A Moment of Weakness

[ice_is_luv]

Title: A Moment of Weakness
Author:honou_no_izumi
Fandom: Kamen Rider OOO
Characters: Hino Eiji, Ankh, Izumi Hina
Rating: PG-13
Summary: Post 20. It never struck him that Ankh could fall sick, considering he was not the one being thrown from on top of a building into the sea.
Warning: [OOC: On those rare times I actually raised the rating. It's a small scene, but I had Ankh being assaulted. Yes, that raise is warranted. Oh wait, spoilers! (highlight if you're really that curious.)]

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Eiji opened his eyes towards sunshine all over his face. He groaned as he struggled to get himself up.

Ah. It's morning already, he thought as he slapped his cheeks to keep himself awake. Well, at least his legs felt a bit better now...

Eiji flinched as he tried to get up. "... or not!" he cried out.

He turned to see if Ankh was already up but it seemed he was still asleep. Eiji groaned again.

"Ah... Ankh. Who's the one in the worse state here... can't you get up already? It's morning... and you should have woke me-"

Eiji paused as he thought he heard sounds of heavy breathing... coming from Ankh. He frowned.

"Ankh? You okay there?" he asked as Eiji limped towards Ankh's bunker. To his surprise, he found Ankh looking delirious and was gasping for air. He swore as he placed a hand on Ankh's forehead. "This is bad! You're burning up! Ankh wake up!" Eiji started to say. He started to shake Ankh awake but the movement caused Ankh to slip from the bunker and both of them started tumbling to the floor.

Sounds of hurried footsteps came up, and Chiyoko burst into the room in alarm.

"Eiji-kun... Ankh-chan, what's-"

Eiji stared back at her, equally at lost.

"Chiyoko-san! Ankh had a very bad fever! Help?"

The owner of Cous Coussier sped off just as quickly as she came in.

xxx

"Ah, Date-san... sorry about this."

The burly man just shook his head as he started checking for Ankh's pulse.

"Don't mind it, I just happened to be around. Even though I was actually looking for Gotou-chan."

Eiji cocked his head at him. "Gotou-san? He probably be coming later, is something wrong? By the way, Date-san. It looks like you're very good at this stuff-"

Date just brushed it off. "It's nothing special. And there's nothing wrong. I just wanted to check up on him."

Chiyoko entered the room as she placed a glass of water and some pills on the side table. She patted Ankh's head fondly. "Don't fret, Ankh-chan! I'll cook up something special for you after this to get you well faster."

"Stop fussing on me, there's nothing wrong with me! How could a Greeed get a fever!" shouted Ankh as Chiyoko blinked at him. Eiji hastily waved her off as he lead her out of the room.

"Don't worry about it, Ankh's probably was talking nonsense..."

Chiyoko nodded as she walked down towards the kitchen. Eiji shook his head as he walked back to Ankh's side.

"Take care of your words, Ankh. I understand you're not feeling well now-"

"I AM well!" Ankh shouted back. Though with his curently flushed face and weak state, it was not that convincing a statement. Eiji grinned.

"Ah, yes. It would have been easier if we could just take you out of the detective now, wouldn't it? I doubted he was the reason you're having a fever now."

Ankh leered at him and weakly waved his right arm around to no effect. He stared at the human hand, puzzled as he wondered why he could not summon his Greeed arm out. Date sighed.

"Well... I don't know if this would work, but we could as well try see if the meds can help make it better. Eiji, pass me the tablets there!"

Ankh stared at both of them in alarm as he shrieked. "What did you guys wanna do to me!"

Date chuckled.

"Don't worry, it would only taste so bad for a moment..."

xxx

Hina entered the cafe to see it barely lighted and no customers in sight. She blinked in confusion as Chiyoko hurried over to explain. Before she opened her mouth, a loud scream could be heard from the upstairs attic. Hina hurriedly ran upstairs to check on it.

When she entered the room, she could not believe her eyes at what she saw. Date was inside the room with Eiji and Ankh, and Ankh... was coughing very badly and looking like he had just been crying moments earlier. So she did hear Ankh screaming just now...

She hurriedly walked over to Ankh's side as Date made way for her to sit down while Eiji poured another glass of water to give to Ankh. Suddenly Ankh scooted close to her, and that surprised her. Awkwardly, she slowly wiped the tear-struck face with her hankerchief as Ankh clung to her.

"What happened?" she started to ask as Eiji pointed towards Ankh.

"Mister Bird. Bad fever. So we tried to make him take some medicine since he's too weak to even get out of your brother's body."

"Shut up!" Ankh snapped as Eiji turned towards Date.

"Date-san... could you spare some cell medals-"

"Stop it! I don't want!" Said Ankh again as he hastily got up the bed.

"Wait... Ankh-" Hina tried to stop him before turning towards Date. "-could you help?"

Date shrugged. "Well... I'm not supposed to be giving them freely-but we could always get more of them. Problem would be Anko-"

A sudden crash resounded from outside the room as the three of them rushed out, crying out for Ankh...

xxx

Gotou entered Cous Coussier seeing everyone gathering around at the counter and no customers. He frowned at this before noticing the disgruntled look most of the people were wearing... as well as the amount of bandage and bruises Ankh seemed to be spotting.

"What's going on?" he asked as everyone just shrugged at him. And as if he was already there all the time and have not been interrupting them, Eiji suddenly spoke.

"Bear with this, Ankh. I promise I'll get you some ice cream once you're all better."

Ankh did not reply as he made a face at him. Chiyoko laughed before patting his head fondly.

"Poor Ankh-chan. Don't worry about it... you'll get better soon!" she said as Ankh obediently ate his porridge before she turned to both Date and Eiji. "Honestly! Even if Ankh-chan was not good at taking those tablets, you two should have been much more gentle about it."

"Haha! I guess we got carried away..." Gotou stared at Date before turning towards Ankh. Well, now that they mentioned it... Ankh did look paler than normal-do Greeeds get sick as well?

He stopped pondering about it after Ankh's glaring at him got a bit too unbearable. To ease the tension, Chiyoko ushered the rest of them to help out with the cafe. Without their noticing, Ankh silently slipped out of Cous Coussier without telling anyone...

xxx

Ankh swayed slightly as he stopped to take a breather underneath a tree. He sighed as looked up towards the branches.

"Ah! I'm so weak now I can't even muster any strength to get up there..." He looked down towards his own hand. Immediately he recalled back the time he was staring at the same hand, shaking uncontrollably right after he absorbed his three cores. Guess the strain was still hard on this body, considering how Kazari's Yummy's attack already caused enough damage to him. But he honestly did not expect to be so ill like this. Even though, it should be no surprise... considering his combo type... his powers being the fire element.

Pathetic. But just because of that, Eiji that rascal... how could he and Date ganged up on him like that? It was a violation... of... of his own dignity!

Ankh suddenly gasped as he sensed the air suddenly became so stuffy. Usually Mezool had this aura about her... but she was already a goner. But that means...!

"Got you!" Kazari suddenly appeared before him as Ankh swore aloud.

xxx

Eiji shook his head worriedly as he ran out towards the streets to find Ankh. Of all times for him to be running off on his own. Just because... well, guess he should not have teased Ankh so much like that. Perhaps he went a bit too far but Ankh should not have to run away like that! Suddenly he felt so bad about the whole fiasco. He thought perhaps, considering what Ankh did to him the other day... it might not hurt to give him a bit of payback time. But he did not consider how fragile Ankh could be... even with the detective. Perhaps, he was a bit too hard on Ankh. He had not considered the thought that even Ankh might have gotten hurt himself during the incident with the Lion-Kurage Yummy. So maybe that was the real reason he had thrown him out from the top of the building...

Also... on that part where Ankh still could not regenerate himself...

Eiji felt the cell medals in his pockets as he had asked Date about it earlier. Hopefully this would be enough. The hawk candroid he sent out earlier finally returned as it informed him where Ankh was. Eiji immediately sped off with the Ride Vendor along with the candroid.

xxx

"I finally got you cornered!" said Kazari with glee as Ankh spat on him.

"Oh please... you just got lucky!"

"So now hand over my core! No tricks this time, no-!" Kazari pulled up Ankh's right hand to find out it was just his normal human hand. Ankh snickered at him.

"Sorry... I'm not in any condition to give you souveniers-" Ankh said before pushing Kazari away and ran off to escape. But he was not able to escape fast enough before Kazari pulled on his legs and jumped on him.

"I told you, no tricks! Ah! I guess you should be keeping the cores inside that case you had with you the other day. Where is it? Hand it over!"

"Like hell!" Ankh shouted back as he tried to push Kazari from on top of him in vain. Kazari grinned as he kept Ankh pinned to the ground. "-I said I didn't have them, you idiot! Stop it!" Ankh said again as Kazari started to attempt to search his body thoroughly. He resisted the urge to cry vainly as he tried to summon all of his strength to push Kazari off him. The sensation of Kazari's hands running all over his body was so distasteful... was Kazari planning to undress him as well out in the open like this? Kazari's hand even started to reach for his pants...!

"I said LET ME GO!" Ankh shouted again as he managed to push Kazari off with both his arms and right wing. Kazari paused on his spot before jumping away to safety just as Date appeared and shot several times at him with his Birth Buster.

"Ankh!"

Ankh thought he heard Eiji calling him as he felt his wing lose its form and broke off into numerous loose feathers. He cursed loudly as Eiji helped him sit upwards.

"Useless Eiji... why couldn't you come faster! Then Kazari wouldn't have-"

Eiji just ignored him as he watched Date chased Kazari away. He took out the cell medals he had brought earlier.

"Enough talk. You're at fault too, running off like that. Lucky I had the medal case with me when this happened,"

Ankh weakly nodded as he watched Eiji grab his right arm to force the cell medals onto him. It seemed due to Kazari's assault, he managed to summon his arm out again.

"Guess I was an idiot too. But Kazari... so awful..."

Eiji turned towards him as Ankh passed out. He shook his body in alarm. "Oi, Ankh! Ankh!" cried Eiji in alarm as Date returned to calm him down.

He checked on Ankh's pulse again before giving Eiji the reassuring smile.

"It's alright. Guess the meds finally showing their effects. If only they worked faster-"

"I agree," Eiji said as he carried Ankh onto his back. Seeing that flushed face finally secured by his side, it made him glad he could reach him in time. Having a glimpse on what Kazari had done to Ankh while he was at such weakened state, it scared him to think what could have happened if he was a second too late.

Well, at least now they could put Ankh to rest properly...

xxx

Eiji and Hina watched over Ankh worriedly as he kept on twitching in his sleep. But at least his temperature was down. Whether or not it was because of the medications... or the cell medals, it did not matter at the moment. As long as Ankh was getting better...

Ankh suddenly opened his eyes.

He sat up suddenly and turned around in panic before noticing Eiji and Hina beside him. Ankh immediately grabbed onto Eiji tightly. Eiji blinked, as he awkwardly wrapped his arms around Ankh's body. The poor Greeed was shaking uncontrollably, he could not bear to give him a retort on that.

Ankh pulled himself apart before looking away awkwardly. Eiji grinned as he noticed a slight blush on Ankh's cheeks.

"My bad. I thought I had a nightmare. That's silly... how could I have a nightmare? What happened to me all this time... I could barely remember..." Ankh started saying before rubbing the side of his head.

Eiji and Hina exchanged puzzled looks to each other. Could it be that Ankh totally forgot what happened to him the whole day? Eiji later shrugged it off. Well, perhaps it was better that Ankh did not remember anything. Especialy about what happened earlier with Kazari.

Eiji smiled.

"Well... I'm so glad that you're all better now. Can't have you getting sick on me."

Ankh flinched as Eiji ran his hand over his head. He frowned.

"Huh? What did you mean I got sick? I don't-"

Eiji grinned before giving him a brief hug.

"Yeah! Glad you're okay now! I'll be telling Chiyoko-san to cook up something special for you after this. So that you'll get even better!"

Ankh started staring at Eiji suspiciously. "Eiji! What's wrong with you? Why are you so nice to me?"

Hina giggled. "Don't worry about that, Ankh! Come on, I already bought a nice tasty ice cream for you. I'm sure you'll like it."

Ankh turned to stare at Hina as well, equally horrified.

"What? You too? What's got into both of you?"

Now both Hina and Eiji started laughing at him as they draged him out of bed. Hina smiled.

"This time I'll be holding you properly. So that you won't end up falling down the stairs again."

Ankh stared at Hina again in horror.

"Falling? Me?"

Hina giggled again as she gave him a short kiss on the cheek. Ankh flinched as he felt a slight numbing pain on that cheek.

Okay, maybe he did fell off the stairs...