In a quick rush Sen snatched Seita up from his place on the bathroom floor and rushed him back into her bed to rest pulling the sheets up tight over him, she grabbed the largest bowl she could find and put it next to him in case he got sick before getting a wet towel on his head. She then stared around her apartment confused and worried trying to remember how her parents cared for her when she was sick, she leapt up to her feet but found them locked in place.

"Medicine for his stomach, can I give him medicine or will it make it worse? I don't know anything about ghouls… shoot I should have listened more to Nagachika sempai and all that stuff he rambles on and on about…" she rambled on and on to herself out loud. She dropped down next to Seita, "What do I do? Is there anything I get you or-or feed you? You can't have ginger can you?" she asked him.

"I have ginger tea." She tried and Seita weakly shook his head, her thoughts were racing on what to eat when you're nauseous, "No crackers or toast… lemons! Can you snack on frozen lemons?!" she asked him desperately.

"No, no human food… how can you not know that?" Seita asked her weakly.

"I don't know that much about ghouls! I don't watch any of those programs on the television they make me feel uncomfortable, I already know they're out there but watching those programs makes me paranoid. But I should have watched them-I would've if I had known this would happen!" Sen rambled, "Maybe I did know and it slipped my mind, it's not like I'm around ghouls all the time or something!" she yelled out frustrated.

"Water? Can you at least drink that to settle your stomach?" She asked him and he finally nodded his head, she sighed and jumped up to her feet she snatched the largest glass she could find and filled it with ice cold water before running it back to him. She helped him sit up and handed him the water, he took it with shaking hands. Seita had never felt so sick before in his life, his stomach was in agonizing writhing knots, his body felt like it was on fire and each breath was a wheeze. His skin felt like it was melting and peeling and sliding off and he was coated in sweat as tremors ran through his body that just couldn't stop shaking. He'd never eaten so much human food before, just small nibbles here and there to get used to blending in.

He knew he should've thrown it up but he couldn't bring himself to do it, he just wanted to pretend to be human. Like being here for this one night would make everything better, he wouldn't have to hide any longer from the CCG. He could go to school and eat ice cream and cake. He just wanted to be human and live in a safe warm, welcoming home.

"Do-do you have any coffee beans?" he asked her weakly wanting something to nibble on but knowing that asking for flesh wouldn't be an option. He just wanted something to settle the pain in his stomach.

"I-I don't know I don't drink coffee, maybe I do-my boyfriend really likes it and he brings some with him." Sen stated jumping up to her feet and running to her kitchenette, she began ransacking her cabinets pulling everything out and rummaging through everything to find any source of coffee. Suddenly a container of instant coffee toppled out of the cabinet onto her head, the black ground powder spilling out over her head and the floor. She scrambled and scooped up the container rushing back over to Sieta, she threw herself onto the ground next to him, "Is this alright? It's instant coffee what should I do?" she asked him.

Seita glanced up at the container and nodded weakly, "That's fine… could-could you mix it with some water to help it go down easier?" he asked her as he curled in around his stomach clamping his arms around the pain. Sen floundered in her kitchenette and mixed some water with the instant coffee and passing it to Sen. She helped support him up and bring the cup to his lips, Seita drank slowly-he gagged and retched at first, tears pricking the corners of his eyes from the pain.

But slowly the coffee was helping to soothe him, the effect was not immediate, it was very slow acting but it was soothing. His stomach was slowly settling, the knots it had tangled its self into slowly, ever so slowly uncurled and undid themselves. His body was settling its self, he wasn't fully recovered the cramps were still there but the pain was dampened and he was able to breathe a sigh of relief. He rested his head on Sen's shoulder, "Th-thank you." He breathed.

Sen sniffled and began to cry embracing him tightly, "I'm so sorry I'm an idiot!" she cried out, "I'm sorry I didn't mean to hurt you!" she apologised to him.

"I-It's okay." Seita responded, "Um… Sen? You're kind of crushing me." He breathed out and she instantly let him go, he took in a deep breath to recover from her iron grip. Despite being painfully crushed by it the embrace soothed him and made him feel somehow better. He relaxed in her warm arms feeling safe in their cradling and coddling of him, he was still shaking and trembling but it wasn't as violent as before. He shifted his head from her shoulder to rest more comfortably on her chest and now could hear her heart beat and it soothed him as well, he was still aching all over and his head pounding but it was getting better.

Sen could feel how Seita's tremors were slowly receding, his body had felt like a tightly coiled spring at first but now that spring was slowly relaxing the tension easing out. His hands were clutching onto the front of her shirt as if he were afraid she'd leave him but she wasn't going anywhere without him. She ran her fingers through his hair massaging his scalp knowing that's what she liked best when she was sick. As her skin brushed against his he still felt red hot like running a fever, "Have some more water." She encouraged his grabbing the glass and passing it to him. He drank from the glass like he had gone days without water, he felt heat recede from his cheeks almost immediately and liked the feel of the cold rush down his throat into his stomach. He relaxed back in the circle of Sen's arms as she went back to massaging his scalp and rubbing circles on his back.

The two of them lost track of time but slowly the night passed them by as they sat together on Sen's futon, Sen nursing Seita as he slowly recovered from his ailing body. She watched as his head dropped from exhaustion, his eyes fluttering and dropping shut just as the sky began to lighten outside. She could tell he wasn't fully recovered from last night, but had certainly gotten better. His fever had gone down significantly, he was only a few degrees warmer than he should be, he was no longer shaking and trembling in her arms nor clutching his stomach and vomiting. Small groans would occasionally slip out from his lips but Sen sighed in relief knowing the worst was over.

Slowly she saw the sun crawl up into the sky lazily to start a new day and by that time her eyes were dropping as well, she yawned tucking Seita back into the futon and pulling the sheets up over him. She cleared away the bowl he'd gotten sick into and retrieved a clean one for him before laying down onto the sheets she'd readied for herself. Before she knew it she had fallen asleep as well, it was an exhausted tired sort of sleep in which she had no dreams.

She was awoken by the shrill screech of her telephone, she jumped startled her sheets flying everywhere and her head whipping around as she clambered up to her feet from her surprise. Seita was jerked awake as well staring wide eyed at Sen. She took a breath to calm herself and walked over to her phone picking up the receiver, "H-Hello?" she asked trying to sound awake and calm despite her racing heart and the realisation that yesterday had actually happened.

"This is Y High School calling to inquire as to why Fujiwara Sen is not in class." The school receptionist stated professionally from the other end.

Sen snapped to attention as she realised she had slept in and missed her Friday classes, she swung around to look at her clock, at this point in time there'd be no point in going to school because by the time she got there she'd have missed over half her classes. She sniffed her nose and gave a cough before responding, "Y-yes I apologise I had meant to call in this morning, I'm just not feeling all that well. I suppose I must have dozed off after taking my medicine." She explained her voice thankfully scratchy from the late night making her sound sick.

The receptionist paused and with her response seemed to be frowning, "Oh dear you sound quite sick Miss Fujiwara." She quipped and Sen could hear her fingers flying across the school computer keyboard, "Well you remain at home but next time please call before school hours to inform us of your absence. I'll let it go this time dear as you sound quite sick and this is your first time." She then lectured Sen.

Sen nodded her head a ditzy smile stretching across her face, she didn't think she sounded all that sick or convincing but the secretary seemed to think so, "I'm so sorry for the inconvenience it won't happen again." She replied, the line on the other end disconnected and she hung up her phone. She turned around to look at Seita apologetically, "Sorry that was my school calling-I missed class."

Seita still slightly sleepy nodded his head somewhat dazed. He stared around the unfamiliar yet at the same time familiar room from last night, the events of yesterday slowly sinking in, "It's no problem at all Sen." He stated.

She nodded her head and then rubbed the back of her neck apologetically, "I'd offer to make you breakfast but I don't think you'll be having any." She stated giving a weak chuckle not sure if she should laugh or not. But as a small smile crept its way onto Seita's face she smiled back and laughed, "You mind if I make myself something to eat?" she asked him.

Seita suddenly felt a jolt of energy rush through him, he'd finally waken all the way up. He nodded his head excitedly, "Could I-Can I watch you cook?" he asked still fascinated with the idea of cooking. He rolled his shoulders and shifted about from his spot on the futon, surprised at how fast he had recovered from last night. He thought for sure he'd still feel sick and worn out, his body locked in agony. Maybe it's because I threw it all up before I really digested it he thought to himself as he tried to reason out as to why he was sick. But suddenly a bolt of pain shot through his abdomen and up his spine his hair prickling, he winced nope I'm still in pain he thought to himself.

Sen blinked confused from Seita's request, "Sure you can." She said not sure why he was interested but saw no reason as to why she should decline his offer. She snatched her apron and tied it around her waist, "My parents never cooked, and I never learned how until I started working at a restaurant a year ago-I'm not extremely interested in cooking but I'm pretty decent at it." She explained to him as she finished tying the bow at the back, "Now what do you want to see me make-I learned how to make a Western style omelette the other day." She chatted with him in a friendly tone.

Seita unsure of what it meant nodded eagerly, "Sure that, cook that!" he exclaimed happily.

Sen smiled grabbing the last few eggs from her fridge as well as milk and a few different vegetables, "One of the chefs whose been working there for years noticed right away I had no idea how to cook and taught me when the restaurant was closed. Every week he teaches me a new recipe." She said as she cracked the eggs and cut her vegetables, Seita hovered by her elbow the entire time watching eagerly. Sen brought the fresh cut veggies to her nose inhaling, "Smells nice and fresh." She remarked and reflexively went to pass it to Seita but hesitated remembering last night.

He smiled gratefully, even from this distance he could smell the so called fresh vegetables which to his nose smelled rotten and putrid, as if infested with most vile fungus and had been covered in animal wastes. He recoiled away his nose curled in disgust as Sen dropped the piece back on her cutting board and resumed chopping, "I'm fine thank you… human food makes me-ghouls that is to say extremely sick…. I thought everyone knew that." He remarked.

Sen flushed bright red and sliced her own finger open by accident, "Ow! Damn it!" she said sticking her finger into her mouth, her tongue curled in disgust at the coppery taste meanwhile Seita slammed his hands over his nose so he couldn't smell Sen. As Sen sucked on her finger she explained herself, "I'm ditzy by nature, I guess I just forgot… I mean you don't look like a ghoul to me-you look like a child to me, someone who was scared, needed a place to go and someone to care for them."

She gave a bubble of hysteric laughter, "A-and I have to admit hearing about ghouls it makes me really uncomfortable and scared… I've lived in some harsh neighbourhoods that were bad enough because of people but to think there was something scarier out there too." She shivered, "I can't think straight and I get paranoid." She explained, "So I kind of always put that kind of thing to the back of my mind…" she trailed off looking glum, "I can't put it into words how sorry I am for what I did, I didn't know-" Sen started.

Seita yanked on the back of Sen's clothes, "It's alright, I'm not mad." He said to comfort her seeing how distressed she was over the issue, "Keep showing me how to cook." He said and went back to watching her keenly with avid interest. He watched as the eggs hit the skillet and began to cook, he found for the majority of the process he had to keep his nose pinched shut because the scent was so strong. But nonetheless it was amazing to watch how the things around her kitchen became one thing completely different. It looked fluffy and light and airy, the golden colour was amazing it was a work of art-Seita wanted the ability to do it himself.

"That was so cool I want to be able to do that!" he chanted even if he couldn't taste it the ability to make something like that would be incredible. Staring at the egg he wondered what it tasted like- that is to say to a human, how would it taste on their palette he wondered, he tried to picture it but really couldn't manage to even get something resembling a guess.

Sen giggled at how excited he was, "Really? You want to cook-but why?"

"You like mixed a whole bunch of things together and it became a different thing-what's it like does it taste good? What does it taste like? Are eggs sweet or savory? Would it be salty or bitter?" he asked her, he'd always wanted to know what food tasted like to humans. Sen smiled and humored him, she sat down and every bite he excitedly pestered her with questions about the taste and texture which Sen answered happily.

As she cleared the last bite she playfully poked Seita with her fork, "You know I'm starting to think you want to be a chef." She quipped as she stood up washing off her plate and everything she used to cook, she didn't like things to get messy especially in her apartment.

Seita's head coked to the side, "Chef? Is that a person who works in a restaurant." He asked her not quite sure what the word meant, television had given him a rough idea it was someone who cooked but he only thought that was for television.

Sen nodded, "Yep, the head chief is the one in charge of the kitchen in a restaurant but there are executive chefs, sous chefs…" she scratched the back of her neck and smiled sheepishly, "I couldn't really explain them all though." She said admitting her lack of knowledge in the field, she barely even knew how to cook after all.

"But don't you work in a restaurant?" he asked her confused, "Doesn't that mean you want to be a chef?" from his perspective if you work a job it was because you were interested in that field and wanted to pursue it, that's how his mother explained humans to him.

"For a high schooler who hasn't had a job before, a dish washer is one of the few jobs you can get easily. My parents send me the money for my apartment rent and utilities but I pay for all my food, clothes and other expenses. So I took the job to cover the money." Sen exclaimed and sighed balancing her chin on her hand, "It was also one of the few jobs my parents approved of… they don't support my dream." She trailed off sadly.

Seita immediately sensed the change in Sen as she remarked about how her parents didn't support her, "Why, what's your dream?" he asked her curiously.

A huge smile spread across her face, "A professional makeup artist… the models and human canvases are… are just that canvases for you to decorate with your own personal art and touches. The feel of a makeup brush in hand and how nicely the makeup sweeps across the skin. You see the rush of excitement on their faces as they realise how beautiful they are… but they were beautiful at the start but you just make them feel so amazing by the end." She gushed out, "I could do fashion models or movies, I could do costume make up." Her mind fluttered with all the possibilities of what she could do.

"That sounds so cool! You should do it!" Seita cheered excitedly instantly won over by Sen's miniature monologue. She smiled back at him and he liked the warm fuzzy feeling in the pit of his stomach from the happy moment.

Sen sighed though as she realised that they would now have to discuss some serious things, after all Sen wasn't a house guest or a friend. She glanced over at Seita, "I think we should have a talk." She stated to him, his smile left his face and it became serious and he nodded his head. They soon found themselves sitting on the floor of her apartment facing each other. A few awkward minutes of silence ensued as the two of them tried to figure out how to start the conversation. Sen's patience finally waned and she clapped her hands together and began to rub them nervously, "Alright, let's start at the beginning. Could you tell me exactly what happened to you yesterday? Where we can find your mother and brother, and any other family you have, like maybe your father?" she asked him.

Seita looked up at her with hollow eyes, "I-I don't really know where to start… my father disappeared when I was small-I don't even know if he's alive." He started, "I don't know what we did to tip them off-the doves-"

"Doves?" Sen repeated unfamiliar with the term and instantly clamped her mouth shut not having meant to interrupt Seita.

Seita frowned and then realised her confusion, "The CCG officers-doves. I don't know what any of us could have done but they had found us." He repeated as his mind flipped back to yesterday that felt like it had been an eternity ago. Had it really been a day since he'd lost everything he'd ever known, was it really only a day ago that he was able to wake up at home, he looked down at his hand and flexed it, "We were walking through the market yesterday, my brother needed a new jacket, I was holding my mom's hand."

"Suddenly a man tapped my mother's shoulder asking to speak with her, but she panicked and suddenly she was yanking on my arm telling me to run. I didn't understand what was happening but just knew that I had to run no matter what." He narrated remembering the events, but he quickly corrected himself not remembering but reliving. He could picture the stalls they dashed past and the people he crashed into who shouted at him angrily. His feet pounding hard on the pavement amazed at how fast his mother could run, one of her heels went flying off her foot and the bun she had carefully pinned behind her head that morning fell apart her long silk hair flying out behind her.

They ran for what seemed like forever, his lungs burned and his throat was raw, his legs cramping but his mother and brother were relentless and didn't let up pace. He could picture his brother turning back to look at him telling him everything was okay and just pick up the pace for a little while longer. And then everything had suddenly gone so wrong his brother went flying, his mother screamed and he was knocked to the ground.

He lay there stunned as his mother's Kagune erupted out from her back tearing through her favourite dress, his brother was at his side yanking him to his feet telling him they had to go. Suddenly the street was swarmed with doves that seemed to have materialized out of thin air. His brother tore him off the ground and ran carrying Seita as if he weighed nothing but the two didn't get far before more doves had them cornered. They were backed up in a closed off alley trembling and cowering on the ground certain of their death. When out of nowhere their mother reappeared, her clothes torn and frayed, panting and limping covered in blood that was both hers and not.

She fought the doves valiantly, savagely, she was a mother defending her children at all costs. When the two boys saw an opening they dashed to get behind her, they smiled excitedly as their mother drove back their attackers. But she was exhausted and injured and very quickly the tables had turned on her. Seita could remember his brother's screams as if they were happening in his ear at that second, the never ending 'don't look's and 'it will be okay's as his hand slammed over Seita's eyes to shield him from the grisly sight. The two were screaming as they ran now certain they were going to die. They did the first thing that came to mind and dashed down into the subway screaming in terror unsure of what awaited them but hoping there was a crowd to get lost in or a train to jump onto to save their lives. But Sen already knew what happened next, the subway was not packed as they had hoped, the train had taken too long to save their lives.

"I see," Sen replied after a long moment of silence following where Seita had trailed off, "I'm sorry for the loss of your mother, and it looks like your father is a dead end as well. We can look for your brother-do you have any other family-an aunt or an uncle perhaps? Or a close friend of the family I can entrust you to?" She asked him knowing full well that she wasn't exactly the best option for him. She was only in high school, working at one part time job and possibly a second depending on whether or not her application gets accepted. She couldn't be there for him, was tight on funds and had little to no idea how to raise a child let alone a ghoul.

Seita meanwhile thought long and hard of all the people his mother had introduced him to but not one of them was familiar enough for him to consider living with. His mother never made any arrangements, or if she did hadn't told Seita about them most likely entrusting his elder brother with the information. Sen's gaze softened, "I see you really are alone then aren't you?"

I can't just kick him out on the street, not after taking him in like I did yesterday, "Alright, I'll let you stay here-and together we'll look for your brother. Maybe he knows someplace safe-or maybe we can find the ghoul foster care system," Sen stated really hopeful that such a system existed that she could trust Seita to, "My parents never visit, and the land lady only checks in here about once a month so I we have time to come up with an explanation until then. Since you don't eat human food that makes expenses a little cheaper," she rambled on as she thought harder on the situation. Seita wanted to interrupt and ask about eating arrangements but then shut his mouth realising that would be an uncomfortable topic of discussion since Sen was the diet and decided to wait until a later time to bring up the topic.

He was dragged out of his thoughts by Sen exclaiming, "School! How could I forget about school! What school do you go to, is there tuition? How do I access your family register?" She asked him clamping her hands down on his shoulders and shaking him, "I forgot to ask if you needed me to call you in sick-why didn't you say anything?"

"I don't go to school," Seita flushed bright red in embarrassment as he admitted to the fact, he didn't have education, he could if he really tied read simple katakana phrases and simple math but that was the extent of his education, "and what's a family register?" Seita asked confused, from the way Sen spoke it seemed very important.

Sen took that in and had to think for a second, "I can't tell if this is an advantage or an obstacle that you don't go to school. Hmm, you can still get into college as long as you pass entrance exams-so maybe not being able to get you into elementary school or high school isn't that big of a deal. It might even save on expenses if we only have to pay for tuition then too. I suppose I can pick up some work books and teach you myself," she thought aloud, "And maybe when I have some extra funds I can look into getting you into school somehow, how much of a bribe do you think I'd need to get you in to an elementary school?" she asked him playfully and he giggled, Sen reached out to ruffle his hair around which had oddly become reflex over the past twenty four hours for her to calm herself and him down.

"Alright ground rules, don't let me feed you, and you don't eat me," she teased him deciding it was time to lighten the mood a bit.

He laughed shoving her hand off his head, "Deal."

"You have to clean up any messes you make," she eyed him seriously and he nodded his head in agreement and she burst out into a smile, "Any homework I give you-you do without whining," he nodded his head secretly excited about learning, "And I guess that's it. Geez, that was a lot to cover let's take a break I'm tired," Sen remarked throwing herself backwards to lay out on the ground she really was exhausted so much had happened, her life was totally upside down now. Seita observed his new caretaker laying on the ground looking as worn out as he felt, he didn't blame her this had been an exciting twenty four hours. Seita crawled over next to her and collapsed his one arm stretching out across her stomach.

"You're a weird human," he remarked teasingly.

Sen giggled, "And you're an adorable little ghoul," she remarked ruffling her fingers through his feathery soft brown hair once again. They lay there for several minutes staring absently up at the ceiling, Seita snuggling in closer and enjoying the warmth of Sen's body, "You know I always wanted a little brother." Sen remarked absently thinking back on it. It had been lonely growing up an only child where both of your parents' jobs had them out of the house for the majority of the time. Her parents hadn't been to over half of her birthdays growing up-she couldn't even remember the last holiday everyone had been together.

"Well I'm yours for now," Seita replied sleepily with a yawn as the two drifted off to sleep stretched out haphazardly on the floor.