My heart, my soul, my body…I'll give you my everything.
So please… devour me whole.
Heart Exchange
Full summary:
With Ciel and Sebastian gone and Claude's true intentions shining through; Alois is desperate to find a way to break the contract. When he hears rumors about inhuman creatures who feast on human flesh, he heads to Tokyo to not only find one, but to convince them to turn him into one himself! After all, the contract would be null and void if Alois wasn't human anymore right?
The ending result is something he could have never imagined.
Alternatively; Alois heads to Tokyo expecting to find a bloodthirsty monster. Instead he meets Kaneki Ken; a sweet, shy, boy who's somehow taken it upon himself to fix Alois's broken self. But Kaneki has cracks of his own. Can they save each other, or will enemies (or even themselves) tear them apart?
Pairing: Kaneki Ken x Alois Trancy
Important notes about this universe:
1- Kaneki has a second job at a maid café. Okay, I know that sounds mostly self-indulgent but to be fair I first met my wonderful rp partner on shamchat and that just so happened to be who they were rping as…neither of us expected our fun little rp to turn into the amazing thing that it did, and by that time we both loved the idea of him working as a maid so I'm not changing it! However if you've read any of my other works you'll know that I will never not have a reason for something that doesn't relate to the plot, so trust me, everything will all tie in.
2- In this universe, rather than transplanting a Kakuhou, It is possible to become a half-ghoul by transplanting any major organ. (ex: heart, liver, lungs, etc.)
3- A contract with a demon is a little more binding. In this AU, when you form a contract, the only ones who can "break it" are the contract holders themselves. For example, if we're talking Alois and Claude, those two are the only people who have the power to break the contract, and the only way to break it, is for one to kill the other. Evidently, the contract also ties their lives together so if anyone who is not them manages to kill either of them the other will die.
In simpler terms, Alois and Claude have a life-binding contract. The only way out of said contract completely would be for Alois to kill Claude (unless he can find some other loop hole). If someone else were to kill Claude before Alois did, then both Alois and Claude would die since they are tied together. Makes sense?
The same thing goes with Claude easily being able to kill Alois (and then taking his soul) but if Alois were to be killed by someone else, then Claude would die too (hence why he still needs to protect him.)
Final note: Since this is based off an rp, there is a lot of dialogue in this story. For the sake of making it easier to follow along who is saying what, Alois's speech (only when spoken aloud, so NOT counting his inner thoughts) will always be in bold. (*EDIT: The stupid bold doesn't even show, and really barely any of the formatting shows at all! ARGHH I'm so sick of this is exactly why I post stuff to Ao3 now instead! okay. rant over.)
Oh and also want to give a thanks to my amazing rp partner for being the most incredible Kaneki, because none of this would have been possible without her! ;D 333
Chapter one- The First Meeting
A conversation between a human who desperately wants to be a ghoul, and a ghoul who desperately wants to be human. ~
On a small street in the middle of Tokyo, a certain infamous blonde noble was standing outside a maid café, trembling in anticipation.
This was it. After the hours of hanging out in sketchy establishments, listening to whispered rumors and somehow miraculously managing to sneak away from Claude, Alois Trancy was finally going to meet a ghoul.
It had been a long journey to get to this moment. He still remembers the first time the rumors of flesh-eating monsters had floated around England. It was about a year after Ciel's death, and around the time when Claude's betrayal and attempt on ripping out his heart was still fresh in his memory. In all likelihood, the blonde would have been dead if there hadn't been a slight miscalculation on the demon's part. But thanks to that, Alois was final able to see the truth that he had been desperately trying to ignore the signs of all this time: Claude didn't care about him- he never did.
Since then, Alois had been actively searching for a way out. Out from the contract, out from any ties he had to him, out from the demon world and all it's false promises.
And these rumours that he had heard… these ghouls, well they were his saving grace.
Hatching an insane plan, he took off to Japan the next day, (infinitely thankful that Claude had forcibly taught him the language months ago when a potential business partner had visited the Trancy Estate) and spent the past week divulging in every detail about these "ghouls" he could get his hands on.
It wasn't easy; trying to scavenge information without Claude catching on to his plans. He doubted the man would have approved of his "prey" finding a way to escape his clutches; but that was exactly what Alois intended to do. And these "ghouls" were going to help him! Powerful enough to defeat even a demon of Claude's caliber, Alois knew that this was the miracle he had been waiting for.
He just needed to convince one to help him.
Which brought him back to why he was currently here. Standing outside alone in front of some frivolous establishment he normally would be rolling his eyes over. (I mean come on, he could hire all the maids he wanted, it's not like he needed to pay to have someone treat him like royalty!) But this wasn't about him, this was about his plan.
He didn't have much time before Claude finished the wild goose-chase he had sent him on -more like running around doing one unimportant errand after another all for the sake of stalling for time.- Alois only had one shot at this and he wasn't going to blow it. He needed to find a ghoul NOW.
The fact that it was at a maid café didn't even deter him for a second. And though he did have his doubts, one look at the shy looking greeter crossdressing in a maid dress was enough to push any reserves away. Because for all the man's nervousness, Alois knew that look in his eye. It was the same look he himself had carried since making a pact with a demon; it was a look of someone having something to hide.
He had to be one! He was sure of it.
Not wanting to wait any longer, Alois sauntered straight up to him and cut to the chase.
"Hey you! I heard a few rumors that this was the best place to be to meet a ghoul. That true?"
The dark-haired male widened his eye in surprise- the other eye being covered by an eye patch. (The irony that if this person turned out to be who Alois was looking for, then both important people who impacted his life would have worn eye patches -was not lost on the boy)
"Um...I-I really wouldn't know..." The worker shrugged hopelessly before hurrying into a bow. "But welcome!"
Alois studied the older teen suspiciously "Oh Reeeeally?" He motions for him to lead him to table while he continues to scrutinize the waiter. Glancing at his maid uniform and noting that name tag, he continued his questioning smoothly.
"So you wouldn't know anything about what someone would do if they wanted to become a ghoul, Kaneki?"
The waiter grabbed a menu, shaking his head. "No...no sir, I apologize." He led him to a nearby table, setting the menu down. "Is this seat fine?"
Alois smirked back at him, it was time to tease him a bit. This 'Kaneki' fellow seemed like the type to easily get flustered, it should be easy to trick a confession out of him. Afterall, Alois had learned from experience that no one could resist him for long. Licking his lips, the blonde smiled back at him.
"It's fine, if you join me. There aren't that many other customers around anyway right?" He gave the crossdresser and up-down stare."Cute. But you know if you had a pair of thigh boots like mine you'd be look even cuter."
Kaneki glanced around the restaurant, as if checking that the amount of employees really was more than the amount of customers. "I-I guess I could join you." He finally states, sitting hesitantly in the chair opposite him and then glancing down at Alois's boots with a blush. "I-I'm afraid those are against the employee dress code." He replied with a soft laugh.
Alois's smirk widened. It seemed like the man was relaxing a bit…. Good. If he could just get him to lower his guard a little more, he'd be able to get him to admit it!
"How boring! Besides-" Alois leaned in closer, dropping a timely wink. "Breaking the rules is so much more fun." He then leaned back with a smile, giving off an air of confidence. "So! I'm the great Alois Trancy –well I guess it would be Trancy Alois to you since we're in Japan and all- Anyway, you might have heard of me, I'm Earl of the Trancy's; practically royalty!" He smirked haughtily "And you are?"
The dark-haired male blinked in surprise. "I-I'm Kaneki Ken. I didn't realize who you were... I-I could move you to one of our VIP tables, if you'd like! That's the least I could do for you, sir."
Alois merely batted his hand nonchalantly to wave off his concern. After all, leaving and talking to someone else would defeat the whole purpose of what he was doing there.
"No no, you've caught my interest so I'll stay here for now. So. KanekiKen, Back to the ghouls. I'm sure my sources were correct when they said I could meet a ghoul here." He reached over to trace circles over the flustered waiter's hand, giving him his best sultry eyes before continuing. "And I really really want to meet one..."
The male seemed to be practically sweating in nervousness. …It only egged Alois on more.
"Why would you want to meet one, sir? If...if you don't mind me asking..."
The blonde leaned in eagerly- that was the golden question wasn't it? All his planning, all his running it really was for one reason, and one reason alone.
"Because I want to become one!"
Alois can tell by the man's startled expression that he had probably never heard anyone say such a thing. That wasn't good…he needed to convince him further, needed to prove he was serious! Biting his lip, he looks slightly to the side. '…How much truth should I give?'
"Tell me, Kaneki...have you ever heard of demons?"
Kaneki gave him an unreadable look. "Of course. Who hasn't heard of them?" He tilted his head to the side, seemingly studying Alois under that mask of obliviousness.
'Ah, so he's not as cluelesss as he makes himself out to be. I thought as much'. Alois thought to himself as the man continued.
"But why would you want to become a ghoul? It isn't really that fun... "
Alois took a deep breath, his heart beating faster as he narrows his eyes, his hushed whispers coming out in a harsh, pained tone.
"So if you have heard of them, then you must have heard about what it takes to form a contract with them right? That they'll grant you a wish as long as you give up your soul?
Well whatever you think you know about them is wrong! You see demons only come when you're desperate. When they know you have no other choice. When you're taking your last breath and in your final moments you're begging for one more chance.
They only come when you're on the edge of despair, staring into the abyss of eternal darkness. When they know you've already lost everything, and your only bargaining chip left is your soul.
And once you are tied to one, there is no getting out of it. You can never back out."
The blonde blinks and clears throat, trying to regain his composure before continuing in a forced calm voice.
"But I heard a rumour that if a demon and a ghoul got in a fight...a ghoul has a chance of winning." Smiling darkly, Alois looks up at him with wide eyes, "You say being a ghoul is no fun? Well I'll tell you it's a lot less fun having your soul ripped out of your chest."
Kaneki had a surprised look on his face as if he was attempting to process everything. After a pause, he asked in a hesitant but gentle tone.
"Have...have you made a contract with a demon? Is that why you want to become a ghoul, so that you can beat them?" He kept his voice low, despite the cafe being almost empty. "I don't think you understand...you can't back out of being a ghoul, and it's scary...it-it's terrifying... " The man finishes with a shudder.
Alois studies him for a moment. Wondering if he can really trust this waiter-boy or not before letting out giggle. "Of course not! We're speaking hypothetically aren't we? But...if 'hypothetically' I did make a contract with a demon...and 'hypothetically' you were a ghoul...well then hypothetically your assumption would be correct."
He winks before smiling at Kaneki's shudder, his grin becoming manic and slightly unhinged "'Terrifying?' 'Can't back out?' I don't think you realize just what it is I've already had to live through. Once you give up your soul, your life becomes of no importance anymore."
Sticking his tongue out at him so that his contract mark briefly shows, he continues in a low purr. "If anything it sounds exciting...and I'd give anything to feel alive again."
Giggling psychotically, his icy blue eyes flash to Kaneki's, and Alois tilts his head as he studies the older teen infront of him. Running a finger down his face in a mock-tear track. "Besides. Even while human, I've been told I'd make quite a good ghoul."
Kaneki's face had turned red, tensing under the fingertip Alois had ran over his face. "But ghouls are disgusting..." He seemed to be speaking out of disgust in himself more than anything else. "All they can eat is human flesh, and the only thing normal that they can drink is coffee... Would you really want to become a monster just to possibly be able to beat a demon?"
The blonde wasn't deterred for a second, and quickly jumped in without an ounce of hesitation.
"Aren't we all monsters? Some humans can be just as disgusting."
He clenches his fists, and tries not to let the emotions play over his face. After all Alois Trancy would know just how horrible humans could be more than anyone else.
But if anything, that only made Kaneki look more worried. He stood up quickly; as if he was done with the conversation and ready to leave. "You could always hire a ghoul to fight, and beat, the demon for you, couldn't you? It would be a lot simpler that way."
Alois looked down so his bangs covered his expression as he traces a circle on the table top.
"It doesn't work that way. Contracts are eternal." He recited in a harsh whisper. "The only way to get out of one is break one myself."
The blonde looks up at him suddenly; eyes shining in a glare over Kaneki's naïve suggestion.
"As if I could trust someone to fight for me! He may be a demon but he's my only protection too. Once he's gone I'll be left defenseless- the perfect opportunity for any ghoul to stab me in the back!"
His icy blue eyes flash dangerously and he spits ever word out angrily, as if even the memory leaves a bitter taste in his mouth.
"I've tasted enough betrayal to know the only one I can trust is myself. And not just ghouls. Humans too! Filthy, despicable, liars! All of them! They use you and get what they want out of you and then throw you away! …Everyone always leaves. And all I'll have left is myself."
Kaneki winced, glancing at the seat across from Alois.
"May I sit back down?" He asks a bit cautiously.
"Didn't I invite you to sit with me from the beginning? Or did I scare you away?" Alois responds mockingly, motioning for him to take a seat.
"W-well...I just wanted to make sure you were still okay with it." Kaneki sat back down across from him, seemingly gathering his thoughts before stating gently. "Listen, it's...it's really painful and really difficult to find someone who will be willing to perform an operation on you to turn you into a ghoul."
Alois's eyes shined hopefully. This is what he had been waiting for!
"But it is possible? Money is not a problem!"
Letting out a bark of laughter to the other's concern, Alois shoots the teen a confident look.
"I can easily deal with pain. But why do you ask? Are you worried about me?"
Kaneki stared down at the table with a sad expression on his face. "I don't want anyone else to have to go through an operation like that...it's...it's horrible..."
Alois was silent for a moment before looking up at him determinedly. "I want a heart. I've already had my heart partially ripped out of my chest before and if I'm going to have a new organ of my choosing it has to be a heart!"
He shoots his hand out suddenly, grabbing Kaneki's hand tightly in his own. "I don't care what I have to do to get it! I want a ghoul's heart!"
He sucks in a deep breath, before staring straight into the waiter's grey eye. It was time for the moment of truth… "Will you help me?"
Kaneki winced at how determined the other looked, but had no choice but to give a slow nod.
"I-I guess I can help..."
He patted the blonde's hand with his free one, looking contemplative. "It won't be easy, though...most surgeons won't perform an operation like that."
Alois only raises an eyebrow in surprise with the other's answer. He hadn't expected him to agree so quickly! And though he was pleased, the younger was also suspicious. He studied Kaneki carefully, his expression going cold. He knew how this game worked.
"What do you want for it? No one does anything without wanting something in return. Money? Gold?"
Smiling bitterly, Alois brought his finger to his lip seductively before trailing it down his collarbone suggestively. "Or did you want another form of payment?" He asks huskily. "Most men take the last option...but it's fine. Like I said, I don't care what I need to do to get what I want."
Kaneki's eyes widen, before he quickly shakes his head. "I don't want anything! Really. I'm fine with just helping you out, sir." The older places his hands in his lap nervously as he continues with a slight furrow of his brows. "I can't guarantee that you'll be able to get a heart or an operation within the next decade, though..."
Alois is barely listening to the rest of Kaneki's sentence, too thrown off by his initial refusal of wanting something. He tilts his head in honest confusion as he stares back.
'Not wanting anything? What's with this man?! Everyone wants something!'
"I don't understand. How would you like me to pay you then?"
His eyes narrow in seriousness. "I'm getting the operation tonight. Even if it means I need to go out and find a ghoul to kill myself. We'll buy off the most expensive surgeon... you'd be surprised what people are willing to do for money." He states confidently.
The waiter replies insistently. "I don't want you to pay me at all!"
The blonde frowns and shakes his head.
"Y-you're lying. Everyone wants something… everyone tries to take something from me."
He swallows and suddenly has to blink back unshed tears before continuing.
"Didn't I tell you it's fine? There's no need to be shy. You can have whatever you want. I'll need to pay you somehow."
Inwardly forcing himself to become as apathetic to these things as always. - 'It's okay. It's no big deal, I do this all the time. I don't care anymore. It's just another transaction.' - he gets up and moves to straddle Kaneki's lap, leaning in to whisper seductively in his ear
"Would this form of payment be acceptable? It'll be an honour for a blushing virgin as yourself to lay with royalty you know."
Pulling back slightly he smirks and twirls a lock of the nervous waiter's hair between his fingers, as he continues in a purr.
"But if you really don't want it...like I said money or gold, or diamonds...anything you want."
Kaneki squeaked, his whole face turning beet red, but either from shock or just embarrassment, he didn't argue when the younger sat in his lap.
"I really don't want any kind of payment. I'm fine, really... A-and anyway, Ghouls aren't really easy to kill, we should just wait and find a donor. It's too risky to kill a ghoul and try to have their heart transplanted into you." He says hurriedly, seemingly hoping to change the subject off from payment.
It seems to work since Alois moves away from the subject for now, instead sending the ravenhead a smirk. "Oh? You're not strong enough to take on a big bad ghoul?"
The blond puts on a mock-innocent face, tracing little circles on Kaneki's shoulder. "You would send me to fight off a ghoul myself? How cruel..and here I thought you cared!"
Alois holds his sad expression for a good few seconds before letting out a burst of his psychotic laughter. "Just kidding of course! I know you probably don't care at all. So it's fine right? If I can't beat the ghoul and end up dying then what does it matter to you?"
To his credit, Kaneki ignores Alois's antics, too concerned for the boy's way of thinking.
"Of course I care! I wouldn't want anyone to die, no matter if I know them or not!"
Of course this only confuses Alois further. He didn't get it. 'Caring about someone you don't even know…?' He's never heard of anything so ridiculous! His face twists in a scowl, as he starts to lose his temper.
"What's your angle? You clearly want something... Are you planning on betraying me then? Turning on me once my heart is being transplanted and killing me so that you can take all my fortune? Well tough luck! It's not going to work. Whatever large amount you're scheming for you can just tell me now. I told you money is not a problem."
He huffs impatiently still not believing anyone would be kind enough to not want something big in return.
Kaneki shook his head while keeping that wide-eyed expression, as if he couldn't believe Alois is saying such things.
"I really don't want anything in return! Whether you believe me or not!"
He let's out a sigh when he see's the boy's stubborn expression is relentless, and seemingly gives up on the subject for now.
"If you insist on paying me, anything is fine, but I'm not going to ask for your money. That would be rude, whether you think it is or not!
Alois simply raised an eyebrow and smirked in return, leaning in closer so that the waiter would feel warm puffs of breath on his face. He would get him to crack. He would get him to show his true nature. Because no matter how "nice" someone pretended to be, Alois knew they were all the same.
"Anything?"
Kaneki shrugged, seemingly not understanding what the younger was implying.
"Yeah... anything would be fine..."
Alois pouts slightly at the ravenhead ignoring his innuendo, but then figures he'll have more fun mocking him that way. "Then..." he leans forward so his lips hover mere inches away from the others. "Will a kiss suffice?"
The waiter's eyes widen, his face turning red as he stammers out a response. "I-I'd rather not receive any kind of payment until after the job is done, if that's okay with you." He then tries to lean as far away from Alois as possible without seeming rude.
The blonde only laughs.
Pulling back, Alois tried to contain a grin. It had been a while since anyone had turned him down, and he finds this waiter's disinterest refreshing. A giggle bubbles up from the back of his throat '…I can't wait to wear you down and have you 'want' me, simply for the fact that it will prove my point that you were only planning on using me after all!'
"Sure~" he replies sultrily, offering him a wink. "Then it's settled! We will go ghoul hunting tonight and you will accompany me so I do not die."
Kaneki doesn't look as confident. "Tonight?" He asks anxiously, furrowing his brows in thought. "We'd probably need more preparation, don't you think?"
Alois shifts on the ravenhead's lap, fidgeting nervously before answering.
"The sooner the better... it wasn't easy getting away from Cl- my demon, without him finding out what I've been planning."
He tries to sound confident but his trembling hands betray his anxiety. Alois can only hope Kaneki doesn't notice, or is too polite to call him out on it.
"Don't you know where we can find someone Mr. Ghoul?" Alois purrs, running a hand up and down his arm.
Kaneki seemed to be quickly getting used to Alois's stray touches, since he answered calmly without any indication of getting flustered.
"I believe it would be simple to find a ghoul, but we'd have to kill a few to match up blood types and such... But I guess If we go out after dark, that's when a lot of ghouls are out hunting."
Alois takes notice of the teen's indifferent tone on killing ghouls and can't help but grin darkly. Looks like he made the right choice picking him after all!
"Oh? You're pretty confident. I knew I chose the right person… So how long will this take?"
Kaneki's expression is carefully blank when he answers, not giving away any of his feelings on Alois's "compliment."
"It could take all night...it may even take all week... I can't really say. It all depends on if luck is on our side, right?"
Alois narrows eyes. Luck. He hated that word. It wasn't "luck" that killed Luka, yet spared himself. Wasn't "luck" that got him taken and sold to that sick Old Trancy, wasn't "luck" that murdered that man and took over his whole fortune.
"...I make my own luck."
He whispers lowly, his bangs covering his eyes as he clenches his fists tightly on his lap.
Alois needed to take several deep breaths before he calmed himself down enough to look back up. Ignoring Kaneki's concerned looks for now, he glances at the maid themed clock hanging in the store and inhales sharply.
"It'll have to be tonight. We'll kill one ghoul and do the heart switch. I'm sure it'll be a match." '…If we don't do it tonight, I'm dead eitherway.'
Kaneki only sighed. "I hope we can find a match... Are you really sure you want to do this, though? I mean...there's no going back..." He shoots Alois a desperate look, as if pleading for him to reconsider.
Alois was ready to give another of his snide comments back, but something about the look in the other's eye stops him. And just for a second, his impregnable mask slips a little, and the broken, dull look hidden behind his icy blue eyes is revealed.
It's the look of someone already waiting for death…of someone already dead.
"...my life is already in someone else hands, and even my soul is promised to another. If it all goes wrong, I couldn't possible have anything else to lose."
He gives a mirthless laugh, as he stares back into Kaneki's surprised eye, but quickly realizes that he's shared too much. Letting too much of his real self show. And there was no need for that.
'Why bother explaining myself to this waiter anyway? It's not like he'll end up meaning anything to me. He's simply a way to getting my new ghoul heart. Nothing more.'
So blinking quickly, the look is gone as Alois brings all his masks back up. Scoffing haughtily as he does, so his whole tone changes.
"Besides a Trancy never regrets a thing."
Kaneki nodded slowly, but still seemed a bit worked up over what the other had said. He opened his mouth to say something else, perhaps to give a form of comfort of somekind, but thinks better of it at the last moment, and attempts to change the subject instead.
"U-um...do...do you still have to sit in my lap? My leg is starting to fall asleep... "
Alois smirks at how red-faced the other was getting and slowly grinds against him. "Oh? Does it make you uncomfortable?" he asks innocently, trailing his fingers down Kaneki's chest.
"W-well...yeah, my legs are going numb, that's obviously uncomfortable..."
If Kaneki noticed the grinding, it seemed he was doing his best to ignore it, which only amused Alois further. The blonde covers his mouth to quiet his laughter before blowing the man a kiss.
"So innocent! It's a wonder your naive little heart hasn't been walked all over and spat on!"
He continues to laugh loudly as he gets up and moves back to his original seat. The smile slowly dropping off his face as he begins to fiddle with the unopened menu.
"Hey Kaneki...do you ever... think about how tainted your soul might be?"
The teen has a somewhat bewildered expression on his face, as if that was the absolute last thing he expected the boy to ask.
"No...why would I think about that? It's...it's not really something that ever comes to mind..."
"Hm." Alois plasters a bright smile on his face.
"That's good! I thought being a monster and all you might have worried about how all the things you're doing is affecting you. But maybe you're not as empathetic as you pretend to be. I'm glad." He gives his trademark smirk.
"As long as you don't start caring about that stuff there's hope for you after all"
Kaneki looks down at his lap. "I-I try my hardest not to think about that kind of stuff...it's scary…"
Alois watches his expression carefully, trying to get a good read on it before eventually just giving a shrug. He got what he wanted, so what does he care how the other is feeling?
"It's good, you know? To not feel bad about the things you have to do in life. To never regret anything. To know that whatever you did it was to move towards your goal."
His eyes lock onto his grey one, boring into him as if he's staring into his very soul.
"People are always selfish …so its fine if you're selfish too."
Alois watches with barely contained glee as the other represses a shudder.
"I know it's okay to be selfish at times, but I can't bring myself to do it..."
The blonde only giggles darkly and gives a manic smile.
"Everyone is selfish eventually Kaneki...I wonder what will happen on the day you snap... "
Clapping his hands loudly he gives him a cheerful smile
"Now! Moving back to our plan, I obviously can't trust that you'll go back on your word. If I leave, how do I know that you won't run away? Or maybe set up an ambush for a bunch of ghouls to jump me?
I'm sure I'm prime meat you know. I've been told I smell very delicious on multiple occasions.
So! Either you give me some sort of collateral that's important enough to prove to me you won't betray me, or I'll have to stick with you all day till we leave tonight. Which will it be?"
"I don't really have anything to offer as collateral..." He glanced over at the clock, noticing the time as well. "I-I guess we can just stay together until we go out to look for ghouls...I want you to be as comfortable as possible. Y-you're not nervous or anything?"
Alois shrugs nonchalantly. "Hm, not really. I've almost died lot's of times so eventually you just get used to it."
It doesn't seem like Kaneki has a response to that, since he just clears his throat awkwardly, with a soft "Oh." And then turns his attention to the clock in the corner of the room.
"My shift will be over soon...fifteen more minutes!" He put his chin in his hand, propping his elbow up on the table. The older seemed determined not to ask Alois any personal questions that might upset him. It's clear he was worried the younger was a lot more sensitive than he was letting on.
Alois looks at him innocently, trying to curb his annoyance. He didn't need the anyones sympathy. He rests his face in his palm and tilts his head to the side in childish curiosity, deciding to play with him a little more. 'I'll crush whatever pathetic thoughts you have of me.'
"Your eye is pretty…And your eyepatch reminds me of-" 'Ciel' "Hannah. …She had one eye too after she disobeyed me... Ne ne, a human eyeball kind of reminds me of an egg yolk. It goes 'pop' if you poke it out and all the juices run straight out. I wonder if ghoul eyes would feel the same."
He smiles sweetly at him in contrast to his disturbing words.
"I heard ghoul eyes are even more pretty…will you show me?"
Kaneki stared back at Alois with a bit of a frightened expression.
"I-I like to keep that eye hidden..." He moved a hand over his eyepatch unconsciously, as if he felt that Alois could see straight through it.
"I really don't like for other people to see it..."
Alois pouts in reply. "Why notttt? Please? I never got to see one up close before. I bet it's way prettier than Hannah's eye!"
"Not right now... M-maybe later okay?" He looked back at the clock anxiously. "Ten more minutes...I should probably go ahead and start to get changed...I have to clean up tonight, and I don't have to do that in my uniform."
Alois rolls his eyes. Of course the one ghoul he found had to be a goody-two shoes. He crosses arms childishly as he watches the other get up. "You're no fun."
Standing up himself, he follows Kaneki out as he walks towards the changeroom as if it was the most normal thing.
"Ah, then tell me more about ghouls! I'm going to see your cool 'back thing' tonight right?"
He looked at him eagerly like a kid in a candy shop. This was after all, the first time he would be seeing all the ghoul stuff he had heard about, in person!
Unfortunately, Kaneki didn't seem to share his excitement, and pointed to the Employees Only sign on the dressing room door.
"My kagune? Yeah, you'll see it...and there's not really much to know... Could you wait out here while I change? It won't take long."
Alois shoots him a dangerous look, and stalks closer. He won't be fooled!
"You're trying to get rid of me? So you can make a sneak phone call to your other ghoul friends perhaps? Let them know you're bringing home dinner ?" He snarls, eyes narrowing. "I don't think so! You didn't give me any proof of your loyalty so I'm not leaving your sight till the job is done!"
He gives the older a look that dares him to say otherwise, and then marches straight through the 'employees only' door like he owned the place.
Kaneki walked in after him with a sigh, going over to his clothes and digging through them until he found his phone. Taking it out, he walked back over to Alois and placed it in his hand.
"I can't make a phonecall if I don't have a phone. Now shoo, I need to change!"
The younger huffs, taking the phone but refusing to leave the room. "You really think I'm so easy too fool? You could have a second phone! I've fallen for that before and ended up kidnapped in the back of a trunk an hour later."
He gives Kaneki a cold look that states he's not going anywhere. He only stops scrutinizing him when he spots a rack of spare maid uniforms in the corner of the room. His personality doing a complete switch, he practically prances over to them, his attention completely diverted from the ravenhead.
"Don't you think I'd look super cute in this?"
Kaneki has an upset expression on his face, as if he can't stand the thought that the other had such an unpleasant childhood. He was just in the process of holding out his clothes so that Alois could check his pockets, when the blonde skips away. Rushing after him, the older attempts to pull the excited blonde away from the maid dresses.
"The boss is really strict when it comes to putting on uniforms! I suggest that you don't try wearing any of them…"
But Alois only batts him away. "Come onnnn, know one's going to know! Besides, weren't you going to change? I changed my mind about coming. You go ahead and I'll stay here" He says dismissively, turning his attention back to the uniforms and running his hands down the soft fabric.
Kaneki pulled him away again. "I really don't want to lose my job for letting you in here, much less for letting you try on a uniform."
He looked down at himself. "If...if this all succeeds, I'll let you try on my uniform when I have to take it home to wash, okay?"
"So you want me to wear your dirty maid uniform? Ouu~ kinky." Giggling, Alois throws a wink Kaneki's way, silently laughing as the other turns scarlet and starts spluttering. 'He's way too easy.'
"I meant that you could wear it after I wash it!"
Completely flustered, the waiter struggled to get the dress off before glancing at Alois in embarrassment and admitting defeat. "Can...can you help me unzip this?"
The blonde lights up at his request and practically purrs out "of course" as he carefully unzips the dress. "You know, I could unzip this with my teeth."
"I-I'd rather you use your hands instead..."
Giggling once more, Alois admires the smooth skin of the teen's bare back and runs a finger down his spine teasingly, watching in amusement how he tensed up under his ministrations.
"The offer still stands, Mr Ghoul. I'm up for taking your payment whenever you want."
Kaneki only shook his head furiously.
"We'll see." Alois whispers knowingly, blowing lightly down his spine before stepping back and letting him finish.
Kaneki shivered, sliding the dress off once it was unzipped, and clumsily trying to get dressed in his normal clothes, blushing nervously the entire time.
Alois continues watching all this with a smirk on his face. 'How amusing. You may be a 'ghoul' but it seems you're just like every other human I've met. As I thought, no one can resist me.'
He wondered why the thought didn't make him feel as pleased as it should have.
"You know if you want pointers on how to do a strip tease you can always ask!" he supplies cheerfully. Giggling at the way Kaneki's ears were turning pink.
"W-what?! I'm not trying to do a strip tease!" He glared back at him, finally managing to get his pants on, and moving on to his shirt next.
"Not with those moves you weren't." Alois scolds teasingly. Moving back over to him, he grabs the ravenhead's shirt before he can reach it and carefully pulls it over his shoulders, (having to slightly stand on his tippie toes to do so). He leans in to whisper huskily "the key is to do it s-l-o-w-l-y."
Kaneki stumbled back, his cheeks red. "D-don't do that..! it's...it's strange." He mumbles, his face burning.
"But you're older than me and yet get so easily flustered! It's cute!" Alois replies cheekily.
"Because nobody has ever tried to touch me or dress me or undress me! It's normal to get embarrassed over something like that!"
Alois blinks slowly as he tried to process Kaneki's words. When he does, he has to turn around to cover his laugh.
"Oh my god you really are innocent!"
Still turned around, he mumbles softly but more to himself than to his companion. "...but that's not a bad thing."
Staring at the grooves on the floor he continued in an uncaring tone. "People started touching me like that when I was 10" he shrugs softly "You get used to it I guess, so I suppose it's easy for me to forget that not everyone had to go through pleasing scum." He turns back to Kaneki's phone without another word, this time actually not watching him get dressed.
Because his head is down, Alois missed the pained and sympathetic expression on Kaneki's face, along with the ghoul's whispered apology. But it's just as well, because if Alois thought that the other was pitying him… well he wouldn't be held responsible for how he would react.
Luckily, Kaneki finished getting dressed in silence rather quickly, so it wasn't long before he went over to Alois. It looked like he was biting down the urge to ask if he was alright, but managed to contain himself since he at least had the good sense to tell that the blonde wouldn't have appreciated his concern one bit. Instead Kaneki plucks the phone out of Alois's grasp with a forced smile and puts it in his pocket.
"Okay! I'm done now. All I have to do is clean up and close, and I'm done for the night."
"Hey! I was playing with that!" Alois whined with a pout, rolling his eyes and crossing his arms in annoyance. "Can't you get people to clean up for you?"
"No...it's part of my job to clean up." He opened the dressing room door, holding it open for the boy. "It won't take long, I just have to wipe off all of the tables, put all of the dishes in the dishwasher, check the cash register, put all of the ingredients away in the kitchen, and lock up."
"Oh my godddd." He whined. Stepping out of the room he dramatically places a hand to his head "Is this what you commoners do? Ugh it sounds awful!"
Plopping heavily down into a chair he looks hungrily back at the desserts "And I never even got to try anything from here either." he pauses suddenly, his expression becoming slightly more serious.
"Ah, that's right. Today is my last day I'll be able to eat human food right?"
"If anything goes the way you're planning." Kaneki replied, catching where Alois had been staring and giving him a kind smile. "We'll have to throw these away if no one eats them. Do you want them? I'm sure they're still fairly fresh."
Normally Alois would slap someone for the mere suggestion that he eat something that would soon be thrown away, and then slap themagain for giving such a disgustingly "kind" smile. But at the moment he was much too distracted by his thoughts to get offended by Kaneki's offer.
"Sure." he replies softly, his expression uncharacteristically subdued. "...I should have ordered my favourite meal today or something. My last meal as a human and it'll be stale pastries. How pathetic."
Alois closes his eyes, bringing his fingers up to rub at his temples. 'Ciel would have prepared a feast with all his favourite foods. He would have planned this better! No- Ciel wouldn't need to do this in the first place. His butler would never have betrayed him like mine did.'
Swallowing thickly, Alois doesn't open his eyes again until he hears the clinking sound of a plate being placed in front of him.
He stares down at the assortment of desserts and then at Kaneki's smiling face.
"We have some time before the ghouls go out to look for food...We can go somewhere and get you something else to eat!"
Alois blinked in surprise. He hadn't been expecting the offer, and it made him annoyed. Why was Kaneki continuing to be so nice?
"You don't have to do that." He responds flatly.
"You'll regret it if you don't eat something you love before you undergo the operation."
"Hmph. I don't care. I've had all my time as an Earl to eat the world's best delicacies. What does it really matter now?"
Alois pokes at the old pastries in front of him, taking a bite and frowning slightly in dissatisfaction at the taste. Placing his fork back down the blonde looks at his companion with an unreadable look.
"Well...maybe if you know any really good places..."
Kaneki gave a sympathetic look back. "I'm sorry… We could take a look and see if there's anything you'd like from the close-by places still open, but I can't really eat anything that you'd be able to eat...and most of the good restaurants are probably closed by now."
Alois sighs dejectedly. "...Right." What had he been thinking anyway? That this waiter would take him out on some sort of date? Why? So he could celebrate his last night being human? Pathetic. Being human was nothing to celebrate anyway. As far as Alois was concerned, the only thing "being human" had given him was weakness.
Looking at the clock he slowly pushes the plate forward.
"It's fine, I'm not that hungry anyway."
Clearing his throat and determined to get back to business, he looks at Kaneki sharply. "Do you have the name of the surgeon we're going to bribe?"
"I-I...do have the name of the surgeon who performed my surgery, but I don't know where he is..."
Alois gives him an incredulous look in return. "Kaneki! Do you want me to die or not?! We need to find him!"
"I'm sorry!" The ghoul squeaked, cringing. "I-I really don't want to look for him...please don't make me..."
Alois rolled his eyes, wrinkling his nose at the weak display.
"Ugh you're hopeless! Do you know of anyone else then? Someone who we could easily pay to look the other way…BUT SOMEONE WHO KNOWS WHAT THEY'RE DOING!" He quickly adds, practically yelling in Kaneki's face to emphasize his point. This was his life they were talking about after all. He didn't want some inexperienced doctor who just got out of medical school.
"I do not want to die on that operating table after all this trouble."
Unfortunately, the ravenhead shook his head, looking a bit ashamed that he couldn't give the younger what he wanted.
"No...no...I don't know of anyone else..."
"I see."
Breathing out frustratedly, Alois closed his eyes and absentmindedly rubbed his temples again, muttering to himself angrily under his breath."God, if I could ask Claude to look for me he would find a list of 10 surgeons in 1 minute! But then that would defeat the purpose and he would catch on to my plans..."
Alois anxiously looks at the clock and then out the large store windows. 'Night time already? No! I'm running out of time! I'll lose my chance! I'll be tied to Claude forever!' He gets up so quickly he knocks the chair to the ground.
"It's not safe here! Claude- my demon. He'll be looking for me soon... he'll find me...he'll know-!"
Kaneki grabbed his arm, trying to calm him down, and when that didn't work he pulled him into a tight hug.
"We'll...we'll figure something out...I promise! I'll skip cleaning up tonight, okay?"
Alois was still trembling as he clutched on to the older boy's clothes. He allowed himself to let his guard down for a moment as he nods into his chest "Okay." he whispered harshly, blinking back tears as he pulls away.
Kaneki grabbed his key to the cafe, walked over to the door and held it open for Alois to walk out. "You'll be safe, don't worry!"
Alois doesn't say anything at first but forces a (slightly hysterical) laugh. "Of course I will be! I'm Alois Trancy! I always survive."
Despite his outward confidence, he unconsciously takes the teen's hand and squeezes it tightly with his own shaking ones.
Kaneki squeezed it back, shutting the lights off and locking the door before walking away from the cafe.
"Well, most ghouls won't be out right now, so what do you want to do in the meantime?"
Alois kept looking around nervously, barely paying attention to the other's question. "Hm? Whatever you want." turning back to look at him, the younger forces a cheerful grin on his face "Entertain me! Take me somewhere that will amuse me."
"Ah, it's not like I can do much entertaining, we only have an hour before the ghouls start to come out..."
"Then show me someplace amazing. Show me something that would be worthy seeing on my last night out as a human...possibly my last night out on this earth."
Kaneki frowns again, not liking the way the other was speaking.
"You're...you're not going to die, okay? Are you sure you don't want me to fight this Claude for you, though? I mean...it'll save you a lot of misery..."
Alois looked at him carefully "...you wouldn't win. And even if you did, I told you it doesn't work like that. The contract is eternally binding... even through death. For all I know I'd end up dead with him. Only the parties whom the contract is with, have the power to break it."
He shrugs hopelessly "And even if it did work, there's a reason I was desperate enough to form a contract with a demon in the first place... Let's just say at this point he's part of my protection...with him gone and me simply a human I wouldn't last a day with all my enemies." Alois gives a bitter smile
"It's fine, this is the only way. And if I do die...well I can't say I haven't thought of ending it all multiple times in my life."
Kaneki frowns, digesting what the younger had admitted before turning to give him a serious look. "I could protect you if something were to happen to him."
Now it's Alois's turn to frown. "You…you don't even know me. Why would you offer to do something like that for me?"
"Because, you seem like a nice kid. And… I'd like to spend more time with you. I want to get to know you better, and I could easily protect you while doing so."
Alois giggled softly at first which soon turned into full blown hysterics.
"HAHA! THAT'S TOO GOOD!" He wraps his arms around his stomach, still laughing as he gives him a twisted smile.
"Trust me Kaneki, if you knew me you wouldn't want to be anywhere near me. Haven't you heard the rumours? I'm the Trancy Slut! The one with a few screws loose! Everyone knows I can be less humans than some of the real monsters out there."
The ravenhead was not deterred for a moment, and stepped forward to grab him by the shoulders. "You aren't a slut and you aren't crazy! I...I may have only known you for today, but you're a lot more than that in my eyes. You aren't a monster either, so don't say that!"
The young boy just stared back at him wide-eyes as tears started to stream down his face "I-I..." He breaks away from the other's hold to cover his face with hands. "If you truly think that then you really are a fool."
Alois wipes his eyes before staring back at him accusingly. "I'll disappoint you and you'll leave just like everyone else! As soon as I'm of no more use to you, you'll just throw me away!"
Kaneki's expression breaks he and immediately wraps his arms around the boy, kissing his forehead. "I'm not going to leave you, Alois. You're not getting rid of me that easily!"
Alois sniffs loudly thinking back to every person who's done exactly that. This wouldn't be anything new… how could he even be considering it? Kaneki was… strange. He intrigued Alois by his so called "nicities" and pretenses of being a good person that actually seemed genuine and yet he seemed open to killing for him. He was a paradox, and Alois had never met anyone like him.
But… that didn't mean that he wouldn't disappoint him in the end. It's true that Alois had a habit of falling too hard and too fast within seconds of meeting someone… but was he really willing to put his heart on the line again?
If there was one thing he learned from the heart-crushing betrayal from Claude, it was that he hated to be vulnerable.
So why would he get his hopes up just to be disappointed again?
"I don't believe you." He responds half-heartedly.
But at the same time, staring into Kaneki's uncovered eye, Alois couldn't deny that he felt… something. And he realized, that for as long as he had been alive, there was no one… no one at all, who had ever looked at him in the way that Kaneki was; that he cared.
"What will make you believe me?" Kaneki croons back, petting his hair comfortingly.
Alois blushed, feeling his heart thump harder against his chest. This wasn't part of the plan! And yet he couldn't deny how badly he wanted this… needed this. And that was the truth wasn't it? All he ever wanted… with Ciel… with Claude… was….
'I don't want to be alone. I don't want anyone else to leave me!'
Alois mumbled something softly against Kaneki's chest, speaking so quietly that even with the ghoul's sensitive hearing, he had trouble catching it.
"Sorry, what was that?"
"...You'll stay? After the surgery and after I'm a ghoul you swear you'll stay with me forever?"
His voice wavers, and once his request is made, he can't bring himself to meet the older's eyes.
But Kaneki only gives a soft smile in return. "I don't know about forever, but I'll stay with you as long as we're both alive. How about that?" He asks, ruffling his hair.
The blonde scowls, his small hands curling into fists. 'That's not enough! I need to be sure there's no chance of anyone abandoning me again…that there's no chance of being alone…in this life or the next.'
" That doesn't count! We're not even technically alive when we're ghouls!" He finishes with a mumble, embarrassed by his outburst but still insisting. " ...forever."
He looks up at him with tear-filled eyes as he clutches the hem of the Kaneki's shirt "...Kaneki Ken, promise you'll stay with me forever!"
The older seemds a bit surprised, but nodded regardless. "Of course. I'll stay with you forever," He smiled down at him, running a hand through his hair. "I promise."
"A-And that no matter what, you won't leave me? Even if you find out about my dark past? Even if you decide all the rumours are true?"
'Please…. Please….don't go like everyone else…'
"I won't leave you, Alois. Stop worrying." He stroked the side of his face. "I'll be with you forever, I'm not leaving, I promise."
Alois takes a moment to stare at him in disbelief, as if he truly can't believe his ears before throwing himself at the teen in the tightest hug.
"Kaneki Kaneki!" He cries loudly "Thank you! Thank you Thank you Thank you Thank you Thank you! Kaneki! Kaneki! Kaneki! Kaneki!"he sobs loudly, chanting his name as if it's the only thing keeping him together.
Kaneki laughed softly, gently wiping away the boy's tears and hugging him back. "You don't have to be so excited...you'll probably want to get rid of me soon enough..."
Alois sniffs and pulls back to look at him. "No! N-Never!" he swears seriously, flushing pink as he slowly averts his gaze to the ground.
"Well you already showed me something that was worth remembering if it was my last night…" He exhales slowly, before looking up at him with shining eyes.
"So I guess the only thing left is to make me a ghoul."
A/N:
So I know it may seem like things are moving a little fast with the whole "promise of forever" thing, but you have to understand, the Alois in this fic is completely love-starved. And not only that, but affection-starved in general.
I hoped I explained a bit of his thought process well enough throughout the chapter, but in case I didn't, just try and understand that Claude was always completely uncaring and cold to him, and Ciel didn't really give a damn about him either. (It'll go into more detail about their relationships later,) but for now I wanted it to be clear that as soon as Alois met someone who actually seemed to care, he pounced on it, and didn't want to let it slip away.
He also has habit of falling for people very quickly. And when he does fall for them, he falls hard. (As seen canonly with Claude.) Alois can be very needy, and will quickly become obsessed with the person, making whoever it is the main focus of his world.
Also! In terms of a posting schedule, as mentioned this is based completely on an rp, and the average chapter is based on about 5 hours of rping. :|
Considering me and my lovely rp partner are pretty busy and can only get a couple lines out a day (if any!) updating will probably take some time considering we've got to rp a good chunk's worth first.