Oh wow. This chapter was just... just fantastic. So packed with emotion! And Subaru was just gorgeous wasn't he?! *pinches his cheeks* (I think we’re enough pages in to not use spoiler tags anymore right?)
As for all the KuroxFai, I was taken completely unawares by it. The butt holding alone was enough to sate my inner-fangirl, but then we get that beautiful conflict scene at the end!
To all the nay-sayers, you're right, it may not be a love confession but we can now definitely conclude that it is canon that Kurogane really does care for Fai an awful lot. For him to even consider making a deal with Yuko, who he hates, is proof enough. In Outo, he didn't even want to be indebted to her for the chocolates, no doubt he's well aware that the price for saving a life is going to very high.
I love the way CLAMP had Kurogane deal with his hurt and frustration with anger and violence. It seems to be the only way he can express himself and Fai obviously realises that. Even when he's in a lot of pain, being dragged up off the bed by his shirt, he still finds the energy to give a little smile and say sorry to Kuro-pu before he passes out again!
I agree. I mean, if Kurogane wasn't absolutely desperate to help Fai at this point, there is no way in the nine circles of hell that he would ask Yuuko for a favor. He makes such a huge deal throughout the manga about not wanting to be in her debt and the like, if he didn't care for Fai in some deep way, there is no chance that he would have asked her for a favor.
My cousin was trying to ruin my fangirling moment for a bit and said "Well, wouldn't he have done the same if it had been any of this other traveling companions?" Point is, it wasn't any of the others, it was
Fai. I don't think he'd just randomly ask for a favor from Yuuko for just anyone.
Although the punching a hole in the wall was a bit silly, it managed to convey the feeling well, I guess
I mean, it's not like we haven't seen Kurogane exhibiting superhuman strength before, ie moving that huge bookcase all on his own in Lecourt, opening those HUGE STONE DOORS in Outo, he also opened the huge palace doors that were probably dripping in magic and the like and also smashed a solid stone wall with one punch in Koriyo:
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So I mean, the wall punching is a bit on the corny side, but I don't think it's unexpected of Kurogane (and physically possible since he is made of steel or something).