(If I’m asking too many questions at once, let me know 😓. I swear this is the last one until the others are done) Tsukiyama, Touka, Hinami and the Qs gain a deeper understanding of Kaneki when they all have the same nightmare: Kaneki’s first fight with Arima and his mental walkthrough with his mother and younger selves (from the ending of the first TG, the saddest scene IMHO 😭)

Hahaha you’re free to ask away, but that’s very sweet of you to consider. ❤ ❤ Also this ask might kill my heart. 😉

“KANEKI!!!” Tsukiyama leaps out of bed. It’s 2 am, but he just had a dream that ended with Arima Kishou dragging Kaneki by his hair. Memories of Kaneki’s mother destroying him, treating him in ways that Tsukiyama could never imagine Mirumo treating him.

He races into Kaneki’s room.

Kaneki is already awake as Touka yells. “It was horrible – your mother was hitting you and – Arima was dragging you and -”

“Shuu?” Kaneki frowns.

“Amour! I had the same dream!” Tsukiyama clutches his heart.

“Tsukiyama?” HInami hurries in, Ayato behind her. “Kaneki, are you okay? I had the worst dream.”

“Why are you and Ayato together?” Tsukiyama chortles.

Kaneki begins to shake. “Why are you all dreaming this?”

“Is it true?” Ayato asks dryly. He’s a bit bitter he didn’t have the dream.

——————————

Aura staggers into the hallway of the Chateau. “Arima had me – and some woman was hitting me – it felt like Aunt Kiyoko hit me. It hurt so much.”

Saiko grabs him, sobbing. “It was Maman, Maman’s memory. I know it.”

Mutsuki is crying silently. Sasaki would have understood being hurt by a parent. Sasaki had been safe to confess to. Why hadn’t he?

“I never realized people could be so mean,” Higemaru says sadly.

Hsaio shoots him a you-privileged-brat look.

“Huh?” Urie stumbles out of his room, rubbing his eyes. “Oh.”

“You had the dream, too?” Saiko asks.

—————————–

“Hajime’s tracker leads here.” Mutsuki watches his GPS as he leads the Quinx deep underground.

“I’m surprised you can get a transmission,” Saiko says. He heart pounds. Maman, maman was hurt.

“We all must have had the dream for some reason,” muses Higemaru. “Who could have done this?”

“Ever thought it’s a fake?” Aura grumbles.

“Ever thought you should shut up?” Urie responds.

“Who are you?” Two ghouls block the entrance up ahead.

“We’re your king’s children,” Saiko snaps.

——————————-

When Mutsuki opens the door, he’s neither surprised nor upset – oddly – to see Kaneki sitting in bed with Kirishima Touka. Especially since Yostume, a blue-haired boy, and the Gourmet Tsukiyama are also huddled around Kaneki.

“Maman! A good maman!” shrieks Saiko, launching herself at Kaneki.

“We all dreamt the same dream about you,” Urie says awkwardly.

Touka points at Mutsuki. “Why is that one here?”

“Because he had the dream, stupid hair,” Aura shoots back.

“Don’t insult Miss Touka! She has high fashion, you high school misfit,” gasps Tsukiyama.

“Are you now our other maman?” Saiko hugs Touka without waiting for a reply.

“Kaneki…” Urie steps forward. “Are the dreams real?”

“I mean, they’re real because you all had them,” the blue-haired ghoul replies snippily.

“Ayato,” chastens Yotsume.

“I guess I mean…did your mother do that to you? And Arima – hurting you like that…have you ever had a good parent figure?” Urie can’t imagine life without his dad. It hurts too much.

Kaneki has tears in his eyes. He meets Mutsuki’s gaze. “I guess we’re alike, right?”

Mutsuki dissolves into tears. “I’m so sorry, Sensei.”

Kaneki holds out his arms, and Mutsuki falls into them. Touka awkwardly strokes the kid’s shoulders.

In a way, Kaneki is relieved. No one judges him. They all love him, and he didn’t have to tell on his mother.

“Kaneki, let us help you,” pleads Urie.

Saiko grins. “Yeah, we’re terrorists now.”

(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.

Kaneki and Touka are super worried about being parents, with Kaneki fearing that he will be like his mother and Touka fearing she will be like Arata. But when Rin and Ayato come down with the flu, they realize they had absolutely nothing to worry about, and they reminisce together on their days of taking care of their precious baby sibling.

Kaneki swallows. The baby kicks around in Touka’s stomach, and it’s cute, but he can’t be happy.

Because what if he hits him/her?

Because what if he dies soon and leaves him all alone?

Touka sees the angst on Ken’s face and sighs. They’re in a war. What if she should be arrested, and the baby grows up never knowing her? What if the baby hates her, or even feels angry, like she is angry at Arata?

“Ah-choo!” Ayato staggers into GOAT headquarters with flushes cheeks and ashen skin.

“Ayato?”

“She – she got me sick!” He points accusingly at Rin, who follows him in. She, too, is sweating and shaking.

“I didn’t know ghouls could get the flu.” Ayato’s voice rises. “It’s not fair!”

“It might not be fair, but both of you are going to bed. Right now.” Touka grabs for Ayato.

He evades her. “You can’t get the brat sick!”

“Your nephew or niece is not a brat!” Rin yells.

“I’ve got this.” Kaneki takes Rin’s arm and motions for Ayato to follow. “I’ll get Yomo involved if you put up a fight.”

Ayato hangs his head and follows the King.

“Here.” Touka pours a glass of soda for Rin and blood for Ayato. “Take these in for them, Kaneki.”

“Will do.”

When he returns, Kaneki washes his hands immediately. He sighs.

“You know,” says Touka, “I think we’re doing all right.”

“Hmm?”

She laughs. “I’m remembering the days Ayato and I would get sick after Dad fed us human food. I’d be holding back his hair and comforting him. Even then, I knew hurting us wasn’t okay.”

She glances at her husband. “You know? We’ll be okay parents.”

Kaneki swallows. “I abandoned Rin.”

“Yeah, but you’re taking care of her now.”

He smiles tentatively. “True.”

He recalls taking the blame for her mistakes, so Mom would hit him instead of her. Maybe that’s why he turned out worse than Rin. But maybe that’s also why he’ll be a successful parent.

“We’re learning, I guess.” Kaneki strokes Touka’s belly. “Baby GOAT’s gonna be okay.”

“They sure are.” Touka winks.

Saiko, after finding out Sasaki/Kaneki wasn’t actually beheaded on stage in front of the CCG, goes to look for him at re to further calm her fears and make sure he is okay sans Mutsuki and Aura and they reunite

Saiko knows where Maman is. Actually, Urie does too, but he’s too much a coward to come with her, because if he sees Maman he’ll feel bound to arrest him.

Saiko though? She doesn’t feel obligated. She didn’t even choose this life.

But she did choose Maman. He’s her Maman. She loves him, and dammit, she’s gonna find him.

As for Mutsuki, she doesn’t even know. She’s worried about that boy. He needs Sasaki to help him.

“Oh my god, you are terrible at hiding,” Saiko announces as she strolls into Re.

Kaneki Ken drops his coffee.

“Really? Why are you so obtuse? I realize you were just executed, but still. What if next time they actually catch you?!” Saiko puts her hands on her hips.

“I have no idea who this girl is, but I like her,” Nishiki announces.

“You’re one of the Quinx.” The manager approaches. “Why did you come to find him?”

“Because I like seeing him alive!” Saiko shakes her head. “I watched you die and it was horrible.”

Kaneki’s face falls. Saiko cared if he died? The Quinx all cared?

Of course they did.

“Ken.” Touka points to Saiko. “You said the Quinx were your family. Be a dad.”

She flushes at Nishiki’s wink.

“Saiko, I do miss you.”

“So why? Mutsuki’s losing his mind – he’s been sick since Rushima. Urie’s closed off. I have no one and it’s like we meant nothing to you!”

“Because I – I am not Sasaki!” Kaneki squeezes his eyes shut.

“Yes you are, you blockhead!” Saiko growls. “You’re Sasaki and Kaneki Ken. Sasaki is a part of you. Don’t forget him and don’t forget us! Now, apologize.”

Kaneki’s eyes moisten. “I really am sorry.”

“Good.” She opens her arms, and Kaneki falls into them.

can I get some cute fluffy Furukane? I need something to deal with ch 143

*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.

Itori visiting :re and having a talk with Touka and Yomo!

Itori is my vodka aunt and I love asks about her!

“Yomoooooo, darling.” Itori waltzes into :re to plop onto a stool before the counter.

“Itori?” Yomo is taciturn as always.

“What’s got you in such a crabby mood?”

“I’ve barley said anything.”

“I can still tell.” Itori reaches out to poke Yomo’s nose.

“He’s mad that Uta did the auction,” Touka calls.

“Oh, is that so?” Itori flutters her lashes. “Can’t abide our friend’s dark deeds, can we?”

“Of course I can.” Yomo turns his attention back to the coffee.

“Hey, I’m a paying customer. Feed me coffee.” Itori pouts. “And pay attention o me.”

“As if we could do anything else.” Touka hands Itori a cup.

She sips it with a sigh. “Your coffee really does taste like Yoshimura’s, Touka-chan.”

Touka looks sad.

“I meant it as a compliment. He lives on through you, in a way. Like Uta lives in Yomo, even though he’s still alive.” Itori frowns. “I was going somewhere with that.”

Touka has to laugh. “Of course you were.”

“I hope my presence doesn’t bother you.”

“No, I find you entertaining.” Touka doesn’t trust Itori, but she likes her.

Yomo, meanwhile, trusts her untrustworthiness. And he knows he’d do anything for her, and she for him. Clowns or no, he can’t betray his friends.

Yoshimura understood, but that doesn’t make it easier.

“Earth to Ren.” Itori snaps her fingers in front of his eyes. “Pay me more attention.”

“We know you wouldn’t have it any other way,” he says dryly. And neither would they.

Ayato coming back and finding the base destroyed, many of goat dead, Miza tending to a “sleeping” Naki and his sister, Hinami, Tsukiyama and the half-hassed bastard missing.

Ayato smells the blood before he emerges from the underground. He hears the army of ghouls murmur behind him. He hears a sob.

“Miza?”

Ayato stops short.

Children – the Oggai – dead. The white suits are now bloodstained. And Miza sobs at Naki’s side.

He’s dead. Ayato’s stomach rolls. “Miza, where is Touka? Hina?”

“Yomo sent them on.” Miza wipes her eyes. “Who – who are these people?”

“The people we’re fighting for,” Ayato says grimly. “Looks like we’re having a battle sooner than expected.”

He sounds calm, but inwardly – Touka! Hinami! And that half-assed bastard. Where are they? Uncle Yomo?

Up ahead, he sees two CCG investigators moaning on the ground.

“Bind them,” Ayato orders. He’ll tend to them later.

Further still, he sees a stumbling figure in a torn trench coat. “Yomo!”

The Raven’s eyes widen. “Ayato.”

He rushes towards his uncle. “Where are the others?”

“Follow me,” Yomo says firmly. He immediately slouches over, and Miza props him up.

“Lean on me.”

More wails come from around the corner. Arima Yusa is punching Hirako Take over and over and over in his shoulders.

“Take!” Yomo gasps.

“Where’s Shio and Rikai?” Miza asks with dread.

Hirako turns his bloodshot eyes to Yomo. “I couldn’t save them. They – ”

He breaks down in tears, and Ayato snaps his fingers.

“We have to keep moving. Bring them along,” he orders. Two more ghouls pick up Hirako and Yusa.

A distinctly human smell comes from tunnel 14.

Many investigators.

Ayato motions for the wounded to stay behind. “Miza, watch over them.”

She nods, and he prepares to attack. No one is hurting Touka and Hinami. He can’t even imagine them dying yet.

“Charge!”

Ayato flies forward on his ukaku.

Touka meets his eyes. HInami is with her, and the Aogiri children – surrounded by CCG agents.

“Back the fuck off!” Ayato screams. If he’d been a second later, they’d have killed his sister and – and her, his butterfly.

A little investigator, that tiny Arima, turns around to face him.

Suddenly, Ayato screams.

That’s Arata’s kakuja.

“Dad!” screams Touka, firing Rc shards towards the investigator.

The investigator tries to move, but the armor locks.

“You bastard!” Ayato feels himself crying, but he sends the investigator head over heels towards Touka.

Touka hurls his quinque across the tunnel.

“The only reason I’m keeping you alive is that Kaneki loves you,” she hisses. Suzuya looks horrified.

“Speaking of Ken, where is the half-assed bastard?” snarls Ayato. Most of the investigators have surrendered, and those who haven’t have been killed. Kaneki won’t like it, but this is fucking war.

And that armor hurts him.

“He saved me and got caught up ahead,” Hinami cries.

“You won’t win!” Ayato yells at Suzuya before grabbing Hina by the hand. “Everyone who’s not guarding the prisoners, with me!”

“This way!” Hinami leads Ayato down the tunnel, treasuring every second by his side.

Rewrite of Touka/Kaneki wedding scene with Kaneki and Mutsuki get happily married instead of Touka and Kaneki

“Do you think there are too many flowers?” Urie Kuki asks, squinting at the venue.

“What blasphemy did I just hear? There are never too many flowers!” Tsukiyama Shuu gasps from behind a pillar of roses.

“The cake is all set.” Yonebayashi Saiko skips in.

“Mutsuki’s gonna faint.” Nishiki Nishio laughs.

“Bets on who faints first.” Kirishima Ayato shouts. “I bet Kaneki!”

“Kaneki’s stronger than that now,” Touka informs her brother. She uses her ukaku to fly up to the top of the church to arrange a wreath of orchids.

“Put me down as Kaneki,” Aura Shinsanpei says sheepishly. Ayato nods with approval.

But as luck would have it, when Mutsuki appears down the aisle with Arima at his side, Kaneki’s knees do buckle. Ayato and Aura slap high-fives in the midst of the ceremony.

“This is so extravagant,” Mutsuki admits to Kaneki during their reception. “I had no idea you had such a lavish friend.”

“Neither did I for a while,” Kaneki admits. He reaches for Mutsuki’s hand. “Are you happy?”

“Very.” Mutsuki feels warm and secure and safe.

“Good.” Kaneki kisses him.

“Give back my glasses!”

Their attention immediately turns to the dance floor, where a very merry Yomo is prancing about with Nishiki’s spectacles.

Mutsuki laughs. He already loves all of his husband’s wild, crazy friends.

Ayato, Hinami, Mutsuki, and Urie all wind up trapped in a building in the 24th ward together. Their respective loved ones are desperate to find them.

“Why am I here!” screams Mutsuki, pounding at the collapsed rubble. He wanted to find Sensei, not be trapped with these demons and an overzealous Urie. “With ghouls!”

“You’re the one who called my sister a slut! Prepare to die.” Ayato releases his ukaku.

“Touch him and I’ll rip out your entrails,” snarls Urie.

“Can you all calm down?” Yotsume steps between the two. “We’re here. We need to find a way out, and we can only do that by cooperating.”

“With you?” Urie is aghast.

“Hinami is nice, asshat,” Ayato taunts.

“Unlike you?”

“Sure.” Ayato’s ukaku vanishes. “Okay, Hinami.”

“If Kaneki loves them, they must be good,” Hinami reminds him. She smiles at Urie. “I like your moles, and you – I like your eyepatch. It reminds me of Oniichan.”

“Sensei?” Mutsuki touches his eyepatch. “Really?”

“Yes.” Hinami appears utterly sincere, which confuses Urie.

She seems so sweet.

Then again, so did Haise.

————————————————

“It’s been three hours.” Saiko paces above ground. “That’s it. I’m going down into those tunnels.”

“Suppose ghouls eat us?” Higemaru says.

“Suppose they ate Mucchy and Urie! Suppose they’re captured and lonely!” Saiko waves her hand. “You’re all following me.”

“Yes.” Hsaio shoves Aura forward.

————————————————

“Three hours, and nothing?” Touka stops her pacing. “I’m gonna go there any haul Ayato’s ass back myself.”

Kaneki can tell that beneath her bravado, she’s worried. Suppose there were more than two intruders?

“Let’s go look.”

————————————————-

“Wait, so we all lost parents.” Ayato leans back. “To this dumb war.”

Mutsuki shivers.

He didn’t, Hinami thinks. But now may not be the time to mention it.

“For a dumb war, you sure participated eagerly,” Urie says sourly.

“Do you even like killing us?” Ayato wonders.

Urie sighs.

“I don’t think so.” Hinami pauses. “Like we don’t like killing them.”

“Hinami, I had to do your killing for you,” Ayato says with a laugh.

Mutsuki’s eyes widen. So she, Yotsume, is weak like him.

But she’s strong, too. She’s SS.

Hinami smiles at him, and he returns the smile.

Bam! The rocks they’ve given up on removing are shoveled away by a giant hand-shaped kagune.

“Saiko!” shouts Urie.

The opposite side of the tunnel collapses now. Kaneki and Touka stand there, bruised and exhausted.

Saiko waves. “Looks like we beat your rescue, Maman.”

Akira and Amon come back to find out Touka’s pregnant and surprise Akira’s pregnant too.

I love this idea.

“Kaneki. Eyepatch. One-Eyed King, it suits you,” Amon said awkwardly.

Kaneki shifts. “I see.”

“Haise – I mean, Kaneki – what happened in Cochlea?” Akira crosses her arms. She needs to be a good mother to Haise, so she’ll be a good mother to whomever grows in her belly.

The Rabbit eyes her suspiciously.

Kaneki lowers his gaze. “I can’t speak of that.”

“I need to know. Please. I can’t move forward with you until I know.” Akira swallows. Amon nods his encouragement.

Kaneki looks up. “Arima killed himself.”

Akira can’t believe it, but why would he lie?

“Why are you back if this is so hard for you?” Touka asks.

Amon gulps.

“We need your help.” Akira rubs her stomach. “I’m having a half-ghoul child, Kaneki. Surely you know something about ghoul biology.”

Touka chokes, Amon blushes, and Kaneki squeaks.

“I don’t know.” Kaneki shakes his head. “I don’t know, I don’t know, I don’t know!”

“We’re in the same position,” Touka says quietly, reaching out a hand to rub Kaneki’s shoulder.

“You’re – pregnant?” Akira gapes at Touka.

Touka nods.

A ripple of kinship spreads between the two women.

“We have to find a way to help them,” Amon says.

Kaneki nods. “Amon, will you help GOAT?”

“Anything,” Amon says, nodding to Akira, who smiles in return.

Her eyes narrow when she looks at Kaneki. “Haise!”