[ OPEN ]

[anthropophagite]

Who: Kaneki and OPEN
What: Ken's daily life
When: beginning of the month
Where: Around Trench

Greenhouse, books and a dog
cw; possible mentions of mental issues, ptsd

[ Thanks to the Wonderkind portals last month, Kaneki was able to get some special gifts for himself> coffee plants. Of course that means the half-ghoul will do his best to grow and propagate the plants, and hopefully eventually get the beans in order to roast and make coffee. It won't be a steady flow of coffee, he doesn't think but he hopes to at least get some for himself and a couple more people.

However, Kaneki has to learn on his own a lot about plants. He never did that in his whole life but that won't intimidate him: with the many books he took from the Archives, Ken sits on the porch of his house, reading some of the books he brought that specifically talk about coffee and its plants. Nearby the house there is also glass and a plastic tarp and by the looks of it, Kaneki seems to be wanting to build a greenhouse. There are many gardening tools, however it's clear Ken is slightly confused by the whole process... it's a lot! Building a greenhouse, learning how to take care of plants, re-potting and growing... ]

... Maybe I should ask for help on the network... [ besides him, his Lamp Friend is still there, not set anywhere, but handing around Kaneki's shoulder with a flower on top of its head. Ken's own omen - a large Chinese red head centipede - seems to be playing (??? do Centipedes play? Hopefully so!) with the Bloodhound he got a couple of months ago. Said Bloodhound is incredibly destructive however, and Kaneki ends up having to keep an eye on it constantly - specially when it gets closer to the plants ]

Don't you dare...! [ Ken stares at the dog, who stares back at him, and after a small staring contest, the Hound leaves to go back to playing with the centipede.

With a big sigh, Ken places his gardening books on the ground which will work as a small podium for his Lamp Friend who is delighted to feel tall. And afterwards he reaches for another type of book, one about nightmares. Kaneki has been having a lot surprisingly (or not so surprisingly) although last month hasn't been exceptionally terrible compared to the others... still, he knows there is a big chance corruption might be making its way and Kaneki wants to avoid that at all costs, although he isn't entirely sure how. ]

Cemetery walk
cw; cannibalism, dead bodies

[ Being a ghoul in a world where blood shed can cause a lot of issues is... complicated. At least kaneki isn't the type of ghoul who'd go out and hunt others and instead relies on the already dead, although that might also be an issue, he supposes. After all, no one would like the idea of a cannibal around, right?

he is careful at least. or tries to be. As careful as one is allowed in Trench. Not wanting to be found by anyone, Kaneki visits cemeteries and morgues in the dead of night, when everyone else is presumably asleep. He sneaks there and carefully takes body parts, always avoiding heads as he still finds it really creepy to anyone's head even if it's an already dead person. Also disrespectful? Honestly, Ken has many conflicting feelings over his own nature and what it forces him to do, and found strange hard-limits on what NOT to do.

This night he heads to cemetery. He saw a small funeral there the other day and decided not to touch the dead body just yet to let people mourn, but when a ghoul is hungry, a ghoul has to eat. And that means, eventually Kaneki heads there to dig out the source of food. It's fairly easy since Kaneki is a ghoul; inhuman strength and reflexes provide him with tools to dig out the coffin, and eventually he is able to open it. Despite what Kaneki is, however, there is still much sorrow and disgust in what he has to do: when he sees the body, he a choked sound escapes his throat and a whimper follows, while Kaneki tries to hold back mixed feelings of disgust but also hunger. ] I'm sorry... [ he whispers softly and then places his hands together for a small prayer and to thank this person who passed away. Kaneki doesn't exactly believe in afterlife, but he learned this from Yomo-san and thus decided he'd do the same.

Afterwards, Kaneki places down a plastic tarp and begins - yes, he will cut the body to pieces (with way too much ease, it seems) and will wrap the pieces to carry after. And during all of this? Kaneki is crying. Because in the end, this is terrible.]

Ravenous apetite
cw; cannibalism, blood shed, violence against player-character, please read note at the end

[ This month will be particularly difficult for Ken: he is hungry. Always hungry. No matter how much he eats, he is still so hungry. He went through most of the food he kept in his house and then most of the food he could find at the morgue. Cemetery had also been raided by him, although he is certain he hasn't found all there is over there just yet. But this hunger that doesn't fade is dangerous because ghouls are dangerous.

And this hunger that doesn't fade is hell and painful, and Kaneki feels like he is dying and his body is burning from inside. No human will ever fully understand a ghoul's hunger because no human will ever feel this kind of pain in their lives: it's the kind that drives one mad almost immediately, and the kind that makes one believe that nothing can help but to bite into someone's flesh and just eat without regards for anything or anyone.

It's a scary, horrendous sort of pain and a monstrous sort of hunger.

While Kaneki tumbles through the streets of Trench, following the sweet, delicious smell of humans, he bites onto his own finger. It's obvious he is not okay, but it's also obvious he is trying hard to avoid people, trying to only move through empty alleyways and trying not to be seen by others. His Omen , a gigantic Chinese Red Head Centipede, is out hissing loudly at whoever passes by and tries to approach - it won't attack just yet, but there is a clear warning to keep away. ]

OOC

[ If you are interested in having your character be attacked by Kaneki in that last prompt, it is possible! However, Kaneki will not kill anyone; it will just be a bite. For anything more serious than a bite (which is also possible), I ask for characters to have healing abilities; I don't want to make a murder out of Kaneki. Information on Ghouls can be found HERE, specifically on their inhuman abilities, but short version is that kaneki has unnatural strength, speed, reflexes, and he is able to bite through skin like it's butter, and this means characters should be able to fight in order to push him off, otherwise reasoning with him through words might also work! if you are unsure how to make this play out, my CR MEME top-level is here and we can talk about it there, or you can add me to plurk over vilani

Comments

ravenous apetite!

[grice]

[ returning home from mister nehan's studies for the day has falco out in the street taking his usual route to crenshaw. perle is perched on his shoulder as he does what most shouldn't do: walk and read. his notebook had brand new notes in them, pictures that he managed to copy crudly but enough to have a good idea and study. he looks entranced with his notes, with a slight smile on his face, and . . . misses that he's about to step into the hissing centipede omen's vicinity.

perle attempts to warn him with a nip at his ear, providing an ow from the boy and just barely getting him to catch the thing's image and stumble out of the way. loose pages from his notebook fall, so he isn't about to walk away so soon, but . . . he does briefly regard perle, who clutches his shoulder and flares her wings, lunging at the warning omen with her own warning hiss (and not actually leaving falco's shoulder). ]

Thanks, but . . . Don't pick fights. [ he taps her tiny, open beak, to which the falcon looks utterly indignant. they were starting it! ] It's not going to hurt me.

[ it just, for some reason, wants him gone from this particular spot. slowly, to make sure he doesn't startle the centipede into actually attacking him, he bends to pick up his papers and makes an effort to steer clear. ]

I just want my notes . . .

[anthropophagite]

[ Kaneki's Omen - Dragon, that's its name - snaps back at Perle, clicking its large fangs together and tail rising menacingly. Although it's reaction is not to actually hurt Falco, but to make sure they keep away from kaneki, who would be a danger to them, but it'd also cause Kaneki a lot of distress if he hurt them. In the end, the centipede is protecting them both.

Sadly, the Centipede doesn't talk, neither has telepathy, so it can't properly explain it. And when Falco kneels down to grab the papers, it immediately comes at him trying to headbutt the other. Your papers are not more important than your life!

Except it doesn't have the chance to do that because Kaneki approaches and reaches for it, picking Dragon up by its tail. It twists and turns as if struggling against Kaneki's hold, and eventually wraps around Kaneki's arm and tries to bite him so he can snap out of it, but the fangs can not penetrate the ghoul's skin at all. kaneki glances at it for a second before whispering "shh" and lets the centipede continue to bite and sting him even though it doesn't work at all, desperately wanting Kaneki to step away and leave because Dragon knows the horrors this will cause.

Kaneki on the other hand is standing there , staring at Falco, wondering why he approached. He shouldn't have come any closer, he should have just left like Dragon tried to tell him. Maybe he wants to be eaten. That's it, isn't it? That's what Falco wants, and that's why he is there. The sweet smell is a dead give away of that, and he wants to help Kaneki end the hunger that pains him so.

Honestly, Ken is completely out of it. His mind is a mess, and he is not making sense. Hunger took over and his ghoul instincts are now in control. He is certain he is hallucinating too, and at each step he gives, the more he loses his mind to it all. ]

You... are here. For me? [ for him. All for him. ]

[grice]

[ oh, geez— perle is freaking out at this bold centipede just going at it, causing falco to startle and fall back. could omens fight each other? perle tries to, diving from the boy’s shoulder with her talons first, hopping about to at the very least distract it while falco gathered himself and his dropped pages.

it doesn’t . . . exactly get as better as he would’ve liked. perle puffs out and finds the boy again, fluttering back to the top of his arm but furiously puffed up. this young man— didn’t look good. ]

I . . . For you—?

[ something’s not right. perle begins to shriek and squeak wildly by his ear, but falco can’t bring himself to run. he does attempt to move slowly, though, as if a lack of sudden movements would help. ]

[anthropophagite]

[ perle should certainly be freaking out. Mostly because Kaneki's centipede suddenly turns into black smoke and vanishes since Kaneki is far too mentally unstable and now... there is no good part of kaneki left for him to show. He is far too consumed by hunger, and now not even his Omen can help.

Ken reaches for Falco's shoulder, not only preventing him from running but also forcing him to stand up with inhuman strength nobody who looks like Kaneki would normally have. Perle goes completely ignored as if Kaneki hasn't even seen the little bird, and instead kaneki opens his mouth, breathing out ]

All mine. [ that's the last thing Ken says before he sinks his teeth into Falco's arm and bites the other boy hard. It's as if there is no resistance, and Kaneki's teeth pierce through clothing, skin and flesh, and sink into Falco with ease. Deep too. ]

cw: cannibalism and chicken nuggets, except it's a kid

[grice]

[ run, falco! run! is all he could hear perle shriek despite her best efforts to buffet the ghoul's face with her valiant wings with no actual result— she couldn't solidify enough to harm anyone with neither beak or talons, and the aftermath leads to a boy that tries to yank himself away too late. kaneki penetrates his skin like butter and sinks into the juice of his flesh, thin as it was. what greets his senses would be the burst of an overwhelmingly flowery scent once what pools in his mouth is the ugly green of vileblood.

people who walk in the street scream or scatter; falco himself takes time to register the pain, it doesn't come immediately— because what pulses in his veins is not so friendly vileblood, poisonous and numbing, distorting even and an excellent beast repellant. kaneki is lucky that during the month of may, this blood does not kill; it heals and lessens corruption.

but that doesn't stop falco from beginning to panic and let loose a cracking, terrified cry. that is someone who is eating his arm alive. that someone, as far as falco knew, would probably be a dead (corrupted?) man walking when he swallowed. that isn't to say there isn't some kind of resistance in any way— the child shoves his hand into the other's face, garbles up an incoherent let go, no, don't do that!, and at most, when the retarded pain begins to bubble up and spring on him, the blood reacts— while it won’t kill kaneki (in fact, the healing effect may save him), the taste of falco’s blood grows acrid and sour, like engorging in a bottle of the cheapest floral perfume (or, taking a chomp out of a startled (but very colorful) poisonous frog). ]

Cemetary Walk

[swellter]

[ Cemeteries draw the corrupted to their gates which is why Hunters often patrol the area. This night it falls to Todoroki who doesn't usually take night shifts, but after taking a week off, he's back in rotation, picking up slack.

Alone, he enters through the front gates and makes his way through the various walkways that spill all over the landscape leading to headstones and statues of every kind. Midway through his patrol of the area, he catches a sound in the air and turns toward the Northgate where a burial was held not to long ago. ]

[anthropophagite]

[ Kaneki finishes wrapping up the body parts he will be taking, and afterwards places them inside the backpack he brought along. It's not a great feeling to carry something like this across town and back to his home, but he needs to eat, and this is the best method he found that won't cause anyone being hurt.

After his bag is packed, it's time to tidy everything else around him, mainly put back the coffin in place. Whoever passes by it will know the soil was moved but it's not like Trench cemeteries aren't creepy and mysterious and weird things happen in them; hopefully whoever questions it will chalk it up to that. At least kaneki tries to cover everything slightly, so it's not that obvious - plus, it's respectful, he supposes. Grieving families don't have to be horrified at the idea that something was sniffing around their loved ones.

(even though it's true).

And one last time, kaneki presses his hands together and says "Thank you" while bowing his head towards the grave.

Sadly, he is getting better at all of this. It's not easier, but he is getting better. ]

[swellter]

Did you know them?

[ He asks from behind looking curious having walked into the unknown, unaware of what exactly he's walked into. He caught sight of the medic a ways back and drew closer, the recently upturned earth muffling his steps.

Todoroki stays a respectful distance back, breaking the silence only to make his presence known in case he was going to say more. He knows he's intruding on a private moment, but it was too late to turn back by the time he realized it. ]

[anthropophagite]

[ the voice (a familiar voice) startles him, and Kaneki almost wants to jump out of his skin when he turns to look back at Shouto with his eyes wide. He is glad it's dark, because it will be hard to tell how scared Kaneki just was for a second there.

But it seems that Shouto didn't see anything at all, and that means Kaneki can... lie.

He doesn't enjoy it. But it will save him. ]

Uhmm... I saw them around the Archives. [ a lie, a lie, a lie. It's fine, though, a lie like that won't hurt anyone, right? he quickly grabs his bag, thankful it's completely closed and everything is wrapped. ] I just though to drop by and pay my respects. [ another lie, a very ugly one. But it matches who kaneki is ]

Vaguely Cemetary???

[comecatchthesehands]

Shigaraki has always been intrigued by Kaneki. There's something about him that doesn't quit sit right and that's the truth even all this time after. While they're not the same person, and Shigaraki knows this is likely the case, he still can't shake it. Bakugo was protective, yes, but not like he was over half the other people Shigaraki was a threat to, and then there was some of their conversations.

Following him isn't easy, even for someone as incredibly skilled as Shigaraki, but he manages. It's not hard to follow someone in a cemetery where there's more places to rest behind or keep himself hidden just as well as his target is. Once Kaneki stops and starts digging, Shigaraki is even more intrigued in the morbidest of ways. The rest of it, however, he's not quite sure what to think. He's met a lot of people and done a lot of things in his life, he's even taken limbs off of people who were still alive.

But this?

This. While he doesn't exactly think it's normal, good practice, or healthy to eat someone, hunger will do things to people as it is. Hunger and this place? Maybe that's something to be decided.

If he's dangerous, Shigaraki wants to know that, too. After letting him have a small snack, he decides to stand out of (what he thinks is) reach and speak up. His hands are in the pockets of his dark jacket and his hair is back in a loose ponytail at the back of his neck while his eyes stare down, still studying the gruesome scene that doesn't seem to bother him as much as interest him further. "Are the tears for the lack of a salt shaker?"

[anthropophagite]

Kaneki is careful about being followed or seen, but given his state and the fact that he isn't really good at being a ghoul, he misses someone else following him around. Plus, he is crying, so naturally that makes it harder for him to spot someone else lurking in the shadows. (and kaneki cries a lot too)

Once he was done packing everything he needs and he wishes to bring home, kaneki is ready to actually tidy everything up: close the coffin, put it back in, cover it with dirty again, and possibly leave some flowers because he doesn't want this person's loved ones to realize something happened there.

As he was thanking the dead person one last time, kaneki hears and voice and his eyes go wide. he quickly turns his head to meet Shigaraki and gasps.

He was found.

Shit. Shit.

"I don't..." what does he say? Should he even say anything at all?! Should he just run? But he doesn't know how much this person saw either. "W-who are you?"

[comecatchthesehands]

"You don't...?" he asks in rhetorical return, a small smirk on the left side of his lips wide enough to be considered near toothy. To him the sudden gasp and the realization is amusing, not so much the possibility of cannibalism, but to each their own. Kaneki had never tried to take a chunk out of him before when he was an actual threat and it seems like he's spot on. He doesn't know that Shigaraki's a threat. Nice.

"Doesn't matter who I am Mister Graverobber. Or is it bodysnatcher? What matters is what I saw. That's what I'd be worried about before the game over screen hits. Right?" Shigaraki leans casually against the large, sturdy headstone beside the new grave. "I'm right you don't have to answer that, but you know deep down."

[anthropophagite]

A threat, isn't it? That's exactly how it sounds. Which, okay fair - this person just found Kaneki rummaging through deadly remains, cut them into pieces, wrap them in plastic and shoving them into his backpack. naturally the one who is a threat is Kaneki, and this person is responding accordingly.

But Kaneki feels the hairs in the back of his head stand because this person is threatening as well, and the half-ghoul feels panic settling in. It's nighttime, it's not like he can see kaneki's face well, right? And kaneki is fast enough to just run off and not be found. Even if this person tries to tell the network, it's his word against kaneki's.

But all of that sounds like it will be a dangerous living to keep up, too.

"...I'm doing what I have to in order to survive." he is not eating living people, just the dead. "I'm not hurting anyone alive."

greenhouse

[torpour]

[nehan is hating these days more and more because of the damned bugs. he keeps getting bitten and thus has to deal with horribly itchy bumps every day, and his pet keeps crunching on said bugs despite all of the erune's efforts to make him stop.

so it's no wonder that nehan has to grab fussy's scruff, thankfully the violet fire of his pet's collar currently is unlit, because fussy is already trying to make advances towards the alarmingly gigantic centipede.]

Stop. [nehan is about to lecture more about not eating bugs, but he notes that the centipede is near a boy and a bloodhound-- what in the world?-- and a bunch of plants, and knows he can use those instead. and he waves his crutch straight at the boy.]

What did I say? Respect the plants-- both at home, and the ones out here. Those are probably his, too.

[anthropophagite]

[ the centipede - its name is Dragon - is quick to move closer to kaneki the moment it sees Fussy approaching, and the bloodhound is ready to just ignore everything that is happening because it's totally not his problem.

Kaneki, however, feels the bond with his omen call for him, and quickly turns to look at Nehan and his pet, while hand reaches out allow Dragon to climb up his shoulder. kaneki is silent for now, noticing Nehan attempting to teach a valuable lesson, and eventually smiles ]

Hello. It looks like we both have our hands full. [ the bloodhound always tries to destroy everything, and has attempted to destroy kaneki's plants too ]

[torpour]

Literally, in my case. [one hand holding his crutch, and the other in the scruff of his overlarge ferret that can light itself on fire. which he gives a look, and his pet sighs, unable to keep up with its mischief.

satisfied, nehan turns back to the boy with the centipede and the bloodhound... and tilts his head at the plants. of course, the plants.]

Your plants look overwatered-- nursery soil is often too wet at the beginning, but it's better to work on that now than later.

[anthropophagite]

Overwatered? [ he looks back at the plants, tilting his head ] They are?

[ kaneki doesn't know anything about plants, never even kept one. All he has to learn are books, but it's hard to have a description on a book and try to figure out what "moist" means to them. ]

R-right--- I was going to re-pot them, so they can have room to grow. So that should fix it. [ hopefully ]

Cemetery

[stoicsilhouette]

[ Last month's constant darkness has thrown Megumi's circadian rhythm all off track. Having to hunt for food at night has taught him new strategies and methods that he can also apply to his other "hunting" job. Continuing the practice only seems natural.

Rabbits tend to leave the comforts of their burrows on cool nights making them a prime target for tonight's catch.

With a flashlight in hand and Kage in toe, he makes his way silently through the woods. The wind is calm and gentle but he knows he must position himself so that his scent is carried away from his quarry. Otherwise, it is an early detection sign and the animal may get away.

Creeping along, he follows the tracks when he thinks he hears a small sound. He has never heard a rabbit make this noise, but it's quite possible that the Trench has some different varieties or species that he isn't familiar with.
His new found curiosity is stopped short when he is met by a black iron gate. It is apparent by the footprints on the other side, that the hare must have squeezed its way in.

Shining the light through the old rods, Megumi begins to make out a cemetery. He is not keen on the idea of haunting on top of graves. The idea of him trampling through is just not acceptable. It would be disrespectful to those laid to rest and their loved ones.

Just as he is about to turn away he hears the faint noise from before. Kage immediately responds with one sharp bark. ]

What's wrong?

[The muzzle of her nose is crammed into the opening. Scanning the light his eyes catch the dark silhouette of a person in a suspicious posture. The ground looks extremely disturbed but he can't see much more from his angle. Something is off.

Discretely opening the gate he silently makes his way towards the figure and he becomes more certain by the mounds of misplaced dirt and tarp, that this person should not be in here. He stops and points a beam of light directly at Kaneki.]

What's going on here?

[anthropophagite]

[ Kaneki didn't expect someone to come to the cemetery at night, not in Trench, and of all places to be. When he hears a voice, kaneki quickly turns around and stares wide eyed for only a second, before he quickly calls out for his omen.

A giant Red-Headed Centipede forms from smoke, and it quickly runs from Kaneki's shoulder to come at Megumi. Well, not exactly - Dragon is mostly trying to protect Kaneki who is about to have a meltdown about this whole thing.

But at least Kaneki shouts out "No" to it, before Dragon actually attacks or bites and instead just stands in front of Megumi and his Omen hissing loudly. Kaneki, though? He just quickly tries to grab his back to escape and hopefully not be seen, although... well, that's too late for that, right? ]

[stoicsilhouette]

[Seeing the rushing red centipede defend Kaneki, hits home for Megumi. How many times has Kage rushed to protect or outright yank him out of danger. He can relate to this but he also has a job to do. This time is no different.

The large she wolf dashes in-between Megumi coming directly in between him and the other omen. Clapping his hands together summons a werewolf canine to rise up through the shadows,divine dog. Both creatures are strictly on the defense.

Feeling more secure, Megumi side steps the omen and stands directly in front of Kaneki further blocking him from an escape route. Shining his light on his face reveals puffy eyes and still drying tears, he is clearly distressed.

This is the young man who risked his life to go save a total stranger from a burning house. Why in the world is he desecrating this grave??]

What are you doing? Is someone making you do this?

[His voice is stern as he confronts him, but he also is giving Kaneki a chance to explain himself.]

[anthropophagite]

[ Kaneki silently calls his omen closer, who in fact complains with a loud hiss while it turns its head to Kaneki, specially given how Ken is cornered. But Kaneki knows he won't be able to run away from this, even if he tried; what use would it be to run anyway, it's not like he can disappear from Trench.

Eventually Dragon quickly crawls back, wrapping around Kaneki's leg defensively, not wanting its Sleeper to be without any support. Not that it matters, Kaneki feels like this is about to unfold really badly.

He shakes his head at Megumi's question, while his eyes avoid Megumi ]

No. No one is. [ how can he explain any of this? ] I... I'm not hurting anyone. [ he didn't kill this person, so technically, Ken is right. Not that it'll make any of this better ]

I don't-- I can't explain what's going on. [ he doesn't know how. "I eat people" is not something Kaneki wants to say out loud, because it will cause him to break further ]

Greenhouse, Books, and a Dog

[violetlies]

[Kokichi, for his part, has been...adjusting to this new life in Trench. The last month had led to his entire living situation being shaken up with the fact that Alvin had disappeared, and then furthermore just a few days ago, Kaito had appeared. Which was still a problem he was pushing to the back of his mind. Nope, nope, nope. He might know a lot (damn you, truth serum), but he didn't know everything about Kokichi's life here.

Case in point: Kokichi's closest connections outside of that. He didn't know Sayo (and in all honesty she probably would have to brace to meet him), he didn't know his training partners, and, most importantly, he definitely didn't know Kaneki Ken. That meeting would be prevented for as long as he could out of the sheer virtue of Kaito knowing certain weaknesses of his, and however much the big dumb idiot was a big dumb idiot...he knew more than Kokichi would be open to sharing.

At any rate, he had some time before what was going to be an excursion into another dimension at Sayo's request. Might as well use it in 'productive' ways. Like wandering around aimlessly. Obviously.

That wandering, however, had conveniently led him right to Kaneki.

How conveni--whoa hey that was one of those weird dogs. Hm. Still, there he was.]

Heeeeeeey~! Kaneki~! What'cha doin'~? Can I join?

[This does not stop Kokichi from bounding over, obviously.]

[anthropophagite]

[ said dog stops what he's doing when Kokichi approaches, staring at the other boy for a while. And Kaneki's omen stops too, staring as well (as much as a centipede can stare) before it moves it's fangs together to make a whistling hiss and thus calling for Kaneki.

Not that it needs to, Ken already heard Kokichi and he greets the other with a smile ] Kokichi-chan. [ the ghoul places his book down, and gets up to properly greet the other. ]

I'm just trying to learn a bit. I acquired some plants last month and want to make sure I'm taking care of them properly. [ he is also trying to read more on nightmares, sure, but Kaneki doesn't mention that. ]

[violetlies]

[That dog is judging him. He doesn't know how. He doesn't know why. It just is. It's a brief moment of Kokichi and that dog staring at each other before the centipede's whistle gets his attention - huh, he had no idea it made noises like that, though he's sure that that may have been one of the noises present during the insect meet and greet at home.

And then Kaneki gets his attention again, and he's beaming just as brightly as ever.]

Ha? You did? I'm no botany expert, but I'm pretty much a genius. [humble, isn't he] And I'm curious. What'cha workin' with, huh?

[He only knew a few pieces of this and that about taking care of plants. Though he did have a memory of flicking through a flower meanings book once when he'd been bored - it was why he'd always said lavenders were his favorite flower. A flower that meant distrust.]

Waitwait--lemmie guess. Is it pretty flowers? Maybe daisies? [Innocence. I've got a secret I'll never tell.] Camelias? White [You're adorable.] or pink [Longing for you.] are pretty, actually...

Or I could be going down the entire wrong path here.

[He doubted he'd catch the secret intent behind his words, but some part of Kokichi was always compelled to be a puzzle for anyone he'd taken interest in to solve. Could never be completely forward with his intentions.]

[anthropophagite]

[ to be fair, the dog judges everyone. Even kaneki. Specially Kaneki.

Kaneki's omen turns back to Kokichi, antennae moving towards him before it turns to return to Kaneki, specially to wrap around one of his legs affectionally before Ken picks it up and places it on his shoulder. Afterwards, kaneki comes closer.

And all of those flowers and their meaning go right over his head because he was naturally not thinking about their meaning ] No, not flowers. [ kaneki laughs a little while shaking his head ]

Coffee plants. Still small, but I hope I can get them to grow beans eventually. [ and finally, kaneki will have his coffee ]