Gunfire erupts from behind Tatara as he hurries with his lover towards Eto’s safe hideout, a cave nestled in the woods.
He puts her down on the ground. “Can you run? I’ll hold them off.”
“If you promise not to die,” she replies hotly before taking off.
Tatara turns around to face these idiotic people too unskilled for anything besides an Rc gun.
————————————–
“Catch her!” She stumbles, still thinking of her brother Houji, as rough hands throw her to the ground.
She tried to make it to the shelter, but once she saw investigators, she knew she had to lead them astray. Otherwise Aogiri would be done for.
“Wait. She’s not a ghoul.” The man, tall with spiky white hair, peers down at her. A mini Rc scanner gives off a pleasing hum as he points it at her.
“Why would a human team up with ghouls?” asks a short blonde woman.
The man lowers his scanner to her stomach. It shrieks.
He laughs at the kneeling woman, who’s starting to shake. “Well, if we don’t have a traitor to the human race.”
“Please,” she begs. Tatara would hate her begging, but she has no choice now.
“What if I just…relieve you of this burden?” His ukaku quinque brushes her stomach.
She gags. “No!”
A roar interrupts them. The One-Eyed Owl sends the investigators scattering. Tatara appears by Eto’s side, and for a moment, his lover thinks she’s safe.
A quinque runs through her chest. She can taste blood. This…this isn’t good…
The Owl screams and before she passes out, she feels Tatara’s arms around her.
—————————————-
Tatara paces back and forth. When he arrived at the hideout to find her missing, he’d known – of course she would be stupidly self-sacrificing.
Noro guards the door. Eto’s long since kicked him out.
Even Ayato is here, silent.
Finally, Eto opens the door. “Hey, Daddy-O.”
Tatara gasps and rushes in. She lies on the bed, pale but conscious, her chest wrapped in bloodied bandages.
And there’s a baby in her arms.
Tatara takes off his mask and to his relief, Eto has shooed everyone out. THey’re alone together.
“Hey,” she says weakly. “Meet your daughter.”
“She’s perfect.” Tatara hangs his head. “I’ve never felt fear like that. When I saw – his quinque – go through you.”
“I don’t think I have either,” she says with a trace of a smile.
He rolls his eyes. And the next thing she knows, he’s sitting besides her, weeping. “I love you so much. Don’t – don’t ever die. Please.”
She entwines her fingers with his. “I promise.”
Mercy and Magic 