I need some tender moments between my four boys Yusa, Shio, Rikai, And Hajime.

Don’t we all.

“Hajime, why do you hate us? I thought we were friends. Remember Capture the Flag?” Shio’s lips tremble.

“You saved our team because you ran so fast Mayazumi and I couldn’t catch you,” Yusa recalls.

Hajime’s eyes twinkle. He might be chained up like a ghoul, and they might be traitors, but yes, he remembers.

“I wish you didn’t hate us,” adds Rikai.

“Then why do you hate us enough to side with ghouls?” Hajime’s eyes harden. “Just because you never watched your parents die in front of you, are you incapable of siding with your own kind?”

“You’re not even our own kind anymore,” Yusa protests.

“We’re closer to you, though.” Rikai’s heart thumps. She hopes Hajime listens.

“Huh?”

“We’re part ghoul,” Shio says sadly. “We’re all children of Tsuneyoshi Washuu. He was a ghoul and we’re his failed experiments.”

“That’s a fucking joke.” Hajime scoffs.

“It’s not.” Shio’s eyes fill with tears. “Furuta is playing you. Arima knew. He wanted to save us, so Hirako defected.” 

“I don’t believe you.” Hajime shrieks. “Go away!”

“We can’t! We have to face ourselves!” Yusa screams suddenly. “You will, too!”

“No!” Hajime screams back. He can’t. He can’t even face what happened to Mom and Dad. 

Rikai sniffles, but she reaches through the chains to embrace him. “Hajime, I miss you.”

“We all did. We miss all the academy.” Shio wipes his eyes. “We miss not killing too.” 

“I don’t.” Hajime shrugs.

“We like you,” Yusa says. “We wish you would be in our family. All part ghouls with Washuu Rc cells in them.”

“Washuu?”

“Your kagune is from a ghoul of the Washuu clan,” Yusa explains. “Guess we’re like family, then.”

Hajime doesn’t know what to say or do, but for a minute, he thinks Mom and Dad would approve of these brothers and sister. He no longer resents their hugs, and tilts his chin to rest on Rikai’s shoulder.