"Can I help ya, missy?" the man leered.
Touka was surprised at the crude stranger who opened the door.
"No thank you." She said as demurely and politely as possible, before hastily retreating.
She then continued towards Hide and Kaneki, paying attention and making sure she went the correct road this time, and buzzed the doorbell.
The Creep opened again.
"Changed yer mind?" He leered.
She really wanted to release her kagune and kill him.
Not for eating or anything. Ghoul she may be, but Touka would rather not eat something as disgusting as she suspected the man's meat to be.
But she has been pretending to be harmless human girl long enough to hide any hint of such thoughts.
It was fortunate that there was no need to hide her confusion over the presence of that man, where only Her Boys should be.
"I, I was looking for Hide. "
"Hideyoshi got tail like that? And here I thought he was-"
"Is he inside? Can I enter and talk with him?"
"Why won't ya talk with me, sweetie?"
"Sorry, but I'll pass."
The man seemed displeased, and looked to be about to say or do something stupid, when Kaneki appeared from behind him.
"Touka! Let her in please, Gakudera-san."
"I haven't decided if I want to, yet."
"… Should I call Hide, and interrupt his search?"
These words seemed to make the decision, as the man moved aside, allowing Touka entry.
She was just about to demand explanation, when stupid Kaneki mouthed 'not here'.
Reluctantly, the girl followed him as he led her to the kitchen.
Where after gesturing for her to sit, he started making coffee.
"So…"
"Who is that? What is he doing here? "She angrily whispered.
Kaneki finished making the coffee, and made a cup for her in silence. Only after she took it, and started drinking did he sigh.
He started talking after she finished her first sip of it, his own voice quiet, looking around her as he talked. She wasn't sure if he was keeping an eye for eavesdroppers or avoiding her gaze.
"Did you know Hide has a cousin?"
"What does that has anythi-" Touka started incredulous.
"You've just met him." The half ghoul interrupted.
The rude, cranky middle-aged man with the thug-like appearance that greeted her earlier had little in common with somewhat polite, cheerful and youthful (and easy on the eyes) Nagachika.
That answer only angered her more.
"Did Nagachika tell all of his extended family about this place? You were supposed to be hiding!"
"Of course he didn't! We don't know how he found out, and he's not telling yet. But he's gonna stay here for some time, so it may be best if you go back to your brother soon. Just I case."
"Why?"
"He's looking for something- apparently he left something with Hide and now wants it back, so Hide is looking for it among his things."
"Looking for what?" She asked, frustrated.' Why did every answer from Kaneki got more frustrating than the last?'
"I don't know, and frankly, I don't want to. Touka, this guy makes me angry too, but for now it's better if you wait this storm out."
"What? This is my house too!"
"That guy was in prison. He got ten years and just now got released. He gives me a bad feeling, and managed to actually anger Hide-I mean visibly anger, Hide all but growled at him. Just wait it out, it can't be for long."
The girl proceeded to finish her coffee, and after gulping the last drops, turned, and finally caught the guilty eyes of the boy.
"You better finish with this soon. Where is Nagachika, anyway?"
"Told you-looking for the thing his cousin wants. The cousin seems to not like Hide pausing his search."
Touka put her schoolbag on her knees, and opened it. Rummaging inside she found her pen, and a note book. Tearing an empty page from the end of the later, she hastily scribbled, returned the items to her bag, and stood up.
"Call me when he leaves." She frostily said, and left the room.
Kaneki escorted her to the door and closed it behind her.
'One crisis averted' Ken thought to himself as Touka left.
Which just left Hide and him, and…
"who she?"
The Cousin.
"Touka-chan is a dear friend. I asked her to not visit for now, so don't worry about her."
"I'll decide what to worry about, not you, little punk! And why did she call this place 'ours'? she lived here with you two? Ya doin her?"
Kaneki forced himself not to grimace at the last question. While the relationship between Touka and himself moved into that direction, the way Gakudera-san phrased it sounded disgusting and his tone utterly rude. The addition of Dear Hide-his Light-into this won't be something the thug will appreciate or approve of, and Ken really didn't that… man, poking into their relationship. Or even thinking of it.
"She is a close friend, so she and her Brother helped us get this place, pay for it. It's technically partly hers as well." The boy explained. "She used to visit often enough, but she has her own place-with her big brother." He hastily added, hoping the existence of 'older brother', Yomo-san will discourage any designs the ex-con might have on her.
After a little bit more of rude questions, and subtly evasive answers, Ken excused himself and went to join Hide in his search.
Hide was less than pleased by Touka meeting his cousin, but agreed that it was the right choice to have her live away, with Yomo, for now.
"How long do you think it will take, until you find the item your cousin wants?" Kaneki finally asked, after a few minutes of silence, making sure to whisper it this time.
Hide glanced back, and after looking around, whispered back.
"A few days at least. Enough to make him bored here, and impatient to leave, learn we won't be a threat or leak, nor tempting targets."
Hide looked him in the eye and added, in a whisper even softer.
"He got a decade, but he was suspected of things that get you Capital Punishment. We don't want him getting what he wants too soon, nor losing his patience entirely."
Gakudera-san was angry to learn that Hide hadn't found the memento he left him, to say the least. The man was yelling and almost started getting violent, only stopping himself in the last minute.
But he relented, as he 'needed to a quiet corner' for a few days anyway, but Hideyoshi better find it soon. As Gakudera-san will be most displeased should his dear cousin prove to have failed to keep a precious item given for safekeeping-and they won't like him displeased!
Unfortunately, there was no luck the next day either.
Thug-san (as Kaneki has taken to calling the obnoxious cousin in the privacy of his mind)did accept it more calmly that time, looking more disappointed than angry, if not by much, having spent most of the day reading newspapers and watching TV.
Author Notes: First, apologies for the delay, RL got busy and had some surprises, some good (cool game releases that drained my time, extended family celebration of my niece) some less so...
Hopefully it wont take as long for next chapter. And don't worry, the Cousin won't remain for all the story, just the arc, but his presence will have consequences later.
A point that I want to clarify- in Japan, Capital Punishment (execution) as a legal penalty only applies in practice for murder, so only Murderers get executed, usually those who commit multiple murders. I will extrapolate that those who help ghouls may be considered as murdering people by way of ghoul, and thus could be given the punishment as well. As his cousin has nothing to do with Ghouls or CCG, that's what Hide was telling Kaneki about Gakudera-that the man is suspected, and likely is, a murderer...
Read and Review! suggestions and criticism appreciated.