DISCLAIMER

The following is a fan-based

FICTION

Tokyo Ghoul, Tokyo Ghoul Root A and Tokyo Ghoul:re and other products related to the TG Series are all owned by Sui Ishida, Shin Towada and Shueisha.

F/SN, F/Z, F/KPI and other products related to the Fate Series are all owned by TYPE-MOON, Kinoko Nasu and Takashi Takeuchi.


Chapter 44: Angry Concussion!


Kanou... was infuriating.

Shirou felt a familiar set of emotion washing over him as he drove slowly towards Tokyo, his eyes barely unfocused as he tried to keep up his boiling anger inside.

There was just one person that was able to cause him that much distress and he was glad he was dead!

He felt the sweet whispering from Alaya, begging him to join, demanding him to unite to the fold of the counter-force to deal with those threats-

"Senpai?"

The Emiya blinked as he felt paler than before and he understood how much close he had been close to crack under the pressure.

This was why he shouldn't have played along, this is why he shouldn't be back in action right now!

Was this how he was repaying Illya's sacrifice?

"Nothing, Kichimura-kun. Just trying to recompose myself for a moment."

The Washuu hummed in agreement at the explanation. "Shouldn't we call Marude?"

And tell him what? That Kanou had managed to avoid capture? That he had been few moments from him and that Shirou could have catched him?

He sighed, his heartbeat starting to finally stabilise a little. "Yes.."

The Emiya turned the corner to find some free parking slots and then manouvered the car so to park.

The phone was now in his hand as he composed the number of the Senior Investigator and the replier didn't take too long to pick up.

"Emiya, we found nothing here and-"

"Situation is defused, Marude-san. You can call the police to secure the water supply."

"You mean- You encountered Kanou! Did you capture him?!"

"We got sight on him but he eluded us- I will explain in the report."

Shirou felt his throat aching and his tone went a restrained pitch, something the Investigator catched quickly. "Report can wait tomorrow, brats.. . Go get some pause and return in two hours top to return the vehicle and the Quinques."

"Understood."

The call ended and the Magus found himself sighing tiredly while the junior partner seemed to realise something as he looked outside the window.

"Can we go to that coffee shop, senpai?" Kichimura asked, trying to get the red-head man out of that depressed state. "We are close to the 20th, plus Marude-san gave us 2 hours."

The Emiya contemplated the idea. He could get some lectures and glares if he brought someone like Kichimura, a Washuu and an Investigator, at Anteiku.

But... "Sure."

Certain that the car was secure, Shirou left the vehicle and, followed by a cheerful Kichimura, started to make way for the coffee shop.

The walk was surprisingly quick and uneventful, mostly because there were still people around the streets and because he was focusing on other thoughts during the voyage.

Anteiku's door bell greeted them as they entered the shop and Kaneki was the one Shirou's eyes first fell onto. "Kaneki-kun."

The shy one-eyed Ghoul smiled. "Shirou-san." Then his eye widened as he stared at the youth behind the red-haired man. "G-Good morning."

The Washuu's smile widened yet someone else seemed to be behind them.

"Good morning, 'neki!"

Kichimura Washuu, self-proclaimed professional smile expert, was shocked to the core at the blinding grin on the blond boy that had just entered.

Surprise turned in jealous awe as the junior Investigator saw the sunshine-in-human body walk past him and to hug the shy waiter that had been bestowed with Rize-chan's Kakuhou.

They seemed so much familiar...

Was this nostalgia? Maybe he was getting mellow by being in contact with the friendly Emiya... or maybe he truly missed Rize-chan.

An hand patted his shoulder and he flinched briefly. "This one here is Kichimura-kun. He has been entrusted to me until two hours from now. Can you help him around?"

Cruel, Shirou Emiya was cruel. The Washuu was trying to cope with this unnecessary moment of weakness in silence, yet he was now put in the worst situation.

He could refuse the offer, deflect the attention with a dumb joke-

"Don't worry, Shirou-san. We will help Kichi-kun around!"

Kichi-kun? How peculiar..

That was the first time someone had given him such an affectionate nickname.

Quite nice.

Maybe he will suffer this once. Maybe he should get to know the guy he had messed the life few months earlier.

The trio disappeared towards the storage room and Shirou felt a glare threatening to pierce the back of his head as he sat in one of the stools.

"You know that he will lose part os his check by doing this, right?"

Touka was furious but not for the usual reason. He could remember when the girl would belittle Kaneki or even beat him up but... something about her tone and words felt different.

She wasn't angry at Kaneki because he was Kaneki, he was angry at Shirou for trying to make Kaneki return to be Kaneki.

A weird thought, that was sure, but one that perfectly represented the situation.

"I'm sure he will not mind.."

Her glare softened and she seemed worried. "Is everything alright, Shirou-san?"

The Magus blinked and felt even more tired. "Just dealing with some angry thoughts and getting stressed about it. Nothing bad, I promise."

A white lie, he told himself, a white lie to avoid unrequited questions.

"If you say so.." With that she resumed with her work and the Emiya sighed in relief, turning around only to find.

"You should rest."

If Kanou had not managed to scare him up, the closeup Irimi got on him actually terrified him for that very moment of surprise.

"I-I'm not tired. Just a little bit f-furious."

"Is that so?" Enji noticed what was happening and made a quick prayer gesture. Shirou was a friend, but dealing with women's trouble from friends was something not even the flirty man couldn't deal with.

"Then I'm happy." Her smile broke the previously blank expression and the Emiya felt tad bit pranked by that action.

He nodded and Irimi's smile widened, ready to enjoy that moment of glorious coffee in peace and-

"Shirou-mama!" The pincer attack from Saiko and Hinami was surprising.

It was so much unexpected that their combined strength (The Fueguchi holding back as much as possible) managed to make him fall on the ground. "Agh!"

"Shirou!" Saiko was the first to react while the brunette stood in shock at the scene.

Irimi jumped over the corner and ignored the few clients' stare as she moved the confused man towards the appartments' staircase.

"W-W-why?" His trembling voice was met with a 'shush' as the Black Dober pulled him closer.

"You are bleeding and you possibly suffered a concussion."

Huh?

He did kind of felt wet just above his right eyebrow but he had thought it was just some liquid that was on the ground.

For some reason his mind wandered to Archer, how he would react to that peculiar situation.

He would snort, then shook his head and then say 'you should kill yourself'.

Yeah, he couldn't imagined EMIYA saying that without even breaking in some hysterical laugh.

How interesting- oh?

His head was put on a warm pillow, he was now lying on some bed and he stared above-

Irimi's smile.

His head was softly placed on her lap as she picked a small Health Pack, taking some bandaids and alcohol.

For some reason, her smile felt vicious as she started to tortu-help him with this new wound.

During this excruciating moment, Saiko and Hinami stared at the scene by the doorstep.

"S-Shirou is-" "He is fine! We made a mistake but he is fine, plus it was my plan and you are just the innocent accomplice."

The brunette blinked at the quick reaction from the blue-haired friend.

She was sad that Shirou was hurted by her but she was quite happy that Saiko would be so quick to keep her mood up.

Why was her heart skipping a beat?


AN

Man, I'm tired...

Just finished writing this chapter that I found an incredibly long review in one of my fanfics that I had to reply with an even longer answer. Still, I hope I had answered correctly and that everything is sorted.

Review Q&A!

Al-khalid: Feeling like I'm missing some context here..