InsaneJournal

Tweak says, "Narf!"

kenkaneki (kenkaneki) wrote in dunwichgame,
@ 2024-02-07 20:23:00

Entry tags:

!log/thread/narrative, tokyo ghoul: kaneki ken, ∙ plot: 013 rock lobster, ◌ inactive: addie larue

KEN KANEKI • ADDIE LA RUE

February 7, afternoon • PAGEMASTER
⚠ Content Warnings - Probably not much, if anything tw for light dialogue around being a ghoul
RATING - PG probably not more
STATUS (Ongoing)

Ken had arrived several months ago now and was figuring things out as he went. When he first arrived, he was a bit of a recluse. After all, who could blame him with everything that he went through back home? Being persecuted just for being you was not an easy way to live. Things were a bit better, now, but they were not great, all the same. Until he came here. And no one seemed to care that he was a ghoul. And he could openly talk about how he needed to eat. People even offered him up recipes to help him feel more included. Who knew this sort of world even existed? Ken didn't. He knew people back home would love to trade places with him and be here for this, but that was neither here, nor there, for now.

It wasn't until Nancy befriended him that Ken opened up a bit more. She pushed him out of his shadow, so to speak, forced him to open up even more, and now that that lid was off, Ken was reaching out more. He officially (finally) joined the book club, and when the owner mentioned how stressed she was, he saw it as the perfect opportunity to be helpful. What better job for a book nerd than at a book store? Getting the job was so easy, Ken was surprised. He really shouldn't have been, because he was a former literature student. It had been a while since he'd been one, mind you, but his love for books never faded.

Dressed in a pair of nice jeans and his comfortable black turtleneck tank top, Ken approached Pagemaster and stepped inside. Don't just browse the shelves. You have to actually go and talk to her this time, Ken instructed to himself as he moved through the store. He did, occasionally, get distracted by the books he was looking at, shaking his head and forcing himself to keep on walking, because he didn't need to be any more distracted than he was currently. As soon as he saw Addie, he smiled a bit awkwardly. He didn't wear the eye patch here any more. Most people knew he was a ghoul by now; if people saw his eye change, no one really said anything. He was much more controlled about it, at least, now. Maybe because of that. His white hair may stand out for her, but it's not like she hadn't seen him around before now either. He had a covered cup of plain black coffee in hand, and as he approached, he made a standard greeting: "Hi, Addie. Thank you so much for considering me."

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remembered
2024-02-08 10:21 am UTC (link)

Halfway through putting price stickers on the merchandise, Addie glanced up from her task with a look of feigned surprise and genuine delight. "Ken! Right on time!"

Never mind that she had only summoned him for a nebulous 'tomorrow morning' so he couldn't have been early or late without significant effort. No harm in starting off on the right foot. The guy seemed nervous enough, gliding through the shelves rather than beelining directly for the counter.

It cost Addie nothing to be welcoming. She smiled and nudged the pile of freshly price-tagged books toward him. "If you haven't changed your mind, can you put these on the shelf right behind you? I'll grab some tea and we can chat." About his working at Pagemaster. On whatever basis he liked. Not only was Addie in no position to refuse assistance, she was in a better place to pay than ever before.

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kenkaneki
2024-02-08 02:47 pm UTC (link)

Was she putting him to work already? Well, in that case, he was glad to. He nodded politely, taking the books she handed to him and carefully setting them on the shelf. "Tea? What kind is your preference?" Ken asked a bit directly, but that was the former barista coming out. He wanted to make a note because he'd usually have coffee, but if he could being her some tea, he'd be glad to.

"And thank you, again. I've been a bit quiet really since I arrived and figured it's about time I got a job. My first attempt I wasn't given much of a chance at all, but I get that. At least you've seen me around with the club and all." Plus as a customer more than once a month, but Ken didn't add that. He was a frequent guest here, being a book nerd. And he said that in a loving way, because Hide had always referred to him like that, too.

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remembered
2024-02-09 09:35 am UTC (link)

"Oh, just about any kind," Addie replied. "I'm very equal opportunity." The living, breathing definition of beggars can't be chosers.

"Totally understandable. We all need a little time to find our sea legs," she said as she disappeared between the stacks. The thermos was still hot; it was a matter of moments to douse a tea bag in boiling water and return to the counter, though this time she didn't go behind it.

Addie furrowed her brow. "Did something happen with your first job here?"

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kenkaneki
2024-02-09 02:35 pm UTC (link)

Ken zipped at his coffee as he took note, understanding where she was coming from. "First...oh, there never was a job before. I used to be a barista once before coming here and when the new coffee shop opened, I inquired about working there. But as they didn't even know me, I can understand not wanting to hire an unknown employee for your grand opening. That's what I meant. I haven't really tried since then, if I'm honest."

He didn't mind being an open book, pun intended. It had taken him a little while to get used to the idea of people knowing he was a ghoul, of people talking to him and really knowing who he was. It was still surreal, not to have to hide that part of him. "Um. Did you have any questions for me, though? I was a Japanese literature student too, at Kamii University." It was one of the top universities in Tokyo, and difficult to get into, but Ken had done so with ease.

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remembered
2024-02-09 06:29 pm UTC (link)

"I see." Addie did. She just didn't agree with refusing to hire someone because you didn't know them. All of them were new -- unless they were local -- and most of them flew solo. But it wasn't her place to dictate how other people ran their businesses.

"That's lovely. I never made it to Asia." She would've stood out too much, even if she could negotiate travel over such a distance. "Crossing the Atlantic was hard enough." As for questions? "I guess... how soon can you start? Any particular days you can't work?"

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kenkaneki
2024-02-09 07:23 pm UTC (link)

Ken understood. Travel was difficult. Up until coming to Dunwich, he'd never traveled out of Japan. "All places are unique and interesting, I think. And now we're both here." She seemed nice enough, at any rate. "I could even start today. Honestly, I don't have much going on here yet. I've thought about going back to university, but I'm a bit different than I was then. No days I can't work. I don't even need a real lunch break or anything. Um. You've probably seen me posting on the...er, network thing that I'm a ghoul. But don't worry. I just visit Liv from time to time. Er. If that's not too weird to say."

He shifted a little, taking another sip from his coffee. "I won't mention things about it if it's too weird, but if you've got questions, I'm an open book. It feels weird to be able to be that open with anyone here, if I'm honest. We weren't exactly...well liked just for being what we are back home." He'd leave it at that, unless if she wanted to know more. "On the plus side I can be your security too, if you ever need it."

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remembered
2024-02-09 07:53 pm UTC (link)

Addie's smile broadened. She hadn't dared hope that Ken could start so soon, but she was delighted by the prospect. She tried to temper her enthusiasm, though: "Right, yeah, I think I've seen your posts..." She hadn't, in fact, or at least not so much that she could recall, but there could be nothing in them so objectionable as to call his employment into question.

"You're in good hands with Liv, though. She's got a system for the vampires among us now, too..." Maybe a ghoul was like a vampire, Addie reflected. If so, Ken must've been one of the lucky ones who could go out in daylight. "Well, I hope we won't need security here. The only trouble we've ever had were those puff ball creatures that ate half the books. But I think we got them all."

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kenkaneki
2024-02-09 08:20 pm UTC (link)

Ken smiled, still in disbelief that it could be so welcomed here. She just...didn't even question it. "Yeah, she's been great with it. Either way, I'm happy to provide that for free. No extra pay needed or anything. But I hope you don't need it. I, er, I helped take out the weird cat bus thing last month. I was there fighting with Meggan. I don't do that too often, but yeah." He awkwardly scratched the back of his neck.

"So, um, what all would you need me to do? Cashier? Clean up? Sort books? Anything like that works for me. I'm open, really."

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remembered
2024-02-10 06:04 am UTC (link)

It seemed like every month there was some monster forcing people to take up arms. Or magic. Or both. Addie had lived through tumultuous periods in history: nothing like this, though. Never had it felt more like... a sick sort of routine.

She pushed it out of her mind. Had to, in order to function.

"All of the above," she replied. "Confession? I've only had one employee before, and that was very, very briefly. I don't know if you remember Eponine? Anyway, she helped me out and we just sort of traded duties back and forth... I don't expect you to be here more than you can be or do anything I won't. We'll figure out your strengths and play to those, yeah? And the rest will just -- work itself out." It had to. Addie had no idea how to make it work otherwise.

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kenkaneki
2024-02-11 02:19 am UTC (link)

"I remember the name, I think, I can't remember if we ever met. I wasn't...the most out going when I first arrived," Ken admitted sheepishly. "I think this will work well. I'm excited to get started, if I'm honest. It'll be nice to have something to do around here besides worry about, well, everything else." Ken left it at that, chuckling a little as he tried to lighten the mood a bit.

He shifted a bit on his feet, asking a moment later: "Thank you, honestly." He bowed briefly, unable to break completely from the Japanese custom. This was a big moment for Ken, to have an actual job that wasn't walking into a coffee shop owned by ghouls, built for ghouls. This was a little different.

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remembered
2024-02-11 05:54 am UTC (link)

"When it's quiet like this? Some of those worries may still creep in. But when it's busy?" Addie smiled. "You'll forget there's lobster creatures and hungry vampires, and evil nightmare fuck faces." Or at least she did.

Pagemaster was so normal, so complicated and simple at the same time, that it helped restore her sanity over and over again.

"Don't thank me yet." She slid an arm around his. "Let me show you our piece de resistance. The romance section. You'll be spending a lot of time restocking this. Books just fly off these shelves. And then there's the locked cabinet of forbidden books in the back..."

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