A sunny day, perfect for a relaxing walk in the nearby park. With Autumn just around the corner, the trees have started to change their colour, from lush green to pale yellow and deep crimson. Kaneki quickly finishes his shift, drying the wet mugs and refilling the beans and bidding a happy bye to a grouchy Nishiki.

Picking up a small bouquet at the florist he ordered a few days ago, Kaneki quickly makes his way home to his lovely wife. Speaking of his lovely wife, he speeds up a little more, the fear of leaving her alone crawling uncomfortable back up his spine; she had a false labour just last week and worst of all, she was all alone at that time. Thank god for handphones otherwise... Kaneki fears the worst.

"I'm back!"

"Good! Now come into the kitchen and help me out!"

Did something happen?!

Kaneki rushes into the kitchen only to see Touka trying to reach for a mug placed on the top cabinet. Caught between admonishing her and laughing, he holds his snickers at the death glare she shoots him. "Stop suffocating yourself and come help me! I want to drink out of my bunny mug today but I can't fucking..." she tries to stretch a bit more, "reach it!"

Finally walking over, he holds her arm gently and draw them back, his own reaching out to get the mug she wants; her favourite mug because he's the one who bought it. Kaneki's quite smug about it since she prefers this mug over the black bunny mug Ayato bought for her and he never forgets to rub it in his face whenever he's over.

"Touka!" He calls for her to look over Holding 2 mugs out for her to get a good look, he asks, " Which one do you want to drink out from?"

Touka turns away from Ayato who was visiting for the weekend with Hinami and decides, "The one you bought."

She doesn't see it but Ayato was fuming at his sister and his -urgh- brother-in-law. How he wishes to wipe that asshole smile he's sporting.

Without handing over the mug he retrieved, he wordlessly pour the freshly brewed coffee into it and hands it over to her carefully. "Here you go. Be careful."

"I know, mother." She grins at this, finally her craving for caffeine will be quelled.

Kaneki pouts at this; since when he's the mother?

"I'm not sure if you got this wrong but... shouldn't I be the father?"

Touka waves him off and heads to the couch, struggling to sit without spilling any precious coffee. Since when did it get so hard to just... sit down?!

"Of course you're the father. I don't remember sleeping with anyone other than you." As always, Touka knows where to shoot to make him blush. "Unless you changed without me knowing..."

The temperature in the room drop drastically and he gulps, memories of checkered tiles and a bin full of his nails flashing by before he could stop it. Though Touka has a bad temper and fights pretty damn well, he's confident she will not kill him, at least not 100% but 95% is darn close to it. Quickly raising his hands to a surrender position, Kaneki vigorously shakes his head at her silent accusation, eager to live to see another day and their family.

"Of course not! You're stuck with me for the rest of your life." He grins childishly like a kid who will never let go of a bad joke. Plopping beside her, Kaneki makes a show of stretching his tired body and ultimately resting his head on her lap, ignoring her smacks and complains of him being heavy. "Let's go the park later for a walk. It's a nice day, after all."

She snorts into her mug. "Thought you said I'm not allowed to leave the house since I'm, I quote you, about to burst?"

At least he has the audacity to blush at that. "I will be with you so it's fine."

"I feel like a prisoner who only gets let out with permission."

Turning his head so that he faces her belly, he snuggles into it. "You're thinking too much. Now, finish up that coffee and let's go!"

It's too hot, she feels. Touka understands the necessity of the coat but the winter hat? The muffler? The gloves? It's only the beginning of Autumn for fuck's sake. Ripping off the gloves and hat, Touka throws them towards a panicking Kaneki who has already started fussing over her being cold.

"It's too hot, Kaneki! I will wear them if I feel cold." She walks away quickly, or rather, as fast as she could which isn't very fast considering how much weight she's carrying now. Touka appreciates her husband's concern over her but sometimes, it is just overbearing and breathing becomes difficult.

Pausing in the middle of the path, her breathing becomes laboured and she quickly calls for Kaneki. Shifting her carefully to a nearby bench, Kaneki asks what's wrong and she puts up a hand to silence him before he gives her a headache as well.

"Just a little tired. Can we head back? I don't think I'm up for that walk you suggested..."

"Of course we can head back. Let me know once you feel ok to stand up." His eyes carry a heavy shade of worry and she flicks his forehead and smiles.

"Don't look at me like I'm about to die." She scold him. "I just need to rest, alright?"

"Ok..."

The walk back home takes twice as long as they took to get to the park, Touka needing to pause every few minutes to catch her breath. Kaneki's worry is at an all-time high; this is the first time he's seen her so worn out since her pregnancy and it sure doesn't seem normal. After tucking her in bed with that extra small pillow placed at the small of her back for extra cushioning, Kaneki calls Yomo and informs him about Touka's situation when he hears her desperate cries.

"Ken!"