Male Reader x Shirou Ogami

Chapter 5 - Hidden Truth

I couldn't find the artists page, but the tag looks like Zarein, and the pic was posted on Zerochan.

slight gore and blood in this chapter, panic attack, traummaaa, pretty dark

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It started to get dark when you were finally out of breath, looking around to take in where you finally stopped. It was a slum it looked like, Shirou finally catching up and scolding you for running off. "Sorry.. She could've told someone.. She could've helped me!" You yell in a disbelieving tone, so utterly shocked that someone could seem that cruel. Shirou looks at you with a sad look, knowing exactly how the people were here.. Just like any other person trying to survive in the harsh city. 

It wasn't easy coming here with nothing, everything seeming like a competition of nature, turning into an entirely different world based on pure strength and cunning. It scared you horribly, even if you always tried to put on a brave face. "I understand that.. But Itami is... No one can really touch her with the kind of information she has. She could out me if I tried to actually arrest her." Shirou said, and that made you realize how truly powerful knowledge was here. 

It could reset the power balance in your favor, just with knowing one thing.. It was upsetting, letting Shirou lead you back to the co-op building, just spacing out and thinking. You didn't realize the person tailing the both of you, entirely trapped in your thoughts as Shirou lead you through different alleys and streets. He eventually lost the snoop, and you come back to reality when it feels warm. Melissa is in the kitchen with Gem, laughing about some incident that happened with a beastman.. You suddenly felt a little colder when Shirou's arm slips away from your bicep, looking up at the man in slight confusion.

"What?" He asked, looking at you with a very slight amused smirk, which made you turn a bit pink in embarrassment. "Nothing dumbass." You mutter, and he just snorts. "Whatever. I'll be in my room." Shirou said, heading off in that direction, leaving you in the entryway. You shove off your worn sneakers, heading into the kitchen to see what all the laughing was about. Gem and Melissa were just messing about with the flour and food ingredients, the moment seeming so warm and inviting.. "Oh! (y/n), there you are sweetheart, why don't you come try this? Gem is being silly and saying it looks bad." She said, looking at the chip dip, seeing how he could've said that, but your eyes go wide when you try it.

It was good. Very good actually, Melissa just teasing Gem when you take seconds. "See? It's fine you old rooster." She said, patting your back and inviting you to help cook with them. You weren't really invited as a child.. You decide to take the opportunity to get closer to them, helping out with chopping up veggies or frying stuff. The conversations went by so quick, yet it flowed and never left you out. 

It was beginning to feel like home, one that wasn't away from anima-city, a sort of second home that was more home than your actual home. If that made sense. You confuse yourself a lot. You were smiling so brightly by the time everyone joined to eat, the feeling from board game night coming back, leaving your tail to wave a little happier, making you more sociable than before. You didn't realize Shirou staring at you from your side, Michiru noticing right away however. 

"Shirou are you in l-" She started absolutely loudly, only getting quickly silenced by the slightly flushed pink man, dragged out of the room like she was a hostage or something. You laugh, but think nothing of it, going back to eating like that was the most normal thing all week. A nice hot shower awaited your presence after eating, finally able to pick out your own clothes despite some of the money coming from the co-op place, and some from chores. The futon was the same, though you melted onto it after laying down, just taking a little rest. 

Ah, that would be the case if birdbrain didn't barge into your room, squawking about Mayor Rose needing everyone in her office immediately. You could barely get any rest around here, jeeze.. Is this was Shirou feels like? 

You throw on some clothes, yelling at Pingua to shut up since he kept yelling to hurry up, Shirou bonking him on the head. "Enough. Let him get dressed. Why is it so urgent?" He asked, Pingua needing a second to breathe before word vomit came out of his mouth. You could barely understand a lot of it, but you did hear the words "lab" and "agents," so what's new there. 

There's a big weight that falls onto your body, looking and feeling a heavy coat that smelt like Shirou, looking at him as he passed by. "It's cold. Cmon, let's go." He said, and you put the coat on properly, starting to purr a small bit at the warmth and smell. You didn't even know you could purr. It's probably from feeling so cared for. 

It was a bit of a long walk to the Mayors building, damn near everyone groaning when the elevator stopped and didn't open. "What'd you do (y/n)?? You broke the elevator." Michiru teased, trying to spam push the buttons. "I didn't do anything you racoon. Stop spamming you're actually going to break-" You started, Michiru and you scream when the elevator suddenly descended quicker than normal. "Lay down!" Shirou yelled, grabbing the both of you and laying down, Michiru filling the entire elevator with her tail. 

You hear a crash of the elevator finally stopping, having crashed at the bottom in the basement, Michiru's tail slowly going back to it's regular size. You look around, seeing the door cracked open and broken, all of you slowly getting up. You're the first to peek through the elevator door, everything red from the emergency lights, barely lighting anything up.. 

Theres a sick crunching that's coming from the darkness, making Michiru shut up if she was even talking. Your ears were ringing and everything started to feel like a horror movie. Shirou moved you aside to look, his eyes going a bit wide when he saw what was on the floor, seeming a little sick at all of the blood splattered on the walls of the basement area. 

You could see it perfectly.. Your eyes let you see everything, having a cats eyes after all.. You knew whatever the fuck was eating that person on the floor, having been one of the test subject you were forced to live with in the lab. One of the supposed "failures.." No one said anything in the elevator, Michiru looking at Shirou and you in fear and confusion, wondering what you both saw. 

How did that thing not hear the whole elevator crash? And what was going on throughout the rest of the building? The opening in the elevator door is too small for anything like a person to fit through, but you're not sure it's entirely safe in the elevator. "(y.. /n)?" That thing asked in a curious and unearthly tone, your blood freezing. "Are.. You there?" It asks again, tears welling up in your eyes. You hear sniffing, realizing it could smell you. Shirou realized this too, quietly going to you and pulling you close, holding his hand out for Michiru as well, covering you both in his second coat. 

It feels safe here in his arms, Shirou only watching the entrance of the elevator. A sob leaves you as a piercing shriek rings out, the sound of guns firing covering the sound of Michiru screaming in fear. Soon enough, the lights turn back on, Mayor Rose calling out for anyone. "We're in here!" Michiru called, the Mayor looking into the elevator. "Thank gods you're safe. Please wait in here while we get everything cleaned up. I don't want anyone seeing any more than they need to. Shirou, keep them here until I come back personally." She said, Shirou nodding, letting you slide to the floor in tears. 

It feels like a panic attack was starting to take over, everything getting overwhelming, your breath becoming quick despite the pressure in your chest. Shirou kneels down with Michiru, the both of them slowly working to calm you down while the Mayor gets everything situated outside the elevator, eventually taking a well needing pass the fuck out when it gets too overwhelming.