Work Text:
Ritsuka was not sure of what was happening. She had been suddenly called at Moriarty’s bar, and his message seemed to have had a certain urgency to it. What was he scheming this time? Ritsuka knew that he always had some shady plan unraveling in the shadows, but up until that moment, she had always managed to limit the potential damage and keep him relatively in check.
Part of her success was due to the fact that Moriarty, despite his proclaims of being an evil man up to no good all the time, had decided to be an ally of Chaldea. On the surface, he had decided to help them only because of his self-proclaimed fatherly love for Frankenstein. The truth was however that he was loyal to Chaldea because he was devoted to Ritsuka herself, and not only due to her being his Master.
She had been taken by surprise when he had confessed his love for her, but not because it was unwanted or unpleasant. She had actually been in love with him for a long while, but had thought her feelings would have never been reciprocated. Until the very same subject of her affection had pleasantly shattered that conviction. She couldn’t have been any happier.
A slight internal conflict remained though, as dating a man so much older than her felt like a crazy endeavour. But after all Ritsuka had gone through, it really felt like a minor oddity. Compared to all the supernatural things she had witnessed, a relationship with a big age gap was a negligible detail. Besides, the criminal was too charming to resist him.
She knocked on the door of Moriarty’s bar while still wondering what he might want from her. The last few days in Chaldea had been relatively peaceful, with no sudden singularities to solve or new updates on the remaining hurdles that the organization still had to overcome to reach Antarctica. She had to avoid the usual stalker trio’s ambushes and sedate a few quarrels between servants, but those were such common occurrences that she was starting to consider them part of her routine.
The door of the bar opened and she stepped inside, not surprised to find the big room almost completely dark, save for the counter’s area illuminated by the lights located over it. Only the bottles on the shelves and the lone person waiting for her were clearly visible. Moriarty was standing behind the bar counter, apparently very busy in making what seemed to be a very elaborate cocktail, humming happily. He raised his head as soon as he heard the door open and close, beaming her that smile that always made her legs go a bit weak.
“Oh, Master! Come, come here! Sit down and let me show you what I have been working on!” His voice was very cheerful, and Ritsuka frowned, suddenly regaining her sharpness despite his charming expression.
A cheerful Moriarty meant a successful, scheming Moriarty. Ritsuka accelerated her pace to join him, sitting on the usual stool and looking at the undoubtedly beautiful drink in front of her. It was inside a tall fancy glass with a short stem, and had a beautiful bright orange color that became more yellow in the lower part of the glass. Next to it there was an equally beautiful small bowl that matched the glass, full of cherries.
“Cherries? How did you get them? I thought they were really hard to find, considering the last singularities we went to were all pretty inhospitable places.” She asked, looking back up to the Professor, who finished the last touch on the glass by putting a few half orange slices on its edge.
He pouted. “Master, you should know that I always find a way to obtain what I need!”
Ritsuka put her elbows on the counter, resting her cheek on her palm with a teasing smile. “Are cherries the key to your next evil plan, then?”
Moriarty’s reaction remained offended. “Master! You wound me again! I am not scheming anything evil this time!”
The emphasis on the evil nature of his plans made Ritsuka sigh. “So you are scheming something.”
His expression shifted to a complicit smirk, while he bent forward. “You know I am always scheming something. It’s like breathing to me.” The girl smiled, chuckling softly, and he continued, dropping his voice to a charming whisper. “But you like it, don’t you?”
Ritsuka blushed, removing her hand from her cheek and bending slightly over the counter to look at him. “Your teasing will not distract me from discovering what you are planning.” Despite her will to sound resolute, her voice wavered a bit.
A smile returned on his lips, and he happily pointed at the drink in front of her. “You only have to ask, my dear Master! I have been experimenting to add a new cocktail to the menu, and this is the final prototype!”
As strange as it sounded, Ritsuka believed him. She had discovered that, while he was an absolute disaster at cooking, he was extremely capable at cocktail preparation. Inventing new combinations for his bar when he had time was a hobby of his, and that was not the first time that he had asked for her help to taste-test his creations.
“Oh, so you want me to try it and give you my opinion?” She asked, relieved that he did not seem to be planning anything really evil.
Moriarty nodded. “Exactly!”
“Why the cherries though?”
“I think they are the best food to accompany it. And I know you love them.” He explained with a wink.
Ritsuka blushed again, feeling her heart skip a beat. Why did he have to be this charming? She grabbed the glass, bringing it closer to her and inspecting it to regain her composure. “The color is stunning. I love the gradient effect.” She brought it closer to her mouth but did not drink it yet. “It vaguely smells like orange, I like it.” She straightened her back again, looking at him again. “The presentation is perfect. I grade this a solid ten.”
The Professor’s smile deepened, clearly happy with the praise.
Ritsuka playfully scolded him. “Now, don’t smile like you already won. I still have to taste it.”
Despite her remark, the servant kept smiling, urging her to go on. Ritsuka complied, bringing the glass to her lips again and taking a small sip, tasting the flavor of the liquid as it flowed in her mouth. She had long reached the age that allowed her to drink alcohol, but she rarely did it, as she always wanted to remain sharp and ready to fight if an emergency arose. However, she could still taste a small sip of it now and then to celebrate or, in that case, to give him her opinion.
The cocktail was pleasantly fresh and sweet, with just a small hint of sourness that nicely balanced the sugariness. She put down the glass on the counter and beamed him a smile. “Well Professor, you truly outdid yourself this time! It’s delicious! Ten out of ten for the taste as well!”
His smile became even prouder, and he laughed, obviously rejoicing at his success. “I knew it! I have been working on this for days, you know? It was hard to find the right balance of sweet and sour! But I succeeded yet again! Now all that is needed is to give it a name.”
Ritsuka nodded. She had helped him find names for other cocktails, and always had a lot of fun doing it. “Do you already have any ideas?”
He suddenly bent down again towards her, lowering his voice to a whisper. “I do. I think I might call it Ritsuka.”
The sudden mention of her name caught her by surprise, and her cheeks became red again as she gasped softly, staring at him in disbelief. Before she could open her mouth to speak again, he resumed talking. He raised his right hand to gently move away a strand of hair from her cheek, keeping it between his fingers and looking at it lovingly.
“It does remind me of you. Sweet, but strong when needed. Warm and cheerful. Intoxicating when drank fully.”
Ritsuka felt her head spin as her cheeks became on fire. There it was, his charming, almost hypnotic side that always managed to turn her into a flustered mess. He let go of her hair, and silently moved away from the counter, walking around it to join her on the other side. Standing next to her, still sitting on the stool, Moriarty looked even taller than usual.
He passed his arms around her back, gently nudging her to stand up, and Ritsuka obeyed, mesmerized by his blue eyes staring directly at her with an unspoken invitation for intimacy. She parted her lips slightly as he bent down and pulled her even closer, feeling his breath on her skin and anticipating the taste of his kiss…
“PROFESSOR! WHERE IS THE BOOZE?”
The door of the bar loudly opened with a bang, and the magic shattered in an instant as Ritsuka yelped and hastily withdrew from his embrace. Moriarty turned his head towards the unexpected and unwelcome disturbers very slowly, not hiding his disdain and rage at them.
Sadly for him, the annoying guests were Ibuki and Jing Ke, a strange pair that looked slightly drunk and certainly uninterested in being respectful or discreet. They enthusiastically greeted Ritsuka, completely disregarding the barman glaring like he wanted to murder them on the spot.
They talked in unison, their words slightly slurring because of their now obviously drunken state.
Ibuki hugged Ritsuka. “Master! Will you be working at the bar as well tonight? PERFECT!”
Jing Ke, on the contrary, looked at Moriarty. “Bartender! Give us the strongest drink you possess!”
Ritsuka pressed her fingers to her temples, trying to regain her composure after gently removing herself from the oni’s embrace. “Why are you already drunk at this hour? And with what alcohol? Ibuki, I thought you had agreed to give up all your secret stashes to Chaldea’s staff after the last incident…”
Moriarty’s very sour and icy voice answered for her. “Shuten Doji. She almost surely had some tucked away.”
Ritsuka frowned, turning her head towards him. “How do you know…?”
Ibuki laughed loudly, clapping her hands. “Of course he knows! He sold it to her!”
Moriarty’s angry expression morphed into an apologetic one as his Master threw him a very annoyed glance. “Really?”
He grimaced. “Well, Master, you see, she is a pretty responsible oni, she never gets so drunk to cause issues…”
Ritsuka groaned, interrupting him. “Apparently her security measures are not that great…and why is Jing Ke with you, Ibuki? What the hell is happening-” Her words were cut off by Chaldea’s loud alarm. The mechanical sound of the prerecorded alert covered whatever answer Jing Ke was trying to slobber, as the red pulsing light of the alarms flashed in the bar.
Attention! To both all active and resting members! A new singularity has just spawned! Report immediately to the main deck!
The last master of humanity groaned loudly again, shaking her head in disbelief. She looked at Moriarty, smiling despite being pissed off at his shenanigans. “Please, keep these two at bay. I need to go.”
“Yes, Master. Call me if you need help.” The Professor answered, looking gloomy and annoyed at the same time.
Ritsuka shared the sentiment, and she turned around to sprint through the still opened door of the bar. As she stepped in the corridor, she could hear Moriarty ask Ibuki how they had missed the “closed” sign on the door, while the two drunken servants loudly requested more booze ignoring his questioning.
She really would have liked to remain alone with Moriarty to kiss him again and again, but sadly, duty called.
The singularity emergency turned out to be a pretty easy affair, solved quickly with the help of a few reliable servants. Before she knew it, Ritsuka was back again at her desk in her room, grimacing in front of the computer screen in an attempt to write the usual report on the incident.
She sighed, used to the fatigue that came after a successful mission and the boring tasks that solving another singularity always brought forth. She stretched her arms slowly, arching her back and groaning, before starting to write her report to Goredolf. She was confident that she could deal with it quickly and then get some well deserved rest soon, but a flicker to the side of her vision made her tense suddenly.
She frowned, slowly turning to her right where her bed was, not feeling any danger coming from that direction. A single blue butterfly crossed her field of sight, and she smiled.
“Trying to distract me from my duty, Professor?”
The servant in question manifested in a flicker of gold sparkles with a pleased grin on his lips. He was sitting on her bed as he always did, legs crossed and hands resting on his knees. “Oh no. I am here for moral support.”
Ritsuka raised one eyebrow. “Only moral support?”
Moriarty waved his right hand in the air, laughing before answering her. “You are more than capable of writing a report yourself, Master. But I can help, if you want. At a price, of course.”
Ritsuka could not avoid noticing the mischievous smirk on his face as he stated his proposal. “Oh? And what would that price be?”
His smirk deepened. “Sit on my lap while you work.”
Ritsuka’s brain short circuited for a moment. “Why does this sound strangely lewd?”
He shrugged. “Well, because it is. Just a little bit.”
Ritsuka managed to avoid blushing, crossing her arms on her chest. “You will end up distracting me and I will get no work done.”
He pouted, acting hurt. “Master, don’t be always so distrustful! I am a good teacher, you know? I can really help you. I am only asking to enjoy your company a bit closer than usual. Is that so much to request? I haven’t seen you in a while, after all. I was getting lonely.”
The last master of humanity was too weak to him to not relent. She sighed loudly, getting up from her seat and pointing at it with her hand. “You win. Sit down, but no funny business. I have to finish that report.”
He got up from her bed smiling victoriously, and slowly approached her, sitting down on her chair before patting his legs with his hands. “Come, Master, sit down on me.”
Ritsuka obeyed, sitting on his lap while still thinking that it felt quite too lewd to be just an innocent request for some close company. However, she did not have time to argue, she needed to work.
Moriarty circled her waist with his arms, but then remained still as she created a new report file and filled in all the necessary information. He kept his word, not interfering with her work if not for whispering into her ear now and then some suggestions on the mission log. That simple action always caused her to tense, a pleasant shiver running down her spine. His lips so close to her ear were not good for her focus, and she was sure he was doing it on purpose, but she managed to remain concentrated on the report enough to complete it.
As soon as she tapped the last correction on the document, Moriarty hummed, lips at a mere millimeter from her neck.
“Good job, Master. Send that report so that you can finally rest.” he whispered.
Ritsuka gulped, suddenly feeling far too hot for her tastes. She moved the mouse arrow on the Send button and pressed it, opening her mouth to say something. Only a yelp went out from her lips as she tensed and almost jolted up while Moriarty’s lips finally brushed the skin of her neck slowly, and his arms squeezed her closer.
“This…is not exactly allowing me to rest, Professor…” Despite her weak protest, she tilted her head to the side to allow him better access to her neck. One of his hands moved up to grab the zipper of her uniform, slowly pulling it down to reveal even more of her skin to him.
“Why, Master, of course it is, you just need to let go of the tension of the day.” His lips placed a soft kiss on her skin, and she exhaled loudly, body relaxing as his other hand moved on her leg, caressing her tight. Moriarty hummed again, pleased. “There, just like this, relax your body, let me take care of you…”
Another kiss on her neck had her almost melt in his arms, and she slowly turned her body towards him as he pushed back the chair to allow her to do so. She adjusted her position so that she could look at him, raising her hands to caress his cheeks. He was smiling smugly, obviously proud of the blush on her skin.
“You truly are an evil man.” She whispered, gently caressing his skin with her thumbs. How much time had passed since they last kissed? She had missed him greatly.
His smirk softened. “And yet you love this evil man.” He moved his hands up on her back.
Ritsuka closed her eyes as he pulled her closer to him, lips almost touching. “Yes I do.” She really wanted him to kiss her all night long, just like they had done many times already, comfortably nestled between the bed sheets in her room…
Right before they could finally kiss, a loud bang on her door made them jump on the spot. Ritsuka yelped again while Moriarty groaned loudly. They managed to separate, getting up both on their feet, just right before the door opened and young Ruler Moriarty waltzed into the room with a proud expression.
“Master! I am here to help you with the report!” His cheerful voice resounded in the room, followed by a loud groan from his older self.
If a stare alone could kill, Archer Moriarty would have definitely ended his own young life on the spot. “I am sure I never was this rude when I was your age. Ever heard of knocking on a door before barging in?”
Ruler Moriarty’s expression became equally hostile. “But I did. Moreover, I acted like this exactly because I knew you were up to something. I know you were trying to keep Master all for yourself. I won’t allow that!” He approached his older self, pointing at him with his index finger. “I will not allow any meddling with Master’s precious time!”
Ritsuka sighed loudly. The situation with Ruler Moriarty was complicated. He surely had perceived that something was happening between her and his older self, but the extent of his understanding was still blurry to her, and she was not sure she wanted him to exactly know everything about it.
Her own feelings were mixed too: he was Moriarty but at the same he was not, and her brain could withstand only a few paradoxes at a time. The situation of their universe was complex enough already.
She shook her head and took a few steps towards the young servant. “Thank you, but I actually have just sent it to the Director.”
The disappointment on Ruler Moriarty’s face almost made her feel bad about it. He was kinda cute, but she would never admit it out loud to both professors. She was sure they would not like it.
Ruler Moriarty quickly regained his composure, clapping his hands. “Done already then? As expected from my Master! Diligent and quick! Good job!”
Archer’s bitter voice stopped her before she could answer to his praise. “You are the only one doubting our Master, boy.”
Before the younger man could retaliate, Ritsuka spoke again. “Now, don’t fight, please. Let us all go to the cafeteria. I am in the mood for a snack, I want to reward myself!”
Ruler Moriarty nodded immediately, putting one hand on her back and pushing her towards the door. “Yes! You deserve it! Come, Master, let’s leave this old man and his back problems behind. You need younger companions!”
Archer’s angry answer resounded in the corridors as Ruler pushed Ritsuka out of her room and he followed them. “You little sly…”
When Ritsuka finally managed to get back to her room, it was almost midnight. What should have been a simple snacking trip to the cafeteria had ended up turning into a full-blown party to celebrate another successful singularity resolution. The unplanned party had made both the Professors equally annoyed, but they had managed to play it cool and hide their obvious disappointment. Archer more than Ruler for sure.
She stopped in front of her room’s door before getting inside, thinking back about that afternoon. Archer Moriarty had barely hid his obvious disdain for the interruption. He clearly had wanted to spend some time alone with her, and so did she. But their relationship was a secret, and she could not risk anyone finding out, not even Ruler Moriarty.
She frowned, not really wanting to end the day on that somehow sour note, and quickly turned around on her feet, leaving her room’s door unopened and the stalker trio hiding inside waiting pointlessly for her arrival. She avoided a few servants still roaming in the corridors and quickly reached Moriarty’s bar door. It was locked, a fancy sign decorated with blue butterflies hanging on it that spelled Closed.
She ignored it and pushed some buttons on the number pad next to the door, opening it. Moriarty had given her the code to unlock it a few months earlier, when they had started to get more intimate. The bar had become a sort of secret hideout for them when it was closed, and Ritsuka knew that the probability of finding him there in the evening was always pretty high, if he wasn’t with her.
The door closed behind her immediately after she got inside, and she looked in front of her at the bar counter, where Moriarty was absentmindedly cleaning a glass as soft jazz music played in the background. He raised his head as soon as he heard the door open and close, a surprised expression on his face.
“Master! I did not think I would see you here tonight.”
Ritsuka slowly walked to the bar counter. “I was a bit worried, honestly. You looked uncharacteristically sour this evening. You usually are much more nonchalant when it comes to interruptions.”
He groaned, putting down the glass he was cleaning. “I was just frustrated. I set the mood so nicely twice today, and people kept interrupting us just when the moment was absolutely perfect…”
Ritsuka walked around the counter to join him, tilting her head to the side. “Perfect moment for what?”
He opened his arms and shook his head. “To kiss you, of course! All that buildup for nothing, and after so much time has passed since we last saw each other! I hate when my plans get hindered by such annoying nuisances-”
His words died in his throat as Ritsuka grabbed his tie, pulling him down towards her and abruptly kissing him. He widened his eyes for a moment, then quickly adapted to the situation, pulling her to himself and deepening the kiss as Ritsuka let go of his tie to circle his neck with her arms.
When they broke the kiss to get some air, he smirked, looking directly in her eyes as he gently put his forehead on hers, still holding her close. “You know, this is our 100th kiss.”
Ritsuka blinked, dumbfounded. “You counted them?”
He tilted his head to the side. “You did not?”
Ritsuka shook her head, unsure if she should have been more amused or perplexed. “It’s not something people usually count, you know…”
Moriarty let out a pensive hum. “It must be just a habit of mine then. In any case, I wanted to make it a bit special. The drink, the help with the report…I tried really hard to set the mood.”
Ritsuka chuckled, caressing his cheek with her right hand. Now she realized why he had been so annoyed. She felt strangely happy that he had been trying so hard to make their 100th kiss special. “I kinda ruined your plans, huh?”
He laughed. “Oh no, surprise kisses are the best kind, especially when they come from you. You are usually so shy and never initiate it, so I take it as a sign you feel more comfortable with me?”
“You have seen me naked in ways not even my parents ever did, I think I already am plenty comfortable with you, Professor.” Despite trying to sound sassy, Ritsuka’s cheeks burned at the memories of all the things they did in her room and on the bar's couches.
His laugh resounded in the empty bar again. Then, he lowered his voice, moving his body to push her on the bar counter. “Does this mean I can be even bolder with you now? You know, our 100th kiss was a very pleasant surprise, but our 101st can be much better.”
His lips hovered over hers, teasing but not touching her yet. Her body felt really hot all of a sudden as she adjusted her position to sit down on the counter while he placed himself between her legs. “Bolder like…how…?”
“You will have to allow me to be creative to find out…” His whisper on her lips made her gasp as a pleasant shiver ran down her back.
“Well, I am feeling adventurous tonight after all-” Her sentence got cut midway as his lips returned on hers, shutting her up as he pulled her even closer.
The music that was playing up to that moment stopped, and only her moans could be heard for a long time in the empty bar, as Moriarty gently moved them on a much more comfortable couch on the back of the bar, smirking victoriously.
The next morning, Raikou’s wails resounded in the cafeteria. “I swear Master is avoiding us! We stayed all night in her room, and she never arrived! She clearly hates us! Oh, mother is so, sooooo sad!”
A very annoyed Emiya, cooking some omelettes behind the cafeteria counter, shook his head. “Maybe if you did not stalk her all day, she would not have to run away from her own room to find some peace!”
Hassan of Serenity, sitting next to Raikou, pouted. “We are not stalking her! We are just…checking on her!”
Kiyohime chuckled eerily as always. “Yes, we need to make sure that Anchin doesn’t run…or lie…”
Emiya put three plates in front of them, clicking his tongue. “Please do not talk like stalkers in the cafeteria and just eat your breakfast…”
Far from the stalker trio, Ritsuka grimaced while Mash joined her with two plates in her hands. The Servant put them on the table then sat down, but did not take a bite of the yummy omurice in front of her, frowning.
“There you go, Master! Is it true that you had to run away from them again?” Mash asked, looking at the stalker trio that kept complaining while eating.
Ritsuka gulped, her hand holding the spoon stopping midway in the air. “Yes, I had to sleep in another room for the night. I thought that it might send them a message…or something like that.” She truly hoped Mash would not ask for more details on her previous night, and most of all, did not notice the obvious bite marks on her neck, barely concealed by the collar of her uniform.
Luckily for her, Mash was not in the mood for inquiries. “We should ask Director Goredolf and da Vinci to talk with them…”
Ritsuka vehemently nodded. “Yes, I think it could be a good idea. I would really like to always sleep in my room instead of having to run away and sleep on couches and such…”
Mash took a bite of her food, then spoke again. “Where did you sleep last night, anyways?”
Ritsuka panicked for a moment, grimacing at the question. What could she tell Mash? She did not want to lie to her, but telling the truth was clearly not an option.
A voice behind them made her gasp, right as she was opening her own mouth to utter something. “My bar, Miss Mash.”
She turned around to see Archer Moriarty calmly holding a tray with his breakfast and a small teapot. He sat down next to them, complaining about his poor back and the lack of help from his younger self, apparently busy talking with Tesla about some calculations.
Mash frowned. “Your bar?”
He nodded nonchalantly. “Yes. Last night I stumbled upon our Master and noticed that she looked mildly distressed, so I inquired about the situation. After her explanation, I gave her the keys to my bar and sent her there. There is a big couch in the back where I rest when my back hurts too much after work, and it is comfortable and big enough to be used as a bed as well.”
Mash frowned, suspicious of the unexpected selfless act from the notorious criminal. “How kind of you…what did you ask in exchange for her help?”
Moriarty pouted. “Miss Mash, you wound me! I simply wanted to help my Master…” Mash said nothing but narrowed her eyes, and he sighed, faking defeat. “...and maybe a bit of materials from her last expedition.”
Ritsuka quickly spoke to defuse the situation. “He is not using them for anything bad! He just needed some bar supplies! Don’t worry Mash.”
Mash shook her head, clearly disapproving of his tactics but reassured by Ritsuka’s words. “Well, at least he helped you. I suppose I can thank you, Professor. However, next time, Master, come to my room. I’ll help you with the stalker trio.”
The last master of humanity exhaled a relieved sigh. “Yes, of course I will. Thank you Mash…”
Mash nodded, content with her answer, and focused on her food. Ritsuka glanced at her side to Moriarty, who was pouring himself some tea with a calm expression. He looked back at her and winked, and she felt her cheeks go red again. She quickly directed her eyes to her own plate, taking a bite of her food while Mash changed the subject to their next planned meeting.
She mentally apologized to her good friend, knowing well that she probably would never go to Mash’s room, if she ever found herself in the same situation as the previous night. Not when there was a very big, soft couch behind Moriarty’s bar and an evil bartender ready to count all the kisses they shared. The next target was 1000, he had said before letting her go that morning.
She could not wait to reach it.