Chapter 6

Kaneki looked through the kitchen drawers, irritated.

Hide yawned and walked into the kitchen. It was barely dawn, but Kaneki was already up and about.

It had been a week since the procedure and so far nothing had been different, until now.

Hide gently kissed his husband. "What's up? Something wrong?"

"A CCG member came in here last night."

No CCG members were authorized to be inside Hide and Kaneki's apartment cell unless given permission from Akira, Amon, or Arima.

"And," Kaneki said, "They took my coffee."

Hide thought about it, it had to be someone the CCG authorized to work with Kaneki. He remembered reading once that caffeine is not that good for pregnant women, the same must be for male ghouls.

Hide opened the fridge to get some orange juice and noticed that Kaneki's two or three brown packages of meat had multiplied overnight. The packages were smaller and portioned off, there was enough for three meals a day for a week. Hide picked up a brown pack and set it on the counter. "Eat that. Maybe the CCG are worried about your caffeine levels."

"I doubt that." Kaneki said tried to warm the meat up in the microwave.

Hide poured up some juice and kissed his husband once again. He was already dressed in a suit and tie. "I need to go to work soon, but the CCG said something very promising yesterday."

"Yes?" Kaneki asked.

"They are going to start letting you work around the headquarters with a supervising guard."

"Wow."

"Yeah. They are trying to see if they can start training you any day now, so be good."

Kaneki smiled. "I will."

####

Kaneki was allowed out and about the CCG headquarters with Akira the next few days. Akira introduced Kaneki to several of the investigators and gave Kaneki a thorough tour of the CCG. After a few days of being out and about and learning what needed to be done and what his duties would be, Kaneki was given a present from the CCG which included dress shirts, slacks, and an assortment of ties so he no longer had to wear prison clothing.

Kaneki was able to work with the CCG and was actually very good with at his job. He followed Akira around and did whatever she deemed needed doing.

The CCG was very careful to keep Kaneki and his mate from seeing each other during the course of the work day, though.

####

Kaneki woke up beside Hide and slapped a hand over his mouth. He ran to the bathroom and vomited his dinner into the toilet.

Hide woke from Kaneki's sudden movement and rubbed his eyes. He looked at the time, 5:12. He yawned and followed his husband to the bathroom and knocked on the door. "Ken? You okay?"

In total now, it had been three weeks going on four since the procedure.

Hide listened as Kaneki vomited behind the door. "Ken?"

Kaneki retched again.

"I'm coming in!" Hide announced and opened the door.

Kaneki was clutching the bowl and he was sickly pale.

Hide sat beside him and rubbed Ken's back.

"What is happening to me?" Kaneki asked softly as he spit up some remaining stomach contents.

Kaneki wasn't stupid. He had noticed how long he has been without coffee, the strange illness that only occurs in the morning that has been plaguing him for a week, the random occurrences when the smell of human meat suddenly turns rotten and it makes him sick. He began to think that the medication the scientists were giving him were for a rare ghoul disease and not some prenatal vitamins. For the last few weeks, Hide had played along with the charade that Kaneki was only sick, but Hide knew he was going to crack soon. He could not take any more deception. Kaneki seriously thinks he is on the route to dying.

Hide rubbed Kaneki's back as his husband vomited once again into the porcelain bowl. "Everything will be alright, soon." Hide promised.

####

Akira walked down the hall with Kaneki right behind her. He wore a black dress shirt with a white tie and black and white pinstriped trousers.

Hide looked up, smiling to see his beloved husband dressed up so nicely.

Akira smiled. "What are you doing Mr. Nagachika?"

"I was about to copy this report of the hearing tomorrow." Hide said, standing up.

Akira removed the report from hide's hands and passed it to Kaneki. "Take care of this, please?"

Kaneki nodded and walked down the hall.

"You said that you wished to speak to me?" Akira asked.

Hide nodded. "I want to tell Kaneki about our child."

Akira's expression grew cold, "No."

"Miss Akira, please hear me out?"

Akira sighed and nodded. "Hold it for a second." She grabbed a pen and wrote a 10 digit number down on a post it note.

Kaneki returned and handed the files back to Hide.

Hide kissed his husband's cheek. "Thank you."

"It's my job." Kaneki said.

Akira handed the paper to Kaneki. "Go to archives and get me this file."

Kaneki looked over the number and left them alone to retrieve the file.

"What file did you need?" Hide asked, curious.

"I didn't need a file. The number I gave him does not exist in the system. I just wanted some privacy with you. What I want to know is if you believe telling Kaneki is the right choice?"

Hide nodded. "For his wellbeing and for mine."

Akira sighed. "Okay. Mr. Nagachika, I will let you tell your husband, but I have some conditions."