Title: Whiff of Cinnamon

Author: Fenikkusu Ai

Characters: Yamori, Naki

Rating: T

Fandom: Tokyo Ghoul

Genre: Humor/General

Word Count: 1,100

Disclaimer: I do not own Tokyo Ghoul.

It started as soon as they entered the shop doors. He scowled at the twin corn stalk stalks framing the doorway as he felt the yellow leaves brush against him. He didn't trust them as two thousand dollar suits could so easily be damaged especially if they were dirty.

But, Yamori supposed that he was used to torment, so he would just have to endure this experience.

"Look at all this neat stuff, boss!" Naki cried as he sprinted away from his side.

The description neat was debatable. In Yamori's opinion, it was rather lame. No wonder the establishment was full of kids and their grandmothers, but he supposed what respectable humans were into these days. As usual, they were wrong.

All of a sudden, he smelled something putrid like spicy vomit that turned his stomach and saw that Naki was now hovering in front of a line of shelves in that general direction. How could Naki stand there so close? Maybe he was tougher than he thought.

"Ooh, vampire's blood." Naki licked his lips at the candle's label.

He reluctantly drifted closer. "It's not real blood, Naki," Yamori said with a grimace.

Hell, Yamori knew that it wouldn't taste like real blood either. it was almost a shame. Instead of the voluptuous rich odor of a fresh kill, it smelled like some horrible orange cleaner shit. He didn't recommend it to either human or ghoul. Yamori wasn't even going to get started on cinnamon or apple pie scents.

But, he knew that Naki had already stopped listening to him five minutes ago. Perhaps it had been a mistake to turn him loose in the store. Hell, Yamori knew it was, but there had been no way to deter him except through sheer physical violence, and Yamori needed Naki whole.

After gazing at the decorations with the hideous scent of the candles on the air, Yamori wondered why humans even did this crap. He supposed that was it was to allay their boredom. The only way a candle flame was interesting if there was arson involved, but he supposed that celebrating Halloween made their dull life more exciting. For a ghoul, everyday was Halloween anyway.

It amused him that no one knew who he really was and he smirked. There were so many people around him that no one could know who he was or even if he got hungry later...

"Look, boss!" Naki suddenly cried. "I'm a witch!"

To his absolute horror, Yamori found that Naki had seized a witch's broom and was wearing an orange cone hat that was reminiscent of a traffic cone.

Yamori shielded his eyes. "Take that off! You look like an ass," he hissed.

To his delight, he watched Naki's face fall. Served him right.

It was too bad there were so many ningen in earshot.

"Is that how you talk to your son?" a rather judgmental woman wearing a straw hat asked.

Yamori stared at her. What the hell? What was it her business?

It was in his inclination at the moment to tell her to get screwed. Loudly.

"Nah, he's my aniki," Naki declared too loudly.

Yamori was actually a bit affronted. Just how old did he look? All of a sudden, Yamori was sheepish.

Yamori was aware that he had to choose his actions carefully as he didn't want doves swarming in here yet. They both had to get the shit out of here first although that could be easily accomplished if they could just steal it. But, that would attract attention.

"Ooh, can i get this too?" Naki asked.

"Pick three things, Naki," Yamori ordered as he scanned the store.

And make it quick.

Yamori hated scornful stares especially when he could so easily break their necks. They would never know what had hit them.

As he idly glanced through the store, Yamori's eyes were caught by a Jason mask hanging so casually on the wall. It was so like his own that he was almost tempted to wear it as if to make a point. Well, it was for Halloween after all. Yet again, his hulking figure and white suit might attract attention. Or...it could be fun...

No.

Yamori again resolved that he wouldn't cause any mayhem on Naki's day.

"Are you done?" he hazarded to ask.

He nodded. "Yup. Three things, boss."

Yamori honestly would have been happier with just one or two items.

At the register, Yamori produced a credit card. It would definitely be risky to use it, but it had a high credit limit. It was a fake one anyway from one of his victims and just as well. The name Oomori Yakumo belonged to a wanted man.

Naki was absolutely beaming as he held his grocery bag full of goodies. Sometimes, it took so little to make Naki happy. Yamori supposed that he could consider himself lucky in that regard.

Yamori looked at Naki flushed cheeks as evidence happier than a ghoul should be in a place like this. In the bag, Naki had a black cat plushie, a scarecrow, and a glowing skeleton. Yamori had been tempted by a decorative Grim Reaper, but it was too much damned money for a crappy plastic decoration. Yamori already knew that he was scarier than any of them, so what was the point? He was the Death God of Friday after all.

The two silently exited the establishment while Yamori shook his head. It was humanity that he would never be able to understand.

"Humans can't take the real thing," Yamori groused. "That's why they make up grinning ghouls and sexy witches and crappy stores like this one."

"Maybe they're just having fun," Naki replied innocently.

Unexpectedly, Yamori patted his hair

"You're so innocent, Naki," he said gruffly.

If it had been anyone else, Yamori would have thrown them across the parking lot by now along with that bag of decorations.

"I wish candy tasted good though. It must be delicious for humans because they always beg for it."

The boy actually sounded smart for once and yet so stupid at the same time, but he knew that young ghouls had thought about how sweet it would be to be human. Thank Kami-sama that Yamori wasn't a kid anymore. He couldn't be. Yamori had plans for him after all.

Yamori glanced at him. "We'll never be human, naki."

Naki nodded, but said nothing more. He knew better to.

The two walked home in silence as the sun set leaving the sky awash in a brilliant red.

All in all, it had been a rather good day.

A/N: The candles smell bad to Yamori because they're food scents, and we know how TG ghouls feel about food. Happy Halloween!