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"Yomo, Yomo, is it true you got a cat?"
Yomo spins around to see Mie and Ryouko peering up at him, eyes wide. "Uta got a cat," he corrects.
"But you're married," says Ryouko, her brow furrowing. "So you got one."
"Well—" We live together. Yomo doesn't bother to correct her. "Yes, we have a cat."
"Can you bring it here?" requests Mie, tugging at one of her pigtails. Her glasses slip down her nose. "Shiro's going to bring her dog, and Hirako said he'd bring his too."
"Goat's turning into a petting zoo," Shirazu confirms as he walks by. He high-fives Ryouko and Mie. Bing rushes out of the daycare room with her arms raised, and Shirazu scoops her up.
"Can we play that animal game tonight?" asks Bing, peering into her dad's eyes. "The video one Mommy got me?"
"'Course we can," Shirazu declares.
"I don't know if the cat would take well to the dogs," Yomo says. He was stunned when he opened the door to his apartment to find Uta petting a small black kitten. "Where did that come from?"
"I found it on the street," Uta returned. And that was that. The cat's been living with them ever since.
"My mom won't let us get a pet," laments Mie, her lip trembling.
"Neither will mine, not until Akito's older," Ryouko says. She clasps her hands, eyes widening. "Please, Uncle Yomo?"
"Oh man," says Shirazu, shaking his head. "Hope you're made of tougher stuff than I am, Yomo." He ducks down the hallway, still carrying his daughter.
"We could do a field trip tomorrow," Yomo suggests. He really doesn't think it's a good idea to bring the cat here. He can already imagine Seidou and Kurona's dog chasing the cat outside into the street, and then it'd probably starve or get hit by a car, and Yomo doesn't want that on his conscience. "To our place."
Each of Goat's staff is taking shifts watching the kids for half a day. In addition to their shifts interrogating Furuta. Who apparently laughed all through his interrogation yesterday, when he wasn't taunting Juuzou about fancying himself Shinohara. Juuzou left the place shaken, and Hanbee took him and Hiroto for ice cream to cheer him up. Shinohara had to go himself and comfort Juuzou, too.
"Yes!" cheers Ryouko, grabbing Mie's hand and jumping up and down. "Ooh, look, Mie!" She crouches down and picks up a giant spider, letting it walk on her hands.
Mie screams. Yomo cringes.
"What the—Ryouko!" Ayato appears, stopping in his tracks. The coffee in his cup sloshes over onto his hands. He curses.
"You said a bad word," Mie informs him, blinking up at him. Yomo snorts.
"It's so cool," Ryouko breathes, watching the spider creep around her palm.
"It is not cool," Ayato says. "And sorry, Mie. But clearly you take after your Aunt Touka, Ryouko. She loved bugs. But I hate them. Now put the spider down."
"So you can kill it?" Ryouko glares at her dad.
Ayato refuses to budge. "Exactly."
"I can take it outside," Ryouko protests. "Poor little thing probably got lost."
Mie shakes her head, backing away.
"I'll take Ryouko outside," Yomo allows. Although he would feel a lot better if it were off Ryouko's palm and if they squished the thing.
"Thanks." His nephew shudders.
You're just like Hikari, Yomo thinks as he leads Ryouko down the stairwell and out into the parking lot. She sets the spider down on the sidewalk and flashes Yomo a grin. Ayato and Hinami are definitely in for it when you become a teenager. But he loves his great-niece. Hikari and Arata would be so proud.
He catches sight of Arima entering the building. Arima waves, and Yomo sighs. He can't see Arima's face without remembering that he's the one who killed her. But Nozomi and Shiono are also Yoshimura Kuzen's grandchildren, and when Nozomi smiles, he sees Kuzen in her.
"Anything?" Uta asks when Yomo returns home that evening. He crouches down on the hardwood floor, feeding the cat.
"Nothing. Touka was furious when she got back; apparently Furuta said something to her that Takeomi won't repeat." Yomo grits his teeth. He hates that he can't protect his niece from any more of that monster's barbs. "Hey, what are you feeding it?"
"What do you think? It's meat." The cat mews.
"Can you not turn our cat into a ghoul?"
"Don't worry about it." Uta keeps feeding the cat scraps of human flesh.
Yomo rolls his eyes as he heaves himself down onto the threadbare couch. They only have a few lights in their home, and the walls are decorated in paintings and masks. "Any suggestions?"
Uta raises his eyebrows. "For what?"
"For how to get any information out of Furuta. He's dropped enough hints that we know he knows something, but he won't specify what. He's not even making any demands."
Uta groans and leans back on his hands. "That's all, kitty." The cat meows in protest, rubbing up against Uta's arm. Uta scratches its head. "And he's doing that because he doesn't care about what happens. He's not trying to protect anyone. He's enjoying watching everyone freak out and knowing he could stop it but won't."
Shit. "So you think he won't talk?"
"Not unless he gets something out of it, and there's nothing he can really be given that would matter to him." Uta examines one of the tattoos on his arms. "Kaneki knows this, too."
"What would matter to him?" Yomo demands.
"He's lonely," states Uta. "That's why Kaneki told Juuzou to get him out of the prison and keep him nearby. It's really your only shot. But I don't know that it will work."
"He's only got himself to blame for that loneliness," Yomo points out.
Uta shrugs. "I think he's always been lonely, even before he started all his shenanigans."
"Are we talking about Furuta or you now?"
Uta narrows his eyes and pries himself up from the floor.
I love you, you know, Yomo thinks as his heart thumps. He remembers the moment he found out exactly how involved Uta was with the clowns, what he'd orchestrated—when Urie and Kaneki railed about the tricks he'd played on Juuzou and Mutsuki—and the searing, scraping, gnawing agony of realizing the person he thought was his friend kept this side of him cloaked in shadows.
But it was never what you wanted.
They fought, and Uta lost—purposefully, because he didn't want to live, and Yomo knew then that he couldn't deal the final blow. He wanted to help him instead.
"Nah," Uta says finally, picking up the cat. "I think my loneliness was more about perception. Furuta's really been alone. He was never even really a part of the clowns—he was really just entertainment the whole time." His voice drops. "You were always there."
Not to the best of my ability. Yomo cringes. He closes his eyes and yelps as he feels claws sinking into his leg.
"Oops; dropped the cat," says Uta, standing over him with a smirk.
The animal purrs, rubbing against Yomo's midsection. He snorts. Uta drops down next to him. "If you think of anything else—"
"If I remember anything, I won't hesitate to tell you, but unfortunately Furuta is your best bet," Uta informs him. "I'm tired of secrets. They're not that fun after all." He closes his eyes and drops his head onto Yomo's chest. "And I wasn't trying to disturb everyone yesterday by doing the kids' makeup. Maybe a little, but it's necessary. Eventually the kids are going to find out exactly how they came to exist. Their parents can't avoid the idea of Furuta forever."
"True." Yomo worries his lip. They've been trying to give the kids age-appropriate information about what their parents have done, but especially now that the older ones will all be at school together, there's always the risk that they'll find out too soon. "Of course, it took me forever to tell Touka and Ayato I was their uncle, so."
"Mm." Uta doesn't move.
"Ryouko reminded me of Hikari today," Yomo confesses. "And that makes being around Arima—difficult."
"You're his boss, technically."
"Exactly." Yomo scowls. He remembers Kuzen scraping him off the ground, and he sees Nozomi's huge smile. Time to change the subject. "I said I'd take them on a field trip here to meet the cat," he adds. "Ryouko and Mie were begging."
Uta lifts his head, eyes lighting up as much as they can with their sclera tattoos. "That would be fun." Uta's better and less awkward with the kids than he is. And they love him.
"I can also get clay for them, if they'd like to sculpt at some point," Uta muses. "The older ones anyways."
Yomo nods and leans over, pushing Uta back against the couch. Uta pulls him closer and Yomo kisses him, lips and tongue sinking down. You're feeling lonely right now, aren't you?
Because you're focusing on all the things you've done.
Yomo grips Uta's shoulders, digging his fingers in. Their teeth clack against each other's. Uta snorts. Yomo's arms encircle him. I'm here.
Nishiki's in hell.
His daughter, Ryouko, Seidou, Yuki, and Isamu all sing—really, chant—the same song over and over again at the top of their lungs. Nishiki can feel his brain bleeding out his ears.
It's for a good cause. Usually the kids are quiet when they're brought to work, but now that Mie, Ryouko, and Seidou are back and all hell's breaking loose with Furuta and V trying to reanimate itself from the dead, their presence is more of a hassle than a comfort. Nishiki doesn't want Mie overhearing anything about V or Furuta.
I almost lost her to him. He gulps, squeezing the steering wheel. Suddenly the screeching singing seems like euphony.
"How's your daughter doing?" Furuta taunted earlier. "I give and take away. Blessed be the name of the Lord."
You're not giving or taking anything sitting behind bars. Even if he's not actually behind bars right now.
Nishiki pulls into the parking lot of Yomo and Uta's apartment.
"Yay!" cheers Ryouko. "We're here!"
"I want to see the cat!" Isamu springs out of the car.
"Hey, slow down, Urie Isamu!" bellows Nishiki. "Don't run ahead."
He stops, hopping on the sidewalk. Seidou, quiet and smart, sidles up next to his friend. Yuki holds Seidou's hand.
Yomo pulls in next, and Joji, Nozomi, Chiasa, Rose, Nashiro, and Masanori tumble out. The younger kids were not allowed to come today; they'll go tomorrow. Hiroto burst into tears when he found out, and then he and Bing aggressively played a video game together while fixing the adults with pointed glares.
"Dogs are better than cats," states Nashiro.
"Nope!" counters Isamu.
Nashiro rolls her eyes.
"That was the debate on the ride over," Yomo tells Nishiki.
"I had to deal with singing," he says, rubbing his skull.
"You win. Or lose, really." Yomo shakes his head.
Uta welcomes them inside with a smile. Nishiki's not the biggest fan of the Gothic décor, with the tapestries and portraits and all, but his eyes land on an elaborate cat tree Uta's clearly thrown together, complete with a bridge that wraps around all the walls in the living room. Clay, paint, and other materials sit in a corner. "That's corner's off limits," Uta says. "Anywhere else you can go."
"Kitty!" shrieks Isamu, charging at the small black bundle of fur. The cat scrambles behind Uta.
"It's okay," Uta says, crouching down. "She's just scared. You have to approach slowly, Isamu. Hold out your hand. Let her smell you."
"Is she a ghoul cat?"
Yomo coughs as if he's trying not to laugh. Nishiki narrows his eyes. "Just what are you feeding that cat?"
"I'm not the one feeding her," Yomo answers.
A text lights up Nishiki's phone. Kaneki.
They killed another human and left a message calling for ghouls to unite to get rid of humans.
"Yeah, how're we gonna eat then?" Nishiki mumbles.
Yomo grits his teeth. "This isn't good. The news will be—"
"All over it," Nishiki finishes. "I'm sure Hinami is drafting a statement for the media right now."
"A lot of good it will do." Yomo looks more pessimistic than Nishiki's seen him in years.
"She's so cute!" squeals Isamu, stroking the kitten's head. His sister peers warily at the cat, clutching Rose's arm. "Chiasa, we should ask Mom and Dad for a cat."
"They're a lot of work," objects Chiasa.
"She's mini-Urie," Nishiki mumbles.
Masanori moves in too fast, and the cat scrambles, jumping up onto a table and springing onto the cat tree. Damn. Cats can move just like ghouls. A jar of eyeballs crashes onto the floor, spilling.
"Ew!" shrieks Seidou, covering his own eyes.
"Wow," breathes Masanori. He comes to work each day in clean, ironed clothes, and by the time its afternoon, Nishiki's noticed that his shirts are always rumpled and his jeans stained. His pink hair, chopped in a bowl cut like his father's, sticks out from his head.
"They're looking at me!" cries Joji.
"It's probably an invisible monster," muses Nozomi, tapping her chin. Her eyes gleam. "With a hundred eyes."
Eto, Arima, why is your child like this? Nishiki wonders yet again as Joji shrieks in horror.
"Eyeballs taste pretty good," announces Rose, playing with her hair. "My dad likes them."
"You are not eating these," Uta says. Rose's face falls.
He's surprisingly good with the kids, Nishiki has to admit. Even Masanori seems willing to obey him. Nishiki checks his phone again.
There's an anti-ghoul protest in the 4th ward, reports Juuzou. Fuck.
They used that poor person's leg as a paintbrush, reports Hide.
I just went off on Furuta, Amon confesses.
What? asks Saiko.
I think I made things a lot worse—I just wanted to get to the bottom of this—those poor people who they're killing—and they're endangering other lives.
Like your son's. And my daughter's. And mine, and my wife's because of her work. And us. Nishiki grits his teeth. Things were going so well the past year—other countries had even discussed adopting Japan's model of working with ghouls, of a shared society. Ghoul rights were even introduced into European law, much to Karren's shock and relief. She cried in front of everyone from Goat that night.
This could ruin everything.
Haven't you spent your entire life waiting for the other shoe to fall?
"Daddy?"
He looks down to see Mie wrapping her arms around his legs. "What is it, Mie?"
"Are you okay?"
"Of course," Nishiki assures her, dropping down and squeezing her tiny shoulders. He slips his phone into his pocket; he can read more bad news later. "Daddy's fine. Just has a lot of work to do." To keep you safe.
Mie nods, still frowning. Nishiki sighs and heaves her up. She's getting so big. Sooner rather than later he'll throw his back carrying her.
But for now, she leans her head against his shoulder and closes her eyes, and Nishiki feels safe.
When they get home that evening, Kimi's already there. "You heard?"
She nods.
"Heard what?" asks Mie.
"Nothing, Mie," Nishiki says.
"Shouldn't we tell her?" Kimi hisses as Mie prances off.
"Tell her that there's a rise in anti-ghoul movements because ghouls are killing people? She'll be worried. School scared her at the beginning last year; I don't want that to happen again." Although apparently Mie's nightmares were nothing compared to Amon Seidou's.
Kimi sighs. "How was the field trip?"
"Fun," Nishiki answers. He thinks of Uta's tattoo. I can neither live with you, nor without you.
But Uta is living with Yomo now, and humans are living with ghouls. Nishiki clenches his jaw. I won't let—
"Can you look at these results with me?" Kimi asks.
"Hm?"
She thrusts a stack of papers into his hands. "This is what my friends and I have been working on. Well, mostly them, though I've been giving suggestions when I'm not seeing patients."
Nishiki frowns and flips through the pages while Kimi makes herself some instant ramen. "Isn't that not particularly healthy?"
"I'm tired." She sits next to him, digging in with her chopsticks.
A chill scampers down Nishiki's spine as he looks over the charts. He rubs his face. "Is this for real?"
"Maybe. We'll have to do trials to test it," Kimi admits.
"Blind trials?"
"Eventually, but I want to start smaller." Kimi swallows.
"Are you asking me to volunteer?"
Kimi kneads her hands. "I'm asking you to consider it. If you don't want to, you don't have to. I realize I'm asking for a major life change and it might actually make you sick and there could be side effects I can't predict, so—"
"Better to try it with me than with Mie," Nishiki says, the salty, rotten smell of Kimi's ramen assaulting his nostrils. "At least for right now."
This could also—this could solve the problem.
But would all ghouls be willing to take it? Nishiki can already hear people lamenting and whispering about poison.
Nishiki frowns as Kimi finishes her ramen. I could eat that. If this works.
Would I want to?
It might smell like something other than decay for me.
Nishiki gulps. His stomach churns. His shoulders throb.
"You don't have to," Kimi tells him. "I love you no matter what."
"I want to," Nishiki bursts out, clenching his fists. I do have to. For Mie. "I'm pretty impressed with your research."
Kimi leans her head on her hand, a smile lolling across her face. "Oh really?"
"Really," Nishiki confirms. "Do I get to brag about you to the rest of Goat?"
"Soon," Kimi confirms. "If we can synthesize enough of it, I want to offer it to them too."
Up next: Uta gives the children fake tattoos and Urie's children ask him and Tooru The Question.