cowgirl shero 2

nnn i was thinking about cute fishy shinji lying half way on the shore and shirou walking over and settling cross legged right in front of him. everyone is a little tired over the battle + the fuss that ensued after, but overall morale has lifted considerably knowing that shinji should be fine and they have a nicely wooded area to camp for a day or two.

shinji is running on empty — he was already weakened considerably to even get to this state, but his ego made him so embarrassed and frustrated that he spent more time than he should have being fighty. his eyes are half lidded as shirou pulls him up just enough to rest his head on her legs. he exhales at the feeling of her soft skin touching his face... something about her was magical. he doesn’t really like feeling this helpless in front of someone he ought to be looking after, but being spoiled by shirou feels so incredibly good. she delicately touches his face with her hand as shinji’s eyes flutter closed.

“Aa... I know you’re tired, but will you stay awake a bit longer? i can’t give you any potions on an empty stomach.”

shinji can’t say no to that, no matter much his body is protesting. while he was preparing himself to sit up farther to accept his meal, he’s met by a warm bowl held in front of his face and a smiling shirou.

“you don’t have to worry. i’ll help you.”

the twinge of embarrassment he feels is swiftly taken over by warn, soft feelings for the girl in front of him. rather than make any comment, he slowly drinks with her assistance. it’s a wonderful soup with a stew-like consistency and plenty of root vegetables popular in this area. truly, between both archer and shirou in their party, cú and shinji have eaten very well since their arrival.

shinji didn’t realize how hungry he’d been until he finds himself staring at his reflection at the bottom of the bowl. shirou laughs quietly and remarks that she’s glad he was so hungry. maybe there would be some left over later... the main event was the potions, however.

shirou has gotten so adept at creating potions that shinji couldn’t have expected her fluid understanding of it. then again, it’s a lot like cooking, so of course she was would be skilled at it. shirou tips the tiny jars to shinji’s lips as he ingests two potions — one to heal the damage he’d taken and another replenish his energy. she helps adjust his position on her lap as his arms wrap loosely around her waist. he’s a little slippery, but absolutely determined to stay as close as he can. shinji faintly hears humming and feels soft fingers brushing through his damp hair before he falls asleep.

he wakes up hours later, greeted by the dark night sky and crackling of the campfire. groggy and disoriented, he takes what looks to have been a cold compress from his forehead and realizes he’s wrapped up in blankets and nestled between shirou and archer. curiously, he flexes and wiggles his feet, breathing a sigh of relief. a dull ache runs through them and shinji recalls the process being a painful one. he would likely be a nuisance to the party for one more day before he was completely recovered. under the blanket he can feel himself wearing thick fabric that ends at his knees. he isn’t sure if the shirt is cu’s or archer’s, but wearing it feels like another warm embrace.