This story contains spoilers! (Even if it's an AU)

AU Note

Arima's age has been aged by ten years to make him twenty when Ken was born, so his encounter with the owl happened when he was twenty-six. But everyone still thinks Arima to be his age to be that of the canon. Such as Ken is eighteen while everyone thinks Arima is twenty-eight but is actually thirty-eight.

AU also ignores the fact hybrids have shortened life-spans. My bad, I realized that I did that after writing in too far.

Summary(WIP)

"Arete - [noun] The aggregate of qualities, as valor and virtue, making up good character."

Kishou Arima sought for a better world for both Ghouls and Humans after the death of his lover, Akane Kaneki.

Story Note:

[Updated] This story is also posted on Wattpad under the same account name: Xeizihr. It is also recommended to listen to Still Here by Digital Daggers this chapter, it isn't required though.

Disclaimer for the whole story:

I do not own any media/content besides my own creative touch and original characters. Tokyo Ghoul belongs to Sui Ishida.

•停止•

He used to think children were problematic things. He never expected to be expecting a child at this point in life. They should get married before having a child, that was the sensible action to do. He wondered what made him so lucky to have met the older girl. He was brought back to reality when Akane flicked his cheek. His lover's cheeks were puffed out with childish irritation. "Kishou, are you even paying attention?" The dark haired woman exclaimed-slash-asked.

Kishou looked at Akane with a smile. An angel sat before him, her angelic features molded into a pout. Akane Kaneki, a fellow investigator, albeit she was a junior rank than him. While he was first-class, she was a third rank investigator along with Taishi Fura. They had met at that one school, where Arima went undercover at. It had been four years since the trip had met.

"No, sorry. I was just wondering why the beautiful Akane fell in love with me." Akane pouted before realizing what he had said. Her face and neck turned a deep red as she sputtered out gibberish.

"I didn't fall for you! You fell for me!" She tried to defend herself. Kishou chuckled, knowing that she was lying. "Stop laughing!"

In honest truth, Kishou was being honest. Growing up in the Sunlight Gardens was strange for he wasn't able to interact with anyone from the outside world besides researchers and his father and mother. That made Kishou more than a bit socially awkward when growing up until he began school. Kishou reminded himself that the child would be mostly human, only partially ghoul. He returned back to reality to say.

"We were talking about names correct?" A nod from the pregnant woman. "If the baby is a girl, why not Haruka. 春 [Haru] means spring while 花 [Ka] means flower. The child will bloom into the world beautiful."

"I like it... but the boy's name. Hm," she tapped her chin for a moment. "Why not 研 [Ken] for our boy's name?" Kishou looked at Akane with a confused grin. She looked at him upon noticing his expression. "Call it a mother's intuition. I can tell little Ken will be strong and smart like you." Kishou Arima loved her kind smile that even thawed the most icy-hearted people. 研, Ken, was the kanji for research. Kishou could agree with her but thought it would be inherited from Ken's mother though.

It was eight months later when Akane Kaneki gave birth to a healthy boy they named Ken on the eve of December Twenty-First. It was five minutes later after Ken's first contact with both his parents were he cleaned. Kishou thought it was ironic to have his son share his own birthday when he heard from Akane the next day.

•停止•Seven Years Later

Akane's death left him empty and alone with their son half a year ago, now in the fall. Her wilting white carnations dying off to the newly sprouting red spider lilies in her garden. Kishou had been taking care of his lover's flowers but to no avail, they were wilting without Akane's motherly touch. He hoped the same never happened to his sleeping almost seven-year-old son in his lap.

From the stress of taking care of his work, a very busy place, and taking care of Ken, his hair was permanently becoming white. It had already reached just past his jaw, leaving small amounts of his once natural dark hair at the ends. Ken's dark black hair had a blue shine to it like Kishou's was. Kishou remembered a piece of information he had come across months prior. Marie Antoinette syndrome was the reason behind his drastic change in appearance, hence Kishou's now mostly white hair. His eyes were just like his father's own eyes, a beautiful grey the color of storm clouds.

Kishou looked at his son through his glasses. A ghost of a smile formed on his face. "He'll look just like you Kishou!" Akane had said when Ken had turned one on their shared birthday. "I can tell." He tried not to think of her. It was too late. Akane Kaneki would never see Ken Kaneki-Arima grow up to be an adult. Already Ken had needed glasses, which Kishou knew Ken had inherited from both his parents.

Ken was already proving to be just like his father. His love for books, his enhanced senses, his looks. Kishou returned to reading his book. But before he could lose himself in the text, a yawn from the six-year-old earned his attention.

"Papa?" Kishou looked to the youngest Arima, taking in the sight of Ken's grey eyes through his small glasses. Ken's innocent stare pierced his soul. Kishou didn't want his son to lose that innocence. He would protect it.