All or Nothing (Riddles in Mind: Ch.6)

All night researching had led to nothing special, and, worse yet, Gilgamesh had decided to tease her with a proposal. If she didn't decide their next date by Wednesday, Gilgamesh would arrange for her, and he will most definitely visit her residence to introduce himself.

No way in hell was she allowing this.

Unfortunately, there weren't many places Saber knew in Fuyuki. Had she been at Camelot, she would have chosen one of the three museums there. While she did not care what Gilgamesh thought of the location, it would at least serve as a nice distraction to the egotistical bastard.

So far, there was the shopping district, the park, a water park, and a movie theater. Frowning, she glared at the map of Fuyuki. Of course, each were locations where people frequently visit, including her family. There was no way she was going to be spotted with Gilgamesh before she came up with a proper explanation.

Leaning back in her chair, she mused over the four locations. The water park was obviously out of the question. It meant stripping down to something similar to undergarments, which would then allow Gilgamesh to see more than she ever would desire him to. Movie theater was out, too, since that was typical of couples and there was no way she was going to sit in a dark room with the egotistical bastard. Which left the park and the shopping district.

The park was open, had a few playgrounds and a bit of woods. The only problem was Gilgamesh would have nothing to distract him, and thus all his attention would be focused on her. And when he can't get distracted, neither will she. Which means she'll have to focus on him, too.

So the park was out now, too. That left the shopping district. There were plenty of shops in the Shinto district. Book shops, cafes, stalls… and maybe a toy shop, too.

No! She stopped her train of thought, shaking her head rapidly. No way was she revealing her one of her weaknesses to that egotistical bastard. No, she must resist.

Taking a pen on her desk, she began to make a list of the different places they could visit. If she developed a plan, she could avoid both worst case scenarios.

She smiled. She was confident everything would work out fine.

xxxxxx

Gilgamesh was bored. Well, it wasn't really surprising, considering him, but really, he hated being bored. The woman known as Arturia had arranged their next date, would be shopping at the Shinto District. Their first date was short, but it was fine, being the first out of many dates. After all, he didn't want to show his entire hand, and he didn't want to get bored of her too quickly.

However, this date proved how quick his interest could fade. Right now, they were inside a bookstore, standing in front of a shelf labelled BUSINESS in kanji.

Next to him was Saber, looking at the shelf with great interest. He knew she was pursuing a business major, but he had no idea she was so into business. 'How boring,' he thought dully. 'This woman has no concept on what entertainment is.'

Just as he mulled on just how boring Saber was, he noticed something with her facial expression. She was straining, her eyes narrowing, her lips moving slowly, as if she…

No way, was she having difficulty reading? He remembered what she had said on their last date, about her being rough with speaking Japanese. As far as he could tell, she spoke the native language of this country perfectly, but perhaps her reading skills weren't quite up to par?

Suddenly, Gilgamesh noticed how her face lit up, as if she remembered something before nodding, smiling to herself.

This smile… Gilgamesh's eyes narrowed subconsciously. It was a genuine smile, one truly befitting someone like her. In fact, if Gilgamesh were to be honest with himself, she was quite breath-taking in appearance… even if she was too modest with her appearance. If only he could see what was under the clothing, to take in the body that God gifted her with. He wondered if her breasts were that size, or if they were actually bigger than her clothes let on.

Still, though, he thought, watching her straight up and pick up a book she had previously been staring at, there were flaws he had to critique. Like, as she walked away, moving to another part of the store, her posture and the way she moved. It was far too masculine for his liking. Her hips didn't possess the same bounce, her shoulders appeared too broad, and, the worst yet, her posture was far too stiff.

A lascivious smile crept on his lips as he continued with this particular train of thought. Perhaps he should take it upon himself to touch her the ways of pleasure, pleasure only he knew how to grant. Of course, the rules dictated they could have intercourse, but that won't prevent him from teasing, entertaining, and corrupting her in every way he could think of. By the time he would be done, she would be begging for him to do the deed.

And do the deed he would. He can just imagine how much entertainment he would take out of her rutting her into a bed, or, hell, even a wall would be kinky enough for them to experience the pleasure together.

Saber glanced over her shoulder before immediately turning back, annoyed when Gilgamesh chuckled. She had caught him with that wolfish grin on his face again. She should really be expected it now. This was Gilgamesh she was with here.

Moving slowly through the bookstore, Saber recited her plan again and again. Gilgamesh would continue to hold her family introductions over her head until he was actually introduced to them.

That was her main concern. Thankfully, the Emiyas were all out enjoying themselves at the water park. When asked if she wanted to go, Saber had excused herself, saying she was going to do some shopping before the school year began for her.

No one questioned her. After all, Irisviel knew Saber could be pretty asocial at times. And with college almost upon them, she never thought that Saber wouldn't prepare herself ahead of time. It was just her nature.

While Saber busied herself on another shelf, Gilgamesh decided to continue watching. He knew she knew he was watching, but that didn't stop him before, now did it?

Feeling his eyes borrowing a hole into the back of her skull, Saber did her best to ignore him. They were only shopping along enough for her to gather the supplies she did need, then she would return home, preferably before the Emiyas got back, just in case Gilgamesh wanted to take her back.

In fact, she had purposely waited until everyone was gone before she called Gilgamesh to come and pick her up, since he had continuously insisted to get her for their next date, as par his duty as her "boyfriend." Thinking about it, it annoyed her that he went out of way to "act" like a gentleman, but with the added bonus of his smug smile.

It was almost like he knew he was going to win. Well, too bad for him, she wasn't like those other women who just threw themselves at him.

Picking another book off the shelf, she tucked them both under her arm before moving to the final section, the manga section.

"You're into this stuff?" Gilgamesh finally spoke, arching an eyebrow. Shaking her head, Saber replied back, "No. This is for Illya. She wouldn't stop begging me to see if the next volume for this series she liked was available."

"Why not tell her no?"

"Why would I? She promised to pay me back, anyways, so since I'm here, I don't see why I shouldn't take a little extra time to pick it up for her." Finally finding the volume she was looking for, she pulled it out, checking to make sure before nodding and adding it to her stack. "Is it really that hard to think for others, Gilgamesh?"

He merely smirked. "There is a difference between helping and enabling others, Arturia. Take care not to confuse the two."

She merely scoffed in response and went over to the register. After paying for the books, she took the bag and exited the shop, Gilgamesh close behind her.

As they walked, the two individuals began to reflect on each other, once again.

Since their first date, Saber had taken a lot of time to research Gilgamesh. No matter what she did, however, she could never come to a solid conclusion on just who he was. He was the owner of a giant oil monopoly; he opened and funded at least sixteen different hospitals across the world, and just funding hundreds of other organizations that researched cures for diseases. He was a player, sleeping with dozens of women a year; he went to two high end universities and was apparently working on four different degrees, not including the three he had already received.

It was like when she got close to reaching one conclusion, another piece of information appeared, causing her to lose focus again. Honestly, it should be simple; he was egotistical and only did things for himself. Even if it was giving to charities or studying. He was a complete narcissist. That would be the end of it.

Yet she didn't feel it was. If it was one thing both of her families taught, it was to never take things at face value. Even if Gilgamesh could be dismissed as a narcissist, there could be more to him she just didn't understand. To her, he was a cleverly written riddle; only the blind would dismiss it as something straightforward.

Her private tutor's voice filled her head as she thought this; 'The key to solving any riddle is to find where the deception lies. Therein lies the answer to everything.' Merlin was always right, and she knew he would be pushing her to solve this seemingly impossible riddle that was Gilgamesh.

In the meantime, Gilgamesh continued to watch Saber. He never bothered with such trivial things as such background checks and the such. That was the job of a subordinate or a detective, not the owner of a grand enterprise. Besides, the information he sought could not be found in documents nor other people's observations. He himself enjoyed watching people, how they moved and spoke, those subconscious movements that they didn't realize they were doing, the emotion that would flash on their faces before being repressed, the interest and tone in their voices as they spoke of what appeared to be meaningless garbage.

Yes, to Gilgamesh, the world of psychology was something even more worthy of his time than both law and marketing combined. What ruled the world was not the rules lead down by great kings or even the economics that dominated daily life. It was the ever-present, underestimated mind. Without the mind, things like laws and revenue would hold no meaning. Humans gave life to both, through whatever desires they possessed.

You could control both the wealth and land of the world, but you could never truly control the people, he believed. And that's what fascinated him the most. Arturia Pendragon was truly a woman unlike any he had encountered. Her selflessness was genuine; she was innocent, pure, and honest. Yet he knew she was holding back, a tall wall of stone and cement damming her true self, her true desires from the rest of the world

He knew her general feelings towards him, but to him they were superficial, changeable. Yet, he knew there was something more, beyond that interior. He longed to break that wall down, break her down, to see what lay behind that wall.

Finally, unable to bear his intense red eyes, Saber whirled around and demanded, "Would you mind telling me what your problem is?!"

Gilgamesh paused, broken from his devious thoughts. "What problem?" he asked sincerely, so wrapped in his thoughts that he had honestly not known what had triggered her outburst.

Groaning, Saber jabbed a finger at his chest. "Why do you keep looking at me, as if I am some kind of zoo animal?"

Laughing, Gilgamesh then continued to walk, beckoning her to follow him. "Arturia, I would never gaze upon you as an animal. Women such as yourself are far more valuable than petty creatures."

"I'm sure," Saber mumbled, rolling her green eyes before catching up to him.

Grinning, Gilgamesh continued, "But if you truly desire to know why I was watching you, I was simply basking in your presence."

"That is a lie, and you know it."

"I'm afraid not. I do not lie, Arturia." Pausing, Gilgamesh pointed out into the crowd. "Look there, Arturia. Every one of these people holds inner desires, dreams, wishes that they surpass for one reason or another. I feel that is truly a shame, for I view all forms of pleasure should be given a chance to explore." As he spoke, he swept his hand slowly across the crowds of people. "These people do not know happiness until they encounter what true pleasure is. I simply take the time to observe their pitiful attempts at achieving joy without knowing the truth. It amuses me that no one has bothered to take into account the very primal nature that drives us to feed, sleep, and drink."

He looked over his shoulder, wanting to catch Saber's expression.

Hers was one of shock and horror, as if Gilgamesh had just suggested they destroy the entire shopping district.

"You…" She momentarily lost her voice, gulping before her eyes, as he predicted, burned with passion and anger. Grinding her teeth, she spat, "You only think of yourself, don't you? You hedonist! You, you narcissistic, egotistical bastard!"

Gilgamesh threw his head back and laughed. "Do expand your dictionary, Arturia. You spilled into speaking English for a moment."

Throwing her hands up, she cried, "I shouldn't have bothered trying to figure you out! You are too simple. You run by one rule, and one rule only; please yourself. And to think I was actually beginning to wonder if you thought only of yourself. I bet you just donate to charity to get atta boys from the public, don't you—"

In that split second during her rant, Gilgamesh's facial expression suddenly changed. Once smug and mocking, his brows suddenly furrowed and the corner of his lips turned downward. Realizing the sudden change, she stopped her rant, waiting on bated breath.

"Where did you hear those things?" he asked, his voice strangely cold and harsh. Shocked by the tone, she subconsciously shuffled her feet back a bit, lowering her gaze away from his intense look for a moment. "T-the internet."

She suddenly felt so stupid. Why did she have to blurt those things out? Could she be any more tactless?

"Where exactly on the internet did you hear these things?"

Her mind rapidly trying to recall the precise locations of each piece of information, she felt even more like a fool. Not just for blurting out information that most likely is incorrect, but the fact that she was so submissive to him right now, all because he seemed very angry.

Straightening, she met his gaze with an intense one of her own. She will not back down. "If you're asking for exact sites, I don't remember. However, I do recall they were mostly from gossip sites. Stuff you don't get to see in magazines. However, I apologize for bringing this up. I should have been more careful with my sources before taking any of them seriously."

Gilgamesh did not react to her apology. Instead, he tsked, turning on his heel and walked away. Saber stubbornly followed him, waiting for his reaction.

They walked like that for what felt like a good hour before he finally stopped. Saber noticed that they had reached a part of the shopping district not so heavily crowded, giving them a bit of privacy.

"That was supposed to be a secret." His voice caught her by surprise, but she didn't flinch, instead choosing to listen to his tone as he explained further. "However, since you know, I might as well explain myself."

Turning around to face, he crossed his arms over his chest. Suddenly Saber felt like she was in the presence of the owner of Babylon Oil, not the smug playboy. She waited as he let out a heavy sigh before continuing;

"I donate to certain organizations privately. I always made sure the donations were anonymous, and that they arrived randomly. I was certain no one would discover it, but apparently someone was paying extra attention."

"Why anonymously?" Saber found herself asking suddenly.

Looking at her, not yet meeting her eyes, he answered, "Because it is a personal thing that I wish not to sure with the public. I do have a private life, Saber, whatever those gossip sites tell you. What I want kept private, I keep private. Although I should be thanking you, because I had no idea that this information was being leaked at all."

Blinking, her posture relaxed. "Honestly. Can't this be easier?"

"Hmm?" Gilgamesh leaned over, looking at her facial expression. "What couldn't be easier?"

"Huh?" Suddenly realizing how close he was, Saber stumbled back quickly. "Don't you know the meaning of personal space?"

Laughing, his mood suddenly lightened. "Well, I could say the same to you. While I am grateful you informed me of this little invasion of privacy, I feel a bit unnerved that you decided to look up information about me without asking me directly." He tilted his head a bit, smirking, "I wonder; are you starting to develop feelings for me?"

"What?!" Saber gaped. "No, of course not! I simply—that is to say, I only wanted to—" It became more and more difficult for her to share the real reason why she went to look him up, what with his smirk growing more and more.

"You are certainly adorable, if I am to be honest."

His voice interrupted her futile attempt at trying to explain herself. And she also realized, even in her flustered state, that his face was suspiciously too close.

Without warning, he pressed his lips, once again, on her lips, smiling. "You should just let go every so often. Your true beauty shines all the more that way."

Before she had the chance to make sense of his words, she heard a voice call out to her, one she did not suspect hearing, yet dreading hearing all the same.

"Saber?"

Turning to the source of the hesitate voice, Saber found herself staring at the worried face of Irisviel, alone, standing there with her purse and a single bag dangling from her arm.

Oh shit.

xxxxxx

At that moment, in Fuyuki airport, a crowd was slowly exiting the plane.

One particular passenger stretched his large, tan muscular arms, grinning widely. "Ahh, fresh air! I also do hate being cramped inside these flying machines." Turning to a small young man behind him, the large man asked, "Hey, boy, you doing alright? You look a little sick."

The young man saved his hand dismissively, lending against the first wall he came across. "Please don't talk, sir. You're only making my headache worse."

The big man laughed, slapping the boy's small, frail shoulder with a large, meaty hand. "Nonsense! I love it when we converse! Now, come! We shall have a banquet fit for a king to celebrate our safe arrival!"

The boy sighed, shaking his head. "Honestly, it's party after party with you…" Yet he still followed the large man through the airport.

Watching the two interact, another passenger adjusted the bag on his shoulder. Smiling, the passenger hummed whimsically, wondering aloud, "I would if everyone here is as lively as those two. Well, only one to know." Then the passenger disappeared into the crowd quietly, in a different direction from the other two.