Kaneki awakens with a fluttering in his heart and a smile on his face. His eyes are swollen, as if he’s been crying. Hmm?

He looks up to see Touka smiling down at him. Her hands stroke his hair, and his head rests on her bare thighs.

“Hi,” he croaks.

“How are you?” Touka sounds nervous.

“Happy.” Kaneki rubs sleep out of his eyes. He sits up and runs his hands down Touka’s chest.

“Me too.” Touka snuggles closer.

He wraps her in his arms and breathes in her scent. He never noticed before, how she smells like coffee even when she’s not at her job. It’s like coffee’s a part of her, and he loves that.

They will have to flee their hideout soon. The 24th ward, and all the ghouls of GOAT, await. But not yet. He can afford a few more seconds in Touka’s loving arms. 

Warning for references to child abuse.

“Hey.” Touka hesitates at the foot of the bridge. Why didn’t you wait for me? Are you avoiding me? What is wrong with me?

“Hey.” Kaneki’s heart sinks. He’s afraid of her. 

Because he cares.

“Why did you run off?” Touka bursts out. “Why? It’s like you didn’t care at all.”

“Of course I cared! I just…wanted to protect you all,” Kaneki whispered.

“I thought I was the one who protected you.” Touka swallowed. “Remember Kimi? Remember Mado? We were a team.” Her voice rose. “You say you’re doing this for us, but you’re not. You’re acting like my dad! You’re selfish; it’s all about you. You can’t stand to see us hurt, so you keep us at a distance. You’re hurting us and saying it’s for our own good.”

Kaneki sees his mother’s hand coming down on him. He starts and stumbles back.

“Why?” Touka sniffles. “Why can’t you let us love you?”

Kaneki feels frozen. Mommy, stop. 

Touka frowns. His eyes aren’t focused. “Kaneki?”

She grabs him and pleads. “Please come back to Anteiku with me.”

Kaneki can barely move in his flashback, but somehow he finds the strength to nod. 

Touka tugs him along, and though he’s still half-dazed, he feels like he’s being led someplace safe. 

Aw thank you! And thank you for introducing me to the song – I’m now a proper crying mess.

“It’s so peaceful outside.” Kaneki watches the snowflakes drift to the frozen earth. 

Touka pulls him closer to their crackling fire. “This evening reminds me of the day we met.”

Kaneki blushes. “I remember.”

Do you have room? A beautiful woman with ukaku wings appears before him. CCG is hunting me.

So he lets her in, and since then she’s never left his side.  

They snuggle together for warmth that night, and Kaneki thinks himself the luckiest man in the world. 

Touka awakens to the first signs of spring.

“The birds sound like you. So beautiful.” Kaneki murmurs, pulling her closer.

Touka kisses him. He’s radiant in the morning light.

In the heat of summer,  Touka toils in the vegetable garden they planted. They can’t eat what they grow, but someone can, and Touka likes that. And growing something happy warms her heart.

A crash from behind her catches her attention. “Kaneki?”

As autumn comes, Kaneki has not improved.

“He’s aging at a frightening pace,” says their friend Nishiki. 

Touka shakes her head. “Don’t worry – Kaneki. I’ll save you.”

She sells vegetable after vegetable and pounds ukaku shards into jewelry. She will find a way into CCG, to save Kaneki.

Kaneki pulls himself upright. “Touka, your hands…they’re so beautiful.”

“Would you love them if they weren’t beautiful anymore?” Touka asks. All she wants is to hear and hold his unconditional love. 

“Of course.” Kaneki holds her hands in his, but he’s soon racked by a cough.

Touka comes home one day, one day when she almost has enough to bribe a CCG doctor, to see Nishiki standing at her door.

“Where’s Kaneki?”

Touka sobs by an empty gravesite. CCG had already taken the body by the time she arrived, but she’s constructed a memorial nonetheless.

“If, one day, I was no longer mistakable for a human, would you still love me?” she asks, dropping an ukaku shard into the moist earth.

“Of course I will. I will always…remember that snowy day.”

Touka turns around with a gasp to see a dragon standing behind her.

“Even now, I still love you.” 

She breaks into happy tears. “And I love you.”

This is one of the most intriguing asks I’ve gotten. Love it!

“Kaneki,” Touka whimpers.

“Hmm?” Kaneki looks up from between her legs.

“I need to eat.”

“We’re low on food.” Kaneki sits up, concerned.

“No, I was thinking. For the baby. Maybe if I eat his father, it will help him or her.” Touka laughs. “Not all of you, Ken.”

Kaneki offers her his shoulder without a moment’s hesitation.

Touka’s teeth sink into his flesh, and he has to admit there’s something exciting about his wife cannibalizing him. 

“You taste good,” she murmurs, wiping the blood off her lips. “I see why Shuu wanted you.”

“Touka!” Kaneki has to laugh along with her.

 She pins him to the bed and continues to chew down his back. God, she’s so hungry. 

She’s heard of female ghouls completely devouring their spouse once they were with child. Most are legends. 

She won’t go this far. She’ll be restrained, because she loves Kaneki. 

When she’s satiated, he begins to heal, and Touka snuggles closer to the side she hasn’t feasted upon. “I love you, Ken.”