KITSUNE

➖ Deeper Layers

A WEEK HAS PASSED SINCE NAKI WAS RESCUED AND HIS WHINING FOR YAMORI HAD COME TO A SLOW END. Gage and Guge have been his emotion support those all the hours of the day, and that seemed as if it was enough for Naki to accept that his great leader and a man he looked up to is dead. He's better off dead anyway. Aya lacked the respect for the dead, especially for Yamori – she wanted him dead. And Ken just made that wish come true – as cruel as it sounds she used him as a puppet. But that was something she kept to herself.

After Ken and she had a little conversation, Ken has been spending quite a lot of time with her. It was a way to avoid loneliness when he was all alone, a way to be closer to her, even though they would just sit in silence while they drink coffee he made and she works out the plans for Cochlea. And sometimes, when he would fall asleep, she would disappear without an explanation of why she left and where she had been. There was something she was hiding, but she kept her zips shut; she would only cleverly dismiss the topic.

"It's important to get as deeper as you can in Cochlea, preferably to the SS floor."

Ken watched Aya she put on a long black jacket that came to her tights. It was a bit oversized and Ken noted that Aya liked oversized clothes – sometimes she even seemed like a tomboy. But it was strange for him to see her putting a long jacket instead of her usual Aogiri cloak. Even Ayato seemed confused by it – he watched her intently.

Aya zipped up her jacket. "Tatara got us the numbers that we need in order to penetrate the ghoul prison and after the attack, the numbers should be higher. There are many powerful ghouls, and since I am not going, one of you will have to free Shachi."

Ken immediately reacted. "You're not going?" She avoided eye contact as she pulled her hair from underneath the jacket.

"There's something else I need to take care of."

"And what's that?" Ayato sharply questioned.

Aya looked at him. It was quite obvious that not even Ayato was completely aware of Aya's plans, and it bothered him. Even though there were many times when Ayato and Aya call each other names and appeared to dislike the opinions of one another, they still cared for one another. They were like brother and sister at times; always arguing or getting along or calling each other names. And at times, Ken thought there was something more between them – until Aya, spontaneously, revealed that she saw Ayato as a younger brother who she should be disciplining and not letting him be all hot-headed at times.

Aya's lips opened, but her voice never left. "It's time." Tatara suddenly spoke, standing a few feet behind them – his eyes on Ayato, indicating for him to stop questioning Aya.

All the weight Aya carried on her shoulders, was because Tatara placed it on her. Ken had taken time to observe how everyone acted in Aogiri Tree, that's why he noticed Tatara always seeking Aya. Or if it is not Tatara, then it's Eto. The two of them always wanted Aya by their side. They were suffocating her – Aya did not confess that to him, but he noticed how stressful she was feeling after each of their meeting.

"Let's go." Tatara commanded as he turned on his feet to leave.

Ayato looked back at Aya – and she gave him a remorseful look, as if she was apologizing for the mystery she was keeping. With a sigh, Ayato walked pass him – having nothing to say without; or at least he didn't know how to say it. Aya was not feeling indifferent about the situation, there was something she wanted to say, but something was holding her back. Ken's guess: Tatara.

"It's something wrong?" Ken wondered, his voice quiet.

Aya inhaled. "No, no, everything fine." She forced a smile. "You should go."