(One more for tonight 😅) After a recent bout of nightmares about his mother (and her abusive behavior, physical and emotional), Kaneki reveals to Akira, Touka and Suzuya (his little brother in this, after they find each other again) that his mother wasn’t who he made her out to be all this time.

“Nightmares, you say?” Akira sips her coffee and waits.

“Every night, he winds up crying. I don’t know what to do.” Touka rubs her belly. 

“Intervention time.” Akira points at Touka. “Touka, get Suzuya. Amon, make sure no one disturbs us. I’ll catch our king. That’s an order.”

“Yes ma’am.” Amon salutes her, and she winks at him.

Two hours later

“What’s this about?” Kaneki halts as soon s Akira drags him across the kitchen threshold. She’d said she needed help with cooking, but Suzuya and Touka await instead.

“We’re worried.” Suzuya is sucking on a lollipop that the very-pregnant Touka eyes with envy.

“What?”

“Your wife says you’re having nightmares. As your mother, I’m concerned. Touka needs sleep before the baby, because you can kiss sleep goodbye after.” Akira crosses her arms. “Spill.”

“I – I -” Kaneki flushes. As your mother. “Mother.” 

“What about her?” Suzuya is always intrigued to hear more about the woman he can’t remember.

“She …”

“She abandoned you to martyr herself. She taught you the same. I know,” Touka says. 

Akira’s eyes sting. She can’t imagine what would have happened if Dad had focused on CCG instead of her.

“Is that what you dream about?” Touka asks quietly.

“No. Her…hitting me. Whenever I did something wrong. She’d say she did it because she loved me and I – I don’t know, she’s dead. I shouldn’t be mad at her, but I am.” Kaneki sinks to his knees and weeps.

“I’m mad at my Dad still.” Touka sits besides Kaneki. “I didn’t know that. I am so sorry.”

Akira gulps. Was she the best mother figure Kaneki had? All the moments of Arima and her re-training him don’t sit well anymore. “Kaneki, that’s terrible.”

“I already knew,” Suzuya says quietly. “I mean, I don’t remember her, but … the way you’re scared of doing wrong, the way you flinch when people try to hug you – you’re like some of the scrappers I knew in the restaurant.” He shuffles closer to his brother. “I still have dreams, good and bad, of Madam. It’s okay.”

“Kaneki, I won’t let anyone hurt you again,” Akira says. “Well, not like that, at least. We are in a war.” 

Kaneki smiles. “Thanks, Mom.”

She laughs and ruffles his hair. 

Touka wraps her arms around Kaneki. “You’re gonna be a good dad. And I won’t hurt you. I love you. You’re safe here, with us.”

“We’re your family,” sings Suzuya. “We’ll never leave you or abuse you. That’s not what families do.”

He pauses. “Mr. Shinohara told me that.”

“Shinohara was right.” Kaneki draws a shuddery breath and squeezes Touka tight. What if this new feeling floating before him?

It’s acceptance.