Itona, Todoroki, and (Y/n) were all standing together in a tight circle, whispering. Tsukishima figured it had to do with Nagisa. He hadn't come to class all week, and he figured they were all ghouls. After thinking about how Yamaguchi had interacted with them, now, it was clear. He tried not to sigh as Nobuta and Chōsuke went to try and join them.

The looks the group gave them were the same as the ones Nagisa and Itona used to give (Y/n) and Todoroki. He figured that the two were also ghouls, just not close to them. Tsukishima's heart sunk and squeezed as he wondered if Yamaguchi would have ended up close to them too. 

When the day had finally ended, Tsukishima stayed behind in the classroom. He'd noticed that the group of probably-ghouls almost always did the same. Tsukishima wanted to see if him staying would cause them any discomfort, just as a final test to see if they really were all that suspicious. 

It took about two minutes for them all to clearly be uncomfortable and want him to leave. He didn't want to wait any longer. It wasn't fair to them that they didn't know he knew, and after what had happened to his best friend, he wanted to make sure that he was clear and thorough with everything.

"Tsukishima, is everything alright? You...don't normally stay," Todoroki said, clear intent behind his words. It was an invitation to speak up or leave. 

"Yeah. How're you holding up?" (Y/n) asked, more concerned with his well-being than their privacy. He figured that they could talk later and/or elsewhere.

"Fine, thanks," Tsukishima replied stiffly. He took a deep breath, all their eyes on him. "did something happen to Shiota? I know you guys are ghouls, and you all seem just as worried as everyone else, if not more."

"What?" Itona questioned. He wasn't sure if he was angry or terrified. The reason Yamaguchi was gone was that Tsukishima ratted him out.

Tsukishima wanted to curse himself at their reactions. "I'm not going to tell anyone, and you don't have to off me...I won't say anything. I wasn't thinking when I reported Yamaguchi, and...and I regret it more than anything I ever have or ever will. I just wanted you all to know that I know. I don't plan on getting involved in any of your business."

"How did you find out?" Itona asked. It sounded more like an order.

"After finding out about Yamaguchi, the way he acted with you guys just made sense. He wasn't outgoing at all. He wouldn't have talked to you guys just because he'd seen you before, and his mother's workplace doesn't host a bring-your-kid-to-work day."

"Huh," Todoroki said intelligibly. "well, guys, what do we do about this? No offense, Tsukishima, but you're not exactly the most credible."

"Yeah. We know humans hate ghouls, too. How do we know you won't say anything for sure?" (Y/n) questioned.

"If any more ghouls as this school were reported, a real investigation would start. That would endanger Yachi...I can't do that to her...I can't lose her too, especially not by my own doing."

"You know about me?" Yachi had just opened the door. Now, she was frozen. 

Tsukishima jumped as he turned around. "Yeah. I planned to tell you in private. I don't want the thing with Yamaguchi to happen again, so I'm going to be completely out and open now. If I hear something or learn something, I'm not going to keep it from you."

"Good. Is there anyone we need to worry about?"

"Not that I know of. I do think that Nobuta and Chōsuke are ghouls, but, you don't have to clarify that for me." Tsukishima pulled his bag over his shoulder and started toward the door. "I'm going ahead to practice, Yachi."

They all stared as the door clicked shut behind him.  

┈

"Hey, Itona," Isogai greeted, meeting him on his way off school grounds. "have you heard anything from Karma, yet?"

"No. Hayami did, though."

"What?"

"Yeah, and she won't say anything other than that. I went through all the trouble of getting into contact with Irina, only to have Hayami find him and not tell me where."

"That's so odd...does she want something for it or something?" Isogai tried to joke. "I'm as broke as ever."

Itona sighed. "That's what I asked, but nope, she's just difficult. I don't get what she could gain from this, though. It's not like there's anyone who'd threaten her if she told us."

"Well, we don't know that, Itona. She's always been distant from the rest of us. Besides, didn't you say that she's done business with the Emperor at some point?"

"We could help," (Y/n) offered, suddenly beside. Itona glared. "I'm sure whoever you're talking about would be a little more willing to talk if we showed up."

"We are not showing up anywhere. Remember what my father did? We can hardly leave the house without being found out any more," Todoroki pointed out. 

"Thanks for the offer anyway, I guess, Okina. But honestly, I don't think Hayami would have been afraid of you. She'd probably slip right by you guys, no offense."

"None taken..." (Y/n) said, dejected.

Todoroki sighed nodded in agreement. "It's cool, and you're right. We haven't successfully hunted since Akabane and Shiota introduced us to the General for the first time. The guy manages to show up whenever we try to get food, and if don't do it right then he save the people from us and escorts us home. We're starting to go hungry."

"Yeah, and no one will show us the 'right' way to do it."

"It's not that hard." Itona's matter-of-fact tone got on both of their nerves.

"I mean, how bad can it be?" Isogai added, trying to be encouraging.

"You're the last people who we want to hear that from, no offense," (Y/n) mocked.

"None taken," Isogai bit out in a falsely nice tone.

"Hey now, don't get cocky–"

The hostility between the four of them had sky-rocketed. They were all stressed out about how the trimester had gone, and were constantly getting more and more anxious about the large break approaching. After all, a summer break after this trainwreck can only go so many ways, (Y/n) thought. Todoroki's own mind swarmed with possibilities as he felt the adrenaline build-up. Are we going to fight? Will the break help, or just give everyone more time to act? Who's to say things won't go right back to what they were before the break?

"Woah there, guys. Calm down, won't you?"

They all whipped their heads up towards the voice. In front of them were two ghouls, one tall with messy black hair, and the other, short and cherubic, yet bitter. The older ghouls seemed so calm, but the four first years all tensed. Had they really been so riled up that random ghouls tried to stop them? Also, who were they? Sure, Rakuyama was huge, but none of them had ever seen the two around at all. They also smelled too strong, like they never spent time around humans. 

"Relax, we're just here to make arrangements with the volleyball club." The shorter ghoul paused, then a look of disgust came over him. "Kira Koneko and Kraken? What's next, are you secretly Yamaguchi or something? There's probably a secret way to get centimeters taken off..."

"Yaku–"

"You know about Yamaguchi?" (Y/n) blurted. The two ghouls looked at him like he was stupid.

"Kid–" the taller ghoul ran a hand through his hair, he couldn't believe this was one of the most feared ghouls of his year– "everyone knows about the Crow who up and died at this point. Word gets around faster than you think."

"So...you've heard about Monoma?"

"That prick? I'd rather forget," the shorter ghoul, Yaku grumbled.

"Kuroo, Yaku, there you are," Tsukishima called. He'd been tasked with finding the two after they'd been late to meet up with the other captain. When he caught the way they immediately interacted with the ghouls specifically, he had to watch. He didn't catch much of the distant, hushed conversation, but he got enough to put pieces together. "Daichi sent me to look for you, please hurry up."

"Tsukki!" Kuroo cheered, teasing. Tsukishima flinched at the nickname, and the other ghoul—Kuroo winced. "sorry, sorry. I'll spike late for you?"

"Why would I want that?" Tsukishima said brattily. He turned to Yaku and bowed respectfully. "it's nice to see you again."

"Same to you, Tsukishima. Let's go, I didn't fill in for two to stand around and make friends." 

Kuroo elbowed Yaku as they walked off with Tsukishima, but the damage had already been done. The group of four all froze, alarm bells going off. The name was odd, and the way Yaku had used it was off as well. That combined with their comments of knowing things that only select groups of people would find important, as well as likely being acquainted with Monoma...

"We're gonna go home, see you guys later," Todoroki said quickly. "Come on, (Y/n)."

"I– okay. Bye, I guess–"

As soon as the two of them busted through the front door of their home, they kicked off their shoes and immediately and ran towards the training room. Of course, Enji Todoroki was there, drinking water during a small break. He had every other Tuesday or Wednesday off, and today was one of those days.

"Father," Todoroki said quickly, "do you have a moment?"

"I'm busy."

"You're drinking water," (Y/n) said pointedly.

"And I'm going back to my regime." He turned his back to them. 

"Father!" Todoroki practically growled. It frightened (Y/n) how much he sounded like the man in that moment. "this is important."

"What."

"Ghouls. Do any of them use numbers as names?"

"It used to be a popular way to conceal names in organizations, but after that knowledge went public, all the groups stopped using them. Recently, though, it looks like the Blood have picked it up again. Why does that...matter?"

As soon as he said the name of the ghoul organization, Todoroki had shot back through the door and across the house to the back door. (Y/n) followed him directly after. It was happening. The Blood were Rakuyama, and they'd just stood and watched as two of them made their way inside.

┈

Tsukishima's arms and legs were already sore from practice. He felt his brain throbbing in his skull, and he was freezing. He'd forgotten his jacket on the floor of the gym. If he was lucky, he'd be able to make it back before Sugawara and Asahi closed up for the night.

He took long strides through the cold air, cursing himself for forgetting something so important. When he turned the corner to make his way to the gym, he didn't expect to see someone squatting outside, listening in. He had to do a double-take to make sure he wasn't just seeing things.

Tsukishima stared at the person for a moment before walking up to them quietly. He squatted next to them, covering their mouth so the person couldn't startle aloud. They turned and glared at the blond, a strange look in their eyes as they tried to concentrate on what was being said inside.

"What are you doing here?" Tsukishima asked.

"None of your business," the other person replied. "what are you doing here?"

"I left my jacket, but then I saw you creeping around like an idiot. Did you leave something also, but are just too socially inept to go get it?" The other person scowled at that, deciding not to bite back at the blond. Tsukishima smirked meanly, standing to go head inside. "You really are hopeless."

┈

Nagisa stared at the ceiling for a minute, trying to gather his thoughts. He wasn't home, that was for sure. He hadn't been home in at least several days, if not over a week at this point. It didn't take long for Nagisa to realize he was in one of the guest rooms at Karma's house. He didn't know anyone else who had regular bedrooms this size. 

With that, he sat up slowly, cursing the throbbing in his head. He looked over himself, noticing that the majority of his body was healed with minor scarring. Nagisa uncovered himself to find that the hole in his thigh was almost completely healed. It was little more than a rough scab, a dip in the center of it.

Hunger hit him like a train. He felt as though he hadn't eaten in months, but that couldn't be true. He would have healed all the way by that time. This made him wonder just how long he had been out for. The last thing he remembered was Karma carrying him away from the Emperor, and even then he couldn't recall most of what had happened while Karma was there. 

After glancing at the electric clock on the nightstand, it occurred to Nagisa that it was late at night. He wondered if he should wait until morning to make himself known. Nagisa quickly decided against it, shakily leaving the room to head to Karma's. However long he had been out, it was long enough for him a basically forget how walking worked. 

Sighing, he opened his best friend's door only to find that he wasn't in there. However, the window was open. Nagisa took his chances and climbed out, sighing at the cool, fresh night air. Just as he had hoped, Karma was there, gazing at nothing. When the redhead did look at Nagisa, he couldn't help but smile at the joy on his face. It felt good to know that Karma was genuinely happy for once. 

┈

(2384 Words)