of Fate/Zero, originally by LisA. Because what else could be more fitting for the one and only Saber? ;p

Chapter 1: A Friend, Not a Servant

It should've been another day cleaning the house. Another day going around, sweeping the floors and sorting through old tax documents for Mama and Papa to glance over for work history reasons. Last I checked, the storage room wasn't supposed to have a large red magic circle sitting smack dab in the middle of its floor.

Then again, it might've all started with the bracelet I found in the store one day. It wasn't much, if anything, it was what looked like the brace of an old metal gauntlet, refashioned to be a bit of jewelry.

"I think this'll suit you, Ojou-chan," Jim-san said then with a wink. "Found the metal from a rather interesting old man when out for supplies." And, well, with his smile? I couldn't really turn him down.

That bracelet was still on my left wrist, acting as a protective gauntlet of sorts to the tendons in my hand as I went along cleaning. It was, perhaps, the only company I had when the circle showed up.

The circle itself felt like something out of Madoka or Nanoha from how intricate it was. The various squiggles and swirls making the border outlines along with the six-pronged star in the center said everything.

Out of habit, a small "What are you…?" left my lips as I did my best to kneel down onto my knees and hold onto my broom with one hand to reach out with my other. The floor itself was still okay, and the red color itself didn't look or smell like blood. But, just, how did it get here? "Paint?"

The circle wasn't supposed to start glowing once I touched it. Nor was my bracelet.

It took all I had to not yell out, and even then, the broom fell out of my hand as soon as light flooded my vision. The sudden wind didn't help anything, and my bottom immediately hit the floor. Instinct alone made me look away, but the sensation was powerful, nearly searing hot, and almost… ancient, if not for what felt like an explosion flooding my senses.

It took another moment for the smoke to clear, quite literally, and my heart beat hard in my chest once I opened my eyes.

Metal armor was the first thing that registered in my vision. Then the flowing blue dress and metal armored shoes were next, and once my gaze landed on the person's face, I found myself making eye contact with stern green eyes.

"So, I ask this of you," the new armored blonde visitor said, fists clenched at her sides. "Are you my new Master?"

It took about a second for it to register in my head that she was talking to me. And… "Master?" I echoed. "What?"

The woman blinked, and she swiveled her head around a few times, exposing the tightly braided blonde bun behind her head to the world, only accentuated by a single blue ribbon. Her shoulders still seemed tense before she added, "Did you not summon me?"

"Um," I carefully got to my feet, picking up my broom absently. "I-I'm sorry if you were expecting something, but I was just cleaning my home with my family, found this magic circle, and once I touched it, um…" The woman was staring at me with wide eyes now. Oh god, my rambling sucked. What is it with me and finding weird situations? "You showed up on top of it? I don't know if that counts as Summoning, so…" My voice cracked, and with a sigh, I shook my head. "C-Can we restart this conversation? Over lunch? And not in my family's storage room?"

A pause. The armor clinked from a simple hand gesture as the woman did what looked like the best formal shrug she could muster. "…If that is acceptable, Master, then we can partake in doing so," she said finally, voice curious.

Heat was flooding my face, because Master? No. Just, no, nononono, NO. "B-Before that? C-Could I ask if you could not call me Master? I'm only a teenage girl, not much else. So, um." The woman's stare felt as bad as Kei's in the "burning into the soul" feeling, so I gulped down my nervousness and took a step forward to offer my hand. A polite smile was already sliding onto my face from habit. "Lemme restart. I'm Hoshino Tomoko, and you can call me Tomoko. What's your name?"

The woman glanced at my hand for a second before raising her head, a softer yet hesitant smile on her face. "Arturia," her armored hand gripped mine tight to return the handshake, but it was soft enough so that the cold of the metal wouldn't seep into my skin or crush my fingers. "Arturia Pendragon. Please, call me Saber."

Even when moving around in the kitchen, Saber's gaze was piercing. Heck, it took all I had to not focus on it and instead go around gathering ingredients for fried rice. Because cleaning meant food, and with a new guest in the house, it meant accommodating them. Even if a part of me just wanted to run out the front door, find Kei and Hayate and everyone else I knew, and essentially board myself up in a gigantic pillow fort so that this kind of weird stuff would be miles away from me.

But Saber was here, I was a hostess again, and I had to give courtesies. I had a job to do.

The bracelet around my left wrist jingled again, and I glanced at it while tucking my Wayfinder necklace away into my apron pocket for safekeeping. It had glowed when Saber showed up, but now it was back to the unassuming metal it was from before. I took a breath while running over to grab some eggs. What was that? A tap against the counter, and a yolk was spilling into a nearby bowl, just as intended. Was this thing connected to the circle or something?

"Is there anything you wish for me to do, Master?"

Saber's voice. Even after the greeting from earlier, her voice had gone back to the formal tone she had used when she first appeared, and—

I took another breath before turning around to look at her with a small, nervous smile. "As of right now? I'm not sure. It's the first time I've had someone like you in the house, no offense intended. You can just wait until I'm finished cooking, Saber."

The knight simply inclined her head, her blonde hair, now in a ponytail, sweeping her neck with the motion. The formal black suit and gloves were a nice touch, making her seem all the more human, but the serious green eyes reminded me how much I needed to be on my best behavior. It felt like it at least, with how they were looking at me. "…Do you not trust me, Master?"

I held back the urge to sigh while breaking another egg. Why did Kei have to be on a mission? "If anything, Saber?"

She paused, the chair scooching softly against the tile as she moved. "What is it?" Her voice this time was quiet and solemn.

"I'm just trying to keep my composure right now, since, no offense intended, at all, you did show up in my family's storage room only half an hour ago, calling me Master, and it's all difficult to take in. It's not a matter of distrust, it's just me being unused to this. Before you, I was just another civilian girl with some sword training on her side." I turned to her and a bit of my anxiety was already seeping into my smile when making eye contact with her again. "Please excuse my… not-that-great behavior."

Saber's green eyes widened minutely before softening. "I see," she said gently, "I will wait for the food to be finished then, if it calms you." She bowed her head in my direction. "My apologies."

"D-Don't apologize, Saber, please." My voice cracked again, and I did not miss how she looked up from the sound. Gosh darn it, my voice. It still had to be high-pitched. "I'm not being the best either, so you don't have to apologize for something that is not your fault."

"It is still out of my honor as a Knight, Master," she bowed her head again. "And as your Servant, I must go along with what you wish."

"Saber…" my voice was a small protesting squeak now.

She raised her head, gave me a single stare, before glancing away and putting a hand to her mouth. "Master," there was a small muffled snicker. "Before we proceed with this conversation, you must focus on what is in front of you."

The smell of smoke was telling.

"AAAAAAH!"

The entire time I was salvaging lunch, Saber was politely hiding snickers.

Once spoons were put down, I did my best to meet Saber's stare. "Was it… good?"

"Satisfying," she said succinctly, wiping at her mouth with a napkin before smiling at me softly. I could've sworn I could see flowers flying off of her with the motion. From having a full stomach, maybe? A part of me was still questioning how she finished off more than two-thirds of the entire wok. Then again, Magical Knight. Fighters meant having to handle big appetites. "You did well in saving the rice before it could burn."

Heat flooded my face. "I-I'm sorry again, about that."

"It's alright." Saber put down her napkin to smile again. "The meal was delicious. It reminded me of someone else I once knew."

"O-Oh," I said, feeling a little inadequate and, to be honest, surprised at the comment. From appearances alone, Saber looked like someone who didn't share things about herself all that easily, so for that to drop… I took it with a grain of salt just in case and spoke up. "You don't have to say anything if you don't want to, Saber. It's your story, so you should be the one in charge of saying it."

Saber's smile dropped for a surprised "o" as her emerald green eyes focused on me again. "That is quite considerate of you, Master." Her voice had turned warm this time. "Thank you."

"You're welcome, and uh. Saber? I'm not a Master, I'm just a civilian girl helping a Knight get some food in their systems," I corrected with a small wave of my hand in spite of the massive blush on my face, because that title was still something to get used to. "Hime" and "Princess" were a different story, because they were extensions of Vy's old childhood nickname and something I've stopped trying to convince Papa from using. Because it was Papa. Not to mention my time with Jack-nii and everyone back in the New World. But a Magical Knight, seeing me as Master? No. "So, Saber, you can call me by my name. Master is a bit too formal and stiff for me."

Almost immediately, her shoulders relaxed as the surprised "o" took over her mouth again. "I see," she said, her expression changing to that of an understanding smile. "Then, Tomoko?"

"That works," a small smile was coming over my face now too. "Thank you, Saber."

"No, no, it is the least I can do for the one who summoned me." Her smile was still warm in my direction, even with the slight tint of seriousness at its edges. "Nonetheless, the subject at hand." Her green eyes focused in on me again, and I tried not to freeze up. "What are your orders? Henceforth, you hold my sword in your hands, and I hold your fate in mine." She bowed her head towards me again. "Please. Your orders."

If Hisako was here, she would've summed this up perfectly. Instead, all I could think of was, Whaaaaaat?

Saber raised her head to give me a confused stare. "Tomoko?"

"S-Saber?" My voice cracked to the point of no return. Shit. I actually said that. Um. "I-I wasn't joking when I said I'm just a civilian girl."

"The natural energy you used to summon me says otherwise," she said calmly, eyes softening in my direction. "No one Magus can truly claim they have access to power like that. My past Masters included."

That last part only confirmed the lingering idea that Saber was summoned before. But, power? Did she mean chakra? If it meant mine, then frig. "A-Ah," I stammered, and it took all I had to not let my hands shake and stay steady in my seat. "I see, but…" the words felt like sawdust, but I had to say them, "Saber, I'm going to say this now, I'm not really the… fighting type."

"I realized that when you first summoned me and invited me into your home, Tomoko," she continued in that same calm tone, but it was hard to miss the slight bit of softness seeping into her voice. Eh? "Nonetheless, if it is what you desire, I would not hesitate to take up my sword again."

Oh gods no. "Y-You don't have to!"

Now Saber was giving me a shocked look. "Pardon?"

"I-I mean," my voice was going places in pitch like no tomorrow, there was a ramble going on, frig, "Saber, I don't know what you've seen before you came here, but my home's okay! You don't have to fight immediately! All I have to deal with is the occasional bad customer and some rowdy ninja!"

If Saber was shocked before, she looked like she was under some kind of stupefied trance at my words now. Then she shook her head and the illusion was broken. "Ninja," she repeated.

I gestured to the nearest window. "If you can follow the many moving blurs going across rooftops, then yes. Ninja."

"As in assassins," she said in the same slow, bewildered tone.

I tried not to snap from the social pressure of the situation and nodded furiously instead. Why wasn't there a rule book about "talking with knights in a way that makes them feel comfortable and not out of place"?!

"Simple murderers for hire," she added.

"Um, I wouldn't use those specific words, but basically."

Saber was now staring at me as if I was some kind of rare goddess. "How have you survived?"

The answer was obvious, and when thinking on it, Hisako probably would've been proud. "I made friends with them!"

Saber's eyes bulged like saucers as she glanced between the window and myself. Then a choked, "What?" followed.

Welp.

"Tomo's not wrong."

I glanced at the window only to nearly fall out of my chair. Sure enough, my reincarnation buddy was sitting on the currently open window sill, perched like a rather fluffed and irritated owl. Even as she sat there on her sandals, she was still leveling an unimpressed stare in Saber's direction. "She's been friends with ninjas for years. So I don't care who you are, but if you have any problems, then you'll have to speak up." I did not miss how there was a sparkle of a katana blade.

A single second was all it took for wind to blow, and Saber was in the armored blue dress I first saw her in all over again, brandishing what looked like… a sword? A bow? The invisible… yeah, the invisible air in her hands didn't help anything. I could tell she was holding a weapon, but what the weapon was… yeah, no luck. "Who are you and how did you get in here?" she snapped, metal clinking with her currently invisible weapon.

"The window," Kei deadpanned, and her hand was still on her katana. "Came along to visit Tomo because my mission finished up early, and then I get to see you at her table, so." She partially unsheathed her blade for extra emphasis. "Who are you?"

"You have not answered my question!"

I sighed. Of course. First day, and this was already turning out lovely. "Both of you. Please be quiet. There are no swords or any kind of sharp weapons allowed in the kitchen."

The wind disappeared as soon as it came.

"Kei, we need to talk about sudden entrances. Saber, please wait here. I'll debrief you in a bit."

Saber's weapon was already slack in her hands as she blinked. "But, Master—"

"Please, Saber. I'm sorry for this being sudden, but it's okay. Really." I glanced at my best friend before shrugging my shoulders with a warm smile. "Kei's a friend. I trust her with all my heart."

A part of me was still wondering how I could even talk with my knees close to buckling.

Once we had entered the privacy of my room, Kei slapped a privacy seal on my door before squishing me in a hug. Even if it was tight and rib-jostling, I let her. The slight bit of panic in her eyes was more than enough of a sign that there could be no protests to this whole thing.

I wasn't the only one who got spooked all the time.

"Tomo, what the fuck were you thinking," she said scathingly into my ear, but the hand on my hair was soft as she pulled me closer. "Do you even realize who you were talking to?!"

"A Magical Knight?" I filled in quietly, patting her back as the hug persisted. "That somehow got summoned from my touching a magic circle in the middle of my family's storage room?"

Kei cursed under her breath before pulling away, bonking my forehead with hers. "I don't know how the fuck you did it, Tomo, but here's the gist. You." Bonk. "Somehow." Bonk. "Summoned." Bonk. "King Arthur." Bonk.

"Ow," I deadpanned, rubbing my forehead. Was that necessary? Then the next thought occurred. "A female version of King Arthur?"

"Yep," she confirmed with another bonk to my head for good measure. "And if that's true, then I'm going to be seeing another war in our lifetimes and I don't want to see you involved in it."

The statement seemed far-fetched already, but with the intensity of Kei's eyes, I couldn't ignore it. Saber didn't fully refute her "taking up her sword" either, and knowing our luck…

A wry smile came up on my face as I reached over to cup Kei's cheeks, lightly bonking her head back with mine. "…I was already involved in war things long before Saber, Kei. You and I both know that." I let one of my hands go to point to my stomach. "Remember?"

It was a low blow, but the understanding in her black eyes was obvious as she glanced at the area I was gesturing to before a deep frown settled on her face. "That's really underhanded, even for you, Tomo." Kei sighed, averting her eyes. "What happened to that honest civilian girl I first met?"

"She had to grow up sometime," I pointed out with an apologetic laugh. "More so when everyone she knows risks their lives on a daily basis. It doesn't change the fact that it happened, Kei. And that I'm still here, dealing with the world." I shook my head, brushing a stray hair back behind Kei's ear in the hopes of comforting her. "I'm sorry for bringing it up, but you get my point. And from what I can tell, Saber's not going to hurt me."

She returned my stare and bonked my head again, harder this time. Her black eyes were almost glowing now. Isobu was listening in too, of course. "You really sure?"

"Doubly positively sure," I said firmly. "I somehow summoned her, she still has trouble not calling me 'Master', and she's as loyal of a warrior as she can get. Hell, she already vowed to take up her sword if I ever wanted it, Kei. She's good, more so if she's really King Arthur. His legend may have been filled with lots of bad things," like love affairs amongst the Knights of the Round Table and death by the blade of your own son, "but he never truly betrayed anyone. I'll be okay."

Kei continued to meet my stare for a few more moments before one of her hands reached up to grasp the hand I still had on her cheek, squeezing. "You really need to study more history, Tomo. Before you accidentally summon something else by tempting fate. Murphy's Law." She still laughed a soft, dry laugh, and the wry grin on her face was already enough of a sign that she was a bit more okay with the whole situation. Even if she was a bit angry. "You goofball."

"Takes one to know one," I was giggling too, but I could let it go this time because Kei allowed it. "I'm just sorry for the surprise. Just when you came home too."

Kei put a hand on her hip and flicked my forehead with her other free hand. Um, ow. Why my head? The number of bonks from before was already enough pain. "Some mochi will mend things. Just do what you have to do without hurting yourself," she said firmly, and the tone alone had me standing straighter. "And if anything happens, call me or Rin or anyone else we both know." She paused before exhaling. "There's a lot of people that'd want to know that you'll be okay, Tomo."

It's not "just you" or "just me" anymore.

The memories of the Tenth were enough.

I nodded. "Noted and memorized." I took a breath too. "Could I hug you though? Just, one more time?"

Kei's eyes widened slightly before softening again, her wry smile turning more genuine. She opened her arms in my direction. "Sure."

I didn't hesitate in nearly jumping on her, wrapping my arms around her neck. A hug was the least I could do to reassure her and thank her, without words. Even now, I wouldn't joke about trusting her with my heart. Because Kei was Kei. Her hugs always reminded me that things were going to be okay.

Thankfully, Saber was still waiting at the kitchen table where we left her once Kei and I finished talking, expression showing her patience and calm more than anything else. It was actually reassuring to see the blue armored-combat dress gone, replaced with the black suit from earlier. Her emerald green eyes opened once we walked back into the room, and she turned to me. "Master?"

"Tomoko, Saber," I couldn't help but say, a blush already coming back to my face from the title being used again. "Tomoko."

"Ah. My apologies," she said, looking a bit more sheepish in spite of the calm expression on her face. "Force of habit."

Kei glanced between us with a raised eyebrow, then deadpanned a loud, "Do I need to be mediator?"

Okay, what. "Coming from the person who I used to mediate for?"

Kei shrugged. "Pot calls the kettle black, ever hear that?"

Nope. Dork. "Kei."

She shrugged again. "Shots have been called a long time ago, Tomo. You still leave yourself open."

A pout was already forming on my face as exasperation spread to my voice. "Dork."

"Goofball," she shot back, arms crossed against her chest.

I sighed, feeling the exasperated smile on my face before I could even voice the emotion. "How did I fall in love with you?"

"Not for my wit, right?"

My response was an equally dry, "Because you give good hugs."

Kei opened her mouth, paused, then uncrossed her arms to stare at me incredulously. "Was that it?"

Nope, nope, nope, nopenopenope, NOPE. We're not going there. "Not saying anymore than that."

"Tomo."

Saber was looking between the two of us as if we had gone bonkers. "Tomoko, is this…" she paused, considering her words before lowering her hand and finishing with a quiet, "your lover?"

Uh. What. No. Not you too, Saber! "No," I said, agreeing with my earlier thought process.

"Nope," Kei agreed flatly. "Best friend, but not lover."

"Ah," Saber said, and a few seconds of awkward passed before my face was already flooding with more heat. This was already sounding bad. Had to do something.

Why, oh why was Hisako not here?!

"S-So, anyways! Both of you. Um." I took a breath and went with it. "Introductions here and now, Kei, this is Saber. The newest roommate in the house. And Saber, this is Gekkō Keisuke." I gestured with my hands, and absently wondered whether both were trying to humor me with their little waves towards each other. "My best friend in the whole wide world."

"Oh," Saber said quietly, sounding a bit more sheepish. Finally, the light bulb went off and the ship train was gone. Thank god. "My apologies for attacking you earlier."

"Uh, don't worry about it?" Kei reached up to scratch at the end of the scar bisecting her face. "I'm not one to talk." She paused before putting a hand on her hip and I tried not to yelp once her other hand reached over to grab my shoulders and pull me into a side-hug. "Just one last thing." I looked up at her in time to see Kei's eyes flash yellow. It was one second, but there was no mistaking that bright color. "Are you going to be safe around her?"

Saber's green eyes narrowed. "Of course."

"You're not going to put her into unnecessary danger?"

"I plan to protect her with the blade of my sword and my life if the situation begs it." Saber's green eyes flashed in what I could only call determination and anger. "It is my Honor as a Knight and a former Servant of the Holy Grail Wars to do so. Tomoko will not die."

"Huh," Kei said dryly. Her eyes were still glowing faintly. And the slight killing intent…

Um. "K-Kei," my voice came out as a shocked squeak, "what are you doing—"

"Last thing," Kei raised a pointer finger while squeezing my shoulders softly. "Are you going to join us in making sure Tomo doesn't collapse from workaholic tendencies?"

And just like that, the tense atmosphere was broken and the killing intent was gone. My shoulders were now tensing for completely different reasons. "Excuse me, but what?" Saber said finally, a slight bit of hair falling onto her face with the statement. "Workaholic… tendencies?"

"Keep her from collapsing from her own efforts, basically."

"Keiiiiiiiiii…" My face was already a full-blown red, and I couldn't help but cover it with my hands to try hiding the massive heat wave. "Whyyyyyyyyy."

Kei stuck her tongue out at me while winking. "Best way to get to know someone is through you, Tomo."

"Oh, c'mon…!" My voice was already cracking from all the heat. "Don't burn me so early in intros!"

A hand ruffled the top of my hair. "Hey, now's one of the few chances I can get to actually do it."

"Keiiiiiiiii! Stop teasing me!"

"Aw, it's so much fun to do though!"

"KEI!"

"Heh," My reincarnation buddy poked the top of my head. "Once a goofball, always a goofball."

"L-Like you're one to talk!"

"…Hehe."

It took a second for both of us to realize that the last part was Saber's quiet laughter.

In the mere hours I had gotten to know her, I was not expecting her to laugh so sweetly.

That was what started the new days. Days where my ninja friends weren't around as often because of work, but a female Knight was more than happy to keep me company. I never thought I could be happy with her, but life always had its ups and downs. This was a definite up.

My voice came out as an uncertain squeak from the lingering embarrassment. "Saber?"

"My apologies, it's just—" A soft snicker followed. "You two really get along, don't you?"

Kei and I glanced at each other before sharing a smile. "Yeah," I said softly, "We do."

It was a good start.