#aro!kimi

[tokyoghoulaspecs]

[tokyoghoulaspecs]

[tokyoghoulaspecs]

[tokyoghoulaspecs]

[ID: Matching edits of Nishiki Nishio (left column) and Kimi Nishino (right column), each looking at each other and holding out a hand, edited onto the following pride flags: aromantic, alloaro, Nishiki on the aromantic heterosexual flag and Kimi on the aroflux flag, and them both on the bi flag. End ID]

[tokyoghoulaspecs]

Romantic Façade

[ID: A Tokyo Ghoul manga panel that shows Nishiki sitting on his bed, shirtless and drinking a canned coffee, with Kimi laying beside him under the covers. End ID]

Featuring: Straight AlloAro Nishiki, Aroflux Bisexual Kimi Word Count: 500

At first, Nishiki was just using Kimi to blend in. He didn’t care how far their relationship went so long as it was seen as normal from other humans. He wasn’t attracted to this plain-looking girl in the beginning, but after spending some time with her, things changed. Well, somewhat. He began to find her physically attractive, and when they grew to know each other more, they slept together. But he never found her romantically attractive.

Nishiki would have been willing to fake the romance and the love if it meant he could keep their relationship and his secret of being a ghoul. But… it was never really required? Kimi didn’t seem to mind that he wasn’t romantic towards her.

Sometimes, when things felt right, he would do something romantic and over-the-top to "prove" that he was a romantic boyfriend. Like something right out of a romantic drama. And each time Kimi would laugh at him, making him feel like romance was definitely something he was not understanding. But she seemed to enjoy it nonetheless, and her laughing wasn't mean-spirited.

Despite romance being rare in their relationship, it was working out well. They spent time together, talked a lot, and slept together.

“Hey, can I ask you something?” Kimi asked one night, after they had done it. She was lying comfortably in his bed, and Nishiki was sitting up and drinking a coffee.

“Sure.” Nishiki shrugged.

“Are you aromantic?”

Nishiki gave her a weird look, not understanding the foreign word.

Kimi chuckled and repeated it. “Aromantic. It means someone who doesn’t experience romantic attraction like others do.”

Nishiki’s eyes widened, suddenly dawning on him that not only did he not feel romantic love for Kimi, but he hadn’t for anyone, ever.

“I’m aromantic too.” Kimi quickly added. “Specifically, aroflux. Sometimes I’m romantically attracted to people, but it comes and goes and fluctuates.”

“What about sex?”

“You can still be sexually attracted to people and be aromantic. I am. Or some aros can be on the asexual spectrum, and have little to no sexual attraction.”

“How did you know?”

“When I dated my first boyfriend. He was definitely an alloromantic, and he didn’t understand how some days I wasn’t into him romantically. We didn’t work out.”

Nishiki was silent, trying to think back to all the people he was attracted to.

“I’m, um, also bisexual.” Kimi added.

“Oh, huh.” Nishiki said. “Well, I at least know I’ve never been into another dude.”

Kimi chuckled. “You might not be aro. I could be wrong. Only you can figure that out. I just... wanted to tell you that it's a possibility. I know that you’ve been forcing yourself to do romantic things. It’s sweet that you try, but you don’t have to. I really don’t mind it. And I get it. Romance can be really weird and unappealing sometimes. Either way, arospec or alloromantic, I still want to stay with you.”

Nishiki nodded in understanding, unable to help the small smile sneaking onto his face.

Kimi wanted to be with him. It was nice to be wanted. To have someone be willing to stick with you, even though you ended up being different than most people were. Even if this difference that Kimi realized was his sexuality, and not him being a ghoul.

[tokyoghoulaspecs]

[ID: A colored manga panel of Kimi and Nishiki from Tokyo Ghoul:re against aromantic and allo-aro flags. Kimi is in the foreground wearing a lab coat and speaking, and Nishiki is sitting behind her, listening to what she's saying. End ID]

[tokyoghoulaspecs]

[ID: A photo of Kimi Nishino’s manga profile, with the information “Archery (member of High School Archery Club)” highlighted in green in her Likes category. END ID]

Tell me she’s not arospec

[ID: Kimi’s profile image edited against the aromantic flag. END ID]

[tokyoghoulaspecs]

[ID: Alternating icons of Kimi Nishino and Nishiki Nishio from Tokyo Ghoul, using official art from their manga profiles edited onto pride flags. In order, there’s: Aromantic Kimi, Aromantic Nishiki, Alloaro Kimi, Aroflux Kimi, Alloaro Nishiki, Bisexual Kimi, Bisexual Nishiki. END ID]