Fate/Supernal Blessing [SI, SFW MxM, Crossover with Mage the Awakening (NwoD/CofD)]

[Repentant_Dragos]

Fair Warning: Mage the Awakening is one of the few fandoms which can outpower the Nasuverse, with Time manipulation being a common power amongst Awakening!Mages, who get their powers by directly interacting with the Supernal Realms, which is a nigh-identical concept to The Root/Akasha. Not just that, but there are several hundred Ascended Beings (Archmasters) with the same powers as Goetia from FGO or stronger, all capable of changing reality, resetting history, and undoing each others' changes, which in turn ensures that the threat of Mutually Assured Destruction keeps them from just doing what they want with Reality.

But note that because power-wankery of this level isn't fun, especially when directed against a setting as well-loved as the Nasuverse, I will try and make sure that the latter has its own chance to shine and that my characters with powers from Mage the Awakening do not overestimate their own powers or go crazy with them. After all, the Nasuverse is their home now, despite having powers from Awakening...

Chapter One

Greetings, my name is Daniel Palaiologos, and I am a self-insert/reincarnate from an Earth much like your own and sent to the setting known as the Nasuverse. I was born, or rather, reborn into a Magus Family, the Palaiologoi, which claims descent from the last 'Byzantine' Emperors. This Family has jealously held on to its independence from the Magus' Association, an organization that has had friction with them over the magical secrets of Greece. Oh, and did I mention I remember my past life, which definitely isn't from this universe?

Originally David Garcia Martinez from Lalin's Curse, a Webcomic by Isaky on Webtoons, now used for Daniel Palaiologos with her consent.​

My past life loved Urban Fantasy, but focused more on World of Darkness (great lore, bad mechanics) and Chronicles of Darkness (meh lore, good mechanics) than it did Fate/Stay Night. I did watch Fate/Apocrypha and the DEEN Studio version of Fate/Stay Night, though, as well as the first eleven episodes of Fate/Zero and parts of a Let's Play of the original F/SN Visual Novel until I got bored. No, I do not touch gacha games, including FGO - That's a waste of money. Anyway, although I was reborn into a Magus Family, my father was the seventh son of the family, and thus only had training in basic Magecraft plus was allowed a lot of freedom, enough that he was allowed to marry an ordinary person - A scientist, to boot!

I was raised happily in my parents' Taverna (small restaurant) in Athens, and for a time, I thought I was born to an ordinary life, an ordinary life where I was going to live happily. I had friends, school wasn't so bad, and I got to help cook with parents who loved me. I was also taught basic Magecraft for self-defense, and it was then that I found out that this was not the world I used to live in, but the flipping' Nasuverse.

Spoiler: My Parents' Taverna - Hidden for Size

Then everything changed when the Fire Nation attacked when I turned sixteen and I was walking home from School. I was thinking about how The Root was similar to the Supernal Realms in Mage the Awakening (2nd Edition), in that both were representations of a higher truth about the world, a higher truth which transcended what we know as reality. The difference, of course, was that the Supernal Realms were greater, stronger, and the Magic based on them was not rendered impotent and powerless by large numbers of people understanding it. In fact, Magic was only made a secret because of the fact that the Exarchs, the people who took control of Reality in that universe, created 'The Abyss', which causes an effect called Paradox where Nonmagi witnessing Supernal Magic cause the latter to go awry and 'Abyssal Beings' to suddenly manifest and rampage.

Why is this relevant? Because my sixteen-year-old brain was theorizing about how, if we had the Supernal Realms instead of The Root, Magecraft would not be a limited resource, or even relevant at all, especially as the Abyss won't exist here. That said, wouldn't the Counter Force take umbrage if people start manifesting Supernal Magic en masse, and thus threaten Humanity, even indirectly? For that matter, what would happen to the Root itself - If it was truly inferior to the Supernal Realms, or even a shard of the Supernal Realms which fell into another universe/multiverse/setting...

It isn't, a voice whispered to him as he continued walking back home, although he should have arrived at his parents' Taverna by now. But it is similar enough that you'd benefit from it, Daniel Palaiologos.

What was that?! I thought, looking around to see if one of my family's enemies in the world of Magecraft had found me. But it wasn't - Rather, I found myself walking a golden road, in a plane of bright, burning energies which would have seared my eyes in any other world. And up ahead was a Watchtower (capitalization deliberate) composed of clockwork parts, which in turn were made up of gold, silver, and glass. The Watchtower of the Golden Key, where all I need to do is to engrave my name into it to gain the ability to use Prime, which was Power over Mana, and Forces, which would enable me to control Heat, Light, Kinetic Force, and Electricity, as well as a myriad of other 'natural forces'.

I raced towards it, drew a marker from my backpack, and moved to sign.

Was I foolish? Of course, I was! But overwhelming power and a connection to deeper cosmic truths was a craving I had, a craving that would allow me to achieve what dreams I had. And that dream was to save the world...

 

[Repentant_Dragos]

Chapter Two

Retcon: Daniel at present is now Sixteen and not Fourteen.

After returning home from School (for real this time), I decided to do what various Self-Inserts have done and test out the limits of my power, limits which do exist even for Supernal Magic. I already knew that my powers were not bound by the rules of the Nasuverse, but that only meant that those limits were weakened, not gone entirely. What were those weaknesses, for those who have not versed in Mage the Awakening's lore?

Well, I mentioned Paradox, right? Basically, in Mage the Awakening (as opposed to Ascension), Paradox is what happens when you try and draw Magic from the Supernal Realms across the Abyss, a dimension of 'Anti-Reality' (to put it mildly), and it is aggravated by the presence of ordinary people who do not know/believe that Magic exists (note that in Ascension, Paradox is caused by disbelief in Magic/Magic posing as Superscience and is also somewhat weaker). When one draws through 'Anti-Reality', cosmic horrors which would put the 'Beasts' from Nasuverse to shame wake up and try and breakthrough to the mundane world to feed on souls/warp minds and bodies/create spaces where Elucidian geometry is a guideline and not a rule, if even that.

Not just that, but in Awakening, casting spells which are too strong, even with no mundane witnesses, causes Paradox and beckons the Abyss to break through if one isn't cautious enough. So I should not cast spells that are too strong without the proper rituals and preparations. That said, I have a hunch that the Abyss would be less of a problem in this universe, as I am sure I've mused before, and it's the Counter Force that would BLAM! me to ludicrous gibs if I tried too much, too soon.

You are right, the voice from before says. The Abyss does not exist here, nor does Paradox, but the Counter Force has decreed that if you try and use your powers for mass tyranny, mass murder, or trying to duplicate Ea, you die.

Oh, look, an Alien Space Bat or Random Omnipotent Entity -

Nope, I am something more in tune with the setting than that. I am an Oracle. You know, one of the beings fighting against the Rulers of Reality, the Exarchs?

More exposition: Reality, in Mage the Awakening, is still relativistic, but it is controlled by a group of supernatural tyrants who chose to embody cosmic concepts of tyranny, the Exarchs. The Exarchs are opposed by a group of Supernatural saboteurs, the Oracles, who created Watchtowers that allow Mages to keep Awakening despite the Exarchs' decrees. If I were to believe that this voice is actually an Oracle...

I respond, Proof can come later. Right now, what are my weaknesses, aside from the Counter Force's threats to fill in for the Abyss?

The 'Oracle' responds, You find it hard to use Death-based Supernal Magic and take penalties to even try and learn it. You also cannot access Legacies and Attainments - That means that you don't get magic that would have bypassed Paradox if the Abyss were a problem. Also, if you commit what would be Acts of Hubris to a Mage from the Chronicles of Darkness/New World of Darkness, you get feelings of Megalomania or the urge to use Magic for every little thing and those will hurt.

I feel a chill down my spine and ask, If this were a game, I have the basic amount of Wisdom, right?

Yes, the Oracle replies. Oh, and you also have capital-o Obsessions which if followed, will strengthen your power but make Acts of Hubris and the resulting madness more likely.

"What?!" I exclaim out loud, thankfully it isn't my shift in the kitchen yet plus the customers are keeping my parents busy.

Not so loud! the Oracle says, Anyway, two more things before I have to go: One, use your newfound talent in Prime-based Magic to raise your Magic Circuits to that Kayneth guy's level, aka super-powerful. Two, the reason I brought you here after death is to prevent Sieg from turning himself into a Dragon in two years.

We're in Apocrypha?! I gasped. Then I had a thought. Two years, eh? Does that mean that I get to romance Caules once we both turn eighteen?

If that keeps you loyal to the mission, yes, the Oracle's tone turned stern as if trying to restrain disapproval. Oh, well!

 

[Repentant_Dragos]

Chapter Three

After accepting that mission, I went down to spend some quality time with my parents - No joke, I actually love them and they actually love me. My father, Deuel Palaiologos, is the best Dad ever, and also one of the best cooks I know. Sometimes I think that his real Magecraft is based on making good food, not putting up Bounded Fields. As I walked towards him, he said kindly to me, "Can you wait the tables today? We've been getting quite a few customers in the past few hours..."

Originally Mateo Martinez from Lalin's Curse, a Webcomic by Isaky on Webtoons. Used for Deuel Palaiologos with her consent.
​

"Sure! Let me change to my work clothes!" I said eagerly before smirking, then saying, "I get a raise on my allowance for this, right?"

Dad scowled, then smiled and said, "Sure. Just make sure not to spend it all on videogames or candy or whatever you kids spend it on nowadays..."

Then he winked. Seriously, though, Dad is the best. Open-minded, accepting, yet has a spine underneath it all. He also taught me basic Magecraft, including some of the lore which should have gone to my cousin, Asriel, who is now the most likely heir to the Family. I wonder how he managed to escape being caught by Grandfather, though, considering the fact that the old man was a dyed-in-the-wool Traditional Magi.

Either way, time to take some customers' orders!

------

My mother is Maria, Maria Iagaris Palaiologos. While Dad is the cook who makes people smile with his food, my mother is the one who makes sure our business stays solvent and we have savings for a rainy day. After handing her the current orders, I see her smile as it seems that the customers have an extra craving for our Apple Pie. Patting my head, she asks, "So, how's your day, Daniel?"

Originally Victoria Martinez from Lalin's Curse, a Webcomic by Isaky on Webtoons. Used for Maria Palaiologos with her consent.
​

"I'm doing well!" This wasn't a lie. True, I now have more power than the grand majority of Magi in the Association and I can't keep it hidden forever, but right now, I want to spend as much time with my parents as possible.

Before I turn eighteen and strike out on my own path. Before I reveal to everyone that everything they knew was wrong. And, hopefully, before I bring Caules home once I've successfully seduced him...

"Penny for your thoughts?" she asks kindly, so kindly I can't help but want to hug her. But at the same time, I feel as though sharing my actual line of thinking would hurt her, so I tell a half-truth.

"Just thinking about my future career prospects, I guess," I shrugged as she looked at the orders and reciepts behind the cashier. Then I realized what I had just said, then shouted, "Not that I plan to leave you two behind, at least not permanently - I love the both of you!"

Mom smiled, patted my head, then said, "I'll always support whatever you choose, unless it's something illegal or highly dangerous. What are your plans?"

"I'm thinking of taking up Photography," I blurted out another technical truth, as Photography would be my cover for going to Trifas Castle, where Yggdmillenia was. "Maybe even food photography, although I love a beautiful landscape as much as any other."

She believed me, good. But she'll wind up telling Dad, and the latter will be the slightest bit suspicious. I can overcome that -

"Daniel," Dad interjected as he walked towards the cashier's desk, his face unusually grim. "Your Grandfather wants to talk with me and you later this afternoon. He says it's of utmost importance."

Crap. Is it a coincidence that Grandfather is calling us just as I became more powerful than any Magus? Doubt it...

 

[Repentant_Dragos]

Chapter Four

My Grandfather's mansion was an old Victorian-style building with Byzantine-style mosaics and frescoes inside, mosaics and frescoes portraying the heroes of both Pagan, Christian, and Modern Greece. Lord Byron was prominently portrayed in the largest fresco, fighting alongside the scions of the Palaiologos Family against the Ottomans for the independence of my country.

As I and my father were led into the building by armed guards, the mosaics and frescoes started to show the secret history of the Family, how we were Mages of some power during the Byzantine/Eastern Roman Empire Era and used that to become its final dynasty of Emperors. How we, by luck and Magecraft, survived the yoke of the Ottomans and the scorn of Western Europe in order to rebuild ourselves anew when Greece regained its independence. How we kept only the loosest of ties with the Clock Tower, keeping a hoard of magical treasures and secrets from their hands.

Finally, we reached the doors of my Grandfather's study, oaken doors engraved with his initials: A.P. Anastasios Palaiologos, Head of the Palaiologos Family of Magi. The guards left us as the doors opened by themselves, beckoning me and my father to where Grandfather waited behind his desk. As we entered, I felt the Bounded Field in the room scanning my physical and metaphysical self, as well as my father's, and I just realized: Sensory Magic still works on me as well as it does on Other people. If Grandfather didn't know then -

"So I am right," Grandfather spoke in a grave tone. "Something has changed. But that's not important right now. What I summoned you here to speak about is to tell you that Asriel Palaiologos has renounced the heirship of the Palaiologos Family and joined the Yggdmillenia Clan... As my spy in it."

"What?!" Father shouted as he realized the implications, "But he was the heir of the family - Well, I suppose he still is, but who's taking his place in public?"

Grandfather looked at me, and I was tempted to burn him in Magic beyond the knowledge of any Magus of this world for causing my father to open his eyes wide in terror at what that gaze implied.

"You cannot be serious!" Father's fists were clenched white as he spoke, "How long will Daniel be involved in this farce? And how do I know you won't just throw my son away once Asriel comes back? For that matter, why send him to spy on Yggdmillenia in the first place?"

"I have my reasons," Grandfather said inscrutably. "Your son will move over to my place in three days. The pretext will be that I am making him the heir to the Family Corporation - He can still have that when Asriel returns from his... Soujurn."

I was tempted to refuse, to launch the flames which would instantly consume Grandfather and his mystic defenses. But Father was there and he'd be distressed at me burning his father into a crisp. And Grandfather knew it.

That old man simply said, "Now, I want to talk with your son in private. You can wait outside the doors."

He looked at me again and his eyes glinted with certainty - He did know. And as Father prepared to resist, I patted him on the arm and said, "It'll be okay."

"But Daniel -"

I smiled at my father disarmingly, before saying, "I'll be all right - He needs me, after all. Don't worry about me, Dad."

Nevertheless, as he grudgingly left, slamming the oaken doors behind him, I was sufficiently angry that my fingertips glowed with bright silvery fire, fire which ignite magical defenses as easily as an Origin Bullet, only they can be used again and again and again without fear of wasting a shot.

But my Grandfather just looked at me and said, "It seems I was right - You have gained power beyond any Magus in this world. Power which transcends even True Magic while calling into question the cosmological beliefs of millions of Magi."

Originally Butler from Maoyu Maou Yuusha, now Anastasios Palaiologos
​

His face turned grim as he continued, "You are not the first 'parallel world reincarnate' to be born into the Palaiologos Family. Nor the first one to attain powers from a different reality altogether. I have journals, secret journals, from our ancestors which describe this world as 'fictional', who describe their own native realities in such detail that they cannot just be dismissed as 'deluded'. There is something in our bloodline, and two or three others, which attracts such 'insertions', part of me has hypothesized..."

The fire dancing on my fingertips dies as my fury is replaced by raw curiosity. There were others before me? The Palaiologoi Family based its strength on having multiple self-inserts through the generations? And not just them? I began trembling as I saw that I wasn't that special...

"You are going to need a confidant, Daniel," my Grandfather continued, confident that he has seized control of the conversation. "Or do you plan to hold on to your secrets forever? Like it or not, I can help you... Not that you'd believe me if I said it came free."

I recover and say as combativley as possible, "I don't. So what should I do to help the family, Grandfather?"

"You know what the real reason I sent Asriel to spy on Yggdmillenia is, right?" Grandfather says.

"The Greater Grail," I say, then nod as my insides metaphorically boiled at being used as a pawn despite my power. "You want me to help him steal it?"

"Yes," Grandfather said. "You and Asriel can do whatever you want with it afterwards, including destroy it. The previous generations of my family have warned me that the Grail was more trouble than its worth in multiple 'stories', and I am not one to fail to listen to warnings." He paused and pursed his lips, "Actually, you can do whatever you want with it except strengthen an enemy or potential enemy of our House. But you would not think of such stupidity, right, Daniel?"

I sigh. I nod again. Then I say once more, "I don't trust you, Grandfather, not as far as I could throw you, but you've had me since you said I wasn't the only 'insert' into this setting. Teach me what you know and I'll do what I can to make sure the Grail does not end up in the wrong hands..."

 

[Repentant_Dragos]

Chapter Five

When Father was allowed inside Grandfather's study once more, he was still fuming as he said to him, "I know you're used to getting your way. But be warned, if Daniel gets hurt because of your plans -"

"You would find a way to flay me alive," Anastasios said coldly. "Either way, I still expect to see Daniel in three days."

Father took my wrist and stormed off - I can understand how he didn't take it well, and so I stayed silent lest I wound him further. Once we got back to the car Grandfather had sent to us (Father had his own car, but it was a cheap model), Father closed the door and looked at me, saying, "Daniel, if you're not okay with this -"

I impulsively hugged him, saying, "Don't worry, I will be. Just remember, I love you and Mom, okay? That will never change."

In Mage the Awakening (as opposed to Ascension), Prime wasn't just control over Mana, enchantment, and the occasional counterspell, it was also about metaphysical truth. That meant that should I want to, I can infringe on Mind Magic's domain and make people believe an objectively true statement as long as it is objective truth and I know it.

Why did I just exposit that just now? To emphasize that I did not need to do so - My parents love me enough to trust me when I say things like this.

Father - No, Dad - Pats me on the head, saying, "Be strong, Daniel. I don't know what Grandfather is planning, but stay strong."

I smile warmly at him as the car's chauffeur drives back home. Yet I knew that he's not the only one who would be saddened by my departure...

------

And indeed, Mom was not happy.

"That. Old. Man!" she said in a livid tone as she, dad, and I stood in the now-empty lobby of the family restaurant (we closed early). "Taking our son away from us just because his cousin decided to go off somewhere - Wait, where did Asriel go again?"

Father repeated the fake story meant for Nonmagi, "He went off to Romania to become a painter. Apparently, he wanted to pursue art and not the 'family business'."

"Typical," Mom fumed as she clenched her fists, "Anastasios Palaiologos only cares about himself with no thought of the consequences to us and our family. At least Daniel gets visiting rights to us, right?"

"Yes," Dad reassures her, "Father isn't a complete monster, after all - We get to see Daniel once a week."

"Thank God for small favors," Mom said before she turned to me, "So, sweetie, are you okay with this?"

I look at her, then give a small sigh, before blurting out, "I wish I was. But to be honest, it's not that bad - Grandfather won't hurt or abuse me, after all."

Because I am more powerful than he is. Because I am more powerful than any Magus here and have access to powers which come from something which transcends the so-called Root just as the so-called Root transcends the mundane world.

I must have scowled, because my Mom walks over to hug me, saying, "I wish this didn't have to happen..."

Leaning into my Mom's hug, I lightly pat her on the back, before saying, "I'm a big boy now, Mom - Don't worry about me. Besides, I still have three days to pack, right? Let's make the most of it."

The confidence in my voice has no supernatural or metaphysical force, yet it calms Mom down anyway. It was then that I vowed I'd return to her and Dad, come what may...

 

[Repentant_Dragos]

Chapter Six

Three days pass in the blink of an eye, three days of bittersweet happiness. At the end of the third day, Grandfather's Limousine drives by, ready to take me away. I hug my parents one last time, trying to restrain tears, and then I enter the car, trying to calm myself. After all, it may not look like it, but I chose this as much as I was chosen for this - This was my decision.

Grandfather is sitting beside me. I must not show weakness. I must at least look determined and resolute.

"You are not deceiving anyone," Grandfather says to me. "A child who loves his parents, no matter how ambitious, would still lament being parted from them."

"As if you'd know what having loving parents is like," I blurt out without thinking, realizing how ignorant that statement is too late.

"I did," Grandfather said. "Without them, I would not have become the Magus I was. Magi are permitted to love their own children, after all... Many just fail to do so. Besides, I'm not taking you away from your parents permanently - Your own decisions might do so for me eventually, though."

The gall! I clench my fists and open my mouth, but I hear the truth in his words even though he does not have the power to put metaphysical force behind it.

"How do I learn to be less rash, then?" I ask, the faintest note of pleading entering my voice. "Because I don't want to lose those I love."

"You can start with not viewing me as an inhuman monster just because I am amoral," Grandfather says coldly. "Amorality can sometimes serve moral ends."

To fume, or not to fume? Wait, trick question, so I change the subject.

"The journals you spoke about earlier are in the mansion, right?" The journals were allegedly from previous generations of Self-Inserts, journals that detailed their original realities and the powers they received from other cosmologies. And also the intrigues of ASBs/RoBs/Oracles as they engaged in multiversal shenanigans with their 'pawns'.

You're more than just a pawn, Daniel, the Oracle's voice spoke to me.

I ignored him as Grandfather answered, "Yes, yes they are. Also, I might have to teach you some of the Family Magecraft just to make appearances stick, as well as transfer a portion of the Family Magic Crest to you - Not that the power there compares with the Magic you now have, but you will need it to keep up appearances."

"And what is the Family Magecraft, Grandfather?" I asked, barely able to restrain my curiosity.

"Why, making members of our bloodline irresistible to Phantasmal Beings or their Mixed-blood descendants, and thus able to... Persuade them to give us their gifts," Grandfather said. "This, by the way, may have been what attracted 'parallel world reincarnations' to our ranks, not that I have any complaints about that."

"That actually sounds cool when you put it that way, Grandfather," was my response before I go back to waiting for the car to reach the mansion where I was supposed to spend the next couple of years in.

------

I was allotted my own set of rooms, including a bedroom larger than my parents' entire restaurant. My personal effects were already brought over from home - I will continue thinking of the restaurant as my real home for as long as possible - And I was left to myself for a few hours. What did I do first? Read the books on the nearby bookshelves? Do some inner meditation to advance my budding, but not fully-mastered, powers?

Nope, I decided to test out the shiny new game console (this was 2002 so it was a PlayStation 2) and begin playing some Final Fantasy X. After a few hours of that, one of my Grandfather's servants called me down to dinner. Going down to the lavish dining hall, with one of those long oblong tables that had white silken tablecloths, I expected to find myself dining alone with my Grandfather as we discussed further actions against the Yggdmillenia Clan as well as how to prevent trouble from the Mages' Association.

Needless to say, this expectation was immediately proven wrong, as beside Grandfather sat a young man of about my age, one who instantly set off a 'sixth sense' within me. This guy had powers similar to what I have (and was cute too)!

"Greetings, Daniel," Grandfather said with the faintest smugness in his tone of voice. "Let me introduce you to Leon Kommenos of the Kommenos Family, one of your fellow 'Parallel World Reincarnates'. He has power over Death and Matter, and the very basics of talent over Mind, meaning he can fill in for some of your weaknesses."

Custom Art I paid for. Now Leon.
​

I blink once, twice, before I remember something from my old life. An online friend on Discord. One who shared the same 'preferences' I did and didn't shame me for them. Someone who trusted me enough to have a voice chat with, and even the occasional video call. And now, he is here, much younger, but so am I.

He looks at me, smiles in recognition, then says, "DanDan, I'm happy to see you again."

"Glad we can finally meet offline, Leon," I say warmly before the implications settle in my head.

Oh, crap - He died as well, didn't he? My Online Best Friend died at some point after I did. Before I can express my grief over this, Leon sighed and said, "Yes, I died. It wasn't pretty, too - Pandemics suck. I did get to see your parents before then, though. Your original set of parents, I mean."

"How are they?" I blurt out. My original parents were just like my Mom and Dad in this world - Good Parents. But unlike what I am now, I didn't try as hard as I should have to be a good son.

"They miss you, DanDan," Leon said simply. "But otherwise, they are well." He pursed his lips and said, "I'm glad you still remember them - Let's face it, every other conversation we had in our former lives was you complaining that your parents were pressuring you to get a job and stop being a shut-in."

Grandfather was giving me a mild glare. What, he was expecting my past life to be something other than a stereotypical Otaku? Well, time to establish facts.

"I've learned to appreciate my second life," I say firmly, then gather my powers of Prime to endow my words with metaphysical, Capital-T Truth. "I am no longer the person I was - I've spent sixteen years trying to fix my bad habits. I've learned to appreciate work and play in equal measure, and I will not shame my new family like I did the old."

The supernatural, transcendent force behind my words fades as I begin eating the food set before me, starting with some shrimp appetizers. My Grandfather and Leon stay silent for the next few minutes, and I use that time to relax my stirred-up feelings...

 

[Repentant_Dragos]

Chapter Seven (Incomplete)

"So..." Leon says next, "The Oracle told me you plan to seduce Caules once you both turn eighteen."

I almost do a spit-take, but that'd be a waste of good tea, "They snitched?!"

Leon nods in confirmation and says, "Has that plan changed now that you know I'm here?"

"You were the one who wanted to 'keep things professional' back in our former life," I retort. "Have you changed your mind?"

"Now that I'm competing against Caules - And I presume Sieg once he is created - Of course, duh!" Leon says. "I know you better than they would, and we both know that you're not good at this 'flirting' business. So why don't we just get together?"

I look at Leon and see that he was even handsome than he was in his - our - old life. The decision was made.

"Sure. Does this count as our first date?" Was my response.

Grandfather was rolling his eyes, muttering something along the lines of, "Randy teenagers..."

 

[Repentant_Dragos]

Announcement: After some deliberation, I have decided to end the fic for now.

Edit: Key words being 'for now'.