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sinon36 · 2 months

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Echoes of Salvation: Negotiations (Part II). Simon ‘Ghost’ Riley x afab reader

Part I

Warnings: none, really, just some casual fluff and domestic stuff, maybe some grammar error and misspellings.

Enjoy!

The story starts after the dash.

Synopsis:

It’s been five years since the outbreak happened. Five years ago, in London, a terrorist group released a virus in the city center. 24 hours later, people start developing flu-like symptoms. 48 hours later the infected turn into mindless ghouls biting healthy people and spreading the infection. Everything happened so fast. The army came in and tried to contain the outbreak but soon chaos engulfed the whole country. You learn that similar attacks happened all over the world: New York, Beijing, Moscow, Athens, and Tokyo. City by city, the whole world is ending.

You survived thanks to your mid-twenties life crisis that made you move into a cottage house by the lake in Lake District. The land you own is surrounded by thick lush forest that offers perfect cover for the tiny brick house that is your safe haven. With a water source close, off-the-grid energy, and a garden full of plants, fruit trees chickens, and whatnot, you live a comfortable life tucked away, far from the dangers of the cities. You are so far out of reach that in the past years you only saw a handful of infected, survivors that traveled far to escape and distant neighbours that got infected in the towns nearby. You can’t remember the last time you saw another person. But you are used to your loneliness. The end of the world brought only a mild inconvenience, now that you can no longer order things online and watch movies on Netflix or HBO. But with a library full of books, a homestead to keep you active and your Border Collie companion, Bellamy, life is good. Life is peaceful.

One day, while you are out fishing, a masked man, armed to the teeth and carrying a young girl in his arms threatens to kill you if you don’t provide him with medicine for his sick daughter.

Once you get back inside you notice the little girl fast asleep on the couch a peaceful look on her face. Bellamy keeps closely to your side not letting you move without following. The masked brute stands a few paces away at the other end of the sofa, his eyes carefully scanning over his sleeping daughter. Once satisfied that she is comfortable he turns to you and gestures towards the kitchen and for you to follow him. You wait a few seconds and keep a healthy distance once you start following him. Once inside he points at the door and you shut it. You look around searching for a safe place for you to sit now that you’re trapped in here with him. You decide to sit on one of the chairs the one with your back to the wall. Bellamy lays at your feet eyes glued to him.

He leans against the wall opposite from you, arms crossed over his chest. He watches you, studies your face for a while. You try to appear nonchalant at his cold fixating glare, but your hair stands up, goose bumps forming on your skin. He clears his throat ‘I have a few more questions for you’ he says voice just as gruffy as before. ‘Like wise’ you quip from your seated position.

'Have you had run-ins with the infected?'

‘I haven't seen any for the past few months. and even before that they are rare and far in between. And to my knowledge there isn't any other person alive around this area.’ You answer as truthfully as you can.

'You're pretty isolated out here. No neighbours within a decent radius?'

‘Only the Johnsons, Neil and Margaret, they used to live about a half a mile down the lake bank. They were a retired couple.’ You reply a little sad.

'Used to?' he asks intrigued.

'Yeah. They died soon after the infection started spreading' you shudder, the image of Neil coming back to you in full force.

'How did they die?' his head lens to the side as if to take a better look at you.

‘I found Margaret dead in their garage throat ripped out. I'm guessing that Neil got infected when he went to the market in the nearby town. When he got home, he must have turned and killed his wife.’ You fumble with your hands picking at your nails and avoiding his sharp gaze.

'What about the husband? What happened to him?'

You dreaded this question. You take a deep breath to steady your quick heart and face downward in shame. 'I Killed him...' you say after some consideration. 'He attacked me and Bellamy and.... I had to...' you mumble your words not wanting to remember anymore of that terrible day.

He watches you intently, there's no sign of surprise on his face. 'You did what you had to do. There's no need to look shameful.' He seems understanding, but something about his look causes a chill to run down your spine. 'How did you do it?' He adds softly.

'The hatchet. I was out cutting wood for the stove.' you keep mumbling, a distant look on your face as you focus your eyes on spot on the table cloth.

'I see.' He says without any kind of judgment in his tone. You find it hard to look at him at this moment. 'You didn't hesitate.' He adds.

'I did. I acted out in fear more than anything.' you say lowly rubbing the back of your neck trying to rid yourself from the cold sweat taking over you.

He continues to observe you calmly, as if trying to understand you on a more fundamental level.

His expression changes slightly, becoming softer, less intimidating. 'Was it hard? Taking a life?'

'Yes.' You say looking straight into his eyes tone genuine. 'But I'll do it again if I have to.' you admit to him hinting that you are not as weak as he thinks you to be. You did manage to survive all this time alone and it wasn't all luck. You worked hard to build and improve the defence around your house and make it sustainable for a long period.

He notices your determination, and for a brief moment, he seems to respect it. 'I believe that you would, I’m counting on it' he says, voice still low. 'How did you survive on your own for so long?' he changes the subject having made his opinion of you on that matter.

'I learned how to farm. When I first move here six and a half years ago, I bought books on how grow vegetables and some medicinal herbs. Margaret was kind enough to show me how to grow chickens, I have a few in a coup behind the house' you motion with your head in that direction. 'In the back, there is a small plot of land with an orchard. Apples and cherries. I also invested in solar panels. I still have electricity and running water. Though on cloudy days the batteries half charge. I have to keep an eye on consumption.

He nods slowly, taking in the information you have shared with him. He seems to be taking mental notes of your capabilities as a homesteader. He speaks again, ’What did do before shit hit the fan?'

‘I am a licensed architect so it was easy to design everything around here, the doing was the harder part' you say proud of what you managed to achieve.

'An architect', he repeats in a low, amused voice, 'and you chose to live in the middle of nowhere?'

He pauses. 'What made you come this far out?'

'I wanted peace and a quiet place surrounded by nature. Cities were to crowded for my liking. I never felt at home there. But here' you look around you, 'here is perfect.'

You hear him let out a breath, seemingly agreeing with your statement and your choice of location.

He studies you for a few seconds, then says, 'You don’t have anyone else? Family? Parents?'

'No.' the answer is short and a far away look takes over you. that is a story from another time. 'Where did you come from?' you turn the attention on him rather than giving anymore information about yourself.

He hesitates for a moment as if deciding whether or not he should share anything about himself.

'I'm ex-military.' comes the final answer, spoken in his usual blunt manner.

'That much I figured' you nod towards his uniform. 'Is she your daughter?'

He nods without saying anything further. There's a strange tension coming from his body language. He seems to be on high alert. He clears his throat as if he needs a change of subject. 'You said you are an architect?' you raise an eyebrow at that 'Yes, why?'

'Are you any good?' He presses, not beating around the bush and being direct with his question.

'Um... as good as they come, I guess!?' you tell him not trying to appear humble.

'So, what is your specialty? Residential? Commercial? Industrial?' he asks very specific.

'Residencial, but I do have some knowledge of the rest. Why do you ask? You try to understand were the sudden interest in your carrier choices come from.

'Just curious.' He says casually, but something in his eyes suggests that he's interested in finding out more. 'And that cottage you're living in.' he points at your house. 'You designed it?'

'Yes' you say eying him suspiciously. His questions were awfully precise. But once again he changes the direction of your conversation wanting to know more about your house. He asks you about the house, the structure and the layout, how you keep warm, where do you get wood for the fireplace.

'You're pretty self-sufficient.’ He concludes. ‘How often do you have to go out for supplies?' his question catches you by surprise. Ever since you saw the news about the outbreak you haven’t ventured anywhere close to civilization, afraid that you’d encounter infected and be ripped apart.

'I haven't really left the property in the past year. The further I go is the lake for fishing. Most of what I own comes from the time when things were delivered to your door or post office. I used to buy items in bulk.' you shrug, it made more sense to you that way. ‘There was no reason for me to leave. Plus, there is a lot of work to do around here, animals to feed. Which reminds me of something…’ you say fixing him with a hard stare mirroring his own. He waits for you to continue.

'You'll have to pull your weight around here. Food and accommodation are not for free.' You set clear boundaries. You may be kind enough to let them stay, considering the threats he’d flung your way earlier, but you won’t be taking advantage of.

He sighs almost offended by what you said, ' I don't plan on freeloading.' He assures you. 'Good' you intend to hold him to his words. He grunts in acknowledgement before going on to speak, 'I hunt regularly, and I know my way around a gun. I'm capable of offering protection.' He says in a serious tone, almost like a pledge. His military training is showing.

'There is not much fighting to do around here, but I'll keep in mind.' you say with a chuckle. It'll be fun seeing him do household chores. You wonder if he'll keep the mask on while feeding the chickens or picking apples.

'I do have one last question.' He says, suddenly sounding more unsure of how to phrase it. You nod at him to go one whipping the smirk on your face and

'If our partnership is to work…’ he pauses seriousness taking over him like a heavy veil, ‘you will have to abide to my one rule.' You sit up a little straighter, your attention fully on him.

'My girl comes first. In a survival situation, every decision I make will rely on her safety. No negotiation.'

You nod your head in agreement. 'Got it. I'll try my best not to get in your way.' You promise tone filled with sincerity.

'Good.' That seems to conclude the interrogation. He seems to relax a bit, and his demeanour is less hostile than before. He rises to his feet and turns to walk to where his daughter lies on the sofa. You watch as he drops his gun and knife on the table and sits on the armchair guarding the sleeping girl.

You let them settle in while you busy yourself with chores. you go out to feed the livestock you keep, collect any fresh eggs, and tend to your garden. The sky begins to darken, wind picks up. you can faintly hear thunder cracks in the distance. It's going to rain tonight, you muse to yourself. You quickly finish your work outside making your way inside. Once in your living room you notice the absence of masked stranger. He is nowhere in the house. You put down the basket you filled with fresh vegetables on the kitchen table and approach the sofa. The little girl stirs awake and looks curiously at you.

'How are you feeling, darling?' you ask in a warm tone smiling gently at her. The little girl rubs her eyes, trying to get rid of the sleep in them. She then looks up at you once again with her adorable big eyes. ‘A bit tired’ she says before yawning.

'It's understandable, you went through a lot out there. What happened to you?' you ask pointing at her bandaged arm The little girl looks at you for a moment as if thinking what to tell you. 'I got hurt by a bad guy's dog...It bit me.' She tries to sound brave but you hear the quiver in her voice.

'Oh... that's awful. Would you let me take a look at it?' you say softly siting down on the couch next to her. ‘Yeah…’ she nods. She holds out her arm for you to take a look at.

On her arm, you can see the puncture marks. They don't look like a human bite mark and that makes you sigh in relief. They were telling the truth. But what worries you is the yellowish liquid oozing out of it. That and the fever indicate that the wound got infected. 'How long ago did that dog bite you?'

‘About three days ago...’ She says quietly. ‘...It hurts now more than before.’ her soft, innocent eyes are filled with concern, fear and worry. ‘...I feel hot...’ she added. 'Let's clean it and rebandage it, okay?'

'Okay' she says with a small, relieved smile. You fetch a med-kit and some disinfectant and begin to clean the wound. It's a bit irritated from the infection. She seems to be in good spirits despite the pain.

You try to comfort her by keeping her mind occupied with conversation while treating her wound.

'How old are you?' you ask her as you wipe her arm with some alcohol blowing a little over it to ease the burn. 'Nine!' she answers earnestly with a toothy smile as she looks up at you, still enduring the sting of the disinfectant. 'What's your name?' you ask remembering that you haven’t been properly introduced so far. 'Olivia' she says with a soft, cute smile. 'What's your name?'

You tell her. 'I haven't met anyone else with that name before' she says pensively. 'Well, we don't really meet many people anyway. Just infected.' she says with a sad sigh. 'Yeah, me either.'

You finish treating her wound and re-bandage it. A shiver runs through her little body causing her to tremble. ‘Are you cold?’ you ask, reaching your palm to her forehead. She is indeed a little feverish. ‘...A bit.’ She mumbles with a small shiver.

You stand up making your way toward a small closet where you keep some blankets. You pick a fluffy one and hand it to Olivia. 'Here you go, sweety'. She smiles brightly as she accepts the extra layer and buries herself in it. 'I'll go grab some firewood to get a fire started.' You announce heading for the door. Just as you reach for the door handle, the door opens and there stands the tall dark figure of the man, his hands full of firewood. 'Oh...' you say in surprise as you step aside making way for him to enter. Outside rain is pouring. He puts the wood in the fireplace and starts working on the fire. You close the door and watch in silence as he works. In no time a well-built fire heats the small house casting a warm glow from the fireplace. The shadows flicker on his face, the white mask adding a level of horror to the otherwise cozy scene.

‘Thanks,’ The little girl says softly to him, to which he only grunts in acknowledgement.

You quietly make your way to the kitchen to start preparing dinner. Bellamy lays on the kitchen floor quietly supervising the two strangers in your house through the open door. The dinner you had in mind this morning included fish but you were rudely interrupted, so you'll have to settle on chicken with a side of veggies. You work quietly and efficiently, casting a glance once every few minutes in the living room. You see Olivia tiredly saying something to the masked man and him leaning back, the chair reclined, arms crossed in front of his chest, watching you prepare dinner. Soon, everything is ready, and three plates of steaming food lay neatly on the kitchen table. You walk into the living room to invite your involuntary guests to dinner.

The tall man is sitting on the comfortable armchair, the little girl lays on the sofa next to him, propped up by the pillows. As you enter, they quiet down and stare at you. He slowly stands up, holding out a hand to the girl, but she swats at it and raises by herself with a huff. He says nothing and he follows you two the kitchen. For how big he is he his movements are fluid, calm and quiet. You can barely hear his footfalls.

The little girl sits next to her father and digs into her plate burning herself in the process. 'Take it easy, kid.' he gently admonishes her. It's a weird scene seeing him at the other end of your small table, still in full gear watching the two of you eat in silence. Earlier he was threatening to kill you, now he sits in your kitchen hands rested on his knees watching like a hawk and frozen like a statue. You cast a few glances at him wondering if he'll take the mask of to eat but he remains unmoving. Perhaps later when I’m not around you think to yourself.

You try subtly glancing at the masked man, now that you sit in awkward silence. The little girl eats hungrily, she seems to love the food. Her blue eyes are focused on her plate, but you notice that she also seems to sneak in a few glances at her father while she chews. They look at each other as if communicating solely with their eyes. Perhaps they could, after spending so much time together in situations that require keeping quiet and nonverbal communication. You’ve notice so far that he prefers gestures instead of words. Once she’s finished eating the girl turns to look at you 'Is there any dessert?' her question is followed by a small burp and a quiet laugh. Her father pumps his knee audibly into hers under the table and throws her a pointed look. ‘What?’ she feigns innocence. You chuckle at their antics watching them bicker.

'I have some cherry jam if you're interested.' you offer with a smile.

'A bit, please.' she replies. Olivia’s eyes are sparkling while her father looks as unimpressed as ever, while you prepare a few slices of homemade bread and spread jam on it. She sits closer to him whispering something in his ear. He bands down and you watch as he whispers back.

She seems to be a very attached child, and you wonder if that is a consequence of all the trauma she has gone through. His manners on the other hand seem a bit less harsh, slightly more relaxed, although his dark gaze still lingers on you as if his prepared for you to rush him or something.

After you finish eating you collect yours and Olivia's plates and dump them in the sink to wash them later. You then turn towards Olivia 'How about we get you out of those dirty clothes and give you a warm shower? you ask motioning upstairs were your bedroom and personal bathroom are. She looks at her father with a look of silent plea.

'Go on.' he says quietly with a nod. She gets up, excited to get a warm shower, the prospect of getting cleaned and changing clothes is too much for her to resist. Olivia runs up the stairs followed quickly by you, leaving the man alone to eat.

A few moments after you are out of sight, Simon takes off his balaclava and puts it on the chair where his daughter sat. he grabs the cutlery and just as he’s a bout to start cutting into the chicken he stops, feeling eyes on him. He casts his eyes at the door where your dog watches him curiously head tilted to the side and years pointed up. ‘What?’ he grunts in annoyance, and the dog gets up and leaves the room. With a sigh Simon starts eating, he can’t remember his last proper meal that didn’t involve expired cans of beans.

Once in the bathroom, you turn on the shower and set the necessary water temperature before stepping out to wait for her. You go inside your bedroom searching for some clothes that will fit her better than what she has. Her soiled clothes go straight to the bin. They’ll need a proper wash for sure. You wait by the door for her to finish. You can hear her saying something to you through the cracked door.

'I don't remember the last time we had warm water' she says from behind the shower curtain. 'Were you on the road for a long time?' you inquire curious to know more about them, and now taking your chances with Olivia who is chattier than her father.

'Yeah...We've been on the move and camping for a while now in abandoned houses.' she replies as she turns off the shower and steps out. She is wrapped in the towel, her wet hair sticking to her forehead and with a shy, bashful look on her face to which you can't help but smile at.

'Come' you motion for her to go inside your bedroom 'let's get you dry.' She happily obliges and you both step into the bedroom.

You help her dry her hair and then you give her some privacy for her to change into the new clothes. By the time you are done, she is completely dry and wrapped in a cozy sweater and shorts. She looks really pretty now that she’s clean, her pixie cut framing her round face perfectly.

She smiles at you and then starts looking around the room. Your bed is made, covered in cream linen bedsheets, your bedside table is nicely decorated with some flowers from your garden, and your desk is neatly organized.

A few books and magazines laying at the corner of the desk that catch her attention. She walks closer looking at the covers curiously. You notice her looking at a particular magazine cover, it shows a woman holding some gardening tools and a child playing nearby.

'Do you like gardening?' you ask her.

She shrugs. 'I don't know', she answers sincerely. Right, if they were moving from place to place, they didn't have time for that. Probably didn’t have time for many other things. The realization dawns on you. Growing on the run in a world full of monsters must’ve been rough on her, not really being able to be a child, always on high alert.

'Maybe you can help me tomorrow in the garden if you feel better.' you offer kindly. 'That would be nice.' she replies earnestly, her warm smile lighting up her adorable face, making her look like a normal kid.

'Okay, for now, let's get you settled in the bedroom downstairs.'

'Alright… but can I ask you something?'' she looks up at you scuffling her feet, the wool socks you gave her sliding and pooling at her ankles. 'Sure thing.' You turn towards her and wait for her to voice her question. There's a brief pause in which she mulls over, seemingly struggling to form the right words.

Finally, she speaks, 'Why did you accept us in your house? She takes you by surprise. You pause, looking around, giving yourself time to think before you answer. 'It was the right thing to do. You needed help.' You say conviction in your tone.

She nods a little bit, still unsure. 'But you don't know us...you could have just closed the door on our faces. It happened before. People keep their things for themselves out there.' She arguments.

Your heart falls a little, your hopes in humanity crumbling. You knew people could be selfish at times, but now they really turned borderline savage and hysteric. 'People can be like that when they feel threatened.' you admit.

'But you aren't?' she follows up your statement with a question. You hesitate a bit, her eyes are focused solely on you, their innocence and naïveté are so endearing it somehow breaks your heart.

'I try not to be.' Your answer seems to have raised even more questions. She is curious to know more. 'Why? Why do you try not to be like the others?' she tilts her head as if trying to solve you like one does a riddle. 'I don't know. It just doesn't feel right to me. I think people should be kind or at the very least not violent with one another.' Your philosophical reply is met with more confusion. '..So why did you let us in?' she asks earnestly. She doesn't understand why someone like you would extend a warm generosity to perfect strangers who have nothing to offer when the same kindness is so scarce.

'Well, your father did threaten me with a gun.' you give her a more appropriate answer, something she understands better: violence. She sighs. Her adorable little face drops as she realizes that her father's actions might have put you in danger. 'Oh.' She remembers your earlier encounter, her father's less-than-friendly approach to strangers seems nothing new to her. ‘Right…. He's protective, he has to be.' she promptly excuses his actions, her expression a little troubled but at the same time, she seems to understand. 'But he's not a bad person' she quickly adds.

'I didn't say he was.' you remind her. She nods her head a little, still thinking about it all.

She is very smart, it is evident that she is much more aware of her surroundings than the average kid her age, you wonder what she would grow up to be, and what kind of adult she would turn out to be in such a harsh world. You imagine she will be a spitting image of her father, cold and ruthless.

You gently lead her down the stairs and to the guest bedroom ending your conversation. Once you reach downstairs you notice that her father is missing yet again. 'He's probably outside smoking. He never does it when I'm around though. He says it's bad for the lungs. But I don't understand why he keeps doing it' she confesses. She sounds more like an adult than a child. She has probably matured fast due to the circumstances, but that doesn't change the fact that she is still so young.

She still needs guidance, she still needs help figuring things out. Even as she speaks of his flaws, she is quick to excuse him and defend him, she loves him and looks up to him so much. It's almost like she sees him as two different people, one good and one not-so-good. You wonder if that is just her way of trying to cope with his actions.

'It's a bad habit people tend to have when they are stressed' you tell her. You remember your college years going to bars with colleagues and smoking a few cigarettes from your friends. But you never bought a packet.

'Do you get stressed?' she asks you, seemingly trying to see if you are the same as her father.

You take a few seconds to think it over, but her innocent, naïve gaze is hard to lie to.

'I do.' you confess, '…Sometimes. But I do other things to relieve the stress.'

She looks at you curiously, you can tell that she is looking to you for advice on how to deal with stress or she’s just looking for options for her father. 'What kind of things?' she asks, her voice filled with childlike wonder and curiosity.

'Well, gardening is a good way. Bellamy likes to help.' at the mention of her name, your companion leaves her guarding post by the fireplace and approaches the two of you. Olivia hides a little behind you at the sight of the dog. 'Don't worry, she won't bite you, I promise. She's really friendly with people. Look...' You crouch next to her and stretch your palm towards her nose. Bellamy starts wagging her tail eager to be petted.

Olivia watches you cautiously, but then sees how Bellamy loves to be petted and she can't help herself from being curious. She cautiously puts her soft little hand forward, hesitantly touching Bellamy on the cheek. The dog allows it, and soon Olivia warms up to her and starts petting her.

She smiles at you as she does that, then she speaks. '...Does she like me?' she whispers loudly as if the dog might understand her. 'I think she does' you playfully match her tone.

Olivia smiles even more, petting Bellamy even more enthusiastically. 'What kind is she?' she asks, showing a bit more enthusiasm in her voice. 'She's a Border Collie. She is a dog meant to herd sheep and keep guard from other animals.' '…She must be very smart.' Olivia says as she continues petting her, her voice is full of curiosity and admiration as she says that. 'She is' you say with a tone of love for your sole companion. ‘Dad told me that the dog that bite me was German Hepard. A guard dog.’ She informs you the way children do to prove they are just as knowledgeable as adults. ‘Shepherd. German Shepherd.’ You correct her with a small laugh. ‘That’s what I said.’ She counters with an incredulous look on her face at you for not taking her seriously.

Olivia slowly yawns her eyes hooded with exhaustion. 'Let's get you in bed' You guide her towards the bed pulling the covers and allowing her to get in. Once she settles comfortably you put the back of your hand on her forehead checking for any signs of increased temperature. to your relief, her fever went down a little. It means that the pills still have an effect even after all these years. 'Good night' you whisper to her as her eyes flutter closed. She nods, tired from the day's events, and slowly closes her eyes as the sleep starts to take over her. '..Good night..' she whispers to you with a sleepy voice before she falls asleep.

You quietly sneak out of the room, closing her door softly behind you. You can still hear her soft snoring coming from inside the room, and a little smile forms on your face. You know she feels safe with you, and that warms your heart a little. You then head towards the kitchen, Bellamy in tow, only to discover that there are freshly washed dishes on the drying rack. You hum to yourself in appreciation. He may be a hulking terrifying military man but he has manners. You chuckle at the thought, despite the cold and aloof vibe he gives off, he still manages to surprise you with small gestures like these. It's clear that no matter how rough he seems, he does have a softer side to him.

Bellamy follows you next, and the two of you make your way outside. The rain has stopped, but there is still no sign of the man. He seems to like to disappear like a ghost. you scan the area around your garden, which is now damp with the fresh rain. Further outside, from the fence to the outside world, the darkness envelops everything. The light from your house is not strong enough to penetrate outside your garden. You take a deep breath the air humid and refreshing. The clouds hide the stars, you wish the sky was clear so you could map out the constellations with your finger, a favourite pastime of yours during the summer nights when the air is too stuffy for you to fall asleep.

After a while, the gate opens, and the masked man walks in, rifle slung on his shoulder, strap gripped tightly in his hand. The white skull on his face is the only thing that reflects enough light for you to make it out. A shiver runs down your back at his frightening attire. No wonder other people turned them down. He looks more like a serial killer from a horror movie than a human being. As he comes towards you, you can't help but wonder out loud 'Why the mask?' you watch him as he approaches you.

He doesn't respond to your question. Instead, he looks you up and down, studying you for a moment before he speaks with a firm voice. '..To hide my face.' He states in an obvious manner.

You stare at him dumbfounded the look on your face most likely betraying your confusion at his answer. He walks past you a small chuckle audible enough for you to catch it. He goes inside without another word. He's such a hardass... you think to yourself but you follow after him locking the door behind you. He looks around, most likely looking for his daughter. 'Olivia is asleep in the guestroom.' you point your thumb over your shoulder at the door. He stares at you silently which makes you really uncomfortable. 'You can make yourself comfortable here. My bedroom is upstairs...' you inform him awkwardly.

He stands there, not uttering a word, not even moving an inch, just looking at you, his eyes searching your skin and face, analysing your body and appearance with a prodding, cold, and distant gaze.

After what seems like an eternity, he finally utters a few words in response to you. '..That'll do..' he dismisses you with his usual monotonous and stern voice.

You nod and go up the stairs. once inside the room, you lock the door and sit on your bed. You stay like that for a while trying to comprehend today's events. You're unsure how things will play out between you and the masked man downstairs. You only hope that it won't interfere with the peaceful life you've built for yourself here. After what feels like hours have passed, you rise and start digging in your closet for pyjamas and a towel. You'll take a shower, hoping it will wash away the unease that seems to overtake you.

As you strip away your clothes and step into the shower, the warmth of the water fills your body as it washes away the cold. You let the hot water run over you for a while, allowing yourself to relax and forget the tension still lingering around you. After a few minutes, you step out and dry off by sliding your towel along your wet skin. Feeling refreshed and cleaner, you pull on a comfy set of pyjamas before returning to bed.

Once under the sheets, you close your eyes and try to fall asleep. Unlike Bellamy who snores peacefully on the rug next to your bed, you don't have such luck. You stare at the wooden ceiling above you. The house is dead quiet and you try to focus your hearing in hopes you'll catch something from outside your room. A few minutes pass when you can distinctly hear the faucet of the downstairs bathroom sink. You keep listening trying to imagine what he's doing. He's probably washing up, you think. The house creeks as the wind outside starts to blow. Soon after the rain starts once again, the sound of raindrops hitting your window finally lulls you to sleep.

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uwukillmenowowo · 25 days

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𝐅𝐫𝐨𝐦 𝐓𝐚𝐦𝐞𝐫 𝐭𝐨 𝐆𝐡𝐨𝐮𝐥 [Tokyo Debunker X F!Reader]

[ 3 | Stars] 『⭐』

Key's for the story: Insert - Narrative - And then she stared at her reflection in the mirror [Insert] - Author speaking - [Eyyy there- wazzup readers] "Insert" - Talking - "Hey there!" [But can also be air quotes] 'Insert' - Thinking - 'Dame he's cute...' "Insert" - Whispering - "I- I messed up..." [But can also be an emphasis on a word/phrase, or flashback] (Insert) - Inner mind..? - (Deadass doesn't know how to explain it here) *Insert* - Action - *Sighs with their head down*[INSERT] - Magic - [OFF WITH YOUR HEAD!] or [IGGNAIM!]

𝐏𝐫𝐞𝐯𝐢𝐨𝐮𝐬 𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐫: [ 2 | Not Home] 『🏠』

━━━✦❘༻🔮༺❘✦━━━

[Book 0] The Academy of Ghouls

[Chapter 3] Galaxy Train, Riding On the Stars

━━━✦❘༻🔮༺❘✦━━━

{Your POV}

~~~~~

"Umm... Haku..?" He looked and me and hummed. "the... The train is about to leave.." I pointed at the train and Haku nodded. "Sure is." I watched as the train pulled away from the station. 'If he pulls me to some secret portal I might freak out.' I thought.

Haku was standing hands on his hips in front of an ice cream vending machine. I continued my interrogation. "Shouldn't we have gotten on it if we're headed for Tokyo Bay?" I shrugged, hoping that he wasn't going to say what I think he's gonna say. "This way's faster, actually." Okay- He didn't say the line but that's almost close...

Haku scanned his phone on the vending machine and... the vending machine let out a meow..? I smiled, finding that quite cute. But then... the vending machine slid open to reveal, "S-Space?!" I questioned in shock. "Don't let go of my hand." Haku suddenly grabbed my hand and he dragged me into the space door. "WHOA!" I yelped and kept a tight hold of the hairclip that Prince Rielle gave me.

"E-Eh..? We're... floating? Wait no... We're falling..." I hummed as I cleared my vision. "Haha! I like your energy. That's right. We're falling slowly." Haku pulled me closer to him and pointed to a bunch of stuff. "It's lost property." Haku explained. "Oop- Look out, we're about to speed up." I flinched and braced myself as we fell faster.

*Tmp*

"This is out stop. I stared in awe. "A train station in space?!" I took out my phone and took some photos and Haku laughed. "Don't worry. Unlike the last one, this train comes with a safety guarantee." I just hummed as I heard a train pull up. 'Yup... this is definitely magic...' I sweatdropped and hid my wand in my blazer pockets... Actually I kinda regret wearing my NRC uniform now... The pockets are too small...

"That's out ride." I looked to where the trail whistle was and gasped as I saw a train, riding on stars. "A steam train on stars? It's beautiful!" I awed. "That's the Galaxy Express. You've never seen one before?" Taking his question seriously, I shook my head. "Ahah! I meant in cartoons and comics~" Haku then walked forward to the train while I took more photos. "We're in the realm of non-fiction though. Go on, climb aboard."

I hummed and groaned. "Safety guaranteed, remember? Don't worry~ If anything happens, I'll protect you." Haku offered me a hand so I smiled as I felt a bit safer. "Okay" We walked into the train and I took more photos. 'It's beautiful!' I smiled.

Then I lowered myself into a seat. The soft velvet was so comfortable I relaxed just a little in spite of myself. The levers, switches, and dials peppered throughout the train car were reminiscent of an old age gone by. The warm wooden walls were lit by antique lamps hung from the ceiling. The starry sky outside was visible through the windows. "it's absolutely stunning." I awed more and took more photos. "Meow." I yelped at the sudden noise and looked around to find a white cat with a train conductors cap on. 'SO CUTE!' I thought and pulled Haku's sleeve out of reflex while I took photos of the cat.

"Heheh- Sorry to spring this one on you. Could you take us to the academy?" The cat walked pass us and I started taking a video. Then the cat turned around and meows happily. The swaying bottlebrush tail disappeared into the driver's compartment and I stopped the video. A beat later, the steam whistle blew, and the train chugged forward.

"That's the conductor. Don't worry- he doesn't bite." My jaw dropped. "That cat is the conductor..?" The train began to pick up speed, then entered a tunnel. 'I have to send this to Idia and Ortho!' I smiled. But before I clicked send I thought against it. 'Or... maybe later... they might ask if I got home. If tell them no then they'll probably tell Prof. Crewel... and Crewel will beat Crowley...

'I'll tell them later~' I thought and look a photo. "Ne ne~ Haku. Is it alright if I take a photo of you?" Haku chuckled and sweat dropped. "I expected you to be more nervous than awestruck. But that's kinda cute so why not?" Haku then shrugged and posed, he crossed his right leg over his left and held up a peace sign. I just hummed. "Why was 6 afraid of 7?" Haku became confused and I smirked. "Because 7 ate 9." Haku went wide eyed before he smiled while trying to suppress a chuckle. I took that moment to take a photo of his natural smile. "Aww~ Cute!" I giggled and showed him the photo.

[Srry for low quality]

"Whoa... That's really good..." Haku smiled as he stared at the photo. "You're really good at taking photos [Y/n]." I giggled and scratched the back of my neck. "Thanks. It's a hobby." The roar of the engine fought against the darkness, stirring awake some of the anxiety I'd try to lock away. "Most people'll never get to ride this train, you know. I'm glad that you're making the most of it. Oh look. We're nearly there." At Haku's encouragement, I shifted my gaze out the window.

We emerged from the tunnel, and the inky blackness was replaced by warm sunlight. An enormous building loomed outside the window. The gothic exterior stood solemn and elegant against the blue sky. I felt like I'd stumbled into a fantasy world... For the second time... 'NRC is much bigger but Darkwick seems to have a better budget...' I thought and smiled as I remembered all the teasing moments that Crowley would use the lack of money for stuff.

"We will soon stop of Darkwick Academy"

"This is us. Shall we?" I nodded to Haku and stood up. "I'm surprised that we're there already." The Galaxy Express shuddered to a halt, having reached its destination.

'Please don't be a weird, supernatural, all-boys, school' I pleaded.

𝐍𝐞𝐱𝐭 𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐫: [ 4 | Academy] 『🖤』

#𝐅𝐫𝐨𝐦 𝐓𝐚𝐦𝐞𝐫 𝐭𝐨 𝐆𝐡𝐨𝐮𝐥 #original story #tokyo debunker x reader #twisted wonderland reader

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dogueteeth · 9 months

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WIP Not-Wednesday

Thanks @silvery-bluish for the tag!

I'll forward this to @wonda-fhr ! As always, not pressure to participate ;) <3

Hmmm let's see what I've got for my WIPs that I can share a bit of!

ACT 1

a Tokyo Ghoul!AU FHR series I started on a little while ago. WIP title for now, I think i like the idea of setting up the story as "acts 1 & 2" for Rebirth & Retri. Here's a lil snippet from it I might publish soon once I get the "scenes/chapters" planned out more. Riding heavy on Tokyo Ghoul's "tragedy" quote for my titles on this WIP lol.

He beams, sunshine and smiles, the thousand-watt smile that melts hearts, melts hers a little too. She can feel the smile grow on her face, feel the way that damnable knot between her shoulders loosens a little still, after all of these years, and shit, that's a complication she doesn't need. Didn't and doesn't, not back then and not right now. His hand lands on her shoulder, friendly and comforting. To anyone else but her.

It feels like a lasso. A leash. A noose. Leading her to the front gates, dragging her to her doom. To the gates. The gates. That.

The gates in the Rangers' HQ that scan for RC cells.

Standard. Necessary. No, not standard. State-of-the-art.

Always the best for the Rangers.

Her pulse grows cold. Is she pallid? What does her face look like? Is it terrified, is the the mask crooked?

Last time. Last time, last time, years ago, the RC scanners were still new tech. Not strong enough the pick up her trace, the trace of a half-ghoul. But that. That was almost ten years ago.

A decade is long enough to make improvements.

stray.

Collection of small segments that talk about both of Isa's escapes from the Farm. Alas I'm still working on this! Just haven't made much progress as of late since my brain is rather fried but here's a little snippet!

The stars are beautiful.

Most places she's been deployed have swallowed their stars. Shot them down, trapped them in little plastic and glass containers, anchored to the earth to light roads and pavements and rooms. Kept like animals poached from the wild. Surrounded by wall and window cages in the comforts of humans' homes to chase away the dark. So many caught, so many brilliant stars brought down by man, leaving the skies above filled with an inky emptiness.

But here, in the Nevada desert where man could not remain, where they couldn't take and claim, not the stars nor the arid land, the night sky celebrates with the splendor of galaxies above her head. She stares into the wonder of purple-pink clouds of cosmic dust and the glittering shine of stars, motionless and quiet. She should be running. She should be taking advantage of the darkness that she had waited so long for, curled into a small ball beneath a pile of road debris to keep hidden in the light of day. She never understood the concept of beauty before; it was a uniquely human perception. Less-thans can't afford to think about such things. But she might understand it now. Just a little.

kiss & tell (it's called: freefall)

Another snippet from a piece of the "freefall" series I'm taping together in my free time! Hehehe so many good moments in this series it's always so hard to pick a snippet without potentially spoiling a part of the series's story.

"That's not the point!" He cries out, tossing his arms in the air and biting back the sting of regret when she flinches in the corner of his eye. Regret, then anger. Anger aimed at himself for regretting that. She does not deserve his sympathies right now.

"I get that you're not sorry. I get that you're going to do it again, even if I don't agree with it, even if I wish you would be sorry. What I want to know is why, Cerrísa. Please." His voice cracks, and he can see the way her face falls at the sound. "Please, explain yourself, Cerrísa. Because I'm running out of ways that I can understand you, and I want to give you the benefit of the doubt, that you're not just doing this- killing people- for shits and giggles. Please."

He's almost in front of her now, taller and casting a shadow over her but he feels minuscule in front of her, begging for understanding. She refuses to look him in the eye, and he hates that she's chewing on the already-cracked part of her lip, and he tries not to think about how the metallic taste would feel echoed in his own mouth. Her mouth opens and closes a few times, and every time it falls shut, he feels a little bit of hope within him die.

#wip not-Wednesday #fhr #sidestep #cerrísa becerra #fhr sidestep #oc #writing wip

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elmaxlys · 7 months

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First Crown

#my art #tokyo ghoul #fae au #hoito roma #the queen #i should probably try to scan it 🤔#fanart

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potatoe-in-stew · 1 year

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I have downloaded all of Tokyo Ghoul and tokyo ghoul RE. I will be unzipping and scanning / making icons on and off to keep myself alive.

#i wish that was a joke

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harleyquilt · 2 years

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The Fire That Burns Us All (TouKen/KaneTou Fanfic) - Chapter 5

Summary: Struggling with his own investigations, Kaneki decides to distract himself by meeting some friendly faces, both new and old.

Word count: 2961~

Notes: Hope the quality is ok for y'all, trying to be as consistent as I can be with my schedule. Lemme know what you think, though! I hope you enjoy~~

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Kaneki leaned back in his seat, his eyes scanning over his pinboard. It was covered with photographs, messily scrawled notes, and lines of thread connecting each piece of information to an enlarged map of Tokyo. The city was sectioned off into their separate wards, separated further with markers signifying territory and safe zones. At the very top of the board were several blurred photos of an Aogiri ghoul Kaneki had been trying to hunt down, but there was little else to see except for a few dead-end leads.

He tuts and tugs away one of the threads, tossing it aside and sitting back back down onto his seat, looking at the board over the rim of his glasses. He rubs his eyes and squeezes the bridge of his nose, his eyes darting to the clock. It is already two in the morning, and still, he could not bring himself to sleep, despite his apparent exhaustion.

He sat leaning his head against his hand, the silence sinking into his skin and his mind going numb by the growing static of his restless thoughts. He could feel himself sinking into his seat, the darkness thickening, and the images before him losing their shape. His eyes bore into the photos looming over him, mocking him for his continued failure. They eluded him even now, as he sits there wasting away the night with his brooding. Still, he had been given this task by Arima, and Kaneki had no intention of failing him.

He forces himself forward and slaps his cheeks. It does little to wake him, but he manages to pull out his phone and call Furuta, who answers after the second ring, as he always does.

"What can I do for you, boss?" Furuta answers with his chipper voice.

"I would like to meet with Akira Mado, if I can. Please look into our schedules for me."

Furuta hums for a moment, filling in the silence over the phone. "Ah," he says finally. "She and Amon will be free at two in the afternoon for a late lunch. Will that do, or would you like something more official?"

"No, that's fine. I'll spend my lunch with them, then." He strums his fingers against the table, thinking to himself. "One more thing. Please make sure that my evening is free - I have a few things I need to attend to."

"Will do. I'll be sure to give you my report tomorrow morning."

"Make that later tonight. I'll be finished before nine."

Without waiting for a response, Kaneki ends the call and stands from his seat. Almost immediately, his stomach begins to rumble, and looking down, he frowns. With a shake of his head, he dismisses his hunger and decides to have a late night shower.

. . .

Amon watches with strained worry as Akira shakes more chilli powder onto his curry. One, two, three…five shakes. With a pleased smile, Akira places aside the powder and mixes her own curry into her rice.

"You know," she begins, breaking off a piece of her naan. "The best way to eat curry is with your hands." As if to demonstrate, she scoops a handful of curry and rice with her naan and shoves it into her mouth. "Mm, delicious."

"I see…" Amon continues to frown at his dish and Akira raises a brow.

"It's going to get cold if you keep staring at it."

Suddenly distracted, Akira waves over Kaneki as he enters the cafeteria, eager to catch up with her old partner. Amon, meanwhile, eats a small mouthful of untainted rice. Kaneki sits to Amon’s side and gives both a small bow in greeting.

"Always so formal." Akira smiles, taking another handful of curry. "How have you been, Kaneki-kun?"

Kaneki offers a wry smile. "I've been okay. I haven't made much progress with my investigations, I'm afraid."

"You look tired." Amon remarks, pushing aside his half eaten lunch. "I've noticed you taking on a lot of late night shifts, too."

"Your performance will suffer if you don't get your eight hours." Akira adds with gentle scrutiny. Kaneki nods with a smile, bowing his head.

"Yes, ma'am." He says and she nods in approval.

"Good. I don't like thinking that you're keeping yourself awake with all these difficult assignments."

"Speaking of which," Kaneki says. "How are your respective investigations going? Have you found Torso yet?"

Amon shakes his head. "He's slippery, that one. We haven't quite cracked the pattern he's following just yet. It won't be long now, though."

Finishing her curry, Akira dabs at her mouth with a handkerchief. "We think he's using a vehicle of sorts, but it'll be hard to find him with that theory alone. It is likely he uses something innocuous, like a taxi, perhaps."

"A taxi…" Kaneki mulled over the thought, having seen Akira and Amon’s notes on the case. "If I find anything suspicious, I'll be sure to let both of you know."

"That'd help." Amon says. "With your nose and all. But there's no need to push yourself even harder."

"Please, this will be a welcomed break for me." Kaneki laughs lightly, waving off Amon’s concern. "I'll keep an eye out."

. . .

By the time he arrived at the cafe, a light shower of rain began to fall across Tokyo. The clouds gathered and darkened against the evening sky and the lights of Tokyo began to light up the streets with their bright, fluorescent urban glow. The cafe was comfortably warm, the fragrance of freshly brewed coffee lingering in the air. He found himself smiling as he waited by the door for the waitress to walk around the counter, greeting him with slight familiarity and kind hospitality. She guided him to a corner booth and waited for his order with a knowing smile.

“Black, please.” Kaneki asked.

“No sugar and milk. Got it.” She gave him a small bow and moved back behind the counter to prepare his drink. Kaneki let out a deep breath he had been holding in unknowingly and leaned back against his cushioned seat.

There were a few more customers this time. Some were alone, some with a friend or two, a few students, and a couple of elderly customers. They all spoke with a gentle quietness, their words hidden behind the hum of the coffee machine and the clatter of cups and cutlery. It was strangely tranquil in a way that could not be felt in other coffee shops, a relaxing mix of the mundane and a seamless detachment from the outside world. Like a hidden realm that only he and these few customers could find solace in. Or perhaps he was overthinking it, he thought to himself, suddenly embarrassed as the waitress returned with his drink.

She placed it down and asked if he wanted anything else. He hesitated for a moment, looking down into his coffee, and he chewed on his lip. “Forgive me if you find this uncomfortable but,” he kept his eyes lowered, his brow furrowed. “But could I ask for your name?” He mumbled.

“I’m sorry, could you say that again?” She asked, though in a kind, patient tone. She leaned forward slightly and turned her ear towards him.

He lifted his gaze and his eyes darted between each of her features. Her smiling lips, her mesmerising eyes with her thick, dark eyelashes, the sheen in her raven hair - he was captivated with each part of her face, yet he couldn’t bear to look for too long in fear of how he must seem to her. He forced the words out quickly and repeated his question, looking away again afterwards.

“Ah, I see.” She let out a nervous laugh. “It’s Touka. Touka Kirishima.”

Kaneki nodded to himself, clutching his cup tightly. “My name is Ken Kaneki.”

She does not respond right away, but shows little in her unchanging expression. “Well, it’s nice to see you, Kaneki-kun.”

Hearing his name spoken with sudden familiarity sent a jolt through his chest and he suppressed a shiver, nodding again in acknowledgement. She leaves him soon afterwards and he heaves out another pent up breath, taking a sip of the coffee to help calm his nerves. It was peculiar; he was an elite investigator in charge of some of the deadliest tasks known to the CCG, and yet, when interacting with this waitress, he is left nervous and fumbling under her gentle gaze. He wanted to know more about her, but did not have the courage to seek it out. It was almost ridiculous considering everything he has faced as an investigator. Still, this was something he has had no experience in dealing with before, and knowing the person that he was, he was unsure if he was even allowed to experience such simplicities. Though, perhaps for now, it would be alright to know her as an acquaintance, he thought as he took another sip of the coffee.

Another young woman entered the cafe then - a petite girl with short, brown hair and a pleasant, rounded face with large, doe-like eyes that seemed to exude a youthful innocence. She walked straight to the counter and leaned against it, eagerly waving for Touka, who in turn asked her to wait for a moment. She turned around and leaned back against the counter with her eyes drifting across the cafe.

Meeting his, they come to an abrupt stop and they widen for a moment, her complexion paling. Showing little reaction, Kaneki continues to drink his coffee, glancing back at her over the rim of his cup. She quickly looks down, her lips pressed together, and she moves behind the counter, grabbing Touka’s arm. She whispers into Touka’s ear and Touka stiffens, her face moving slightly towards the girl. She whispers something back and the girl looks back at Kaneki for a brief moment with a wild look of fear. Stepping back, she hurries away to the staffroom and Kaneki sets down his cup, his expression cool and calm.

After a short while, Touka heads back to Kaneki’s table, keeping her composure. She asks if he would like a refill and Kaneki shakes his head. “No, thank you.” He meets her eyes for a moment before looking away again. “Have I made your friend uncomfortable? The one that came in a few minutes ago?”

“My friend?” She tilts her head to one side, her eyes widening as if suddenly remembering who he was referring to. “Ah, that was my younger sister.” She presses her hands together and bows. “Please forgive her. She’s quite skittish and thought you looked…um…” She hesitates, shrugging her shoulders helplessly. “She was worried you might be someone shady. I am very sorry.”

“Ah, I see.” Kaneki smiles. “Well, I was going to leave anyway. Please tell her that I am sorry for causing her distress.”

Touka’s eyes widened again, her smile fading. “Please wait!” She says suddenly. “Are you sure you would not like another coffee?”

“Not right now, no.” Kaneki stands and places down the money he owed her. “Maybe another time.”

He gives her a bow and leaves, feeling her eyes watching him as the door closes behind him. He glances back at the shop momentarily, deep in thought, before calling for a taxi. The rain is cold against his skin, the smell of wet concrete permeating the air, and the bitter taste of the coffee lingering on his lips.

. . .

The look Touka’s sister gave him continued to haunt his thoughts, along with Touka’s words. He knew he always had an intimidating presence and he was sure to use that to his advantage, and rarely had he thought anything more than that. And yet, seeing the way the girl had looked at him and knowing how that must seem to someone like Touka gave him a shudder. It made him wonder how Touka must really think of him and he felt his heart clench with a growing shame at the thought that her friendliness was nothing more than the usual hospitality that she showed to all of her customers. If that was the case, he would do well to stay away from the cafe, even if she had the kindness in her heart to not turn him away. He refused to be more of a nuisance than he already was. And with this thought, he looked up and noticed the taxi he had called for arriving.

The taxi slowed to a stop to where Kaneki stood and he quickly got into the back. He leaned back and gave the driver a random address, pulling his gloves onto his hands. The driver nodded and started to drive, his fingers tightening around the wheel.

Kaneki rested his head against the window, his nostrils flaring. This was the fifth taxi he was taking that night in hopes to help Akira and Amon narrow down their search. He considered it part of his own patrol, though perhaps he was simply hoping to distract himself from his own investigations. Regardless, the last four drivers showed no signs of suspicious behaviour and he concluded that they must be regular humans - they had even shown compliance in sharing their worker’s ID so that he may check on their profiles later on, all four showing concern for any potential danger of ghouls in their workplace.

This taxi, however, immediately set him off; it stunk of blood, both new and old, and it permeated the whole vehicle. Kaneki had thought that this Torso killer would be more discreet in handling his victims, though he likely could not have anticipated a fellow ghoul as an investigator entering his vehicle. Disgusting creatures, Kaneki thought with a sneer. All of them. With this thought, he looked to the streets outside, the car driving closer to an isolated patch of land.

“Just ahead.” Kaneki ordered, tilting his chin up. “If I may ask, how long have you been working in this profession?”

The driver hesitated and met his eyes in the rearview mirror. He swallowed and parted his thin lips. “About a year, sir. Why do you ask?”

“I see. Do you enjoy your job?”

“Well…I suppose so.” The car pulls over to a nearby curb. “Is this okay?”

Kaneki does not answer right away, his eyes narrowed. “I think you must enjoy your job.” His hand grips onto his briefcase tightly. “After all, it has made it much easier for trash like you to kill your victims.”

The driver’s eyes widen and he slams his foot down onto the accelerator, thrusting the car forward. Kaneki grabs onto the driver’s seat with one hand to keep himself balanced and pierces the other through the seat and into the driver’s back, crushing his spine with his fist. The driver yells out and swerves the car around. It slams against the corner of a building and he leans forward, his kagune shooting out from his lower back. Kaneki pulls his hand back and ducks as the kagune flies over him and through the back window, shattered glass falling across the backseat. The driver takes the opportunity to leave the car, stumbling forward onto the ground with thick drops of blood trailing behind him.

Kaneki kicks the door out and begins to follow the fumbling ghoul, releasing his yukimura quinque. He slowly walks closer to Torso, who is now on all fours as the wound in his back begins to knit itself back together. With wild eyes, Torso snaps his head towards Kaneki, his rinkaku claw thrusting out and towards him. And with little effort, Kaneki moves to one side, easily dodging the attack. Torso scrambles forward onto his feet and begins to run, throwing out another attack with his kagune that Kaneki knocks back with his quinque.

“There’s no use running.” Kaneki yelled, his eyes tracking the ghoul as he ran. “If you were wise, you’d give yourself up willingly. It would save me the trouble of having to cut off your legs.”

Torso begins to slow and his kagune withers back into his skin. He heaves heavily, his dark hair plastered against his sweating skin. From here, Kaneki could see him more clearly - the ghoul’s gaunt face, sunken eyes, slender frame. He’s more like a twig than a ghoul, and still, this creature is responsible for the slaughter of countless lives. He is a sickness, a disease, and in that sense, Torso looks as despicable as the rest of them. Kaneki looks up and sees the moon hanging high up in the sky and his stomach groans with unsatiated hunger. He looks back down to Torso, who has forced himself to run further ahead, and he sighs.

“I’m tired.” He muttered to himself and he raised his quinque, readying his stance. “Let’s end this quickly.”

Just then, Kaneki is knocked forward with a flurry of light blows against his back that pierces through his skin with searing heat. He rolls forward and pushes himself back onto his feet and faces his attacker, his body stinging with sudden pain. Examining his surroundings, he sees a figure standing on top of a nearby lamp post - a ghoul with a flaming ukaku and a black rabbit mask. They stood lightly and wore a long, dark coat, but Kaneki could recognise the figure almost immediately.

“Black Rabbit.” Kaneki grunted, his knuckles white as he held onto his weapon. “I guess you’re here to pick up your trash.”

The ghoul dropped to the ground and kept a crouched stance, their kagune flaring out. “That is none of your concern, dove. Get out of my way.”

Gritting his teeth, Kaneki glared. “You’re an idiot if you think I’ll give you what you want.”

The ukaku swirls against the dark sky, like a blazing fire, and begins to crystallise at the root.

“Then die.”

#ken kaneki #touka kirishima #kaneki x touka #kanetou #touken #hinami fueguchi #akira mado #amon koutarou #fanfic #my writing

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ilikepiersquare · 1 year

Photo

#tokyo ghoul #tokyo kushu #manga #manga scan #manga cap #my edit

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mossy-rot · 2 years

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Okay so HUGE post time I'm just gonna throw this out to the near nonexistent tsukihide community, maybe the akekita community and whoever else would like to listen. SO.

I have an au that is essentially a Tokyo Ghoul x Persona 5 crossover au with a bit more of a complicated timeline so I'll run through some history on the main ship.

Tsukihide at this point started at some point after Kaneki had been turned ghoul- through a few connections and brief interactions, Shuu and Hide started to get to know each other, for varying reasons. Shuu, in the beginning, had full intention to hunt Hide but slowly realized that his feelings were more than hunger- and Hide, who was filling the Kaneki-shaped-hole in his life with Kaneki's heightened absence in his life as he trained to be the Eyepatch. Hide has realized by this point that Kaneki is a ghoul.

It's around the point where Shuu is making excuses for his eating habits that Hide realizes something is wrong; "I'm picky" turned into "I'm on a diet" turned into "I have bulimia." Hide is suspicious.

He keeps to himself for awhile, paranoid and waiting, but the attack never comes. He doesn't report Shuu knowing that it could harm Kaneki.

Then comes the war between the One Eyed ghoul and the Doves- more importantly, the sewer scene.

Some.. things, transpire between Kaneki and Hide, but it all happens very quickly- Hide begs Kaneki to eat him, Kaneki kisses him before biting into his face, Shuu arrives- knowing that Hide went to go try and help, in concern for his safety- Shuu stops Kaneki before he can kill Hide, and the rest is a mess.

By this point Hide fully knows Shuu is a ghoul but slowly they decide to stay together during Hide's recovery.

Over the next few years is a rocky path of Shuu not eating properly, terrified to scare away Hide and disgusted with himself, and Hide being concerned for his partner's health. But otherwise, they love each other dearly.

They've talked about goals, the simple ones and ones they may never have access to- marriage, children, a peaceful life together. It's not hard for them to conclude that most of these things are daydreams, but they keep them in mind anyway.

This is where the transition into the main AU occurs.

One night Hide takes the longer, more scenic route home from work- but one he knows is within Shuu's "territory." It's all fine up until he hears a baby crying softly from an alley. Taking the risk, he chooses to investigate, and finds exactly that: a baby, only a few months at best, crying, abandoned in a trash can. Being the kind soul he is, Hide brings the baby home in hopes to bring it to the police to be put up for adoption.

He informs Shuu of this when he gets home for obvious reason- only for Shuu to bring up the fact that it would be very dangerous, as what he has brought home is a ghoul baby; which, if turned over, would most likely be killed upon RC scan. After some conversation and a whole lot of planning, they decide to keep the baby as their own.

This baby will be named Yusuke.

Yusuke's toddler years are right in the middle of the dragon arc- his baby years being the rockiest however due to coinciding with Shuu's worst years of self-starvation which is now not only effecting him, it's effecting Yusuke as well- which results in the baby hurting Hide by biting his fingers so hard he rips off flesh. This is what eventually snaps Shuu out of his eating issues.

Yusuke is around 4 when they create synthetic food.

Once schooling becomes an issue, they homeschool him for a good bit- until he decides that he wants to go to school with the other children. Unfortunately, ghouls are still discriminated against, and unregulated teachers bully and humiliate Yusuke for his way of life- going so far as to force him to eat synthetic food in front of his class to make his classmates see his eyes turn. He struggles with the bullying and internalizes the remarks- beginning to resent Shuu and even try to eat human food. Despite a good few long, heartfelt talks with his parents, the problem doesn't truly begin to resolve until a new student arrives- a boy about Yusuke's age- by the name of Goro- who is also a ghoul. This boy quickly reports the teachers to his mother, Kiyoko, who in turn gets the attention of many other parents to shut the issue down.

The two boys become inseparable, which is a very useful coincidence since this brings their parents together. Kiyoko needs someone to watch Goro often, due to being a single, working mother, and Yusuke needs a friend to socialize with- it ends up working out well for both families.

Things are comfortable for the next few years- Hide and Shuu manage to get married, the children are happy, Kiyoko has someone to rely on, and synthetic food is available to most.

However, life is never so kind, which leads to the day that Goro starts briefly living with the Tsukiyama family, after his mother commits suicide.

They try to adopt the boy, but adoption is far more complicated now with newly implemented laws that bar them from adopting more children.

Yusuke is 10 when Goro is sent to foster care, and although they both attempt to stay in touch, the letters they send stop by the time Yusuke is 12.

However, by the arrival of Yusuke's 14th birthday, the receive a letter- with a number, name and address of Yusuke's best friend.

Life changed distinctly after that- it was clear that Goro had gone through many changes (although this was most deeply obvious to Hide) but seemingly remained with some portions of his personality, but much more polished and palatable.

The two became close again, which eventually led them to starting a romantic relationship together. This will remain until Yusuke is 17. However, for unknown reason, Goro has grown to be hostile and chiding towards Shuu and Hide when Yusuke isn't around.

This fateful year leads Yusuke to his new group of friends, the Phantom Thieves, after they help him recover from the discovery of his original past- Madarame, who let his mother die and claim it was a ghoul attack, that let him be left in the garbage to get eaten or starve. With the surfacing of the phantom thieves, a binge eater ghoul surfaces as well.

They're all quite close (as his relationship grows more distant with Goro as he grows busier and busier,) all except for the fact that they don't know that he's a ghoul. This causes a rift when they do find out- since many of the people that they apprehend are ghouls themselves. Along side this, Yusuke faces the growing issue of being a ghoul- desiring human meat. More specifically, Akira. This causes a spiral of self loathing to start.

The night they find out about his nature he avoids talking to any of them, opting to call his boyfriend- which results in the planning of a date.

Eventually, he has the talk with Akira, who reassures him that they don't mind that he's a ghoul, that he can't change that part of him but that doesn't make him a monster. Although this doesn't break the spiral, it lifts a weight.

This is until the date with Goro, who, while very lovingly comforting and supporting him, begins to twist Akira's narrative against ghouls. On top of this, he reveals information to Yusuke that will cause him to spiral further- the fact that Shuu was a gourmet, and that Hide was a Dove. He continues to drive Yusuke against his family, while also nurturing his ghoul desires- keeping his emotions high until he's exhausted. He takes care of Yusuke, letting him stay over, and letting him eat from his stash of "high end" synthetic food.

This drives a large wedge between him and his parents, who admit to hiding this information from him. They fight over this numerous times until finally talking it out after he has a panic attack due to the stress.

Normal events of the game transpire, and it slowly leads into Akira's arrest, which brings the identity of the binge eater and the black mask to light- Yusuke's own partner.

They send Yusuke to confront him instead of Sae, buying them time. In this cognitive world, he comes in to see Goro eating from the false Akira's corpse. Through a long, painful discussion- one that involves Goro offering Yusuke parts of his friend, and Yusuke using his kagune in retaliation- Goro admits to genuinely loving Yusuke in his own very fucked up way, but it was overpowered by his want for revenge against Shido. He also admits to the fact that he was going to keep Yusuke out of the charges for the phantom thieves, making sure that he wasn't put on the record for the crimes. Yusuke is deeply conflicted and decides to share only what was necessary. This leads to even deeper conflict and even guilt when Goro is assumed dead after story events.

It becomes less solidified near this point- but the idea is that they later meet again when Goro is dipping in and out of rehab, and eventually reform a very slow bond as Goro grows into a better person- possibly getting back together down the line and opening a small café together that's a safe haven for teenagers- mostly those of the ghoul, foster kid, and LGBTQ+ variety. However that is one of a few results that have been done in this au, another being that where Mishima (who is also a ghoul, and a close friend of Yusuke's due to being able to fully confide in him,) acts on his crush and forms a healthy relationship with Yusuke. Yet another is the slow forming bond Yusuke has with Haru, (another ghoul he knew briefly as a child,) that eventually turns romantic. Another being with that of Akira, as Yusuke is finally able to deal with his ghoul side and push away his desires, to form a balanced relationship. The last being a much sillier option, being with Ryuji, who ends up making such a mirrored relationship with Yusuke's parents that it slightly creeps them out due to just how many similarities there are.

So that's the TGxP5 mega post that's been sitting in my brain since 2020. It was lovingly created from a series of jokes that kept me and my friend sane through miss rona's world tour. There's one fanfic of this au (slightly changed for palatability) that's akekita on my Ao3, which is mostly Tsukihide fics. There's a whole fic for this that's unfinished but idk I might finish someday. If you have any input I would love to hear it and if you think some of this is wildly unhealthy do tell bc I was in a very not good place when I made this so enjoy

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