"Sweetie, we need to talk." The gentle voice of Genna broke through (Y/N)'s train of thoughts.

She turned to the door and saw Genna smiling softly at her as she waked in with a bowl of chips.

(Y/N) sighed and pulled her leg up to her chest as she leaned against the window, looking down at the passing pedestrians. She came over to Genna's house an hour ago and locked herself in her room for a while to assemble her thoughts.

After what happened at Ayato's apartment, it left a spiral of emotions and thoughts blowing way out of proposed in her head. She wasn't sure why he was suddenly so cold. They were having so much fun when he just froze. She tried remembering something she was missing, but she came empty-handed.

(Y/N) nodded scooting to make room for Genna by the long cushiony seat by the window. Genna placed the bowl in the middle and took a handful, shoving them all in her mouth.

(Y/N) watched her cautiously. Genna looked nervous and  . . . Guilty.

"So, how you doing? You look like you have alot on your mind." Genna started, smiling warmly at her.

(Y/N) shrugged. "It's nothing, just thinking." She lied. Though she accepted Genna, she didn't really want to tell Genna everything going on in her life. Some were private.

Genna nodded slowly and shoved another fistful of chips into her mouth.

(Y/N) eyed her suspiciously. "You okay?"

Genna nodded, chewing noisily. She obviously had something important to say but wasn't sure how to lay it down.

"Genna. What's going on?" (Y/N) demanded.

Genna sighed, tucking a loose strand of her (H/C) hair behind her ears.

"(Y/N)-chan. Look, these last few days with you have been amazing. I only wish I came sooner."

"We already went past this. It's fine. Really." (Y/N) said, rolling her eyes playfully as her lips curled up into a smile.

Genna inhaled and exhaled slowly. "What I'm trying to say is. I can't stay." She averted (Y/N)'s inquitious gaze. "I-I can't stay here."

"What?" (Y/N) whispered.

Genna finally met her eye's, her eyes held sadness. "I have to go back, (Y/N). Back to your niece and nephew, back to my children and my husband. I only came here to look for you and now that I found you--"

(Y/N) stood up adruptly, causing the bowl of potatoes chips to topple over, but neither of the noticed.

"I don't understand. You just got here, you just got me back and now you wanna leave me again?" (Y/N) practically yelled.

Genna shook her head. "That's where I'm getting at. I have to go back. But I want you to come with me . . . I want you to come with me and we can be family again."

(Y/N) slowly shook her head.

"Come on, onē-chan. You could complete your school there, you can make new friends. We'll be together again, like family and I'll take legal custody over you . . . I-I'm sure that's what mom and dad would've wanted."

(Y/N) flinched at the mention of her parents and staggered back. "You have no idea what you're asking me."

Genna looked at her with pleading eyes. "Please. Come with me back to America. I know it's a lot to take in now. You can think it through, okay? No need to rush your decision."

(Y/N) scoffed. "I've already made my mind, Genna. I can't leave Anteiku, okay? I can't leave my family."

Genna looked as if she had just been slapped in the face. Her eyes held pain and (Y/N) felt guilty. She should've have used that word but that was what Anteiku was to her. That's what Touka, Nishiki, Irimi, Yoshimura, Renji and Enji was to her; family.

"Please, just sleep on it. Okay? I leave in a week and I'd rather it be with you. I'm not just gonna leave you behind. Please don't make me leave you again."

(Y/N) chuckled dryly. "That's not fair."

She grabbed her black leather jacket and stormed out. Genna didn't bother running after her, she'd give her time to think. All she could do was hope and have faith.

(Y/N) groaned as she bumped into random strangers. Ignoring the weird looks they passed her, she trudged on, her clenched fist in the pockets of her jacket.

Yesterday with Ayato and now with Genna. She scowled. She needed to think and relax.

When she arrived at Anteiku, it was a full house. Touka greeted her behind the cash register with a worried glance.

"You okay? You look pale."

(Y/N) nodded, smiling at Touka. "I'm fine. It's just really cold outside. You guys sure you don't need me?" She lied through her teeth.

Nishik rolled his eyes as he dropped off an order. "Need you? Please, we'd do better if it was just me working here."

(Y/N) chuckled. "Whatever you say Nishiki-senpai."

"It's your off-day (Y/N)-chan. Enjoy the freedom." Enji winked as he brewed more coffee.

(Y/N) laughed. "Yeah, I think I might."

She waved at them as she walked upstairs and into her room. It was midday and she wasn't sure what she was going to do.

(Y/N) suddenly grinned as a light bulb flickered over her head. She always felt relieved whenever she went out ghoul hunting, maybe later on tonight she could--

She froze. Her mouth ganging open in realization.

"Oh no." She muttered, realizion hitting her harder than a bus. "No no no no. Stupid stupid stupid. Please don't tell me it's at Ayato's apartment." She searched her room, every nook and canny, searching for her mask. But she couldn't find it.

She groaned and slumped on her bed, her hands covering her face. "Shit. Shit. Shit. Shit. Dammit, (Y/N) you idiot. How could you leave it there." She rolled around in her bed. Grabbing her pillow, she screamed into it.

Going there now after what happened just twenty four hours ago would be like signing a death warrant.

She groaned and slapped herself.

Three hours later she was still in bed, contemplating her options. There was alot to think about and she was positive it would drive her crazy if she didn't slice her blade through some savage ghoul's chest to relieve some of the stress.

Genna was leaving. (Y/N) had gotten so close to her, she now knew what it was like to have a sister . . . And being with Genna made her feel happy and complete. Genna was her only biological family left, was she really just gonna let her go? But at what cost? Anteiku, the ghouls that raised, trained and loved her despite her species? Was it really worth it?

She groaned and sat up. If she was gonna stay any longer here thinking about this, it'd drive her nuts, she needed that mask.

With that decision made, she was, once again, at the front door of Ayato's apartment. The walk, was uneventful and abnormally short. A walk that would take half an hour took less than fifteen minutes. She barely even rehearsed in her head what she'd say when she saw him.

She sighed, there's no point in turning back now.

She knocked. There was no response. She tried again, this time more urgently.

Maybe he was out?

She sighed, her fist lingering on the door. "Ayato-kun? It's me, (Y/N). I know you don't wanna see me right now but, I left my mask. And I really need it . . . " She said hesitantly.

(Y/N) frowned when there was no response. She was about to turn when she heard the door click, unlocked.

She stared at the doorknob for a minute and then, with a deep breath, she opened the door.

Ayato was rummaging through his cupboard, obviously looking for the mask. He didn't bother acknowledging her. He was wearing a dark blue long handed shirt and black jeans. He was always in dark clothes.

(Y/N) shut the door slowly behind her. She felt awkward and the air was tensed. She still didn't remember what she did wrong.

He finally found it and handed it to her, silently, no words were exchanged.

(Y/N) took it and held it for a moment. She looked up and he was already across the room, creating as much distance from her as possible, looking out the window.

His back was faced at her. (Y/N) bit her bottom lip, trying not to let his actions show how much it hurt her.

She opened her mouth to say something but her voice was caught in her throat. She wasn't sure what to say.

She clenched her fist and looked down, somehow managing to feel dejected. There was a long stretch of silence that neither of them bothered to fill.

(Y/N) finally spoke, but it wasn't the words that burned her thoughts. What did I do wrong?

Instead, she said; "Thanks."

The only sign that Ayato showed to acknowledge her was a simple tilt of his head to the corner, and she still couldn't see his face.

(Y/N) sighed and turned, about to walk out when his voice sliced through the air.

"Did you mean it?" There was a strange urgency and emotion in his voice that (Y/N) had never heard before.

She turned and almost sighed in disappointment when she saw that he was still facing the window, his back to her.

"What?" She asked, her voice soft. She pulled her eyebrows together, trying to make sense of his question.

He sighed in annoyance. "Did you mean it." This time it came out as a statement.

(Y/N) almost smiled at his usual lack of patience if not for the situation.

"When I said 'thanks'?" She blurted dumbly.

"No, you moron. What you said yesterday. Did you mean it?" He asked, his voice on edge.

(Y/N) was standing on thin ice so she wrecked her brain to find any significant statement. She couldn't find any.

"I--"

"Come on, Shrimp. Don't play dumb now." He hissed.

(Y/N) almost chuckled. If only he knew just how confused she was.

"Ayato-kun . . . " her voice trailed off when he turned adruptly.

She almost forgot to breath. His gaze was intense, as usual, but there was something even else she couldn't quite decipher.

"Tell me, Shrimp. Did you mean it when you said 'I love you?'"

(Y/N) blinked, feeling the color leave her face. The demanding sound in his voice and his penetrating gaze almost made it impossible to concentrate.

Her breath hitched. She was 100% positive she thought that, she wasn't aware that she actually said it out loud.

Her cheeks felt hot suddenly. Had she just confessed her love for him unintentionally yesterday without even realizing? Her eyes widened and he furrowed his eyebrows in confusion.

No wonder he acted the way he did. He was confused and conflicted. Ayato hated complications and though confessing ones love for another person was barely a complication, it would still be hard to accept. She didn't blame him. If Ayato had randomly blurted that and then acted as if he didn't even say those words, she'd probably attack him with her sword.

"I said that out loud . . . " she whispered, almost to herself but Ayato's sensitive hearing picked it up.

"That was why . . . " She trailed off, her lips tilting up.

She chuckled as relief washed through her.

Ayato glared at her. "Why the hell are you laughing, Shrimp?"

(Y/N) stopped laughing and smiled, shaking her head. She never thought that Ayato Kirishima of all people would be insecure about her feelings towards him. If anything she was insecure about his feelings to her.

(Y/N) walked towards him, taking three long strides. Ayato watched her quietly, eyeing her suspiciously and cautiously.

Her eyes still on his, she reached for his hands. As soon as her fingers laced through his, it was like electricity shot through her veins. It was elating.

"W-what are you d--" His voice trailed off when she placed both his hands firmly on her hips.

He looked down at her past his tousled blue bangs, hovering over his deep blue eyes. (Y/N) ignored how he was suddenly tense, as if he would bolt at any given moment yet he was completely still.

She could feel his gaze on her. She finally looked up and almost got all the air knocked out of her. He was staring down at her with curiosity, yet behind it all, she saw pain, fear, anxiety and uncertainty.

She wrapped her arm around his neck and slowly pulled his head down as she tiptoed to meet his lips.

His lips crushed against hers, moving in sync. They both closed their eyes. This kiss was different than all their other kisses. This one was slow and deliberate. There was no rush. (Y/N) played with the back of his air as he pressed her against him, his firms hands gripping her waist as their passionate kiss deepened. She broke the kiss and leaned her a head against his, their noses touching.

She smiled. "Does that answer your question?" She whispered breathlessly.

Their lips were still inches apart, his eyes searched through hers. "Maybe." He murmured, his voice husky. "We might wanna try again, just to confirm."

She grinned.