Title: Tragedy

Author: Serpent at Sunset

Pairing: Yamori x OC x Tsukiyama

Rating: M

Fandom: Tokyo Ghoul

Genre: Angst/Romance

Word Count: 2,422

Summary: Some gardens bloom only at night in deep darkness, and someone has finally noticed Natsuki's bud... Yamori x OC x Tsukiyama

Eventually, Natsuki had tracked down Naki who was in a new house. As it turned out, he had been looking for her as well.

It would make sense after the Anteiku raid. She had no idea what other locations would be in jeopardy, but she saw with her own eyes who had replaced Yamori. Natsuki wasn't altogether please with this change. She just wondered if Naki could handle the pressure.

To her surprise, the house had a grand piano. She hadn't been around a piano for so long. Natsuki actually did know how to play, but didn't have the opportunity to these days.

She hadn't hadn't had a piano at Yamori's, but there was no need for one. No one could play. Certainly not Yamori himself and seemingly not Naki either. She knew nothing of Nico as he had hardly revealed anything about himself.

"You play nicely," Naki said with a grin.

"Thank you." She actually smiled.

Maybe it sounded impressive to other, but after listening to the halting melody, she silently knew that she could do better.

"Do you miss Yamori?"

Now, her fingers hesitated over the keys. Natsuki was still figuring out to play. It must be almost three or four years since she had touched a piano, and she was relearning slowly. She was trying to figure out how to play Moonlight Sonata, and now, she had to think about Yamori. How unfair.

Natsuki had no idea how the hell to answer that. So, she settled for the easiest response.

"Of course," she lied.

Natsuki couldn't ruin his illusion of the family he thought that he had. Natsuki wasn't that evil.

At least he had all the help he needed. Without her. The other White Suits rallied around him as strongly as they had supported Yamori.

"I'll think about it," she promised him with a soft smile.

Lies could be so gentle.

No mater how was counterproductive that was to getting a life of her own, Natsuki knew that she would be back regardless.

They were the closest thing to a family that she had.

Officially, Natsuki was a clown now, but she felt no different. She definitely wasn't happy, but she knew how to fake it well. Weren't clowns supposed to be happy? Oh, yes. And chaotic. That was the theme of her life now. But, in reality, Natsuki was a sad clown. The problem was that no one could tell the difference.

The three ghouls in the bar stared at the TV at the human reporters were talking about Eyepatch who had been seen. Kaneki should be more careful. Cochlea had not been kind to him. In fact, it had irrevocably fucked him up.

At times, Natsuki swore that other people could hear her thoughts.

"I know that ghoul," Uta said. "I met him."

"As did I," Itori said.

"Me too," Natsuki divulged.

Everybody knew Kaneki how odd, but also how expected. Ghoul circles were rather...small. Intimate. At times, Natsuki appreciated that.

"Kaneki's actually a nice guy," Uta supplied "But, I know what life can do to people."

One thing that Natsuki wondered about was how his hair had turned white in that chair. Somehow, he had escaped single handedly and presumably wounded Yamori enough for him to be weak enough for the CCG to take him out. How? Kaneki had seemed near death when she had last seen him. Also, why had he joined Aogiri? Was it truly his choice? Was it vengeance?

Regardless, Natsuki was pleased with the taste of blood wine once again on her tongue. It was yet another night where she could lose herself in conversation and intoxication.

But, someone wasn't present. She wondered if she missed him.

Natsuki set the glass down. "Where's Souta?"

"He's on business," Itori replied rather cryptically.

Naturally, Natsuki couldn't restrain herself from asking her next question.

"Is Souta, you know, our boss?" Natsuki couldn't stop from being conspiratorial.

Itori delicately took another sip of wine. No one knows but he was always there. It could easily be speculated."

So, he was something of a mystery, but Natsuki could relate.

Not many knew anything definite about the Woman in White. They regarded her with fear yet with traces of respect as well because of the person that she had been affiliated. Yamori's fame eclipsed her own. There were even sources in the stupid media who regarded her as "Jason's bride." The scar from one of Yamori's bite mark was still engraved in her shoulder so she wondered if that term was actually true. Only Yamori would know for sure, but then, he was dead.

Suddenly, her phone began to vibrate, but she already had an inkling of who it was. She didn't want to call attention to it. Tonight was about having fun.

She suspected that it was from Tatara. As it turned out, she could never escape Aogiri. Yamori had seen to that.

All Natsuki could do waited for it to cease and be thankful that it was quiet.

She didn't answer it as it wasn't the time or place. Natsuki could deal with this later. But, since it was a text...

As long as she was quiet, she could read it without any attention.

While the others conversed and as Itori laughed, she slid the phone out and and silently went to her messages. She glanced at the screen to read the six bold threatening words.

Meet me in my office tomorrow.

Natsuki could almost imagine him already glowering at her than her. He must have already known about the Clowns. She would know more tomorrow after he sufficiently interrogated her.

Without hesitation, Natsuki drained the rest of the red liquid in her glass. She needed it.

Before the night was over completely, Natsuki then returned to Anteiku to pick up her shit. She should have already done it.

The café was nearly empty. There were no servers were around so she could get what she needed and promptly leave without a flicker of attention. With no eyes upon her, she walked in the direction that she needed to go and prayed that Touka was cleaning in the kitchen.

Her two suitcases were in the now empty guest room. She bent down and grabbed her stuff. Even though she was tempted to abandon it, the contents were expensive and she didn't feel like replacing them. She picked them up and she was off again with nary a glance.

She prepared to walked out the door. She didn't know when she'd see Anteiku again. For days, she could feel something looming on the horizon.

So, instead of automatically fleeing, she focused on the dining room. Its cozy surroundings, the hushed voices, and the smell of coffee beans. The café was minutes away from closing and only one solitary person was drinking coffee. She knew from scent that it was a ghoul. She didn't recognize him though.

"Good evening, Natsuki." A familiar voice greeted her.

It was the elderly manager, Yoshimura.

"Evening," she replied. "I'm just picking up my stuff."

She had meant to do it earlier, but life had been rather hectic lately.

Youshimura then sighed. "It's a tragedy how life gets so upended, is it not?"

She bit her lip. "Yes, it is."

Yosimura then drifted away. It was a relief that Yoshimura didn't have too many questions. There were so many unsatisfying things to do and so much time to do it.

Well, with that out of the way...

Natsuki was almost there. The briefcases were in her hands, and she was so near the exit.

Then, she discovered that she wasn't alone anymore.

And, there he was. The purple nightmare in his garish suit. He was looking at her intensely.

"Natsuki-chan?" he asked.

She averted her gaze. "I have somewhere to go and something to do."

Don't you?

"Where, cherie?" Tsukitama seemed slightly shocked.

She didn't answer him. It was getting late and the night wasn't over for her yet.

"Are you the Femme en Blanc?" he then inquired.

The Woman in White. It sounded prettier in French.

It was such an unexpected question that she didn't have the slightest idea how to answer it and her sudden gasp as she slowed to a stop was all the more evidence that she had heard him. What to do?

She turned in his direction. "And if I said yes?"

He had no answer for her. Of course.

When she turned around to gauge his reaction, she saw that he was staring at the floor.

"It would be tragic."

Natsuki fidgeted. Yoshimura had just used a variation of that word, but she had no evidence that he had overheard him or not. Still, it was curious. Tragic Natsuki.

It wasn't even an answer. In truth, she was beginning to feel bad.

Well, why should she feel anything? After all, he hadn't saved her. What had happened to Natsuki later was a turn of pure luck or fate.

She had been too weak to change her life for herself.

Natsuki frowned. "So, what do you want me to say?"

Wasn't it obvious?

"Are you safe?" Shuu's gaze was so intense.

She sighed. "I am where I am. I'm not alone."

No, Natsuki wasn't alone anymore. At least not physically.

She had been introduced her to another world, and she couldn't return to how things had been.

Finally, Shuu noticed her luggage.

"Wait, can I help you?"

"No, thank you." Her voice was metallic.

There. Her objective now completed, she continued walking. Her hand was on the exit door. Natsuki's heart began to thud in her ears. He was too close.

Her hand began to tremble. Maybe she didn't want to leave quite yet.

"Why are you so cold?" he demanded. "You're as icy as Kaneki."

Now, Natsuki was getting annoyed that she was forced to stop again. How dare he sound disappointed with her, and what did Kaneki have to do with tis?

Once more she was assaulted with that name. She might as well confirm her suspicions.

Natsuki turned around in a circle. "Have you met Kaneki?"

Shuu nodded. "Oui."

"So have I."

"Really? Quand?"

He was actually interested now. Or, perhaps he was more interested in the half-breed boy than her.

Her answer was blunt. "Right before his hair turned white."

She wondered at times if she was part of the reason for that. But, how could she be? She didn't even understand how that transformation had occurred.

Well, she already knew that she was unclean.

What could he do for her anyway? And, she wouldn't want to endanger him. A quandary.

He reached forward then to touch her hand, and Natsuki didn't know what to expect. His skin was so soft that it almost kept her from moving. Natsuki wanted to grimace in pain from an emotional cause in contrast to a physical one. The physical causes were easier to handle. She had survived Yamori after all.

"Come back to Anteiku," His voice was so smooth. "We can figure things out."

She furrowed her brows. Figure what out? Life was her own now.

He had again fallen silent. Shuu was probably waiting for her answer. Tusaukiyama was always like the moon, and she could see him radiating there. Beautiful, but so far away. She could feel and see his light, but she could never touch it and never could touch it. No one could ever capture the moon, but some romantics had tried in vain.

Still, the notion was inviting. Maybe things could go back to how they were supposed to be.

She then shook the thought out of her mind. It was his conception and not her own.

"I have to go." With difficulty, Natsuki moved away from him.

It was both the truth and an excuse.

The moment that she had always wanted to happen had happened at the wrong time in the wrong life.

Natsuki hated her damned life now. It was so damned unfair.

She then felt a warmth sliding down her cheek, and she turned her face so that no one could see it. So that he couldn't glimpse it.

Yet, when he grabbed her arm, her heart stopped.

He was touching her. Again.

It was unbearable.

"Do you really have to leave, cherie?"

No...

Her hand once more grazed her cheek so that no one would see her weakness, and the traitorous bead of water disappeared.

"I do," she almost snarled. "I have a job to do."

"Well, it doesn't sound like you want to do it," Shuu argued.

"Life is hard, Shuu," she almost hissed. "Surely you must know that by now."

Though he actually might not know. A rich bachelor like him who lived exactly how he wanted. Lavishly.

She wondered how he could be so immature at his age. At times, Natsuki questioned herself why she was still attracted to him. But then, it didn't matter anyway. He would have no place in her future after all.

"Don't go." To her surprise, his voice was full of pain. "Where are you going anyway?"

Her answer was simple. "Away."

Natsuki then opened the door and retreated into the darkness outside to get away from him. She was like Persephone being taken away from the spring again, but at least she was getting used to it.

She glanced back at the café at least once to make sure that he wasn't following her and was satisfied by the shadows behind her. He was staying inside. Good.

But, it wasn't truly what she wanted, or did that even matter? She could feel her heart beginning to deflate.

She had survived. She had survived Yamori and the CCG both, so what was she so worried about? The future? What could happen next? Natsuki supposed that was the problem. Anything could happen.

She was a ghoul. Not a human. She didn't get happiness.

Still, she had been tainted by Yamori, and she didn't want Aogiri to know of Shuu's existence. This was the best solution.

Natsuki really needed something to take care of, but life kept taking things from her. What could she do with herself? Permanently? Why did she still feel empty?

Well, she still had all this shit to take home, so she might as well get there before bothersome criminals began to prowl the streets.

Natsuki was resolute in walking "home," but life had other ideas.

Little did she realize it then, but tonight would be the last time that she would ever stand in Anteiku.

A/N: I meant to update this sooner, but I was preoccupied with other fics. But, I finally wrote a Tsukiyama/OC moment. Soon, Anteiku will no longer be there. As usual, this fic will follow the main storyline.