This was fun to write. I love angsty pregnancy scenarios. 

Ayato is haunted by their last wave. Just before they boarded the bus to their work, just before they vanished from his life.

He tried to find them, of course. He knew they’d fallen ill at work and been hospitalized…and that all traces of them were gone by the time he arrived that evening.

Eto had uncovered rumors of CCG investigators entering the hospital, but no confirmation.

By now – and he hates himself for hoping this – he hopes they are dead. Execution by CCG is the kindest scenario awaiting them. 

But at night, he sees their ghost, waving at him. Sometimes he dreams they crawl in his window the way they used to, but they wear a sadistic grin as they describe abandoning him.

And then he wakes up with a silent scream, and he hates himself more for ever doubting them. They were young, he knows, but they loved him, and he loved them. 

“You’re thinking of them again, aren’t you?” Hinami smiles at him. They’re on a mission together, to investigate reports of a half-ghoul child. To recruit the parents to Aogiri’s cause, if possible.

Ayato nods curtly. Their target’s looms ahead, when all of a sudden, a toddler scrambles outside. 

The baby falls down with laughter, as its parent rushes out to haul it back inside.

Ayato freezes.

And Hinami knows without him even saying it. 

They slowly turn around, their hair longer than it used to be. They’re finally wearing the glasses frames they were saving up for. And behind their lenses, their eyes dilate.

They clutch the child and raise it to their chest as the Aogiri executives approach. 

Ayato feels his heart breaking, until he looks at the child and sees its unruly dark blue hair.

Ayato tries to speak, but only gurgles escape his lips. 

“Ayato…” Hinami’s mouth falls open.

“You found me,” says his S/O quietly. Their lips twist into a smirk. “Took you long enough.”

“What – is that – what?!” Ayato doubles over.

They hold out the kid. “Arata, this is your daddy.”

The child – Arata – holds out its hands, and after a poke from HInami, Ayato takes the boy in his arms, still gaping at them.

“I was rushed to the hospital for a suspected miscarriage.” They avoid Ayato’s eyes. “And they discovered one baby still alive, having devoured its brother. And then CCG showed up, because they knew it wasn’t human.” They wrap their hands around their stomach. “I had to leave everything to keep you and Arata safe.” 

They throw back their head and laugh. “I’ve been rehearsing that for two years, Ayato, and it still came out weird.” 

Ayato cuts them off by grabbing their shoulder with one hand. He yanks them closer and presses his lips against theirs.