Kaneki x OC | A Twist Of Fate

nine

"Where the hell is Kaneki?" I pulled Ayato to the side harshly. "No one's seen him for days"

It had been almost a week since Cochlea, the mission proved a success for most, but not for me. I wished I had taken Kaneki's advice and stayed behind. All I had been able to think about since we arrived back at headquarters was the state I had seen my best friend in. It haunted me.

"Don't touch me, brat" Ayato spat. "I don't know where your damn boyfriend is"

I walked through the dreary corridors, trying to find Riko. I hadn't seen her since before we went out on that dreadful mission. But to my surprise, she was nowhere to be found.

I was about to give up hope and retreat to my room when a familiar figure approached me. He was wearing a white suit and a sickening half smile on his face.

"Hello, pretty little witch" Naki grinned.

I spun around. "The hell did you just call me?"

"Oh, haven't you heard?" the sinister man faked surprise. "I thought you knew!"

"Knew about what?"

"Your new nickname!"

"Nickname? What are you talking about?"

"When the CCG deem a ghoul strong enough" Naki hummed "they give them a nickname. Your buddy Kaneki's is eyepatch, Ayato's is the black rabbit, you see how this works?"

Kaneki's name sent a shiver down my spine.

"You've lost me" I sighed.

"They're calling you witch" Naki giggled.

"What the hell's so funny?" I snarled. "I look nothing like a witch"

Naki shrugged. "It's a beautiful nickname. You should be grateful! You're making waves around here little witch"

I rolled my eyes. "So is that all you wanted, Naki?"

"No actually, I came to find you regarding your friend, Sakura Riko"

I paused for a second, before realising that all this time I had never thought to ask for Riko's first name. I made a mental note to ask her if it was fine to use it, it was very beautiful after all.

"Oh? Do you know where she is?"

Naki looked at the ground for a second, before looking up and giving me a sickly smile. He held his hand out to me, he was holding something.

I took the object from his hand and looked at it.

A mask.

"What's-"

I froze.

The mask was small and dainty, decorated with synthetic flowers. There was a tiny splatter of blood on the bottom half.

"Is this Riko's?" I whispered, unable to take my eyes off the mask.

Naki stifled a giggle. I could have punched him right there and then for his disrespect, but it wouldn't achieve anything. He was batshit crazy, and I suppose he found emotion amusing. The crazy man was the least of my worries right now.

"So sorry for your loss"

...

I sat on the roof of the Aogiri headquarters, alone. The sky was grey and the clouds looked so full of rain it was as if they were about to burst. My legs dangled over the edge, just a shuffle away from a deadly drop onto the high street below.

I caressed Riko's mask in my hand, staring down at it. I hadn't cried, yet. I was disappointed in myself for not being able to save her, in fact, I didn't even think about my friend once on the Cochlea mission. All that occupied my mind that day was Kaneki, and he hadn't even bothered to show his face since.