Mourning Doves | Tokyo Ghoul

11 | T a t t o o s

She woke up in her own bed, flashing her eyes open with ease as she laid there, staring up into the white ceiling. She remembered last night, with Uta at HySy, and gave a little huff to brush off the matter. However, there was still a painful expanding feeling growing in her chest, and she couldn't shake it off no matter how deeply she breathed. It was guilt, as it seemed, and it was becoming rather annoying; it confused her immensely, since the feeling was something she hadn't felt in a very long time.

She felt herself become enshrouded in a black blur, and thus, she closed her eyes once more, succumbing to the memory that would surely haunt her like the rest.

It had been a week or two since she and Takashi had discussed the topic of her tattoo at Anteiku, and now that they had a solid agreement, Takashi had agreed to take her to the friend he had mentioned that night.

"He's just starting his shop is in the Fourth Ward," he explained on the subway, standing in front of her sitting figure. It was rather crowded for a weekday like that, but she didn't mind as long as Takashi was there with her. She watched him with bright, golden eyes as he gave her a few pointers. "Uta-kun and I had grown up together, but we lost contact up until about eight months ago. Anyways, I barely recognized him when I saw him again after all those years, and I wouldn't have been able to recognize him with all those piercings and tattoos he had if he hadn't come up to me first."

Takashi let out a little chuckle, puzzling Etsuko.

"Piercings and tattoos?" she asked in a small voice. "Is he scary, Oniisan?"

The man gave her a smirk.

"Quite," he grunted with an amused huff. "But he's a good friend of mine, so you'll be fine."

Etsuko twisted her lip to the side, out of curiosity and a little bit of fear; she wasn't good at meeting other people, whether they were humans or ghouls.

The pair got off the train at the Shinjuku station, Takashi leading the girl down a handful of winding roads and isolated alleys, finally appearing in front of a concrete building, a little worn and the crimped metal sheets that made up the garage a little bronzed from rust.

"Come on, then," Takashi murmured, descending down into the dark stairway with his hands shoved into his black leather jersey. Etsuko scuffled after him, her black skirt fluttering slightly behind her. She fiddled with the sleeve of her knitted beige sweater, out of anxiety and nerves. They appeared in front of the main door, where Takashi rapped at it with the heavy-looking knocker set upon it, expertly and beautifully crafted into the head of a dragon.

She had been staring at the magnificent piece for a second when Takashi opened the door and allowed himself in; she scurried after him, following him right at his tail.

"Uta-kun," he called out, stepping into the shop with long strides. He turned around to a dawdling Etsuko, gawking at the masks set upon the walls. "Come on, Etsuko-chan."

"A-ah," she stammered, rushing up to his side and digging her arm into his. She pressed herself up against him. "Is he here?"

"I'm not quite sure," Takashi huffed, stopping in the middle of the chamber. "That's odd. I made sure to come early enough to fit into his hours. Did he go home early? That doesn't seem like him at all..."

Etsuko played with the sleeve of his jacket, rubbing the fabric and tugging at it in nervousness. She couldn't put her finger on it, but for some reason this room gave her the nastiest chills.

A sudden "boo" in her ear forced a little frightened squeal out from her lips, the girl whirling around and landing a solid punch on her attacker.