Well, here goes. The startup to what I'm fairly certain is the only fic out there containing Hotaruzuka Otoko x Emiya Shirou. Possible lemons in the future, we'll have to see.
Beam, this one's for you.
-STORY START-
It was another slow day at Copenhagen.
Such a pace was often the standard around this time of year. Autumn certainly didn't lend itself well to the same amount of business Winter or Spring did. Though Hotaruzuka Otoko didn't mind. Sure, the income was lessened, but it was nice to take it easy for a change. Her father disagreed though.
The clinking sound of glass on glass drew her attention to one who certainly didn't know how to do so. Emiya Shirou, part time employee and high school student, was currently stocking the shelves on his day off.
Why did he spend so much time working and helping others at the cost of his own being? It was a question which had plagued Otoko when she'd first met the young man. She'd found the answer rather quickly. It was endearing and worrisome at the same time. Shirou was simply that kind of man. He found happiness in such tasks. Particularly when it came to lending a hand.
As she went about her own duties, Otoko let her mind wander. Nobody was in the business and wiping down the counter wasn't exactly the most engaging of activities. The brunette thought of mindless things to pass the time. The rent to her apartment being due in a few days. The rather sour taste of a particular brand of sake she'd been offered by a potential vendor. The ridiculous antics of her close friend, Taiga.
Thinking of the excessively energetic woman brought a small frown to her features. Taiga was the one who helped watch over her employee at home. And from the tales she told, enjoyed the duty quite thoroughly. Otoko didn't like the idea of her Emi-yan being taken advantage of, even by Taiga. The teacher was a bad influence on the young man.
Otoko sighed, wanting to turn away from such thoughts. Taiga would be Taiga and further corrupt Shirou, much to her own irritation. It wasn't like she could do anything about it. She wasn't the one who watched out for the hard working lad.
A crash snapped the storekeeper out of her thoughts. It came from the corner where Shirou was working. "Emi-yan? What happened?" When no immediate response was forthcoming, Otoko stepped from behind the bar counter to investigate. "Emi-yan?"
"I'm... okay." Shirou's reply finally came about as Otoko came into view. She did not seem happy with what she saw, but appeared concerned regardless.
"You do not look okay. What happened?" There was indeed concern in her voice as she approached Shirou, who was leaning against the shelving while a splattered pool of spilled sake flowed around his feet.
As Otoko stepped into the mess of spilled alcohol, he tried to stand upright as though he were in better shape than he actually was. "No, really, I'm fine. You don't need to worry, Ot-"
He was cut off in mid complaint by the reflexive correction from Otoko, "Neko, Emi-yan. Neko." She wore an amused look as she spoke. It soon melted into one of irritation and concern as she grabbed the taller male by the shoulder with one hand and forced him to look at her.
Otoko was not pleased with what she saw. She knew he worked too hard for his own good, but this was ridiculous. He'd come in to work perfectly fine, save for a few rings under his eyes. It was rare, considering his normally absurdly healthy constitution, but not enough to raise eyebrows.
Right now, she was looking at an Emiya Shirou who was red in the face, breathing slightly heavily, and appeared like he'd collapse at any moment. With a scowl on her face, Otoko forced Shirou's head down and pressed her own forehead against his. Both felt a slight flush on their cheeks at the intimate motion, but Otoko brushed it off out of concern for Shirou.
"You're burning up!" Otoko's declaration came moments after they touched. She growled at the implications. Not only had Shirou come in on his day off, but he'd been sick of all things! She'd let him get away with a lot, but this was the final straw. "That's it. I'm calling a cab and sending you home to get some rest. I don't want to see one bit of you until you are completely healed and rested up! Got it?"
As Otoko began hauling Shirou away from the mess, ignoring the footprints they were leaving behind, the golden eyed young man tried to free himself from the shorter woman's grasp. By now, even he realized he should have gone home before it got this bad. "Neko, please, I can get home on my own. I..." He cuts off as a dizzy spell catches hold of him.
The brunette continued railing on him. "That means taking it easy. I'll be making sure Tai-ga!" So wrapped up was Otoko in her rant, she never noticed Shirou's shift in stance. Next she knew, a barely conscious Shirou had pinned her to the ground.
"S-sorry, I..." Shirou attempted to apologize and stand under his own power, but it was plain to see he couldn't.
For her part, Otoko was doing her best to not blush beneath Shirou's larger frame. "Don't worry about it. Its not your fault." Well, it was, but she wasn't going to hold it against him in this state. It took some doing, but eventually Otoko managed to help Shirou up and off of her. She took in his haggard visage and sighed. "There's no way you can get home like this."
Shirou attempted a small smile. "Maybe Fuji-nee could-" Again, he was cut off. It seemed to be happening a lot lately.
"No way. Taiga's a bad enough influence as it is. I won't have her taking advantage of you in this state." She knew Taiga probably wouldn't, but right now she was more concerned with the redhead's well being than making sense of the teacher's moral fiber.
"She wouldn't do that. ... I think." Emiya Shirou is not completely naive, it seems. Though it may be the fever talking.
Otoko shook her head. "I'm taking you home and I'm going to make sure you get some rest. Do you understand? I'm not taking no for an answer." Her cheeks burned slightly at the declaration before pulling Shirou's arm over her shoulder to steady the ill redhead. Said redhead gave no response beyond a resigned nod.
Twenty minutes later, consisting of two phone calls and a glass of water for the sick lad, Otoko was shoving Shirou into the back seat of a taxi. She gave the driver the address and told him to step on it. As they drove in silence towards the Emiya household, the head of said house nodded off and his head lolled onto the brunette's shoulder.
Hotaruzuka Otoko didn't bother to move him away.
-TO BE CONTINUED-
