To Love and Protect

Found You

For days, you didn't return. Atsuko controlled your body effortlessly; taking advantage of her strength to do whatever she pleased.

She flirted with everyone, especially Kaneki, ESPECIALLY in front of Touka. Atsuko loved to mess with Ayato's feelings, she constantly pretended to be you and gave your husband hope, only to tear it away with an evil cackle.

"You're so stupid!" She stuck out her tongue at him, knowing fully that he wouldn't dare hurt her, his precious (Y/N). "Didn't I already tell you (Y/N) isn't ever going to come back? This is my body now, (Y/N) is as good as dead!"
--
You woke up in a dark place. Everywhere around you was pitch black and when you spoke, screamed, your voice didn't even echo. You could walk but you didn't feel anything under your feet. And sometimes, flashes of the present appeared before your eyes.

One moment it was you kissing Kaneki forcefully, his hands pushing you away. The next, it was pure darkness once more. Then suddenly, you could see Touka shouting vulgarities at you with Yomo holding her back. Then nothing; then Ayato tearfully looking your way, his face had a hateful expression but his eyes showed otherwise.

However; sometimes he genuinely looked like he hated you. At one point he'd almost attacked you with his kagune.

"Give me (Y/N) back, you bitch!" He shouted. In a split second you went from seeing total darkness to your husband growling at your face. You spoke, however, it wasn't you speaking. You couldn't do anything, you could only watch.

You laughed haughtily, not flinching at all at his tone. "She's so close to fading away. She's seen all the hate you have towards her. With (Y/N) feeling so heartbroken, I'll easily get rid of her." You smirked.

Ayato's eyes widened; he said such terrible things to Atsuko. Did you think he was saying those things to you? He was so confused, everyone was, except for the fiend who was controlling your body.

"Just give her back or I'll kill you!" Touka screamed from behind you and you turned around, a smirk on your face.

"Oh please," you said, "you wouldn't dare hurt me because if you do, (Y/N) will feel all of it. The sweet sweet pain."

Touka held back tears as she growled under her breath, Atsuko was right; the entire time you were lost everyone who'd threatened her were all bark and no bite. They didn't want to hurt you.

'Touka, just do it!' You tried to say.

Shut up you dumb bitch! A voice echoed around you.

'No! You hurt my family, I'd rather die then let you have my body!'

HAH as if you can do anything about it, sweetheart.

You knew Atsuko was right but you tried regardless. With all the strength you could muster, you struggled to regain control over yourself.

Stop it! Your efforts are futile! You're too weak to do anything.

She was right yet again but, unknowingly, she'd told you the reason for your weakness just moments ago. You were only weak if you felt heartbroken.

You felt lost and alone when flashbacks of all the times you felt loved by Ayato came flooding into your mind. For some reason, you could see how he looked as he watched you fight for your body back. He looked lost.

'Don't worry, Ayato-kun, I will find you.'
--
Ayato, Touka, Yomo and Kaneki watched, speechless, as you/Atsuko spoke erratically; as if two people with the same voice were having a conversation in the same body. However, while one voice was loud, the other was extremely soft, like a murmur.

Unknown to all, the murmur was the voice of you.

"Touka-chan," Kaneki suddenly said, "what do we do?" He couldn't keep his eyes off of you. You looked like you were in pain, sweat rolled down your face as your expression changed constantly throughout your strange conversation... with yourself.

"I-" Touka was speechless, "I don't know..." she instinctively looked over at her brother, part of her thought maybe he knew what to do.

Before Ayato could say anything, you/Atsuko screamed in agony as your kagune looked like it was being forced to make an appearance.

"Stop it!"
"No!"
"If you do it, we'll both die-"
"I'd prefer that than giving up-"
"You've got to be joking!-"
"Trust me, I'm not!"
--
The atmosphere turned tense after everyone's minds went blank.

Blood was splattered all over everyone's faces.

You/Atsuko stabbed yourself with your  own kagune. You stood in place, bent over as one part of your kagune had itself buried deep in your back. Blood gushed from your wound and mouth but your eyes looked serene. Almost happy.

You looked around, searching for someone, your eyes stopped when they met Ayato's.

"Found... you."