Chapter Summary: "Life becomes busy after Christmas but Haise takes the first chance he gets to visit :re." [A little Tousaki drabble featuring Haise and Touka's first meeting post holiday break.]
Note: Just a fan of Tokyo Ghoul borrowing the characters to write this fanfic.
Authors Note: Here's another slightly fluffy touken fic! Hope you enjoy! :)
Life becomes busy after Christmas but Haise takes the first chance he gets to visit :re.
There's a distinct chill in the air and he rubs his hands together as he crosses the street in an attempt to keep warm. Fortunately, the tiny shop is discernible just around the corner and he quickens his pace the moment he spots the familiar sign.
Once inside he waves to the pretty waitress, Kirishima-san, and flops down at an empty table, removing his heavy coat and scarf and carefully setting them to the side. It's become routine for him to settle into his seat and skim through one of the novels on the store shelf, periodically chancing glances her way as he waits until she's free, and that day is no different. Even so, a part of him never ceases to be astounded by how he feels so at ease while watching her skillfully perform her daily tasks.
(Or how giddy it renders him when she smiles and heads his way – just as she was at that very moment.)
"Sasaki-san!" she calls out, eyes sparkling as she approaches to take his order and he can feel the tips of his ears warm at the sound of his name. "It's been a while, hasn't it?"
He realizes she expects an answer but all he can hear is the steady thrum of his heart. Nevertheless, he somehow manages to muster up a nod, and a sincere "yes" while dearly hoping that his voice didn't sound too shaky.
When she blinks, tossing her head back and letting out a genuine laugh, his breath catches in his throat.
He had really missed her.
They end up chatting about how they spent their respective Christmas days and while he doesn't broach the subject of dates (even though he had thought about it - so much so that he had lost sleep during the night and woken up with a severe case of disheveled bed hair the next morning due to repeatedly tossing and turning), she manages to clear that up for him anyway when she tells him that she spent the holidays with family and friends.
He, in turn, talks about how his squad liked his gifts, mentioning that his puns still didn't leave much of an impression on them and, if he's not mistaken, she appears vaguely amused as her lips curl up into a tiny grin while preparing his cup of coffee over at the counter.
There aren't any other customers in the small coffee shop which he's kind of … happy about because there's nobody around to scrutinize their interactions and maybe, if he's lucky, he can persuade her to converse with him longer.
Sometimes he wonders whether it's slightly odd that he's able to speak so comfortably with her but then he brushes the thought aside, attributing it to the ambiance of the shop - it has novels, comfy seats and great service (although the other gentleman- her older brother? - can occasionally be a bit intimidating).
He glances around furtively but said person is nowhere to be found.
"Your brother?" he asks, anyways, just to make sure.
"Out shopping! No need to look so worried" she smirks, and then there's a clinking noise as his cup of coffee is placed in front of him. He sighs happily as the delightfully sweet aroma overtakes his senses (along with ridding himself of some embarrassment).
Their coffee truly is the best.
There's a comfortable minute of silence as she lets him indulge (in both the coffee and the sight of her brushing her hair back behind her ear as she tidies up) and then Kirishima-san is back at his table.
"You're not going to pick out a book today?" she inquires, after he's had another sip or two, "We just received a couple of new ones that you might be interested in."
He watches as she advances towards the shelves, presumably to fetch the aforementioned books, and finds himself puzzled when she stumbles abruptly in place, peering curiously back at him. It's only belatedly that he realizes that his hand has shot out to grab her arm. Surprised beyond belief, his eyes widen and he reels backwards with such force that his chair totters precariously on its legs.
You're acting strange and your cheeks are reddening… she's going to notice.
"I know that!" Haise whispers under his breath, hiding his face in his hands as he replays his actions over again in his head, but the white-haired boy in the recesses of his mind pays him no attention, choosing instead to continue swinging his legs on the tiny stool he had somehow procured.
Of all the times that child would pick to start critiquing him, it had to be now?!
"Are you alright?" The question from Kirishima-san breaks through his monologue and a second later he feels the light pressure of her hand upon his shoulder.
She really was too kind to him.
Inhaling deeply, he raises his head and does his best to act natural to reassure her, relieved that she doesn't seem to be angry.
"Ye-Yes! Sorry about that, I was only meaning to tell you that there was no need to get me a book." He laughs nervously, one arm scratching the back of his head sheepishly as he bows a few times in apology and drags his chair back in to place, wincing as it screeches loudly. "I got one as a gift and I'm in the middle of reading it."
She raises a brow and then shakes her head with a playful sigh.
"Perhaps on another visit then!" she exclaims, sounding almost disappointed, though he wonders if it's simply a product of his own wishful thinking.
But if it wasn't – if she maybe felt the same way as he did then …
Careful Haise … take your ti-
"Ummm…would you perhaps…be interested in hearing about it?" he blurts out, averting his eyes once awareness hits.
He had never felt so nervous before in his entire life. His hands are sweaty and he wipes them on his lap, watching as she bites her lip, her eyebrows furrowed as she contemplates his words and then seemingly makes her decision.
"Alright, it's a slow day anyways." She smiles warmly at him, bending down to pick up the stirring spoon that he hadn't even noticed had fallen onto the floor, before slipping into the chair across from him. "I might be able to spare a little time."
Touka can feel his gaze on her as he prattles on about the plot of the book "The Hanged Man's MacGuffin" and she nods, reacting accordingly at the appropriate parts, hoping all the while that he doesn't notice the wistfulness lining her expression.
His mannerisms and overall demeanor are similar to the Kaneki that first walked into Anteiku many years ago (although there are some aspects that slightly differ - he certainly had been a bit more shy and reserved back then) and, for a few brief moments, she finds herself entertaining the thought that perhaps this would have been the man that he would have grown into had there been no interference from Rize.
"Is something the matter?" His tone holds traces of worry as it pulls her out of her inward musings, "Or… is it that I'm talking too much?"
The last part is quieter, said a bit uncertainly, and the napkin in her hand crinkles as she clenches it tightly. That's not the case at all! She had never been all that good at expressing herself and it seemed that she still wasn't if he was doubting himself.
"No!" She exclaims, and he blinks, taken aback by her sudden shout. "I - It makes me happy to see yo- … our customers enjoying themselves while they're in our shop."
It's embarrassing but worth it, she thinks as he visibly relaxes, and that's when she sees it (she's actually surprised that she hadn't noticed it before). Had this been 3 years ago, her first impulse might have been to pull at his cheek and scold him for showing up to work disheveled but now she simply points it out with her finger.
"Your hair towards the back," she whispers, leaning in, delighted at the way his cheeks take on a rosy shade, "is a bit messy…did you doze off recently?"
Okay, so maybe the part of her that likes to tease him still hasn't completely disappeared yet.
He scrambles, patting at his head in an attempt to fix it, but just ends up making it worse (which she points out with a smirk).
"Can you…?" he trails off, finally giving in to the reality that he wouldn't be able to fix it by himself and as his eyes bore into her own imploringly, she fidgets.
It's not like she's unable to do it - really - she doesn't mind at all.
The only reason she hesitates is because… well… she's resolved to wait for him to recover his past on his own and - as ridiculous as it sounds- what if her actions trigger a past memory (specifically how she messed it up when they were wearing disguises to infiltrate the CCG) but he gives her a reassuring grin as if to say it's alright, go on and so she pushes forward, combing her fingers through his strands.
His hair is much fluffier than it used to be and she's oh so tempted to mess it up even further but doesn't. She makes quick work of it, trying to ignore the fact that she's standing close enough to him that she can catch sight of her reflection in his eyes.
"There, all finished!" she declares proudly, once done, intending to back away only to discover that her index finger has gotten tangled in a tuft of his hair. "Actually, nevermind, my finger is trapped."
She raises on her tiptoes to get a better view and he laughs before covering her hand with his own to help her deal with the problem strands.
"Thank you," she murmurs, softly, when he releases her hand, and his already large smile widens some more.
Maybe it's only her imagination, or lingering Christmas spirit, but with the way he's staring at her, it almost feels like something might happen.
She can't place her emotions - is she terrified, excited or a mixture of both? - but, before she can have the chance to figure it out, her ears pick up on an amused snort from the back room and, to her great annoyance, the moment abruptly vanishes.
Shitty Nishiki, she thinks, I'll have to deal with him and his eavesdropping later.
They would have been disrupted anyways, she soon realizes, when the door chimes not long after and Yomo-san enters hauling their new supply of coffee beans.
Haise first pales upon spotting the older male and then looks strangely dejected when she leaves his side to go help with the packages.
"I should probably put these away," she informs him as she works her way around the table and he shakes his head.
"That's alright, I understand. I should probably be heading out now anyways." She watches as he collects his belongings. "Thank you for keeping me company… and for fixing my hair."
Yomo-san glances over for a second when he overhears but doesn't say anything and, for that, she's glad - teasing from Nishiki she can handle, questions from the older ukaku ghoul … not so much.
"See you again!" she calls out as Haise eases open the door, and can't keep herself from beaming when he turns around and grins.
"Of course!"
There's always the next time.