Characters: Kaneki, Touka, Ichika, baby #2

Pairing: Touka/Kaneki

Era: Post-Epilogue

Genre: Family

Rating: K

Warnings: None


Complete

The birth of baby Sui Kaneki was a joyous event. The pregnancy had been relatively smooth and his delivery considerably less complicated than Touk's first delivery nearing six years ago.

And now he was here.

Ken is positive he feels his heart that at times already seems stuffed to the brim somehow expand that much more when he first sets eyes on his boy - his son.

Touka, being the natural mother that she is, instantly cradled him with such soft motherly care that Ken felt moisture spring to his eyes. This was his family now. It was complete.

It was a peaceful, perfect moment for the Kaneki family.

Well, except for Ichika who clearly didn't get the message that this was a precious, life-altering moment that should be reverently treasured.

"He's fat," she says in an unimpressed voice. Ken swears she's almost snarling at the infant.

Ken looks down at his son. His son isn't fat. He's perfect.

Just like his older sister Baby Sui has Touka's beautiful eyes… but they are almost buried by his chubby cheeks.

Okay, Ken thinks, so maybe he was a little plump...

"A little, but that just makes your little brother even cuter, don't you think?" Touka says, cuddling her daughter closer against her.

She then gives Sui to Ken so that she can truly hold Ichika, and Ken realizes after seeing the stubborn, jealous set of his daughter's pretty face, that this was probably a very good idea.

Holding the newest addition of their family Ken cannot help but marvel how their boy feels sturdier in his arms, a nice heavy eight-and-a-half-pound weight that somehow reminds him of the quarter-pound steak-burgers that Touka has been craving for the past several months, (not without complaining how it tasted like utter crap, of course) and the copious amounts of meat cubes that she had ravenously devoured during the latter half of the pregnancy..

Ken holds his baby closer, taking a nervous glance at the door. Any moment now…

Getting to hold Sui himself means that when Tsukiyama and the others burst in – as they will surely be doing very soon – Ken will be able to make a good attempt at keeping the baby from getting passed around like a baton, the way Ichika was right after she was born.

He can already feel quite certain, from the man-to-man bond he can practically sense weaving between himself and his son, that Sui would not approve of being surrendered to the cooing, nap-interrupting-filled fate that would surely befall him if an overly excited Hinami and a surprisingly eager Yomo were allowed to hold him. Nor would he approve of Tsukiyama clutching the baby like a precious jewel proclaiming something ridiculous and calling Sui a prince précieux as he had taken to saying even before the child was born. Or, worst of all, of being carelessly held by an anxious Ayato who despite his tough guy act is both in awe and terrified of babies.

He also can't keep a good grip on them, apparently.

Ken shudders. He remembers all to well how Ayato had accidentally almost dropped Ichika the day she was born, and how Ichika had actually gurgled happily instead of bursting into tears or going wide-eyed with terror like a normal infant.

No, he thinks with a decisive nod to himself, he wouldn't let that happen to this little guy. Papa would make sure.

Ichika's inquisitive voice breaks him out of these thoughts. "Will he always be so fat, Mama?"

Again with the tone of disdain, Ken cannot help but note with a slight smile. He couldn't help but wonder if Touka had acted the same way when her brother was born.

"No, probably not," says Touka. Then she pauses, conspiratorially pulling Ichika closer and whispering in her ear, making the little girl giggle. "But if he is, you can be his super coach and exercise him into top shape! Just like I did your Papa, you know! How does that sound, baby?"

Though he knows she is merely lavishing attention on their firstborn so that no true jealousy comes to light, Ken still cannot help but hold onto Sui tighter. He raises his eyebrow to Touka with disbelief and no little amount of betrayal. Their son was perfect the way he was. Fat and all.

Ichika couldn't agree less it seemed because after a moment's thought she chirps happily "Okay! He won't stay fat!" There is a glint in her violet eyes that Ken recognizes all too very well.

At that moment he suddenly sees an even larger bit of his Touka-chan in Ichika.

He is doomed.

He is now aware that the second man of the family came none too soon.

They can be doomed together.

"We've got a long battle ahead of us, Sui," he mutters against his son's tufts of black hair, holding him closer as Touka and Ichika smile mischievously at them both.