#kaneki x tsukiyama

[kaneki]

Speak of the devil…

Manga: Tokyo Ghoul

- 金木研

[skorpiiozx-blog]

Tried something new, kakuja kaneki

[1art]

K a n e k i

[pillow-anime-talk]

injured s/o.

synopsis: You were a bit clumsy, but luckily your partner knew first aid. But they had to be careful because both of you know... they were a ghoul.

# tags: headcanons; current relationships; light romance; a bit of drama; also slight fluff; human!reader; mention of blood and wounds; maybe suggestive

includes: gender neutral reader ft. shuu tsukiyama, ken kaneki, touka kirishima, rize kamishiro, ayato kirishima & nishiki nishio {tokyo ghoul}

— SHUU

↘ He instantly smells your delicious blood and almost cries at the sight of the knife covered in red liquid and the onions that were supposed to be part of your disgusting human dinner.

↘ He’s trying hard not to eat your tender, sweet flesh, but after a short breath, he finds a first aid kit and then scolds you from top to bottom. His touch is tender, even though you are well aware that Shuu is holding back all his senses from killing and eating you. He’s a simple man, a bloodthirsty ghoul, so don’t be shocked. Of course he won’t hurt you, but... you never know.

↘ After applying the bandage, he’ll probably lick his fingers to taste your blood, and he feels as if he’s reached the highest level of ecstasy. 

↘ Your blood tastes like the sweetest chocolate, the ripest peach, the best wine, like coffee from the most expensive beans. He almost faints at the thought of you being filled with this dark ruby and delicious ambrosia.

↘ “... Thank you for your help, Shuu-kun.” You smile slightly, touching his arm with your hand. The man just nods, kissing your forehead, then disappears from your view as he enters the bathroom to take a cool shower and calm his farious thoughts.

— KEN

↘ Black Reaper doesn’t show affection to others, unless we are talking about his beloved partner. Then it’s completely different, still dangerous and uncertain, but with you, Kaneki takes off the mask of a dark, vulgar and cruel ghoul.

↘ “May I come in?” He asks softly as your small apartment starts to smell of your sweet like honey blood. Ken tightens his fingers on the doorknob and then enters the room as soon as you let him. One drop of blood escapes from your index finger. You cut yourself with a piece of paper while writing an essay. You look uncertainly at the black-haired man, but you don’t see any negative lust in his eyes. On the contrary, Ken looks worried. “Everything’s all right, love?”

↘ You reply that it’s just a scratch and that you’re fine. Your boyfriend offers you a bandage though, and you smile at him, lightly pressing his body against yours.

↘ “Thank you.” You reply quietly, and he only wonders why. That he didn’t kill you? That he didn’t tear your body in half? That you’re still alive? “... Thank you for being there for me.” His eyes close and he snuggles tighter against your weak, human body.

— TOUKA

↘ Touka is calm and the first thing she will think of is hydrogen peroxide and bandage. She’s not interested in your body, though of course your blood smells like a field of orchids and poppies. This fragrance evokes sentimental memories in her mind.

↘ She examines your wound with the greatest tenderness, and then, equally calmly and without haste, cleans it of any dirt and puts on a professional lint. Her gaze expresses many emotions, none of which are related to her ghoul nature.

↘ “Better now, Y/N?” Dark-haired girl asks calmly, while her hand squeezing yours. You nod your head a bit in response to her brief question and she smiles softly. “Would you like some coffee?” She asks another question, and you nod once more, thanking her for help.

↘ Tonight was full of tenderness and assurances that Touka would never hurt you.

— RIZE

↘ He behaves similarly to Tsukiyama, maybe even worse. The sight of your blood is like a lighter to spilled gasoline. She can’t control herself and runs away as far as possible so as not to hurt you. After all, you are her beloved lover, her little treasure. She can’t afford such a disgusting moment of frailty.

↘ You bandage yourself and expect her return, even though you know it may take several days.

↘ Rize is disgustingly weak when it comes to you; after all you are her greatest drug and probably if she only tasted a drop of your blood or was in the same room with you for a bit longer, she would definitely throw herself at you.

↘ The relationship with her is quite dangerous, but you feel happy with her. Maybe it’s stupid and life threatening, but you really can’t imagine your own life without this beautiful and graceful woman.

— AYATO

↘ He snorts with laughter when your apartment starts to smell like blood. When he enters the bathroom, he sees that you’ve cut yourself shaving and a few drops of blood run down your still wet skin.

↘ “If a razor beats you that much, then seriously consider my proposal to turn you into a ghoul, kitten.” The sarcasm in his voice is strong and you just roll your eyes. You quickly wash the wounds with a cotton swab and water, then find the plaster.

↘ “You know very well that I am the biggest enjoyer of fried rice with vegetables and lasagna. There is no way I will give up these human goods to eat human flesh.” You grimaced at the thought, which made the black-haired man laugh lightly one more time. “You should help me instead of laughing, dumb boy.”

↘ “Hmm... Nope, nah.” He waved at you and then went back to watching TV, calmly waiting for you to come over and lie down next to him.

— NISHIKI

↘ He cares a lot about you; you are the most important person in his life, so the sight of your tear-stained face and chafes on your knees from falling down the stairs is a hard sight for him.

↘ So he takes you into his arms and leads you to the bedroom, where he treats your wounds with the greatest precision with disinfectant spray and bruise ointment. He talks to you a lot during this moment, almost forgetting that he is a ghoul. For sure, a few years ago he would have jumped on you without much thought, just to end your suffering.

↘ Afterwards, he smiles slightly and offers to order you something good to eat to make you feel better. You’ll agree, although you’re asking for a moment of tenderness and a few kisses. 

↘ You’re definitely too cute.

[chrollc]

“what is that you want nimura furuta?”

“SUPER PEACE ✌️ 😘”

[keisukebajimipatron]

Excuse me

What beautiful men they are so excuse me but I'll lie right here wide open.

[desisailormoon]

pssssst.

are you looking for crumbs of Tokyo Ghoul fans still alive?

no graverobbing necessary c;

[night-fall-moon]

Chapter 2: Regent

previous chapter  masterlist next chapter

The sound of skin to skin contact echoed throughout the meeting room. Pale skin becomes red as blood flows to the surface of it. A mild stinging pain could be felt, the feeling of embarrassment flooded his senses, but he kept a cool front. His poker face never faltered no matter how humiliated he was.

A sense of lingering anger and authority dropped from the hand that slapped the boy. His face filled with worry as his voice spoke out,

"A squad leader can't put his squad members' lives at risk." His voice was serious.

He was dead serious, and it showed not just through his expressions, but through his violent actions. He'd never once laid a hand on them no matter the circumstance, but he felt the need to express it this time to show that he was the one in charge for once and wouldn't be put down.

"It's dangerous to show our back to the enemy. I took the possibility of Orochi pursuing and attacking us from the rear into consideration." He defended himself.

He stared at Haise the whole time and asked him, "does that warrant a slap in the face?"

"You think you're so smart. Why else do you think I called for Haise? You would've died had it not been for me telling him as soon as we left to pursue Torso." Reina yelled at the foolish boy.

His ego got too big that he almost killed himself and the rest of his team all because of his selfish desires. Haise stood still as everything unveiled itself.

"Ghoul investigators must run even if their arms and legs are torn off!!" He raised his voice, veins popped out the side of his neck. His face contorted into one of worry.

"We'll have our chance as long as we're alive. What can we do if we're dead?!"

Sighing, Reina got in between both boys and put a hand on each of their shoulders. She pushed Urie away a bit and turned to face him.

"Urie I'm relieving you from duty as Squad Leader of the Quinx Squad." She stated.

Again Urie started arguing, he made sure his voice was heard when he said, "I find this unacceptable," but both of them didn't budge, instead Haise put his foot down and in an authoritative voice jibed, "it's an order."

Gritting his teeth Urie breathed heavily leaving a heavy suspenseful silence in his wake until he sneered at both of them, "but you're both ghouls..."

His eyes widened meanwhile the rest of the squad squeaked in surprise at his bold claim. How could he disrespect their mentors?! Shirazu wasted no time in beating some sense into the boy.

"You're a piece of shit!!" He yelled as he kicked the purple haired boy.

He continued to lecture the boy about how responsible and considerate their mentors were. How they both risked their lives for theirs. He tussled him around like a rag doll, Urie having no reaction to the treatment he was getting at the moment. Instead he looked behind him where Mutsuki was standing.

There the shy boy stood watching Shirazu manhandle Urie. Noticing that he was looking back he decided to speak up.

"Urie.. I.. I'd like you to apologize to Instructors Sasaki and Nakou."

"Shirazu let him go." Reina raised her hand in a stop motion.

Following her order he did so slowly. Looking back at his mentors he noticed that Haise was about to speak up.

"No matter what he says, my decision is final. Besides, I'm appointing Rank 3: Investigator Shirazu as Squad Leader." He pointed at the blonde.

Shirazu screeched and tried to protest. He had no idea what Sasaki was thinking, but this wasn't right. Him? Squad leader?! Those two things should never be in the same sentence. Haise reassured him that he'd teach him what it means to be a leader.

Turning to face the boy that was walking away he playfully hit him a small smile gracing his lips that didn't quite reach his ears.

"Urie. You keep disobeying me and I'll eat you! I'm a ghoul, remember?" He chuckled softly.

Having nothing else to say, the denoted boy just walked out the room. Noting Haise's weird behavior she walked behind him and patted his shoulder making him look down at her figure. She smiled weakly at him and left to follow after Urie.

She looked around everywhere and found him sitting on the couch by himself in the living room. Deciding to sneak up on him she quietly approached him and hugged him tightly against her chest. Startled at first he tried to pull her arms off of him until he heard the familiar sound of her voice reach his ears.

"Got ya." She tilted his head so he could look up at her.

Huffing he let her have her way with him. She let go and climbed over the couch to sit on the glass coffee table. Her small figure leaning back, strands of lilac hair letting loose from her messy bun.

"I'm going to make it quick since we have to wake up early tomorrow." She put it simply as she crossed her legs.

He looked her dead in the eye and motioned for her to get on with what she initially came here for.

"You need to learn to respect others, you know. If you keep up this rude attitude it won't make others like you. Now since I started living with you I've learned a few things." She started.

"You don't like sweets, so I don't know why you have that with you. Two you don't care for relationships, whether it's romantic or platonic it doesn't matter. You push those who care for you away all because of your personal goals." She sat upright and stood up walking behind the couch.

"Let me tell you from personal experience... you'd rather have friends or people you can call acquaintances than enemies. Why? Because you don't know when the last time you'll need them by your side is. If you have no one to be there for you, you'll feel lost." She leaned over it and whispered in his ear,

"I know you don't care about these mundane matters, but it'll come and bite you back in the ass. Especially if you mess with the wrong people." She breathed out and turned around to leave.

"And who would those people be?" His voice echoed throughout the vacant room.

The girl stood glued in her place.

"Since I started living with you I've learned a few things." He mocked.

She turned around and smirked.

"Yeah? Like what?" She taunted.

"You've been acting up since you moved in. Not a single time have you actually acted yourself. This little vulgar act you're putting up isn't fooling anyone. Who are you? Is the real question, Reina Nakou." His voice dripped of venom.

She smiled at his words and walked up to pat his cheek.

"I hope you know what you’re getting yourself into, darling."

wc: 1.1k previous chapter  masterlist next chapter

a/n: short chapter cause of writers block but also because I wanted to stop meshing chapters together for a bit. Next chapter will be a bit longer but shorter than the previous ones.

ps. school is gonna kick me in the ass soon so… spontaneous updates will ensue

Tag list:

[tg-pilled]

Growth is hating the ship between Tsukiyama and Kaneki on my first watch to loving the toxicity of it ‼️ Toxic yaoi ‼️ Unhealthy one sided dependency yaoi ‼️

[fairy-writes]

Tokyo Ghoul Oneshot Masterlist

Last Updated: 04/24/2024

*All oneshots are gender neutral!reader unless specifically stated otherwise!*

Uta

Be My Forever: Uta x Human!Reader

Mask Monger: Uta x Ghoul!Reader

Don’t You Dare (Make Me Fall in Love with You): Uta x Human!Reader

Voice of an Angel: Uta x Ghoul!Reader

Yū Means Brave: Uta x Human!Investigator!Reader

Come Home Safe: Uta x Human!Investigator!Reader (PREQUEL TO YŪ MEANS BRAVE)

Masked Creativity: Uta x Reader (HEADCANONS)

Scars: Uta x Human!Investigator!Reader

Nishio Nishiki

Loving Our Monsters: Nishio Nishiki x Human!Reader

Amon Koutarou

Do You Love Me?: Amon Koutarou x Ghoul!Reader

Kaneki Ken

Stitches and Kisses: Kaneki Ken x Human!Investigator!Reader

Masked Creativity: Kaneki Ken x Reader (HEADCANONS)

Kirishima Ayato

Masked Creativity: Kirishima Ayato x Reader (HEADCANONS)

Star-Crossed: Kirishima Ayato x Human!Investigator!Reader

Must've Been the Wind: Kirishima Ayato x Human!Reader

[writing-fanics]

Tokyo Ghoul Masterlist

key. angst = ✟ fluff = 𓆩♡𓆪

Kaneki Ken

our future ✟ 𓆩♡ 𓆪 [Fueguchi!Reader]

something precious [Nagachika!Reader]

[summary: she was something precious he wanted to protect to keep from harm]

Nishiki Nishio

Shuu Tsukiyama

Yomo

Uta

Kishou Arima

Urie Kuki

Hideyoshi Nagachika

Ayato Kirishima

Shirazu Ginshi

[foretnoires]

tokyo ghoul [crazy rich asians!au]

❝ Wake up, citizens of Tokyo! What do we have today? Breakfast in District 24, of course, with news that's hotter than the pumpkin soup on your table. The life of the upper class is a fascinating topic that everyone wants to once set foot in. So why don't we go through? Wake Up, Tokyo will lead you along!

So the people living in luxury, who are they? ❞

.

.

Ken Kaneki

✎ singer ✎ boyfriend material ✎ humble, wise, reckless

"Why? Are you scared that you cannot resist?"

─── ･ ｡ﾟ☆: *.☽ .* :☆ﾟ. ───

Touka Kirishima

✎ actress ✎ Ayato Kirishima's older sister ✎ fastidious, picky, detail-oriented

"Don't touch me."

─── ･ ｡ﾟ☆: *.☽ .* :☆ﾟ. ───

Ayato Kirishima

✎ model ✎ you'll end up looking at him if you're a girl ✎ distant, arrogant

"Stay away from me."

─── ･ ｡ﾟ☆: *.☽ .* :☆ﾟ. ───

Hinami Fueguchi

✎ fashion designer ✎ nation's sweetheart ✎ simple, naive

"What? Why is that?"

─── ･ ｡ﾟ☆: *.☽ .* :☆ﾟ. ───

Hideyoshi Nagachika

✎ artist ✎ Ken Kaneki's bestfriend ✎ mischievous, smart, attractive

"Wanna skip work and play some games?"

─── ･ ｡ﾟ☆: *.☽ .* :☆ﾟ. ───

Nishiki Nishio

✎ developer ✎ his wife is a doctor ✎ peculiar, superficial, mad

"Don't lie. I'll find out sooner or later."

─── ･ ｡ﾟ☆: *.☽ .* :☆ﾟ. ───

Koutarou Amon

✎ lawyer ✎ search on google 'boys with 6 packs', he would be the first result ✎ kind, caring, indulgent

"Is the auditorium closed at 9pm?"

─── ･ ｡ﾟ☆: *.☽ .* :☆ﾟ. ───

Akira Mado

✎ classical musician ✎ once an excellent student at the music academy ✎ serious, compliant, surprising

"Okay."

─── ･ ｡ﾟ☆: *.☽ .* :☆ﾟ. ───

Shuu Tsukiyama

✎ owner of resort chain ✎ perfectionist ✎ cunning, sensitive

"El Dorado."

.

.

❝ But honestly, who said living in luxury is always happy?

There are things about it that outsiders will never understand. Bad things, very very bad.. ❞

© 2023 of AVAROSA (foretnoires). All Rights Reserved.

[arataka-reigen]

I just saw fanart of a ship i don't like and would probably get hatemail over but the joke on the caption was so fucking clever i almost felt compelled to reblog it

[theshandora]

EVERYTHING THAT'S WRONG WITH TOKYO GHOUL

Welcome to my series

EVERYTHING THAT'S WRONG WITH TOKYO GHOUL

where I just bitch about Ishida's choices and decisions.

First things first: to me manga kinda went shit after Arima's death. Like I honestly thought the whole One-eyed King thing could be played off nicely and that Eto and Arima will give Kaneki something to work with. But yeah... nevermind, he had to handle everything himself.

Now let's review some of the problematic points in the story:

- The whole island 'extermination of Aogiri Tree' operation. It honestly seemed like the Aogiri Tree which was feared by the CCG for the rest of the manga just fell apart like a house of cards. Why did Tsukiyama and other 20th ward ghouls appeared there to help them in the first place? Like, that turn of events was never clarified. 

- Touka's character in :re. Fuck you, Ishida. She wasn't my favorite in the first book, but I acknowledged her strength, her violent tendencies due to her childhood trauma and her desire to do better. And in :re all of a sudden she becomes this soft girl with a beautiful smile which does not appear in most of it and only enters again when Ishida decides that he has to force some romantic line for the main character. There is zero chemistry between Kaneki and Touka throughout the entire manga. It is pretty obvious from the start that Ishida wanted them to have some kind of romance, but he never followed through. Like, they don't see each other after Owl Eradication Op and then within a couple of chapters in :re they go from renewed friends to lovers to having a child and getting married? Nobody can convince that this is any kind of slowburn. That's a forced lazy arc. Besides... A CHILD???? "Fucckkking kidding". You are in the middle of the biggest crisis that ghoul society has ever faced. The ghouls rescued by the Goat are starving, Tokyo is filled with Furuta's Oggai army. Kaneki is traumatized (as always), overwhelmed with responsibility and trying his best to be the man that Arima believed him to be. SO YEAH, A PERFECT TIMING TO HAVE A CHILD. And there is not one panel where Kaneki questions if it is worth to bring a new life to this fucked up world. Yeah, Ishida, fuck you.  

Okay, now I know some of you will think that I just don't like a straight ship. So let's get it out of the way straight away:

- Kaneki didn't need a romantic line. At least it should have never gotten to the point of marriage and kids. It should have been a romantic interest at most. I hate the ending of the Hunger Games for the same reason. Katniss Everdeen having a bunch of kids and being a happy mom? Yeah, fuck that. - The only valid romantic line in this manga is Amon/Akira. They must be protected at all cost. And of course Ishida does not even bother to show them in the last chapter, lol. - I don't ship Kaneki with Hide. Their friendship is precious, and it makes me sad that people can't be friends without being romantisized (Johnlock stans, I am talking to you). - Shuneki. That's a tough one because I believe that Tsukiyama at some point did develop feelings towards Kaneki, but let's be honest it's not mutual.

Which brings me to the next point:

- TSUKIYAMA WAS DONE DIRTY. He deserved THE WORLD. I can't even find words to describe how unfair his character was treated. In the first book when he is first introduced his character is pretty flat. Yeah, he has charm, he's problematic and obsessive, and randomly inserts French words into the conversation. I know many people liked him even at that point, but let's face it: his character gains his true depth and meaning in :re. After everything we learn about his family and his relationship with Karren, Chie and the servants I don't know how can anyone not love him. The influence Kaneki's death has on his character development is enormous. First of all, it was such a strong moment when he decides that it is not his place to bring Kaneki's memory back? You can see how much struggle was there in his head. He recognized that he could have been wrong in the past, that Haise might be happier than Kaneki, and also he puts his family above his desires. Imagine: we went from Shu trying to have Kaneki to himself no matter the cost to Shu thinking that Kaneki is better off being Haise so that he doesn't learn about all the suffering and loss he went through. THIS WAS SO GOOD.

Now, the fact that even after regaining his memory Kaneki throws him off the roof is a bit controversial but understandable. After all, they weren't on the best terms, Ken didn't completely trust him in the past. Moreover, he never got to learn how much Shu suffered and how much he grew emotionally. And last but not least, I like to believe that he really hoped that Shu will survive the fall. I still see this part as a bit problematic because Kaneki would literally die for any member of the squad before, but at the same time I just feel sorry that he got himself in this situation in the first place. Being confused, not having his memories, wondering whether he should hold on to being an investigator - that was too much.

Okay, I got a little carried away. This is all great, but my point in this was how Tsukiyama was treated later when he was part of the Goat. Like the man literally forgave you, never doubted you once, did everything you expected of him and more and Kaneki never thanked him once. NOT ONCE. They never even had a conversation which concerned anything outside their goal. It honestly looked like Kaneki finally realized he can trust Shu with his life, so he just used him. This was so painful to watch. Ken literally never recognized how big of a part Tsukiyama played in him being the One-eyed King. This just makes me angry. And also Shu's non-existent reaction to Kaneki being married to Touka????

I don't even know what to say about Ishida creating that panel with Tsukiyama saying he just wishes to see Ken happy JUST TO END IT WITH A SICK COMMENT ABOUT TASTING THEIR CHILD???!??!?!? Ishida, why?

To summarize: Tsukiyama is a beautiful precious flower who did not deserve to be Kaneki's unappreciated errand boy. My soul was aching everytime he adressed him as "My King".

That's all I have to say in this post. This fandom is probably dead anyways, but I felt like screaming into the void.

[tokyoghoul-1]

[harleyquilt]

The Fire That Burns Us All - Chapter 4 (TouKen/KaneTou Fic)

Summary: Touka meets up with Nishiki to share some thoughts on recent ongoings. Following these musings comes an opportunity that Touka does not expect...

Words: 2,586~

Notes: I hope this isn't going too slow for anyone, just building it up for the delicious pay off later on hehe. CW: the last part of the chapter contains some violence/gore, if that makes you uncomfortable. I hope you enjoy reading!

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

It had been a few months since Touka last met with Nishiki - a ghoul she had once considered a rival during their days of relative order. He was hardly a threat, as far as ghouls go, though he had a cockiness that irked Touka whenever the two crossed each other's past. That was until he had been beaten close to death by the hands of some mysterious half-ghoul, or so says Nishiki. Frankly, Touka had trouble believing his story after he regained consciousness in their staffroom, but Yoshimura seemed to have taken interest and kept Nishiki under his care during his recovery. In return for their help, Yoshimura had Nishiki work for Anteiku for some time. 

Since the fall of the cafe, though, he had kept himself hidden. He left behind his human identity, just as she did, and kept his ear to the wall for passing information, navigating himself from there. He’d sometimes meet up with Touka to share whatever news he knew. He never owed her anything after taking Yoshimura’s offer to work for him, though Touka suspected that he still felt some kind of responsibility to her since she was the one who had initially found him. Either way, Touka was not going to say no to new information. 

“I’ve heard that Tsukiyama is still lurking around.” Nishiki said, hands in his pockets and head tilted down. His brown hair was tousled by the wind, and the tip of his ears were pink with the cold. “I wonder what he’ll be doing next, now that his family’s gone.”

Pursing her lips, Touka imagined how strange the prestigious and arrogant Tsukiyama must look compared to how he had looked when they were both so much younger. “Aogiri tried to help, but…”

“Well, at least Hinami and Ayato made it out. It got really messy once that guy from Arima’s squad stepped in.” He kicked the ground, a pebble skidding across the empty road. “I heard that the only reason Tsukiyama managed to survive was because his - I don’t know, servant, maybe - sacrificed himself after Tsukiyama was thrown off the building.” 

Touka nodded slowly. “Sounds about right. The others made it out before then, so we don’t know for sure, but I wouldn’t doubt it.”

“Have you seen him? Tsukiyama I mean.”

“No.” Touka shook her head, frowning. “Why? Do you think he’ll be going to Aogiri next?”

Nishiki shrugged, tilting his head back and watching the sky, his eyes following a flock of birds flying in the sky. The flock, a mass of dark shapes, shift and merge, breaking apart and coming back together before they fly off north together as a group, following the late afternoon sun. “He doesn’t have many options left, no one else to rely on. He was a piece of shit a couple of years ago, and yet…”

“So were you. We all were. Doesn’t mean he deserved…this.” 

Tsukiyama was luckier than most; a lavish home, filled with friends, family, and a plethora of loyal servants ready to put down their lives for the Tsukiyama family, as well as reliable food and the warmth of a grand home to keep them comfortable for the rest of their lives. More than that, he had the privilege to do whatever the hell he wanted, regardless of what the consequences may be. It was easy to resent him, especially when he decided to parade around with a prowess of untouchability that challenged those that thought otherwise. Still, he was still a ghoul at the end of the day, and the CCG’s raid on his family was proof of that - over the span of a single night, he has lost everything and everyone. All those privileges that kept him so high above the squabble of other ghouls vanished within the span of a few, measly hours. It was hard not to pity him to some extent. What he must look like now, Touka could not imagine. 

“Well, I can’t say I’m surprised.” Nishiki continued. “He’s a ghoul - it was bound to happen.”

“I guess.” Touka said, her voice low and mellow. “It doesn’t make it right, though. It doesn’t make it fair.” 

“Sure, but what are we gonna do?” Nishiki scoffed, scratching the back of his head. “Not even Tsukiyama’s empire could withstand the power of those humans. Or are you telling me you now believe in what’s-her-name and her cause.”

“I believe in myself and my own power.” 

“Is that right? Well, let me know how that works out for you.” He placed a hand on her shoulder, then, and smirked. “Gotta run. Kimi will be expecting me soon.”

Watching him as he began to walk away, Touka thought back to the day she encountered him bloodied and bruised in that back alley. His stomach had been punctured and torn apart several times, with several bones fractured from blunt trauma. He writhed in a pool of his own blood, gripping his stomach and coughing up excess blood. She could have left him there, she thought, let him taste the bitterness that was his broken pride at the hands of the CCG. But it was not a fate she wished on anyone, she later realised. Seeing him now, she smiled to herself, glad to know she was at least able to save the life of someone she now considers a friend. 

. . .

“We…have a guest.” Hinami told Touka when she came back to the shop. She noticed that the sign had been flipped to ‘closed’ and with some concern, she had hurried inside to find Hinami waiting at a nearby table, her hands laced together and her leg bouncing beneath the table. She quickly stood up from her seat as soon as Touka stepped inside, rushing to her side to tell her the news.

“Who is it?” Touka tugged off her jacket, Hinami biting her lip and her eyes darting away. “Tell me.”

“It’s that Gourmet ghoul. Tsukiyama.”

With wide eyes, Touka rushed to the staff room, where she saw the ghoul waiting on the couch in the centre of the room. Meeting her eyes, he smiled wryly and stood, bowing deeply in greeting. Touka stood still for a moment, examining him; he was dressed in a wrinkled suit, the edges dirtied, and the fabric torn and scruffed here and there, and his hair was greasy and untidy, the colour dark against his ghastly pale skin. When he raised his head again, her eyes widened when she noticed how gaunt his cheeks had become, his once handsome features now ghost-like in comparison. 

“Good afternoon, mademoiselle.” His voice lacked the energy and vigour that Touka remembered him carrying in their youth. It was instead tired and pitiful, almost sorrowful in its tone. “I apologise for this sudden intrusion.” 

Touka tilted her head towards Hinami. “Is Yomo here?” She asked, her eyes still on Tsukiyama. 

Hinami shook her head. “Not yet, but I told him right away. He told me to wait for you. He’ll be here soon, I think.” Touka nodded in response and stepped forward. 

“Wait in front. I’ll be fine here.”

The door shut behind Hinami as she left, leaving Touka alone with Tsukiyama. He smiled again, sitting back down and lacing his fingers together, leaning his elbows against his knees. 

“It has been a while, Miss Kirishima. You have matured beautifully, I must say.” His smile dropped then, Touka moving to sit opposite. “I apologise for showing up unannounced. I had nowhere else to go.”

“Tsukiyama.” Touka sighed. “We were hardly friends to begin with. If anything, we were rivals. I know what happened to you and your family, but why come here?” 

Tsukiyama did not answer right away, instead leaning back and pressing down the creases in his blazer. Touka winced, his body almost hollow under those layers of clothes. When was the last time he fed, she wondered to herself. 

“I have been getting in touch with some old contacts, you see. All of them were quick to turn me away, of course. I do not begrudge them, considering the circumstances, but it has left me with little to work with.” He brushed his long hair back, taking a deep breath. “A friend, however, had mentioned that there was a safe haven for ghouls in the first ward, protected by an Aogiri associate. I was not aware you had joined Aogiri, Miss Kirishima, though I suppose the raid on the twentieth ward left you with little options yourself–”

“Let’s keep this focused on you.” Touka interjected with some haste. “So you decided to come here, even with its association with Aogiri?”

“What else could I do? I took the risk, and now I’m here.” He paused for a moment, his eyes now meeting hers. “Was I mistaken? Will you turn me away, as well?”

Touka leaned forward, her fringe falling forward. “You have nothing left, that much is clear. But if I bring you in, give you a place to stay and some food, what do you plan to do with yourself?”

“Would you like me to join Aogiri?”

“Is that what you want?”

“If it provides me some time and shelter.” Tsukiyama looked down and grimaced. “My pride has already been stripped away. I’ll become a lackey if that’s what you want from me.”

“No, that’s not what I want.” Touka pressed her hands together, tilting her head to one side. “What I want to know are your plans for the future.”

Tsukiyama laughed then, though it was filled with bitterness. “Are you mocking me, Miss Kirishima? Had I not just told you that I have nothing left? What plans could I possibly have? I am just trying to survive, for the time being.”

“The people at the CCG, those that murdered your family - do you not want revenge?”

He narrowed his eyes, then, pursing his lips. “I would ask that you be direct with me, if you could.”

Touka sighed and straightened, crossing her arms. “I want your cooperation Tsukiyama. Your loyalty to me and me alone. Promise me this, and I promise to take care of any and every need of yours.”

“Ah, I see.” Tilting his chin up, Tsukiyama grinned, eyes creased. “You want me to be your lackey, then? Well, I suppose that is somewhat better than the alternative.”

“Trust me, Tsukiyama.” Touka smirked, holding her hand out. “I will be sure that your voice is heard, that your grief is known. I have no big dreams or messages to send, but I can promise you closure for the man that threw you from your family’s tower.”

Tsukiyama clenched his hand and raised it slowly, contemplating her words. He looked between her hand and his own, already knowing that he’ll accept her deal and swear himself to her life. Touka could feel the weight of her words, discomforted in knowing that she was pushing an already desperate man deeper into the darkness with loose promises of vengeance in return. Still, it was the only guarantee she could hope for, an opportunity she could not afford to lose. At least this way, they’ll both get some extra time before playing with death again. 

Tsukiyama took her hand and shook it firmly. Touka’s heart clenched with his confirmation, his skin frighteningly cold against hers. Standing, she pulled him up onto his feet and smiled.

“Let's get you some food and coffee, then.”

. . . 

Kaneki stood over the body of his most recent kill, the dark pool of blood slowly stretching out over the concrete. Two others stood a small distance away, both donning the masks and red cloaks of Aogiri. 

Taking a step forward, the two ghouls flinch and ready themselves for battle, Kaneki lifting his sword and swiping it down to remove the blood. It splatters across the ground, leaving an arch of red drops. 

“Tell me.” Kaneki demands. The harsh light of a nearby streetlamp is reflected in the lens of his glasses, hiding his scrutinising glare. “Where is the One Eyed King?”

One of the ghouls makes an immediate dash towards Kaneki, their bikaku raised and ready to strike. Kaneki moves to one side and slices down his blade with one some motion, slicing through the kagune and cutting off the arm of the ghoul from the shoulder. They stumble to the ground, their screams piercing through the usual quiet of the night and their blood spraying through their fingers as they helplessly clutch their new wound. Their kagune writhes and withers, Kaneki stepping down onto the tail and raising his sword. He turns his face to the other ghoul.

“Tell me, or I’ll cut off his other arm.” The ghoul trembles and Kaneki raises his sword higher above his head, ready to drive it down. “You have three seconds.”

“Don’t tell him a fucking thing. Not a word–” The wounded ghoul bellows before Kaneki’s sword is driven through the other arm, slicing it through the elbow. The ghoul screams again, his body spasming under Kaneki’s emotionless gaze. 

“I will give you three more seconds before–”

“I’ll tell you!” The other ghoul cries out, lowering themselves to their knees and their trembling hands raised. “Please, just stop, I’ll tell you anything.”

Kaneki lowers his sword to his side and grabs the wounded ghoul by their collar, dragging them along as he steps towards the terrified companion. “Tell me. Where is the One Eyed King?”

“I-I don’t know–”

Kaneki drops the wounded ghoul and slams his foot onto their head, grabbing the other by their hair and holding them up. “Don’t lie to me.”

“I swear!” They scream, gripping his wrist. “There is no one that goes by that name!” 

With a swipe of his hand, he slices the head off the ghoul, their headless body falling limp onto the ground. The other tries to move from under his foot, his cries of anguish muffled by the ground. Kaneki presses his foot down harder until the ghoul’s head slowly begins to crack, and, finally, he shoves his foot down to split it open. He kicks off the mess of blood and brains from his feet and throws aside the useless head, tutting. 

“Now, was that all necessary?” Furuta, his subordinate, remarks. He emerges from the nearby shadows, pressing his hands together and his shoulders shrugged. “You left quite the mess, you know.”

“I would’ve thought that the information you gave me would be reliable. They seemed to be nothing more than fodder for Aogiri. Insignificant subordinates.” Kaneki packs away his quinque and removes his gloves, frowning. “I am no closer in my investigation than I was before. This has been a waste of time”

“I can tell you’re disappointed, boss, but I swear the information was reliable.” Furuta leans forward, his eyes drifting across the splatters of blood and guts left scattered across the ground. “Perhaps they caught on and changed their plans. Switching their patrols, and whatnot.”

“That’s not good enough.” Kaneki shook his head and sighed, checking his watch. “I’m done for the day. You can handle the rest. I expect better next time.”

Kaneki freezes then, his body tense, and he suddenly looks over his shoulder to a nearby rooftop. He turns and blinks hard, wondering if he was seeing right, and takes a step back, his brows knitted together. Furuta asks if there is anything wrong, following his eyes to where he was looking and finding nothing in sight. Kaneki dismisses him again and quickly turns back, walking away without another word.