A/N: Hello readers! Thanks for the comments and everything, it really motivates me to write! :) Anyway, sorry for the wait. It's spring break so I've been running around with my friends and doing crazy things that teenagers do during such an opportunity. But here is the second chapter; I hope you like it!

Disclaimer: I OWN NOTHING!

Chapter 2: Ghoul

Touka's hands shook. They trembled against the cup of coffee that she held in her hands. Her eyes were red and tired from endless worry and sadness. Her hair was a mess and her clothes were stained with a wicked crimson.

All in all, she was a mess.

Touka sat alone in her apartment with a freshly brewed cup of coffee, and an even fresher sense of anxiety. She stared aimlessly at the walls of her apartment, but every now and then, she would catch her eyes shifting to the pictures of her and Kaneki that were hung and framed around the room at random. Touka shook her head and tore her eyes away from the memories and the happiness to the phone on the table in front of her, hoping desperately for it to ring.

The blue haired ghoul thought back to a couple hours ago. To when she and Kaneki had been found. To when he was carted off by that doctor. Konou was it? She couldn't remember, or care for that matter. All that did matter was her dark haired friends recovery.

They had told her to go home, to leave her number with them so that when he was in a stable condition they could contact her. She supposed she had gotten lucky, they hadn't asked any questions or for credentials about who she was. After giving her a quick examination on her health, they insisted that she went home and got some rest as she didn't have any injuries for them to tend to.

However angry and reluctant, she did go home. It's not like she could argue with doctors, lest they could get suspicious of her. There she had been, covered in blood, not a scratch on her while Kaneki was bleeding out and another girl was dead. While it seemed fine, she knew it was shifty, and that the paramedics that had instructed her to leave had been giving her wary glances.

So here she was, awaiting the call. Awaiting the assurance that he was going to be okay.

Sure enough, after time and insanity had passed, the phone in front of her began to buzz, and her eyes became alight with hope.

He was floating. Or was he flying? Kaneki didn't know.

All he felt was the warmth of life as it clung to him like a desperate moth to a flame. However he knew, by that principle, if life were to get too close to him he would end up snuffing it out in a flash of fire and ash.

'Well, well, well, look what we have here. It seems a my prey has grown some claws.'

And just like that that once warm feeling of life and risk that had surrounded him vanished, leaving him only with the cold that he had come to know as loneliness. It was something he hadn't felt in awhile, something that haunted his dreams, but never controlled them.

'Huh, this will be interesting. Do tell me dear Kaneki-kun, now that we are one… what shall you do? You are the one in control in this partnership, so what will you do with it?'

There it was, the cold, and the voice that accompanied it. He recognized it, it was a sweet voice, one that could comfort and love. But he also knew it was a saccharin sweetness, one that would mislead him.

But he would let it. Kaneki didn't have the faintest clue why he would let this foreign voice and cold into his mind, but he would. He felt it around him, he felt the touch of madness.

'No answer? That's fair… I suppose this will have to do for now. We have much to do Kaneki-kun, so let's get to work.'

For an odd reason he felt like answering.

'Yes… Rize.'

"You can go inside now. If he wakes up, alert a staff member, okay?" The nurse said, giving her a pointed stare to make sure the message got through to the blue haired girl.

Touka nodded and replied, "I will, thank you."

The nurse moved aside and opened the door for her, before leaving, going to attend other patients.

Touka stepped into the room and felt her heart drop. There he was, the most important person in her life, hooked up to all those machines with a steady beat to signify his life. She felt tears rise to her eyes again but fought them off. She wouldn't cry, not here. She had to be strong now, just like always, for him.

Touka quickly walked to his bedside, pulling up a chair and sitting down. She listened to it. That steady artificial sound that let her know he was alive. It was comforting to her, yet, somehow, saddening.

But she knew all these feelings of sadness and worry were in vain now. The doctors had told her that he was going to make a full recovery. Yet still as she looked on at his prone form with the steady pace of the rise and fall of his chest, she felt worried, anxious even.

He was going to make it, that was for sure. She hadn't asked the details of the medical procedure, she had left it in the doctor's hands to save his life. And she was well rewarded for allowing that faith, here he was alive and well.

All he needed to do was wake up.

But why then does she feel a slight prick of dread when she thinks of him returning to her? The answer was simple, and she knew it all too well. She was a ghoul, and he was a human. Those two species were never meant to get along, yet here they were.

Touka remembered his words. She remembered how they filled her with hope that she may one day tell him. A spike of anger ran through her. But then Rize had to go and ruin everything. But maybe it was for the best.

She replayed his words in her head.

'This... is... real…'

The words he spoke as he held their hands. The words that meant more to her than anything else. Kaneki accepted her, for who and what she is… and for what she must do to survive.

Touka's blue eyes carefully examined her friend. He was a little pale, but not unhealthy looking. But more than examining the outside appearance of her friend, she thought of all the things that made him Kaneki.

He was loyal.

He was innocent.

He was caring.

And he was accepting.

All in all, an amazing person, and an even greater friend.

But even with all those positive qualities, he had a few faults. But those didn't matter because there was one thing that she hated the most about him.

He was lonely, and she never wanted him to feel alone.

Touka took a quick glance at his empty hand lying on the bed sheets. A small smile appeared on her features as she reached out and gently pulled his hand into hers.

"Don't worry Kaneki, you will never be alone. So long as I live, you will always have me."

"And… you…"

Touka's eyes widened in surprise.

"will… always… have…"

Kaneki slowly reached with his other hand and pulled off his respiratory assistance mask. He lifted his head and his eyes found hers. Kaneki gave the blue haired ghoul an innocent smile filled with a promise.

"me…"

Touka stared at him, shock swimming in her mind. But soon enough, a smile found its way to her lips as well and she felt something wet roll down her cheeks.

"Baka." She whispered out.

Kaneki, confused, asked horsely, "What did I do this time?"

Before either saw it coming, Touka surged forward and quickly wrapped her arms around him.

"Touka…" Kaneki whispered as he raised his own arms to pull her in closer.

"Don't you dare leave me again." She hissed into his ear.

Touka then buried her head into the crook of his neck as she held on to him.

"I promised didn't I? I won't ever leave you."

"Good," came her muffled reply.

They stayed that way for a while. Touka, sitting on his lap with her arms around him and Kaneki holding the blue haired ghoul in his arms. It was as if everything was right with the world. As if ghouls and humans could just magically get along. In that moment, everything was perfect.

It had been a few minutes before either of them let go, as if they silently wished to stay in each other's embrace. But they did. Touka had been the first to let go. She slowly left the hospital bed and began to walk for the door.

"Where are you going?" Kaneki asked suddenly.

A light blush fell on his cheeks, embarrassed for sounding so clingy. But Touka turned around, a blush and smile on her face too as if she understood.

"Don't worry, you'll see me soon enough. The doctors here just want to check to make sure you're at 100%."

Touka turned to leave, but stopped upon hearing his voice.

"But… Touka, they'll only find that I'm at 50%."

"What are you tal-"

"Because the other 50% of me... is yours."

A bright blush showed on her cheeks as she felt her face heat up. Her heart started to beat abnormally as it quickened its pace to match its owners feelings.

"Baka." she quipped with a light smile.

Kaneki smiled too, telling her he knew she was joking.

Touka quickly left, shutting the door behind her as the blush faded from her cheeks.

"Damn it Kaneki." She cursed under her breath with a smile, "I guess that makes me at 0%."

In the following days, Touka came to visit Kaneki countless times. Whenever school, had finished, or when she had free time, she would go to the hospital. Whenever she had a break in her work shifts at Anteiku, she would come rushing to his bedside.

For the past days, this is how it has been.

Today was no different in visitation sense, however this time she came early, so they may eat lunch together. Or… for her to watch him eat lunch.

"Hey Touka?"

The blue haired ghoul beside him turned her head away from the window and looked at him inquisitively.

"What?"

"Well, I… I wanted to ask you something." He stuttered out nervously.

"Then spit it out." Touka retorted with an irritated sound in her voice.

Kaneki looked down at the tray of food in front of him. Hesitation to ask his question evident in his silence.

"What's it like, to be a ghoul?"

Silence.

Kaneki immediately felt regret. He shouldn't have asked that. This matter was way too personal for him to know. He was just a human after all. Just as he was about to apologies, Touka spoke.

"It's difficult."

That was all that was needed for Kaneki to know that now was not the time to talk about such things. He reached out to her and placed his hand on top of hers. Their eyes met just like always, saying their peace through years of silent communication.

Blue, 'We'll talk about it later.'

Grey, 'No rush, whenever you feel ready.'

His hand slowly retracted away and went back to the chopsticks in front of him.

Kaneki wasn't a food nut. To him, mealtimes were merely a way for him to restore his energy. Though hamburgers was the one food he really did have a liking for. But the point of the matter is that he never really thought about his feelings on food and eating. It was simply an act for him to follow.

But now, he absolutely disliked eating. Everytime he tried to eat something, it would always taste foul and disgusting. Like he was eating something straight from a sewer. He asked the doctors about this, and one in particular, Dr. Konou had said that it might be due to the stress of a near death experience that is causing his tastebuds to react poorly to food.

The explanation did seem logical, so he supposed he would just have to wait until his "mental stress" was gone. This had been going on since he woke up from surgery, since they brought him his first meal. Of course, he hasn't told Touka yet, he didn't want her to worry about him even more than she already was.

The whole food issue was irritating to say the least, but he would endure it. It could be worse, he could be dead. Or worse… another one of Rize's victims.

Touka had filled him in on his former date, the "Binge Eater." It was shocking and quite startling to think that he had been allured by someone planning to eat him. But what was most disturbing of all was how he had been fooled so easily.

He picked at the food in front of him and poked it around with his chopsticks, contemplating whether or not to attempt to try to eat. Hopefully he could keep it down this time.

"You know, if you don't eat, you're not going to regain your strength." Touka commented.

"Yeah… I know." Kaneki replied dejectedly.

"If you do, then eat." She urged.

She looked at him with a funny expression. He just sat there staring at his food like it would poison him. The hospital food can't be that bad, could it? She wouldn't know.

However, aside from Kaneki's reluctance to eat, Touka had noticed something about him. Kaneki smelled different. It wasn't unpleasant just odd. His normal human scent seemed to be masked by something else. It almost smelled feminine. But of the things he did smell like, a ghoul was the most prominent. While Touka was extremely concerned, she tried not to jump to conclusions.

Kaneki had always smell like a human, he always carried that delicious scent with him. But there had always been a slight scent of ghoul clinging to him, and that was because of her. It was only natural that he would pick up on her scent with all the time they spend together.

But what Touka was sensing off him was not her own scent but Rize's. Any other ghoul just notice a feminine scent, but she had been in contact with the Binge eater, therefore noticing Rize's specific signature on her best friend.

There had to be an explanation. It was likely that with all the time he had spent with Rize, her scent had rubbed off on him, much like her own.

But she wouldn't tell him, letting him know that he smelled like the girl who tried to eat him wasn't very polite now was it?

However, his reluctance to eat combined with his new scent spelled out trouble. She just hoped that what she suspected wasn't the truth.

"Touka…"

"What is it this time?" She snipped.

"I, I… I can't eat."

"What?" she uttered in a deathly quiet tone.

He lifted his head to look at her, "I can't eat anything. Everything tastes-"

"Disgusting." Touka interjected.

"Yeah, how'd you know?" Kaneki asked, surprised.

Touka stayed quiet and stared off into space.

"Touka?"

Touka's head shot up and her eyes were filled with a fire of emotions. She narrowed her eyes as she looked at him.

Kaneki started to worry. Why was she always mad at him?

"Um.. Tou-"

"Kaneki… eat something." She said quietly.

"But Touk-"

"I said… EAT." She said through clenched teeth.

What's wrong with Touka? Why is she so on edge just because of his eating habits? Kaneki was sure that the eating disorder would go away soon. But despite his own thoughts, it was best just to comply with her. Even if he may end up sick because of it.

He tentatively raise a portion of the fish in front of him with his chopsticks. He quickly stuffed it in his mouth in order to get it over with. Who knows, maybe it wouldn't be so bad this time around.

All his thoughts halted as his mouth turned to ash. He felt his eyes begin to water as he tried his hardest to swallow the foul taste. In the end he couldn't. Kaneki quickly leapt from the hospital bed and bolted for the trash can in the corner of the room.

He spat the food from his mouth and dry heaved until his body stopped shaking.

What was that? What was happening to him? Why couldn't he keep anything down? This has to be more than some stress disorder.

Touka watched in horror as her best friend gave her the final sign that what she suspected was true. She quickly rushed to his side, sitting down next to him and holding his shaking body as his insides rejected the foreign source of nutrition.

"I'm sorry, I'm so so sorry." She whispered in a hollow voice.

Kaneki slowly stopped shaking and turned to face her.

"What? Why are you sorry?"

Touka looked away, staying silent as she stared at the floor in dread.

"You're being discharged from the hospital today right?"

Kaneki was so confused. What was happening? Why did Touka look like her world just got flipped upside down? Despite his confusion he answered.

"Yeah, in the next three hours actually. Touka… what's wrong?"

"Let's get you back to bed." She suggested in an order like tone, avoiding his question.

Touka stood up and offered her hand to Kaneki. He took it, letting Touka lead him back to the hospital bed. She herself took the same seat next to the bed.

The next few minutes passed ever so slowly, with the seconds seeming to slow down each time they counted off. Soon the door opened and a nurse came in to take the tray of uneaten food away, but not without say a few words.

"Again Kaneki-san? You really must eat."

Touka watched as Kaneki looked away, a blush of embarrassment on his face. The nurse soon left, closing the door with a soft click.

Touka turned her attention back to the dark haired boy.

"You haven't eaten all week have you?" She asked.

"No, I haven't." He answered, then looked to her with pleading eyes, "Touka, what's going on?"

The blue haired ghoul in front of him gave him a concerned look.

"Earlier, you asked me what it's like to be a ghoul?"

Kaneki nodded.

"Ghouls… ghouls can't eat human food. It tastes… it tastes disgusting to them, to us." She muttered, just loud enough for Kaneki to hear.

A pain in his left eye began to surface and throb with a horrible ache as her words connected with his thoughts. Kaneki lifted up his shirt a little and his gaze drifted down to the surgery incision on his side. He had been stabbed in the chest, so why was the surgery scar on the side of his stomach?

Organs… he needed organs… but from who?

'It seems you finally realized what you are.' A twistedly sweet voice in his head sang. 'You're… a… gh-'

"Touka… what's happening to me?" He asked looking towards her with desperate eyes, interrupting the voice in his head.

She let her blue eyes become delicate as they gave him sympathy. "A crime against you… and the laws of nature."

The hours passed by, and tension in his heart had been building up the whole time they had waited. His mind was a scramble of panic and anxiety as Kaneki and Touka left the hospital. By the time they got outside, the sun was already fading, it would be dark soon. He had changed into the clothes that he had been wearing during his date with… her. It seemed the hospital had been generous, the blood stains were gone and the hole that had been it had been in his clothes was sewn and repaired. The nurse had told him that the Doctor who saved his life had paid for the repairs out of his own pocket.

But that was the least of his worries.

The people around him. The innocent pedestrians, they smelled good. Kaneki hadn't eaten in a week, to say he was hungry would be an understatement. But why then did the people smell good? Why did he have the desire to just reach out and grab one of them.

'Maybe you should.'

That voice, it was back… she was back.

His eyes jumped around as his grey orbs danced dangerously with a hungry fire. Food, he needed food.

Touka watched with worried eyes, as if he was a ticking time bomb set to explode at anytime. Kaneki kept darting his eyes from person to person as he seemed to panic. Touka quickly went to his side, grabbing on to his hand and interlocking their fingers.

Kaneki felt something latch onto his hand and he was brought out of his daze of crimson thoughts.

"Come on, we have to get to Anteiku. The manager will know what to do." Touka urged gently while giving his hand a light squeeze.

The dark haired boy took in a deep breath as he calmed himself down and returned the comforting gesture.

"Yeah… let's go."

By the time they had gotten to their destination, the sun was already setting, casting the two teenagers in a magenta and orange light. They, hand in hand, stood outside Anteiku.

Touka turned to her best friend and looked into his grey eyes.

"Kaneki, no matter what happens in there, we will always be there for each other, right?" She asked with a sense of both confidence and dread.

Kaneki formed a small smile.

"Of course, forever and always."

With those words of comfort said, Touka wore a content yet sad smile. She opened the wooden door and pulled him inside the coffee shop.

"Hello Touka-chan!" Enji called out to her from behind the counter.

As they approached, he soon noticed Kaneki.

"Hey, Kaneki-kun, long time no see. I heard about your accident with that ghoul, I was sorry to hear about that, it must have been really horrible. Glad to see you're doing better."

Kaneki visibly shrunk at the reminder of the reason behind his current situation.

"Thanks, Komo-san." He mumbled.

Before Enji could respond to Kaneki's meek reply, Touka quickly marched up to the counter, Kaneki in tow, with a fiery determination.

"Where's the manager?" She demanded.

Enji was startled by Touka's urgent tone. And immediately lost his charming persona.

"He's upstairs Touka-chan," He said calmly, "is something wrong?"

"Yeah, there is. Now if you'll excuse us, we have to go speak with the manager."

Without allowing the devil ape to say anything else, Touka made her way upstairs, with kaneki chasing after her.

Once the two teens had left Enji let out a tired sigh.

"Kids these days. They never change."

Kaneki sat next to Touka as they both faced the manger of Anteiku who sat on the couch across from them.

"Are you alright Touka-chan, how can I help?" Yoshimura asked, concern evident in his voice.

Touka shifted uncomfortably in her seat, unconsciously slowly edging closer to Kaneki.

"Sir… I, I believe that Kaneki has been turned into a ghoul."

There was a thick silence in the air that suffocated both Kaneki and Touka as they waited for his response.

But Kaneki on the inside was an intense ball of panic and fear. Why were they telling her boss? Was he a ghoul too? Kaneki felt his world spinning. Was Komo-san and Irimi-san both ghouls too? Everything he knew about his life, about Anteiku, about ghouls… would have to be questioned.

Yoshimura turned to Kaneki.

The stare of the older man drew his attention away and he found himself wary and afraid. He was human, would he be killed by the older man in front of him? He rarely saw Yoshimura-san, even with him coming to see Touka all the time. What did the older man think of him? It seemed that Touka was going to lay his fate with the judgment of this man. But if Touka trusted him, then he would too.

"And you Kaneki, do you think you are… a ghoul."

Kaneki felt his heart stop and his blood freeze. This was the question he feared. He didn't want to face this, he didn't want to ask the question, knowing very well what the answer could be.

Every muscle in his body ached to run, every brain cell he had throbbed with anxiety, and his stomach burned with hunger.

The question was simple. Was he a ghoul?

'Yes… you know you are. That scar on your stomach's side proves it. Why deny it anymore?'

And then there was this voice. Rize's voice.

He was Kaneki, the human. But maybe that had changed. Maybe he was something else now. Somewhere in the depths of hell, he had turned. From prey to predator.

But what was his answer?

'Yes.'

"Yes." He finally answered.

Kaneki waited for the older man's reply with baited breath.

"Well then, young Kaneki, I suppose there is only one way to know for sure." Yoshimura replied with a gentle look. "Touka, can you please get Kaneki something to eat? I would like to talk to him."

Touka looked hesitant to leave her friend, but slowly got up from the couch. She knew there was another way than this to see if Kaneki was a ghoul, but Touka didn't want Yoshimura or her to have to stab him with a knife. This was obviously the better alternative.

"Of course sir."

She spared Kaneki one last glance before leaving the room. He watched as she left, until the door had shut completely. Once she had gone, his head swiveled back to his elder across from him. Kaneki gulped, anything could happen now. Touka's calming presence had gone, and now he was alone with a man that seemed to hold his fate.

Yoshimura gave him a gentle smile, in an attempt to ease the young man.

"Now then, I'll be honest Kaneki."

The dark haired bibliophile felt anxiety claw at his soul.

"I... am a ghoul, the whole staff of Anteiku are ghouls. It is true we eat humans, but we are peaceful. We at Anteiku only eat those who have freely given their lives to death. We give food to ghouls too weak to hunt, and too scared to fight. Many of our regulars are ghouls." The older man paused. "However, we do not condone the actions of ghouls like Kamishiro Rize, and others who wish to take more than necessary. We are here to live peacefully, not to use the humans of this world like cattle."

He listened carefully and felt his fears slowly fade. Yet still they clung to him. There were ghouls everywhere and yet he had no idea. It was overwhelming to think of all this. But beyond that, he was curious.

"Why are you telling me this?" He asked.

"Because, I have a feeling that I can trust you."

Kaneki's grey eyes widened in disbelief. How could he trust him? How was this ghoul able to trust a human… or… former human like this?

"And it's not because you smell like a ghoul, or because you are friends with young miss Kirishima." The manager explained.

Kaneki listened intently.

"I trust you because of one simple fact. Kaneki, you are the one thing that I have failed to see in so many humans… kind. While it is true that I don't know you very well, there is something that I have noticed about you throughout all your visits here. Your kindness, it shows in your care for Touka, it shows in your actions for and with others, and it is mostly shown right now."

Kaneki was stunned by Yoshimura's speech. He had no idea that this is what the older manager saw in him. He was pleased, surprised, and curious. But what got him the most curious was what the man said last.

"Sir, what do you mean by, right now."

The old manager laughed and gave Kaneki a compassionate look.

"You believe yourself to be a ghoul, correct?"

"Yes, I do."

"Then you have been one since the day of your accident, and yet you have not been consumed by your hunger. You have not killed for the food you so desire. You must understand, this is your nature now, the nature of every ghoul. And so it is true kindness to refrain from such indulgences." Yoshimura pointed out, "Now do you see?"

Kaneki let the words of his elder sink in.

"Yes."

It was then that the door behind him opened, and a blue haired girl walked in. A smile fell on his face as Touka made her way over to the same couch he was sitting on. However, she was holding a small brown package that was wrapped up with strings.

Touka set the package down and sat down beside him.

His eyes never left the brown rectangular mystery object once it had come into view. For some reason, he was drawn to it. His nose tingled with a funny scent, it was masked because of the wrappings, but he knew it smelled like heaven.

"Kaneki." Touka called.

With a smell like that, it must taste amazing. He felt his stomach rumble. He was hungry, ever so hungry.

"Kaneki." She called again, this time louder.

Unconsciously, he leaned forward towards the little brown package. A mad throbbing in his left eye began to disturb his sanity as the package was all he could think about, and more so what was in it.

"KANEKI!" Touka yelled.

His eyes snapped fully open, the loud voice of his best friend drawing him out of his hunger filled stupor. He looked up from the package on the table and met the eyes of his best friend. But the second he did, Touka's eyes widened and a look of disbelief and awe came over her.

"Touka? What is it?" He asked concerned.

The blue haired ghoul quickly schooled her features and gave him a confused stare.

"One… eye…"

"What?" Kaneki said confused.

"Kaneki." Yoshimura called.

The boy's head turned to the older ghoul.

"Sir?"

"Take this." The manager said, handing him a small hand mirror.

Kaneki felt his heart pound like a broken piston. Constantly moving and functional yet smashing and damaging its inner workings. So many questions ran through his mind. Why would he need a mirror? Unless… it was him that he was supposed to see. What had he become? What was he going to find when he saw his reflection?

Kaneki reached out and took the small mirror. He raised it to his eyes.

A monster. He found, a monster.

On the right was the colors of white and grey, the normal.

On the left, was a horrifying monstrosity of blackened abyss, and crimson nightmares.

And it was him… this horrid creature... was him.

'Beautiful aren't we? I must say… I do like this one eyed nonsense. One eyed ghouls are supposedly stronger. This will help us greatly in the future. What do you think dear Kaneki?'

He was a ghoul. That's what he thought.

"Kaneki?"

His name, that's what this monster's name was. His gaze tore itself away from the mirror and settled on the girl sitting next to him. His arm went limp and he let it fall to his side, the mirror still clutched in his hand.

He looked at his best friend. She was beautiful. She… she wasn't a monster.

Suddenly, without warning, her eyes changed in a subtle rush of black and red, and she was then like him, a monster.

"Touka?"

"It's okay… hey, no matter what… you'll always have me, remember?"

"I… I… of course, of course I remember."

"Then don't cry. So long as I'm around, I won't let you cry. Because… you have me… and I don't ever want to see you in this much pain."

It was then that he noticed the stinging sensation in his eyes, the burn of tears as they fell down his face. He wiped away the tears, but they were soon replaced by new ones.

Touka turned to Yoshimura.

"Sir? Do you mind if we have a moment?"

The old ghoul smiled.

"Not at all, take all the time you need."

Yoshimura swiftly stood up, grabbed the little brown package and left the room without another word.

It was just them now; the two friends who had been with each other through everything.

Touka inched closer to Kaneki until she was next to him, hip to hip. She brought her hand up and wiped away his tears. She gave him a comforting smile and pulled him into a tight embrace, however she let him go quickly. Touka scooted a little ways away and slowly guided his head until it rested in her lap. The boy stared up at her with his mismatched eyes.

Kaneki was in too much shock to perceive what was happening around him. He only knew that he was where he wanted to be. Where he needed to be right now.

With Touka.

She cradled his head in her lap and ran her finger slowly through his hair.

"Touka?" He croaked out.

"Yeah?" She responded softly.

"What was it that you said all those years ago? About how I could live? What was it that I had that allowed me that?" Kankei asked in a hollow voice.

Touka let her kakugans recede as she looked down at him with a gentle smile.

"You have me."

Kaneki's eye slowly faded from its red and black hunger to its innocent grey as he stared up at her. Their eyes met, much like they had done before countless times.

Blue, 'You will always have me, my Kaneki.'

Grey, 'I love you.'

Touka's smile grew and a light blush formed on her face. For some reason, the way Kaneki was looking at her made her really happy.

She looked away and took a glance out the window. The sun had gone down by now and night had taken over. Touka then looked back down at Kaneki. He looked so confused, so hurt and tortured. She made a decision.

Yoshimura could wait till tomorrow. And Kaneki could always eat tomorrow morning.

Touka lifted his head from her lap and moved away. She stood up and walked to the light switch.

Kaneki sat up in confusion and looked at Touka who had walked away. A part of him felt depressed that she was leaving. But another part knew he was being selfish.

So it was to his extreme surprise when the lights suddenly went out, leaving him in the partial dark, the only light coming from the window.

"Touka?"

The dark silhouette of his friend made its way back to the sofa and was close by it.

"Shhh, Kaneki, just rest." The silhouette replied.

Kaneki was about to reply when he felt something lay down next to him. Soon arms pulled him down and he was soon enveloped into the embrace of another.

"Touka, what are y-"

"Shhh. I'm tired." Touka hissed as she pulled him in closer.

Kaneki felt as two soft things pressed against his chest. A blush exploded on to his face as he felt the close contact. Touka snuggled in closer, placing her head on his chest as she listened to the steady rhythm of his life.

His arms tentatively wrapped around her too.

"You'll get through this." Touka whispered softly.

"How do you know?"

"Because, I need you to."

There was a sleepy silence, and Touka had thought that Kaneki had fallen asleep.

"Then I will."

Kaneki's arms that currently encircled her held on to her frame a little tighter. Touka, startled, soon smiled and felt as sleep began to claim her mind.

"Good." she mumbled.

A/N: And here we are, chapter 2. Sorry if this chapter was a drag, or if it was boring and filler-like. All I know at this point is it's 5:29 AM and I really need sleep. So I just really want to get this chapter out, but I will probably revise and update this chapter later. Also, as alway, tell me the wrongs and rights, I really want to get better. Anyway, goodnight, or good morning… whenever you're reading this take care.