Touka sips the terrible decaf coffee Hide brewed just for her. “Man, I always heard about people hating their in laws but this just takes the cake, you know?”
“You can eat cake?” Saiko asks.
“In laws? You mean, you really are married?” Takizawa laughs. “Holy shit!”
“Does that make you my mother?” gasps Higemaru. “Because I am down with that. She’s a badass.”
“I hate her! I hate her! She’s not our mother!” cries Mutsuki. “She – she stole Sensei away! That slut!”
Ayato rises, but Hinami yanks him back.
“Touka is actually pretty cool for the rabbit who killed my dad,” Akira says, tossing her a wry smile. Akira keeps her hands massaging Mutsuki’s shoulders.
Aura spits out his coffee. “She what?”
“Say it, don’t spray it,” says Nishiki with a glare.
“Oh come off it, we’re all killers here.” Kurona primly lifts her mug.
“Mutsuki, Kaneki left you because he couldn’t face himself,” Tsukiyama says quietly. “He’s never been good at that. Not that I have either. He craves a family but fears the hurt that comes with love. It was his failing, not yours. Not Touka’s.” He smiles slightly. “He told me the list of people he cared about once. Believe me, you Quinx were included.”
Mutsuki sniffles. “Really?”
But I am awful. I kill families. But Akira is rubbing his back, and Urie has approached him, and Saiko looks at him with kindness he doesn’t deserve. Did he leave the Quinx home, too?
“Really.” Tsukiyama nods.
Mutsuki lets out a little sob, and that does it. Saiko springs up and embraces him. Even Touka has to smile.
“Wait, wait, wait!” Ayato stands up. “Touka! Does that mean you really are – the rumors – the decaf -”
“Eh?” Nishiki opens his eyes. Oh, shit. It’s actually morning.
“I called Kaneki and told him you’ll be late.” Kimi smiles and traces his forehead. She hands him his glasses. “I have something for you.”
“Oh really? Is it a burger?” Nishiki has just had his first hamburger and hasn’t quite recovered. Kimi’s ghoul medication has saved his life.
“No, but I can get you one.” Kimi smiles shyly.
She drops to one knee and produces a simple white gold ring. “Nishiki Nishio, I love you with all my heart and soul. Would you marry me?”
Nishiki yells. “I was planning on asking you soon!”
She giggles. “So is that a yes?”
“Of course.” Nishiki hugs her, cursing. “I had the ring all picked out, too. Why are you so much better than me?”
“I’m not.” Kimi winks. “I just know you and thought I’d spare you the anxiety.”
“I appreciate it.” Nishiki draws her close for a kiss.
When they arrive at the GOAT-CCG Alliance headquarters, they find that Yoriko’s baked a cake, and Kaneki and Touka are waiting for them. Hinami throws confetti. “CONGRATULATIONS!”
MY OTP FLAGSHIP YASSSSS – First time for them, loosely based on the novel Past.
I feel at ease with him.
Kimi lets Nishiki’s tongue explore her mouth. She touches his cheek the way he touched hers, and leans back on the couch.
Nishiki pants atop her. “Do you want to…take this into the bedroom?”
Kimi nods. For once, she isn’t thinking about her family. She isn’t thinking about her insufferable pain. She’s only thinking about Nishiki.
“Have you ever done this before?” Nishiki purrs in her ear.
“No,” she admits. “Sorry.”
“Don’t be sorry!” He sounds scandalized.
“You have, right?”
“Yes?” Nishiki feels different with Kimi, though. He feels freer. She doesn’t ask about his past, because she’s so focused on enjoying him now. “We should probably take it slow.”
Kimi nods. “Do you want to undress me?”
Nishiki snorts. “Is that even a question?”
She laughs as he pulls off her clothing, one by one, and kisses whatever skin he finds underneath. Even her feet, when he removes her socks.
“You’re beautiful,” he whispers, sliding his fingers between her legs.
Kimi whimpers as she helps him out of his own clothing. She feels safe and happy with him as they begin, whispering sweet compliments to each other.
When it’s over, she finds herself warm and sweaty, but Nishiki still wraps her in a blanket.
“Just in case you get cold,” he says, and Kimi thinks he’s the sweetest boy she’s ever met.
Mercy and Magic 