Hsiao cooks for Saiko, but the other Quinx at the Chateau involve themselves uninvited. Urie pines for Mutsuki while Hsiao pines for Saiko.

Hsaio crawls out of bed reckoning she should have just stayed up. All the Quinx will be up before dawn, and she needs to be ready.

She heard Saiko crying about Mamman last night, and since Hsaio isn’t good with words, she wants to comfort Saiko with actions. Actions that result in food, to be exact. 

On her laptop are recipes for green tea bread and chocolate chip pancakes. Saiko likes sweets, even though Urie frowns on them. 

Hsaio rummages through their kitchen cabinets, hoping no one wakes up. She’s not a good cook, because she’d rather spend her patience on the field than in the kitchen, but she can be anything for Saiko. 

“Mmm? Hsaio?” Tooru Mutsuki trudges into the kitchen, rubbing sleep out of his eyes. “Everything okay?”

“Oh!” Hsaio’s cheeks turn pink. “Saiko was sad last night, so I wanted to cheer her up. With food.”

Mutsuki smiles. “That’s a good way to cheer her up.” He comes over to study the recipes on her laptop. “Want help?”

Hsaio brightens. “Yes, please!”

She appreciates Mutsuki. She never fit in with the other Garden kids – she was too quiet and liked the girls instead of the guys. Liked like she likes Saiko. Like Urie likes Mutsuki.

“Hey.” Hsaio has an idea. “Get Urie down here. Maybe we’ll sneak sugar into that boy yet.”

“He’s sweet once you get to know him,” Mutsuki murmurs, as if he’s not even aware of Urie’s feelings. But he’s pulling out his phone and calling Urie upstairs, so Hsaio has hope for them yet.

“What’s going on?” Urie barrels into the kitchen, dragging a tousled Aura and boxers-only Higemaru. “Where’s Saiko?!”

“Uh. We’re cooking to make Saiko happy.” Mutsuki shoves a bowl at Aura. “Get to it.”

Hsaio sighs. “Well, I guess we’re all helping now.”

“Higa. Put some clothes on.” Urie turns bright red.

He makes sure to stand right next to Mucchan, who’s carefully sifting flour. When Mutsuki smiles at him, all he wants is to kiss him.

——————————————————————————————-

Saiko awakens to the delicous aroma of baked goods wafting in her nose. Has Christmas come early?

She scrambles downstairs in her warm pajamas, afraid she’d forgot a meeting.

“Happy Saiko Day!” cheer the Quinx from the kitchen.

“Huh?”

“We love you and wanted to make you feel appreciated.” Hsaio’s face is scarlet. Those words hit too close to home.

Saiko throws her arms around Aura. She works her way down the line of Quinxes before she leaves a kiss on Hsaio’s cheek. “Thank you. I love you, too.” 

Scenario where Tokage tells Urie and the other Quinx (possibly including Shirazu?) about Mutsuki’s past misdeeds. Possibly in front of the rest of the CCG like the monster he is.

OH MY GOD THE ANGST I LOVE IT.

this takes place in an alternative universe where Shirazu never died, sometime after Rushima, but before the Clown Raid. 

“You’re promoting this monster?” Tokage stretched out a hand to brush back Mutsuki’s hair. The quivering boy slapped him away, but that didn’t stop his laughter.

“What’s so funny, punk?” snapped Shirazu.

“Yes, and he’s Mucchy, not a monster.” Saiko crossed her arms.

Urie glanced at a sweating Mutsuki, and Suzuya Juuzou had gone unusually still.

“Unless you’re a cat, right?” Tokage winked at Suzuya, who paled.

“N-no,” stammered Mutsuki, desperate. “No, you’re wrong.”

“You killed the kitty?” Suzuya’s eyes were wide. 

Because he would remember, wouldn’t he, Mutsuki thought in horror. He liked Suzuya. And he’d hurt him. Again.

“And his family, ain’t that right?” Tokage cracked his knuckles, and that was it for Aura.

“Fuck off.” He leapt to his feet, Hsaio on his heels.

“Nah.” Tokage leered at Mutsuki. “Tell me, who was first: your dad? your Mom? your brother? Did you kill your brother and make up the abuse to cover it? Huh?”

Mutsuki doubled over. “No – ghouls killed them, you know that – ”

“He’s clearly upset.” Saiko marched over and tried to place her hand on Mutsuki’s shoulder.

Mutsuki pulled away. “Ghouls killed them – I am a ghoul – I am – I am – I am – ”

“Say it, boy.” Tokage lifted Mutsuki up by his collar. “You are grotesque. And now your Rc count is out of control, you know. You’re a menace.”

He shoved Mutsuki to his knees. “Look at his Rc levels. He’s a real ghoul now. Tell me, what exactly did Torso do to you to make you like him?”

Mutsuki hurt too much to scream. Salt streamed down his burning cheeks.

“I’m bad, I’m bad, I’m bad,” he sobbed.

“Did you kill the cat?”

Mutsuki didn’t respond until Takage pinched his cheek. “Yes!”

“Did you kill your family? Did you eat a dead instructor to survive at the auction? Did you dismember Torso like you wish to be dismembered?” Takage kept pinching Mutsuki just the way he knew Mutsuki hated, and the boy kept whimpering “yes” just to end it.

“So, there you have it.” Tokage straightened. “I did my duty by keeping an eye on him, and now you’ll do yours and exterminate this vermin. Quinx.” He spat at them on his way out.

“I’m not a Quinx,” said Suzuya, leaping forward and kneeing Tokage right in the groin. 

Higemaru took a step towards Mutsuki, who jerked his head up to see – to see Urie staring at him. Just staring.

He cried out and scrambled back against the wall. “I’m sorry, I’m sorry, I’m sorry.”

“I don’t care what you did. You don’t have to be sorry to me,” Saiko said stubbornly.

“We like you,” Higemaru added, and Hsaio nodded with a stern glance towards Aura, who immediately added, “Me too.” 

“I like him, too,” Suzuya told Tokage, chewing on a strand of black hair. “I don’t like you. Wait, Mutsuki -”  

Everyone’s eyes were on him as Higemaru handed Suzuya handcuffs. “I believe this could be considered interference with an investigation.”

Suzuya clicked the cuffs around a protesting Tokage’s wrists. “If I hadn’t had Mr. Shinohara, I would be worse than you. So I don’t look at you with disgust, because you’ve never done that to me.” 

“Come here, boy, my ghoulie friend.” Shirazu crushed Mutsuki to his chest. “Like, am I supposed to be worried you’ll eat me? As if.”

Saiko threw herself atop the two, and Hsaio and Higemaru dragged Aura over.

And through the mass embrace, Urie’s fingers reached out to tap Mutsuki’s shoulder.

“I’m gonna hurt you all,” whispered Mutsuki.

“If we could handle Urie, we can handle you.” Saiko grinned.

Mutsuki’s eyes lingered on Urie. Do you hate me

“Hey.” Urie smiled stiffly. “You know…whatever you’ve done, you’ve been who you are the entire time we’ve known you. And we like you for who you are. Saiko’s right, I think I’ve been more grotesque than you.”

Mutsuki’s heart beat quicker. Could they – could they all accept him?

“Can I hug you?” Urie asked. 

A man…asked him permission to touch him? No one did that.

Mutsuki nodded as tears filled his eyes, and for once he found himself in a safe sea of people who loved him. His family.