[ when saber mentions blade's frog turning, ayaka...laughs. it's not loud or obnoxious, but a small, sudden pearl of laughter that disappears like a trick of the light. what remains from that is a rare smile and a feeling of lightness that feels strange to her.

she shouldn't laugh about it, and she knows it. and yet, she can't help but find it funny how absurd that moment was. ]

I don't know if I could call that quick thinking. It felt more like I was flailing around.

[ but saber calls her strong and she... doesn't know what to say to that. has she really grown that much these past few weeks? ]

Honestly... if it had been just me, I probably would have confessed to it immediately. But you were there so... I guess I wanted to protect you. I know you'll go back to the Throne or wherever once we go back and the war ends, so you're probably ready to die, but it's different to me here.

[ she can't help it. after so much time together, ayaka has realized that she has gotten attached. and while the eventual parting will come one day or another, she will do everything that's in her control to make sure it doesn't come a day sooner. ]