Shirou groaned in audible frustration as he once again failed at properly tying his tie.
He had been in the bathroom for a good solid ten minutes trying in vain to tie this tie around his neck. He was not used to this kind of proper attire that the Clock Tower's fancy gala required of him. It was a completely new experience for him and although he managed with the suit that Rin had acquired for him, the tie remained the one enemy he couldn't defeat.
"Ugh I swear you are impossible Shirou Emiya" he heard in that very noticeable and familiar tone. He turned his head and saw Rin standing in the bathroom's doorway, dressed beautifully in a brand new red dress and her hair loose around her shoulders. Shirou was in awe at how stunning she looked and almost forgot his tense struggle with the tie around his neck for a moment.
"Come here!" Rin demanded as she walked over to Shirou and pulled him in close and began to properly tie up his tie for him, having it done in a manner of seconds.
"What would I do without you?" Shirou asked her slightly sardonically as he smiled at her.
"Probably either dead or in chains at the heel of Elena Manadek" Rin responded with a confident smirk. Shirou conceded that on that front she indeed did have a point there. Her help had been vital on that fateful day three years ago.
Shirou could barely believe it had been three years since then. Three years since he had fallen victim to the schemes and manipulations of Elena Manadek. Even with how far away it seemed to happen, that entire span of days had left scars on Shirou's heart. She had used Saber's memory against him, all to get her hands on that blasted sword.
Rin saw Shirou tense up and reached for his hand, holding it gently.
"I'm sorry I brought it up…"
"It's okay," Shirou assured her "we both still suffer from her machinations and schemes. I know you rather not talk about it either but…have you had nightmares again…"
Rin sighed and averted her eyes from him "did I wake you up again?" she asked solemnly.
Shirou knew that response all too well. It hadn't been the first time. He had discovered this a few months after the Four Kings were defeated and Rin slept over at his place. She'd wake up in the middle of the night and scream in anguish and Shirou had been there to bring her comfort and support every time it happened. And now three years later though they had become less frequent, it still happened occasionally.
"Yeah you did. But it's okay. You know you can talk to me?" he said placing his hands on her shoulders.
"I know it's just….I killed someone Shirou…even if it was someone as revolting as him I still killed someone…"
Shirou embraced her and held her close. He knew how much this still weighted on Rin's conscience. He wished he could relate to her on this matter but even though he had ended two lives, lives of two disturbing people in Kirei Kotomine and Argus Manadek, he had never really laid awake at night thinking of the ramifications of killing these two clearly evil men.
Rin looked at him "I'm sorry I shouldn't do this at this moment….we have somewhere to be…"
Breathing in deeply, Rin steeled her resolve and stood tall. Shirou smiled as she did. This was the reason he fell in love with her. No matter what, nor the circumstances. Rin Tohsaka would never give up.
The taxi they had ordered arrived soon after on their doorstep and began to take them on route towards the address that had been provided on Luvia's invitation. Not soon after they had arrived at a large building surrounded by a beautiful lush rose garden.
It was quite the fancy location that much Shirou had to say. He had learned by now that the Mage's Association, specifically the Clock Tower had many locations across London to call their own and this must have been one of them.
They paid the taxi as they exited and walked arm in arm towards the building. At the gate they showed their invitation to the security in front. The men nodded in agreement and opened the doors to them. Allowing them inside.
To Shirou it was something akin to culture shock seeing an entire ballroom like this. Beautifully decorated and filled with people dressed in neat and fancy clothing and tables filled with a buffet and champagne glasses. Without question the most luxurious event he ever attended.
"Shero! There you are!" an all too familiar voice spoke.
Rin groaned as her archnemesis Luvia Edelfelt came through the crowd, very noticeable in her bright blue stylish dress. She smiled brightly at both of them, completely ignoring Rin's scowl.
"Hey Luvia. Thank you for the invite" Shirou said politely as usual, once more completely oblivious to his girlfriend's scowl towards her nemesis.
"Oh you're welcome Shero!" Luvia said clasping her hands together "why don't you join me for a dance?"
She reached out and all but yanked Shirou towards her, he turned to Rin and asked "are you okay with this Rin?"
Rin through gritted teeth and a scowl said "of course not a problem…."
Luvia smiled mischievously as she pulled Shirou with her towards the middle of the ballroom where many people where slow dancing to the soft music filling the building. Rin watched with an angry scowl and Luvia wrapped her arms around Shirou and he like the oblivious buffoon he was didn't seem to pay any mind to it.
Rin walked around to the nearby table, watching them all the whole from afar. It was not like she was afraid Shirou would betray her. Shirou was maybe oblivious but he was not a philanderer by any stretch of the imagination. It was all on Luvia for being so openly flirtatious with a man she knew was in a committed relationship.
Rin simply sighed and stopped at the table with champagne and grabbed a glass from it. She took in a deep breath before taking a sip from the beverage and letting it flood her system.
Her eyes glanced to her side and she noticed someone standing beside her. She immediately noticed the figure's right hand. It looked almost metallic and not human at all. Possibly a prosthetic hand.
It wasn't until the figure spoke up and said "it's been a long time hasn't it Rin?" that she looked up and stared at them.
Her blood ran cold, she dropped the champagne glass to the ground where it shattered, spilling the beverage over the floor as she stared up into the face of the man she hoped she would never see again.
"You…" Rin said through gritted as she instinctively took a step back.
Gil looked at Rin with that same self-righteous smirk she had come to despise from him. He took a sip from the champagne glass in his hand as he took a step towards her.
"It's good to see you again Rin. Almost didn't recognize you with your hair loose. You keep looking more and more like your father," he cackled softly "how have you been? Hope London has been to your liking?"
"What are you doing here Lawrence…" she said as she felt herself backed into a wall.
A pang of irritation flashed across Gil's face before he tried to return to his composed demeanor "my name is Gil. And I was invited here just like you were."
"Then whoever organized this gala clearly never heard what a deranged psychopath you are."
Gil simply smiled at her and for some reason that unnerved Rin more than his usual belligerent and condescending attitude.
"What's with your weird hand?" Rin asked.
Gil raised his metallic hand as if to show her "you like it. It was a gift from my sponsor" he told her as he stepped even closer to her.
Meanwhile on the dance floor Luvia never wanted this moment to end as Shirou and her slow danced in the middle, his arms around her waist and hers on his shoulder. She was so close to him and her eyes were laser focused on him. But his eyes weren't on hers.
"Shero what is…"
But before she could finish Shirou had untangled from her and was all but running off of the dance floor, pushing through the crowd. And as soon as he had emerged and threw himself between Rin and Gil.
"Get away from her" Shirou all but shouted at Gil.
Gil didn't seem the least bit threatened "ah Shirou Emiya. We have never been properly introduced. My name is…"
"I don't care who you are. Stay away from her" Shirou barked back.
At this moment Luvia had managed to get through the crowd as well and looked at the tense situation going on as Shirou was standing in front of Rin, seemingly blocking this strange man with a metal hand from coming closer.
"Shero what's going on?" Luvia asked concerned.
"I would like to know that as well?" a voice ran through them.
All four of them looked as the figure of Katalina Edelfelt, dressed in a stunning form fitting long black dress, glasses perched on the tip of her nose and a faux fur shawl draped over her shoulders.
"Aunt Katalina!" Luvia called out in surprise. Katalina walked over to her and kissed her cheek before facing the group once more.
"Mr. Gil what is the meaning of this?" she asked in an almost motherly yet stern tone.
Gil put on his best smile and responded "oh nothing boss just trying to make a small talk with an old acquaintance. You see this young lady happens to be the daughter of my old teacher."
"You're lying you had her basically backed into a corner!" Shirou responded. Gil's smile almost faltered into a scowl but before he could respond Katalina placed a hand on his shoulder and looked him into the eyes, shaking her head in disapproval. And Gil seemed to calm down as the woman walked past him and towards Shirou and Rin. Now with Gil at a distance, Rin felt comfortable in moving away from behind Shirou.
"So you are Rin Tohsaka. How wonderful to finally make your acquaintance," she said extending her hand "Katalina Edelfelt. I believe you know my niece Luvia."
Rin breathed in quietly and shook Katalina's hand "pleasure to meet you miss Edelfelt."
Katalina smiled warmly at her "glad we got that introduction over with. Now my associate Mr. Gil wasn't bothering you I hope."
"Your associate? Why are you associating with that psycho?"
"Watch your mouth Tohsaka!" Luvia interjected angrily "don't talk to her like that and…" but Luvia was silenced by a simple hand gesture from her aunt.
"Forgive my niece miss Tohsaka. And psycho you say? I see you and Mr. Gil have some bad blood between you two."
"Considering he tried to kill me…" Rin said scowling. Shirou slowly grabbed her hand and held it tightly, hoping it would calm Rin down as it looked like she was about to break down.
Katalina gasped in shock and looked over at Gil briefly before turning back to Rin.
"Okay well this is news to me. My most greatest apologies that this all happened to you miss Tohsaka. But do not worry, for I can assure you he is on a path of atonement for his past mistakes."
Rin's eyes went wide "what…" she mumbled.
Katalina clasped her hands together before walking over to Gil "you see, about two years ago Mr. Gil here came to me. He had fallen in with the wrong crowd of people who manipulated him and used him for their own nefarious gains. It even cost him a hand for his trouble the poor lad."
As she said this she ran a hand lovingly over the side of Gil's face.
"He felt terrible for the things he had done. So I took it upon myself to help him atone for his actions. Whatever had happened between you two," she looked at Rin "I'm sure he feels tremendously guilty about it all and he wishes for nothing more then to make it up to you."
"She's correct Rin. I want to do right by you and truthfully apologize for my actions. Manadek manipulated me and used my past against me" Gil told her.
Shirou felt his hand tighten as Rin suddenly became red in the face and said a quiet yet forceful.
"That's a bunch of bull…"
Shirou was astonished. Rin Tohsaka cursing was something he had never encountered before.
"Do you think I'm an idiot…do you really expect me to believe that you where manipulated by Manadek when you basically backstabbed him for a chance at power!"
"Rin…" Shirou said worriedly as Rin forced himself lose from his hand and stepped over to Gil, pointing her finger at him.
"You don't feel any remorse! Or did you forget what you told me about what you did to your own mother! There is not a shred of dignity or honor inside your tainted hollow soul! And I don't know what possessed my father to ever take on a despicable cretin as you as an apprentice."
Rin was red and fuming and Shirou was surprised she had not managed to draw a crowd by yelling. She was keeping herself relatively silent despite her clear and understandable frustration.
"Enough of this! I'm out of here!" with that Rin walked past them and began to move through the crowd through the entrance.
"Rin!" Shirou yelled after her as he began to follow, only to be stopped by Luvia holding onto his arm.
"Shero wait! Please give her some time. Just stay here with me for a while" she said.
"I'm sorry Luvia but I'm not letting her go when she needs me" Shirou said as politely yet urgently as he could before he pried himself loose and ran after Rin through the crowd.
Luvia stood there holding air and her face a mixture between anger and disappointment as she clutched her fists and stomped her feet on the ground "what will it take for him to notice me!" she said frustrated.
Katalina walked up to her niece and placed her hands on her shoulders "do not feel bad my beloved niece. If he is unwilling to give you the time of the day he is not worth yours to begin with. Love comes unexpectedly, why chase something you cannot have?"
Luvia simply sighed and removed her aunts hands from her shoulders "I don't know auntie there is just….I…I need some time to myself…" she said as she began to walk off, leaving her aunt and Gil behind.
Katalina let out a sigh before turning to Gil with a stern expression.
"Sorry about all of that boss. Just seeing her here brought up some…nasty memories" Gil said clutching his prosthetic hand.
"Be glad you didn't cause a scene Mr. Gil," Katalina told him with a slight hint of irritation in her voice "Foucault informed me of your successful mission. What about the professor? Was he off help?"
Gil grinned "oh yes boss. He is the perfect person to help us find the two other objects we need for the ritual."
"Good," Katalina said pushing her glasses back on her face "we only have two more weeks before the eclipse. Make sure you find it in time."