Closer chapter 6
«You’ve got to be freaking kidding me». Ayato was standing on the meeting spot, dressed in all black and with a hoodie to cover his facial features. But he gave up his try to go unnoticed when he saw his sister. Touka had her almost 3-years-old on a stroller with hood so he could be protected from any curious look. She, like her brother, was also dressed in black with her long, black hair covering her right eye as usual and leaving only one purple orb to scan the area from any danger. Ayato moved forward to his sister. He stood for a couple of seconds in front of her. Scanning her and make sure she was okay. Then he threw his arms around her and closed her inside him hug. Took left her guard down and hug her brother back. «Idiot sister… she felt her brother’s chest moving with every sharp breath he took in order to control himself but she didn’t said anything. She left herself feel safe and secure for once since the day she fled Tokyo. She left a single tear travel across her cheek before his shirt absorb it. They stayed like that for a good time before Αyato pop his eyes open and push his sister gently away. «Hmm... so you are alive» He said casually, rubbing his neck and blushing furiously. Touka smiled. Acts of affections wasn’t her brother’s signature but she was more than grateful to know that he missed her as much as she misses him.
«I missed you too» she said looking him directly in his eyes. Ayato’s face dropped and Touka could swear she saw some glassy tears threatening to fall but he managed to keep himself up. Like always.
«Oi, Touka. What kind of things are those you are saying?» His gaze fell on the stroller desperately to change the subject but he wasn’t ready to face that yet.
«You want to see him?» Touka asked quietly. Ayato got shocked.
«So it’s a boy...» he whispered more to himself. Touka went in front of the stroller’s basket and untied Yoru. She picked him up and turn to face her brother once again. Ayato could feel his body shaking from fear and anticipation to meet his nephew. He didn’t know what to do. He should take him from Touka? Touka would give him like that? She wasn’t afraid that he may drop him or worse... He eyes widened when he felt a tiny warm finger poking his cheek.
«Yoru!» Touka scold him quietly and tried to take his hand away but Ayato grabbed it gently and he moved his arms to take the child from Touka’s hold. She let him and now her son was safely tugged in her brother’s big hug. Their eyes were fixated into the other and Ayato seemed in the edge of breaking. Touka smiled sad.
«Yoru...» Ayato repeated and caress his nephew soft cheek. «You know, I always blamed you for dying sister. Your death brought so many pain and darkness in our lives. And when I heard your voice yesterday... I was torn. I should be happy or furious for you fleeing and let us deal with all the loss?» Touka opened her mouth to defend her choice but Ayato continued «But seeing him, alive and well...» he raise his gaze to his sister’s eyes. «I don’t blame you anymore». Touka press her lips together and lower her head.
«I didn’t... I thought...» She brought her palms on her face crying quiet. She poured all the fear, all the pain, all the regrets into those tears. Ayato knew she needed that. He was blaming Hinami for making him soft but it wasn’t Hinami’s influence that make him letting his sister have a mental breakdown in front of his eyes now. He knew she need it. Blood speaks louder than everything, Kaneki’s words were echoing in his mind now. His brother in law was always referring to the blood they were shedding when he was saying that but Ayato was feeling the meaning of those words run deeper into his soul. He placed one hand on her shoulder and pushed her straight on his chest. He let her cry her eyes out in peace, while he was there, protecting them both from any harm. Because that was his duty now. To protect his family.
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«I don’t like that Kazuki guy» he said as he took another sip from his warm, black coffee. They were sitting in a tiny café at the end of the street.
Touka explained everything to him from the moment she heard on the transmission that Kaneki was dead. Ayato was listening her words carefully while being in constant alert. Yoru was sitting on his lap, watching quiet his picture book. He refused to let him from his arms when they sat to the little café and, Τo be honest, that made Touka suspicious but it let it pass. There were only two other couples outside the store so they took a quiet table inside, far away from the big windows.
«He is a mini Kaneki». Ayato mumble after a while when Yoru fell asleep against his stomach with his book in his hands. Touka got up and picked her son. She put him inside the stroller and tugged him. She sat on her chair again.
«He is…» she said with her voice low and took a sip from her own cup.
«He lost his mind, sister…» Touka swallow hard closing her eyes. She knew that the time had come. The time that Ayato would share his news. And they all involved Kaneki. «When Tsukiyama saved his ass from that ambush... He searched all the underground for you. I could never describe you that night when he found the kids...» Touka cover her face with her palms. She wanted to scream him to stop she wanted to know. She needed to know. «It was like earth and sky was mourning with him. I still hear his screams in my ears some nights. The scales on his body were eating his flesh more and more. You saw him on the news, didn’t you? » Touka nod «I don’t know how many nights he remain there. Hinami and I, staying by his side without talking too, protecting him. But I can clearly remember the day when he woke up. CCG send a scouting mission to check our dead I guess. Hinami and I release our kagune to fight but we both were too weak that we barely stand. And then it happened». Ayato rubbed his face tired, overwhelmed from the memories and feelings he was trying to suppress. «Spears in the shape of crosses were unleashed by his kagune, piercing the CCG members everywhere. He vaporized them. He made them turn into dust. We knew he was powerful but that... that scared the crap out of us, Touka. And then he turned to face us and his eyes... Damn, his eyes, Touka, were like made of glass. I could see the craziness inside them. But I knew better. He didn’t choose the craziness. Your loss was too much for him to bear sister. You were the only thing that kept him sane. And you left. And he wanted revenge. And along him, me and Hinami wanted revenge». Touka raise her gaze to him. «I killed so many people Touka. And with ever kill, the hollow in me grew bigger. And then Tsukiyama announced us the plan. To take over everything the humans stole from us. Hinami said you would never approve that and Kaneki lost his cool. He attacked at CCG headquarters that night». Touka couldn’t hear anymore. She signal him to stop. Ayato ignore her. «His life isn’t the same after you sis. He doesn’t leave his room only for the attacks. I don’t need to be a fucking shrink to know that he is in excruciate pain. Only Tsukiyama and Hinami are allowed to visit him in his chamber and every time she leaves that room she is freaking broken.» That caught Touka’s attention and look at him with terror. Ayato understood what she was afraid of and comfort her. «No he doesn’t hit her. I would knew that. But she is refusing to tell me what they are doing in there. He doesn’t even talk to me Touka. He is avoiding me because he thinks I blame him from your death».
«Do you? I mean, if I was...»
«I did, at first. But I know you and I couldn’t blame anyone from your death besides your stupid head so...» They remain silent after that for a while. Both enjoying their coffee and the peace. The sky was getting darker now, a sign from the upcoming rain. «You will marry that Kazuki guy? » Touka spit her coffee directly onto his face. He grimaced and wipe his wet skin with a napkin.
«Are you an idiot? I am already married remember? » She asked furious.
«Yes, but since your husband is a crazy piece of s... » Touka stand.
«Ayato, I swear I will punch the hell out…» Ayato lower his head and made Touka stop her motion midair.
«You will return to us? » Touka sit again and sight.
«I want for Yoru to meet his father. And… if he still wants me… » she close her eyes. That wasn’t a discussion she could make with her younger brother. Maybe both of them grew inside the war, maybe they never truly hate each other and it was just a mask but he was still her little brother. Her insecurities and second thoughts weren’t his and he couldn’t care less.
«I can put you inside the mansion, you know».
«I was thinking coming with the others, the day they will present themselves in front of Kaneki». Ayato nod his head as a no.
«Too dangerous. Most of our guards don’t know you, they are ruthless. They could take Yoru from you by force». Touka’s exposed eye glow red for just a second. «I would never allow that. We need back up».
«Actually, we need a plan». Both of them turn to face the man that spoke to them behind the shadows. A warm smile spread into Touka’s lips. «And the Kirishima siblings aren’t known for their plans». Nishiki smiled warm at both of them.