"... sure... wait... what?!"
"Yeah, you know... be together... as in a couple... let's say, boyfriend and girlfriend... I mean, no disrespect or anything, but you seem to have never had a girlfriend before... and I never had a boyfriend before, at least that I remember, and so... well, wouldn't you like to try?"
"... hold on, let me think about it..."
"Sure, take your time."
"Ok, let's think this through... pros: she looks just like Saber, so aesthetically she's obviously my type... personality wise... well, she can be annoying... but she has improved a lot in this regard... she's more than bearable... and she trusts me and seems to appreciate my company honestly... not to mention that she had the courage and inclination to make such a proposal in the first place... and finally, I guess this can help wash away the bad taste I'm feeling right now... and it makes things less awkward with everyone else... as for cons... mmm... well, there aren't many I can find... maybe she's a bit too... meaty... in some aspects... but I guess that's a problem for later... honestly, there aren't really any negatives, assuming Artoria isn't going to change her mind... and she's not going to. Well, at the very least, I can give this a shot, experience something new... even if it fails... I think she could take it..."
Gilgamesh took a deep breath.
"Ok... let's do this."
"Awesome, I'm very happy with your choice!"
"..."
"..."
"... so, I guess you can call me by my name now. That's another positive..."
"Yeah, or maybe a cute nickname, like-"
"Gil. You can call me Gil."
"Of course, Gil."
"... and I guess I have to, I mean I can call you Nero now."
"That would be lovely."
"Ok sure..."
"..."
"..."
"This is very weird... what the hell am I supposed to do?"
"I'm not really sure what to do now, but I'm sure Gil has an idea..."
"..."
"..."
"What's going on, he looked surprised for a moment and now they're both dead silent."
"Hold on, my mini-recorder has a delay."
"We're 10 metres away..."
"Yeah, but you know-"
"Yeah, yeah, the curse."
"Oh, oh, I hear it... oh my... it seems like they're together now."
"Is she insane?"
"Thank goodness... if he shot his shot at me we would have been one less..."
"What now?"
"They've been silent for a while..."
"So... want to have breakfast, Nero?"
"Of course."
"Hey, you two..."
"Hi everyone!"
"Good... morning..."
Gilgamesh sat down, but as he reached for a glass, Nero took it and poured milk in it, before giving it to him. She then made jam sandwiches and fed them to him.
"What the hell is she doing?"
"Does she think that's attractive?"
As Salter and Jalter looked at them with concern, Saber and Galter brought their hands to their faces.
"Oh my... that's way too risqué!"
"This feels too indecent!"
"Ops, you got some on your cheek, let me wipe that away."
"An indirect touch so close to the mouth? I'm going to faint..."
"Keep it together, you virgin."
"What the hell is going on? Why is she doing this?!"
"I was never in a relationship, but I suppose I can imitate what those girls that my mother always sent to my room were doing..."
After breakfast, each one of them went back to training.
"Good job, you could keep up with us for quite a while, but you would have died right there if we didn't stop."
"Yeah, I know..."
"Your close combat is also improving. Now you don't risk dying every time someone comes a bit too close."
"Hey, Gil, how is it going?"
"O-Oh... Nero... what are you doing here?"
"Just checking up on you, everyone else is done already, so I assumed you were too. Are you sweating? Here, let me help you with that."
Nero said as she took out a handkerchief and started wiping away the sweat from Gilgamesh's face.
"This is really weird..."
"He doesn't seem to mind, so I'll keep doing this, I guess..."
"King of Uruk, are they-"
"Yes, as surprising as it is."
"Oh wow, how cute... It's like when you're sleeping."
"Don't talk to me about that, otherwise I might be tempted."
Meanwhile the others were waiting for the newly formed couple to arrive to have lunch.
"Why are they taking so long?"
"Give them their space..."
"Yeah, she seems like the loud type..."
"Don't be so vulgar! I'm sure they're growing their relationship, and I'm happy for them."
"Ugh, you're such a moron."
"Yeah, such a hopeless romantic, aren't you, idiot?"
"... I don't like it."
"What?"
"I don't like it when you call me idiot or moron or any other insult. It takes the joy out of talking to you two. It's like we can't have a normal conversation without you insulting me. I never insult the two of you, so I merely ask for you to do the same. If you keep this up, I don't want to hang around with you anymore, because I don't want to be with people who treat me and everything I say like trash."
"... who taught you to stand up for yourself?"
"Myself."
"... well, you're doing a surprisingly good job... sorry..."
"Apologies accepted... just... there's no need to call me stupid if you disagree with me. We can have our differences while still remaining civil to each other. Believe me, I care about you, and that's why this behaviour infuriates me, because when you talk to me like that, it makes me think that you don't care about me."
"Don't say that. You know it's not true."
"But-"
"But you're right. We're pretty messed-up people. Sorry if sometimes we come off as a bit aggressive. I'll try to improve."
"I'm already better than her, and I intend to continue doing so."
"You witch!"
"Hey, there they are!"
Even during lunch, Nero kept feeding Gilgamesh, much to the embarrassment and annoyance of others.
"Want to try some pudding? It's delicious."
"S-Sure... what should I do?"
"It's a shame we have to go back to training after this."
"That's fine, you've been training very hard until now, you deserve some rest this afternoon."
"Really? Thanks!"
Gilgamesh looked at CasGil. The King of Uruk talked to him with his eyes.
"Your performance until now has been pathetic. I'm giving you a chance to amend. Don't screw it up."
"Shut up! What the hell am I supposed to do?"
"Not this! See the Lion King? Do you see her feeding me?"
"She's not your... well, you know what..."
"That just makes your display even more pathetic."
"I'll figure something out without your help."
Unsure on what to do, Gilgamesh returned to the couch defeated.
As he tried to come up with something, Nero suddenly sat on his lap and wrapped her arms around his neck, resting her head against him.
"O-Oh... that's way too provocative."
"Enough is enough, cease this vul-"
Saber got a punch in the head by Lartoria.
"Leave the two alone, dear. Come on, I'll show you where I keep my secret stash."
"Secret stash? Of what?"
"You know what I mean..."
Artoria's mouth started watering.
"Don't tell me..."
"Yes, exactly. Want to come?"
"S-Sure!"
"Hey, wait for me."
"Should we come too, Salter?"
"Of course."
"Do we really have to?"
"Come on, don't complain, otherwise you'll get no headpats."
"Why do you always try to piss me off..."
"Great, everyone left... now what... ok... think, Gilgamesh, think! You can figure something out! It's strange... I had many women give me similar treatments... and yet, I never acted this way... well, they were concubines and prostitutes... it was their job, so to speak... and I never considered their feelings... why am I suddenly bringing feelings into this... come on, you idiot, figure something out!"
"This is pretty nice... he doesn't smell bad... I guess relationships aren't that bad after all... he's not doing anything, but I also didn't move, so I guess that's just the male role... well, let's see how this goes..."
And so they stayed locked in this stalemate for the whole afternoon, one waiting for her partner's move, and the other unsure on what to do. However, although it seemed like he was making no progress, Gilgamesh was learning all the intricacies of human relationships at a remarkable pace.
"This may have been the norm for me until now... and it's definitely not bad... however, is this what I really want? Is this fulfilling? Is this the change, the new I have been chasing?"
Gilgamesh sighed. Nero opened her eyes and looked at his face as she sat up.
"Everything ok?"
"Yes, yes... hey, Nero..."
"?"
Gilgamesh raised his hand and started patting her head as she looked at her.
"I appreciate everything you have done for me today... however, you're not my slave, you're my... my... compan- no, my... g-g-girl... g-girl..."
"Girlfriend?"
"Yes, that. You don't need to act like my servant... just be yourself, just be... Nero. Because if we're together... that means that I like when you're Nero."
"O-Oh... gosh, Gil... that's... that's very nice... I... I didn't think about it..."
"... what is she doing now? Is she hiding her face against my neck? Why is she blushing from this?"
"I'm sorry, then. I wasted a whole day-"
"No, no. I'm the one who should have told you sooner. We still have time to do something, if you want."
"So... you don't like this?"
"Well... actually, I don't mind this... do you... do you like... when I do this to your head?"
"Yeah, yeah I do actually."
"Ok, then I guess we can stay like this some more..."
They maintained this weird exchange for a bit, with Nero holding onto Gilgamesh as he patted her head.
"Ok... I managed to make some progress... but I mustn't get stuck again... so I guess it's my turn to give her a sign of affection... what should I do though... I never had a relationship with a woman based on... affection... I don't want to be sudden... I guess... yeah, I think getting close with my face shouldn't be too intense for now..."
Gilgamesh tilted his neck slightly as he lowered his head until his cheek was touching Nero's. After a few seconds, he started feeling a burning sensation against him.
"Is... Is she blushing from just this?! Why? Is this actually a really intimate act? Should I have warned her? I thought it was a small sign of affection... being close to her face like this... what's happening... I feel like my face is on fire... and I can hear my heart in my thoughts... wait... am I blushing too?"
He was, in fact, blushing too. Trying to overcome a sense of stillness and unease that was spreading throughout his body, he gently rubbed his cheek against hers, as he could feel her hand moving on his neck. After a few minutes, they both instinctively pulled away.
"..."
"..."
"Let's go outside... we can see the night sky clearly from the tower."
"Sure."
They went up the stairs, next to one another, as they reached the highest point. The night was still young, but the stars were already in full view. They looked at the for a while, close and embraced.
"I guess I should also manifest verbal appreciation... what could I say... something nice, something that she would like, that I mean... something truthful..."
"Hey, Nero."
"Yes?"
"Remember that time with the fireworks?"
"I do."
"Well... I still remember very clearly... the look you had the moment before... it was really nice... and you said that you would be my friend... it really... it made me happy."
"I'm glad. I remember when I asked you what I would have without my mother and you pretty much said that you would be my friend and my helper... that was the first time in my life I truly felt hope that I could be like everyone else... make friends... be myself... find someone to love... and even now... you're here with me, by my side. I truly appreciate it, Gil. That's why, although I'm usually nice with everyone... I could never say something negative about you."
Gilgamesh felt his heart beat so fast that he thought it had stopped. A strange feeling washed over him, something he still couldn't completely comprehend. He merely felt the desire to pat Nero's head again. And so he did, as she chuckled. He could see that she was going through something similar, but she wasn't afraid to show it, as her cheeks looked like two roses even in the darkness of the night.
They went back inside. He accompanied her to her room.
"This was..."
"Fun, right?"
"Yeah... I was thinking of something... a bit more... pretty..."
"Mmm... let me think... sweet, that was very sweet... thank you, Gil."
"... the pleasure was all mine."
"Well, then... I'll see you tomorrow."
"Certainly. Would you like for me to visit you after you've finished training? You did that for me today..."
"I wouldn't mind... well, goodnight, Gil."
"Goodnight, Nero."
They hugged and then Nero was about to close the door.
"I got it."
"What?"
"The adjective I was looking for. Today... today was pretty umu."
The following day, the forces of Ozymandias, the Great Pharaoh, were completely wiped out and defeated by the Grand Lancer Remus and his army.
Time was drawing near.