I am sitting beside Himiko on a bench in the same park where the orphanage children usually play.
This time, it's just the two of us on a day without classes.
"Tec."
"Kaneki-kun… you seem anxious."
I turn to her.
"Do I? How can you tell these things about me, Himiko?" I ask curiously.
Normally, my face is neutral, like a stone without emotions.
"Hehe, you're more expressive than you think, Kaneki-kun. When you're nervous or anxious, you start snapping your fingers. When you're happy, you get noticeably more relaxed."
"When you're embarrassed, you look away and the tips of your ears turn red. When you find a situation strange or absurd, you raise a single eyebrow just a little" She continues.
"it's really funny, haha…" Himiko seems to realize the weight of her own words.
She looks away, her face flushed, while playing with the tips of her blonde hair.
'…My God, I'm in love,' I think, looking away, probably with the tips of my ears red as well.
I try to compose myself a bit before returning to the topic I wanted to discuss with her.
"Himi, actually, I wanted to tell you something, it's about my scars."
She nods seriously.
She had already asked about them before, but I told her I wanted to talk about it another time.
I take a deep breath. I never really told anyone what I went through. Naomasa and Nemuri already knew when they met me, so they never really asked me to explain how I felt about all of it.
"As you know, I came from Brazil." She nods.
"My parents were drug users. I supported myself by begging on the streets. At some point, they sold me to a human trafficker and were killed by him shortly after." Himiko places her hand over mine.
"Then I was brought to Japan and sold to a man, a former doctor." I feel the words starting to get harder to say.
"And… He… tortured me…" I look at my other trembling arm, filled with scars.
"Tec."
"He cut my arms… broke my bones…" I feel my breathing falter a little.
"I screamed in pain, but then I just stayed silent… waiting for everything to end." I feel Himiko's hand trembling against mine.
"Tec."
"He amputated my fingers… burned my skin… opened my chest and removed my organs…" It becomes harder and harder to continue, but Himiko deserves to know.
"Tec."
"All of that…" I feel my eyes watering. "Without anesthesia… I… I felt everything…"
My cheeks start to get wet… I'm crying… again.
"Sniff." I hear a sniffle beside me. I turn and see Himiko crying.
"Kaneki-kun…" She says in a tearful tone, and then she pulls me into a tight hug.
We melt into the long, warm embrace. I feel the trembling in my body fade away, along with the invisible weight I've been carrying until now.
"Thank you, Himi…" I say, but I only receive a muffled "mm-hm" from the other side, still recovering.
─── ◆ ───
Ken Kaneki – 13 years old
After our conversation, I asked Himiko if she also wanted to be emancipated.
She accepted without hesitation.
A few days later, I handed her a small voice recorder, which she has been using to record her parents' negligence, serving as evidence to help with her emancipation.
I've already spoken with my lawyer, and it seems like everything will work out.
Despite all that, emancipation isn't what has been occupying my mind lately:
I'm going to confess to Himiko and ask her to be my girlfriend...
Given our relationship, I should be sure she'll accept, but I can't help feeling nervous.
Himiko changed her hairstyle. Before, she used to leave her hair loose; now she ties it into two buns.
She became very cute.
I also liked her previous look, but she wanted to change, so I supported her.
I decided to knit a scarf for Himiko and ask her out when I give her the gift. I made the scarf dark blue, with a pattern of teeth all over it, including some fangs.
─── ◆ ───
I called Himiko and told her I wanted to talk to her, the usual. She shouldn't suspect anything beyond my nervousness.
At the same park where we met for the first time, I'm waiting for Himiko under the same tree.
The cold weather makes my breath come out in a faint mist.
Holding the box with the scarf in one hand and a bouquet of red flowers held by my Kagune tentacle behind the tree, I feel extremely anxious, much more than when I have to go to hospitals or when I go out vigilanting.
Then I see a familiar blonde head approaching me, dressed in warm clothes, wearing that smile that's been making my heart race lately.
"Kaneki-kun! So, what did you want to talk to me about?"
She comes closer, already looking curiously at the box in my hand.
"It's for you, Himi." I hand her the box.
While she excitedly starts opening it, I grab the bouquet delivered by my Kagune with my other hand behind my back.
"Ohh!! So cute!! I loved it… ah?"
Her excitement is interrupted when I kneel on one knee in front of her.
The gears in her head start turning, and she begins to blush furiously.
And it's not just her, despite the cold air, a bit of steam rises from our heads due to the heat we're feeling.
With my hands slightly sweaty despite the cold, I pull out the bouquet of red flowers and extend it to her, her face already redder than the flowers themselves.
"Himiko… I love you! Will you go out with me?!" My face flushes with emotion and anxiety as I watch her fumble and almost drop the box with the scarf.
"I-I accept!! I love you too!!"
Himiko jumps on me with a warm hug as she finishes her words.
I nestle into her embrace, feeling her heartbeat as fast as mine.
"Hahaha." We both laugh together, each one looking fondly at the other's face.
Then Himiko holds my face and pulls me into a passionate kiss.
Leaning against the tree, we melt into the kiss, stopping only when we're both out of breath.
We look at each other for a few seconds, each admiring the other's lovestruck face, and then, in a silent understanding, we pull at each other's shirts near the collarbone.
Then we sink our fangs into each other at the same time, drinking the warm blood directly this time.
For a couple with blood-based Quirks, it's a bond as special as a kiss.
With our lips stained by each other's blood, we smile with all our teeth and fangs showing, a scene that might scare others, but for us, it's a representation of genuine joy.
I gently caress her cheek, looking deep into her eyes with affection, engraving her face into my memory.
She leans into my touch, also staring into my eyes.
Silent promises and vows are made, words of love exchanged without either of us moving our lips.
─── ◆ ───
[A/N]: I don't know if it all happened too suddenly, but keep in mind that everything escalated between the timeskips.
I also didn't want to take too long with it and wanted to work with an already structured relationship.
What do you think?