KITSUNE

➖ Belonging

AKIHIRO KANOU'S INVOLVEMENT WITH AOGIRI WAS KEPT VERY QUIET – ONLY SPECIFIC MEMBERS OF AOGIRI WERE GIVEN THAT KNOWLEDGE. Aya, with the help of others in Aogiri, helped Kanou get comfortable in his new laboratory from which he will continue his experiments. And Tatara promised more human subject for Kanou to play with, as well as new ghoul subject which can help him create new artificial one-eyed ghouls; but Kanou wanted only one ghoul and that was Owl. And Eto had already a plan on how to capture one of the Owls...

And finally after day's work, Aya found a way back into Aogiri's hideout. She was exhausted from all the people and all the thinking and just wanted to relax for just a few hours – have a decent sleep without being interrupted. It was quiet, as it usually was through the day. She could hear every sound the rubber of her boots made against the dirty floor. She ripped the jacket off her body as she came to her room – finally free from its weight and finally able to relax. But that did not last...

Turning on her heels, her head lazily turned towards the direction of familiar presence standing on the doorway of her room. Ayato stood with a troubled face, her eyebrows lowered which made him seem angry and glaring. But even he was tired – just like most of Aogiri. Attack of Cochlea was successful, with minor difficulties. Ayato had minor difficulties – emotionally mostly.

"Heard you had trouble at Cochlea..." Aya commented as she tossed the jacket onto the mattress. "Wanna talk about it?" She crossed her arms across her chest and leaned with her shoulder against the wall.

She could see Ayato's troubled eyes – something happened it affected him, otherwise he would already have said something. He was unusually quiet. Ayato didn't look at her, he knew that if he did he will have to tell her everything that had happened and he was not ready to tell her how weak he was – but he knew she wouldn't judge. Finding out what happened to his father, came as a blow to him and he had never been so overwhelmed by emotions.

"You should have been with us." Ayato blurted out – crossing his arms across his chest, tightly. "It was a mess." He confessed.

Ken came to her thoughts, she worried about him. But she quickly dismissed the thoughts about Ken – she fully focused on Ayato. The boy wanted to break down in front of her, but he didn't allow Aya to see his eyes for her to confirm it. But in the corner of his eyes, he saw worry written on her face – she wanted to step closer, but instead she kept herself at the safe distance; knowing that if she took a step closer to Ayato he will turn away because he was not good a giving or receiving affection.

"What happened?" Her tone was soft, affection even.

Almost, he looked at her – but averted his eyes immediately before they made contact with hers. "I know what happened to my dad."

Arata Kirishima. Father to Ayato and his older sister, Touka. After the death of his wife, Arata tried to live a normal life with his young children in 20th Ward. He would usually collect corpses; until one night he did not return. Touka and Ayato found shelter in Anteiku, under Yoshimura's wing. And they never found out what truly happened to their father. And as it appears, until now.

"What?" Aya murmured, whisper the question silently, signaling him to continue.

Ayato took a deep breath. "Doves..." He answered and finally, he found courage to look at her. "He is a quinque."

Aya understood his pain then – the discovery had an impact on him no matter how untouchable he tried to be. He was still a living being with emotions – yet, he always rejected his own emotions as he through they made him weak. He was cruel to the world because cruelty of this world made him who he is. But he was also hurt – troubled by emotions he didn't know to respond to.