It was boring in the café, as always. At least, Iza thought so. It always was boring these days; ever since Kaneki quit working there. Apparently Touka thought so too- if the tapping of her fingers on the tabletop was any indication.

The blonde girl sighed heavily, dropping a few extra coins in the tip jar and leaving- nodding in acknowledgement of the old manager's thanks. There was something they weren't telling her- something to do with Kaneki.

There had always been an odd air surrounding that café- but the employees didn't try to talk to her, the coffee was good and most importantly, Kaneki was there. So she had gone in anyway.

Once home, she flopped down on her bed, absently braiding leather. She had a habit of doing it when she was depressed, and often made jewellery out of it. Her Cherokee grandmother had shown her how to make dream catchers but it was complicated and as such she had forgotten it almost immediately. She'd only been able to make one.

But of course, he'd disappeared right before she could give it to him. She had noticed he'd been looking rough, and hadn't been going to school much. She wasn't a superstitious person but didn't know what else to do. The new white colour of his hair wasn't really an idicator of health. She wasn't sure why anyone would dye their hair like that. Especially not Kaneki- he didn't seem like the type.

Realising her thoughts had caused her to end up practically off her bed, she pulled herself back upright, then grabbed her phone. She sent a quick text to Hide- and his reply a few moments later informed that he had no idea where he was either.

She sighed, stretching out on her back. It was getting dark and she was so bored- she wasn't the outgoing type, and as a result had few friends. She didn't go out much.

Standing up again, Iza pulled on a thick sweater and left her room through the window. It was something she did often- her parents weren't fans of letting her out after dark. Who could blame them, what with all the gruesome murders occurring around here lately? However, the nervous, quickened pace of her heart was exactly what Iza sought on these cold winter nights.

Kaneki had always been able to tell somehow when she was sneaking out. He'd always text her, warning her to stay inside. She'd always refuse, knowing he'd insist on letting him come and meet her if she was going to wander the streets at night. He'd insist that she needed someone to protect her- thought it was only recently that he'd stopped being more scared than she was on nights out like this. She missed those times.

She ruffled her hair back out of her face, irritated by it's length. She pulled a few strands of the blonde straight out in front of her eyes not realising as she walked straight down an alley until it was completely dark around her.

Noticing the sudden change in light intensity, she quickened her pace. No doubt it would be quicker to continue down to the other end of the alley. Should be more iinteresting, too. It had to come out somewhere, and would give her a scenery change.

That wasn't what happened.

"You have a nice smell." A voice whispered in her ear. Cold hands grabbed her arms. "Anyone ever tell you that? Kind of earthy." Iza could turn her head just enough to see the gleam of white teeth over her shoulder. "No wonder you're protected."

Though it usually took a lot to get the blonde to show her fear, this man seemed to draw the rapid shakes out of her like a block of ice wrapping her body. Erasing all of her heat. Something in her knew this was wrong, this was dangerous- and made her struggle in his grip, though she knew not why. "Get off me!" The strength she so wanted in her voice just barely came through.

"Itadaki masu--!" The man said playfully, and then, just as she went to demand what that meant, he dug his teeth into her shoulder. They hadn't looked sharp, but they pierced through like her flesh was butter and hurt more than any pain she had ever experienced. The cry that tore from her was one of agony, and Iza was unsure whether the darkness in her vision was caused by the night or by her blacking out from the pain. She was only human.

When she became aware of her surroundings again, the sky was swaying above her. She groaned. "Am I dead..?" Surely death wouldn't hurt this much- that'd be a bit of a kick in the teeth.

As her senses slowly came back to her, her swirling eyes drifted to see a familiar face looking down at her, stern. She quickly decided she'd happily take the pain.

"I warned you not to go out at night on your own." Kaneki said quietly, hand squeezing slightly on her arm.

"S...sorry." Iza uttered, wide eyes fixed on him, afraid to look away in case he was a figment of her imagination. It was entirely possible with the state she was in. "Are you... is this..." she struggled with words, attributing it to the bloodloss. "I'm not hallucinating, am I?"

"Why would you hallucinate about me of all things?" He replied, frowning at her. There was something dark in his expression that wasn't there before.

"Wouldn't be the first time..." she said whimsically, honesty brought on by the somewhat clouded state of her mind. It didn't matter, anyway. It wasn't like Kaneki was really here- it was too convenient. No doubt that weird guy had killed her, and now the one person she most wanted to see was, in short, seeing her off.

Kaneki stared at her, frowning, as she slowly realised the scenery had changed. She was in her bedroom. He turned, going to exit back through the window, until a soft call stopped him. The usually proud Iza leaned after him, eyes beseeching.

"Don't go, Kaneki. Stay with me." The scent that surrounded her was almost too good.

"I can't." He choked out, sounding more strained than he had hoped.

"Please." He stared at her a long moment, then sighed. He didn't understand how it was always so difficult to resist her will. He sat down on the windowsill, keeping the window open. The breeze relieved him of some of his painful desires.

"Kaneki..." his view of her was blocked by her bedposts and pillows, but he could hear her quiet whisper clear as day. He'd not gone a day without seeing her anyhow- it was her voice he'd missed most. He'd been watching her, protecting her- their association and his infamy had made her a popular target. In the Ghoul community she was well-known as his weakness. It was his fault.

"What'd that guy mean... protected?" She rolled onto her front, hissing in pain as she did. It was obvious she was still half sure she was actually unconscious.

"Because you are... by me."

Was what he wanted to say. But he could never. "Who knows." The less involved she was, the better- at least, that's what he told himself.

She grunted her displeasure, those cyan pupils burning into him. Since becoming a Ghoul, he always felt that those eyes were the one thing he could never lie to. It seemed like they could always see through it.

Like he was used to lying to her, it seemed she was used to not asking questions. But she was not prepared to let the next one go, the white haired male could tell. "Why'd you disappear?" Kaneki remained silent, unsure how to answer. "You didn't even text me once... even a small 'Hi, I'm alive' woulda been good enough..." her words were slightly slurred. She was close to unconsciousness.

He dared move off his windowsill, kneeling by her bedside. "I couldn't." He finally answered. "I'm not the same as you... I don't belong anymore."

She frowned, then slowly dragged herself to sit up. He moved to support her, finding difficulty in ignoring the impact her scent had on him.

Using one arm to support herself, she gently poked his nose. "I see a nose, same as mine." She ran a thumb underneath his eye, along the cheekbone, "Eyes; two of them, like me." She pushed his hair back to touch his ear lightly, "and two ears. Just like me." She hugged him tightly, "Do I need to go on?"

He tensed. If he'd thought her smell was painfully delicious before, up close like this was agony. He didn't dare move, painfully aware of how close his mouth was to her soft, supple neck. He could easily reach out and bite into her, feel her blood jumping through her body as he pulled her apart...

He shoved her away quickly. She cried out in pain, and he immediately froze again, guilt wracking his body. He was bringing pain to her. Again. Sure, he'd bandaged her, but if she hadn't known him in the first place...

"I'm sorry." He gritted his teeth, lowering his head into his hands, "I'm so, so sorry..."

"Kaneki... I'm not hallucinating, am I?" She said quietly. He shook his head. "You'd be a lot happier if I was."

"I'm sorry..."

"Quit apologising, idiot." She was starting to sound more like herself, "Let me enjoy this moment before you disappear off the face of the Earth again."

He slowly looked up at her. She had a smile on her face. "Sorry, guess I'm bumming you out, huh?"

"Yes." She laughed. "But you've never been the most cheerful of people, anyway."

She slipped off the bed and sat down beside him, reaching to take his hands. She moved warily, seeming to detect how he tensed as she moved closer. He was watching her face with wide, scared eyes.

"What's with the white hair, anyway?" She asked, grinning, attempting to distract him, "You look like an old man."

She gradually moved closer to him, using the talking as a distraction technique.

"Yeah, well, y'know..." he stammered, noticing how close she was getting and not knowing what to do about it. Something in his chest stopped him moving away, but at the same time kept him from moving closer like he wanted. Their knees touched.

"Well... not that it doesn't weirdly suit you..." she said. "Just wondering what brought about the image change, really."

Somehow convinced that her distraction was working, she moved ever closer. She had to do it now, while he was here. Once he was gone she might not see him again.

"Th-there wasn't really a reason..." he whispered, frozen in place as she leaned closer, almost leaning over him. It was only when her lips were but a hair's breadth from his that he snapped, nerves frazzled and greatly confused. He moved to close the last of the gap, then backed away just as fast, immediately back at the window again. She stared at him, face red from the heat of the moment and eyes wide. He was much the same, breathing in great lungfuls of fresh night air to clear his head. "I... I can't..." he glanced out into the night then back at her, "I have to go!"

He flung himself out into the darkness. She ran to the window, but he'd long since disappeared into the night.

She was left standing at the window, touching her lips absently and wondering if all that had really happened.

She gently probed the bandaged wound on her shoulder and gave a small, tight smile.

Somehow, Iza felt she'd treasure this scar.

Have a weird thing for Kaneki atm. Don't ask.