A/N: Annnnnd here's the final chapter. Thank you all for your patience, I'm sorry it took so long! Hope you enjoy.
Disclaimer: I own nothing.
Exit the Fish
The blonde's despairing cries put centipede's teeth on edge. Kaneki could feel it. Every word softened the relentless grip on his mind, slowly and reluctantly, as though centipede couldn't quite grasp what was happening. Kaneki had the faintest notion of what could be causing the sudden change in character, but he wasn't about to make any rash assumptions, not when he was so close to escaping.
A crack appeared within his insanity, just a sliver of hope, and Kaneki hurled himself at it. He look hold of his mind, pushing away the silent presence of centipede who had gone completely numb. As he recovered the control of his body, even Rize was subdued, surveying everything with soft, emotionless eyes.
Kaneki gasped for breath and fell backwards, landing with his own body and almost smiling in relief at the physical jolt. However, any thoughts of triumph were erased when he focused on the damage before him.
The brown-haired teen lay on the ground, completely still and dyed red. Next to him was the blonde, crying and showing such helplessness that Kaneki felt his insides grow cold. A couple feet from them was the dark-haired boy facing off against one of the kagune which had stopped inches from his collar bone. He now fell to the ground, gasping for air and staring at the receding weapon that Kaneki withdrew in shame. He released his other captive, careful not to let the dangerous appendage harm the blue-eyed teen in any way.
Kaneki let the kagune retreat into the hollow of his back, and he watched with an aching heart as the two boys, now without their own impending tragedies hanging over them, rush to the fallen friend's side. He said nothing as they eased the teen onto his back, checking his pulse and growing increasingly terrified from the results. None of them thought to look back at the white-haired stranger with the one red eye and chilling laugh that would forever stay imprinted on their minds.
Kaneki closed his eyes and hesitantly backed away, careful not to disturb the four before him. He'd already caused them enough trouble, and he had no way to assist them, so it was best he fade away and become part of the glass fishbowl. As for the two invading his subconscious, both were unresponsive.
Kaneki wasn't ready to claim it had been the boy's words that had put a stop to centipede, but he would've liked to believe that. The thought of everyone back at Anteiku created a gentle flame within his chest, a scarce flicker of hope that maybe one day he would peacefully return home. If he could still feel that way, perhaps a small part of centipede could be influenced by such memories as well.
The young man continued through the forest with quiet footfalls and nearly inaudible breaths, allowing himself become a part of the tranquil silence that wrapped around the world. He felt his lips twist into a somber smile and he gazed up at the golden sky that was just beginning to bleed from the waking sun. He was astonished to discover how foreign the brightness appeared to him.
"Everything in this fishbowl is so cold," he whispered. "The cheerful sky almost looks wrong."
-/-\-|-/-\-
It had required quick decision making to determine what the best course of action was. Both Nagisa and Makoto were in need of medical attention, although Makoto's situation was agreeably more severe. They'd already applied a makeshift tourniquet using a strip of Rei's swimwear. The material was already shredded from shooting through the forest, making it easier to tear, and they took a section from just above the knee to the ankle. Once tied efficiently, it had delayed the rapid gushing of blood from Makoto's calf.
To Haru and Nagisa's relief, Rei proved to be more skilled in terms of first aid than either of them. After securing the tourniquet, he'd elevated their friend's leg using a mossy log nearby. Both Nagisa and Haru were instructed to keep close to Makoto in hopes of conserving any body heat while Rei kept pressure on the puncture wound.
Everything had happened so quickly, none of them had the chance to notice their assailant had crept away. It wasn't until Haru began searching for an opening through the trees to spot the beach that he realized the man had vanished.
"Who do you suppose he was?" Nagisa murmured softly. "Do you think he's going to come back?"
"We don't have time to dwell on it," Rei responded, looking up from Makoto's leg to Haru's concerned expression. "What are we going to do?"
Haru blinked in alarm, eyes falling to the pale body beside him and the faint rise and fall of his friend's chest. Makoto needed emergency assistance, the sooner the better, and the fastest way Haru could think of would be if someone swam back to the main island to get some. The only downside to that plan would be the fact Makoto, Nagisa, and the third individual would remain on the island with the insanity that had put a hole through Makoto's leg and caused Nagisa to twist his ankle. Never mind that, the white-haired demon had scared at least five years off all their lives.
"Haruka-senpai?"
The blue-eyed teen raised his head, opening his mouth and stammering an uneasy reply. "Makoto and Nagisa are in no shape to swim. We could always try, but I don't want Nagisa to have anymore strain on his ankle and Makoto..."
Rei nodded in understanding, looking back through the trees towards the sound of the ocean breaking on the sandy beach. "Are you going to swim for help?"
"I don't want to leave you three here with that psychopath," Haru protested, but he already knew such words were futile. Time was disappearing as quickly as the prospects of their situation working out positively.
Rei and Nagisa shared a quick look of concern before Rei murmured, "We'll be okay, Haruka-senpai. You're the only one here who is capable of making it there in an efficient amount of time."
Haru inclined his head, swallowing down an icy shard in his throat. "I'll be as quick as I can."
Rei looked towards the darkness uneasily, knuckles going even whiter as he pressed them to Makoto's tourniquet. "We won't move from this location," he promised.
Without another word, Haru turned and disappeared back into the forest, away from his friends and towards the sound of waves breaking on the sandy beach. Adrenaline burned through his insides, making each stride longer and quicker. His feet whisked the ground and trees raced by in a giant blur as the rush of the ocean drew closer.
The shoreline was calm, much to the blue-eyed teen's relief, and the water wasn't as wild as it had been. He dove in without hesitation and every nerve in his body cried out in alarm from the frigid shock. Haru raised one arm after the other, slicing through the water, counting off seconds in his head, and attempting to focus only on the task at hand.
Many times he'd told himself water was alive, that he could feel its lurking maw and the constant threat of being pulled down by its crushing grasp. It was a wild creature, he'd once said, but as long as it was tamed within his fingertips, he would always glide through it without any traces of fear or paranoia.
However, despite those thoughts, despite the previous storm being only a darkened line on the horizon, Haru could feel the teeth and claws of the ocean. Anxiety plagued his every motion, and all he could see was a little, lost fish trying to brave the horrors outside its fishbowl.
Focus. Haru thought, taking in a breath of air and breaking the surface of the water as he kicked out. Focus.
His leg twinged uncomfortably from the memory of the sickening appendage that had been wrapped around it, and Haru's body twisted against a sudden wave that collided against him. He recomposed himself within little time and pushed himself farther and faster. For the sake of those left in the fishbowl with the ghastly centipede, the creature that had referred to itself as a 'ghoul', Haru fought down every chilling sensation the ocean pierced him with. He discarded all thoughts of the fishbowl, emptied his mind of its troubles, and immersed himself in the only option he had that was capable of helping everyone: Swim.
-/-\-|-/-\-
The sun was hanging low in the sky and ensnaring all in sight with its pleasant warmth, much to the relief of anyone out for a run on the shoreline. The only signs of the night's raging storm were the puddles dotting the cobblestone street in town and the wind torn leaves blanketing everything.
Rin left the small town behind him as he hit the sandy shore, a course that wasn't as cluttered as the route throughout the town. Little debris covered the area and he didn't have to worry about impeding tree branches, much like the one that had been waiting outside the hotel's front door.
In the distance, the red-haired swimmer could see the small settlement Haru and the others had prepared. Truth be told, he'd been somewhat concerned for them, a rather irritating burden that had made sleep a stranger. He hadn't been what one would call 'enthusiastic' that morning, but luckily he hadn't snapped at Nitori's inquiries as to whether or not he was feeling alright. As for the nagging voice in his head, he could easily tell that to piss off because, no, he wasn't steered towards the beach out of concern for Haru and the others. The town was cluttered, that was all, and he saw no reason to discard the chance of running along the perfectly calm, clean shoreline.
As Rin approached the two tents, flapping about like proud flags of an undefeated army, he slowed to a stop and briefly looked over the area. It was only by chance he spotted the figure swimming towards him, water erupting behind their feet as they paddled madly.
Rin resisted the urge to roll his eyes, wondering what kind of training regiment the four had prepared for themselves. Why weren't they swimming together?
Tossing the thought aside, the younger man made to continue on his way when he heard a voice call out from the water. It sounded like Haru and he turned, one eyebrow raised suspiciously. Haru wasn't usually one for shouting in greeting, so what had changed? He could see the figure clear enough to know it wasn't Nagisa or Makoto, though he supposed it could've been the fourth member they'd acquired. What reason would that guy have to say good morning?
"Rin!"
On the shore, Rin felt his skin prickle at the foreign urgency Haru's tone held. Haru would never disrupt his own rhythm of swimming for something as casual as a 'good morning', so what had happened? Where were Nagisa and Makoto?
It wasn't until Haru called out a third time that Rin hurried to the water's edge, watching as the Iwatobi swimmer attempted to rise from the cold water only to stumble ungraciously into the shallow waves. Despite the bitterness threatening to stain every thought, Rin reached for Haru and pulled him upright by his arms, helping the other teen to the sand.
"Haru, what's wrong?" Rin demanded, trying to ignore the icy chill creeping through him as he slowly lowered Haru to the ground. "Where are Makoto and Nagisa?"
Haru looked up, inhaling and exhaling over and over as he fought for air to speak. When he was able to, his words were a harsh whisper that Rin had to strain to hear. "Rin, call for help. We need an ambulance, and get Amakata-sensei..."
"Whoa, slow down," Rin murmured, kneeling beside the breathless teen. "What's going on? What happened?"
"The police, too," Haru wheezed, coughing shortly and spitting water onto the sand. "Just get help. Please."
-/-\-|-/-\-
The shrill scream of a cell phone interrupted Gou's process of locking her hotel room door, and she juggled both the key card and wailing device until she dropped one and flipped open the other.
"Nii-san?" she greeted in a bewildered tone, casting an equally puzzled look at Miss Amakata. "What's up?"
"Gou, hey. I don't know what happened, but I'm with Haru on the beach where the guys were camped out and he looks pretty shook up," came her brother's voice. He was speaking in a soft tone she wasn't used to, one that didn't sound depressed but rather weary and melancholic. Now that she thought about it, the tone he was using only came around when...
Gou started making her way towards the hotel entrance, a worried Miss Amakata following close behind. On the other end of the phone, Rin continued explaining the situation best he could. He couldn't get many answers from Haru, only that the storm had brought the four to one of the islands and Haru was the only one who'd swam off. Both Makoto and Nagisa were injured and if Rin could guess, Makoto had taken the worst of it. Upon finding Haru, Rin had been directed to call for help and an ambulance was on its way.
Gou stayed on the phone while she raced across the hotel's parking lot and towards the stone steps leading to the shore. She could see both Haru and her brother by the water's edge and she could hear a siren coming from the direction of the town.
"What's going on?" Miss Amakata inquired as the two hurried towards the beach. "Is everything okay?"
"I don't know," Gou responded, listening to Rin's quiet voice over the phone as he attempted to coax more words from Haru. "I don't think so."
Something had gone terribly wrong, that much was for certain. The only times she usually heard her brother sounding so somber was when discussing their father.
-/-\-|-/-\-
"Haru, hey. Help is on its way, okay?" Rin murmured, quickly intercepting before the other teen could stand. "Tell me what happened."
Haru was silent, casting nervous glances over his shoulder to where the answers of Rin's phone calls could be heard. The entire island was a small settlement, not typically an area in need of a full fledged police force or a very large hospital. Would Makoto have to be transported elsewhere, or would the clinic on the island be sufficient?
Gou's voice snapped him from his worries and Haru looked up, blinking dubiously at the worried face of Rin's sister and Miss Amakata.
"What's going on?" she murmured, settling down in front of him. "Where are Makoto-senpai, Nagisa-kun, and Rei-kun?"
"It looks like the police and ambulance are here," came the relieved voice of Miss Amakata. "Haruka, how are you feeling?"
"They'll need a way to get over to the island," Haru protested, forcing his way to his feet. "Makoto and the others are over there. If the police—"
"Don't worry about it," Rin stated reassuringly. "I explained the situation best I could, remember? You must not have heard me mention the part about needing to reach the next island."
Haru opened his mouth to speak but nothing came to mind. He'd been sitting right next to Rin when he'd made the call, yet his mind had been so cluttered...
"What seems to be the problem?"
Haru turned in response to the unfamiliar voice, seeing an older man had approached him and Rin. Another police officer was speaking to Miss Amakata a ways off who was gesturing towards the ocean.
Haru felt his stomach twist in pain.
"I haven't gotten the full details yet," Rin answered in Haru's stead, eyeing his friend nervously. "Haru, can you tell him what happened?"
"An ambulance," Haru began, pointing towards the hellish nightmare he'd escaped from. "Two of my friends are injured and are in need of urgent medical assistance. Please hurry to them first, never mind me."
"We've already dispatched a medical team from our local clinic," the police officer promised. "It's not much, but they're on their way here now. Where are your friends located?"
"Somewhere on that island," Haru responded, turning as the sound of a motor interrupted him. A motorboat was tearing across the water towards them, slowing until it brushed up against the shore. A few people stood inside, presumably the law and medical assistance of their small community. The man who'd been addressing Miss Amakata hurried over, calling to the police officer speaking with Haru.
"I need to go with you," Haru stated in a surprisingly firm voice. "They are my friends, and I know how to find them."
The man before him looked skeptical, replying quietly, "I apologize, but as a civilian, it is best you stay here and allow us to do our job. Are any of your friends able to call out? That will help us to—"
"If they call out, the reason for our troubles may come back to finish what he started," Haru responded. "They aren't alone on that island. Whatever he is, he's a psychopath and he isn't human, so I'm asking you to let me accompany you so my friends can be located and helped faster. If I don't go, I'll swim there myself."
Rin blinked, looking back and forth between Haru and the police officer, nearly protesting when the officer gave a curt nod and made his way to the boat with Haru close behind.
"Can I help in any way?" the red-haired teen demanded, following the two.
"Be ready for when we return," Haru answered, pulling himself into the boat and settling down as it began drifting from the beach.
From beside him, the police officer turned to the young man with dark eyes. "Tell me everything that happened. Exactly what is it we're trying to keep our presence hidden from?"
Haru swallowed down the burning fear bubbling through him. In a stiff voice, he muttered, "A centipede."
-/-\-|-/-\-
Every breeze drifting through the quiet island wrenched every one of Rei's nerves until he was on the verge of snapping. The sun basked everything in an almost comforting glow, yet Rei's fear kept such consoling feelings at bay. Only until the four of them were deep in civilization with medical attention and a few appreciated hours of sleep under their belts would he be at ease.
A soft breath turned Rei's attention to Nagisa who was leaning against his shoulder, snoring contentedly. He hadn't meant to fall asleep. He'd wanted to stay awake and help Rei with Makoto, but only a few minutes ago fatigue had overpowered the smaller teen.
Rei carefully shifted his grip on the tourniquet wrapped around Makoto's leg. Where was Haru? How long had he been gone? Judging by the location of the sun through the tree tops...
Rei closed his eyes. No, he was too tired for that. Even the thought of mathematically guessing the time it would take for Haru to return was exhausting. For now, he would stick to solid facts laid out right in front of him: He was cold, he was tired and hungry, and if one more twig snapped within the vicinity, he would have a heart attack right then and there.
An icy grip took hold of him and Rei opened his eyes, frowning in bewilderment. Quickly, he looked down at Makoto, raising his red hands from the tourniquet and taking hold of his friend's wrist. The frigid chill within him turned his blood solid and Rei frantically pressed his fingers to the side of Makoto's neck.
"Nagisa-kun," he whispered hoarsely before clearing his throat. "Nagisa-kun!"
In an instant, Nagisa bolted upright, wincing momentarily from his ankle before wildly looking around. "What is it? Is Haru back?"
"No, it's Makoto-senpai," Rei exclaimed. "He doesn't have a pulse."
The blood drained from his friend's face and the blonde looked at a loss for words before crying, "What do we do? We have to do something!"
"Hold his legs," Rei commanded, quickly repositioning himself beside Makoto's chest. The mental image of an instruction booklet passed through his mind, pictures illustrating correct form and step-by-step instructions. Placing one hand over the other, he began with the quick series of chest compressions, attempting to keep a steady rhythm despite the haphazard dance his own heart was performing.
Nagisa clung tightly to the tourniquet, throat tightening painfully as he watched Rei's curled hands push into their friend's chest again and again. When Rei withdrew to feel for a breath, Nagisa ground his teeth together to keep from screaming out. Makoto couldn't die here. Such a notion was just—
The sound of a motor nearly halted Rei's efforts, but he continued, delivering two breaths to Makoto before continuing chest compressions. Raising his head, he saw Nagisa squinting through the trees, desperately searching for the source of the noise.
"Call out," Rei commanded. "I don't know where that psychopath is, but what we just heard has to be help. They'll find us quicker, so shout for them."
The last sentence was barely out of Rei's mouth before Nagisa let out a long, desperate scream.
-/-\-|-/-\-
They weren't going to let him leave the boat, no matter what he said. He'd given the basic directions to where Makoto, Rei, and Nagisa were located and was going to be left behind with someone to watch over him, but...
Haru ignored the protesting commands behind him as he sprinted across the beach towards Nagisa's cries. He wasn't about to sit on his ass with that pleading wail echoing through his mind.
The police hurried across the forest floor behind him, calming Haru a little. He'd brought help. The police would take over everything from here, Makoto and Nagisa would be treated, and they could get out of this nightmare.
This fishbowl.
He quickened his pace when he caught a glimpse of Nagisa's hair, followed by the relieved voice calling his name, but as he drew closer, his legs turned to stone. Around him, police and the medical team passed by, surrounding his three friends. One stopped beside him, placing a hand over his numb shoulder and inquiring what was wrong.
Haru stared ahead, all words trapped in his rapidly emptying mind. The sound of the forest disappeared, the painful throbbing of his heart, too. All thoughts and feelings abandoned him, leaving only the image of Makoto's unresponsive body and the quick actions working to bring him back to the waking world.
He felt sick, more sick than when they'd first unraveled the nightmare in the kitchen of the rest house. The urge to vomit wrapped around him, but it was quickly replaced by a sudden rush that left Haru lightheaded and tilting forward. The person beside to his left quickly reached out, steadying him and easing him to the ground before he could collapse.
With everything inside him dead and his mind turning in petrified circles, Haru watched the medical team fight to resuscitate his friend. They gathered around like vultures, a horrifying similarity he was quick to throw from his mind. He wanted to approach, to be at his friend's side, but he could only sit, frozen, scared, and silently begging for life's warm breath to envelope Makoto.
He didn't notice Rei had made his way over to him and was watching the scene unfold with the same weary-eyed dread. Nagisa had been shifted away from Makoto and was receiving treatment, although his constant fidgeting to look at Makoto hindered all attempts to inspect his ankle.
Haru remembered being told that in times of crisis or deep unease, time became a sluggish bastard that forced the gut wrenching sensation of waiting. Each second became a minute, each minute an hour, all adding up to futile moments they would one day look back on with cold eyes and heavy hearts.
How long had they been working to save his friend? Had it been minutes or agonizingly long seconds?
Haru swallowed and closed his eyes, sensing a small piece within him on the verge of snapping. It hadn't all been in vain, had it? If he'd swum faster, would things be different? Would the grim reaper still stand before his friend, it's merciless, unforgiving touch prepared to seize the young soul?
With an agonizing slowness capable of rivaling the tip-toeing seconds passing by, Haru opened his eyes to Makoto's body. He blinked as the world blurred in a watery torrent and his heart went still.
Just like all the times before, through every good moment and bad, green eyes peered back at him.
-/-\-|-/-\-
A phone rang in an office down the hall and the entire building smelled of disinfectant.
Rin inhaled the coffee in his hand, allowing the scent to wash away the medical aura suffocating him as he strode down the corridor before entering one of the brightly lit rooms.
"Hey, Rin-chan," came the alarmingly subdued voice of Nagisa, so solemn that Rin almost dropped the styrofoam cups in his hands.
He nodded to where the young teen lay in a hospital bed, his wounded ankle bandaged and elevated above him. The blonde looked positively miserable, earning a sympathetic look from the older boy, before Rin passed two cups of coffee to Haru and Rei.
"Did you get any word on Makoto-senpai?" Rei inquired, thanking the upperclassmen as he accepted the coffee.
"Not yet," Rin answered, taking a seat in one of the uncomfortable chairs the room had to offer. "They should have information for us soon, though."
Haru didn't say anything, wrapping his hands around the styrofoam cup he'd been given and lowering his head.
"You okay?" Rin murmured.
Haru didn't repsond.
The four were quiet, listening to the soft commotion outside Nagisa's room in the rest of the clinic. When they'd arrived, the place had been alive with doctors and nurses who'd taken both Nagisa and Makoto further into the building. Rei, Haru, and Rin had been left to explain all they could. Police made their inquires, took their notes, and made calls. All of it was nearly lost to Haru and Rei thanks to a lack of sleep and overworked nerves. When a doctor came forth with news of Nagisa, Rin had found himself shaking both teens back to awareness just as they'd been about to drift off.
"Can I ask you guys something?" Rin now murmured in a low, hesitant voice.
Nagisa cocked his head to one side, frowning curiously. "Sure, Rin-chan."
A slow inhale of breath could be heard, followed by the one question they were all suspecting.
Haru peered into his coffee, eyes narrowing. "You know what happened, Rin. You were there when we told the police everything."
"I just... didn't know what to think of it," Rin replied. "What you guys found in the rest house and that man... you called him a centipede?"
"He called himself that," Rei stated in a weary tone. "He was insane. I wonder if the police have tracked him down yet."
"He had weapons on him, right? That's what you told the police."
Haru looked up from his coffee, locking eyes with a partially confused Nagisa who turned his puzzled look to Rei. They'd left that detail out of their story. They hadn't wanted to tell the police of the serpent-like appendages that had sprung forth from the snowy-haired individual. No doubt the police would begin to question their recollections, just as Rei and Haru had been throughout the entire interview. How much of the nightmare had been fabricated by their adrenaline fueled minds? What horrific details had been twisted beyond truth in the midst of the fear and chaos?
"That's right," Rei spoke, raising his cup of steaming liquid to his lips. "Some sort of blade; we didn't get a good look."
Rin was quiet, casting a sideways glance at Haru before adding softly, "Haru said he wasn't human."
Nagisa went rigid and Rei lowered the coffee, not saying anything. All three of them refused to look at Rin, but before further inquiries could be made, an older man in a white coat stepped into the room, clasping his hands together.
"Haruka Nanase, Nagisa Hazuki, and Rei Ryugazaki?" he asked, smiling when the three in question nodded confirmation. "I'm Dr. Kamo."
"Is Mako-chan going to be okay?" Nagisa demanded, leaning forward in anticipation he could despite his raised leg.
"I was going to let you all know your friend is resting comfortably," the doctor began, dispersing the tension that had been growing around the four swimmers. "The puncture wound in his leg goes through the muscle, however, the injury didn't touch the bone. He lost quite a bit of blood, however we were able to contact his parents and were granted permission for a blood transfusion. Luckily, he received help before the situation could become any more perilous."
Dr. Kamo nodded to Rei, stating quietly, "I'd heard from one of the volunteers we'd dispatched that you wrapped his leg and had started performing CPR before our team had arrived. That was very quick thinking; you very well could have saved your friend's life."
Rei opened his mouth to protest but closed it, bowing his head and quietly thanking the older man. Glancing at the others, the dark-haired teen murmured, "Is it okay if we see him?"
"He is currently resting, however, you may step into his room if you would like," Dr. Kamo offered, extending a hand towards the open hallway.
"We'll do that," Rei spoke with a firm nod before turning to Nagisa's somewhat downhearted stare. "Is that okay with you, Naigsa-kun?"
"Go and see Mako-chan," Nagisa insisted, crossing his arms and leaning back against the mound of pillows settled behind him. "It's not like I can go anywhere. Just be sure to say 'hi' for me, okay?"
Rin smirked and disappeared out the door, followed by Haru who raised a hand of farewell, promising to do so. Rei said his good-bye's, saying he'd visit the blonde soon, and closed the door as he left, plunging Nagisa into silent darkness.
-/-\-|-/-\-
As Gou had been suspecting, Haru and Rei were already in Makoto's room by the time she arrived. She was hoping her brother would stick around, so seeing him at Makoto's bedside pulled a relieved sigh from her.
Quietly, she knocked on the door. "I knew you'd still be here. I was visiting Nagisa-kun and he said you'd gone to visit Makoto-senpai. How's he doing?"
"He's doing okay," Rin answered, withdrawing from the sleeping figure to settle himself in one of the chairs in the corner of the room. "The doctor said the bone wasn't damaged at all, but he lost a bit of blood."
"Amakata-sensei was on the phone with Makoto-senpai's parents last I saw her," Gou explained softly, approaching the hospital bed and peering at Makoto's sleeping face. He looked better than when they'd arrived on the beach and had carried him across the sand to the ambulance. When Gou had caught a glimpse of him, he'd looked so pale and ragged, she'd almost thought...
The red-haired girl shook her head stubbornly, fixing her attention on Haru and Rei. "What about you two? Are you both okay?"
Rei nodded shakily but Haru didn't respond, nor did he attempt to make eye contact. The dimly lit room hid most of his face, but when Gou looked down, she could see his hands trembling where they were clenched the bed frame.
"Haruka-senpai?" Gou whispered, reaching hesitant fingers towards her friend. "Haruka-senpai, are you okay?"
Upon contact, Haru didn't flinch under Gou's touch. Much to her surprise, he slid his hand over her own instead, gently squeezing her fingers with his shaking ones.
"It's okay, Haruka-senpai," Gou spoke in a quiet, soothing voice, wrapping her free arm around the shivering teen and pulling herself against him in a tight embrace.
"We're all safe," Rei added, placing a comforting hand on his friend's shoulder. "Makoto-senpai is going to be okay, and when this is all over, we're going home. It may be awhile before Nagisa-kun and Makoto-senpai can return to swimming, but we'll make do with whatever we can."
Without a word, Haru turned his haunted gaze upon his friends, forcing a steady nod. He cleared his throat and rubbed either eye with the palm of his hand and pulled away from Gou. "Thank you," he said, looking to both Rei and Rin as well. "All of you."
"You're welcome, Haruka-senpai," Gou responded with a quick smile.
Rin inclined his head, fingering the cold coffee in his hands before it was suddenly snatched away by his sister. He appeared ready to protest, but Gou's look of mock disapproval erased all words as she fetched both Haru and Rei's styrofoam cups as well.
"I'll be back with some hot coffee," she explained, striding purposefully out the door. "Just stay put."
Discarding the coffee into a nearby trash can, Gou began making her way to the waiting room, briefly wondering if Miss Amakata was done on the phone. The thought of Makoto's parents being told of the tragedy that had occurred sent a cold shard through Gou's heart and she frowned sadly. Luckily, things hadn't escalated any further and Haru had managed to get help when he did. If anything had happened to the rest of them or had any of them actually—
"Though none of the others saw anything, one officer claimed to have caught a glimpse of the attacker."
Gou stopped upon hearing a low voice trailing from an office with its door left slightly ajar. Normally, she wasn't one to eavesdrop on a conversation, but the severity of the voice startled her from taking another step.
"No, the rest of the police force are passing it off as a trick of the light, that the officer's mind was playing tricks on him," the voice continued, and Gou could hear the sound of shuffling footsteps as the speaker paced back and forth. "Well, when he mentioned a red appendage being attached to the guy's back, I began wondering. Yeah, then he said he saw a tall figure clad in black retreating through the trees. Yeah, white hair and a long, mangled kagune."
Gou frowned in bewilderment. Kagune? Where have I heard that word before? Wasn't it on the news awhile back? Something about a series of murders...
Behind the door came a short laugh, followed by, "Honestly, Houji, after deciding to give all that up, who would've thought I'd be finding my own cases in the middle of nowhere? I can see why your ghoul decided to hide out here."
Gou took a step back, eyebrows pinching together as a certain news story came back to her. There had been a series of murders in Tokyo a few months back, but not much information had been released on the matter. The only reason she could remember was because of the strange name they gave the attacker: Ghoul.
Come to think of it, that's when that 'kagune' thing was mentioned. That's what the public referred to the killer's weapon as. They said it was a type of long, thin blade... But what reason would there be to discuss that in a hospital? They caught the guy who committed all the murders, so they don't believe Makoto-senpai's attacker was...?
"Well, I just wanted to let you know," the voice continued. "Yeah, it just sounded a little strange yet familiar, so I thought I'd give you a call. We were friends back then, so I didn't think it would hurt to drop that little bit of information in case it was helpful to anyone back at the CCG. Yeah, you're welcome. Good-bye."
By the time the End Call button was pressed, Gou was already retreating down the hallway, trying in vain to shake the mysterious conversation from her head. A little voice in the depths of her mind insisted she look into the suspicious situation her friend's had been wrapped up in, but upon entering Makoto's hospital room, the thought disintegrated.
The three boys were seated around the table at the foot of Makoto's bed. Her brother had a slight smile on his face and was speaking to Rei and Haru, making quick gestures with his hands as he described some unknown scenario. Both Rei and Haru were listening, nodding in understanding and by the end, Rei was chuckling quietly and Haru's eyes held just a fraction of their old self.
Noticing her in the doorway, Rin's smile was replaced by a bewildered frown. "Where's the coffee?"
Gou glanced down at her empty hands, stammering nervously under the inquisitive stares from all three boys, before giving up with a defeated shrug. "The coffee machine was broken. I don't know what machine you used before, Nii-san, but the one in the waiting room is now out of order."
"That's okay," Rin sighed, stretching his arms over his head. "The coffee wasn't that good anyway."
-/-\-|-/-\-
From behind dark lenses, red eyes watched the television screen in curiosity while black nails tapped against the thin saucer holding a steaming cup.
"The CCG have yet to act upon this information, and the public is skeptical as to the credibility of the report. The 'ghoul attack' as it is being called, was done in a nearly isolated area. When police investigated, they discovered human remains, however, the only reason society is led to believe this was a ghoul attack is from a witness stating he saw the attacker."
"What's going on?" A young man strode around the front counter of the coffee shop, a bored look plastered across his face while he halfheartedly wiped a coffee mug. "I only heard part of that news story. Some kids got attacked or something, yeah?"
"Hey, Nishiki! Get back to work before the customers arrive!"
A towel was flung into the unsuspecting man's face and he whipped it away, scowling at the waitress who'd launched it at him. "I'm working!" he retorted, raising the mug in his hands and running the cloth through it with more viciousness than before. "It's not going to kill anyone if I happen to glance up at the TV for a few seconds, damn Touka."
The figure still focused on the news report let his gaze wander to the bickering individuals before returning back to the screen.
"The police officer claimed to have seen a white-haired man fleeing from law enforcement. He described seeing 'a glowing, snake-like tail' emerging from the stranger's back and while pursuing, the mystery man disappeared. Citizens of Tokyo wonder if this was indeed a ghoul attack, however, further reports on the matter have been halted for fear of word leaving the Wards."
As the news story changed into a topic deemed much less interesting by its viewer, Uta raised his cup of coffee and frowned thoughtfully at the reflection wavering within the dark liquid.
"Perhaps," he began thoughtfully, "Kaneki will return home now."
-/-\-|-/-\-
A/N: So there is the end. I was questionable about some bits and did my best to figure out others. As for the setting of the entire story, I have it somewhere between the beginning and middle of Tokyo Ghoul's second season. At some point after leaving Aogiri, Kaneki managed to get away for a little bit. As for the deal with the ghouls, for this story I came up with the idea that some areas of Japan are free of ghouls thanks to the CCG and are preserved that way. That means any news stories regarding ghouls are twisted so the public don't know the truth and can live free of that terror. The members of Iwatobi and everyone else are unaware ghouls exist.
For the end, I really wanted to add what everyone in Tokyo Ghoul were doing throughout all this and what they thought of the news report. Uta is one of my favorite characters, so I decided to do the last little section around him while he sits in Anteiku and listens to the news.
Thank you to all who reviewed, favorited, or followed the story. I appreciate every bit of it and hope you all enjoyed.