AKIHIRO KANOU'S INVOLVEMENT WITH AOGIRI WAS KEPT VERY QUIET – ONLY SPECIFIC MEMBERS OF AOGIRI WERE GIVEN THAT KNOWLEDGE. Aya, with the help of others in Aogiri, helped Kanou get comfortable in his new laboratory from which he will continue his experiments. And Tatara promised more human subject for Kanou to play with, as well as new ghoul subject which can help him create new artificial one-eyed ghouls; but Kanou wanted only one ghoul and that was Owl. And Eto had already a plan on how to capture one of the Owls...
And finally after day's work, Aya found a way back into Aogiri's hideout. She was exhausted from all the people and all the thinking and just wanted to relax for just a few hours – have a decent sleep without being interrupted. It was quiet, as it usually was through the day. She could hear every sound the rubber of her boots made against the dirty floor. She ripped the jacket off her body as she came to her room – finally free from its weight and finally able to relax. But that did not last...
Turning on her heels, her head lazily turned towards the direction of familiar presence standing on the doorway of her room. Ayato stood with a troubled face, her eyebrows lowered which made him seem angry and glaring. But even he was tired – just like most of Aogiri. Attack of Cochlea was successful, with minor difficulties. Ayato had minor difficulties – emotionally mostly.
"Heard you had trouble at Cochlea..." Aya commented as she tossed the jacket onto the mattress. "Wanna talk about it?" She crossed her arms across her chest and leaned with her shoulder against the wall.
She could see Ayato's troubled eyes – something happened it affected him, otherwise he would already have said something. He was unusually quiet. Ayato didn't look at her, he knew that if he did he will have to tell her everything that had happened and he was not ready to tell her how weak he was – but he knew she wouldn't judge. Finding out what happened to his father, came as a blow to him and he had never been so overwhelmed by emotions.
"You should have been with us." Ayato blurted out – crossing his arms across his chest, tightly. "It was a mess." He confessed.
Ken came to her thoughts, she worried about him. But she quickly dismissed the thoughts about Ken – she fully focused on Ayato. The boy wanted to break down in front of her, but he didn't allow Aya to see his eyes for her to confirm it. But in the corner of his eyes, he saw worry written on her face – she wanted to step closer, but instead she kept herself at the safe distance; knowing that if she took a step closer to Ayato he will turn away because he was not good a giving or receiving affection.
"What happened?" Her tone was soft, affection even.
Almost, he looked at her – but averted his eyes immediately before they made contact with hers. "I know what happened to my dad."
Arata Kirishima. Father to Ayato and his older sister, Touka. After the death of his wife, Arata tried to live a normal life with his young children in 20th Ward. He would usually collect corpses; until one night he did not return. Touka and Ayato found shelter in Anteiku, under Yoshimura's wing. And they never found out what truly happened to their father. And as it appears, until now.
"What?" Aya murmured, whisper the question silently, signaling him to continue.
Ayato took a deep breath. "Doves..." He answered and finally, he found courage to look at her. "He is a quinque."
Aya understood his pain then – the discovery had an impact on him no matter how untouchable he tried to be. He was still a living being with emotions – yet, he always rejected his own emotions as he through they made him weak. He was cruel to the world because cruelty of this world made him who he is. But he was also hurt – troubled by emotions he didn't know to respond to.
"I'm sorry..." Aya whisper – she was afraid of speaking louder, as is if she did, he would just walk away.
"Whatever." He scoffed.
Tears came to the corners of his eyes and immediately he looked away, sniffing once while the back of his hand wiped away the wet sensation in his eyes. He knew Aya could see his pain, and he could freely show it to her, but he couldn't allow himself to appear so weak. Because if he showed her his pain, he would probably break down into thousands of pieces.
"It's his fault he got himself killed." Ayato was resentful of his father – because of his kind nature.
"He might have done it to protect you and your sister." Ayato scoffed at her words. "Believe me I would know. My mother gave her life so I can have mine."
He looked at her once again and realized – more like remembered – that the two of them are so much alike in many ways. But Aya had it rougher and yet she didn't end up resentful as he did. She was different that the other ghouls that have lost everything. It was as if humanity was stitched to her heart and she had no other choice but accept it. She could be cruel in the most unpredictable ways – and that made her dangerous. He could never know if she will address the problem with bloodshed or a smile. Sometimes, there is both.
Suddenly, the ground shook – the walls shook too and Aya thought it was earthquake. But Ayato seemed irritated, clicking with his tongue as it was something that had happened before. It was a light shaking, just something in the walls that made vibrations. Aya looked at Ayato, demanding an answer with her eyes.
"Is that Eyepatch guy. He ate too much ghouls and it started to show." Ayato answered nonchalantly. "He's been screaming since we got here."
Sigh came to Aya's lips. "I'll take care of it."
Too much noise was bad for them if they wish to stay incognito in their new hideout. Aya appeared calm from the outside, but from inside she was worrying about Ken's state. She was afraid of what she'll see once she comes to him. Aya navigated through the hallways until she found herself in the long room where Ken stays. She approached with quiet footsteps.
Aggressive breathing was leaving his mouth. He was on his knees, his back to hers; showing her the two long centipede tails that extended through the room towards her. The tails twitched as he tried to fight the change within his body. His back rose aggressively – matching his breathing. Incomplete Kakuja – the condition that happens when a ghoul absorbs a lot of Rc cells through cannibalism. The increase of its concentration leads to a mutation which triggers a new kagune.
The only fear Aya had for Ken was that he may lose his mind. Form Aya's experience, there are those who could not control the power of Kakuja, and as they attempt to fight it, they tend to lose their minds. And she didn't know it what kind of state of mind Ken was at the moment – accepting it, or rejecting it. It was normal for incomplete kakujas to have little to no control over their forms.
"Ken?"
After so much observation, she decided to her presence be known. Ken suddenly turned, like a wolf who just got interrupted during his meal. His eyes were white and mad. Aggressive growl left his teeth and without a sigh, he rushed at Aya. Her eyes wide with shock, but quickly that shock was replaced with determination. He came at her, attacking her with his newly formed kagune without any control of his actions.
No! Not Aya! He screamed at himself within his mind – fully aware of that person who was dodging his attacks. And then there was the other side of him: Eat her! Eat her! Eat her! – it screamed at him to devour her sweet flesh. He couldn't control the monster within him that was crawling at his brain. His attacks begun to be sloppy and uncoordinated. Aya knew he was fighting the change in his mind and she tried to help him. With one strike, Aya utilized a tail of her kagune and swing it into his stomach – piercing through him.
Blood splashed onto the ground and the pain that went through his abdomen halted his uncontrolled thoughts. His breathing was quick. His white eyes became grey once again. He saw Aya's concern expression and he looked down at the unnaturally body which resident through his body. Aya's kagune made a hole inside of him – a hole that brought him back from his uncontrolled personality. The kakuja retracted back into his body and as it disappeared, Aya retracted her kagune.
Spilling blood from his mouth, Ken begun to fall to the ground from all the struggles his body has gone through. Immediately, before his body could fall to the ground, Aya jumped to his side and wrapped his arms around him – lying his down with his head resting on her shoulder.
"Aya..." Ken spoke – his voice weak and barely above whisper.
"Shhh..." Aya tightened her arms around him. "You're okay." And the tails of her kagune wrapped around his body, pulling him closer into her safe hold.
Gentle smile came to Ken's lips and his hand traveled until it found her hand resting on his chest as she held onto him. He lightly gripped onto her hand, thanking her what she did in order to stop him. The hole in his stomach was slowly healing – his body was exhausted from all the fighting. Blood oozed on him and onto Aya – but she didn't care; she kept holding onto him to show him that she will keep him safe. Aya returned the gentle grip of his hand and she onto it.
His breathing slowed down to a normal pace and his eyes closed. He fell into her warmth and knew he will be safe if he finally gives himself some rest. A gentle humming of Aya's voice drifted him into a secured sleep. One hand held his and the other gently brushed his white hair. She looked down at him as he silently slept with his lips just slightly parted as he breathed. There was small pity in her eyes – she felt sorry for what happened to him; she felt sorry that his human life had to be turned into this. It was painful to be a ghoul and the world only makes it more difficult.
With the help of her kagune, Aya carried Ken to the worn out couch that was turned towards the windows. As she walked, she stepped onto a few shards of broken glass – it was Ken's kakuja which made that damage. She lied him down. Her kagune completely retraced and her hand slowly released his hand. But as if instinctively, Ken gripped back her hand as if it was his favorite toy to sleep with. He shifted in his sleep onto his right side and kept holding onto her hand.
Strange tingle travelled through Aya's chest and she didn't have it in her to just leave. She sat down onto the ground and placed her chin onto her arm next to Ken. Her eyes watched the pale face of her long lost friend and admired his features. He was average handsome – if she didn't know him and if he passed by her on the street, he would not make her head turn after him because of his appearance. It was the qualities within him that added to his handsomeness.
She smiled at him as she watched him. And before she knew it, the wariness of hers came crushing down onto her. Her eyelids begun to feel heavy and her body begun to relax. And slowly, but surely, Aya's world was swallowed by dreamless sleep.
◾
SORE. That's the feeling to which Ken woke up. He felt as if he could continue sleeping for another day. He was tried from what happened at Cochlea and the transformation that had happened with his body. He wanted to stretch out his body, but as soon as he tried to move, he felt something soft in the grip of his hand and another presence right next to him. His eyes finally opened and surprised crossed his grey orbs.
With her head on her own arm, Aya slept next to him. She sat on the ground and slept peacefully. Her hand was in his – it was his hand that was gripping hers. Slowly, the memory of what happened before he fell asleep in her hold came to his mind. She stayed with me... The thought itself made Ken fell special – strange tingling in his stomach travelled all the way to his heart. His free hand without thinking came to Aya's face. His fingers gently moved the strand of her dark brown hair away from his face – giving him the full view of her porcelain skin that has not seen the sun for a very long while.
Beautiful... He thought. Her skin was soft under his touch. Her face was well defined – she could easily pass as a model for a famous modeling company. But that kind of a job would take away the natural beauty which made her look pretty. The palm of his hand rested on her cheek gently, leaning into the need of wanting to memorized the soft skin completely in his hand. His thumb gently caressed the defined cheek bone and he admired the long dark eyelashes on her eyelids. And his thumb gently touched them.
Reflexively, Aya's free hand suddenly grabbed onto the unwelcomed hand that touched her and stirred her from her sleep. She looked at the presence of the person that touched her and the alerted look in her eyes disappeared when she recognized those deep grey eyes that started at her with wonder.
"Ken..." She whispered with relief.
"Sorry..." He murmured. "I didn't mean to wake you..." He told her.
Smile adorned her pink lips. "It's okay."
The grip on his hand slowly relaxed, but it brought attention to the other hand that held onto his through the entire night and even when Ken woke up, he didn't let go of that hand. Noticing her attention their hands, Ken's thumb gently brushed her knuckles – without any intention of letting her go completely.
"Thank you..." He told her.
Aya was still sleepy a bit, but her memories were fully awake. She understood his gratitude. It was the least she could do – although she took no pleasure in hurting him, but it was the only way to stop him. At least she thought it would be enough to stop him. The wound in his stomach had completely healed, but it left the suit ruined. Good thing that he had backup suit.
"You don't have to thank me." She told him. "I wanted to help you." She added sincerely. "You kakuja is in early stages when it is hard to control."
"It's painful." Ken lied his head onto the couch and placed his arm over his eyes. "I thought I was going to hurt you. One side of me wanted to devour you so badly..."
Aya gently scoffed. "It was not you." She told him. "And besides, you can't hurt me that easily, no one can." She comforted him.
Ken looked at her, a smile climbed up his lips. "But thank you for helping me. I thought I was going to keep fighting it forever."
"As long as I am here, you don't have to fight alone."
Belonging...That's what Ken knew he felt with Aya. She accepted him, she willing stood in danger's way just to help him. If that was not the proof of true friendship that he did not know what it could be. But there was more in that friendship --- he knew it, and she knew it. They were not blind to the feelings that friends would not have. He could not look at her without his heart increasing his heart rate. And her devotion to him proved that he was not the only one with those feelings.
Unbeknownst to them, Eto stood by the doorway of the room – listening to their silent, yet warm interaction. Her head was lowered, almost sad. Underneath the bandages she hid a bit of hurt as she came to realize the feelings Aya had for Ken. It was nothing surprising, yet Eto didn't feel content now that she had proof that Aya had feelings for Ken. It was definitely troublesome for their cause – but at the moment, Eto didn't though much about it. She was just sad that Aya had feelings for someone who was not part of her life as much as she was.