Chapter Text
The sky is dark and Anteiku has been closed for ten whole minutes before the door opens while Kaneki is cleaning the counter. The bell over the door jingles and he looks up, expecting to see Yomo or even Tsukiyama. He's the only one there, previously scheduled engagements taking his friends and coworkers from the building earlier than usual, leaving him to wipe down the counters and lock up.
This happened sometimes, and Kaneki didn't mind it at all. He liked having the calm of Anteiku all to himself. He seemed to still be a loner at his core, even after all this time. He liked the quiet, and the smell of coffee. Sometimes he liked to have a cup all by himself and soak up the silence before he went home.
The bell over the entrance jingles and Kaneki looks toward it, surprised.
“Sorry,” the man grins, sheepish, “Are you guys closed?”
The answer is yes. But Kaneki is suddenly looking at the the most beautiful human he's ever seen, and as soon as he lays eyes on him he forgets how to breathe properly. The man is giving him a soft smile that sets Kaneki's heart to racing, and his shoulder length blond hair is tied into a messy low bun. He wears a yellow track jacket and his eyes are so unbelievably brown--
Kaneki is suddenly thankful he's the only one here, because he's sure if anyone saw how he scrambles to turn the stoves back on he's sure he'd never live it down.
Can anyone blame him though?
“No.” Kaneki says quickly, throwing the rag he's using to clean the counter aside.
The man steps inside and Kaneki's heart flips at the smile he gives Kaneki. It's so bright. So warm. Everything Kaneki is not, in his own opinion.
The man is quite obviously pregnant, his jacket doing a poor job of hiding that, though Kaneki can tell it's a half-hearted attempt at best. The possibility of the man being taken didn't even cross him, but Kaneki pushes the thoughts out of his head, holding on to hope. Granted, he did only see the guy a few seconds ago, so he shouldn't jump to conclusions.
The man still looks somewhat unsure, but Kaneki smiles at him and the blond takes a seat at the counter. Kaneki, of course, blurts out the first thing that comes to mind.
“Uh, congratulations.” he offers, gesturing to the blond's stomach.
The man smiles at him, looking up at him. The lighting makes his hair look even shinier, and Kaneki already knows--
He's lost.
The man chuckles, “Thanks. Is it that obvious now?”
“Hm?”
“Am I that huge already?”
"Oh, n-no! I just...noticed." Kaneki stammers. Hide gives him an amused look.
"So that's a yes." he chuckles brightly, "It's fine."
Kaneki blushes, "What can I get you?"
"I've been dying for one of the chai teas here all day. And a sandwich." Hide tells him, settling at the counter, "And uh--are you sure you guys are still open? I don't wanna put you out of your way if you're closing--".
Kaneki nods, "Trust me, it's fine. You're the last customer. I'll get right on that for you." Kaneki smiles, hoping that Hide doesn't notice how his heart has started pounding in his chest. Or that yes, they are closed, but this blond is gorgeous and Kaneki is weak.
Hide thanks him and Kaneki starts on his order while the blond looks around, "I think this is the latest I've been here. It's different when it's empty."
"Yeah, I like it like this, though. It's quiet." Kaneki says.
"Yeah, it's nice."
Hide is quiet for a moment, just staring out the window to the side. The human has his elbows on the counter and leans his face on his hand, eyes thoughtful. Kaneki tries to come up with something to say. Hide talks first.
"So what's your name? I'm Hide." he grins.
The ghoul tells him.
"Kaneki, huh?" Hide smirks.
And Kaneki knows he's in trouble.
°°°°°°°
He can't stop thinking about Hide. That night he watches him leave, hand still tingling from the friendly handshake he'd given him and his brain just repeating his name over and over .
Kaneki closes the store and goes home, deep in thought, wondering about the other man. What's his middle name? What's his favorite color? What does he like to do? Kaneki finds himself curious about the man in a way he hasn't been curious about anything in a long time.
He wonders whose baby it is, and if Hide is still with them.
Kaneki wonders why Hide looked so tired.
°°°°°°°°
Hide starts coming by more often, and Kaneki is relieved. He was afraid he wouldn't see the man again, and Kaneki finds that he needn't have worried. Hide always seems to be closeby, and he comes to Anteiku for lunch and dinner often. Granted Kaneki doesn't get to see him long at first, seeing as when Hide drops by Kaneki is technically at work, though he lingers by Hide's table for conversation almost every day. He knows Yashimura notices, the older man just looks on with amusement and doesn't say anything.
They chat as Hide orders, and Kaneki learns that Hide's putting together a nursery. Hide learns that Kaneki has a love for psychological horror books.
°°°°°°°
Touka raises an eyebrow, "What? You in a rush? Not having lunch with us today?"
Hide chuckles, “Sorry, I have so much cleaning to do, and the nursery needs to be set up, so I can't stay long. I have to meet up for lunch with someone too. The other place just doesn't make tea well as you guys do, so I'm stopping here first.”
"You better show me pictures of the nursery when it's done. And hell yeah we make the best tea." Touka smirks, completely serious, "So what kind will it be today, blondie?"
Hide snickers at the nickname, "Matcha, please."
"Should you be drinking that?" she asks suspiciously, glancing between his stomach and Hide's face, "Maybe some herb tea instead..."
"I know what I can eat and drink and what I can't!" Hide says, defensive.
"Yeah, but..." Touka squints at him, more suspicious, " Caffeine ..."
Hide throws his hands up in fake, exaggerated exasperation, "Fine, mom. Pick whichever tea you think I'll like."
Touka nods, "Better."
Hide grumbles. Kaneki watches them blankly, having checked out of the conversation after Hide spoke the first time.
Hide's meeting up with someone for lunch. A date ? With who? Where? Since when?
Kaneki feels his face go hot in jealousy, but he bites it down before Hide can see the dark look on his face as Touka has her fill of teasing him and goes off to make his tea. Kaneki realizes his break started about three minutes ago, and he asks Hide if he can sit with him. The man agrees with no hesitance, which makes Kaneki feel a little better. That, and the smile Hide shoots him.
“So uh, your husband or girlfriend or whatever--” he starts, hoping he doesn't sound like the insecure, jealous wreck he feels he is.
Hide laughs, “I'm single, Kaneki.”
Kaneki nearly breaks his neck with how quickly his neck snaps so he can look at the blond in alarm and shock.
Dark eyes glance down at Hide's slightly rounded stomach and back up at the human's face.
Hide's alone? How? There's no one looking out for him, even with how dangerous this ward is? It's twisted, how happy he is Hide is single but how angry he is that no one seems to be keeping tabs on Hide at all, especially with all these ghouls running around. Kaneki can only control them so well.
How could someone like Hide possibly be single anyway? The man was like literal sunlight.
Kaneki doesn't notice that Hide has gone red in embarrassment until the blond speaks again, pulling Kaneki out of his thoughts.
“Yeah, yeah. I know.” Hide sighs quietly, a hand on his middle and his eyes on the tiled floor, “Irresponsible, or whatever.”
Kaneki stammers, “No, that's not what I meant at all--I'm just surprised. This ward is dangerous, and with the pregnancy...don't you need someone to help you?”
Hide shrugs, that smile back his face, “I get by on my own. It's cool.”
Kaneki’s brows furrow, not exactly satisfied with that answer. He then idly wonders where the subconscious internal need to wrap himself around Hide and protect him came from. Kaneki decides almost immediately not to fight it.
Kaneki already knows that he's going to help Hide, he just hopes the other man doesn't take offense.
Hide is bright and brilliant and Kaneki finds himself thinking about the human so often that even his friends have begun to notice how spacey he's been.
He zones out during his shifts and he merely grunts--deep in thought--when they try to speak to him, his thoughts with Hide and wondering what he's doing. He hopes he's taking it easy. Kaneki has the feeling Hide is one of those people who tries to do too much.
It's worse when Hide comes to the shop. He smiles at Kaneki and they chat--Kaneki ignoring other customers--before Kaneki takes Hide's order (and maybe he always puts Hide's order before anyone else's whether they ordered before the blond did or not, but sue him, Hide's pregnant and needs to eat and that's just common sense) and requests to take his break so he can sit with him.
Conversation with Hide is easy. It doesn't escape Kaneki how easy to talk to Hide is. The blond's presence is just one of bright understanding, and Kaneki finds himself in awe of how preceptive Hide is. The man picks Kaneki apart over the course of every conversation and Kaneki is helpless to resist. Usually he would avoid anyone who was on this level of intelligence, as it was dangerous for him to surround himself with such people for many reasons, especially a human. No ghoul wants an exceptionally smart human lurking around them, that always spelled trouble.
But it's not like Kaneki even considers leaving Hide alone to be an option, so he supposes he'll have to deal with it. He dawdles a bit, watching Hide sip his tea while they talk, and Kaneki knows his break is over and that he has to get back to work, but it's Hide, and who knows when he'll come back?
It's not like Kaneki has his cell phone number or anything. He supposes he'll give it a little more time and then he'll ask for it. If he does it now there's a chance that Hide could get freaked out and pull back, and that's the last thing Kaneki wants. So he decides to be patient.
It's difficult though, when Kaneki can only think about how amazing Hide smells and how pretty he is. Kaneki talks himself out of following Hide one day, scolding himself.
That'd be creepy. Right?
In the end it's Touka who pops up by the table he and Hide are sitting at and smirks, "Your break's been done for ten minutes. Back to work, slacker."
Kaneki sputters and Hide chuckles. Touka winks at the human before she gives Kaneki a stern look and walks off. The ghoul grumbles.
Kaneki sighs and stands.
"Bye, slacker." Hide smiles, bright.
Kaneki feels his face go red as he stammers out a goodbye. Hide leaves a few minutes later, and Kaneki pauses pouring hot water to watch him go.