The Command | CĂş Chulainn x Reader
A romantic reimagining of the scene from EP 19 of Fate/stay night: Unlimited Blade Works, "Idealism's End", with you in place of Tohsaka.
Major spoilers ahead for the anime.
I could feel the loyalty in his stanceâand it made my heart break. I knew Lancer would do all he could to resist the order, but even he wouldnât be able to disobey a command written in his soul. It was like the cruel hands of fate had wrapped around both our necks.
The ropes bit into my skin. I turned my head away from Shinjiâs taunting face, doing my best not to show my distress. Anger flooded me from the tips of my toes; how I wanted so badly to punch this young fool. I bit my lip instead, near snarling as his uncouth hands explored my thighs.
âI love a girl with nice legs,â he said, running his hands further up my thigh.
That comment and the fact that he was practically drooling were enough to push me past my limit.
I pulled against my restraints, ready to snap.
Then, all of a sudden, as if my thoughts made it appear, an invisible fist flew into the air and smashed into the side of Shinjiâs face.
I watched my long-time rivalâs cheekbone cave as the rest of his body caught up with him, and he went flying across the room.
For a second the only explanation I could think of was that I had tapped into some undiscovered talent, or that the air itself had adjusted to my will.
That was when he appearedâthe tall, bright, handsome blue form attached to that fist.
Lancerâs expression was that of smug disinterest when he punched Shinji, but he turned now to me with concern flickering in his red eyes. âAre you alright?â he said.
âI am now.â It was the truth. Seeing Lancer standing there brought such relief to my limbs. I didnât even notice the bounds around me anymore. It also brought up a deeper feeling that had been stirring in my chest every time I saw the man as of late. I wanted to throw my arms around his strong waist. The sight of him there confirmed all the feelings that remained unspoken in the air between us. It was clear he was stepping out of orders being here.
âQuite the situation youâve got yourself in there,â he said, smirking now. âIf I didnât know you better, Iâd say the look suits you. Allow meââ He reached his spear for my binds, about to release me from captivity when a deep voice rang out in the dim chamber.
The voice stopped us cold.
A man appeared in the shadows behind Lancerâa man whose sight wouldâve made me feel sick on a normal day, and in this situation, it made me feel as if I was about to fall off the edge of a roller coaster.
He stepped into the light. The sight of the gold cross hanging on the front of his chest nearly made me hurl.
Kirei Kotomine. Lancerâs master.
I looked at Lancer with panic. He tried to reassure me, but I could see fear mirrored in his beautiful rubies.
He turned to Kirei. âWhat are you doing here?â
âI should be asking you that,â Kirei said, never breaking his composure. âI donât remember ordering you to come to this young maidenâs rescue.â
âI donât need an order to do something any honest knight would do.â
âOh, is that what this is?â Kirei looked between us with amused curiosity. âYouâre telling me you have no personal feelings here?â
Lancer bit down on his tongue. It was taking everything for him not to reveal the truth.
Kirei continued. âItâs true I ordered you to cooperate with them, but I never ordered you to get emotionally invested.â The love of my lifeâs master closed his eyes and sighed. When he opened them, I saw nothing but malice in those bottomless pits, and I knew exactly what would come next. âWell, seeing that itâs too late, thereâs only one thing to do now.â Kirei turned and looked me straight in the eye. âKill her,â he said.
Lancerâs face turned white at the order. In it, I saw an absolute dread that mustâve been mirrored in mine. My stomach sank. Just as weâd reunited, just as I was sure weâd get to explore more of whatever this was between us. Our time was cut short by the knowledge that what would happen next was inevitable.
I looked into Lancerâs eyesâthose deep, passionate, loving eyesâand knew this was a fate I could accept. I had to accept. No matter how painful, if I was going to die, at least it would be at the hands of one I loved.
I knew it would wreck Lancer, so I tried to show my acceptance in my gaze. Go ahead, donât get yourself in trouble because of me. Iâll love you always.
But Lancer had already made his decision. His resolution was apparent in the strength of his warm voice. âI refuse,â he said. âIf you want me to, youâre going to have to use a command seal.â
I could feel the loyalty in his stance, and it made my heart break. I knew Lancer would do all he could to resist the order, but even he wouldnât be able to disobey a command written in his soul. It was like the cruel hands of fate had wrapped around both our necks.
âVery well,â Kireiâs words rang out, trumping my pleas, and the chamber grew colder with their resonance.
And then came the words I never saw comingâthe words that struck me right in my core and made me feel as if the sun had fallen out of the universeâ
âKill yourself, Lancer.â
âNoâ!!!â My heart dropped to the bottom of my stomach. The order seemed to shake the wallsâevery part of my being resisted this dreadful fate.
My death, I could accept. But thisâŚ
Lancer resisted the order as best he could, but even his strong hands couldnât slow the turning of the spear toward his own heart.
I screamed and pulled against my bounds, but the rope held me in place. And so I reached for Lancer the only way I knew how.
I reached for him with the whole of my being, with my will, with my desire to keep him alive so strong it could burn all of me. I screamed his name with every fibre of my beingâevery ounce of my soul. I felt at the red tips of his existence. I reached for him through the darkness, ignoring all worldly restraints, so his spirit would have no choice but to feel mine.
And then the chant spilled out of my lips, smooth as a summer song, as if Iâd been rehearsing it for this moment. And through the words I bled all of the passion I felt inside me.
âMy fate shall be your sword⌠If you will submit to this will and this reason, then answer!â
I could feel the moment Lancer caught on. The force that was tied around him loosened.
I pulled him closer, both of us now working to fight the order that still tore at his soul. We fought together. I sang the enchantment until my throat was sore.
I felt it break. Kireiâs hold on him snapped.
With a violent backswing, Lancer's spirit tumbled toward mine.
I caught him, the force knocking all the air out of my lungs.
The red marks of allegiance on Kireiâs arm shattered and disappeared as if they were always as delicate as glass.
The same marks appeared on my arm now, but they felt strong and burned with red life and passion.
I looked down at the new command seal with a strange feeling of completion. The connection between us glowed like a warm amber in the air. It was the feeling of reaching nirvana. A connection so wonderful it seemed too good to be true.
I locked eyes with Lancer.
Lancer was mine, and I was his, but more than that, he was saved from that awful fate.
Before the emotions of joy overwhelmed me, I reached for Lancerâs spearâthe one that almost killed himâand turned it on the one thing that could threaten that joy.
Kirei was still looking at his arm in shock as I approached him.
It was at the last moment that he looked up. He only had a second for recognition to dawn before I pierced the spear into his heart.
The man who was once Lancer's master fell to his knees.
I pulled the spear out and watched him choke out his last few breaths in confusion.
"Sorry, but some fates are meant to be twisted."Â
I turned back to Lancer and threw my arms around him.
He returned my tight grip, and for a second, I thought we were going to squeeze the life out of each other.
âI canât believe you just did that,â he said. He pulled away and tilted my chin up to him. âBe mine, forever.â
He kissed me. The kiss was deep and hot, combined now with the sensation of our connected souls. I felt it tingling in the center of my forehead.
âI love you, Lancer.â
âI love you too.â He laughed. âI guess I should call you my master now.â
âMaster, partner, whatever you need me to beââI grabbed both his handsââIâm yours. And Iâm sorry. I used your spear without asking.â