After grabbing a selection of shirts, pants, underwear, socks, shoes, and a couple of jackets, Touka and I headed back to Anteiku. Yoshimura stood behind the counter and smiled as we walked in.
"I trust that you found what you needed?" He asked.
I held up the bags in my hands, smiling ear to ear.
"Good, now go upstairs and change into something more professional." He said, pointing his thumb back.
"But I didn't have my measurements taken."
"Just make do with what you have, we got to work!" Touka shouted.
I ran into my room, dumping the contents of my bags on my bed. Thinking quickly, I threw on a blue button up shirt, black vest, black dress pants, and leather shoes. I looked at myself in the mirror, not bad, if I say so myself and I clearly do. Touka stood outside my door, already in uniform and holding out a white apron.
"Just get the orders and I'll make the coffee." She said.
Considering I've only been here for a day and don't even know how to make coffee, that'll be quite the problem. I walked down the stairs and swiped a notepad and pen off of the counter. The first costumer was a man of middling age, thick glasses, slight balding, smelled of dish soap.
"I'd like a sea salt caramel macchiato, and make it snappy."
Wow, first day and I'm already given shit for working here. Maybe I'll follow him home and see what his insides taste like. I scribbled his order down and passed the demand to Touka. He got his order in due time. Next customer, a lavender haired guy and his black haired girlfriend, not exactly an opportunity to hit it up with the ladies. The guy ordered a hazelnut latte and the girl ordered a white mocha.
"Hello miss, what'll you be having-" My tongue was curbed by the sight of a beautiful woman with purple hair, white dress over a blue shirt, and the unmistakable scent of a Ghoul.
"I'll just have a vanilla latte." She said, barely looking up from her book.
While Touka was finishing her order, I went behind the counter and snuck a few of those blood sugar cubes that Yoshimura is so fond of in her drink. After taking a sip, the woman turned to me.
"This taste's a little funny, did something happen while making it?"
I simply grin and lean in closely, "I know what you are." I whispered.
She giggled before giving me the most terrifying smile I've ever seen, and her eyes flashed between Kagune mode and her normal colors. "That makes two of us."
I know I should be shitting my pants right now, but I can't help but laugh. "Whatever you say, babe."
The news came on and mentioned that multiple people were killed last night, I doubt it was those two guys I ate. The lady mentioned that there was Ghoul saliva on the bodies, and with the faint smell of blood on this chicks breath, I'm pretty sure that she's the one responsible, Rize Kamishiro. The tense atmosphere was suddenly broken by the sound of laughter, I turned my head to the source and saw a blonde haired guy laughing at his black haired friend.
"Come on, it's not that funny." The black haired one said.
I hear the sound of humiliation and see who I need to mock, but maybe I should keep listening to them.
"Man, you're hopeless! You can't take her to the bookstore on a first date!" Seriously? Oh, this is getting good!
"Why not? She might think it's an amazing idea!" Yeah, get some better friends and ditch this loser, blondie.
"Just don't do it, trust me, she'll think you're lame." I second that opinion, but I pity this girl if she didn't find Sir McWhines-a-lot lame already, must've said yes out of pity.
The black haired guy then started to stutter before saying that he'd take the girl to Big Girl, a burger chain that just opened up recently, I actually managed to sneak one of their burgers once, not bad, but super greasy. This actually got a laugh out of me, but I don't think they noticed. Okay, I had enough from just watching, now to start the mocking. But...
"Hey, listen to those two." I whispered in Touka's ear.
She gave me a weird look before staring at them, she clamped her hand over her mouth laughing before actually going over there. In fear of her getting hit on (because that's my job), I walk with her. At least she's intentionally making detours. While she was talking with an old lady, the blonde called her over, I'll keep a bit of distance for now.
"Hey, can I get a cappuccino? You want one too, Kaneki?" He asked.
"No thanks." He simply answered, bit of a downer, isn't he?
"Alright, one cappuccino..." Touka said while writing the order down.
"Oh, and..." Oh shit, here we go. "What is your name?"
I take a few steps closer, but I'm not going to make a scene. If I was, I'd be wearing a sign that reads 'I'M A GHOUL, COME SPIT ON ME!'
"T-Touka Kirishima." God, seeing her all embarrassed like that, she's so cute! How do I get it for myself?
"Then let me just cut to the chase!" Hide, apparently, got up in Touka's face. "Are you seeing anyone?"
Kaneki stood up in his chair, just making a fool out of himself, I decided that I had enough and briskly walked over to them. That's when I noticed the book this Kaneki guy had with him, it was the same book Rize was reading. I picked it up and examined it, 'The Black Goat's Egg', I've heard of this one, it's about a abusive mother who is also a serial killer, and similar tendencies are found in her son.
"Hey, what're you...?" Kaneki tried to make me let go of his book before I put it back on the table.
"Actually, I am." Touka said.
The three of us look at her before she hooked her arm around mine. "This is my boyfriend, say hi dearie."
"Uh... Hi? I'm Otto Kaneda." I reached my hand out.
Kaneki grasped my hand softly, not exactly muscle bound, this one, then shook.
"I'm Ken Kaneki, and this is Hideyoshi Nagachika." He said.
"Lucky you!" Hide said proudly.
"Yes, we couldn't be happier." Touka said before taking me into the back room.
She unhooked her arm and looked at me, her face was almost completely red. Oh, I just want to kiss her she's so cute.
"Thanks..." She mumbled.
"Hey, I don't mind, just warn me next time." I said, a stupid grin plastered on my face.
She sighed before her blush disappeared. "What do I owe you?"
"Excuse me?"
"I owe you something, name it." Touka's clearly getting mad, so...
"How about we go out for dinner?" I said.
Touka stared at me with her beautiful cerulean eyes, her hair slightly parted so I could see them. She nodded and we headed back out, Hideyoshi left, leaving Kaneki behind and honestly, I wouldn't blame him. Then he started to read through his book, occasionally taking glances at the walking food processor. She eventually noticed his creepy stares and pretended to be all shy about it, when really she'd be able to rip his ass in half before he could ask to smash. It might be best to make sure she doesn't eat this kid, I'd rather keep the collateral to a minimum.
When our shifts ended, Touka took me to see a friend of hers, a Ghoul who specialized in making masks. I forgot his name, unfortunately, but he was... Interesting to say the least.
"So, would you like a mask that's scary, intimidating, ornate?"
I looked through his selection, none of it really interested me, I then asked for a pencil and paper. He obliged and I drew my new facewear, it looked like the lower half of a skull, but also slightly mechanical, and we're not talking T-1000 shaped. Think of it as being skull in theme, something that an assassin might wear, maybe played by Stephen Russell. He said he'd work on it right away, he just needed something to help him get started, I gave him my ski tube and left.
"So, what does your mask look like?" I asked Touka as we wandered the streets.
She immediately went red faced. "Promise that you won't laugh."
I nodded.
"A rabbit."
A rabbit? Well, that explains it, she likes rabbits, doesn't help she's as cute as one. I just smiled and kept my mouth shut, Touka clearly thinking that I'm mentally judging her.
After a couple of days, my mask finally arrived, and just in time, too. I've been stalking Kaneki and Rize while waiting, nothing seemed out of the ordinary, at a first glance, but midway through their first date, I realized that she was lustfully hungry for his flesh, and not in the sexual way, maybe, I'm not sure how it is. My mask fit comfortably on my face and matched perfectly with my coat. After they left the restaurant, Rize begged Kaneki to take her home in fear of a Ghoul attack, ironic, right? I'm pretty sure the kid thought he was about to lay some pipe, but it'd be more dangerous than that if I don't intervene. The cattle that walks like a man followed Rize until she brought him near a dark alley that lead to a construction yard, where she began to toy with her food. She was laughing manically, tossing Kaneki around like he was a rag doll. I shouldn't step in yet, but something is pushing me to stop her.
BGM: Psycho - Muse
"Hey!" I shouted, leaping forward with my arm formed into a blade.
She dodged the strike, I quickly glanced at Kaneki, who was currently bleeding out from several bite and stab wounds. I need to make this quick.
"You... You were from the cafe." She says.
"I'm flattered that you remember me, but it won't save you."
Rize laughs and lunges her back tendrils at me, I morph my left arm into a shield, managing to keep them off, I spin around and slam my blade into the ground. She just lifted herself Doctor Octopus style with her tendrils, how the fuck did I not see that coming?
"Think I can't work around that?" I said before morphing my hands into a multitude of tendrils.
I grab Rize's arms and pull her down to ground level, then I deliver a Cuban heel to her lower jaw. The force of the kick sends her back a few feet, she glares at me, more pissed then ever.
"I'm going to tear you apart!" She screams, launching her tendrils into the ground to slingshot herself at me.
She starts with punching, which I'm happy to follow with, I grab her fist after she first swung and pull her closer, delivering a harsh blow to her ear. Then follow up with a swift poke to the gut, and a axe kick to the face. Then she tried to slam a tendril down on me, which I caught with a claw hand and threw her over. I lunged and actually got some slashes in before I was knocked back. She coughed up some blood before smirking at me.
"Caught you~." She creepily sang before using her Kagune to launch me upwards.
I landed on a steel beam, multiple actually, connected by thick wire. A lightbulb shone over my head. Rize was too distracted by Kaneki's succulent body to notice me cutting the wires around the site.
"Hey, flesh whore!" I shouted.
Her eyes widened when she saw me. Frozen like a deer in the headlights or a lizard in roller skates, Rize stood underneath the shadow of her impending doom.
"Here's to your crushing defeat!" I shouted before cutting the last wire and letting the beams fall on top of her.
Luckily, Kaneki wasn't hit with any of the beams. But I didn't stick around long enough to see if he was still alive, I booked it as soon as I heard sirens. That was a close call, not only did I save that kid, I took on Rize, the top bitch of the 20th ward, and won! I feel like a billion yen! Unfortunately, my fun was short lived when I saw that Touka was waiting for me, dressed in her pajamas, and a long scowl across her face.
"Care to explain what you were doing?" She asked, venom in her tone.
"I followed Kaneki and Rize, crushed her to death, not sure about Keneki." I said, better to tell the truth now over lie and get found out.
Tears welled up in her eyes as she nearly tackled me, I can hear her crying.
"You moron, you could've gotten killed!" She sobbed.
I stare at her for a bit, is this what they call attraction? She was obviously worried about me, not that she needed to be.
"But I'm fine, there's no need to cry anymore." I whispered as I wrapped my arms around her waist.
We stood there for a few hours, Touka's crying eventually stopped. She eventually got tired and I carried her to her room, I lay Touka in her bed and slowly close the door behind me.
"I'm fine, because I'll never leave you... I'll always be here, because..." I had no idea what I was saying, I didn't care if she could hear me or not, but I'm tired as hell.
Turns out the Kaneki fellow survived, fan-tucking-fastic. As he was released from the hospital, I tailed him to his apartment, I would hear grief wrecked sobs coming from it. If I didn't consider him a whiny bitch before, I certainly do now. Then I noticed a slight change, that bastard now smells like... Me! He's a Ghoul now?
Touka and I made it a rule to watch over him for at least an hour before clocking out. One night, Kaneki was wandering through the street, psychotically jibbering to himself.
"You think he's lost it?" Touka asked.
"He's not crazy, he's scared." I said before continuing to follow his movements.
Kaneki eventually stumbled upon another Ghoul, who was thankfully friendly and even offered some meat from his recent catch. Unfortunately, a ginger guy in glasses, snuck up behind him and decapitated him with a single kick.
"Now, what do you think you're doing, hunting on my feeding grounds?" He condescendingly asked.
"I-I wasn't, I swear I didn't kill that person, I-I was just passing by!" Kaneki screams, the ginger holding him up by the throat.
"Didn't do it? You know what? Picture this, your girlfriend is lying on the ground, naked with semen flowing out of her, and some guy with his pants around his ankles says 'I didn't do it, I was just passing by'!" Gross analogy, but effective.
"So, are we just gonna stand here?" I asked.
"Let's go." Touka says before we drop to the ground.
"... I'd kill 'em, so that's what I'm gonna do to you. If you trespass on my territory, you die."
"Hate to break it to ya, but this isn't 'your territory', ginger." I say in a cocky tone.
"So he wasn't trespassing, Nishiki. Let him go." Touka follows.
Nishiki looked at us and smirked, his grip tight on Kaneki's throat, I'm just hoping he either leaves or just kills the poor fuck, because I have a date with my right hand later.
"Seems you weren't stupid enough to come alone, Touka. What does it matter, that binge eating bitch is dead." He tries to justify, but I'm not having it, he does drop Kaneki to the ground, causing him to fall directly on his face.
"And what about her death made this your hunting range? I thought it was all just free game." I said.
"Otto, don't you know about the distribution agreements?" Touka asked.
"Is this really the best time?"
Nishiki laughed, making us both to blush. "Should I go and leave you two lovebirds to sort out your own problems?"
"If we say yes, will you not attack that guy anymore?" I demand.
"I make no promises." Nishiki said before bidding us adieu.
Touka punched me in the shoulder, crisis averted. I turn to look at our new acquaintance, only to have my suspicions answered, Kaneki does indeed have one red eye, but it's located on his left, rather than right. If you dressed him up like me and dyed his hair brown, he'd be an exact mirror image of me.
Seeing him like this is absolutely pathetic, I glance at the corpse on the ground, a severed arm was closest. I picked it up and held it out.
"Hungry?" I asked in a teasing tone.
Like a baby expecting a new toy, Kaneki started reaching out towards the arm before forcefully holding his arm back.
"No, I can't..." He said.
"Can't what, survive? Have fun being dead." I said in a deadpan.
"Please, you have to help me!" He rasped, "It might be hard to believe, but I'm actually human, and yet... I want..."
"Then take it." I said throwing the arm to his feet.
"What are you doing?" Touka asked.
"Just watch."
Between Kaneki's demonic sounding grunts and sobbing, he desperately tries to eat the arm, but shoves it away like a kid refusing to eat his vegetables.
"No! If I eat that, I'll stop... I'll stop being..."
"If you're in that much pain, then just eat." Touka said, picking up the arm.
I get the message, I morph my fingers into tendrils, grabbing him by the throat, arms, and legs, pinning Kaneki against the wall. "I'm sorry if this goes against your want, but I just can't stand a crybaby. Touka!"
Touka, for lack of a better term, slam dunks the flesh into Kaneki's mouth, forcing him to choke it down. Easily one of the most satisfying things I've ever done.
