Author's Note: More notes/comments about the series end at the bottom. I've been sitting on this idea for the longest time (it was originally part of another work, "Slipped"), but decided to finish it when I saw Hide interacting with Touka towards the end of :re.
Hope you enjoy!
Something's wrong with Yoriko, though Touka doesn't realize it until their lunch period. She takes a deep breath and heads towards their usual table, dreading the inevitable purge, because she still can't say no when Yoriko makes that face.
Yoriko is already seated, balled fist propped under her chin as she pokes disinterestedly at her food. Touka eyes the box, noting with a downward quirk of the lips that it's been untouched.
I hope she wasn't waiting for me. Touka stomach gurgles in dreaded anticipation.
She makes a friendly remark and waits, but Yoriko doesn't respond until Touka jostles her ankle. Yoriko jumps, chopsticks slipping through her fingers and clattering to the floor.
"Are you alright? I didn't mean to startle you."
Yoriko blinks at her fallen chopsticks before turning back towards Touka. Her eyes are wide and unfocused. A moment passes before her gaze sharpens.
"What? Oh, uhm, sorry. I've been a little nervous lately."
Touka frowns. She's familiar with her friend's excitable nature, so it's been a while since she can remember the last time Yoriko was this withdrawn.
"Are you alright?" Touka repeats, reaching out to grab Yoriko's wrist. She flinches at the contact and Touka immediately lets go.
"Sorry," Yoriko says, face flushing. "Aha, I've just been a little nervous lately. A few nights ago, I could have sworn I was being followed." Touka's brow furrows, eyes narrowing. "And then last night I found out that my neighbor was attacked by a ghoul. So scary, huh?"
A ghoul? I thought that shitty four-eyes was the last rogue ghoul in the 20th Ward. Did someone else come in?
Misinterpreting Touka's troubled glare, Yoriko grabs Touka's hands and squeezes. "I didn't mean to frighten you too, Touka-chan! There's nothing to worry about!"
Touka stares down at Yoriko's warm fingers, interlocked in hers. Her chest feels too tight as she thinks about how easily the ghoul victim could have been Yoriko.
You're right, Yoriko-chan. There won't be anything to worry about after tonight.
Touka makes a hurried shift switch with Koma that afternoon, declining to answer when he inquires about the reason. He shrugs before heading back towards the break room. It's none of his business if Touka wants the afternoon shift. He's grateful—closing down the shop is always easier anyway.
As Touka scrubs tables, she keeps an ear open to the hushed conversations around her. Most of the talk is trivial, guarded. Just in case humans are around. However, as the afternoon drags on, the customers grow more comfortable and whispers of a new ghoul catch Touka's attention. She moves closer and nearly bumps into Kaneki's human friend.
"Oops, sorry, Touka-chan!" he calls out in his ridiculous lilt as he slides back into his chair, brushing his damp hands on his pants. She ignores him, focusing intently on the customers seated behind him.
"Yeah, I heard it's some ghoul from the 14th Ward. Probably found out about all the big players disappearing and decided to drop by for a snack."
"Really? Maybe they're just passing through."
"Better be. I sure as hell know we don't need attention from the Doves. Not after that damn binge eater almost got—"
Touka purses her lips, keeping one eye on Kaneki's friend. Don't they know he's a human? She shrugs as he nods his head to the music, headphones clamped firmly around his ears.
Whatever. He's always in here, so they probably don't even notice him anymore. Anyway, pretty harmless for a human. She thinks back to the alleyway, blood-crusted blond hair and a heaving Kaneki. He keeps nodding his head, brown eyes glazed over enough to reassure Touka that there's nothing to worry about.
Harmless, she repeats as she moves closer to the loose lipped ghouls. She's still waiting for a tip—and not the kind that jingles.
Back in the shop, she had felt like the sun would never set and her mission would never start. However, now that she's standing on a dimly-lit corner, hood pulled over her head, Touka starts to get antsy again. She didn't get much more from her coffee shop reconnaissance, but she has enough information to know where to start.
Yoriko lives near the river. I should start there first.
Casting a furtive glance over her shoulder, Touka sticks close to the shadows and alleyways as she hunts. She nods to those she recognizes and eyes strangers with thinly veiled suspicion. She sniffs periodically, but all she can smell is the shitty human filth rising from the river. Although she visits Yoriko often, the familiar buildings and streets seem ominous in the dark. As she nears Yoriko's apartment complex, she hears a shrill scream. Touka breaks into a run. It doesn't sound like Yoriko, but if she has the chance to stop the ghoul, then Yoriko will still be saved.
She rounds the corner, yanking back her hood to improve her vision. She jerks her gaze from side to side, trying to remember which direction she heard the sound.
"Please! Don't hurt me!" Another scream, this one tinged with a hint of a sob.
Touka squeezes her eyes shut and inhales deeply. She can't smell any blood—maybe it's for the best; she doesn't want her kakugan activated—but she can hear the sound of frenzied scrambling and trash cans rattling in the next alleyway.
She races towards the sounds, lips rising in a premature snarl. A flash of light and the sound of a muted explosion cause her skid to a stop. She throws her arms up to shield her sensitive eyes. There's a hiss of smoke and her nose burns at the metallic scent.
She's vaguely aware of someone shouting—"go! run!"—before a soft, flowy fabric rushes past her. Through her watery, narrowed eyes, Touka watches a young woman disappear around the corner, clutching the tattered hem of her long skirt.
She's about to run after the woman when someone bodily collides with her. They tumble to the ground, Touka hitting the concrete first with a muted grunt. She scowls at the shadow, her swimming vision finally recovering from the blast of light.
"You?"
"Touka-chan?"
"You!" Touka hisses again, because it's the only word she can come up with at the moment. She tries to shove him off, but their limbs are tangled in an awkward jumble. She tries to kick harder, earning more groans and affronted grunts from Kaneki's friend.
Even in the muted glow of the streetlamps, she can see how flushed the human's cheeks are. He wriggles away from her, casting a quick glance over his shoulder. There's a grumbling, hissing sound behind them that still needs to be dealt with. After a tentative sniff, Touka catches a whiff of another ghoul's scent through the dissipating chemical smell.
"Come on!" Kaneki's friend grabs her hand and tugs them both to their feet. Keeping a firm grip on her wrist, he tows her back through the alley and down the street. He only stops when they've gotten a safe distance away. He doubles over, resting his hands on his knees and panting.
Touka remains upright, crossing her arms with hardly a heavy breath. Now that she's had time to recover from the initial encounter, she's suspicious. He peeks in her direction, offering an open-mouth smile.
"Sooooo….come here often?"
She scowls, thinking quickly to come up with an explanation before he asks for one. "I was leaving a friend's house. The next think I know, Kaneki's idiot friend knocks me over."
His forehead wrinkles as he straightens up.
"Wait…do you not know my name?"
Touka's expression darkens, but she says nothing. His legs are longer than hers, but his arms dangle limply by his side, untensed. She bets she could catch him off-guard and outrun him. He's just a weak human.
"Seriously? I thought you just kept saying 'you' since it seemed kinda appropriate for the moment." He seems more fazed by this than the fact that they barely escaped being killed by a rogue ghoul.
This is a waste of time. That ghoul could be anywhere now.
"Of course I know your name!" Touka finally snaps, desperate to end such a pointless conversation. "How could I not know it? Kaneki never shuts up about you!"
"Really? He talks about me?"
If Nagachika is pleased by this admission, he contains it with a faint wriggle of his shoulders and a grin he quickly smothers.
"What are you doing here?" Touka counters, nostrils flaring. It's not like she really cares. More than anything, it's to get the attention off her. However, she catches a glimpse of Nagachika's outfit and her stomach tightens.
He brushes the dirt from his dark jacket and straightens the loose belt around his waist. It's surprisingly durable—much different than his gaudy yellow windbreaker—and labeled canisters protrude from the belt holsters.
"Oh, trailing a dangerous murderer. That's what all the cool kids do on a Thursday night, right?"
She strangles a surprised cough in the back of her throat. What? She tries to laugh, treating his casual admission like a joke, but the sound seems hard and hollow.
Is he really going after this ghoul? Didn't the idiot learn his lesson already?
Touka decides the best course of action would be to leave as soon as possible so she doesn't have to get involved. She marches away, head held high, but Nagachika follows behind her. Alarms go off in the back of her mind.
How much does he know? Do I have to kill him?
But that wouldn't be fair to Kaneki after he covered all those shifts for me.
"Judging from that scary scowl, I bet you're going after him too."
Nope, I'm going to kill him, damn the consequences.
Touka turns sharply, watching Nagachika out of the corner of her eye. "Him?"
"The ghoul that's been terrorizing this part of the 20th Ward." Nagachika's eyes slide over Touka's shoulder, focused on something in the distance. "Uh, according to rumors from the CCG, I've heard that they're thinking about doubling down on security. It would mean a lot of overtime for the poor part-timers." He grins again, scratching at the underside of his chin.
Touka bristles at the news, finally stopping her stomps to turn and face Nagachika head-on.
"How did you hear that?"
He blinks and she cuts him off before he can answer.
"It doesn't matter. You're wrong and an idiot for wanting to go after ghouls. You're going to get yourself killed." She resumes her breakneck pace to get away from such a weird human, but after a few strides she stops and turns around. "And I'm not going to save you again."
"Huh?"
"Nothing. Shut up."
She considers Nagachika's wide eyes, the brush of grime across his cheek. Whatever he was doing in the alleyway, at least he caught a glimpse of the ghoul before that weird explosion sent them scattering.
If he's going to die anyway, he might as well be useful.
"You saw him? The ghoul?"
Nagachika nods, bobbing his head in rapid, eager jerks. "He was a few centimeters taller than me, older with dark hair. Had a weird scar across his forehead." He wobbles his shoulders, almost as if apologizing for such a weak description. "He had a bikaku kagune though. That might help, right?"
This is the longest conversation Touka has ever had with Nagachika and each word he utters only makes her gut twist into more knots. Then he does something even more unsettling:
He waves goodbye.
"I'll see you around, Touka-chan! There's not much I can do around here." He winks before pivoting on his heels. She has half a mind to demand a more serious explanation, but she also doesn't want to keep tiptoeing around landmines.
"Where do you think you're going, human?"
Touka and Nagachika swivel their heads in unison as a bulky shadow detaches from the wall.
"Such a strange conversation I overheard. It sounded like a bunch of children were going to try to stop me." He cracks a smile, his kakugan pulsing. "I guess the only way to make sure that doesn't happen is to get rid of you first." He focuses his glare on Nagachika.
"Starting with you."
Nagachika takes a hasty step back, but before he can manage another, a writhing orange kagune bursts from the ghoul's lower back. It surges towards Nagachika, tangling around his neck and shoving him against the nearest wall with an audible smack. He tries to wriggle free with little success.
Touka stares, temporarily transfixed by the swirls of orange reflecting off of Nagachika's scrambling fingers and gaping lips.
"Did you think your little smoke screen was going to stop me? It stung, but not as much as this will."
Nagachika continues to squirm against the wall, the soles of his sneakers swinging back and scraping the brick. He gasps, the sound coming out desperate and dry. It snaps Touka out of her daze and she takes another step forward, balling her hands into fists.
Damn him.
"You might have saved that girl, blundering into the alley like that, but you aren't going to save yourse—"
"Drop him!"
The ghoul lazily turns towards Touka, a catlike smile flickering across his lips. "What's this? Standing up for your boyfriend? Don't worry, doll. You'll get your turn."
Touka would have rolled her eyes if they had been alone. Instead she settles for repeating her demand.
"I said, drop him."
"And what are you going to do to make me?" The ghoul yanks Nagachika away from the wall, gripping him around the throat with an iron hand rather than his kagune. Nagachika peeks at her through half-closed brown eyes, a thin line of drool trailing from the corner of his lips. He's burbling something, trying to mouth some secret message, but she doesn't have the time to decipher it.
Damn him, she repeats again, knowing she'll regret her next action. She closes her eyes, takes a deep breath, and reopens them, glaring at the ghoul with vibrant kakugan. If he's startled by the sight, he doesn't show it. She makes sure not to look at Nagachika, not yet ready to see his expression of repulsion or fear.
Damn you too, Kaneki. You owe me for saving your stupid friend again.
Touka feels warmth spread across her back as her kagune explodes from her shoulders. It swells and flickers, splashing red and yellow light against the nearby wall. She arches her shoulders back, relishing the soft sound of her joints popping. She hurls a few sharpened shards of her kagune towards the ghoul.
The ghoul backs up, eyes finally widening in concern. He drops Nagachika in his haste to protect himself with a sweep of his bikaku. However, by the time he lowers his kagune, Touka has already swooped in between his waving limbs and pulled Nagachika away, leaving only a muttered "shit" behind.
Several minutes pass before either say anything. Neither of them look particularly threatening, trembling on the roof on all fours like nearly-drowned kittens gasping for air. Nagachika recovers first, pulling himself into a sitting position and rubbing the dried drool from the corner of his mouth. Touka watches him warily, waiting for any reaction—a scream, profanity, an attempt to escape.
However, Nagachika remains calm as he studies Touka, his chest rising and falling with noticeable hitches. She had retracted her kagune the moment their toes grazed the roof, but she knows her eyes are still glowing a damning red. She keeps them lowered, feeling more like a trapped animal than a person.
"That," Nagachika finally announces, his voice still hoarse and raspy, "didn't go according to plan."
Touka gawks at him, nearly forgetting that he could destroy her life with a single call to a tip line.
(The reverse possibility—that she could take off his head with a single sweep of the arm—doesn't occur to her.)
"Plan?!" She blinks once, then twice. She can't figure out if she's supposed to be angry or stunned, so she settles for repeating the question with a steadily rising tone. "You had a plan?"
Nagachika chuckles, scratching at his cheek. "Well, no, not exactly. I was just trying to get some information. I didn't expect to actually run into him like that. But I figured you knew what you were doing."
"Me?"
"Otherwise, what would you have been doing over there?"
Touka glances to the side, mashing her lips together. She didn't have a plan or her mask. What had she been hoping to do—find the ghoul and somehow convince him to move on over a hearty handshake?
"Yeah…" She's not going to explain it to him. Not when she still doesn't trust such an unpredictable idiot. Touka glances down at her trembling fingers—a side effect whenever she exerts herself too much—and remembers the danger they're in. She thinks back to why she overexerted herself, bundling Nagachika away before the ghoul killed them both.
"You know I'm a ghoul!" She jerks her head up and glares in Nagachika's direction, daring him to somehow deny the accusation.
He nods again, smiling thinly. "A ghoul who saved my life just now."
"But you know."
Nagachika holds up a single finger, his smile growing wider. "Correction: I knew."
It takes Touka a moment to understand the shift in tense.
He already knew? Who the hell told him? Was it Kaneki? She thinks back to her coworker's tremulous expression when she threatened to kill Nagachika if Kaneki ever revealed his new condition.
No, Kaneki didn't tell him. Was it shitty Nishiki then? Or maybe Koma let it slip, the idiot.
"Who told you?" She takes a step forward to close the distance between them.
Nagachika shrugs and then winces at the movement. He rotates a shoulder with a stiff pop, making such an insignificant tic feel infinitely longer. Touka feels her eye twitch, more interested in his response than his frail human body.
"No one. At least, not directly. I had pretty much figured out that Nishiki-senpai was a ghoul. All I had to do was keep paying attention to the rest of Anteiku. It was all kind of obvious once I knew what to look for."
Touka's lips pucker and she isn't sure whether to be offended or startled by Nagachika's explanation. If someone like him could figure it out, what would happen if an actual Dove comes?
"Well, congratulations. And now you're going to die because you're too much of an idiot to stay out of matters that don't concern you." Her tone is harsher than usual, especially when she thinks back to all their trivial conversations in the coffee shop—rather, his silly banter and her exasperated attempts to get away.
Nagachika pretends to be wounded, hand pressing his chest in mock pain. "You have so little faith in me, Touka-chan?"
His phone beeps and Touka jumps at the sound. He fishes it from one of his many pockets, fumbles with the lock screen, and holds the screen out to her with a wide grin. She squints at the bright screen, trying to make sense of the squiggling lines and pulsing red dots.
"Huh. Looks like I may have a plan after all." He wiggles the phone in her face, but she's not desperate enough to ask what he means.
"Whatever shitty plan you think you've come up with—you're doing it alone. I'm not going to save your stupid ass anymore." Touka turns away from his phone, crossing her arms as she climbs to her feet.
Nagachika shrugs before returning his attention to the phone. A tongue creeps out of the corner of his mouth as he concentrates, mashing buttons and grunting. Touka keeps her arms folded across her chest, but she cranes her neck, trying to catch a glimpse of what he's doing.
He blathers on, encouraged by the fact that she hasn't stomped off yet. "I didn't think it would work—it's just a prototype after all. But there he goes. He's actually moving around." He glances up to gauge Touka's reaction, almost as if he expects something other than a grimace.
She buckles with a sigh, her arms dropping to her side.
"What are you talking about?"
"When that ghoul was trying to strangle me, I slipped a mini tracker in his jacket. I wasn't sure if it would work, but you can see the dot moving around the city."
Touka peers at the screen again, focusing on the pulsing red dot as it sluggishly inches towards the right.
"That's him?"
"Yeah, either him… or the pigeon—er, the first test subject—somehow found a way out of that cat's stomach." She blinks at him, momentarily transfixed by the image of Nagachika shouting at a content stray, feathers strewn about. She's not sure how to feel about it, though she isn't particularly bothered by one less pigeon.
"So you can find him by following the dot?"
"Yep."
Touka nods and lunges forward, wrestling the phone from Nagachika's hand. He squawks in protest and tries to pull it back, but Touka is stronger, keeping him an arm's length away as she scowls at the pulsing dots.
"Hey! Give it back!" Nagachika complains, sounding less like a snooping human and more like Hinami-chan when Touka hides her book.
She sees the red dot, but what the hell does the white one mean? Is that her? Or something else?
Touka rolls her eyes and thrusts the phone back in Nagachika's hands. The lights are giving her a headache and she can find the rogue ghoul on her own.
"Go ahead. Follow the ghoul and get killed. It's not my problem."
She stalks towards the fire escape and drops from sight. She still doesn't know how to deal with Nagachika knowing she's a ghoul.
Maybe that damn rogue can do us all a favor and kill him so I don't have to.
Wishful thinking, she decides.
Grudgingly, Touka has to admit that Nagachika's plan to track the rogue ghoul is a good one. Like hell would she ever say it to his face, but that doesn't mean she can't follow from behind and profit from his idea.
She trails him for fifteen minutes before she realizes that he's been leading her in circles around the same three buildings. She first wonders if his technology is defective. It wouldn't be surprising, after all.
However, he stops at their starting point with a grin, squinting over his shoulder at the dark alcove she's lurking in.
"I'll admit, it's a bit flattering to have a pretty girl following me around." He winks and she knows she's caught.
Dammit.
"You can come out, Touka-chan!"
She reluctantly steps out of the shadows and sulks towards him. He steps aside and makes room in the tiny pool of light, illuminated by the streetlight above. She knows she isn't as stealthy as some of the other ghouls, but she never expected Nagachika to be observant enough to notice her. This is the third time that night he's surprised her.
"So, will you help me?" He's still wearing the same stupid smile from earlier. Her palm itches to smack it off, but she keeps it clenched at her side.
Touka relents with a gusty sigh. There's no point trying to avoid the human anymore and he has their best chance for tracking their target down. Nagachika will not rest until they've taken down this rogue ghoul together.
"You're an idiot," she repeats her conclusion from their first encounter. "But a determined one."
Nagachika takes the insult in stride. She can't figure out why he's so incessant about this case and it only makes her feel more on edge to not know all the facts.
"Why are you doing this anyway?" She eyes him, scrutinizing each shift of his eyebrows and each twitch of his lip.
"I sort of mentioned it already. Having rogue ghouls run around would mean more work for part-timers. I mean, someone has to make sure all those new incoming agents have fresh coffee, right?" His words are flippant, but Touka senses an underlying coolness to them. There's something else, but he's silent again, waiting for her to draw her own conclusion.
Then, it dawns on her.
He's one of them! She bares her teeth and backs away from him, stepping out of the streetlamp halo. A Dove! Her glare drops to his waist, to the secured canisters marked with the CCG initials. That's how he knows so much about ghouls.
She can feel the muscles in her shoulder clench and the hairs on the back of her neck prickle with fury. He's a spy—a spy who knows about Anteiku.
To hell with her friendship with Kaneki—Nagachika is a threat to all of them. Even if he's friendly now, she knows it's all just a trick. After all, his ridiculous attempts at wooing her with such obnoxious terms of endearment had been an act as well.
She growls and a hand shoots out, clamping around the side of Nagachika's neck. She presses an iron forefinger to his jugular, his throat still raw and red from the rogue ghoul's attack. Nagachika swallows and she feels the nervous motion through her fingertips. She tightens her grip, restricting the next breath.
His chest hitches and his pulse quickens, but his expression remains calm with lips pressed in a thin line. So calm that a passerby nods at them as he hurries by, completely unaware of the underlying tension.
Touka's fingers twitch and she knows she can kill him right now. One more squeeze and his larynx would collapse first. Even if it doesn't kill him, he wouldn't be able to spill any of their precious secrets.
"Touka-chan…"
His voice is hoarse. She can feel the whisper rumble under her thumb. She narrows her eyes and waits for him to continue.
"There's…other…reason…"
Each of his words are slow and calculating. One mistake may be his last and he only has so much breath to spare.
"Doing…to…save…Kaneki…"
His pulse thuds sluggishly against her grip and she's reminded of her human victims and the days before she came to Anteiku. His eyes are pleading, but not for life. For a chance to explain.
Dammit, she echoes again. If Nagachika's doing this to save his best friend, then—then—
Then it's no different than me trying to save Yoriko.
She loosens her grip and Nagachika coughs at the sharp return of air. He doubles over, coughing harder. Touka watches, stone-faced. If his next explanation isn't believable, she has other ways to prevent him from spilling her secrets. Middle of the street or not, she won't be fooled by him again.
He straightens up with a wince, swaying as he regains his footing. He breathes raggedly for a moment before meeting her gaze, partially shrouded in the shadows. The moment she had released him, she retreated out of the streetlight glow.
"Yes, I'm a part-timer for the CCG. And, no—" he cuts her snarl off with a wave of the hand "—I'm not a spy, sent to infiltrate Anteiku. I joined—uh," he hesitates, gaze trailing to the left of Touka's shoulder.
"I overheard some of the customers at Anteiku talking about the investigator who killed the little girl's parents. The one Kaneki always talks about—Hinami, right? It all happened so fast, like the investigators were here and then suddenly Kaneki was in danger and I didn't know what would happen next."
Nagachika's voice softens and Touka feels her shoulders slump. So familiar with the Fueguchi's careful confinement, Touka had always felt like Ryouko-san's death happened in a vacuum, where only she and the select few who knew of her suffered through the loss. She never considered how it might have affected an outsider.
"Mado was scary. What he did—it wasn't right."
Who? Oh, yeah. The murderer who killed Hinami's parents. Touka struggles to keep the sneer off her face. No one would mourn that monster and she feels her anger surge at the mention of his name.
"It made me realize that any ghoul investigator—anyone who was that twisted and hateful—could go after innocent people. People like Kaneki who didn't do anything wrong."
Does he consider me a person then? A murderer like me? If he knows about the case, then he must know who killed his coworker.
Still, he sought her help anyway, even perking up at the prospect of cooperation.
"I joined the CCG to make sure that it won't happen again. I know I can't stop them from working in the 20th Ward, which means Kaneki won't ever be completely safe. But at least now I'll know when they're here. And if we can stop this rogue ghoul, maybe more investigators won't be sent over. Then everything will go back to the way it was."
He shrugs, the corner of one lip lifting in a half-smile. He falls silent and Touka considers his words. Either Nagachika's a damn good liar or he's being sincere, but she can't tell which. At least, not with a complete certainty.
However, it's enough to make her reconsider crushing his windpipe on a sparsely populated Tokyo sidewalk.
"Tch. Let's just find this ghoul and get it over with."
Nagachika's titter sounds weak and embarrassed as he rubs the back of his neck. "Yeah, this is getting too sappy for me. Things were easier when you were trying to strangle me, huh?"
Touka glares, which only makes him laugh harder.
"Why are you doing this?"
Touka glances over her shoulder, but keeps walking. Even though he has the tracking device monitor, she stays a few steps in front of him. It's easier than making constant eye-contact. Silence floats between them, broken up only by their footsteps and his muttered directions as they wind through deserted alleyways.
She sighs before slowing her pace, matching Nagachika's strides as she walks alongside him. She doesn't know why she's going to answer; he doesn't need to know anything else about her. Still, she remembers his drooping expression and the lowered gaze as he confessed his reasons. Perhaps her honesty might make the edges of their temporary partnership less jagged.
"I wasn't lying when I said I was visiting a friend." He glances at her but she immediately adverts her gaze. He drops his own eyes back to the cellphone in his hand and she's relieved for the brief respite.
It's awkward, but she perseveres.
"My best friend—she's a human. The rogue ghoul almost hurt her. I couldn't let that happen, so I decided to…"
"Fix the problem?" Nagachika supplies, peeking back in her direction.
"Fix the problem," Touka echoes with a nod. It somehow sounds cleaner that way, but they both know it'll end in death.
Nagachika shakes his head with a soft, breathy laugh. His gaze is fixed on his phone again, giving Touka a chance to observe him without being noticed. He looks so harmless, with his boyish grin and his crinkled eyes. It's not surprising she and the other ghouls had underestimated him.
"It really is amazing, you know? The lengths people go to for their best friend."
Touka considers the various human dishes she's choked down, only to purge them from her stomach as the frustrated tears burn in her eyes. She remembers the manufactured crushes and dreams she would confess for Yoriko's delight, always knowing that there was no use to it, as she would never have a normal life with normal pleasures.
Faking it all so Yoriko would never know the truth, never know the danger.
"I guess it is."
When Nagachika looks at her, she doesn't flinch away but instead maintains his stare. She reconsiders her first opinions of him, how he was a silly human who knew little and could contribute even less.
Instead, he's the one who's risking his life to keep Doves away.
It becomes clear with each conversation they share that Nagachika was never the oblivious one. It's Nagachika who protects Kaneki, the human who protects the ghoul.
They're very similar, it seems. The realization frustrates the hell out of her—after all, how can she kill Nagachika now?—but things start to make a lot more sense. She wouldn't call it trust. Not yet, at least. It's just something she can hold on to instead of clinging to suspicion and anger.
"Nagachika—"
"Hide, please. You can call me Hide."
Touka blinks. Hide?
It's a name Touka hears often, perhaps even more than her own whenever she shares a shift with Kaneki, but one she's never dared to use. Hide is a familiar, friendly name—two adjectives she's never before linked to her relationship with Nagachika.
She shakes her head with a dry smile
"You're a pain in my ass, but it could be worse."
He's not as bad as that shitty four-eyes. He could be worse, she repeats.
Hide grins, the edges of his face splitting with the expression. "I think that's the nicest thing you've ever said to me, Touka-chan."
She quickens her pace, grumbling under her breath as a rosy flush creeps up her neck. "Don't get used to it."
"Hey, uh, Touka-chan?"
She stops and turns to look at her partner, who had been trailing behind by a few meters since their latest conversation. He frowns at his phone, lips puckered tightly as his eyes rove over the screen.
"What?"
"I think he's nea—huuk!" Hide breaks off, gasping when an orange kagune slams into his stomach. He drops like a sack of coffee beans and Touka takes an instinctive step towards him.
"Nagachika!"
There's a low chuckle from the shadows and Touka whips her head around, searching for the source.
Where'd that damn rogue go?
The kagune flicks back towards her and Touka doesn't even realize she's been impaled until she hears Nagachika's shouting. She turns and sees him propped on his hands and knees, gaping at her.
"Touka-chan!"
She glances down, brow twitching as her shock gives way to pain and fear. The tip of the rogue ghoul's kagune protrudes from her stomach, casting an orange glow on her dark uniform. He retracts his kagune and it slides from Touka's back with a messy, slick sound. He disappears back in the shadows and they're thrown back into the uncertainness.
She drops to her knees and clutches her stomach wound, feeling a sharpness prickle the back of her throat. Vomit or blood—she isn't sure what comes up when she gags in the dark alleyway, but it burns all the same.
Nagachika scrambles to her side, shaking her shoulder lightly. She tries to shrug him off, aching to close her eyes and focus on nothing, but he's incessant.
"Touka—can you—will you be alright?" Nagachika's voice sounds higher-pitched than usual. Despite all his ghoul knowledge, she sluggishly realizes that he's still human with limited experience in their violence. It isn't a fatal wound, but even she can recognize how messy it looks.
"Let me look." He holds up his phone, trying to use the artificial light from the screen to get a better glimpse of her injuries.
She grunts and swallows back another wave of nausea. It's been a while since she's last eaten, but she can feel her skin slowly stitching back together. The wound is pulling all her energy and she knows she won't be able to fend off the rogue ghoul with her kagune. She lifts her head and meets Nagachika's wide eyes.
"Run."
He reels back and his eyes roam across the dimly lit alleyway, searching for their attacker. It's so quiet and still that she can hear each drop of her blood as it slips through her fingers and plinks on the concrete. The rogue ghoul is somewhere, silently laughing as they huddle like cornered rabbits.
"Like a decoy, right?" Nagachika whispers back with another quick glance over his shoulder. Touka mashes her lips, aggravated that he doesn't get it—he can't fight and she can't fight and his only way to survive is to flee and why can't the damn idiot see that?
"No! I mean—get out of here!" she grounds out, shoving him away with a growl. Nagachika's brow furrows and she isn't sure what he's thinking, but it doesn't matter anymore because then they're interrupted by the rogue ghoul.
"I was hoping for something more dramatic." He almost sounds disappointed, his orange kagune lashing by his ankles. Touka watches it, hypnotized by the dark crimson staining the kagune tip.
Her partner, however, reacts. He fumbles in his jacket pocket for something and the rogue ghoul darts forward, sending Nagachika tumbling with another sweep of his kagune. Touka grits her teeth, feeling a rage build in her throat.
Nagachika grunts and clambers into a kneeling position, hand still buried somewhere in his pocket. The rogue ghoul grins and shoves him against the wall again. However, instead of grabbing Nagachika's neck, the ghoul grips the inside of his elbow and tugs, hard enough to elicit a muted crack.
Nagachika yelps and his arm sags like a ragdoll, but at least it's still attached to his body. Touka glares, frustrated and helpless. She knows how easily the limb could have been ripped off, how she would be powerless to stop it.
"Let's see what you have here. Another one of your fancy smoke bombs?" The ghoul grips Nagachika's wrist and drags it up the wall to his eyelevel. Nagachika's white-knuckled hold around the can tightens, enough to dent the soft aluminum.
"Huh? What's this?" The ghoul peers at the can's label and frowns, perplexed. With a deft flick of his fingers, clearly an oft practiced motion, Nagachika pries open the tab and instant coffee explodes everywhere. Nagachika squeezes the can and the milky brown liquid spews out ever faster. The rogue ghoul staggers backwards and crushes Nagachika's wrist just as tightly until it crumples like the can.
Nagachika gasps in pain and kicks out, wriggling free from the rogue ghoul's clutches when he stops to wipe the coffee from his eyes. He drops with a muted groan and scrambles to get to Touka's side.
"Nagachika…" she whispers, not sure if the human is insane, brave, or perhaps both.
"Are you okay?" he whispers back. She nods. Her body feels drained and her stomach gurgles and sloshes, but at least it's on the inside of her body again. Touka glances at his arm, twisted at an unnatural angle with his wrist dangling loosely. He shouldn't be worrying about her when he has his own injuries.
He catches her stare and smiles weakly. "It looks worse than it feels. I actually can't feel anything past my shoulder."
Touka knows just as little about human anatomy, but that sounds bad.
The rogue ghoul finishes wiping the coffee from his eyes, but when he lowers his hands, his kakugan are blazing with rage. Even Nagachika is momentarily stunned into stillness when those eyes round on him.
This time, Touka knows it's her turn to act. She drops her gaze to the belt around Nagachika's waist. Ignoring the disgusted screams in the back of her mind, she lunges towards him and rips out one of the CCG canisters, tearing off the restraining loop with the force of her desperation. He stutters out a startled cry and gestures towards the release mechanism.
Touka takes a deep breath to settle her guilty conscience—she's about to use the same horrific technology that killed so many she loved—and unscrews the top before tossing the hissing canister towards the rogue ghoul. The smoke pours out faster, engulfing him in a thick cloud. He screams in pain as his skin blisters and his kagune shrivels and shatters.
Touka can feel wisps float her way, searing her own skin and lungs with a sharp, needle-like pain. She gasps as her eyes burn and water.
Nagachika yanks the edge of her hood down over her face and she can blink away the pain and wetness in the dark safety of the thick fabric. Her hands and exposed skin on her abdomen prickle, but the sting is manageable.
When Nagachika loosens his grip on her jacket and she cautiously pokes her head free, she opens her mouth to thank him, but the words die on her tongue at the sight of the heaving rogue ghoul in front of them. Gasping and cursing, but still alive. Alive and furious.
She scowls at the empty canister, still sputtering a few weak puffs of smoke. The first time she needs a functional weapon from the CCG and it can't even kill a ghoul.
"Damn…" Nagachika seems similarly disappointed, eyeing the rogue ghoul with a nervous chuckle.
She glances at her partner, noting how he gingerly holds his shattered wrist and how his skin is so pale that she can see the ghost of freckles she never knew he had. He's holding up remarkably well, but they both need to escape before the rogue ghoul recovers.
(Touka hates to imagine what would have happened if she had encountered the ghoul without Nagachika's help. She had underestimated the rogue and she would have paid for it with her life if Nagachika hadn't found her.)
She also hates running from a fight, but if they don't go soon, she's not sure how much more they can take. Without food, she knows she still won't be able to summon her kagune. Nagachika's thin-lipped frown confirms her suspicions that he's out of fancy tricks as well.
"We can tell the others at Anteiku," she adds before she knows what she's saying. "The manager will know what to do."
Is that how it is now? Does she trust him with their secrets now that they've fought together?
Touka decides that's something she can work through when they get out of that alleyway. It isn't as pressing, now that the rogue ghoul is on his feet, hissing with rage through crackled, bloody lips. He's swaying and unsteady, so they have a few moments.
But not long.
"Can you bring out your kagune again?" Nagachika whispers, keeping his eyes trained on their enemy. "We might need another quick exit."
Touka shakes her head. "I… I took too much damage. Maybe if I get a bite of him…" she trails off and wrinkles her nose. She's always despised the sour taste of ghoul flesh and his festering, poison-laced skin looks far from appetizing, but it may be their only solution.
Nagachika considers her for a moment before holding out his broken wrist out towards her, cradled in his still intact hand. "You don't need much, right? I read somewhere that even a bite could help, right?" His voice is thin and soft, but he backs his words with a smile.
Touka blinks at the offering before the realization sets in with a heavy shift in her gut.
He's… He's offering his—
She mashes her lips and ignores the reflexive rumble in her stomach at the prospect of food. How many times had she threatened Kaneki, growling that she would eat his harebrained human friend?
It feels different now.
"Don't worry—it's not like I can feel anything down there anyway."
A mottled purple has set in around his forearm and there's a nasty lump rising from his elbow. Touka swallows and takes his arm, a bit surprised by the warmth rising from the injury. She was expecting cool and clammy skin. After all, that's what it felt like when she bit into Kaneki's shoulder while fighting against Tsukiyama.
Kaneki healed. Nagachika won't. Not completely.
This distinction, that Nagachika is a human, causes her to pause.
Tch. But who cares about scars when you're still alive?
She doesn't have much time to consider her next action. Nagachika urges her to act with another firm nod. The rogue ghoul lurches towards them, hand outstretched and snarl dripping with saliva.
She takes a deep breath before dropping her mouth to the meat of Nagachika's forearm, ripping out a warm chunk of flesh. The meat barely scraps her tongue before she swallows it, quickly banishing the savory taste from her mouth. She doesn't want to enjoy it, nor does she want to tempt her self-control. Nagachika shudders, squeezing his eyes shut as the rogue bears down on them.
Touka's eyes fly open as the energy from Nagachika's flesh flows through her. Her kagune explodes from her shoulder blade in a shower of red and orange sparks, tossing flashes of color against Nagachika's face. He opens his eyes in time to see the rogue stumble back, startled by the bright, flaring lights.
She rises slowly, feeling confidence and power ripple through her rejuvenated muscles. The rogue watches her warily and for the first time that night his expression is not one of rage or smugness, but rather apprehension.
"Amazing," she hears Hide whisper, his voice tinged with awe instead of fear, support instead of disgust. It's all the encouragement she needs. Her lips part and her tongue runs across the sharp edge of her bloody smile.
"My turn, shithead."
Silence falls when it's all over.
Still panting from the effort of her attacks, Touka retracts her kagune immediately after the rogue ghoul's body tumbles to the ground. Crystalized RC shards litter the ground around her like broken glass; some protrude from the rogue ghoul's motionless chest.
However, none reach Hide, who slouches against a wall with a weary smile. Touka crosses to him and leans against the wall before sliding down with a heavy sigh. They sit a reasonable distance apart, but close enough that Hide can still reach her without straining.
"Eww. Who knows what you just sat in. You might have to get that jacket professionally cleaned now."
Touka glances down at the tattered shreds of her outfit. Her hoodie is a lost cause, stained with her blood and the rogue ghoul's blood—hell, there's some of Hide's blood too. The parts that aren't crusted with crimson are caked in sewer mud or ripped beyond repair.
When she looks back at Hide, she notices that he's grinning at his joke. She can't help but smile too. A small, tired smile.
"You were incredible," he adds with another bounce of his head, tipping it backwards to rest against the cool stone behind them as he reminisces. "I remember little bits from when you stopped Kaneki from eating me, but I didn't see you shoot those RC daggers last time."
He was awake then? She shakes her head and murmurs a fond curse. She shouldn't even be surprised at this point.
"Yeah, that was pretty badass. Also, thanks for, uh, not skewering me."
"You weren't in the way this time…and it's not a big deal." Touka presses her lips together and glances away, a bit overwhelmed by his praise. "Besides, you helped. A little."
Hide seems to appreciate this, his shoulder knocking against Touka's with the force of his laughter. "I guess it was a team effort."
She notices how his injured wrist lies limply in his lap and that the blood surrounding her bitemark has just started to congeal into a sticky, crimson clot. She involuntarily brushes her mouth with the back of her hand.
"This won't happen again."
"Why? Gonna kill me now that I know your secret?"
She wrinkles her nose, not sure how to explain that she doesn't want him to get hurt again. Not like this and not because he got tangled in her mess. Part of her wants to punch him—after all, that's what she does whenever Kaneki makes her feel frustrated and stuck and she can't find the right words to work through it—but she knows Hide doesn't deserve another bruise. So instead she clenches her fists and glares at the rogue ghoul's body.
"No."
"Oh, I know why then." Her eyes dart back to him. "It's because you're madly in love with me, right? And you don't want any more harm to come to me?"
Touka sputters a denial, face reddening. "I—I—that's not—"
"I'm kidding, Touka-chan!" Hide ends her suffering with a light, twinkling laugh. This time he taps his kneecap against her extended thigh. Each moment of contact causes her nerves to sizzle and she's unused to the sensation, but she knows after watching him interact with Kaneki that Hide thrives off touch.
He winces as he moves back, shifting his injured arm as gingerly as he can. "But lesson definitely learned. No more ghoul tracking until we have a plan. And I mean one from the beginning."
Touka frowns at his inclusive pronoun and she opens her mouth to counter, but a flashlight beam assaults her eyes. She squints and lifts a hand to her face, expression souring at the jarring light.
The light beam jumps to Hide before landing on the rogue ghoul's body. The flashlight bearer sucks in a sharp breath and the light returns to them.
"I—we—Nagachika-kun? Is that you?"
Touka's eyes have finally adjusted to the light and she feels her newly healed stomach twist into knots. Their intruder carries a slick, silver case and towers over them with a heavy frown. The muscles in Touka's legs clench and she's aware of her elbow rising, hovering in front of Hide's bruised ribs like a reflexive shield.
Damn. A Dove. Touka's hands curl into fists and she knows she can't take a Dove on now, but there's no cho—
Hide brushes her sleeve with his good hand and Touka freezes before lowering her arm.
"Oh, what are you doing here, Kosami-san?"
"We received a call from a civilian about a possible ghoul attack a few minutes ago." The man eyes Touka's bloody jacket and Hide's injuries before his gaze flicks back to the rogue ghoul's body. "What happened, Nagachika-kun?"
"I'm not exactly sure. It all happened so fast."
The Dove learns forward, eyes wide as he lowers his silver briefcase. "What do you remember?"
"I was walking Ōhashi-chan back to her apartment," he nods towards Touka, "when this ghoul jumped out at us."
Hide gives a strangled little chuckle, the perfect mix of frazzled horror and giddiness. If Touka hadn't heard a similar sound a few hours ago when he was lulling the rogue into a false sense of security, she would have thought he was genuinely rattled. However, when the Dove fumbles in his coat for a notebook, Hide shoots her a crinkle-eyed wink.
"He was terrifying—I mean, I've been helping out at the Division II branch for months and I've seen some pretty creepy stuff in the files and all, but it was so much worse up close. He was going to kill us, but this other ghoul swoops in. What kind of mask was he wearing, Ōhashi-chan?"
Touka blinks before realizing she's supposed to answer. "Uhm… A rabbit?" she hazards an answer, the first animal that comes to mind. She winces, but Hide takes her answer in stride with a laugh and a shake of the head.
"No, no! It was clearly some sort of dog. What kind of rabbit has floppy ears and a snout?" He tilts his head and shoots an elevated eyebrow at the Dove, almost as if saying "civilians, am I right?".
"Of course..." Her voice sounds too hoarse and soft and she hates it, but she supposes it's the right role to play. A scared human. With Hide carrying their act with such skillful ease, she supposes she shouldn't worry. He's obviously had practice misleading others, herself including.
The Dove nods, jotting down the notes. "So they fought right in front of you…? And then fled?"
Hide shrugs and Touka can tell that he instantly regrets the casual motion. "Probably just a run-of-the-mill territory fight that bled into our ward. The dog-mask-guy kept talking about another ward—the 14th, I think—and calling, uh, that guy," he nods toward the rogue's body, "a coward. I bet the winner is long gone now."
The Dove nods before slipping his notebook back in his jacket pocket. "Probably so. Still, I should get the word out to the other branches to look for a rogue ghoul." He pauses and re-evaluates Touka's and Hide's condition.
"And we should get you two to a hospital. Don't worry, miss—I'll make sure you get to go to the CCG floor. They're faster for us."
Touka flattens her expression, but she feels her stomach twist again. "I'm not hurt. It's okay."
"You don't want to stay with Nagachika-kun?" The Dove's brow furrows and she wonders if she said the wrong thing. "Your, uh, friend?"
Hide interrupts with another stunted laugh, rubbing the back of his neck with his good hand. "It's no use, Kosami-san. I've already spoiled this date worse than any ghoul could. I'm sure Ōhashi-chan would rather not see me any more than she has to."
Now given an emotion to play, Touka forces her lips to pucker and her eyes to narrow. The Dove winces and takes a reflexive step back, hoping to avoid a domestic squabble.
"Ah. I understand..."
There's an awkward pause and the Dove clears his throat before glancing away, suddenly finding the rogue ghoul's body infinitely more interesting. "Well, um, I should write up this report and you should get to a hospital, Nagachika." He sneaks a glance at Touka and offers her a stiff nod.
"It was nice to meet you, uh…?"
"Ōhashi-chan," Hide supplies, earning another dramatic glare from Touka.
"Right," the Dove murmurs before slinking away and prodding at the ukaku shards with a renewed concentration.
"Chan?" Touka finds herself enjoying the charade; she won't be satisfied until they've embarrassed that Dove out of the alleyway.
"It suits you! You're very cute when you scowl like that. You sure that we can't do this again?" When the Dove turns his back to give them privacy, Hide's grin returns at full wattage.
"Get lost!"
"With you? Any time."
Touka takes the cue to huff and stomp away, rounding the corner before the Dove could insist on escorting her home. She keeps the same determined pace until she slips through the front door of Anteiku and locks it tight behind her.
The ridiculousness of their fake fight and the fading adrenaline from the actual fight finally hits her as she strips out of her bloodied clothes. She laughs, softly as to not disturb Hinami-chan and the others. She's almost disappointed that Hide isn't there to join her.
When Kaneki comes in for his shift, Hide is already seated at their usual table, picking at a pastry with one hand. His gaze drops down to Hide's other arm and notices that it's buried in a dark split. He hurries across the café to get to Hide, ignoring Koma's cheerful greeting and Yomo's frown.
"Yo, Kaneki!" Hide lifts his free arm, grinning around a swollen lip.
"Hide?" His voice is rising and he can feel his coworkers watching him, almost as if they all know something he doesn't. His eyes immediately dart towards Nishiki, the last person who had hurt Hide, but Nishiki adverts his gaze.
Kaneki hovers at the edge of the table, staring down at Hide's injuries. Now he's close enough to see the tip of a plaster cast wrapped around the base of Hide's fingers.
What…what happened?
He keeps gawping at his best friend, but Hide doesn't seem to notice. He's gone back to picking at the dessert with grunts of concentration. The chair next to him slides backwards and Touka drops into it, leaning against the wood back with a sigh. She isn't wearing her standard uniform, instead dressed in a pair of shorts paired with a casual blouse.
Touka-chan? I didn't think she worked today?
Kaneki's frown deepens as he adds another confusing element to his pile of uncertainties.
Hide injured? The others know something? Touka-chan here on a day off?
His head pulses and he takes the seat across from Hide. Even though his shift had started a few moments ago, no one chastises him for dawdling.
"It's broken, huh?" Touka's attention is solely on Hide, almost as if Kaneki isn't even there.
"Mmm, yeah. Could have been worse. Also, they stuck me on desk duty, which bites." Hide wrinkles his nose before trying to jam his fork through the dark, sweat-dampened gap between his cast and palm. "And this cast itches like hell."
Touka hisses and yanks his arm away. "I have to clean those, you idiot! No one wants your shitty sweat on their silverware."
"I don't know. Some salt might be a nice counter to your pastries. These are waaay too sweet."
"If you have a problem, then don't eat them."
"Ah, but I could never turn down a gift from you, Touka-chan."
Kaneki watches their banter with the same wide-eyed, uncertain stare. It's strange, yet almost familiar.
Hide's nonchalance and Touka's grudging smile.
They're things that Kaneki knows well, but he's never seen them together. And never shared between Hide and Touka-chan of all people.
What…?. In fact, he can't remember the last time he ever saw the two together. He racks his brain, but he only recalls Hide's silly platitudes and Touka's muttered complaints afterwards. He never knew they were acquaintances, much less friends.
"What's going on?" Kaneki finally manages to sputter, head jerking from Hide to Touka.
They exchange glances and Touka mutters a cross, "I thought you told him already."
"Told me what?" Kaneki's voice jumps again when Hide forces a smile. It's the kind of smile one gives their dog before taking them to the veterinarian and Kaneki suddenly gets the sense that he's in a kennel rather than a coffee shop.
"You know that rogue ghoul that's been targeting girls over the past few weeks?"
Kaneki nods, feeling his heartbeat quicken. He remembers overhearing Irimi and Komo complain about their delicate situation. Things would only get worse if Doves started to investigate. He recalls Hide's uncanny fixation with ghouls and desperately wishes there isn't a link, but he knows it's a futile hope. Hide is the kind of person who likes to connect the most troublesome of dots.
"Well, you don't have to worry about him anymore. Touka-chan and I took care of it." Hide shrugs a shoulder and winces as the motion jostles his sling. Touka rolls her eyes, but there's no malice behind the action. Just a fond exasperation.
Took care of it…? The only way that's possible is if—
Kaneki breaks off as the realization dawns on him. He thinks back to his coworkers' cautious distance from their table. They hadn't been wary of Kaneki—they were wary of Hide.
Of the defenseless human with the shattered wrist and sling.
Of Kaneki's best friend, who seems totally at ease with Touka, even earning a smile when he jokes about rabbit ears.
Oh no… Does he—?
Rabbits, rogue ghouls, and oversweet pastries. Kaneki always believed his two worlds ran like parallel lines, never to intercept or tangle, but there's only one possible explanation.
He knows. Hide connected the dots.
Kaneki isn't sure if his face is flushed, pale, or a mottled blend of unflattering colors. It doesn't help that both Hide and Touka now laugh openly at his suffering. Even Nishiki smirks as he scrubs down a nearby table.
Apparently, everyone else knows too.
He groans and drops his head into his hands, wondering why he's always the last to figure things out.
I hope this doesn't become a common occurrence—Touka-chan and Hide teaming up.
He's not sure if his blood pressure can take it.
Thanks for reading!
Okay. So, Tokyo Ghoul/:re is officially over and I'm? Not sure? What to do? The ending was left kinda ambiguous in terms of Hide's feelings and Touka's feelings and Kaneki's feelings so I guess I'm just going to support HideTouKen for the rest of my life and you can pry this polyamorous ship from my cold, dead hands.
I mean, biting is a sign of marriage and in this universe Hide's been bitten by Kaneki and Touka, so they're all married now anyway. It's headcanon official.
Hey, I don't make the rules. I just follow them.