*hands out antidotes to Ch. 143*
“Wait, wait, wait.” Kaneki waves his arms around. “You’re telling me your grand plan was to turn me into a kakuja monster and bring everyone down with you?”
“It hinged on my death, yes.” Furuta sips his coffee.
“Fruit, that’s the stupidest plan ever.” Touka scowls at him from where she’s wiping tables across the cafe.
“No, the saddest.” Tsukiyama winks at him. “I love the drama, though, Souta.”
“But we want you to be alive.” Kaneki touches his shoulder. “I want you alive.”
“I know.” Furuta flushes. He wasn’t counting on Kaneki kidnapping him that moment he confessed his grand upbringing. He wasn’t counting on Kaneki being so decisive, on declaring that the world must know the truth about the Garden. On Kaneki pitying him.
And slowly, as their plans against V took shape, he’d realized he needed Kaneki in his life. He awoke happy to be alive because Kaneki was there.
Kaneki cared.
Kaneki watches Furuta with a smile. Shio runs up to show off his latest moves, Touka curses him for knocking over her cup of coffee, and Furuta actually smiles.
If Furuta can change, if Tsukiyama and Touka and Kaneki himself can change, the world has a change of uniting across species.
He hopes Furuta hasn’t guessed his feelings yet.
Across the table, Furuta hopes the same. He’s already told Kaneki everything he did to Rize. They’re planning to raid Kanou’s lab again and rescue her. He knows she’ll probably hate him – and should – but once they’ve rescued her, once he’s rectified at least one thing he’s done wrong, he plans on kissing Kaneki.
Mercy and Magic 