"Monsters are real. Ghosts are real too. They live inside us, and sometimes, they win."- Stephen King

Motive [2/10]

"-I shit you not, it was at least twenty centimetres wide." Katsuki was spreading her arms wide, now-pink hair bouncing. Shoujiki only quirked her eyebrows at her friend, fanning herself- they were at practice after lectures and were having a five minute break between running laps and spin class and they were very very hot.

"Katsuki, house spiders don't get that big." The brunette said, amused by her friend's antics, but too tired to deal with her. The pink haired girl scowled, pulling her hair back tightly into a ponytail- since their coach was calling them back.

"Then it was a tarantula! I swear down!-Anyway," Katsuki quickly continued before she could be argued with again, "Who was the guy with you at Costa the other day?"

Shou managed to avoid choking on her own spit, but only just. "Who?!"

Of course, she knew exactly who Katsuki was talking about. And Katsuki seemed able to tell. Unfortunately, the Pinkette knew her too well.

"Niko saw you in Costa Friday with some guy. Said you looked pretty animated."

They sat down on the exercise bikes in the small, mirrored room. Their coach started up the CD that had pumping music and instructions for how fast they had to pedal. It was a good leg workout. Shou was just glad that she didn't live too far away from the Fitness studio, a long walk would be impossible. Shou was facing forward as she pumped her legs in time to the music, but knew there was a smirk on Katsuki's stupid face. She scowled, blushing and telling herself that it was just her body warming as a result of the activity.

"It was just a guy I bumped into. He bought me coffee since I dropped mine. That's it." She replied, hedgy. Shou hated talking about this sort of thing since it was very embarrassing and her best friend got way too much enjoyment out of it.

"You picked up a guy off the street?!" a voice interrupted, coming from behind them. Niko had nabbed the bike behind them. Shou twisted just enough to scowl at her.

"Say what you want, you were the one spying on me." She replied, scathing.

"Hey- it's a friend's duty to report to others when she sees her friend getting coffee on the down low with a cute guy." Niko grinned.

"Shou picked up a guy?" one of the younger members of the spin class asked, amazed. Shoujiki only turned her head further toward the floor, scowling as she slowly became a topic of conversation among the members of the spin class.

"I did not!" She finally exclaimed, flushed down to her neck- she told herself it was due to the exertion and heat of the room. She was annoyed that Katsuki and caused this, and channelled her frustration to her legs to help pedal through the burn.

"No but for real though," Shou groaned as she heard the voice beside her. How on Earth had Katsuki caught her up? She'd left at least five minutes before her and the pinkette's legs should be just as dead as hers. "-who was he?"

The brunette sighed, "His name was Kaneki, alright? But that was really it. He bought me coffee. I'll probably never see him again, no biggie."

"Then why do you keep looking at your phone?" A perfect, shit-eating grin spread on Katsuki's face. Shou flinched, face colouring. "Waiting for this Kaneki to text you, right~?"

Shoujiki closed the door behind her, leaning against it a moment, then rushed to the window without thinking. She couldn't see the white haired boy anywhere. Strange.

Pulling off her jacket, she discarded the thought, hanging it up on a hook on the wall. Sonething floated down from hanging precariously from her pocket. "Hm?"

Bending down, she picked up the scrap of paper. Going to scruch it up to throw it away, she stopped, catching sight of some digits. Eleven digits. Followed by the words "Text me- Kaneki Ken".

Abruptly closing her fist around the note, Shou's eyes grew wide. She ran to the bin to discard it, then stopped, having second thoughts. The brunette whipped out her phone, added the contact, then threw away the evidence, her heart pounding.

It wasn't long before she gave in to temptation and texted him.

Shoujiki opened her mouth, then closed it again. Glaring at the pavement, she stuffed her hands in her pocket- with her phone. Half of her brain was occupied with waiting for the small bleep- the tone that would indicate a text message.

Katsuki delivered a swift punch to her friend's arm, laughing, "Oi, don't clam up now, I'm just teasing."

Shou huffed slightly, then sighed and smiled wryly, realising they'd reached the apartment they shared. "Come on. Let's go in." Pulling out her keys, she left Katsuki behind, looking a little depressed. "I'll fill you in."

The pinkette perked up, "Too right! You should tell your best friend these things!"

Shou chuckled, "Yeah, yeah."

*    *    *

The small Coffee shop on the west side of the city was fairly empty, despite being a nice day. It was enclosed by several other buildings, hidden away, and filled to the brim with books and magazines. Clearly the place was designed for the kind of customers that were sat n there right now- quiet, peaceful people content with sitting alone with a book or perhaps a laptop, a mug of coffee untouched in front of them. It didn't seem to be a place that one visited for the coffee.

It reminded Kaneki of another establishment, one that he'd spent some of the best hours of his life in. The staff weren't quite as subtle in their behaviour here, though. He was aware that he and Tsukiyama weren't the most... normal looking people (he could say with confidence that Tsukiyama, dressing as he did, attracted the most attention, though). But even so, their stares were somewhat aggravating. As though the thought he wouldn't notice.

"It was very lucky, how it happened, hm, Kaneki-kun?" Tsukiyama sipped his drink, eyes on the half human. He kept his voice low, just above a whisper- not that anyone in the room would understand what they were talking about. If they did hear, it would seem completely innocent.

Kaneki glanced sideways, then up at Shuu through unaffected eyes. "I would have found another way." he said assuredly, wrapping his hands around the mug in front of him. The purple haired man eyed his companion for a short while, a small frown indenting his forehead, then smiled easily. Something was bothering him, but it wouldn't bode well to let Kaneki know that. Kaneki had to think that Shuu was behind him one hundred percent.

"Not that I'm questioning you... I myself have experienced the thrill of richiamo di Sangue...." Kaneki didn't need to resist the urge to roll his eyes- he was used to Tsukiyama's flare, now. "But, Kaneki-kun, why her?"

The white haired teenager remained quiet, gazing thoughtfully at the tabletop and pressing his mouth against his steepled fingers. Shuu waited for his reply, becoming slowly more awkward in his posture as the silence dragged. He cleared his throat, attempting to recover his composure,

"I'm only asking because it doesn't seem like you to become so fixated on a girl... Kaneki-kun." Tsukiyama wasn't even sure the boy was listening to him; he had made no moves to acknowledge the person speaking to him. It was somewhat frustrating. "Granted, I admit that she has quite a delicious smell, but..."

The purple haired man trailed off as Kaneki's eyes finally snapped up to meet his, wary. Those dark eyes were clearer than any other he'd seen, somewhat narrowed, collected. Those eyes screamed murder. When he finally spoke, in a disconcertingly calm and deliberate manner, it shook the elder to his core. "Don't lay even one finger on her. I'll kill you, Tsukiyama-san."

Taking a moment to brush off the cold prickles and dewing sweat on the back of his neck, Shuu leaned back, raising his hands in surrender with an easy smile. His stomach twisted. Kaneki had become truly magnificent. "Of course, of course. I wouldn't touch a friend's prey."

Ken watched the  elder a short while longer, not really believing what he said, but confident he could outdo him should it come to that. The tense stare down was interrupted by a bleep, and Kaneki sat back, shifting to pull his phone from his pocket. The corner of his mouth twitched up slightly, and he drained the last of his coffee then stood. "Kaneki-kun?"

Ken just slipped his phone back in his pocket, "Come on. We have somewhere to be."

The university looked the same as it always had; bustling students with the odd runner late for lectures, a number of sleepy, hungover teens sat with laptops in front of them, regretting the night before because they had a paper due in next period. The signboard crammed with club activities and the smell of fried chicken from the fast food place in the food court. Kaneki didn't stop to look around, only going to the signboard and quickly tearing down the poster with his old face on. He didn't look at it. There would be no point.

Ignoring Tsukiyama- since he knew he would follow anyway- the half ghoul followed the streets down to the Recreational facility, where all of the sports and gym equipment was kept. It was like a gym of it's own, and membership was available for the students if they wanted it. Kaneki himself had never joined, but he'd often gone to watch Hide play tennis.

Kaneki stopped that thought immediately. "Tsukiyama-san, have you got any money?" 

Picking out a packet of hard boiled candies, Shuu looked confused as to Kaneki's motives but didn't question them. After paying for them, Tsukiyama followed his companion out of the sweet shop and into the large building that smelled of sweat and rubber. The large hall was filled with people- or at least, the stands were- with the fake grass court itself host to two groups of twelve people (eleven team members and one reserve each) in differently coloured shirts. Three adults that Shuu took to be the coaches and referee were also with them.

As the game began, the first thirty five minute period was thoroughly engaging for the two males- though not because of the sport. It wasn't until the ten minute break in the middle that the moment all this was for occurred. Shoujiki, one of the girls on the court, spotted him. For a moment, she ducked into the crowd of her teammates, looking stricken. Their eyes had met, Kaneki was sure of it, so it was rather frustrating that she didn't come over straight away. When she did, her gait was awkward and reluctant, smile forced. From the way the other girls on her team were watching sneakily) it was clear she'd been sent his way by them rather than choosing to come herself. No matter.

"Umm... hi, Kaneki-san." she twisted her hands together as she spoke, eyes flitting from his, to Tsukiyama, out to the court and back again. "Why are you here?" she flinched, seeming to realise how rude that sounded, but before she could stammer an apology the white haired male waved her off with a smile.

"You said about the match, I thought I'd come cheer you on." he said convivially, earning a slight flush from her cheeks. He tried not to let his gaze stick on it too much. It was difficult. "And my friend here wanted to meet you."

Tsukiyama straightened to attention, smiling, "Tsukiyama Shuu. It's a pleasure to meet you."

Shoujiki fidgeted slightly, then smiled awkwardly in return, "Nice to meet you. I'm Shoujiki."

Kaneki can't help but notice the beads of sweat that gather on her skin, that is flushed pink with blood. One trickles in a line down her neck, disappearing into the collar of her shirt. It's hot in the arena, stuffy, a hundred different human scents squeezed into the tiny space. Kaneki can pick hers out easily. It's spicy, and the limbs exposed by her team colours are just the right amount of muscle, wrapped in supple skin. He realises he's staring, and jolts. Her eyes are on him, seeming embarrassed.

"Umm... is something wrong?" Shou asked. Kaneki swallowed the saliva building in his mouth- she'd mistake it as attraction rather than hunger, so it was fine. Making himself fidget, he smiled.

"I was just thinking you seem exhausted." he said, easily, drawing the bag of candies Tsukiyama had bought earlier into view and offering them. "Want one? You could probably use the energy, you worked hard."

She stared at them in consideration, then smiled ever so slightly, taking one, "Thanks. They're my favourite." squinting at Kaneki a moment, part of her wondered if he had known that she was fond of Sherbert Lemons in particular. Kaneki only smiled, thinking that paying attention to the things that people had only partially hidden in their bags or pockets could come in handy sometimes. She paused a while, and he cocked his head,

"What is it?" he asked gently, and she jumped, hand going to something that was hidden by her collar.

"A-ah, sorry-" she waved her free hand, "I was just thinking that you didn't seem like the type to eat candy."

Kaneki smiled, "Even I have a taste for something sweet, from time to time."

Something in that smile was dark. Shoujiki's spine seemed to tense, but she shook it off. She was being ridiculous. His smile was nothing but friendly, she must have been imagining things.

"It's very pretty," Tsukiyama spoke up, saving the pair from the dead end, "Your necklace, I mean."

"Oh!" the brunette girl let go of the pendant. She hadn't realised she'd been holding it. The first real smile she'd given in the duration of their talk spread her lips, but it wasn't targeted at either male. Her eyes were on the necklace. "Yeah, it's my favourite piece of jewellery."

With that, a whistle blew, loud and piercing. "Alright! Back on the court!"

"Okay, I gotta go." Shou said, seeming a little more relaxed, "Nice talking to you."

And with that, she ran back to the court, unable to force the encounter out of her brain and unaware that that was just what Kaneki had wanted.