housewife 1

secondary genders were implemented in magus families to improve the chances of a legacy within the strongest clans. the matou family used to be within the top three all on their own, but after several underskilled generations things were looking bleak. when the youngest potential heir, shinji, presented as an omega in his teenage years, his grandfather promptly sold him to the highest bidder.

shinji lived at the tohsaka residence from then on, having been bought as a future spouse to their daughter rin. he and rin were schooled together and studied with one another, though they didn’t exactly get along. rin’s favorite extra curricular activity was teasing shinji, and shinji had a natural talent for being a crybaby. this dynamic never changed, even when they became adults. they were married at age twenty-two, when rin returned from studying at the clock tower.

for a family with an alpha daughter, making arrangements to produce an heir are a little more tricky than normal. making an acceptable heir means that both parties need to possess magic circuits — but finding a beta with circuits is extremely difficult, so usually only an omega will do. while omega males tend to be rare, they definitely exist. shinji’s magic circuits are weak, but they’re present. he also has an extensive legacy in the matou name, which made him a perfect candidate for rin. while omegas aren’t usually strong or properly respected, they are known for producing exceptional magus children. before the wedding was even over family members began asking rin when she planned on having an heir.

shinji isn’t crazy about the arrangement, but living at the tohsaka estate is a dramatic improvement from his home life with the matou. he can pretty much access anything he needs or wants — he’s waited on by family attendants 24/7. by the time that he and rin are married his concept of “freedom” is a skewed one at best, and existing as an omega outside of the magus world is completely unheard of. he buries himself in academics and hobbies to keep his mind off of it. he’s safer here.

at twenty-three shinji gives the tohsaka an heir. her name is olga marie and she has exceptional magic circuits. while rin is still doing assignment work for clock tower, shinji sees to bringing her up and teaching her a variety of things. rin returns from each assignment with gifts for the both of them and a new magic lesson for olga marie. by the time she is set to start proper schooling she shows an impressive aptitude for both academics and magic. she is sent to a boarding school exclusively for those from magus families and while it is also shinj’s alma mater, he is sad to see her go.

it is recommended that rin and shinji have an additional child for security reasons, but the both of them are hesitant to procreate for the sake of having an auxiliary baby. they discuss it a little, but eventually rin needs to leave for another work assignment, so the possibility is shelved for now. shinji returns to academics and mundane hobbies, if only because it keeps him from writing his daughter every single day.

emiya shirou is a handyman who is hired to take care of things around the tohsaka estate. he often sees shinji through the windows, with a book or staring out into the horizon. he thinks that he doesn’t necessarily look sad, but he does look like he’s waiting for something. one day shirou is taking his lunch break in the garden when shinji approaches him. he explains that there’s a broken doorknob in the main house, so if he has the time he could see to it. shirou gets up instantly and offers to fix it.

while shirou is tightening the doorknob shinji mentions that his bento looked really well prepared. he offhandedly mentions that his girlfriend must have made it for him and shirou laughs in response. he says he doesn’t have a girlfriend, but he really enjoys cooking in his spare time. when shirou is finished with the repair he smiles and tells shinji to let him know anytime if he needs help with something. he shows himself out and shinji thinks about their interaction for the rest of the day.

shinji finds himself a little fascinated with shirou. he hasn’t interacted with many people outside of the magus community, and as expected, there is an air of judgement once people realize his circuits are malformed. talking to shirou feels clear and unbiased and shinji takes to looking for broken things (or breaking them himself) to tell shirou about. when shinji interrupts shirou during his lunch break for a second time, he comments on his bento presentation again. shirou smiles and offers to teach him some basic cooking skills (of which shinji has previously admitted he has none) and seems pleased when shinji eagerly accepts.

the two of them come to spend time together on a daily basis — whether it be cooking lessons, gardening together or shinji keeping him company while shirou  goes about his daily routine. shinji is cynical and kind of a spoiled brat, but shirou finds him charming nonetheless. one day in the library shinji kisses him after luring him in on the claim of a broken step ladder. shirou thinks to protest, he really does, but... it feels nice. it feels right. though there is the underlying guilt of kissing someone who is married, he doesn’t want to be the one to tell shinji no.

as time goes on shinji only gets bolder with his requests and demands. shirou is eager to answer them — until, that is, he is caught shirtless and straddled over shinji on a chaise lounge. though shinji seems relatively unaffected, shirou apologizes to rin profusely before she raises her hand in a signal to stop. she explains that apologies are unnecessary. she and shinji have a union based on necessity, so whomever shinji decides to love is fine. (they would later find out that rin has been banging her work partner, luvia edelfelt for several years.)