I do not on Tokyo Ghoul or any of the characters.


Busted

Kaneki stared at the picture in silence. It had been about a week since the auction raid, and he hadn't left his room since. Six of those days had been spent trying to piece his memories together, combining them into being a single entity, while also struggling to keep them separated enough to know which memories were formed during his time as which person. It seemed an impossible task at first, and he wound up having to write it down and study it like he was in school. Eventually, though, the memories had finally settled into their places. Something else that had caught him off guard after the raid, and the thing that he realized had made Arima stare at him, which he was glad wasn't Arima figuring out he remembered, was that when he had remembered his time with Yamori, his hair had bleached white again, the effects of the Rc suppressor that the CCG fed him having worn off. The black had started to return as he continued to eat the Rc suppressor stew that the CCG gave him in place of human food, but it was less pronounced now, and he also planned to meet up with an old friend to see if he couldn't counter it without anyone noticing.

His mind drifted back to the present, and to the picture in his hand. Rank Two Investigator Seidou Takizawa. Former partner of Kousuke Houji. Former Academy classmate of Akira Mado. Akira had graduated with a perfect score from the academy. Takizawa had been second in his class with a ninety nine, and had developed an inferiority complex as he saw all of the praise Akira had received for a perfect score, while he, with his near-perfect score, also a rarely-heard-of feat, was ignored completely. Kaneki understood Takizawa's speech about the distance between first and second place now. He actually felt bad for Takizawa. By all reports, Takizawa had been a great person, and had had a lot of potential. But then, during the Owl Suppression Operation in the Twentieth Ward, he had gone to find Amon, who he believed, correctly, to have been injured fighting Kaneki. Both had later been reported missing and labeled as officially dead. Of course, now that Kaneki had read over the details of the Owl Suppression Operation, he knew exactly what had happened. Amon and Takizawa had both been captured by Aogiri, as was Yoshimura's body. Then, Yoshimura's Kakuho had been used to turn Takizawa into an Owl half-ghoul. He was extremely dangerous now.

Kaneki sighed, setting the picture down. Akira had met Takizawa as he fled the auction. She knew he was alive, and what he was. But Amon...Kaneki had no reason to think that Amon might still be alive, just like he knew, without even considering asking, that deep down, Akira was praying Amon was alive as well. Kaneki sighed. It was his fault Amon had been captured. If he hadn't taken Amon's arm off, Amon could have fought whoever captured him, probably.

A knock sounded at the door and Kaneki turned toward it.

"Come in."

The door opened and Akira stepped into the room. Kaneki straitened up, smiling and Akira closed the door, leaning against it.

"How much do you remember?" Akira asked.

"I don't-"

"Don't lie to me Haise!" Akira snapped. "I can see in your eyes that you remember at least a little, and I know the reason you've been cooped up in here all week is because you're trying to adjust to the memories. How much do you remember?"

"Not much," Kaneki lied. "I remember being the eyepatch ghoul. I remember fighting Amon during the Owl Suppression Operation, and I remember defeating him."

"Did you kill him?" Akira asked.

"No," Kaneki said. "I took his right arm off during the fight, but I put a tourniquet on his arm to stop him from bleeding out. I can't remember exactly why I was fighting him, or why I tried to keep him alive, but I know that I didn't kill him. I also never met former Investigator Takizawa."

"You know about Takizawa?" Akira asked, Kaneki holding up the file.

"I saw his face in a picture while I was reading about Amon, to see if it would help me remember more about my past, which it didn't, by the way, so I found out who Takizawa was, since he's the ghoul that I fought at the auction," Kaneki explained.

Akira nodded slowly. "Okay. Thank you for being honest with me Kaneki."

Kaneki stared at her, his eyes widening slowly. "Kaneki? Who's that? I'm Haise. Was Kaneki my name before?"

"Yes," Akira sighed. "Sorry. I had to check. Anyway, Haise, if you remember anything else, let me know. Okay?"

Kaneki nodded and Akira turned, leaving the room. Kaneki waited until he was sure she was gone before sighing and resting his head on the desk. He hated lying to her. As Haise, she was like a mother to him, and she still was. But if she knew that he remembered everything, he'd probably be locked up, or treated as a ghoul and exterminated. Finally he picked his head up, looking to the door as Saiko walked in.

"Are you...are you really still Maman?" Saiko asked.

"Yes, I am," Kaneki smiled. "Is everything okay?"

"If you remembered everything, would you still be Maman?" Saiko asked.

"I...I don't know," Kaneki said. "But even if I did remember, I'd still be here for you. I'd still be your mentor."

Saiko smiled and nodded, hugging him. "You should get out of the room tomorrow. Everyone's worried."

"Alright," Kaneki smiled. "I will. How about we go and see a movie tomorrow?"

Saiko nodded, smiling. "I'm going to go to bed now. Goodnight Maman."

"Goodnight Saiko," Kaneki smiled.

She left the room and Kaneki's smile fell a little before he changed into bed clothes and went to sleep. The next day, Kaneki left his room early, cooking everyone breakfast. They all gathered around, drawn by the smell, even Urie. Kaneki smiled as he set the food on the table.

"So, I was thinking, how about we all go out to lunch and a movie today?" Kaneki asked. "We can celebrate everyone doing good work."

"Wait, aren't you angry with me for not taking Mutsuki out of the building like I promised?" Urie asked.

"Well, normally I would be, but in the end, Mutsuki learned to use his kagune, and you helped Suzuya defeat Big Madam," Kaneki said. "So let's just say it evened out."

Urie nodded and began to eat. Kaneki watched silently as they did. Once they were finished, he cleaned up after them then began to prepare for their trip into town.


Kaneki checked his watch. It was getting late. There was still time, but he'd have to go now.

"Hey guys, I'm sorry to bail but there's...someone I really wanna go see," Kaneki said.

"Tell your coffee shop girl we said hi," Shirazu said, raising a hand as the others all kept walking.

Kaneki shook his head, smiling, then turned, heading to the coffee shop and walking in, carefully keeping his face the same slightly melancholic blank expression he had worn as Haise whenever he was there. Touka walked out, smiling as she saw Kaneki.

"Well look at you," Touka smiled. "It's been a little while. It's good to see you. What happened to your hair?"

"Just trying something new," Kaneki said. "Can I get a cup of coffee?"

Touka nodded, walking into the back to make one and walking it out, setting it down and smiling. Kaneki had to forcibly restrain himself from smiling as he smelled the coffee. He took a sip and couldn't help the smile.

"So you really can smile," Touka smiled.

Kaneki smiled even wider before sighing heavily

"Is everything okay?" Touka asked. "That was a pretty heavy sigh."

"Yeah," Kaneki said. "It's just...you've gotten better at making coffee, Touka."

She and Yomo both stared at him as he stood, smiling widely. Then, Touka threw her arms around him, sobbing into his chest as he held her, smiling and nodding to Yomo, who also smiled and nodded back. After several moments, Touka pulled back, reaching up and kissing Kaneki, Kaneki kissing her back instantly. After several minutes, they pulled back to breath and Kaneki rested his forehead against hers, smiling just as the bell chimed. They both turned, Kaneki afraid one of the Quinx had followed him, but he smiled broadly as he saw Shiro and Kuro standing in the door, staring at him. Both shifted their eyes to red, their tentacles extending, but they smiled when Kaneki did the same.

"You two look like you've grown stronger," Kaneki smiled. "What've you been up to?"

"We've been gathering meat for Touka and Yomo to give to ghouls in need," Kuro said.

"The same way Anteiku used to do," Shiro added. "And Yomo's been training us."

"So that we could be strong enough to defend this place if the CCG comes calling again," Kuro said.

"Like they did with Anteiku," Shiro said.

"Yeah," Kaneki said. "I don't think there was anything any of us could have done for Anteiku. I saved Irimi and Koma, but then Arima just killed them anyway."

"Oh, that's right," Touka said. "You never knew. Both of them survived."

"They did?" Kaneki blinked.

"That's right," Touka nodded. "They were very badly wounded, but once Arima left with you, what we thought was just your corpse, they were able to escape."

Kaneki nodded, smiling. "That's a relief. I thought I got them killed anyway. I'm glad I was able to save someone after all."

Touka nodded, motioning to Kuro, who flipped the sign to closed. Touka led them all to the back, Kaneki realizing the shop, minus the front, was set up a lot like Anteiku. He wondered if there was a training area underneath.

"So, where is everyone?" Kaneki asked. "How are they all doing?"

"Well, Irimi and Koma are in hiding," Touka said. "They help Kuro and Shiro collect meat, but for the most part they try to stay hidden. I heard they're also rebuilding their gangs in case we need them to defend the shop. Nishiki on the other hand, became a ghoul known as serpent. He's gotten a lot stronger. He can actually use his kagune now."

"I know," Kaneki smiled. "I fought him as Haise. He nearly beat me, then after I won, he sent me out of control by almost making me remember who I really am."

"He's been hunting ghouls that he thinks are dangerous to anyone he cares about," Touka said. "Like Torso. He was worried Torso would find Kimi, since he was attracted to women with scars, and she has one on her shoulder."

"She does?" Kaneki asked.

"Yeah," Touka said. "Nishiki said that before he came to Anteiku, and just after the incident with Tsukiyama, he was too weak to hunt. So Kimi let him take a bite out of her shoulder to save him."

"I see," Kaneki smiled. "And to think he was going to leave her after Anteiku."

"Well, it's a bit...complicated now," Touka said.

"How so?" Kaneki asked.

"She's working for Kanou," Touka said. "She wants to be able to help ghouls by becoming a doctor who knows about them, for that, she needed Kanou."

"So she dumped him to go join Aogiri?" Kaneki asked.

"No," Touka said. "They're still together, I think. Or they're on a break? Like I said, it's complicated. They still want to be together, but he can't get near her without fighting his way through Aogiri first."

Kaneki nodded. "What about Banjou?"

"He's back to running the Eleventh Ward," Touka said. "Apparently he was welcomed back happily, after Aogiri left."

Kaneki smiled nodding. "And Tsukiyama?"

Touka fell silent, looking to Yomo.

"He's broken," Yomo said. "After your apparent death, he simply lost the will to live."

"Why?" Kaneki asked.

"He blamed himself," Yomo said. "He felt like he should have kept fighting you until he died in order to stop you that time. So when you were reported as killed, he couldn't handle the guilt, or living without you around. The Tsukiyama family has been trying to find something to bring him back to his senses, but he just keeps getting worse."

"I see," Kaneki nodded. "Do you guys know where he lives?"

"I do," Touka said. "Why?"

"Can you give him a package for me?" Kaneki asked.

"Is it a chunk of your skin?" Touka asked.

"Yeah," Kaneki smiled sheepishly.

"I don't want him eating my boyfriend," Touka said.

"It's not about him eating me," Kaneki said. "It's to let him know I'm alive. I need his help. The CCG knows who I am, though they think I still can't remember who I am. To keep Haise Sasaki under control, and to keep him weak enough to be dealt with, they lace all the food they give me with Rc suppressants. That's why my hair is slowly turning black. I need Tsukiyama to be able to negate the suppressant without anyone knowing."

"I see," Touka nodded. "So the skin's really just to make him snap out of his rut."

"Yes," Kaneki nodded, glancing at his watch. "I gotta get home. If I'm out too late, they'll figure out I remembered."

"And what happens then?" Touka asked.

"I'll be treated like an SS rated ghoul, and I'll be exterminated, along with everyone I've had contact with recently." Kaneki used his teeth to rip a chunk of his forearm off, the wound healing, and handed it to Yomo, who wrapped it up and put it in a mini freezer beside him. Then, Kaneki said his goodbyes to everyone.

Touka nodded, kissing him again before he walked to the door. "Hey wait! You never asked about Hinami. Why?"

"Because I already met her," Kaneki said. "She's part of the reason I remembered who I am. I managed to save her from Arima, but in order to do so, I had to have her locked up in Cochlea. She's safe, for now."

Touka nodded. "Tell her I said hello."

"I will," Kaneki smiled. "I gotta go. See you soon."

Touka nodded and left, heading back to his house. He sighed as he got inside, closing and locking the door then walking to his room, closing the door and leaning his head against it.

"Hello Kaneki," a voice behind him said, making him jump and spin, turning the light on to find Mado sitting on his bed.

"Akira," Kaneki said. "I told you, I'm Haise."

She raised a pistol with a suppressor, firing at him once, only for his wing to block it. "Don't lie to me, I said. Haise Sasaki never knew how to use his wing. He never even knew he had it."

"I remembered that I had it and how to use it because I remembered fighting Amon," Kaneki said, Akira firing again.

Again Kaneki's wing blocked it and Akira stood, setting the pistol on the desk.

"Haise Kaneki never kissed waitresses at coffee shops, or responded to a pair of known Kanou half-breeds readying their kagune by showing his own and then having pleasant discussions with them. And he especially never kissed waitresses who once went by the name Rabbit."

Akira threw a file at him and Kaneki caught it, opening it and staring at Touka's picture. He remained dead silent as he read it. They knew everything. Who she was, about her brother being in Aogiri, about her having been Kaneki's girlfriend before the Anteiku raid. Even about the new shop, including pictures of Yomo, Nishiki, and the twins, with Yomo and Nishiki with the word "Ghoul?" circled under each.

"How?" Kaneki finally asked.

"When you were in Cochlea, apparently you were constantly babbling incoherently," Akira said. "But when someone listened long enough, they began to understand parts of what you were saying, things about a girl named Touka Kirishima, and about not letting the CCG find out that she's Rabbit. Once we had that information, it was a simple task to piece together other things, and track her to her new shop."

"Who knows about this?" Kaneki asked.

"Just myself and Arima," Akira said. "Arima put the information together in that folder himself, and when you started to be distracted after meeting her the first time as Haise Sasaki, he passed the folder along to me, just in case."

Kaneki stared at the folder a little longer before closing it, sighing. "So now what?"

"Now, you answer my question," Akira said. "If you lie again, I'll be forced to finish deciding how to deal with you."

"Everything," Kaneki sighed. "I remember everything."


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