THERE WAS A CLEAR difference between dying underneath the shoulders of the omnipotent and dying by their side. Simply put, one was reprehensible, and the other was imminent. Suicide really did mean nothing to Aogiri, and it really was true. If one can't keep up, then all they can do is try to extend their arm to at least get dragged on the coarse ground. But they'll get left behind with just a little time, and their deaths would only leave one out of a hundred truly bereft.
" We really are getting laid-back about finding Rize now, don't you guys think so too?"
" Maybe it's time to just give up. Why do we even have to be so... indulged in this matter?" (Y/N) crossed her arms, and the white-haired male, who stood like a depraved sentry beside the bandaged ghoul, gave a look of disapproval at her claim.
" Oh, (Y/N)," a ghoul dressed in the flashiest shades of pink to blue gave out a giggle, wetting his cherry-glossed lips then, " You know how much I love your ideas and lifestyle, but it's getting quite obvious that you're the only one who holds a grudge against Rize."
" What's the matter with that?" the (h/c)-haired female raised her legs and placed them above the crooked, mahogany table.
" Because that just proves how much of an egotistical doofus you are."
The sentence did not impact her, but upon hearing the recognizable voice of a massive, bulky, blonde man from behind her, she couldn't help but snarl. Eto's lips curved into a small smile at the vision of a possible commotion between the two, so she sat still and waved her legs.
" As if you do helpful shit here," the female hissed, hinting at visible frustration and discouragement.
" Think big. Your existence knows well you're the only one on the other side, yet you seem pretty confident still," his large hand gripped the top rail of her chair, crudely trying to draw the entire chair closer to him, " All these years in here and you never learn."
" Then what do you want me to do?" gravity pulled her entire leg on the table down harshly, and it pulled on endlessly, holding on to the table for its dear life, " Maybe if you can fill me up with decent answers, I'll consider going down on both knees to apologize for staying in the wrong side."
" Yamori. (L/N)," the white-haired male meddled in the argument, but it was enough for them to keep them quiet.
Eto raised her arms to the air, stretching to the left and the other direction, playfully giving out short gasps, " Thank you, Tatara."
The altercation quickly died down with a flick of three effortless words, but the entire atmosphere was occupied with immense rage and an underlying superiority complex. Every time their eyes briefly met, the intensity would surge, and they would quickly look away, unwilling to show accountability.
" (Y/N). You're quite the only one who's against the idea, and I'm just hoping you know that without you, we'll just continue as we like and make no progress."
" So what exactly do you want me to do?" (Y/N)'s voice turns ice cold, like a blade sharp enough to cut through steel. But underneath the glare she had set upon everyone in the room, there was a hint of a pleading tone.
" Be mature and help us out, obviously."
But the way she said it made her fume silently. She could sense a despicable smile creeping up her shadow, laughing at the gibe he found amusing but not for her.
" Don't get it wrong. We know you're capable," Eto added, smiling through the bandage.
A dour guise washed over the (h/c)-haired female's face. She rocked the chair back and forth, looking down at her foot with darkened eyes.
" And how should I help?" she gritted her teeth and froze the moving chair.
She couldn't help but hate the way how she sounded like Eto had managed to humble her.
" You can start off by going to the 20th Ward," Eto swayed her legs as (Y/N) pursed her lips, " See if you can get a trace of anything, and also, take Ayato and his men with you."
" I'll just do it on my own," she mumbled, each and every ghoul present staring at her standing frame, " We don't need that many people to get the job marked done anyway," she pushed the chair back to the desk and gently flipped her hair.
But, when she looked up, she was embraced with only glares and insulting leers, and it stung her body like thousands of virulent needles. She was certain Eto wasn't doing any of them other than smiling at her words, but she still had to change her words to dissipate the little brawl. Now, the deafening silence seemed like the only form of communication left to them.
The (h/c)-haired female shut her eyes and breathed out deeply, " ... fine," she kissed her teeth and glanced at all those eyes on her, but the way she looked at them was as if she was berating them silently, " I'll take them with me."
Those were her final words before she stormed her way out of the room, back upright and fists clenched, with her subordinates snickering at her gesture and her seniors shaking their heads at her behavior.
Eto yawned and stretched her limbs, sniffing before she spoke upon the sound of the door coming to a shut, " Alright. Where did we last stop?"
The word prisoner was suited for those who have their surrendered wrists and ankles entangled to karmic constraints for things they can't see clearly or well. They just follow, listen, and do commands as they were ordered to. And really, it was not seen as crystal clear to ghouls though they were actually slaves to their own imagination, where they'd picture themselves lying on their death bed shielded with pale petals of dry crimson.
A young (Y/N) rested on the ground back first, pushing the open book up in the air, and her fingers delicately flipped through the pages.
" (Y/N)."
She actually couldn't hear her name. She wasn't lost in the book, but she was already separated from reality.
" (Y/N)?"
It was the same for the second time. Her finger was tracing the image of a monster-like creature bearing the glorious wings of an angel and the picture of a tiny human trembling in fear at its sight.
" (Y/N)!"
Her book was snatched away and a (h/c)-haired boy came in her circumferential vision, and she huffed her cheeks and rolled her eyes.
" Give it back!"
" Mom was calling out your name twice and you stayed silent all the way!"
" Sorry, okay?" her little arms tried to reach out for the book he was holding up the air firmly, but she still struggled and wobbled trying to climb the poor (b/n) down, " I said sorry!"
" It's not about sorry or anything-"
" Well, that's alright. You two can stop there," a pair of arms enveloped (Y/N) and captured her up from the floor with just a simple motion, trapping her to prevent her from having to move more aggressively, " What were you reading that's keeping you real busy? Love letters already?" (M/N) pinched the tip of her nose as the girl winced at her actions.
" It's..." she fiddled with her fingers and looked down shyly, mumbling out the words she wanted to say, " Nothing, ma. I just found something in the library and I wanted to read it."
" Then why so confused? Talk to me about it," (M/N)'s nose sniffed her neck and tickled it, and all (Y/N) did in return was to cross her arms as her cheeks smoldered scarlet red.
Her hand was sweaty and warm when their fingers entwined. And when her laugh died down, she set her lips apart to give out a soft chuckle. The usual cacophony of parental chatter and immature bickerings gradually stifled into queer quietness. Conversations, that just moments ago had filled the air with life, now hung suspended, unspoken thoughts slipping through like unuttered echoes.
" Well... since you asked and I've been thinking about it... what if we live in a world where ghouls are humans and humans are like... humans too?" (Y/N)'s eyes seem to sparkle when she asked, " Wouldn't that just be super amazing?"
The question made (B/N) raise his eyebrows. He was still a kid, but he was mature at heart. He gulped and delineated the pattern of their blanket, kicking his legs like he never had heard it, but his face made it evident he was hiding his skeptical answer and his numerous doubts.
A moment of recognition washed over their faces as (b/n) and (M/N) exchanged hesitant smiles. (M/N) had kept a still face on even with the unusual look, opposite of what the boy did. Her hand crept to the back of her nape and her warm breath tickled against the surface of her skin as she strengthened the grip around her petite stature.
" Then that'd be a dream," she twirled a strand of her (h/c) blocks and pressed her lips against her forehead softly, " It's something I silently wish for too."