#constant runny nose and a need for routine? yeah

[thatblondeperson]

TimSteph, taking care of chronic injuries!

Hey look, another ask that got buried! Sorry friend!!!! 

This is all preboot, RR/Batgirl era.

Ok so Tim is super extra imo when it comes to treating any kind of sickness, injury, ANYTHING. He’s the type of guy who will go to CVS and buy out the entire “cold + flu” aisle as soon a Steph gets a runny nose. He absolutely drowns her in cough drops and tissues. I can see him being extremely attentive as well. Like bringing blankets and pillows around the clock, happy to carry her from point A to point B, almost insisting to do so on occasion, and just sitting with her for as long as she desires/needs company. He absolutely pays no mind to germs. Steph can cuddle all she wants.

Steph is similar but less extra. She’s got some more classic home remedies that Tim doesn’t have. She absolutely would baby the hell out of him if he got sick though, and probably more often than not she has to put her foot down on him trying to patrol even if he’s completely out of it and burning up. Tim has a hard time relaxing, but eventually the time is used for him to catch up on sleep. Tim getting sick is like a mini-hibernation. I can see Alfred stepping in occasionally if they were both sick because Tim’s an absolute mess, and Steph can only do so much before she gets wiped out. They’re hopeless and completely out of service if they’re both ill at the same time. Error 404: Dorks not found. 

Chronic injuries are a constant process. Steph obviously has a ton just from Black Mask alone. I’m sure she gets aches and pains on the regular due to the severity of the torture she experience. Power drills would leave some lasting abdominal pain for sure. Hell, I wonder if it makes cramps worse for her? It could in all honestly. She may need serious pain meds during that time of the month which are of course always kept on hand. On top of that, the physical trauma definitely left endless mental trauma. No question about it. Not to mention that time she got lightly shot in the head. I say lightly because I forgot this was a thing because they don’t really address it again. I imagine that would cause occasional headaches/migraines, and I’m sure Tim likes to run a scan every now and again to make sure there isn’t any lasting damage. And of course, we return to the medicine cabinet for more pain pills. (Thank you @incoherentbabblings for reminding me of the gunshot.)

I headcanon that both of them get nightmares on almost the regular. They’ve both got it set that if one of them is in the middle of a bad nightmare, the other just holds them close, doing whatever they can to soothe them until the calmness sets back in. The nightmares get more spaced out some time after they move in together because I think the constant safeness of having someone beside them every night would eventually help them both sleep through the night better. It is hard to get back to sleep though. Both of them have been put through the ringer, they’ve both seen death of loved ones up close and personal, and I imagine a lot of what they’ve experienced is still very vivid and intense for them.

Tim’s got his own fair share of recurring pain. The boy doesn’t have a spleen and tbh I don’t know how he’s not getting sick more frequently. But extra precautions need to be taken to keep him from getting infections when he gets any kid of open wound, thank GOD Steph is a nurse. Tim has to be kept pretty healthy though if at all possible, which brings us back to my previous headcanon about him not caring about germs when Steph is sick? Yeah, not his smartest move, but Tim’s an idiot and forgets that he’s fragile. 

Both of them have regular joint issues. They’ve dislocated enough things for just about everything to make awful clicking sounds now and again. Steph doesn’t have as much regular muscle pain, she’s far more flexible than Tim is so she stays pretty loose and limber, but that doesn’t mean she doesn’t have to work at it every day. Steph does yoga as a part of her routine. She gets Tim to join sometimes but he’s not very good at keeping up with it. He’s flexible too but not to her level, and he locks up easier if he’s had an especially tough night. They both try to put the time in to exercise when they can, spotting each other, keeping a routine going, because given how much they both get beaten and battered on the daily, if they don’t keep up with muscle pain, it’ll just get worse. On bad days when the pain makes any mobility difficult, massages ensue. They’ve got at least 15 ice packs in the freezer at all times, and a stack of heating pads in the medicine cabinet. And if all else fails, a nice hot bubble bath never hurts. With Epsom salts and everything. Steph likes to add a touch of lavender oil.

Immediate injuries they’re both very good at treating. Steph obviously has more technical knowhow, and she is the most medically trained of all the Batfam members, but Tim is detail oriented and good at focusing when he needs to so he can keep up just fine. They’re both good at stitches and general wound treatment, but Steph is better at consistent treatment. Tim will absolutely forget to switch out his bandages or clean things because his brain is soup and he cannot be bothered to think about injuries when he’s too busy with 50 other things on the constant. He needs to slow down. We get right back into “more prone to infections” again. Alas. Idiot. 

They both have their fair share of mental health issues, though Tim’s tend to be more intense. Steph has her ways of managing her own mental state but Tim gets stuck often. He falls into some pretty deep depression spells, and his anxiety acts up fairly frequently. Steph has started teaching him how to meditate, but also has a list of distractions and special remedies that she can utilize if need be. Movies and tea are a good base line, though Tim’s mind gets very far away sometimes and it’s hard to pull him back out. Like he almost wants to wallow in his sadness. Often she just tries to ground him as best she can so he doesn’t get so lost that he can’t come back. Steph likes to make sure that he isn’t always using patrol as a crutch for when he’s feeling upset or tense. It’s hard to sway him away from more pain when he lets himself get so close to the edge. It breaks her heart, sometimes she feels helpless.

Steph has anxiety as well, and some psychosomatic tics from her past abuse. She needs a lot of reassurance and gentleness when her mind starts racing. She’s still prone to trust issues, even now when she’s surrounded herself with stable people. She’s been let down and she fears losing her steady ground sometimes. Tim, let’s face it, hasn’t been the most reliable in the past, but I firmly believe that with some growing up he’d step up to the plate and try to be a solid home base for her to the best of his abilities. He’s not going anywhere anytime soon. He’s very good at being gentle. That’s canon as fuck. I will die on the hill that Tim is as delicate with Steph as one would be with a priceless porcelain heirloom. Fight me, the boy would never intentionally try to physically or mentally hurt her. He tries so hard to reassure her but I thinks he feels a little helpless sometimes too. Some of her trust issues are his fault, and he can’t just snap his fingers and reverse his mistakes. He tries his best, but there will always be scars. 

All in all, I think they’re both very tender and caring with one another. They’re both beyond broken sometimes, and they are a mess and a half. But they know each other, they know each others pain and sadness and I think once they got back together they’d settle very easily into a care routine. Both of them are carrying the weight of countless consequences and mistakes and hardship on their shoulders. Pain is just a side affect that comes with carrying so much baggage, but it’s a little easier to manage when they have each other for support. I do think some of it would get easier over time, and my wish for them is that they can move somewhere just outside the city, maybe by a lake. Far enough away that things are quiet, but not so far that they would completely leave the hero gig behind. I agree with the consensus that neither of them could fully quit. Tim would just sink into the background, but Steph would be out there in the field for many years. Justas long as they have somewhere safe and comfortable to return to, I think they’ll both be just fine. Plus smooches are the best fallback medicine for all ailments and we all know that they never run out of those. 😘💋

THANK YOU FOR THIS ASK! More than half of this was not anything to do with chronic injuries but fuck it. We’ve tapped into the hurt/comfort section of my brain and there is a lot of material there to work with. Idk when you sent this in but I hope it wasn’t too long ago. I hope this answered more questions than you ever intended to ask. 💜❤

[jackiesarch]

first

The fluorescent light in the bathroom hums loudly. The buzz is constant, grating, and as Rook closes her eyes and tilts her head back against the wall of the locked stall, it’s the only thing she can focus on.

She’s perched precariously on the closed toilet seat, curled up and hugging her knees close to her chest. Without her permission, her stomach flips, and she has to breathe deep to keep herself together.

In through the nose, out through the mouth. Repeat.

Her nerves are scraped raw. She doesn’t know how many minutes she’s spent in this tiny bathroom, but it’s been long enough that someone is going to come looking for her sooner rather than later if she doesn’t get back to her desk.

She should go, but she doesn’t move.

Memories she doesn’t want back filter through her head — the routine traffic stop, the man with the gun, her instinctive reaction to draw her own weapon and shoot to kill. The lack of hesitation as she pulled the trigger.

It’s been a week, and Rook still thinks she can smell the blood in the air. At night, in the quiet of her apartment, she’s sure she can hear the crackle of blood-filled lungs aching for breath.

She was trained for this, but she never knew it would be so hard.

Someone’s fist raps against the door to the women’s washroom. Rook has a feeling she knows who it is even before they speak, but she lets them announce themselves anyway.

“Hey, Rookie,” Staci says, his voice tentative. Rook can barely hear him over the humming of the light bulb. “Can I come in?”

She doesn’t say anything, so naturally Staci opens the bathroom door and lets it shut heavily behind him. Not for the first time, she wishes that the door locked – she doesn’t need anyone else to walk in and see her hiding, even if she is hiding behind a closed stall.

His footsteps echo of the tile walls and high ceiling. She watches the space between the stall door and the floor, and a few seconds later Staci’s boots appear in front of her.

Neither of them move for a moment. Rook stays put, her chin resting on her knees, and Staci doesn’t move from in front of the locked door.

“You okay?” Staci asks eventually, once enough time has passed without either of them saying anything. Rook keeps her mouth shut. She doesn’t know if anything would come out, even if she wanted it to.

She’s only known him a few months, but Rook has discovered that Staci is a creature of habit. She’s learned so many of his mannerisms: the way he bites the inside of his cheek to keep from arguing with Joey, how he chews his bottom lip unconsciously when he’s lost in thought.

Rook can’t see him right now, but she knows he’s pinching the bridge of his nose. He’ll trail his hand down his face next, will run his palm over the stubble of his jaw until his fingers rest against his lips. It’s what he does whenever he doesn’t know where to begin.

“Look, I—I get it, you know?” Staci says quietly. “It’s not easy to kill someone.”

A laugh startles its way out of her. To her own ears, it sounds a little hysterical. Rook can only imagine what it must sound like to him.

“That’s putting it mildly,” she says. They’re the first four words she’s spoken in as many hours, and her throat is so dry it feels like she’s swallowing sandpaper. She lets go of her knees and grips the denim of her jeans so her hands don’t shake.

“Yeah, well,” Staci sounds resigned. “Hiding in the bathroom isn’t going to make it any easier. At least in my experience.”

Rook scrubs her hands down her face. Her eyes are burning. She’s not sure how much longer she can go without actual, restful sleep.

“Then what does?” she asks quietly. Rook sets her feet on the ground and stretches out the muscles behind her knees. She’s been sitting in the same position too long. “I can’t sleep, Staci. I keep having—“

“Nightmares,” Staci finishes for her. There’s a thud against the door, like he’s pressed the palm of his hand up against it. “Yeah. I know.”

A familiar tingling has been creeping up the bridge of her nose ever since he walked into the bathroom. Now it spreads lower, moves from her nostrils to the corners of her eyes. Tears blur the edges of her vision, and Rook realizes with an embarrassed sort of surprise that she’s going to cry.

“Fuck,” she hisses under her breath, reaching up to swipe at the first wave of traitorous tears with the back of her hand.

Rook has to wonder — was this what it was like the first time he killed someone? Did he retreat to the bathroom with his hands shaking and his stomach in knots?

How long did the nightmares last?

She sniffs, squeezing her eyes shut tight to stop the flow of tears, but the memories she’s been trying so hard to fight off are burned into the space behind her eyelids.

“Do they ever go away?” Rook asks quietly.

Staci pauses. Eventually, he sighs, and Rook can see the way he shifts his weight from foot to foot.

“No. Not completely,” he says. Rook’s heart twists painfully in her chest. “But they get better. I know that’s probably not what you wanna hear, but it’s the truth.”

“How long?”

If she could see him, Rook knows he would be hiking his shoulder up in a weak shrug.

“Depends.”

“On?”

“Whether or not you choose to get help when you need it.”

Rook is quiet for a moment. She opens her eyes, salty tracks running down her cheeks, and wipes her runny nose on the sleeve of her shirt. The beige paint on the door of the stall is starting to peel; she reaches forward and picks at it.

“I can’t stop wondering whether I did the right thing,” she says after a while. She’s not crying anymore, but her eyes sting. The skin underneath is red and swollen. “I didn’t have to shoot him.”

“It’s not that easy, Rookie,” Staci murmurs. “You did what you had to do to keep yourself safe. Tearing yourself up over it isn’t gonna help.”

He’s right, but that doesn’t mean she feels any better about the whole thing. Rook takes a shaky breath and leans forward to unlock the stall door. She was right about Staci having his hand on it — it swings open under the weight and slams against the wall with a thud.

Staci’s hands drop to his sides, and his expression softens considerably. In any other situation, Rook thinks she would give him shit for staring at her with such obvious pity in his eyes. Instead, she stands from her spot on the closed toilet lid and throws her arms around his neck in a tight hug. He’s warm and solid, and he falters for a moment with his arms at his sides before his hands settle on her back.

“You can always talk to me,” Staci says. Rook feels his breath against the crown of her head as he speaks. “We gotta have each other’s backs, you know? Part of the job.”

Moving all the way to Hope County was never first on Rook’s bucket list — she had planned to stay in the city, maybe settle down, start a family. Instead, she’d been hurtled into this small town with its tiny police station and odd inhabitants, trying desperately to make a home in a place she didn’t feel she belonged.

There are things about this place that she loves, and there are things about this place that she hates; Staci, she is learning, is thankfully the former. As she stands there tangled around him, tear tracks drying on her cheeks, something unfurls in her chest and grabs hold of her heart. She squeezes him tightly.

“Thanks, Staci.”

[darisu-chan]

Christmas Yearning

Hey, this is my present for murasakihime! Again, I’m sorry to take so long, but I wanted your present to be perfect and I’ve had little time due to the holidays. I really hope you like it, and I hope your Holidays were amazing!

You can also read it here.

Summary: Ayato has a crush on his best friend, Amon is head over heels for his boss’s daughter, and Touka has been in love with the same man for four years. Hoping for a miracle, will they be able to confess their feelings during Touka’s Christmas Party?

It was freezing outside. It hadn’t snowed yet, but Ayato thought the biting cold from the wind was far worse than snow. He had had to walk to school and back with a flimsy jacket, ─because wearing one of those puffy coats would totally ruin his reputation─ and now he was shivering, he had a runny nose, and he would most likely catch a cold. Great. Pouting and still shivering, he entered :Re and almost shouted with glee the moment he felt the warmth of the coffee shop.

“Ayato, it’s almost time for your shift!” Touka, his older sister, reminded him the moment she saw him.

“Yeah, yeah, whatever.” Ayato said, and went straight to the break room to change.

“Are you alright, Ayato?” Yomo Renji, his uncle, asked him when the teen passed by the kitchen.

“Yeah, just a bit cold.” He simply answered, and then opened the door to the break room.

The seventeen-year-old boy took off his school uniform and exchanged it for his waiter uniform, which consisted of black pants, a white shirt, and a black vest. He put his school uniform inside of his school bag, and headed to the café area, where his sister was already waiting for him. She gave him a notepad, and nodded towards a table, wordlessly telling him that the couple sitting there was ready to order. Using his best fake smile, he walked towards them.

“Are you ready to order?”

This was his daily routine. Go to school, then go to the coffee shop. Some days, like today, he worked shifts of four hours as a waiter, and the rest he still went to the café, for he lived in the apartment above the place. :Re was a coffee shop co-owned by his sister and uncle, and sponsored by their former employer, Yoshimura. The two of them worked there every day, giving Ayato the opportunity to help them out a few days during the week to make extra money for his personal expenses. Though his sister annoyed him a lot, he was honestly happy to work there, especially since his sister and uncle busted their asses off daily so that he could lead a nice life. Even though his parents were long dead, he had a loving sister, an uncle who gave up everything to raise them, a nice apartment, a family business, and money to spare. He didn’t lack anything at all.

Suddenly, the bell from the café chimed, signaling someone had entered. He turned to the door, and he became breathless.

“Good afternoon!” A sweet, angelical voice greeted them.

“Ah, good afternoon, come in!” His sister greeted the girl back.

“Ayato, good afternoon!” The girl said happily, as she walked to where he was standing.

Although Ayato had everything a lot of people would die to have, there was just one thing, or rather one person who was missing from his life. Her name was─

“Hinami.” He greeted the girl back.

She giggled. “Why do you sound so scared?”

Ayato was about to reply, when his sister interrupted him.

“Ignore my brother, he gets like that when he sees a cute girl.” Touka teased him, and then promptly left them alone.

He blushed, and angrily barked at her. “Aneki, shut up!”

Hinami laughed again.

“You really love seeing me miserable, don’t you?” He asked her.

“Always.” She replied, and then playfully stuck her tongue out.

Ayato rolled his eyes. “Anyway, what do you wanna order?”

“The usual, please.”

“Coming right up.”

Fueguchi Hinami was her name. He had known her for more than four years, before :Re even existed. Her mother was a friend of Yoshimura’s, and she frequently visited Anteiku, the café where Touka used to work. After losing her husband, Fueguchi Ryouko stayed for a few months in Yoshimura’s spare room along with her daughter. During this time, Touka did everything in her power to make Hinami comfortable, including forcing him to befriend her. At first, Ayato was annoyed with this turn of events, especially because Hinami was very shy, but after spending time together doing a school project, he finally warmed up to her. He discovered they had a lot in common, and that they could relate to each other because both missed their parents. After that, they were practically attached by the hip, and became best friends.

Now, they were finishing their second year of high school, and things had changed for Ayato. He was no longer a boy, but was quickly becoming a man, and Hinami was also becoming a woman, a very warm, smart, and beautiful woman. It was natural that Ayato would notice, and sooner rather than later, his opinion of her would change. He had always loved her, mind you, but lately his feelings had strayed from friendship. In short, he was deeply crushing on her, and lately it had been hard to hide his feelings for her. Sure, he could tell her and put an end to his misery. However, he had one little problem.

“Good afternoon!” A man said as he entered the café.

“Onii-chan!” Hinami exclaimed, and stood up to greet the newcomer.

“Oh, Hinami-chan, have you been waiting a long time?”

“None at all! Please sit here!”

Ayato’s problem had a name, and it was Kaneki Ken. They had met him when he started working as waiter at Anteiku. Hinami became close to him when Kaneki had helped her read difficult kanji on a book she was reading. After that, they had started talking about books, forming a close friendship, even when Kaneki was four years older than her. Hinami always said that if she had had an older brother, he would have been like Kaneki. Ayato was no fool, however. It was easy to see that Hinami had a huge crush on Kaneki, which became even more apparent when Kaneki had become a renowned writer. It sucked because Ayato would never be able to compare to him, and his crush would always be unrequited. This was the reason why each time Kaneki came to the café, Ayato’s mood would instantly sour.

“Stop pouting.” His sister whispered in his ear.

“I’m not pouting.” He denied it, although Touka’s shit-eating grin said otherwise.

“Come on, help me with the table over there, while I give Kaneki his coffee.” She said, and made her way to where Kaneki and Hinami were sitting. Ayato watched her as Touka smiled sweetly at Hinami, and then said something to Kaneki while handing him the cup of coffee, to which the man smiled. Touka smiled back at him, and started walking towards the counter, while trying and failing to hide a smile. Oh yeah, he had forgotten to mention it, but his sister was in love with that bastard as well. Oh joy. Kaneki would either become his rival for Hinami’s affections or his brother-in-law. Being Ayato was being in a constant state of suffering

He sighed, and tried to collect himself.

“Ayato!” Hinami called him and he, like a puppy, instantly walked to her.

“What is it?”

“I just wanted to tell you that both Onii-chan and I will be attending Onee-chan’s Christmas Party!”

Ayato internally flinched. He had wanted to spend Christmas Eve with Hinami, and give her the gift he had bought for her ─a hair pin which had flowers on it. However, his plans would be interrupted by Kaneki’s presence. Great, just great.

“Ah. That’s good.” He simply answered.

“Isn’t it? We’ll be all celebrating together!” The girl said, her cheeks flushing in excitement. “Which reminds me that you’ll be getting your present during the party.” She added mysteriously.

Ayato fought back a blush, and smiled at her. “I’ll be looking forward to it, then.”

“Yeah!”

It didn’t really matter if she loved someone else, he’d always love her, no matter what. And maybe, if he could catch a break, he’d be able to tell her his feelings.

“See you in school!” Hinami waved at him before leaving.

“Yeah, see ya!” Still feeling giddy, Ayato watched Hinami go home alone, to his delight. Then, he saw Kaneki move to sit on the counter, chatting rather amicably with his sister.

“Goddamnit.” He hissed. Of course that guy would flirt with two girls on the same day, the only two girls Ayato happened to love too.

Before he could think of ways to slowly murder Kaneki, the bell chimed once again. He turned to look at their new costumers, a tall man with dark hair, accompanied by a pretty young woman.

“Welcome to :Re.”

Amon held his coat closer to his body. It was unusually cold that day. It definitely wasn’t the time to be outside, but alas, as a detective, he had to investigate a rather difficult case. He shivered. He really should have brought a scarf and gloves. He cursed himself for rushing out his place in the morning, merely grabbing a grey coat. Then, Amon turned to his side and glance at his partner. She was doing no better than he was, rubbing her hands together to warm them up.

“Maybe we should rest for a while.” He said, stopping on his tracks.

The woman seemed alarmed. “But we need to solve this case! We can’t afford to rest!” She exclaimed.

“Akira.” Amon said sternly. “Resting is also important for a detective. If our minds are not well-rested, we might not be able to piece everything together.”

Akira contemplated his words for a few seconds, and then nodded. “I suppose we should go somewhere warm. Any thoughts?”

Amon thought and looked at his surroundings. His favorite coffee shop was just a block away. “Yeah, follow me.”

He led her through the streets until they reached an establishment. A sign outside had :Re written on it with black letters. Amon opened the door, listening to the bell chiming. Akira followed suit, observing her surroundings. A waiter, who looked like a teen, welcomed then and showed them to their table. They sat down, and started browsing the menus.

“I didn’t know you knew this place.” She commented. “So, what’s good here?” Akira asked him.

“Well, I’d say everything. They have all types of blends and a wide variety of cakes.”

She nodded. “Oh yeah, for a second I forgot you love sweet food.”

“Yeah, and you like spicy food. Maybe a café wasn’t the best idea for you.” Amon said, thoughtfully.

His partner shrugged. “If you like this place, then it must be good. I’ll just try your favorite dishes.” She said, giving him a warm smile.

Amon gulped. “Well, I really like their chocolate cake, and their vanilla lattes.”

“Then, let’s order that.”

Their waiter, who said his name was Ayato, took their order and left them alone. They talked a bit about their current case, and then proceeded to talk about their coworker Takizawa’s latest stunt at work. Finally, their food arrived. Amon looked at his cup of coffee and found that it was decorated with a dog.

“Oh, my latte has a cat on it. It’s cute.” Akira whispered, her cheeks flushed like they did when she talked about cats. “It looks like Maris Stella.”

“Yeah, it kinda does.” It did look like Akira’s cat, even the whiskers looked like the cat’s own whiskers.

Next, Akira took a bite from the cake, and moaned. “This is actually delicious.”

Amon smiled softly. “Yeah. I think it’s their best cake.”

“You have great taste, Amon.” She said in a tone which appeared to be rather suggestive. Amon blushed.

Akira had been his partner for several years now. At first, the purpose of their partnership was to teach Akira how to lead and continue an investigation. Since Amon had been a detective for five years already, and was a very patient man, it seemed like he was the perfect choice to be young Akira’s new partner. At first, she had given him a lot of attitude, but now they got along quite well, even if Akira was still stubborn as hell, like earlier that day. They had become inseparable, and with their closeness came unwanted feelings.

“So, after we finish this cake, we’ll go back to the case?” She asked him, licking the fork.

Amon tried to ignore the way her tongue licked the metal. “Yes. We must go back to the office and look at what we’ve got.”

“Do you already have a lead on our suspect?” Akira asked him with raised eyebrows.

“I think so.”

“I’ve already looked into the guy that you’re thinking of.” She replied, smirking.

“Oh really?” He shook his head. “Always a step ahead of me.”

“It’s what you love about me.” Akira said confidently, still smirking, while Amon internally screamed.

Looking back, everyone should have seen this coming. Amon was a young, attractive man, and Akira was a young, attractive woman. They had a lot of chemistry, and their personalities blended quite nicely. They were bound to like each other in a non-platonic way. And, even if that wasn’t reason enough to fall for each other, Akira was smart, responsible, diligent, and extremely badass. Amon would be a fool not to be fall for her. However, there was one little problem that kept him from making a move. It wasn’t the fact that he was six years older than her, or that they were coworkers. No. The problem was that she was Mado Akira, the only daughter of Mado Kureo, who so happened to be his boss. And he was Amon Koutarou, the adopted son of a pedophile. He instantly reached for his silver cross hanging from his neck.

“Are you alright?” Akira asked him, clearly concerned. He only reached for his necklace when he felt conflicted.

“Yeah. I think it’s time to leave.”

His partner nodded, though she was clearly unconvinced he was actually alright. He asked for the bill, and a pretty woman, who was the manager of the coffee shop, gave it to him. He put the exact amount the needed to pay, plus the tip for the waiter, and promptly ignored Akira’s protests to pay.

“I invited you, so I’m paying.” He said, while Akira rolled her eyes.

The manager smiled at them and gave them flyers. “The coffee shop is hosting a Christmas Party on the 24th, after closing time with our customers. We would be delighted if you could come.” She explained them.

Amon examined the flyer. It said there’d be free food, music, and karaoke. The party was sponsored by one Tsukiyama Shuu, from the Tsukiyama family. The party did sound nice, and he knew for a fact the manager was nice, for he had chatted with her a few times. Honestly, he was tempted to go, but he wasn’t sure if he would be able to, or even if Akira was interested.

“Sure, I’d love to come.” Akira said, giving the manager a smile.

“Great. Then I’ll see you on the 24th. Have a great day!” With that, the manager left them alone.

“You’re actually going?” Amon asked her, quite perplexed.

“Yeah. We need to relax from time to time, right? Besides, I’ve never gone to a Christmas party, so I want to experience being at one.” She explained. “Will you come with me?”

Amon thought about it. He never really did anything on Christmas anymore. The memories from his Christmases as a child haunted him. However, he could make new memories if he went with Akira. And, he thought as he looked at her, perhaps he would be finally able to tell her how he felt.

“I’m going too.”

She smiled at him.

Touka looked as one of his regular customers, Amon, left with the pretty girl he had brought this time to the coffee shop. Then, she turned to look at Ayato, who was grumpily cleaning a table. She snorted. She focused her attention back to the blend she was preparing. This was from a new brand, and she had been dying to try it out.

“You’re playing matchmaker now, Touka-chan?” A voice interrupted her musings.

She looked to her right and acknowledged the man sitting there. “That man has been sulking here for over a year. It was obvious he liked that girl he brought. I’m just doing him a favor.” She explained herself. In reality, during one of her conversations with Amon, he had mentioned being in love with a girl, but being unable to tell her his feelings. So, Touka had seen this as the perfect opportunity to give Amon a chance.

The man looked like he didn’t believe her one bit, but he just shrugged. “Whatever you say, Touka-chan.”

“So, Kaneki, are you coming to our Christmas party?” Touka asked him, trying to appear nonchalant, but she was nervous about his answer.

“Yeah, I am. I wouldn’t miss it for the world.” He answered earnestly.

Touka hid her blush. “Is that so? Then, I hope you’ll help me clean.”

Kaneki snorted. “Of course.”

He sipped his coffee, while she finished her blend. She decorated the latte with a bunny, and then she gave it to Kaneki.

“Try it.” She commanded him.

Kaneki took the cup in his hands, chuckling when he saw the bunny. It was very cute. He blew the steam off before taking a sip. He closed his eyes, and took his time tasting the new blend. It was different from Touka’s usual blends, but delicious nonetheless. He smiled at her.

“It’s amazing.”

“Really?”

“Yeah, taste it.” Kaneki lifted his own cup to Touka’s lips. This time, she couldn’t stop herself from blushing.

“It really is.”

“Is it a new blend?” He asked her, finishing his latte.

“Yeah. I wanted to see if it was good enough to include it on the menu.”

“So I was your guinea pig?” Kaneki joked.

“You can say that.” Touka replied.

They both shared a smile. Kaneki went back to the book he was reading, and Touka started cleaning cups and plates. While she worked, she quietly observed him. He was wearing his reading glasses. He looked very handsome with them. Then, she looked at his black hair. It looked soft to the touch. Next, she noticed the way the muscles on his arms would flex when changing the pages of his book. At first glance Kaneki didn’t look like it, but he was fit. She shook her head, she shouldn’t be distracted by such thoughts.

“So, what have you been reading lately?” Kaneki suddenly asked her.

Touka blinked twice before answering. “A novel I found recently. It’s not really something you’d like. It’s a sci-fi novel.” She explained.

“Tell me all about it.” He told her.

Four years ago, Touka would have never been able to talk about books with Kaneki, for she hated literature. That was her worst subject in high school. She wouldn’t be talking to Kaneki anyway, for she hated him as much as she hated reading. Well, that wasn’t completely true, but she couldn’t stand him. They had met when Kaneki had started walking at Anteiku part time. Touka, at first, had thought Kaneki was too weak and mild. A classic nerd who studied literature in college. But, after spending a lot of time together at work, and learning more about each other, they became friends. Touka discovered he was kind despite the bad situations he had been through, something she admired. He was passionate and strong in his own way. Above all, this stranger cared for her in a way no one ever had before. That fact changed her whole world. Could you fault her for falling in love with him? For falling in love with a bright, handsome, caring man?

She sighed. She had loved him for the past four years. She had watched him grow from a boy into a man. She had been there when he finally published his first book, and started working at the university. In turn, he had been there for her on her high school graduation, and when she and her uncle finally opened :Re. They were together, and yet so far apart. Because, in these past four years, she had never said a word about her feelings. Touka had watched him be surrounding by beautiful women and handsome men. People smarter, stronger, and more attractive than her. She had watched him grow out of his shell, and become his best self. Yet… yet she couldn’t tell him her true feelings out of fear of losing him, losing him to someone better than her. This was about to change, though. Because she had promised herself that, finally, she would confess to him. Even if he didn’t love her back, it didn’t matter. She’d be there for him no matter what.

“I’ll buy it.” Kaneki said after listening to Touka tell him all about her new book.

“Oh?” She smiled. “Speaking of new books, when are you going to publish your new novel?” He had been working on a new novel for about a year now, and she was curious about it.

“Hmmm, you’ll have to wait.” He said mysteriously, and stood to leave.

“What does that mean?” Touka asked, clearly confused.

“Guess you’ll have to find out.” He retorted, equally as mysterious as before.

Touka huffed. “Don’t try to act so secretive. It doesn’t suit you.”

He laughed. “Well, I gotta go, Touka-chan. Thanks for the cake and the coffee.”

“Wait!” She called out to him, and then gave him a bag she had retrieved from behind the counter. “Happy birthday, Kaneki.”

Kaneki stared at her, gawking, and then looked at the bag.

She crossed her arms in front of her chest. “Well, what are you waiting for? Open it.”

Kaneki nodded, and opened the bag. Inside he found a bag of his favorite coffee, and the first edition of one of his favorite books. “Thank you so much!” He exclaimed, briefly hugging her. “How did you know I wanted this book?”

“I actually listen when you talk, y’know.” She said, and Kaneki grinned at her.

“Thank you! Really! I’ll treasure it forever!”

With that, Kaneki left, even skipping a little bit, unaware he had left Touka completely flustered after his little display of affection. The manager sighed. Kaneki would definitely be the dead of her.

Ayato grumbled as he moved another chair from the center of the coffee shop to the sides. Today was the day they were holding their Christmas Party. They had closed early to prepare, but that meant that they had had to clean the whole place, rearrange the tables and chairs, and prepare the food for their guests. They had bought a tree, and had decorated it. They put banners and took out their fanciest silverware. Cleaning and decorating was double work, and Ayato was exhausted.

“Cheer up, Ayato.” His sister said beside him. “That was the last chair. Now go on and change.”

He rolled his eyes. “Yes, aneki.”

Touka shook her head, and let him go to his room.

He reached his room, and took out a pair of dark jeans, a navy shirt, and his favorite leather jacket. He got dressed and then put his boots on. Then, Ayato looked at his mirror and, using a comb, tried to brush his messy hair. Today was important and he needed to look his best. However, he couldn’t find a style that suited him, so he let his hair be. He sat down on his bed, and reached for a bag he had hidden on his top drawer. Inside the bright pink bag rested the pin he had bought for Hinami. He hoped she liked it.

Ayato stood up, and went to his living room. Uncle Renji was already ready, wearing what looked like a suit. Together, they watched TV and waited for Touka to be ready. After half an hour, she came out of her room wearing a little black dress, heels, and makeup. Ayato blinked, and turned to look at his uncle, who was blinking too.

“What?” Touka said, sounding mildly offended.

“Why are you dressed like that?” Ayato asked.

“It’s the first Christmas party that I’ve ever hosted, and I want to look nice. Is that wrong?”

Ayato shook his head. He had never intended to upset her, but her chose of clothes was weird. She was definitely up to something. He stopped himself from thinking about why she was wearing that dress, or rather, who was it for.

“You look pretty, Touka.” Their uncle said.

“Thank you. Now let’s go.”

They made their way to the coffee shop area to wait for their guests. As usual, the firsts to arrive were his uncle’s friends, Uta and Itori. Ayato rolled his eyes at their antics. They were weird. Next, old Yoshimura, and his employees Irimi and Koma arrived. They had brought the cake. One by one the rest of the guests got there. Kaneki arrived soon with his friend, a blond guy, and both made their way straight to where Touka was. Tsukiyama, though he had sponsored the event, arrived fashionably late, accompanied by his friend Kanae. Once he set foot there, he jumped on Kaneki’s back, going on about how happy he was to see him. Nishiki, their old coworker, arrived next with his girlfriend Kimi. Then, a couple Ayato recognized as the one he had served a few days ago, arrived too. Touka’s best friend, Yoriko, and her fiancé arrived next. Most everyone he knew, and a few customers, had arrived, but Hinami was still missing. He texted her but she didn’t answer. After an hour and fifteen minutes had gone by, Ayato was starting to lose hope that she’d actually get there. However, someone opened the door frantically, and Hinami rushed in, followed by her mother.

“Hinami.” He said, awestruck the moment he saw her. She looked beautiful. Hinami was wearing a pink dress, a grey, cozy jacket, and boots.

“I’m sorry we’re late! We lost track of time.” She explained, trying to catch her breath.

“No, it’s okay. Do you want something to drink?”

“Yes, please.”

Ayato gave her soda, and then watched as she greeted everyone she knew. Once she reached Kaneki, he feared she’d stay with the older man, but she turned and greeted other people, before going back to him. They sat down and chatted. Hinami told him about a new book she was reading, excitedly recalling the best parts of the book. Then, Ayato showed her a few songs of a new heavy metal band he had discovered. They talked about school, their families, Ayato’s work, and more. It was like being in heaven.

Next, they ate together, sitting on the same table as Hinami’s mother and Yoshimura. After dinner, the karaoke started, and Ayato was forced to sing a duet with his sister, and then one with Hinami. However, the moment Tsukiyama grabbed the microphone, Ayato took her hand, and let Hinami to the farthest end of the room, close to the Christmas tree.

“What was that about?” She asked him.

“That guy’s voice is super shrilly. I hate it.” He grumbled.

Hinami giggled. “You really hate karaoke, don’t you?”

“It’s stupid.”

“Yet you sang with onee-chan and me.” She said.

“That’s different!” Ayato defended himself.

“How so?”

He scratched the back of his head. “I guess because you two are important to me.” He said, looking down, his cheeks turning red.

“You’re important to me too.” Hinami said, her cheeks as red as his. Then, her eyes strayed to the tree, specifically to the presents set there. “Oh! I almost forgot!” She yelped, and then grabbed a blue package from the tree. “Merry Christmas, Ayato!” She gave him the package.

“Ah. Thanks.” He said, feeling bashful. He opened it carefully, and discovered that inside was a t-shirt from his favorite band. “Wow! Thank you, Hina!” He said, as he got it out.

“Do you like it?” Hinami asked him.

“I love it! How did you get it? It’s super expensive!” He said in admiration.

Hinami looked down. “Well, I saved for it, but really, it was no problem!” She shook her head adorably.

Ayato’s face softened. “Why would you do such a thing for me?”

She grabbed his hands in hers. “Isn’t it obvious? Because I really, really, care about you. As in, more than care.” She confessed.

Ayato opened his mouth, and closed it several times. “But I thought… I mean… why do you even care about me? I thought there was someone else.” He said, partially looking at Kaneki, who was laughing with his sister.

Hinami followed his eyes, looked at Kaneki as well, and then snorted. “Really, Ayato? You should really stop thinking.” She said jokingly. “I care about you because you’re honest, headstrong, and brave. There’s no one I’d rather be with tonight.”

The boy blushed after listening to her words. Then, heart beating fast, he intertwined their fingers. “I care about you too… I… I love you, Hina.” He finally confessed.

Hinami’s eyes widened, and then she laughed. “I’m so glad. I love you too.”

Next, in the blink of an eye, Hinami stepped on her toes, and kissed him on the cheek. Ayato stuttered, unable to say anything else. “But… I…”

She giggled. “Come on, let’s sit somewhere.”

Ayato laughed, relieved and ecstatic that Hinami felt the same way, when he realized he had forgotten about his present. “Wait!” He yelled loudly, and then grabbed the pink bag from earlier from under the tree. “Here.”

“Thank you.” She said as she grabbed it. She opened it and gasped when she saw the pin. “Ayato, it is so beautiful! I love it!” Then, she hugged him.

“I’m happy that you do.” He said, while hugging her back.

“Help me put it on.” She said.

Ayato grabbed the pin, and gently put it on her hair. His hand caressed her cheek, and then he leaned down, only to stop on the last second. Hinami shook her head, and then pecked his lips. Ayato blinked twice, and blushed.

“Come on, let’s sit, boyfriend.” She said, and taking his hand, she led them to a nearby table, which happened to be empty.

Ayato smiled like a fool for the rest of the night.

Amon felt more awkward than he had ever felt in his entire life. That morning, he had honestly thought he’d be able to have fun at the Christmas Party. He had gotten up early, gone to the gym, taken a shower, and then eaten healthily in preparation for dinner. He had picked up his favorite pair of black pants and a white shirt with black stripes from the dry cleaner’s. When it was time, he put them on along with his shiny black shoes. Then, he grabbed his grey coat, his wallet and keys, and went to pick Akira up. He had been breathless the moment she came out of her apartment, wearing a maroon dress which showed her legs and gave a nice view of her chest.

“Are you staring at my breasts?” Akira had deadpanned, and from then on things had been awkward.

Getting to :Re had not improved the mood. Although everyone received them warmly, and they were included in all of the activities, it was uncomfortable to be surrounded by strangers who knew each other well. Furthermore, they were still barely talking and it was so frustrating. Amon wanted to scream or do anything that would break the silence.

Suddenly, Akira started giggling.

“What is it?” He asked her.

She snorted. “Look at those too.” She said, pointing to two teenagers who were singing. The girl had a nice voice, but the boy looked like he wanted to be anywhere but there.

“What about them?”

“He clearly has a crush on her, and that’s why he’s even there.” She said.

Amon raised an eyebrow. “How can you tell?”

“It’s so obvious. Look at their body language.” Akira explained. “He’s trying to get closer to her without it seeming too obvious, which makes it all the more obvious. Besides, he’s blushing.”

Amon observed them. It was true. The boy, whom he recognized as their waiter from last time, was progressively getting closer to the girl, but every time she turned to look at him, he would trace his steps back. He chuckled, remembering when he had been that age and had liked a girl for the first time. Good thing he had outgrown that stage.

Akira, then, laughed at the new karaoke participants, and his heart stopped. Had he actually outgrown that stage? It didn’t seem like he had, for he hadn’t even been able to tell her about his feelings. He glanced at Akira. She was smiling as she clapped along with the song, her eyes sparkling in amusement. Would she be happy if he confessed his feelings to her? Would that ruin their partnership? What would his boss say? Shaking his head, Amon rid himself of such thoughts. There was no use in thinking about it, when he was there, at a Christmas party, and Akira looked more beautiful than ever.

“Are you enjoying yourself?” Akira asked him suddenly.

“Yeah. What about you?”

“Me too. I’m glad we did this.” She said honestly.

“We could do it again sometime.” Amon asked, feeling uncertain.

She smiled again. “I’d like that.”

The manager of the shop suddenly appeared, smiling at them. “Hey there, how’s it going? Would you like some wine?”

Amon looked at his partner, who nodded. “Yeah, thank you.”

“Here you go.”

A few drinks later, Akira had gotten him to sing on the karaoke. She was tone-deaf, ─not that he’d ever tell her─ and he wasn’t doing any better, but still, everyone clapped and hooted as they sang. After their song ended, they got a standing ovation, and both sat down still laughing.

“I’ve never done anything like this in my entire life.” Akira exclaimed. Amon nodded. She was always so serious that he really couldn’t see her singing in public, of course, until tonight that is.

“I actually have.” He admitted. “When I was a child, we would sing in the orphanage when we got bored. Haven’t really done it since, well… you know.”

She looked at him, her eyes boring into his. “You should do it more often. You have a great voice.”

“You’re only saying that because you’re drunk.”

“Maybe.” She answered, an amused smile gracing her lips.

Amon chuckled, and sipped his wine. Then, he turned around and saw the two teenagers from earlier sitting together on the farthest end of the shop. They were holding hands, and were whispering in each other’s ears. Amon gasped. He’d be damned! The boy did what he hadn’t been able to.

“Oh, will you look at that.” Akira said. “What an interesting turn of events.”

She looked too pleased with the fact those two were together now, apparently. “You seem pretty invested in their love lives.” He said.

“Hmmm… I suppose… It’s just, there’s nothing sweeter than young love.” She said wistfully.

Amon didn’t know if he was too drunk or feeling braver, but he asked her, “Have you ever been in love?”

Akira stared at him with an undecipherable look on her eyes. “I have. What about you?”

“Perhaps.”

They continued drinking in silence, observing the people around them. The manager seemed to be very busy, chatting amidst a lively group if people. Amon couldn’t help but see as a man with black hair stood way too close to her. He smiled. Good for her. She deserved to be love. Speaking of love, the two teens on the back weren’t the only couples in the party. Amon could see many couples everywhere, and he started to feel self-conscious. Were Akira and he being mistaken for a couple? What would people think if they realized they weren’t together? But what if they were together? What would Akira think about it? Would they be holding hands and whispering sweet nothings into each other’s ears like the two teenagers?

“Here.” Akira said, giving him a bag.

“What’s this?” He asked the moment he took it.

“It’s obviously your Christmas present.” Akira said. “Come on, open it.”

It had been years since he had last received a Christmas present. It was common in the Catholic orphanage he had lived at as a child. Every Christmas, all of the children would receive a small gift. But, he soon learned all those gifts he had received, and even his very stay in the orphanage came at a high price. Amon resisted the urge to grab his cross, and instead opened the bag, discovering a high-quality watch in it.

“Akira… you really shouldn’t have.” Amon said as he examined it. It must have cost her a lot of money.

“Of course I had to. It’s so you’re always on time.” She joked. “Try it on, and say thank you.” She added when she realized Amon kept staring at his present.

“Yeah, of course. Thank you very much.” He said, and started to put it on, only to be stopped by Akira.

“Let me put it on.” She said and, taking his hand by the wrist, he started putting the watch on.

Amon flushed at the contact. Her hand was warm and soft to the touch.

“There.” Akira said, admiring her handiwork.

It actually was a pretty nice watch. It was silver and big enough that it fit perfectly in his large arm.

“Thank you.” He said earnestly. She smiled.

“Anytime.”

“Oh, that reminds me, here’s your gift.” He said, pulling a velvet black box from his pocket. She looked at him wide-eyed, and he realized what that looked like. “Wait, it’s not what you think.” He began explaining himself, but she laughed.

“Just give it to me.”

“I hope you like it.” Amon muttered as he watched Akira open the box. Inside, there lay a silver necklace he had bought for her. It had a pendant in the shape of a cat.

“Oh, it’s beautiful!” Akira exclaimed. “The cat looks like Maris Stella.”

“Yeah, I thought so too when I bought it. Do you like it?”

“I love it! It’s perfect.” She said as she looked at it. Then she handed the necklace back to him. “Help me put it on?”

Amon swallowed, and then stood up, walking towards her until he reached her back. He grabbed the necklace and gently put it on, his fingertips gracing the skin on her neck.

“There.” He said, praying his cheeks weren’t red.

Akira took his hand. “Thank you, Amon. I really love it.”

He nodded. “I’m glad you do.”

Looking at his new watch he noticed it was almost midnight. It was late already, and tomorrow they had to work.

“I think we should leave.” Akira said, reading his mind.

“Yes. It’s getting too late. Let’s just say goodbye to the manager, and then I’ll walk you home.”

Together, they walked to where the manager was standing. She looked at them, and made her way to the couple.

“Leaving already?” She asked them.

“Yeah. We should head home.” Amon answered.

“Well, I’m glad you came. I hope you had fun.”

Akira looked at her partner. “We definitely did. And if you host anymore parties, we will surely come.”

“Then, I’ll host more parties.” The manager said, and then her eyes widened when she looked above their heads.

Amon followed her eyes and his own widened. Was that…?

“Oh, mistletoe.” Akira said, recognizing the plant.

“I put them there for decoration, honestly hoping someone else would end up under one.” The manager said, briefly glancing to where the two teens were sitting. “So, you don’t have to do anything.”

Amon silently thanked her. He was beginning to sweat from how nervous he was feeling at the moment. They could have laughed it all, and left the party. He could have walked her home, and said a friendly goodbye, not changing anything. However Akira, as unpredictable as ever, changed the course of the night.

“Well, it is tradition. I’d hate to break the rules.” Akira said, making Amon choke. Then, she grabbed him by his tie and, standing on her tiptoes, kissed him. It wasn’t just a peck, she was actually kissing him. His mind went blank for a second, and then he reacted, grabbing her back and pulling her closer.

“Oh my.” The manager said, although she was smiling at them.

When they pulled back, they smiled shyly at each other. Amon then coughed.

“We’ll be going now.” He said.

“Again, thank you for inviting us.” Akira said, clearly unfazed by the kiss.

“Anytime. I hope to see you soon!”

They walked home in silence. Each deep in thought. Amon resisted the urge to touch his lips. He had kissed girls before, but this had been on a whole other level. He felt electricity flowing from her skin, and it made him warm all over.

“Are you gonna say anything?” Akira was the first to break the silence.

“Well… I… I mean… I…” Amon stuttered, making her laugh.

“Are you always this eloquent?”

“Akira.” He half-whined.

“I’m just kidding.” She said, and then stopped. “But you know, I thought the kiss would clear things up.”

He raised an eyebrow. “What do you mean?”

“Well, if I need to spell it out, I’m madly in love with you. Head over heels. Going crazy.” Akira said with her same monotone voice, but her bright red cheeks betrayed her.

“Wow.” Amon murmured.

“Wow? That’s all you have to say?”

“No, I mean, I’m just surprised about this turn of events. Shocked even.” Amon said and Akira scoffed. “But, yeah, I feel the same way.”

“The same way?” The minx asked, clearly wanting for him to say those three words.

“I love you.” He proclaimed simply.

Akira smiled. “That’s good, because now you won’t be able to get rid of me.”

“I wasn’t counting on it.”

They walked the streets of Tokyo hand in hand.

Touka watched the couple exit the shop with a smile on her face. She resisted to urge to sigh. That kiss had been very romantic. It was more than what she had expected. This definitely had been quite a night.

“Playing match-maker again?” Kaneki whispered from behind her.

Touka turned to look at him, a glint on her eyes. “Whatever do you mean?” She feigned ignorance.

He chuckled. “Well, your plans worked nicely. Your customer got to kiss his crush, and it seems we have a new couple around here.” He said, turning to look at where Ayato and Hinami had been hanging for a while, their hands intertwined.

“Then I’d say everything’s been a success.”

They smiled at each other.

To be perfectly honest, the night had gone better than she had expected. Touka had purposely hung mistletoe all over the place hoping Ayato and Hinami would end up under one. She wasn’t no fool, and she had clearly noticed the moment both of them had fallen in love. However, she had been frustrated at their lack of development. However, her plan had entirely failed, except for the fact the two of them had kissed on their own. Yes, Touka had seen it. Call her an overprotective older sister, but she was looking out for both of them. Yet, her plan hadn’t entirely failed for her customer, Amon, and the girl he had brought to the party, were the victims of the mistletoe and they had kissed. Touka was sure that the next time she saw Amon, he would bring the girl again.

Now that her matchmaking plans were taken care of, she needed to think about her own plan to confess. If luck would have it, there’d be three couples that night instead of two. Everything was going well on that account. From the moment Kaneki had arrived at the party, he had remained by her side, and on his own accord too. She was glad of that, for he looked extremely handsome that night. He was wearing a white and black suit, with a nice black shirt which made his muscles more visible. His hair was also slicked back, showing his beautiful eyes. Okay, she was getting side-tracked. The point was that she had been truly enjoying herself, and she didn’t want the night to end. Speaking of which, most everyone had left already and she was running out of time to confess.

“Hey, where’s Hide?” Touka asked him noticing that his best friend was nowhere to be found.

“Oh, he left a while ago.” Kaneki answered.

Touka was almost sure that, at some point, Hide had clearly given her a thumbs up, as if knowing exactly what she was planning to do. Hide, sometimes, was too perceptive.

“Yeah, almost everyone’s gone.” She said, inspecting the room. Even shitty Nishiki had left already.

“It’s getting late. It’s almost midnight.” Kaneki said, looking at his phone.

“I suppose I should start cleaning soon.” She said, then she looked at him. “And remember you promised to help.”

He sighed. “Hai, hai.”

Then Touka started walking towards the buffet table with the purpose of cleaning up a bit, when she didn’t notice there was wrapping paper lying around and, since she wasn’t used to wearing high heels, she tripped on it.

“Watch out!” Kaneki yelled, and managed to grab her in time.

Touka felt Kaneki’s arms wrapped around her. Looking up, she could see his eyes staring right into hers. Both were panting, and she couldn’t help but blush when she noticed how close they were. If she were to move her head forward, their lips would meet.

“Are you alright, Touka-chan?” He asked her, his arms still wrapped around her.

“Yeah, thanks.” She breathed out, still looking into his eyes. God, she could get lost in them.

Then, he looked down and stared right into her cleavage. Touka had actually chosen to wear that dress because it showed her boobs nicely, but now she was second guessing her decision as Kaneki’s eyes stared right into them. Both blushed and quickly separated.

“I’m… I’m glad you’re okay.” Kaneki muttered, still completely red.

Touka smirked. So, he had liked her breasts. That was progress. Now, all she needed to do was to find the courage to get him alone so that she could confess her feelings already, and hopefully they would be kissing too.

“Hey.” Kaneki said suddenly. “I was wondering if…” But he couldn’t continue, for he was interrupted by a loud yell.

“KANEKI-KUN!” A wasted Tsukiyama screamed.

“Oh God.” Touka muttered. Of course Tsukiyama of all people would be the one to interrupt them.

“Yeah?” Ever kind, Kaneki said, approaching the karaoke machine where Tsukiyama was standing.

“You need to sing one last song before we leave!” Tsukiyama slurred, barely standing. Kanae was having a hard time keeping him upright.

“I don’t think so.” Kaneki answered.

“But I don’t want to be deprived of your angelical voice! Please, sing for me!” He yelled again.

Kaneki thought about it for a moment before answering. “Fine, but only if Touka-chan sings with me.” He said, looking at her with a small grin.

“Wait, me?” Touka asked, dumbfounded.

“Yeah.” Kaneki nodded, still smiling.

“But─”

“Come on, Kirishima-san, sing with him!” Tsukiyama exclaimed.

Thinking that it’d be a bother if Tsukiyama kept making a ruckus, Touka accepted, although she was internally shaking. The only time she had sung with a boy who wasn’t her brother, it had been Nishiki as a dare.

Kaneki chose the song, a romantic duet which got everyone raising their eyebrows. Next, he took her hand and led her to the center of the room. As they sang, Touka couldn’t help but question his actions. The karaoke wasn’t the first weird thing Kaneki had done all night. First, he had never left her side all night. Secondly, he had flirted with her all night. He had touched her arm and hands on repeated occasions, had whispered in her ear and had laughed at every single one of her jokes. Now, they were singing a love song. Touka didn’t want to get her hopes up, but what was she supposed to think. The only logical explanation was that he returned her feelings.

After singing, and after Tsukiyama finally went home ─Thanks, Kanae!─ they started cleaning. Everyone else, reading the atmosphere around them, thankfully left them alone, as Touka, jokingly, forced Kaneki to help her clean up. They both talked and laughed as they cleaned. Touka was feeling nervous yet again. She wanted to confess, but was second-guessing herself. Had she read the situation wrong? She cursed herself. She couldn’t go back. She had to tell him.

“Kane─”

“What do we do about the tree?” Kaneki interrupted her, staring at the tree she had set up.

She swallowed. She’d get another chance. “I think we need to take it down.” She said.

Kaneki kept looking at the tree. “Yeah, but before that, look, there’s a present underneath!” He pointed to a blue bag which was hidden under it.

“Oh, you’re right. Let me get it.” Touka said, crouching to get it. “I wonder for who is this.” She said out loud.

“Why don’t you read the tag?” He said gently.

Touka did so and she gasped when she read the tag. From: Kaneki To: Touka-chan was written in bold black letters. She turned to look at Kaneki, and found him staring at her with an intense look in his eyes and a warm smile.

“Merry Christmas, Touka-chan.”

“I… Kaneki… you shouldn’t have.” She said.

“Open it, come one.” He gestured towards the bag.

Touka nodded and started opening it, only to find a book. The cover was black, and in gold letters she could read The Tragedy of The Like-Minded Souls and A Black Centipede by Sasaki Haise. As expected, the title didn’t tell you that much about the book, and could even be said it was pretentious, but it exude the literary prowess Kaneki was famous for. It was signed by his penname, because he hated the attention in his day to day life.

“It’s your new book.” She whispered as she touched the cover.

“Yeah. And you get the first copy.” Kaneki said happily.

“When did you finish it?” Touka asked him, still admiring the novel in her hands.

“A while ago. But I didn’t want to say anything so it’d be a surprise.” He confessed.

Touka looked at him softly. “Thank you. I love it.”

“And that’s not the best part, open it.” He said.

Touka raised her eyebrows, and then opened the book. She swiftly found the dedication page. She skimmed through it, and then gasped loudly, her hands trembling as she read it.

For T:

These past four years you have always been by my side, supporting me and telling me when I’m being stupid. Thank you for listening to my rants, for encouraging me in your own unique way, for reading my drafts, and for giving me copious amounts of coffee. I would never have finished my past novels without you. Thank you very much!

I dedicate this novel to you for not only being the best co-worker I ever had, but for being my best friend, and always having my back. There’s no one like you in this world, and I hope you know I’ll always be grateful for everything you’ve done for me. And I hope that someday I not only get to call you my best friend, but my wife.

                  Love,

                           S.H.

Tears streamed down from Touka’s eyes as she read the dedication. All this time of wondering if Kaneki loved her back, and he had been as in love with her as she was in love with him, even more if he had basically proposed to her on the dedication.

“I take it you liked it?” Kaneki asked, cheeks completely read and looking more handsome than ever. She just nodded. “Good, because I wasn’t sure if─”

She didn’t let him finish, she crashed her lips on his, pouring all her love for him through the kiss. Kaneki closed his eyes and pulled her close to him, even lifting her a little. After breaking the kiss, they pressed their foreheads together and smiled.

“Touka-chan, will you be my girlfriend and, eventually, my wife?”

Touka’s eyes lit up. “Yes.”

They kissed again and held each other for what seemed like hours.

“But this doesn’t save you from cleaning duty.”

“I know.”

The following year would find Hinami and Ayato preparing for entering college next semester, their relationship going stronger than ever, and Ayato already planning to ask Hinami to move in with him after college. On this same date, Amon would make a fancy dinner for Akira, and after it was over, he’d take a black box from his pocket, and this time it’d be a ring, to the delight of a very proud father and boss. Meanwhile, Touka and Kaneki, with matching rings and matching smiles, would be preparing for the arrival of their first child and Kaneki’s upcoming novel in a matter of four days titled Coffee, Books, and Complete Happiness.