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darkangelonthemoon · 7 years ago

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Title: Lucky Me

Summary: The idea of telling Touka the truth filled Yoriko with dread every time.

Prompts: Day 2 — Roleswap / Stars / “That’s no fair!”

Notes: I did not expect this story to be so long. Hope you like it.

Yoriko’s heart was pounding so hard that she wondered if Touka could hear it. But no, just like always, Touka gave no indication that she thought anything was wrong. No indication that she could sense the inner turmoil raging on inside of Yoriko.

With a quiet gulp, Yoriko forced herself to remain calm as she asked Touka to repeat what she said, hoping there had been some miscommunication. Touka ate the rice ball in her lunch and said as calmly as before, “I’m going to join the CCG.”

That’s what Yoriko thought she said. Yoriko plopped a tomato in her mouth, swallowing it quickly before pretending to chew. She needed that moment to think.

“Why?” was all she could ask but she already knew the answer.

“Because ghouls are dangerous.”

Yoriko sighed through her nose, wishing she had something else to say to Touka. All that came out was a weak “Not all of them.”

Touka chuckled. “That’s the great thing about you, Yoriko. You see the good in people, even the ones who don’t deserve it.”

Yoriko knew that was supposed to be a compliment but she didn’t feel it. All she felt was sick to her stomach. She knew that the CCG wasn’t what it used to be, that they were meant to monitor and not just hunt down and kill but...it was still terrifying. It was true that there were still ghouls out there who slaughtered humans for fun but the reverse was always still true. Touka wouldn’t...wouldn’t turn into that, right?

“Why...” Touka looked at Yoriko and she had never been so scared to talk to Touka before. “...why can’t you just...leave it to them? Do something nicer? Less...dangerous?”

Touka didn’t respond to that, choosing instead to look to the ground. Yoriko wasn’t sure what she expected and was going to let it go when Touka grabbed her hand. Yoriko’s cheeks went pink and she looked at Touka whose attention was still focused on the ground.

“I...I see so many stories on the news about ghouls and the people they’ve killed and all I can think is...” Touka’s cheeks went red as her grip on Yoriko’s hand tightened. “...is how I can’t let that happen to you...because you’re all I’ve got.” Yoriko blinked and Touka risked looking her in the eyes; she looked...scared but her next words were full of conviction. “And as long as I’m alive, I’ll never let anything hurt you.”

Yoriko should have been happy, should have felt the butterflies in her stomach. Instead, all she could do was smile, hoping it didn’t look as forced as it felt.

“Lucky me.”

“You gotta tell her.”

Yoriko groaned as she placed her newest pastries in the counter window. She was really proud of how these came out. They tasted like garbage as far as she was concerned but they looked super cute. The irony of a ghoul who loved to cook would never be lost on her.

Once she finished, she looked over her shoulder to see Hide and Kimi, both giving her the ‘You need to do it’ stare.

“I will,” she said, but she knew it wasn’t convincing since that was what she always said.

Hide sighed, leaning against the counter. Luckily it was a slow day so no one seemed to mind that the three weren’t focused on their jobs. Kimi sat on the stool near the counter, just staring at her.

“I will. I just...” Yoriko wasn’t sure what to say because she knew that there was no real time left.

Kimi broke her stare, looking at the ground. “Yoriko, we understand you’re scared but--”

Yoriko cut her off. “But you don’t hear her. What she says about us...” Yoriko whimpered the next part, her chest tight. “...about me.”

“And that’s why you have to tell her,” Hide explained, putting a hand on Yoriko’s shoulder. “You have to tell her before it’s too late.”

“Too late?” It was phrased as a question but she knew what that meant.

Kimi let out a resigned sigh. “Imagine it.”

Yoriko was sent flying into the wall before she collapsed to the ground. She watched as Touka strolled up to her, the Quinque she had just used to impale her dripping with blood. Touka...how could she look so beautiful even when she was about to kill her?

Yoriko let out a bitter chuckle and was rewarded with a kick into her open wound. Touka grabbed at her hair and screamed, “What the hell are you laughing at?!” When Yoriko couldn’t respond, that only further angered Touka. “Answer me! Look me in the eye and answer me!”

Touka’s hand moved from Yoriko’s hair and ripped the mask off of Yoriko’s face. The anger faded, buried under shock which gave way to terror.

“Y-Yoriko?”

Yoriko smiled, wanting to make Touka think that it would all be better. “h-hi...” was all she could get out before she coughed up blood.

“Oh my god. Yoriko...Yoriko, no!” Touka took off her jacket and pressed it against Yoriko’s wound. “Y-Yoriko...it’s-it’s okay...y-you’ll be o-okay.”

That was what broke Yoriko. Not the pain, not the fear of death, but hearing Touka so scared.

“T-Touka...” Touka looked at her, tears pooling in her eyes. Touka never cried. Why did she have to cry? “I...I love you.”

Touka froze, the tears seeming to stop in her surprise. Yoriko closed her eyes and Touka just shook her. “Hey, no! No, don’t--don’t you dare!” But no matter how hard she shook, Yoriko didn’t open her eyes. “No, please, no! Yoriko! Yoriko!”

Touka cradled Yoriko in her arms as she let out a shattered cry:

“YORIKO!!!”

“And scene.”

Yoriko and Hide stared at Kimi in a mixture of horror and awe. They were broken out of their trances from the bell over the front door ringing followed by a soft but clear “Good afternoon.”

Hide turned to the door before hopping over the counter and running to his best friend. Grabbing Kaneki by the shoulders, he shook the other boy and shouted, “Kaneki, don’t you ever lend Kimi another one of your books!”

Kaneki could only stutter out, “B-b-but I...I have the new T-Takatsuki Sen book!”

“NEVER!”

Hide stopped shaking Kaneki when he was hit on the head. Nishiki just glared down at the blonde, almost growling, “What are you telling my girlfriend not to do?” He then turned to Kimi who gave him a wry smile. “What did you do?”

Kimi feigned hurt as she placed a hand to her chest. “How could you accuse me of such things? I thought you loved me.” Nishiki mumbled something and Kimi held a hand to her ear. “What~? Couldn’t hear you~”

Yoriko watched the four and couldn’t help but smile. She was really glad that her friends were so happy, that they had found people to accept them.

She knew the stories. Hide and Kaneki had been friends since they were kids and Hide told Kaneki when they were in high school, old enough to decide what he wanted to do with that information and though there had been friction, the two never left each other’s sides. Kimi told Nishiki a while after they started dating, saying she didn’t care if he turned her in because he was her reason for living. Apparently, Nishiki called her an idiot and they’d been together ever since.

She knew it was possible, knew that if a person loved you that they’d be okay so why was she still so terrified? That question haunted her thoughts for the rest of the day. Once Anteiku closed, the group headed their separate ways: Hide and Kaneki were going to the park, Kimi and Nishiki were going to a new restaurant and Yoriko waited at the front door for Touka so they could go see that new movie she was expecting.

Touka had said she’d be a bit late because of a group project and demanded that Yoriko stay at Anteiku until she got there. Yoriko just smiled as she waited, playing a game on her phone. Once she finished a level, she glanced at the time in the corner.

8:02.

It was only two minutes past when Touka said she’d be there so she shouldn’t worry but something was bubbling up in the pit of her stomach. Walking in the direction Touka would have to come from, Yoriko started calling.

“Pick up. Pick up,” she pleaded. All she got was a voicemail and that was when Yoriko broke out into a sprint. As she rushed down the empty sidewalk, she kept one ear focused on her cellphone while the other was waiting for any sign of...

She stopped once she heard a familiar ringtone. Turning towards the alleyway, Yoriko cautiously crept forward, the anime theme still playing. Once she turned the corner, all she saw was red.

No, rather, all she saw was Touka on the ground, her arm bending in a way that arms shouldn’t bend. And a ghoul who had no business being anywhere near her, laughing about humans and how they needed to know their place on the food chain. It took a moment before he noticed Yoriko standing there.

“Eh? Who are you?” Yoriko said nothing, her gaze focused on Touka. “Ah, you want a piece. She tried fighting but you know humans, so weak.”

Touka looked up and when she saw Yoriko, the fear became evident. “Yoriko, run!”

The ghoul order Touka to be quiet before he reached for her and that was when Yoriko snapped. She let out a blood-curdling scream as she rushed him, Kakugan blaring. Tacking the ghoul into a wall, Yoriko pinned him by his neck with her forearm.

“Don’t you touch her,” Yoriko growled. The ghoul tried to argue and Yoriko pounded his head into the wall. “This isn’t your territory! She isn’t yours! Come near her again...” Yoriko’s Ukaku flared from behind her, crystallizing and ready to strike. “...and I’ll kill you.”

She could see the ghoul tremble under her glare and she let him up. The ghoul didn’t say anything as he ran away to whatever sewer he crawled from. Yoriko took in a deep breath, forcing herself to calm down.

She froze when she heard “Y...Yoriko?”

Yoriko could feel her Ukaku wilt as she stood in place. She couldn’t turn around; she couldn’t see what Touka would look like. How’d she...

“Yori--”

“I’m sorry!” Yoriko screamed before she ran down another alleyway, leaving Touka crying out for her. But Yoriko didn’t stop, not until she had gotten at least several blocks away. Once she was sure she was alone, she pulled out her cellphone again. “H-hello...I-I’d like report an injured person...”

Yoriko sat on her sofa, curled up into a ball. She didn’t know how she found her way back to Anteiku but once she had, she refused to leave her room. Hide had found out about the ghoul, saying he was a vagabond who traveled between territories for whatever humans were available. He probably wouldn’t show his face again but the damage had been done.

It had been days. Plenty of people from school called, wondering where she was and asking if she had heard from Touka. No, she hadn’t. Touka hadn’t called her once. And Yoriko wasn’t surprised.

knock knock

Uncurling herself from her ball, Yoriko walked to the door. It was probably Kimi again with another cup of coffee. Opening the door, Yoriko felt the words die in her throat. Touka stared back at her, one hand raised to knock. She lowered her hand, staring at Yoriko as if she hadn’t expected her to open the door.

Yoriko just stared back at her, taking in the disheveled appearance. The bandages on her face, the cast around her arm. They were by...by a ghoul...someone like...

“I’m sorry!” Touka blinked and Yoriko couldn’t stop crying. She didn’t know what else to do. “I’m sorry. I’m sorry that...that I...”

“You idiot!”

Yoriko flinched, shutting her mouth. That was when she noticed the tears pooling in Touka’s eyes. Why...why was Touka crying? Touka covered her face, probably to hide the tears from her.

“You’re sorry? For what? God, I’m the one who’s sorry, Yoriko.” Yoriko just looked confused; Touka could see that when she moved her hand and asked, “How many times did I say something about how I didn’t trust ghouls? How many times did I scare you?” The tears started to fall as she asked, “How many times did I make you think I hated you?”

Yoriko couldn’t answer; she just stared at Touka who continued to to cry and apologize. Silently, she raised her arms and risked wrapping Touka into a hug. Touka clung to her with her one good arm, sobbing into her shoulder.

“You’re not supposed to be comforting me. I’m the one who...I...” Touka couldn’t finish her sentence as she muttered, “Damn it.”

This was not what Yoriko expected. She had to make sure. “You...” She took in a deep breath. “...you don’t hate me?”

"...How could I ever hate you, dummy?”

There was no bite to it and that was all Yoriko needed before she laughed, clutching Touka tighter while minding her broken arm. All that worry, all that trouble...for this? The two stayed in their embrace for a while before Yoriko invited Touka inside. Maybe it was okay but they still had to talk...didn’t they?

The two sat on Yoriko’s couch. “Would you like something to eat?” Yoriko offered. Touka looked at her, confusion evident. Yoriko raised an eyebrow before realizing what her newfound knowledge meant. “Oh, no, don’t worry. It’s all human food. I don’t keep what I eat in my room, except coffee and even that’s completely normal and--”

“Yoriko.” Yoriko stopped talking and Touka sighed, a small smirk on her lips. “Not worried about that. I just don’t get why you have it. I’m rarely here so...”

Yoriko blushed, avoiding Touka’s gaze. “I...I like cooking. I like...people’s faces when I do.” Yoriko scratched her cheek, feeling embarrassed anytime she said it. “I know that’s weird but...it’s nice.”

“Nah, that sounds like something you’d do.” Yoriko caught Touka’s eye and couldn’t stop smiling. It was like nothing had changed. Touka smiled back but it was gone with her next question. “I’m sorry I didn’t call you.” Yoriko was going to tell her it was okay and Touka shook her head. “It isn’t okay. I know I hurt you. While I was in the hospital, all I thought about was you and how...how I should have...I should have known better.” Touka gripped her pant leg as she let out a disgusted scoff. “You deserve better.”

“That’s not true!” Touka turned to Yoriko and Yoriko covered her mouth, just as surprised. But she couldn’t just let Touka say that about herself. “You...you always talked about wanting to protect me, protect others because you were amazing and I...” Yoriko reached out for Touka’s hand and smiled when Touka met her halfway, interlacing their fingers. “...I was a coward.”

“I didn’t make it easy for you,” Touka said, eyes focused on their intertwined hands. “It’s no excuse but...I never would have...” Touka’s grip tightened. “...I promised nothing would ever hurt you...and I’m going to be better so I can keep that promise.”

Yoriko just held Touka’s hand, knowing that Touka was going to keep this promise. That they were going to be okay but there was still something to do. Because Yoriko...

Yoriko was done hiding from Touka.

“Can I...show you something?”

Touka looked up, curious. Closing her eyes, Yoriko took in a deep breath before she looked at Touka with her Kakugan activated. There was no immediate reaction, just Touka staring at her. Yoriko wanted her to say something, anything. Instead, Touka released Yoriko’s hand and used it to gently cradle Yoriko’s cheek.

“I’ve heard people say ghouls had some kind of ethereal beauty or something. I thought they were dumbasses.” Touka caressed Yoriko’s cheek and Yoriko couldn’t help but close her eyes and relax into it. “Guess they had a point.”

Yoriko couldn’t help but chuckle. “Have a thing for ghouls now?”

She head Touka scoff, “...No.” That was when she felt something soft touch her forehead. Yoriko’s eyes shot open as Touka backed away, her cheeks a lovely pink. “...Just one.”

Yoriko just stared at her before she laughed and tackled Touka into a hug that she was certain she’d never let her out of.

Anteiku’s door opened and the ghoul trio looked up from their work. Kaneki walked in with a big smile.

“Good afternoon.”

Hide waved. “Yo, Kaneki! The usual?”

Kaneki nodded and Nishiki followed in behind, grumbling, “You’re too fucking loud, Nagachika.”

Kimi laughed as she finished the cappuccino she was making. “Be nice.”

Yoriko smiled to herself when she saw Touka walk in behind Nishiki, giving him a small shove. “Move it, shitty Nishiki.”

“What’d you call me?”

“Guys, please.”

Yoriko laughed as the three humans went to their usual table, bickering all the way. She glanced at Hide and Kimi whose faces were filled with the same love and adoration hers had to have. She turned back to the table and when she caught Touka’s eye, what else could she say?

“Lucky me.”

#Tokyo Ghoul #Touriko Week #Tourikoweek #Touka Kirishima #Yoriko Kosaka #Touriko

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