Eto sighed, watching yet another fire start in her home because of Naki.
She was prepared for this, having been so long before the first time Naki caused any sort of mess in the house. She side stepped Naki, walking into the hall, and pulling a fire extinguisher from a closet. In a moment, she was dealing with the fire, leaving a mess of burnt wood, leaves, and chemical foam.
“Naki,” she began. “That is not how you ‘light up’ a Christmas tree.”
“That’s just setting it on fire.”
She set down the fire extinguisher, and sat back down on her bed.
“Lighting up a tree refers to decorating it with plastic lights that turn on.”
Maybe they ought to just get a fake tree, she was certain she had seen displays for ones that came pre-decorated.
Naki immediately flopped on his back. In the ashes of his tree he began to throw a tantrum. “This is so hard! I hate it! Why is it so hard! I just wanna spend christmas with you but there’s gotta be so many rules! Why can’t we just light everything on fire that’s so much easier!”
Naki did have a point, but acting like this was not going to be productive to their christmas evening. He also was getting ash and soot all over his bro’s beloved white suit. He jumped to his feet suddenly and looked to Eto once more.
He tried his best to put on a smile. Naki just looked constipated instead. “Come on then! Let’s go get a new tree. I’m going to have to punch some more trees in the woods to find one.”
Eto slowly sat up in her bed, wondering what time it was, and why she smelled…
Ah.
“I’m awake.” She said, looking at Naki with tired eyes. As she took a moment to decipher what it was he wanted, she had to wonder just how he not only managed to pull an entire tree from its roots, but also how he brought it all the way to her home. Oh, hippopatmus, a tree– she figured it out after a moment.
“It’s not Christmas yet. It’s not even December.”
As she spoke, she stood, coming to lean against her bed as she looked at both Naki and the mess he had dragged in. She was tired, so tired.
“… But, I suppose we could start on decorations a little early.”
“Alright, don’t worry I know exactly what we gotta do. I’m an expert this time.” Naki was far from an expert, and in fact anything he was convinced he was an expert in became instantly worrying. He picked up a box of cigarettes from his back pocket and a lighter from his front.
Naki had been told a hundred times never to smoke in Eto’s house, but he always forgot about it. As he lit up, he started to talk. “It’s really to do christ mustard because all of the instructions for it are in songs that you get stuck in your head. So watch me light up the three!”
Naki flicked his lit cigarette backwards. It landed on the tree he had just picked up. Immediately the entire thing caught fire, and Naki smiled at the chaos behind him. “See, I did a good job.”
Naki said as he came charging into Eto’s room. He was carrying a whole tree behind him. From the looks of it, and that there was still dirt clinging to the roots Naki had just pulled it straight out of the ground before coming here.
He found difficulty dragging the whole tree into her bedroom though and abandoned it instead. Naki stomped on the floor to get her attention, he was going so fast though and filled with such energy that he looked like he was doing a little jig.
“Wake up already mum! It’s hippopatmus! I wanna set up the tree!”
“ I ain’t puttin my dick in anyone yours has been in Naki.
Besides, I’m pretty sure Riful showed her thoughts towards
me when she ripped my ribs out. ”
It was such an odd situation. Yamori’s feeling for Riful had been less romantic and bit more obsession. She wasn’t a person to him so much as she was a manifestation of power and domination. In the ghoul’s mind being close to her was like being close to god hood in a sense.
“ How the fuck did you manage to court that bitch
anyway? You gotta tell me Naki boy. ”
"I didn’t put my dick in her. Wait, was I supposed to do that? You gotta tell me about this stuff, big bro I don’t get it at all. I thought you said she was like virgin olive oil.”
If the situation was confusing to Yamori, it was even more confusing to Naki and Naki was the one this whole thing centered around. If somebody asked his feelings about Riful, he would just say she was somebody he wanted to be by forever. The same way he felt about his big bro. He wasn’t smart enough to tell the difference.
“How did I? Well, we got drunk and then Riful demanded that I marry her. Then when she sobered up she got real mad at me for marrying her, but when I said we could just call it quits she got even madder. I don’t really get it big bro, but I’m pretty sure you can marry her if you want to too. It wasn’t that hard.”
He knew immediately after hearing the sniffle what was about to happen. The ghoul had spent many years with Naki, more than any that he was aware of. Wondering how many of these outbursts Yamori been exposed to through out the course of their time together was like asking how many grains of salt there were in the sea. At first Yamori found the tears irritating, doing everything in his power not to kill the boy, later as he put more time and effort into his underling however he began to feel sorry for him. At times the larger ghoul would offer him a neckerchief, maybe a pat on the back and some comforting words. Now however, the ghoul had grown rather numb to his subordinates cries of misery, as they were much like a tornado being sudden, fierce, and then seemingly over before Yamori even knew what had started it to begin with.
Yamori let out a sigh as he listed to Naki cry, the boy’s words were tender and showed weakness. Men weren’t allowed to put there feelings on display like this, all it would ever do is bring misfortune upon them. For a man to show weakness was to offer his victims opportunity, to show his tears were to gift wrap the sharpest of blades to his mortal foes. In this world of savagery there was no place for feelings of sadness, the world was cruel and any afterlife that existed had no reason to be any different. Kaneki had cried, oh he had cried for days. Begged his captor for mercy, begged him to spare the life of the boy and his mother, begged for Yamori to stop every time he sunk his pliers deep into his flesh or sent insects into his orifices. He learned though, over those ten days he learned that the concept of mercy was a paradox of creation, that no matter how much he suffered, no matter how much his heart ached and his bones trembled that no one cared. Just as the deer cried in pain as wolves devoured it, so to did humanity cry out, beckoning for love and protection with not but their own peril answering them back. The only person one could rely on was themselves, thus it was the deer’s fault for being devoured, thus it was humanities fault for suffering each and every day.
Yet even with these cold truths, he refused to share them with Naki. Why? Why did he, Naki’s mentor, refuse to pass down the core of his very thought process? What possible reason was there for him to deprive this boy of his most important lesson? Perhaps it was that Naki had given the sadist hope. Perhaps in those black tear stained eyes Yamori had found something that made him hope the world was not as dark and unforgiving as he had been taught. This boy cared so deeply about his comrades and his so called ‘divine’ leader, even when they didn’t deserve such devotion. His love was unconditional, nothing had bought it, yet it was the fiercest thing Yamori had ever been witnessed to. No matter how much Yamori wanted to bury that side of him, no matter how much he hated the idea of putting his own feelings on display, he knew that as long as Naki remained this way he would never truly lose his mother, the way she loved him, the way she put up with her troublesome son despite himself. The love that came without payment, the love that was boundless as the void and indomitable as a fiery dragon. Perhaps he should tell this dear boy just how much he cared about him, perhaps he should tell him how he was the only source of light in Yamori’s tortured soul.
Wait…
What was he thinking?! NO! Love was a concept as empty and hallow as this disgusting shit stain of a world they lived in! Yamori was beyond these feelings, these lies! How had he been so weak to think otherwise? To dare entertain the thought that he was ANYTHING but a monster, a being of pure malevolence who’s only desire was to bask in the blood and bile of all who had wronged him, or even those that had the potential to wrong him?! There was no hope! There was no joy! There was only hatred and wrath! Chaos and war!
He could still remember it, his mothers body left behind to be made into a weapon. She was weak, she was pathetic and that was why she had been butchered like a sheep. All her lessons, all her love hadn’t counted for shit when the doves gored right through her over and over and over and over and over and over and over again! If Naki continued this disgraceful behavior he’d end up just like her. HE WOULDN’T let that happen.
With a scream filled with agonizing fury, Yamori slammed his fist in Naki’s face, his eyes bulging with anger at himself for his own foolishness.
“ They’re dead Naki! They fucking died like animals! Take that sadness and use it as fuel for your hatred! Hate will give you focus! Do everything you can to make the one’s responsible for their deaths pay! ”
Naki was alone.
His first memories were not of his parents, but of a hunger he felt. Until that point he had been living off of scraps. When another ghoul stole his scraps though, the child remembered how hungry he was and plowed straight into the other fists balled.
He was always alone, nothing but bloodshed and violence filled his life. By some fluke, somehow he still had a name for such a petty existence. He was Naki. No idea how he had gotten it without parents. He probably knew at one point and then forgot it.
Naki only ever knew of violence though. When he finally met another ghoul like himself, one that showed him both love, and violence his brain connected a dot it should not have and assumed the were one in the same.
As the first crunched into his face and Naki fell backwards, all he thought was “Oh, big bro loves me.” The sudden turn of events was not meant with betrayal, or Naki wanting to run away from the pain. Rather, almost innocently, he wanted to understand it. What are you trying to teach me now, big bro. I’m sorry I’m so slow, I won’t get it right away, you’ll have to hit me a few more times.
He thought but he could not say it. There was blood in his mouth, Naki sat back up once more and tried to speak, only for the blood to pour out with a “Bleeeeeeeeh.” Noise. Looks like he couldn’t ask big bro to hit him again. He would have to take matters into his own hands. That was fine, real men spoke with actions and not words. Naki raised his head up slowly in an arc, and then slammed it down into the concrete.
He did it again, and again, until the concrete had cracked entirely, as well with his forehead. When he was finished with that, Naki summoned his kagune up, only to twist it around enough that he could easily drive the pointed end into his own stomach. He tore a chunk out, and then, only then did Naki bow his head and speak. With a growing spot of red in his white suit.
“There big bro, I punished the person whose fault it was for their deaths. The person I hate the most. I committed sodoku.”
Unlike the often fidgeting Naki, who would shift his weight and mumble, as he attempted to listen, Eto was quiet. Furthermore, she gently cardled Naki’s head within her small hands, one atop his head and softly stroking his hair, the other carefully holding his jaw. Rarely did her hands, which instead so often destroyed, do something so tender.
She waited a few moments after Naki finished speaking, considering all of his words and processing them within her mind.
A bunch of angry children? Goodness, just what was going on in Tokyo…?
“I see,” she finally said. “That story… it’s bittersweet.”
Eto then, with little warning, re-positioned herself so that she could embrace Naki.
“No it’s not, it’s entirely sweet.”
He had come to the afterlife and met with all the people he missed after all. They could stay in this city and be happy together forever. Naki was an impatient person and he hated waiting, but even he would wait here in this place for Hoguro and Shousei to show up and join him.
He hoped it would take a long time though, because he wanted them to live long and happy lives even if they were dogs meant to die in the gutters.
WIth that thought, Naki closed his eyes.
“I want to stay here forever...” He muttered as he fell asleep. Immediately after he began to drool on the dress she was wearing.
“I’m certain Eto would wants us to keep burning to the minimum, but I have been wrong before.”
It wouldn’t surprise him if she decided to attack certain parts of the city, they were a terrorist group after all. Also the doves had followed them here as well so who knew what would happen with them. Deep down there was a hopefulness to have a go at the investigators but he’d learned to swallow his more violent side, saving it all for when his master finally gave the order to unleash it all. Oh wait, he lost almost all his power didn’t he? Well he’d be saving it up for that much longer.
“ I’m glad your here Naki, I need all the help I can get at this point. How long have you been here? I heard Eto first arrived a little over two years ago?”
If Naki had been here that long that must mean he himself had grown considerably stronger. So Tatara was the weakest link now? How shameful.
“Ummm.... how long was it again? I forgot!” Naki was famous for forgetting even the details of orders Tatara gave him twenty minutes ago. As the white haired ghoul was not known for his patience, it was a miracle the two of them had lasted for this long.
“A year or so, I think. It doesn’t really matter though because this place is heaven. I think we’re supposed to live here forever.”
Again Naki was babbling about his own ideas moreso than listening to Tatara. Listening was hard after all when you were an idiot. He doubted Tatara paid close enough attention to the middle management of Aogiri to know about Naki’s strong belief in an afterlife, or even the several times he attempted to write letters to his big bro in heaven.
“Yamori’s here too! I bet you’ll be happy to see him right? Anybody would love to see my big boss. It’s been a while anyway, between Rueshima and the 11th ward raid. That’s like three years, or maybe 300, so I bet you missed him a whole lot.”
The ghoul's deep voice filled the room as he sang happily and began rocking in his chair excitedly. The sound of ghouls cheering and drinking was enough to bring up even the worst of kingpin’s spirits. He’d have to take them all out sometime to celebrate this celebration of his amazingness.
“My what a guy, that Yamori!”
Naki immediately turned around to direct the crowd. Even showing some flare in it as he threw his hand up in the air for the flourish of the motion. He looked like a conductor working with his bare hands, and even the idiot white suits could follow him.
“Give five ‘huurahs!’ Give twelve ‘hip-hips!’ Yamori is the best, and the rest is all drips!”
Naki himself broke out for the rest.
“No one fights like Yamo! Crushes lifes like Yamo! When he’s cannibalizing, nobody bites like Yamo! For there’s no one as brainy and brawny!”
He was resistant at first to acknowledge Naki’s attempts to comfort him, but the more the boy sang he couldn’t help but feel his pride returning. Of course he was admired! Of course he was everyone’s favorite! Yakumo Oomari was a true role model, a shining star for all in Tokyo and now Hive city to follow! Not only was he composed, stylish, and drop dead sexy but he also possessed a good temperament. Rize just was too dumb too understand.
With newfound confidence, Yamori turned to face his men, a slight grin spreading across his face when Naki kicked the other. He could always count on his boy to kick him into shape. It looked like his subordinates had a show for him, a show he was more than anxious to watch.
If only Rize were here, she might finally come to her senses.
Naki could feel the mood finally beginning to change. Now it was his time to belt it out.
“No one’s been like Yamo, a kingpin like Yamo! No one’s got such a square looking chin like Yamo!”
He finished by bowing right in front of Yamori again. It was a clear sign for the other to take over. He hoped Yamori would at least feel like singing too, even if he was still upset over Rize.
The larger ghoul was confused at first, but he soon realized his underling was trying to give him some musical pep talk, knowing full well his boss always was in the mood to sing while drunk. He turned away once more, still wanting to sulk over Rize’s dismissive behavior. He was a disgrace.
Naki reached out and began to rub the shoulders of his sulking boss. There had to be something more. He raised his terrible, off sounding voice into a high pitched cry out in song.
“There’s no man in town as admired as you. You’re everyone’s favorite guy! Everyone’s awed and inspired by you,a nd it’s not very hard to see why!”
He turned around and kicked one of the other white suits at the bar. The rest of the white suited crowd, quickly caught on.
“No one’s slick as Yamo! No one’s slick as yamo! No one’s neck’s as incredibly thick as Yamo! For there’s no macho in town half as manly!”
Perfect a pure paragon.
“You can ask any Gagi or Guge! And they’ll tell you whose team they’d prefer to be on!”
He turned back to face the wall, wallowing in self pity. All he ever wanted was for Rize to acknowledge him as a worthy adversary! He was just as powerful as she was, if not more! He was hip! He cool!
“Who you? Never.”
He grabbed Yamori by the shoulder and tried to pull him up. Despite the differences in their width, the strength Naki gained in their years apart made ti easier for him.
“Gosh it disturbs me to see you Yamo- looking so down in the dumps. Every guy here’d want to be you Yamo, even when taking your lumps!”
“ Who does she think she is? That Rize has tangled with the wrong man! No one says no to Yamori! Dismissed, rejected, PUBLICALLY HUMILIATED! Why it’s more than I can bear! ”
