DISCLAIMER
The following is a fan-based
FICTION
Tokyo Ghoul, Tokyo Ghoul Root A and Tokyo Ghoul:re and other products related to the TG Series are all owned by Sui Ishida, Shin Towada and Shueisha.
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Chapter 2: PTSD for Dummies! (Pt.1)
I was kind of floored when I woke up not where I left during my sleep.
Plans about starting to get Kenny up with his new schedule kind of crumbled as I blinked at the familiar surroundings... I...
"Why am I in my living room?"
The layer was identical, a perfect copy of the room where I spent most of my time binge-watching stuff from the TV.
My back was thankful to be resting on the comfy couch in front of the entertainment device, several shelves around the telly filled by books and DVD cases of old movies I have seen.
I turned around and I barely glanced at the wooden table and the four chairs around it, my eyes darting to the small kitched area, a pristine zone that was cleaned almost zealously.
"I... I need some coffee."
Unusual, I mused as I got up from my nice seat and walked to the coffee machine that I had bought few years ago.
Nothing special, I knew there was much better than the lil' thing but it still managed to get the job done quite quickly.
A small box with small capsules had been placed close to it, a lazy move for someone that thrive in comodities and effective means to reduce unnecessary actions.
I placed the small capsule with the Macchiato sign on it and I started up the little machine.
"I have never seen a westerner's house." A female voice said quite softly, her accent almost perfect and quite familiar.
So familiar that I froze on the spot as a chill went through my spine. "It is an interesting place to see.. I think the right adjective would be lively."
I took a small breath and closed my eyes, refusing to turn around and face the illusion.
"You are not real."
A melodious giggle seemed to punish my fortitude as I kept staring at the noisy machinery in front of me, ignoring the 'not-real' girl.
"I think I am as real as you are." A pause, unluckily shorter than I wished to be. "But maybe I am the one lying."
Amusing and dreadful.. why I was dealing with this nightmare anyway? I thought Kenny was seeing things because he was traumatised and all... why was I put in this ridiculous scene myself?
"Why are you here?"
A tired sigh reached my ears as Rize plopped softly on the couch I had woke on.
"Trauma is excluded, I suppose." I was happy that she couldn't see the small twitch in my face as she voiced my first deduction. "But I think this is more than a simple 'phantom pain'."
I frowned at the wording and muttered calmly. "The Kakuhou-" "Is not capable of 'reviving people in one mind'. I think we are digressing towards a dumb plane."
"You are oddly restrained compared to how I had thought you would have been.."
"You mean about Kaneki-kun being on the receiving end of some mental torture?" I could feel her smiling predatorialy in that moment. "He is quite the lamb and it is quite easy to exploit his incredibly weak emotional state."
"But I am not broken like him-" A giggle interrupted my certain statement, confusing me on the spot. "What?"
"Everyone is somehow broken. You are.. just not in the way nor the same grade Kaneki-kun is." The plum-haired girl yawned from her little seat. "You are so utterly convinced of being a minor role in the great stage that is life, your self-confidence is always all-low."
"I thought everyone was the protagonist of their lives-" Another sight, this time a defeated one.
"Sure, but how many people even believe that bit? It could be good for a Kaneki Ken to hear those worlds to the person he trusts the most... but what would a Juste do with this?"
"Laugh." I muttered blankly, staring at the now ready cup of coffee. "or cry."
"Why not both?" She sounded desperately helpful and that was an insane tone to add to this question. "The world is hardly a playground for Gods nor is a pleasant haven for the weak ones."
"What if it can all be fixed? This one could actually be saved-" "The quick path is not the easiest." I bit a groan at the aggravating interruption. "You wish to make it all simple, to make it good for everyone. A pipe dream from the mind of someone that lack true empathy."
The drink was warm and my lips barely graced it as the beverage splashed on my tongue before being thrown down my throat.
The kick of the diluted coffee managed to get my mind a little more lucid, more cautious regarding the predicament.
"What do you want from me?"
I finally turned and held my ground as Rize had her half-closed eyes staring at me, a satisfied expression in her face.
"Right now? Nothing." Her smile widened a little more. "But I want you to continue along the road you choose."
She finally closed her eyelids. "By the end of this long day, I will still be amused by your trials and results, may those be good or bad for you and your plans."
Good morning.
Kaneki stilled for a brief moment, the cup of coffee he had prepared that morning, close to his lips for another sip.
It had been quite surprising to learn that the beverage was a good way to keep the hunger at bay.
It had also been quite disheartening when trying to add some milk and turning it in a Macchiato did nothing but get some protests from his stomach.
A failed attempt to test the limits of the drink.
G-Good morning.
Hope you are ready for your first day at work.
About that... why he was supposed to work at a Ghoul-owned coffee shop?
Sure, Yoshimura-san was quite kind and understanding of his predicament, mostly because of his unique situation compared to many others.
A lucky ray of hope in a tragic line of life.
Don't forget to bring your copy of Dropped Box.
..Why do I need to bring- You are getting an imouto today!
..UH?!
A what and why?!
Quick and brief description: remember how Hide behaved the first time you met him? This girl is as shy as he was, a tad bit more moderate in the cheerfulness department and shares your own literary genre.
If this is about your Harem plan- OF COURSE NO! Hinami-chan is not going to be pitted in that group...
Kaneki sighed, relieved that Juste wasn't as insane-
She is going to be put in the Kohai-Imouto group!
*Tired sigh* So much for a day without your insanity..
As if you are sane, Kenny. At least I don't whine about every single moment of the present and wait for someone to pick me up.
The one-eyed ghoul knew he was alluding at Hide.. and other people that had been compassionate enough to give him some help.
The teen finished adjusting his black tie as he gave his appearance just a last glance from the full-body mirror.
Why are you putting your uniform right now?
A terrible thought flooded his mind as panic surged in his chest.
...W-Was I supposed to put it at Anteiku.
Just a chuckle managed to make his fears become truth as he scrambled to find a pair of fresh clothes while folding the uniform in a neat composition.
Y-You could have told me that earlier!
I thought you knew what you were doing. Didn't know I was supposed to handhold you through your daily routine.
The young man didn't grace a reply to that, too busy in his mad rush to be punctual.
Also did you sleep well tonight?
That.. almost got him tripping on his feet. W-What?
No crazy lady tormenting your dreams, no hallucination?
N-No. He blinked as he didn't remember any of that in the quiet sleep he had woke up just few hours ago. Should I have?
Yes and no. Juste replied with a curious tone. I think.. we will talk about this later, you need to focus on your job today.
U-Understood!
Uniform packed in his backpack, Kaneki adjusted his eyepatch before finally stepping out of his flat.. to see a smiling Hide.
"Good morning, 'neki!"
Kaneki blinked, yet a small smile was already in his face. "Good morning, Hide."
The two boys smiled through the whole path to Anteiku, while the inner voice contemplated about what had happened in his.. sleep?
He hoped that he wasn't going to take the brunt of every traumatic episode Kenny is going to endure.. that would sucks massively.
Kaneki was the one that entered first through the doors, a familiar blue-haired girl nearby as he felt his feet trips and-!
How annoying.
I catched myself from making a quick fall on the floor, my little eye spying on the veiled glance from Touka.
It seemed that in that very moment only Irimi and Kouma catched the whole predicament, but the baristas barely gave it more than a simple look as they resumed their work.
Straightening myself up, I sighed. "Sure I'm c-clumsy today, H-Hide." The blond blinked at the scene but nodded.
And the Oscar goes to- I don't sound that much apologetic.
You sure do. I mean, you could put a the standard Canadian mindset to shame with your 'sorry's.
I reliquished the control the same moment, the Kirishima approached the two.
"Your shift starts in half an hour. Go change yourself and-" She paused, giving a quick glance at the Nagachika before returning on Kaneki's figure with a suspicious glare.
W-Why is she that much upset?
I may have forgot to tell you.. that she has some sort of double standard with humans.
Uh?
In layman's terms, she has a friend at her school that she cares so much that she would eat the human food she cook in the morning but she is also against others befriending humans and then telling them about their nature.
That sounds like she is a hypocrite.
Maybe she is or maybe she is just into PTSD as much as you are.
B-But I don't have PTSD.
Anyway, you better be going as you need to keep this job, boyo!
Biting down a surprised yelp at the pep talk, Kaneki rushed towards the room that served as a changing room.
Hide took a seat in one of the free tables, waiting for Kaneki and maybe enjoy the entire free hour before his own part-time job.
The blond gave a glance to the window wall that gave to the outside and sighed as he saw the clouds darkening.
It was sure going to rain that day.
AN
If I had to be honest, if there hadn't been a cute factor to the AyaHina ship I would have probably got Hinami on the Harem group, to be an active member only few years later tho.
The first part of this chapter came out in a moment of sleep-induced lucidity and I decided to write it down and see how it looked like. I'm not disappointed by the results.
