Heat+brain cells=half ass chapter maybe? Can't tell what the weather wants

Was skimming the previous chapters and though I'm against it, I can't deny the inevitable consequences from the chats I hinted at. Best case scenario in a ghoul sense

A week and a half later...

Anteiku...

"Getting accustomed to staying here?" wonders Touka walking into the guest room.

"Somewhat. I'd much rather stay up here than be around people who murmur and gossip." says cycle 2 Ken sitting up on the bed.

"You'll have to come out of your shell at some point." says Touka frowning.

"I know. Being around people again feels weird and I can't trust that they will start talking about the new worker...being me." says Ken.

"If you want a new lover, you have to work up the courage to socialize again." says Touka.

"And how will I know you won't be like Rize?" wonders Ken standing up.

"We merely met on a rough start. Don't go thinking all ghouls like ganging up on their own species. That's including humans." sighs Touka walking up to Ken.

"If not 20th ward, there are the other wards." says Ken.

"We should have another uniform for you to wear and surprise Hide in." says Touka smiling.

"I'm not sure if I should work here. Seems sketchy with me barely being around you guys." says Ken hesitantly.

"Don't be such a whiner. You need to get social at some point so why not start here?" says Touka taking cycle 2 Ken out of the room.

"..."

Hide's house...

The week prior to ending up living under Hide's roof per say, cycle 1 Ken, without trying to, found a bag of human meat in the fridge. Ending up shadow eyed, Ken slowly turned his head to face Hide out of curiosity and annoyance. Hide, sweat dropping, closed the door stating something he was baffled by. How can other him be an actual half ghoul when his parents were humans!? He would have to drill into Yuki and Yuno for answers on who the cycle 2 Ken's real parents were. Every time Hide handed him human meat, he'd claim it was for his version of his buddy but it was bound to go to waste. Ken had to raise an eyebrow at the quote but in turn for getting much needed food in him, Ken was to cook for him in the mornings so it wouldn't be to odd if anyone came by surprising them like you know who. It would have to do unless he saw ghouls prowling around. Ken's chest tightened at the thought of how big Hide would be from both a human's and a ghoul's point of view during feeding times. If Hide is 127lbs now...then what was the middle line for chubbiness? He'd rather find out on his own.

Ken didn't want to go to overboard but he did have to question the portion intakes without it showing on Hide just yet. It'd be even more fun to do if he could make food for the both of them instead of staring, sipping coffee while smiling...awkwardly smiling trying to ease his mind. Once the awkwardness of this horrendous ploy ends, he will be to happy to care how much Hide ate. Shame, they won't be able to go on dinner or lunch dates. Nah, could be better this way. No one to stare at them in disgust or whatever looks the humans give off if they ever came across a ghoul-human relationship. Only outings would have to be to anywhere there wasn't food which would get really tough to do soon.

Currently, Cycle 1 Ken, in his jumpsuit with his batman shirt turned makeshift tank top that barely showed the sleeve part, his black pants that went over the bottom of the jumpsuit, the boots that went with the jumpsuit and his batman cap was making breakfast for Hide while he slept in. He wasn't a force feeder of any sort yet as a ghoul, it'd be the only logical thing to do. His human mindset was still in denial and was trying to talk him out of it. If Rize was still around, she would get a kick out of what Ken was doing to Hide. As suddenly as the image came to mind he got a chill up his spine in disgust. Rize was the voice of doubt whenever it screamed in his mind back when he desperately wanted to hide his ghoul side so why wouldn't his current situation be any different?

"I think I died a little inside." mumbles Ken staring from the eggs in the frying pan to the few drenched pancakes, 3 stacked hash browns and a few sausages that were on the plate.

'What was that Ken?'

Ken flinched then turned around startled to see Hide coming into the kitchen.

"Remembering my version of Rize made me cringe hard. Every morning this week, I picture my Rize in ghost form watching you get fatter and fatter while I stare shadow eyed gawking or whatever. Probably nothing major but who's to say these days after all I told you of my cycle. Anyone who fucked me over appearing without actually being there fucks with me. Haha...haaaa." says Ken awkwardly reaching for his plate of food to put the eggs on top of the hash browns.

Ken handed Hide the plate and the ketchup bottle before getting his coffee ready.

"You aren't in your old world so whatever is throwing you off doesn't revolve around this one." says Hide pointing his fork at Ken.

"One can only hope." says Ken nervously laughing.

"What you need is something to keep your mind off things. Something that will tune out the city's citizens while enjoying ourselves." says Hide.

"A ball of nerves wouldn't know where to begin. Obvious choice aside, there's only so many date places if you wanna try dating. Should be fine during the day. Its easier to keep out of sight at night. The other day at Anteiku doesn't count due to obvious reasons." says Ken getting embarrassed.

"If we go grocery shopping, maybe cans of black coffee will be better than the coffee beans." says Hide.

"You can do whatever you want with your money. Wait, what do you mean by cans of black coffee?" wonders Ken.

"Wouldn't that be easier when we need to go out and about or go for a stroll?" wonders Hide.

"Will we have the room given your new diet?" wonders Ken.

"Makes you appear more human when on the streets." says Hide.

"Not in this getup." grumbles Ken.

"Are you saying you look ridiculous for someone who's trying to look sexier?" wonders Hide smirking.

"HEY! I only have three outfits which is technically two now that I have to play the role of the villain. I thought I'd look better but now it sounds like you expect me to have doubts." says Ken annoyed.

"Do you?" wonders Hide.

"Not really." says Ken getting defensive.

"Ok Villain 'Kenny', how many more plates do you think I can handle?" wonders Hide.

"You sound like you want to eat all day between meals and snacking." says Ken.

"Pretend he's your Hide Ken. A trusting adopted brother turned boyfriend. A sly detective of a boyfriend that lets you be yourself..." thinks Ken.

"I'M NOT A FORCE FEEDER TYPE! EAT EVERYTHING YOU PLEASE IF THAT'S HOW YOU WANNA GO ABOUT THIS!' yells Ken.

"I hit a sore spot grouchy." says Hide chuckling.

Ken went quiet reverting his eyes.

"You have to choose wisely on how much you wanna pay for the food you'll be eating. There aren't many restaurants that let you eat continuously. It'd be disturbing to other people around us if you kept ordering while I feel the death stares." mutters Ken.

"That only means the villain in you is working." says Hide.

"Just go with your own beat like how Juuzou goes about things." huffs Ken leaning back in his seat.

Quinx...

"We are gonna have to split up." says Saiko.

"In pairs or...?" wonders Mutsuri.

"In pairs. Mutsuri and I will look for Hideyoshi's place. Saiko and Ginshi look for the house the ghoul is living in." says Urie.

"You're saying the ghoul could be going to Hideyoshi's place at times?" wonders Ginshi.

"Hideyoshi would have to either stay at the ghoul's house or take the ghoul to his place to gain a roommate vibe." says Urie.

"Doesn't that go against the CCG rules?" wonders Ginshi.

"Obviously we have to look into the factor that Hideyoshi is in cahoots with the human parents toward the safety of the ghoul." says Urie.

"Hideyoshi can't be the sly and devious type. He's to bubbly at work." says Ginshi.

"That was before the ghoul came into play dumbass." says Urie looking at Ginshi.

"Hideyoshi acting like Juuzou sounds to fucked up to imagine." says Ginshi.

"Ginshi." says Urie unamused.

"Yeah?" wonders Ginshi.

"If Hideyoshi gained a creepy vibe it is due to hanging around Juuzou for so long and the new ghoul pal's insane mindset would only add more to said slyness to his waning mind out of shock and gloom." says Urie.

"It would make sense! Hideyoshi took to the crazy teen and as they grew closer, his creepy thoughts seeped into his mind and he agrees with the most disturbing of possibilities without a second thought." says Ginshi freaking out.

"Shut up before I make you shut up." says Urie.

A few hours later...

Hide's house...

After Hide ate three medium pizzas, Ken was sitting on one end of the couch staring blankly at the show on the tv. He was internally angry at himself for not taking some books from the wide array of varieties. Hide was resting his head on Ken's lap, laying on the rest of the couch.

"I dunno whether to chuckle hearing you say you were having pizza with visiting friends with the delivery boy looking confused at your work attire or be disturbed by you stuffing pizza down your throat after seeing the expression." mutters Ken.

"I deserve a food delivery day." says Hide.

"Are three whole medium pizzas good for your body size?" wonders Ken.

"You can never have to much pizza." says Hide.

"Mhmmmmm. Mkay. Have anything good to read?" says Ken curiously.

"Regretting never taking the books?" wonders Hide.

"I can't trust you to be a book lover. Other you shoving demon manga in my face kinda tells me you enjoy anything demonic as long as the demons are good boys but that's a far cry given your personality." says Ken.

"I gotcha. Those kinds of manga are about what humans depict demons as and for each writer and editor, it's how the mind perceives every moment taken place. Demons in books are based off the ghouls of the real world and most readers choose the human side over the demon side. But if someone were to take to a demon-human relationship, a plethora of thoughts come to light on whether or not it should be wise for such a romance and if the people around them agree or not. Most would be disgusted due to our society's way of thinking but watching expressions tells you more than words being spat out." says Hide looking into Ken's eyes.

"Nevermind. I'd hate to know what kind of manga you are into." says Ken eyes closed, mouth twitching.

"How can you say that without seeing the collection?" wonders Hide.

"You want your messed up manga fantasies to come true. You put yourself and your Ken into the manga you read while imagining yourselves living in the world to see which variation of earth feels most peaceful despite the hell the lifestyle brings. Am I wrong? Now that you have me, does it feel the same or altered?" wonders Ken looking at Hide.

"I'm not sure what you're getting at." says Hide frowning.

"People who have animal features like ears and tail would be more a bunny rabbit's territory than fucked up ghouls who bring fear and terror to humans. Werewolves are technical animals that wreak havoc on human kind more so than rely on others for comfort. Or so that's how we are represented." says Ken slyly.

"You have to enjoy what the personalities of each character have before you know you want to keep it." says Hide.

"I see." says Ken.

"Books are more enjoyable when both readers are enjoying the characters and the different ways they see them as." says Hide sitting up.

"Putting yourself with manga characters is your comfort zone? That's not a half bad way of looking at things if you wanna be the crazy human who chooses ghouls over normal love." says Ken amused.

"The characters who best relate to you are the best friends the real world could never have." says Hide.

"Next you're gonna say you talk to them in your head." says Ken.

"That's none of your business." says Hide.

"Relax. Everyone finds comfort zones through all kinds of things so they can feel complete again. I'm sure my Hide would still be blasting music while flipping through pics of us or played games to keep his mind off reality. But one can only keep reality away for so long. It sneaks up on you without you realizing." says Ken frowning.