“Maman, tell us more about Hide.” Saiko leans over on the couch. Hsaio sits on Saiko’s lap.
“He was beautiful, inside and out.” Kaneki smiles sadly.
“And he supported you no matter what.” Mutsuki marvels, snuggling into his overstuffed chair. Support, just like the Quinx.
“He sounds awesome!” Higemaru punches his hands in the hair.
“He was. His last words I remember were ‘it may not be stylish, Kaneki, but live,’” Kaneki recalls.
“Those are beautiful words,” Aura admits begrudgingly.
“Unstylish, like you,” Shirazu teases. Aura sticks out his tongue.
“Hide’s one of my reasons for not giving up on you all,” Kaneki jokes.
“Yeah, yeah, we all know you would have given up on Urie long ago otherwise,” Shirazu says.
“Hey!” Urie’s mouth drops.
“Well,” says Higemaru, “if Hide went missing during the Anteiku raid, there’s a chance he’ll show up, just like Takizawa and Amon.”
Kaneki looks terrified at the prospect. He’s not ready for that.
But when he looks around his family, he thinks that maybe, just maybe, he could live through that after all.
Mercy and Magic 