Chapter 14
"Kou is a ghoul."
Kaneki rocked his crying son. "We knew that may happen."
"Ken, what we are saying is that we can't just give him a bottle of formula." Hide clarified.
It clicked with Kaneki. "What do we feed him?"
"Ghoul or human breast milk. Human is more nutritious for little baby ghouls."
Kaneki held his son.
"Kou needs to eat." Hide said softly.
Kaneki looked at the doctor. "Can the nurse come in?"
"Do you want to view the nursing?"
"I want my baby within view at all times." Kaneki answered.
"Understandable. Let me get her."
Kaneki looked at Hide nervously.
Hide rubbed Kaneki's shoulder. "Kou needs to eat."
"I know. I just want to protect him."
A nurse came in with the doctor.
"This is Aya and she will be assigned to Kou." The doctor introduced the nurse.
Aya smiled and offered her hands to Kou. "May I hold him?"
Kaneki didn't want to, but he handed over his newborn son to the stranger.
Aya held Kou. "He's beautiful."
Kaneki smiled softly. "He is." He agreed.
"Do you mind if I do it here?" Aya asked.
Hide pulled up a chair for her and helped her sit beside Kaneki so he could watch.
She unbuttoned her blouse and unclipped a piece of her bra, exposing the nipple. She gently held Kou to the nipple and squeezed a few drops out, trying to teach Kou how to feed.
Kaneki watched amazed as Kou figured out how to drink and began to feed from Aya.
Aya smiled and let Kou drink. "I will milk you a few bottle for you to keep in your fridge for the little guy. I will also come over periodically to feed him directly."
The female doctor was still in the room, watching the process with the two men. "Kou will be on breast milk for six months. After that, we will switch it out for pureed human meat. In that time we will also be introducing solid food and give him some bite size pieces of intestines to eat."
Kou finished and Aya gently burped him before handing over Kou to Hide.
Aya excused herself and left.
The female doctor examined Kaneki's c-section scar. "Alright. You are fully healed Mr. Centipede and baby Kou is healthy, so I am releasing you from the infirmary."
Kaneki smiled. "Thank you."
"No problem. My name is Doctor Brianna and I will be overseeing Kou. If there are any problems, please feel free to ask Akira to give me a call. I will drop everything and get there as soon as I can."
Kaneki nodded. "Thank you."
Dr. Brianna patted Kaneki's shoulder. "Mr. Centipede, today should be a good day. You are bringing home a healthy and beautiful baby."
Hide rubbed Kaneki's shoulder and held Kou with his other arm. "Let's go home."
Kaneki nodded.
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Kou slept most of the day, but that night, Kou woke every three hours. Kou either needed a diaper change or he was hungry.
Hide was not too thrilled about waking up, but as soon as he sat up and looked at the bed spot where his husband was laying just seconds ago, Hide would already be hearing Kou quieting down.
Hide got out of bed and walked down the hall. He opened the cracked door and saw his husband holding a sleeping Kou in his arms as Kaneki sat in the rocking chair and read one of his horror books aloud by a dim lamp light.
Hide grinned and watched the two. "You're going to give the kid nightmares."
Kaneki laughed softly and set the book back on the bookshelf that was in the baby room. "Good thing he doesn't understand a word I am saying yet."
Hide took Kou and laid him to rest in his crib. "Come Ken. You need rest as much as the baby, maybe even more. You have bags under your eyes."
Kaneki nodded and followed Hide. "I love you."
"I love you too. Now get your but in bed and rest. I got Kou the next time he wakes up."
Kaneki flopped down and held his pillow. "Hide?"
"Yes?"
"Do you think I will be a good parent? You can say no. I just… I have to know."
Hide laid beside Kaneki and kissed his husband. "By just asking that, it shows me that you care. I know you Ken. You love everything, even after it hurts you. I have no doubt in my mind that you will be a great parent."
"But what if I become like my mother and I…"
Hide hugged his mate. "I know Ken. I saw the cuts and bruises. I know.
"What if I become something I am not?"
"I will be here to make sure that doesn't happen. Get some sleep, you are over thinking everything. Some rest will do you good."
Kaneki nodded and curled up to Hide.
Hide kissed the top of Kaneki's head. "If it's any consolation, you have been an amazing mate and husband, I think you will be an amazing parent as well."
Hide could hear Kaneki sniffle a little beside him as he tried to hold in tears. Hide kissed the top of his head again and fell asleep.