Tokyo Ghoul - NEST

Not the Same

" Power tends to corrupt and absolute power corrupts absolutely."
- Lord Acton

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Kaneki POV

Washing dishes and putting them back on the shelves, I do my work quickly. I had worked here for quite some time now, so I've gotten used to the work, and can move smoothly through the shop.

Three days ago, the people from Nest came, and we heard what had happened. Vincent was no doubt dead, but we haven't heard anything. Nashiro still thinks there's a chance he is alive, but I think she's just refusing to believe it.

Kurona has woken a few times, but only to ramble on and on about things that didn't make sense. She did call out to Levin a lot though, and sobbed a lot when doing so. I felt a sort of sadness for her I hadn't felt in a long time.

I can't help but wonder if that's how Touka actually felt like doing when I was gone from Anteiku. I look over at her, as she's cleaning a table quickly and moving to the next.

It was almost time to close up shop, so we had to do the cleaning. Yomo was watching the rest of the residents below Re. There was a bunker of some sort, kind of like the one back at Anteiku that I trained with Yomo back then.

"Hey, close the shop for me. I'm gonna go check on the others." Touka said, snapping me out of my thoughts and back to reality.

"Sure." I mumbled.

I watched her go and sighed, putting the last cup on the shelf and cleaning my hands afterwards. I head to the door and go outside, grabbing the small board outside with the words of the "Re" on it.

I place it inside and begin to close the door, when suddenly a foot is latched into the door, making it stop. I look up to see someone I hadn't seen in a few months.

Levin gave me a small smile, unconsciously asking me to open the door. I do so quickly, and he walks in. Suddenly, people pile in after him, about fifteen or seventeen people. They all checked their surroundings.

"You can all leave now." Levin said, most of them nodded and headed out, throwing hoods on and saying not a word. Still confused by this, I grew more confused as I see Ayato standing next to Levin.

Me and him meet eye contact, but there's surprisingly no hostility in them. But he still doesn't look like he likes me very much. Levin walked across the shop, running his hand on the table, probably going through some memories.

"Sorry for barging in this late." Levin said, turning back to me with a blank expression. "But I need to talk to Kurona."

I still didn't have the right words in me. "She's down in the basement... are you okay?" I asked.

Levin tilted his head a bit. "Yeah, I guess. Did I worry you too much?" He asked.

"Everyone was worried! You didn't even say a word on where you were going, we had to find out that you went to Aogiri." I exclaimed.

Levin looked at the ground. "If I told you guys, then you would've stopped me. I came back in peace, so it's fine."

I wanted to argue, but if he wanted to see Kurona, I wasn't going to argue. I motion for him to follow, and him and Ayato follow. I also notice a man in a coat behind them, looking around in wonder.

"Who is that?" I asked.

"This is Dr. Quincy. He's a doctor that has been helping ghouls with their wounds and escaping Tokyo in the outer wards." Ayato answered, looking back at the doctor.

The doctor smiled and did a small bow. "It is nice to meet the famous Eye Patch." He said, giving my hand a short shake.

This man was human. A man like him to put his life on the line for ghouls to escape, then I'll respect that Levin let him come along. But Levin, what did he want the doctor and Kurona to be in the same room for? Did he have a treatment.

As we headed down the stairs, Levin spoke up again. "Did you guys get my presents?" He asked.

"Hmm? Oh, the cup? Yeah... wait, present's'?" I asked, now seeing that he mentioned more than one present.

Levin looked confused. "I put up some decorations. Like the mistletoe." He said with a straight face.

I freeze on the stairs and grab him by the collar and shake him around. "You were the one!?!?" I yelled, my face turning red remembering.

"Yeah?" Levin mumbled, ignoring my hands.

I let him go and sigh, face palming.

We make it downstairs and head to the small room in the basement where Kurona was being held. But someone met us there on the way.

Nashiro came out of the room and saw us. She froze at first, but then quickly fast walked right up to Levin. What happened next I didn't expect.

Nashiro slapped Levin across the face, sending a loud snap noise through the basement. Levin didn't have any reaction, only now he was looking at the ground, not meeting her eyes.

Nashiro grit her teeth. "Its your fault! If you hadn't left my sister wouldn't be in so much pain!" She yelled, pushing him, and making him take a step back. "And if you were there, Vincent would be alive!"

Her words echoed through the whole shop, everyone froze and watched what was happening. Levin's hair covered his eyes, I couldn't see what his face looked like. Nashiro let out a sob, cursing at him over and over.

Levin was silent, then he looked up with a blank look, his left cheek a bit red from the slap. "Vincent died because there was no one there strong enough to have his back." He said, making everyone flinch, except for Ayato, who seemed to agree.

"He died because you were weak. Stop blaming me and face that head on." He said, making Nashiro' eyes go wide with shock and realization. The fact that Levin said that, means he no doubt is not the same Levin he was when he left. He remembered.

Levin walked past her, ignoring her completely. But Nashiro wasn't done. "Why did you have to change?" She mumbled a question.

That question... was a lot like the one Touka asked me a long time ago. But the answer was that we didn't want to change. We had no choice.

Levin glanced back at Nashiro with a blank expression. "Because I'm tired of being someone I'm not." He said, then entered the room.

(And the others start to see the change Levin has gone through. Will this affect what Kurona thinks of him? Will this have a happy end? Nonetheless I hope you enjoyed and have a wonderful day!) - MnMs171