A/N- Thanks for the adorable comments. I loved reading them, they really inspire me to write more. Here is the second chapter. I'm not sure when I will have the third chapter up. Maybe late tonight, or probably tomorrow. Cheers, Loves.
Saying that it wasn't awkward in the group during the next few weeks would have been a blatant lie. There was less laughter, less teasing, and Kaneki had been quite on edge lately. He would always retire to his room early, and the others noticed that whenever Hinami would bring up "Flower man." he would visibly stiffen. The others knew better than to comment on his actions as of late.
"The next raid will be here, at the abandon office building at the edge of the second ward." Kaneki said in a monotone voice, pointing at a map that sat on the table. The rest of the group, excluding Tsukiyama, sat around him. "I want Banjo, and you guys to move around to this entrance." Kaneki said, pointing at a small black square on the map. "I'll come in through here." He finished letting his finger slide down the map and point to a patchy forest area.
"What about Doves?" One of Banjo's gas mask lackeys asked. Kaneki looked up at him with tired eyes.
"This information is out of Dove reach. I doubt if they even know about the doctor." Kaneki said. Once the plan was finalized, and everybody dispersed to get their gear ready for the upcoming raid that night Banjo approach Kaneki. Cautiously, and quietly.
"Should I inform Tsukiyama-san?" He asked, pretending not to notice Kaneki's gaze harden as a response to the question.
"We don't need him. We only need his capital." Kaneki answered, scratching his chin for a moment. Banjo didn't know many things, but he did know when a fight was lost, and this one had been over before it even begun. Neither he, or the others knew the details about Kaneki, and Tsukiyama's fight, but they knew enough to not bring it up. Kaneki had accused Tsukiyama of letting his emotions jeopardize the group not three weeks ago. Since that time, Kaneki refused to give information to the Gourmet on various raids, and tactical information. This produced a number of problems. Tsukiyama was a valuable asset to the group wether Kaneki wanted to admit it or not. His human friend, Chie, served as an important informer to the group, and Tsukiyama himself was a strong ghoul that held his own in any fight. They had definitely taken a larger blow in battles without his aid., but he had a feeling that Kaneki might have taken a bigger blow than any of the rest of them.
"Look, Chie." Tsukiyama began. "I'm a grown man, I don't need you setting up blind dates for me." He said as Chie pushed him toward the coffee shop. "How do you even know another ghoul?" Tsukiyama asked incrediously.
Chie was a well liked human among the ghoul community. She had a tentative alliance with them. It was simple. Let me photograph you, and I will give false information to Doves on your whereabouts. The particular ghoul that she had set her dear friend up with this fine evening, was the younger brother of a certain serial eating ghoul she had been photographing as of late. Tsukiyama, and this boy would be a terrible match for each other, but Chie would do almost anything to get her friend out of this funk he has been in lately.
"Just do this for me, Shuu." Chie snapped as they were entering the shop. She made quick work of quickly locating Tsukiyama's blind date. Tsukiyama paled at the boy's appearance. He wasn't sure if Chie did it on purpose, but the boy looked identical to Kaneki did in his Anteiku days. Black hair, gray eyes, a soft, round face, and a slim build.
"Hi." the boy said as Chie, and Tsukiyama approached the table. "I'm Inuya Itamashi, but you can call me Inuya." He said winking, and extending his hand. Tsukiyama smiled, and slipped his hand into the boys, and shaking it firmly.
"Shuu." He said, feeling somewhat pressured to return the new ghouls favor, and allowing him to be called by his first name. Chie smiled, and excused herself. Tsukiyama vaguely noted that she walked to the camera shop across the street.
"You're Tsukiyama Shuu, right? The gourmet?" Inuya asked, sitting back down in his seat. Tsukiyama nodded. "That is so cool! Your family is really well known here. You've been kinda inactive lately though." He mumbled toward the end. Tsukiyama pretended not to hear that last bit.
"So what are some hobbies of yours?" Tsukiyama asked, faking a happy demeanor. In reality he wanted nothing more than to get out of here as soon as possible. He sensed the boy had a unappealing personality.
"I really like video games oh, and eating of course." He said, sending a wink toward Tsukiyama. Kill me now. Tsukiyama thought, but kept a smile plastered on his face.
"Do you like books?" Tsukiyama asked with a hopeful twinge in his voice. Inuya's face scrunched up, and he shook his head.
"No, I think books are pretty boring. Not enough build in them." Tsukiyama took that as a huge red flag, and began collecting up his things at once.
"Tsukiyama?" a voice asked. Tsukiyama glanced toward the owner of the voice, and met eyes with Banjo standing at the counter holding six cups of black coffee.
"Banjo?" Tsukiyama asked. He was clearly not expecting one of the team members to show up at the secluded coffee shop, but he supposed they probably thought better of going to Anteiku also.
"Shuu? Who is this?" Banjo only then seemed to notice Inuya sitting at the other end of the booth. His brow raised when Inuya referred to Tsukiyama by his given name.
"A friend." Tsukiyama said, grabbing his coat, and ushering Banjo outside, barely taking time to give his failed date a passing wave over his shoulder.
"What are you doing here?" Tsukiyama asked when they were outside in the brisk cold. Tsukiyama's words took the physical form of steam in the afternoon winter air.
"Kaneki wanted coffee." Tsukiyama said, gesturing to this cups in his hand. Tsukiyama flinched slightly at the mention of the boys name, but continued on with the conversation.
"And the next raid? I haven't gotten any information from you yet." He continued on. Banjo's eyes darted from the Gourmet's face, and was instead far more interested in the sidewalk.
"Kaneki hasn't been doing raids lately." Banjo said. That's a lie. Tsukiyama thought to himself immediately.
"Oh..." He said. "Well do you need help carrying those back to the apartment?" Tsukiyama offered. A part of him wanted Banjo to say no, but a part also wanted any kind of excuse to see Kaneki.
"Oh, no." Banjo dismissed with a laugh. "I've got it." Tsukiyama nodded and shoved his hands into his pocket, and brought out his wallet.
"Here." He said fishing around for a bit before he pulled out a few prepaid visa cards. "Give these to Hinami for me? She is growing like a weed, and should get new clothes." Banjo nodded, and tucked the cards into his back pocket. Prepaid visa cards, or cash were a necessity for any ghoul. Seeing as how credit, and debt cards can be traced easily.
"Have a good day, Tsukiyama." Banjo said, his voice laced with sadness. Tsukiyama gave him a tight smile, and nodded. He stood in the same spot for a while watching Banjo's back retreat down the sidewalk.
"Did you get it?" Kaneki asked as soon as Banjo entered the apartment. Balancing the coffee on one arm, and opening the door with the other. It was at this time he briefly thought that he should have reconsidered Tsukiyama's offer for help.
"I did." Banjo said, handing Kaneki a dark roast, and placing the others on the counter. Kaneki accepted it happily, and leaned back on the counter to enjoy the blend.
"I saw Tsukiyama there." Banjo said absentmindedly. Kaneki's coffee cup froze halfway up to his mouth, but he recovered quickly, and took a long sip.
"Oh?" He asked in a fake, disinterested voice. Banjo pulled out the prepaid cards, and laid them on the counter next to Kaneki.
"He said these are for Hinami. New clothes." He explained. Kaneki didn't say anything for a while. Instead choosing to sip his coffee thoughtfully. Banjo used the thick silence to begin setting out the coffee cups, and hang up his coat, and scarf.
"He was there alone?" Kaneki asked quietly. If Banjo hadn't have been paying attention he probably would have missed the question.
"No. He was there with a male ghoul." Banjo said, realizing that this was a very touchy subject that he had been pulled into.
"An acquaintance ?" Kaneki asked, putting down his coffee. His voice hardened.
"Well. Probably more than an acquaintance. He called him 'Shuu'." Banjo said, and quickly left the room. Knowing that he no longer wanted to stay in a room while Kaneki processed such information. From his bedroom, he heard the rustle of a coat, and the front door open, and slam shut.
"Thanks for watching the house for me, Chie." Tsukiyama said, pulling on his scarf. Chie nodded, and sprawled out on her friends expensive couch, and began flipping through the channels of his rarely used cable. He would have gotten rid of it already if Hinami, and Chie hadn't have taken a liking to it.
"Sure, sure. Go get your food." Chie said, waving him off. Tsukiyama had a lucrative deal going with some forest rangers. This forest was a popular place for suicides, and Tsukiyama collected the bodies on a weakly basis. Only having to grease a few park rangers along the way.
"Right. I'll be back soon than!" He said shutting the door behind him. Chie watched T.V for a while. Watching various television shows before getting bored of them. The only other interesting option was to snoop around Tsukiyama's apartment. She had gone through his book shelves, bathroom, kitchen, and bedroom before the doorbell rang. Chie immediately took out her cell phone, and speed dialed Tsukiyama. It rang once, twice, and three times before he picked up.
"Hello? Chie? Is something wrong?" Tsukiyama's voice came through the speakers. The ringing of the doorbell became more persistent.
"Somebodies at the door." Chie said. Tsukiyama paused on the other line, and answered.
"There is a panel next to the door. Press the power button, and you should be able to talk to whoever is there. I want a name." Tsukiyama said. Chie followed his instructions, and pressed the gray button next to the speaker panel implanted in the door.
"Who is it?" She asked tentatively. No voice answered her back. Instead a static filled silence met her question, and she could almost hear Tsukiyama nervously waiting for a reply on the other line of her cell phone.
"Who are you?" The voice answered back. She heard Tsukiyama intake a breath, before he said.
"Let him in, Chie. I'll be home soon." he hung up. Chie pressed the unlock button next to the speaker, and a loud beep filled the apartment signaling that somebody was coming through the front building door. Finally, the front door Tsukiyama's apartment swung open, and in the doorway stood a young man with white hair, gray eyes, and a black t-shirt, and jeans.
"You must be Kaneki." Chie said instantly while backing away from the ghoul, and taking his picture quickly. Every picture she took with her camera, sent digital copy to her laptop at home. The last picture she took would likely be a photo of her killer. She had faith that Tsukiyama would avenge her. However, with this one she wasn't quite sure.
"Who are you?" Kaneki asked again stepping into the apartment.
"Tsukiyama's friend." She replied taking a step back in response to his advance. "What do you want?" she asked.
"I want to talk to him." Kaneki said, and Chie puffed her chest out awkwardly. Tsukiyama was a lot stronger than her. Both mentally, and emotionally, but every now, and than she feels the urge to stand up for her friend like anybody would.
"Why do you think you deserve to talk to him?" Chie asked bravely. Kaneki looked slightly taken back before answering.
"One of my men saw him at a cafe. I'm concerned he was selling information about our cause." There are few things in this world that could piss Hori Chie off. That was one of them.
"That was a date!" Chie yelled loudly. Kaneki already suspected that it was a date, however he didn't react to having the information confirmed. "I set that up! Too help Tsukiyama! After you used him, and hurt him!" Chie yelled, and Kaneki didn't defend himself. He stood in shock in the doorway glancing off into a different direction other than the angry human girl in front of him. However, he was surprised. Surprised that this small human was stepping to him. Surprised that Tsukiyama was friends with a human to begin with.
"You were the person that Tsukiyama had coffee with a few weeks back." He said in realization. Chie nodded curtly. "Why would you stand up for Tsukiyama knowing what he has done?" Kaneki asked in a soft voice.
"If you seriously think that Tsukiyama is a bad person, than maybe you need to look around you. Is Shuu really the worst person you have encountered?" She asked. Kaneki didn't say anything. Images of Rize, his torturer, and Mado flashed through his mind. Each he would pick Tsukiyama over any day.
"Tell me." She continued. "Were you this emotionally distraught when your precious human, and you were separated?" Chie asked. Kaneki blinked, eyes wide with sudden realization, and Chie snorted. "Didn't think so." she said. "Maybe you are confusing lust, and love." She finished. Before Kaneki could answer the front door swung open, and a panting Tsukiyama stood there. His hair disheveled, and a bag of butchered, and flesh that looked like it had been packaged in a hurry hung by his side.
"Chie." He said dropping his bags, bypassing Kaneki, and hugging the girl tightly. Kaneki watched on in awe at the affection the Gourmet showed to the small human. Which was apparently not a new thing, because the girl barely reacted to his touch. She was neither shocked, not did she pull away in fear. She had complete trust that Tsukiyama was not about to hurt her. "Are you okay?" Tsukiyama asked checking over her, looking for any signs of struggle, or injury.
"I'm fine. I am going to go though." She said throwing her jacket over her shoulders. "I'll call you later." With that, she walked past the white haired ghoul without even a passing glance. Instead, if you looked closely you might have been able to see her tiny nose stick up in the air as she walked past.
"Tsukiyama-san." Kaneki said once the door swung shut once more, and they were alone. Tsukiyama shed off his coat, and scarf, hanging it up on the hook to his right. He sniffed, and ran a trembling hand through his hair.
"Kaneki-kun. What can I do for you?"
A/N- Let me know what you think. Sorry if it is not a good as chapter one. I had crazy motivation last night. Not sure when the last chapter will be up. It depends on how motivated I am. It will be up though. Just how soon depends on motivation levels.