35

034 - On having a little courage and reaching for what you want.

Medusa Gorgon.

Wakefulness comes slowly and accompanied by a soul-deep ache. My skin hurts, my muscles hurt and my bones hurt. Damn, but even my hair and nails hurt. And yet, the pain is… distant, the sore feeling of exhaustion that comes from recent healing. As I shift in place noticing the soft touch of fine fabric around me for the first time, I realize I'm not actually injured.

What…? As I'm trying to remember what put me in this state, a vision of red lightning tearing at my body flashes through my mind. I jolt upright at the memory, casting a wide-eyed look around, scanning for danger. There's none.

I'm alone, sitting on a bed that's not mine in a bedroom I don't recognize. Wherever this place is, the ambient mana is remarkably richer than what I've grown used to. I'm also naked, but those minor details swiftly take the backseat when I notice two very important facts.

I'm not wearing my blindfold and I have more energy than I've had since I got paired with Shinji.

There's something about that… something important about Shinji and my recent injuries that's about to come to mind when I notice the other end of my Servant-Master Bond right outside the bedroom, drawing my attention towards it. I swear, if this is Shinji trying to–

The door opens, giving way not to the whiny nuisance, but to the only one I will ever call… "Master?"

A memory comes back, of burning agony as I'm trounced by a superior opponent, of pain and frustration as I seem doomed to fail my task… Only for it all to take an unexpected turn when I feel my true master reclaim her rightful position. I can't help a warmth feeling spreading through my chest. This, at least, is back to how it should be.

"Good evening, Rider." She greets me with a small smile, apologetic but full of warmth. "How are you feeling?"

"Healthy enough. I'm fit to–"

My blindfold! I close my eyes and turn my head around in panicked realization, rapidly confirming through our bond that, by some miracle, [Cybele] hasn't had time to affect her. Stupid, stupid! Clumsy and oafish woman, always ruining everything! Why did I look at her with my naked eyes? Manifesting [Breaker Gorgon] again to block my Mystic Eyes would've been a trivial matter now that I have a decent mana source again!

A mental image of Sakura turned into a stone statue at the door frame makes me shudder internally. My Mystic Eyes have never hurt anyone important to me before, but that has more to do with how few people I've ever cared for than any form of control on my side. The [Mystic Eyes of Petrification] are indiscriminate in their effect and I have no control over them.

"Excuse me, Master." Long practice keeps my voice steady, hiding my inner turmoil at the close call. "I'll need a moment to manifest a new blindfold."

"You really don't." Warm hands reach for my face, softly pulling my head until I'm looking ahead. My eyes remain stubbornly closed. "Look at me, I'm fine."

"Don't say that!" She doesn't know what she's doing, what she's asking. "I could kill you!"

"No, you really couldn't." I can hear amusement in her tone, as if I've said something funny. "Look at me, Medusa."

Her words are soft, but there's a steely undertone. This isn't a request, but an instruction. The first one Sakura has ever given me on her own initiative. The surprise at the unexpected command has me obeying before I can stop myself. My eyes open on their own volition, revealing Sakura's face to me once again.

Her soft smile that sets my heart at ease. Her pale skin and long purple hair that reminds me of other beautiful people. Her soulful, kind eyes that hide so much hurt right beneath the surface. This is the person who called me to this era, without a catalyst or cheat. Kind calls to kind, and I was the one who got called by her.

[Cybele] goes off, as it does against any valid target within my field of vision, turning them into stone regardless of my will or imput. Sakura though, she just keeps smiling, the power of my Mystic Eyes soaked up by her like a monsoon into the storm drain. She's not turning to stone.

"You are beautiful." Distracted as I am by the miracle of being able to look at my Master directly, I almost choke at her words.

"No, I'm not." I look away, feeling my cheeks warm up under her scrutiny. "You are the beautiful one."

"Senpai warned me about this." Sakura lets out a soft sigh, her exasperated expression utterly adorable as I peek at her with the corner of my eye. "Listen to your Master, Medusa. You are a beautiful woman."

"Thank you for your kind lies, Master." Having gotten my facial expression under control, I turn to her again with a smile. I am grateful for her attempts at cheering me up, misplaced as they are. "But I know what I am."

Just a brutish and uncute woman, too big and burly to fit in a dress.

"Oh, for the love of…!"

It doesn't come without warning, no human can truly act too fast for the expert eyes and reflexes of a Servant to react, but it comes as a surprise. The ability to read the intentions behind another person's actions can be in one's detriment when said intentions freeze you in shock. That's why I don't -I can't- dodge out of the way when my Master makes her move.

Her whole body surges forward, hands landing on the bed's headboard at both sides of myself and her face reaching towards mine. I blink, my eyes closing for a fraction of a second right before we come into contact. Then Sakura's soft lips press against mine and I know bliss.

Matou Sakura

My heart is beating a thousand times per minute and I have no idea what I am doing. I only wanted my Servant to stop feeling bad over lies and misconceptions, but she looked so heartbroken and adorable, stubbornly rejecting my praises!

My heart went to Medusa as I remembered Senpai's tale about her life.

Her traumatic past amongst sisters who were literally incapable of expressing their love for her in a proper way, the twisted happiness they shared in their isolated island, the covetous men who came to take her sisters, the blood she was forced to spill and the way it slowly turned her into a monster, who ended up killing the only ones she'd ever wanted to protect.

The heroic tale of her death just a side note in her own eyes, final release from a life that had long since ended.

Medusa's self-worth has been trampled again and again, bent and broken beyond all hope of recovery during her whole life. I only had to look at her eyes to realize I'd never convince her otherwise with words alone. I know exactly how she feels, after all.

That's when Medea-san's words suddenly made sense.

'Have a little courage.' She had told me earlier, right before retreating into her Temple, in that frustratingly vague way sorcerers and witches of tale are known to favor. 'And reach for what you want.'

So, once I realized talking wouldn't work on Medusa, I leaned forward and claimed my Servant's lips.

Maybe I just bent Medea-san's words into a meaning that was convenient for me. Because I'm still riding the high of last night with Senpai and everyone. Because I'm a greedy girl who doesn't have enough with four lovers. Because I've always been a dirty pervert deep down.

Not that it matters, because senpai likes dirty girls like me!

Medusa attempts to take control of the kiss, wrapping her arms around me and trying to drag me into the bed, shaking me out of my panicked mental state. I take a step forward to counter her efforts, letting myself fall over her body instead, right knee landing right below her crotch, close enough to feel the warmth of her arousal through my nightgown.

I'm not good at taking the lead, I have never been put in this position before and have never craved for it either. Medusa, on the other hand, is far too used to it. This'll be all for naught if I let her set the pace. She doesn't need to have wild sex with her Master, but to be made love to. It falls on me to make sure things go that way or everything will remain the same in her mind and she'll never move forward!

As Medusa's breasts press against mine, as sparks of pleasure run through my spine and her fingers dig on my rear in another attempt at taking control, I steel my resolve and resist the temptation of just letting go, of surrendering the reins and letting her show me a world of pleasure.

Breaking the kiss so I can speak again, my hands reach for her breast in preparation for my counterattack.

"You are beautiful." I whisper into her ear. "I love your gorgeous eyes and your pretty hair, I love the feeling of your luscious body against me, and the feeling of my fingers s– sinking on your s– sexy tits!"

"I'm not– Unngh!" Her protest is cut by a well-timed pinch on her nipple, but I know she won't give up so easily. She's stubborn like me.

I kiss her earlobe, suckling a bit before releasing it to kiss her cheekbone, then the side of her jaw and down her neck, trailing a path towards her breast. I don't rightly know what I'm doing, simply mixing the memories from yesterday with my own fantasies, but that's everything I have to offer.

Senpai would take the lead in a matter-of-factly way. Haku-chan would drown Medusa in pampering without regard for resistance or hesitation. Medea-san has that dominant and slightly sadistic feeling about her that has me shivering every time she smiles at me just so. Any of them would be more qualified than me to do this tonight, but neither of them can do it for me.

There's only timid pervert Sakura here, full of insecurities and dark thoughts she's too shy to try and make reality. But Medusa needs this, so I'll have to do my best. This is going to be a long night.

"You are adorable." I insist, this time taking straight against her chest. "And I'll repeat it as many times as it takes for it to sink in."

This seemed easier when I was on the receiving end...

As I'm thinking this, Medusa's hand wraps around my body, gripping a shoulder and throwing me against the bed. The action is measured, only violent enough to succeed without causing harm, but it still steals my breath.

Ah… maybe this is how things should be, how they've always been. We'll both be happier and more comfortable once I let Medusa take the lead. She's the one with the experience, after all. She'll make sure we're both satisfied. Maybe… Maybe it was silly of me to try and change things.

"No!"

There's a burst of... something from deep inside and suddenly Medusa has been knocked into the bed and I'm mounting her prone body, my knees pinning down her arms. I don't know what this is, I don't know why it happened. I only know I was about to give up, but I couldn't afford to do that.

"Sakura?"

"You have been a very naughty girl, Medusa." I don't feel like giving up anymore, though. "Trying to dominate your Master like that."

I reach for her face with one of my hands, pale fingers covered in red marks softly caress her blushing cheeks before catching an errant lock of hair and carefully tucking it behind her. I chuckle when I notice her shivering under my touch.

Why did I ever worry about being in charge? This is so fun!

"Now, why don't you behave like a good girl… And let me pamper you like you deserve?"

Hours later, exhausted but happy, I cuddle against the side of my Servant's body and feel the strange energy flee my body. I only notice my hair had changed colours when I watch it go back to normal. Too satisfied and tired to care, I let out a long sigh of satisfaction and close my eyes.

When I decided to visit Medusa's bed I only wanted to explain the new circumstances and let her know I wouldn't run away from her again. Instead… This happened.

"... Medusa?"

"Yes, Master?"

"I love you."

"Master!? But I thought… your senpai..."

"I love Senpai, Haku-chan, Medea-san, and Onee-san. I'm also open to loving more people. But that doesn't mean I can't love you too, Medusa." I continue without opening my eyes. "I'm a greedy and lustful girl who wants to surround herself with love. So now that you're with me, I'll never let go."

"I wouldn't have it any other way, Master."

"Hmm… Good."

It suddenly occurs to me that Medea-san knew things would come to this, somehow.

… I'll have to do something good for her in the morning. For now, I need to catch some sleep. Tomorrow is a school day, after all.