Wow. Talk about a hard-hitting Christmas present. You just brought back all the feels from Love Sprung From Winter in a mad rush, and it really rolls in like a storm.

The writing is beautifully bittersweet, and Kiritsugu's conflict over his past and his present pulling him in two different directions is spot on. You capture the essence of his struggle so well that it felt like I was reading a dedicated novelization of a portion of his life after the Grail War rather than a fanfiction. It's humbling in a way to see what his wish was, and that he's even making one after such a tragic history with those kinds of things, but at the same time, it makes for such a powerful image. There's a lot of things left unsaid in that moment which give it a deeper meaning than it looks like at first glance.

All the little memories were a great addition as well, drawing parallels with his life back then and what it was now. Showing the lines he was willing to cross, and those he wasn't. All of it given an added heartfelt essence by emphasizing the reactions of those around him.

Speaking of which, Taiga and Shirou made for excellent companions to Kiritsugu's struggle, each carrying their own burden but still trying to reach him despite not knowing the full extent of what he's going through. The way you colored their interactions was perfect, and it made the story all the more impactful for it.

Definitely an awesome read. Happy holidays to you, and thanks for the great writing!