Reviews:
redskin122004: Rin- Aaah! the devil came back and he is out for revenge! Archer- Stop calling me The Devil! Damnit Rin!
Actually Satan strikes back. Remember, the Actually is important XD
Exodus12345: So Sakura still went into the worm pit in this world huh? The purple hair comes from that.
Well, I am basing this timeline/parallel world on Cooking with Emiya so...
ShuKirisaki: Uh oh, is what I would probably say if I was Archer which I'm (un)luckily not, I pray for the safety of the mongre- sad archer in red
He has E-rank luck... He is never safe :D
Kirby the God Slayer: Oh Man, things are about to become more interesting.
Expect drama... Actually, don't. Serious drama ain't coming in this fic!
Franklen165: Rin finna flip out.
Always
kgtab: So no Shirou yet? Guess that would be too chaotic for the first opening
Don't worry. He'll appear hehe...
Reaper200851: Sacrilege! You can never have too much coffee! Personally I'm with Rin though as Okita Alter looks quite a bit more different from Arturia than normal Okita does. A personal theory that I have is that somehow Lancer is also from the Abridged timeline but he somehow travelled to this timeline thus resulting in shenanigans.
Coffee is good, but I'm more of a tea kind of person lol. If we ignore the other characters making references to the Abridged, Lancer is definitely from that timeline XD
Windwood: damm, my heart skipped a beat because of the okita french maid image. for the cafe name I think these two are pretty nice, lol café d'argentSilver's cafe or café des gardiensguardians cafe
We all need an Okita wearing a french maid outfit... Thank you for the suggestions!
uchihafan3551: Damn... now we only need a meeting between Shirou, Muramasa and EMIYA.
Oh my friend... That'll happen in the future :)
Thenewsonicforces: I mean, Okita Alter and Emiya are Counter Guardians and if you do possibly bring other Counter Guardians into the story and start working too, you could change it to Guardian Caffe or something related to that, idk naming is not my strong point.
The other Counter Guardians are guaranteed to appear, but I don't think they'll be working in their cafe. They'll probably just be troublesome costumers lol. Not to worry! For a great name has already been suggested!
SkyChaser17: Bless Cu Aniki indeed, I want to see that glorious sight in person myself as a sad bachelor with zero luck in relationships, and Emiya. prepare yourself for the inevitable dude. I'm a bit conflicted, but it's okay I guess? I'm somewhat right, but Gonna adhere on my promise from last comment though... soggy pancakes not from Syrups... oh dear XP Next chap better be full comedy since drama right off the bat kinda killed the mood despite the fitting moment for one. I'm still debating whether chibi Rengoku running around trying to reign both of Okita and Emiya from making dork mistakes gonna fill our fluff need or not XD
Know that when I say drama comes, it'll probably just be chaotic humor from me! Though, real drama... or romantic tension will probably appear for Majin-san and EMIYA ;)
[Just a reminder that this is an AU of Cooking with EMIYA and Carnival Phantasm. If I were to be specific, AU of Cooking with EMIYA with Carnival Phantasm and other Type-moon elements (and characters) mixed in. Why am I reminding this? You'll see here :') ]
Shit.
Shit.
Shit.
Oh, shit!
This cannot be happening right now.
Out of everyone in Fuyuki, it just had to be people he knew! What the fuck? How were his first customers his former Master and his kouhai!? Was Alaya trying to fuck him over or something!? Was Lancer not enough!?
The pair of sisters stared at Archer with disbelieving gazes, which he unintentionally returned, though his was mixed with reluctance. Okita's eyes flickered between her Senpai and their customers, perplexed at their expressions. Crap, his shock made him forget his partner was here. He really wasn't in the mood, nor was the situation ideal for him to explain his relationship with those two...
Trying to keep things professional, EMIYA cleared his throat... before running to the kitchen.
"Senpai!?"
"Oh, no you don't!"
Rin jumped out of her seat and, with mana-imbued legs, she lunged at the bowman and dropkicked his back, making him faceplant onto the floor.
"Ugh...!"
"I'm not letting you run away, you bastard!" Rin snapped as she pulled Archer up from the floor and shook him violently, comically even. Everything looked like it was spinning as his brain played bumper cars inside his head. "You have a lot of explaining to do!"
"N-Nee-san, I think you should stop shaking Archer like that! He's looking a little pale..." Ever the gentle and caring soul, Sakura advised her sister after noticing the Counter Guardian's complexion.
"Sorry, but this guy kinda deserves it for disappearing on us! Isn't that right, you sadistic devil!?"
Said "devil" could only respond with a nauseous look and nod.
Okita set down the cups of coffee before leaving the table, shooting her Senpai a worried look before receiving a nod from him. She wasn't sure what to think of the situation right now. Based on what she just saw, the Alter deduced that their first customers were actually people Archer knew in the past.
It was also apparent that the girl who manhandled EMIYA to their table was someone close to the silver-haired man in the past.
Okita frowned.
Her lips involuntarily pulled themselves downward when she recalled how roughly that Rin girl dragged her senior for an interrogation. Her steel-grey orbs drifted toward their table as the trio began to talk. Something... unpleasant inside the swordswoman told her to eavesdrop, to listen in to what they were talking about. Her curiosity about what their relationship could be was nudging her toward their direction.
Stop!
Bad Okita, you almost let yourself be swayed by those wicked thoughts!
That isn't right. What was going on with her? She normally wouldn't worry about such things unless her Senpai was in danger. Despite the aggressiveness of the brown-haired girl earlier, she didn't direct any malicious hostility at EMIYA.
But she just can't help this unsettling feeling in her stomach!
"If you're going to ask how I'm alive when I supposedly "died," I really don't know what to tell you except whatever your thinking is probably wrong." She heard EMIYA say with an exasperated sigh.
Rin glared at the silver-haired man, crossing her arms with a huff. "Then, care to tell me why you never bothered showing your face to us when you've actually been alive?"
"I had other priorities."
"What, condemning the souls of the damn?"
"What has Lancer been telling you?!"
Sakura looked between the two in a panic, unable to chime in as the conversation started to turn into a... argument? Banter? It could be taken either way. She looked around frantically before her eyes met the female Counter Guardian's. Okita sweatdropped upon seeing the puppy-eyed look being sent her way by Sakura. Should she lend a hand...? It doesn't seem like they'll be attacking each other, though.
"I believe that's your cue to save your lover, my Lord."
"I don't know. They might be arguing, but it seems—" Okita paused, finally comprehending Rengoku's words as pink dusted her cheeks. She glared at the air. "EMIYA-senpai is not my lover! Why would you even think that!"
"Oh, I see. Pay me no mind, then. If you won't help him because of that, then surely you'll answer the pleas of that maiden over there." Formless he may be right now, Okita could almost see Rengoku tilting his head at the purplette.
"Fine. I'll deal with you later."
"Better fix your face first, my Lord. I know you don't like the sight, but you don't want to go over there while wearing a nasty scowl now, do you?"
"H-Hush you!"
As if to irritate her further, stupid Rengoku's voice left her mind with fading laughter just like last time. She's going to get payback after work, honestly!
Taking a deep breath, the swordswoman's face relaxed as her lips formed a thin line, her signature deadpan expression returning. In an instant, Okita disappeared and went to the kitchen, leaving just as quickly as she went. She came over to the sister's table, prompting the EMIYA and the Tohsaka magus to cease their "bickering."
"My apologies for interrupting your discussion, but your coffee will get cold. Please drink it while you have this."
Rin and Sakura's eyes grew wide as a pleasant and appetizing scent entered their nostrils uninvited. The silver-haired woman set down two bowls of oden in front of the sisters, plated as if a chef specialized in oden prepared it for them. EMIYA was an equal shock before it crumbled into dust, a faint smile blooming across his face.
Okita didn't need to say any more words as the two slowly nodded their heads.
"L-Let's eat. I'm starving."
"T-Thank you for the food!"
The Alter supplied them with a nod before the two picked up their chopsticks. Rin and Sakura carefully eyed the beautiful plating of the oden. They could tell from a glance it wasn't like the standard oden you'd find from a food stall late in at night. Its presentation resembled how the ingredients were placed when Shirou made chikuzen stew for dinner.
Their chopsticks reached for a fishcake and fried tofu, respectively. EMIYA observed the two as the pieces of oden approached their mouths. As their lips parted, they took a bite.
Aquamarine and purple orbs snapped wide open, incredible flavors exploding in their mouths. Their chopsticks moved on their own as they lifted and brought a piece of potato and daikon to their lips. The flavors of the ingredients drenched in the flavorful dashi of the oden mingled together perfectly as they danced in their tongues. They didn't even realize they kept stuffing their faces, completely unaware of EMIYA's surprised visage and Okita's understanding look!
The fast pace caused the blackish-brown-haired girl to slightly choke as she grabbed her cup of coffee. Rin drank a gulpful of her beverage... and she felt like she was on cloud nine.
"W-What the heck is this?" She muttered, staring at the black and brown concoction, astonished.
"What do you mean, Nee-san?" Sakura questioned before her eyes drifted to her coffee.
"Just... drink it, and you'll understand."
Perplexed, the purple-haired girl complied anyway. Sakura took a sip as the flavors immediately hit her senses.
An acidity comparable to lemons and oranges mellowed the salty remains of the oden on her tongue. Savoring the flavor, the subtly of chocolate started to make itself known to her taste buds. It was unlike anything she had tasted before!
"This coffee really goes well with the flavors of the oden. You would normally want to cleanse your palette after eating something as salty as oden. However, this coffee balances out the aftertaste and makes you want to eat more." Sakura remarked as she took another bite of her meal, followed by her coffee, her face brightening.
Rin followed suit as euphoria and satisfaction emerged from their faces.
How could oden and coffee taste so well together, the sisters wondered. It was as if the oden was from a high-class restaurant, yet it still had a tinge of the comfiness of a homecooked meal. The coffee complimented the flavor profile of the main meal, and they could almost sense the care and consideration of the one who brewed the coffee.
The comfiness they felt reminded them of a certain hero-aspiring—
"You sure were eating that oden like that was your first meal in weeks, Rin," Archer spoke with a shit-eating smirk on his tanned face. "Care for seconds? It's on the house."
The Tohsaka magus' cheeks flushed before she scowled in embarrassment. "W-Why you...!"
"Can I have seconds...?" Sakura cut in before Rin could release her embarrassed fury. The bowman's expression softened as he dipped his head for a nod.
"Of course."
"H-Hey! I w-want seconds too!"
"Heh."
Okita couldn't help herself as her lips curled upward into a smirk. If it was cooked by her Senpai, it was guaranteed to be delicious. These two magi now knew the greatness of EMIYA-senpai's cooking!
"If you keep smirking like that, they'll notice and think something is wrong, my Lord."
"Wha— I am not smirking! Not at all..."
"Hmm... Whatever puts you at ease, my Lord."
The Alter groaned inwardly, fighting back an embarrassed blush. "Ugh... Please stop talking to me while I'm working!"
"Very well. Though, you best be prepared to respond to those two."
Before Okita could ask what Rengoku meant, Rin asked her a question.
"W-While Archer's getting our second helping, I'll be blunt and ask: what's your relationship with him? Are you a Heroic Spirit as well?" The jewel magus narrowed her eyes, crossing her arms.
Okita's visage remained neutral, but her brows mimicked the girl's. Why does the woman feel like she's being interrogated like she stole someone's boyfriend?
...
Wait, what kind of comparison was that? Ugh, she watched way too many of those dramas back at home...
'"EMIYA-senpai is my senpai and housemate. He took care of me whenever we had work together." That should be a good enough response, right?'
"Here you go, you two. If either of you wants a refill, let either of us know." EMIYA-senpai abruptly arrived as he set down their bowls before Okita could answer Rin. Steel-greys met her own, feeling a hand wrap around hers. "Let's go, Okita. Let's let them enjoy their lunch."
"Y-Yes, Senpai."
And there they went, away from their table and back to the counter. Rin frowned at the timing of Archer's arrival as she glared at her bowl of oden. Suspicious. Incredibly suspicious...
"Why were you curious about their relationship, Nee-san?" Sakura asked as she ate a piece of her oden. "You were acting a little aggressive too..."
"I-Is it wrong for me to be curious about my former Servant's relationship with someone we have never met!? If she really is a Heroic Spirit, then why haven't we seen her before!?" Rin groaned and snarfed down her second round with a flushed face, making her sister sweatdrop. "That nameless guy... always keeping secrets... Gah!"
"Well, maybe Archer-san's true name is related to a figure with a senpai-kouhai relationship with someone. She kept calling him senpai after all."
"I guess that's possible..."
"...Archer-san said her name was Okita... Ah." Sakura's eyes widen in realization.
Rin stopped eating as the gears in her head began to turn. "Wait, you can't mean..."
The two sisters turned their heads toward the waitress around the counter before they looked back at each other, waving a hand dismissively.
"No, there's no way. She acts completely different."
"And that's not even counting her appearance. She and Archer must be relatives or something."
Haha, yeah, that must be it. The two sisters laughed at the silly thought as they continued eating their meal without a care in the world.
The two enjoyed their meal in bliss as they drank their coffee.
Once in a while, Rin would glance in Archer's direction. Her former servant seemed to be talking to the waitress with a faint frown. The young woman nodded at something, and if the magus' eyes weren't deceiving her, she looked a bit guilty. Typical Archer. She guessed he was reprimanding her?
Surprise overtook her countenance as Archer's eyes softened and patted the woman's head. A wry smile soon followed the gesture. The silver-haired woman flinched from his touch, but it didn't take long for a small smile to form on her face.
What... just... happened? Rin never knew he could make such an expression before... Nor did the magus know that the blank face of the waitress could have such a pretty smile!
Rin sighed as she took another sip of her caffeine, her lips tugging upward.
"What's wrong, Nee-san?"
"Oh, nothing." The Tohsaka magus said as she rested her chin on her palm. "I was just thinking how Archer had changed."
...
"Pheeeew... I'm stuffed! I never thought in my whole life that coffee and oden would go so well together!"
Sakura nodded in agreement with a smile. "You could say that again." She turned to the silver-haired man. "It was delicious, Archer-san! We'll be sure to come again."
"Ahaha..." chuckled Archer as he rubbed the back of his neck.
"You were just thinking that you preferred if we didn't come back, weren't you?!" Rin could practically read his thoughts all over his face.
"Anyways," Archer promptly ignored the screams and protests of his former Master, turning to Sakura and patting Okita's shoulder. "The reason we decided to make oden and coffee our specialty is all because of this one. She discovered how well oden and Guatemalan coffee paired well together."
Okita's usual stoic face flushed red as her eyes drifted to the ground. Sakura giggled as Rin scoffed softly but smiled.
"You have to admit that oden and coffee is a pretty weird combination."
"Pairing curry and coffee is just as weird of a combination, you know."
"Tch..."
Sakura chuckled before giving the pair a polite bow. "We will be going now. You still have other customers that need your attention!"
Archer blinked as he glanced back inside. A small family looked through the menu as he smiled sheepishly before he returned the bow with a nod.
The purple-haired girl held her sister's hand as she dragged her off while they waved at the two.
Just as the two were about to head inside, Rin called out to the bowman with a smile. "Hey, Archer!"
The silver-haired man looked back and quirked an eyebrow. "Hmm?"
"Café de Shirou? Really?"
"Gah..."
"I hope you plan on changing that crappy name!"
"Oh, screw off, Rin!"
The twin-tailed girl merely flashed a smug grin.
"Hmm... It's good, but maybe a little more seasoning is needed?"
Shirou Emiya placed the ladle down with a sigh. What else could he add to spice up the mushroom cream stew? He didn't want to ruin the usual flavor profile, but recently, he was starting to feel like he needed to improve his cooking skills.
BZZZ-BZZZ
"Hmm?"
Feeling his phone vibrating, Shirou fished it out of his pants and picked it up.
"Hello?"
"Good evening, Senpai!"
"Ah, Sakura. Good evening to you too." Shirou greeted, placing the phone between his cheek and shoulder as he added some veggies and stirred the pot. "Will you be having dinner with us tonight? I was surprised you and Tohsaka didn't come over for lunch. I made enough for you two."
"Oh! S-Sorry about that, Senpai. We just decided to eat at a café today. We didn't want to bother you since we've been eating lunch and dinner at your home almost every day..." And by "we," Shirou assumed she meant it was only her. Well, he was already used to her meekness by now. He gets it.
The auburn-haired magus chuckled softly. "I really don't mind, Sakura. You two can come over if you want to have lunch here. Saber's also wondered why you two didn't come."
"A-All right, Senpai. If it's really okay with you."
"It is," He nodded as he tasted the stew once more. "By the way, where did you guys eat? Did you go to Lancer's café?"
"Actually, we went to a new one! And you won't believe who the owner and chef is!"
"Oh?"
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
"We'll see you later, Senpai!"
"Y-Yeah. Later..."
Shirou ended the call as he shoved his phone back into his pocket. The auburn-haired teen pressed his hands against the counter. His expression could only be described as defeated. So... the guy who hates his guts is somehow alive and running a café with someone who looks like him and Saber.
Uh...
How the hell is he supposed to process that?
"So Archer served them lunch, huh..." Shirou muttered with a sigh. The auburn-haired teen then patted his cheeks and pumped a fist. "Saber!"
Footsteps hurried toward the kitchen as a mane of short blonde hair with a black bow came to view. Lively orbs of gold met the boy's amber hues, accompanied by a cheery smile attached to a pretty face. Her sakura-colored kimono fluttered upon her arrival as she tilted her head.
"You called, Master?"
"Get ready, Saber. I have some recipes I want to try tonight." Shirou informed his Servant as he took out the necessary ingredients. "Can you taste them for me once I'm done?"
Saber perked up, her expression becoming starry with excitement.
"Of course! Master's cooking is my favorite!"
"All right! Get ready because I'll be making a lot!"
Sorry, Sakura and Rin. It looks like Shirou will handle preparing dinner tonight.
Quite the surprise- hold those freaking pitchforks! I did say it'll be an AU of Cooking with EMIYA! Artoria will appear at some point, of course. To expand more of the chaoticness of Domestic Life while progressing Majin-san and EMIYA's relationship.
Next up will still be a cafe chapter. You all can probably guess who's going to appear, but it will then be followed by another chapter with a special guest that hasn't appeared yet! And oh yeah, I also already picked a new name for the cafe! You'll all find out the chapter after the next one XD
Anyways, thanks for reading and see you in the next one!