The presentation of the 'memento' Gakudera-san gifted Hide all that time ago, was with no fanfare, and when compared to the insistence the criminal had on finding it, seemed…lacking.

Gakudera-san, took the 'precious gift to his dear cousin 'yoshi' and started carelessly fiddling with it, until he broke it.

'Is that what you wanted? What you have been after all these days?'

And he then pulled what Kaneki recognized as a key.

"Finally" the cousin grunted, "With that I don't need ya anymore".

The man went to the bedroom, and Hide followed him.

Kaneki didn't hear what was said inside, and he didn't much care.

He just hoped that the odious man will finally leave him.

Though he was quite surprised, that coming out of that room, the ex-con did just that. As Hideyoshi was following him, and as the man left without turning back, closed the door.

'Just what did you tell him, Hide? I was half expecting him to decide to 'get rid' of us now that he had what he was looking for. I think you pulled a miracle in talking him out of it.'

Though the joy in finally getting back the quiet halcyon days, with just Touka and Hide, and no longer needing to suffer that man, or feign weakness was bittersweet. Part of Ken was hoping the man would attack, and provide excuse to self-defense the man to death. Something that was looking more and more likely and the half ghoul was looking forward to.

'At least the man won't cause us any more troub-'

"Hide!"

"I'm okay, Kaneki, I guess was more tired than I thought, huh…"

The human sunshine in his hands-whom he grabbed before the boy fell, was smiling, his smile bright, cheery and genuine, unlike the ones he had when the cousin arrived and disrupted their lives.

'You got tired trying to pacify the man and find what he came for'. Ken glanced at the discarded remains of the 'precious memento', discarded on the floor, abandoned without the key that was hidden inside, and scowled.

Then he hoisted his Hide and picked the other boy up bridal style. To the protests of the later.

"Hey! What are you doing?! Kaneki! I can walk on my own!"

"We wouldn't want you to push yourself too much. You still need to recover." Was the cheerful response, as the fearsome Centipede Ghoul started walking, carrying the indignant human to their destination.

"Put me down!" "But then you would fall" "Kaneki!" "I'm just helping" "Put me down right now!" "Ok" "Wait, what?"

And then the human cargo was dropped.

"You dropped me on the bed! Why did you drop me on the bed?" "You wanted me to release you." "But why the bed? Just what are you planning, you nefarious schemer! I'll have you know that I am respectable, and don't let just anyone into the bed, you seducer!"

"I-wha? I mean… Hide!" Kaneki was flabbergasted, blushing.

A musical laughter alerted them to the spectators they apparently had.

"Touka! What are you doing here? When did you come? Why did you come?" "How long have you been watching?"

"I have a key. I entered after Yomo-san told me the cousin left. I came to make sure everything was in order, you need my supervision. And I saw enough, Hide."

Her face was serious as usual, but Kaneki thought he saw laughter in her eyes.

'You see, Touka? Hide brings cheer and laughter even into the dark life of a ghoul-you see how wonderful he is?'

"That Yomo-san is a scary man." Hide commented from his place on the bed.

"Now, what were you two planning to do on the bed?"

"Kaneki here took me here, and was planning to ravish me!" Hide unhelpfully added.

"What? No, I- Hide!" Kaneki exclaimed, glaring at the unrepentant shit eating grin Hide was sending him.

"I'm the one who will be doing the ravishing in this house!"

"I can't believe you just said it, Touka." Ken deadpanned, to the sounds of roaring laughter from the bed.

Touka was nervous while The Cousin was with the boys. At any moment, the half-ghoul among them could be discovered. It was one thing to associate and interact with humans, another to share home with them.

The attitude of the man-a thug in both looks and behavior, did nothing to worsen her fretting, which grew with the days.

She knew Yomo followed the man, to keep an eye on him, and when Yomo-san told her that the Hide's cousin left, probably permanently, she hurried to the place, that would once again be their shared home.

That the place was a mess, was no surprise.

Seeing Kaneki-that is, Ken, holding Hideyoshi in bridal carry, was.

It was a relief of a burden, to see Kaneki still here and well, he was even smiling! 'And I feel glad to see Hide not worse for wear either.' The byplay and laughter of her boys was infectious with the joy it caused, and she joined the joy.

She wasn't sure what made her say that thing about Ravishing, though…

'Well, if I already said it… let's see just how ticklish you are.'

With her starting the tickling war-it soon devolved into shrieking laughter and all three of them on the bed.

It ended with the three cuddling together, Touka in the middle.

She hugged the boys-armful around each, basking in the warmth of their presence.

"Thank you Touka-chan. Just, thank you."

"You are welcome, Hide. You boys need me to command you anyway; you two would be lost without me!"

"I would not!" Ken indignantly refuted.

"You would-and the pigsty you turned this place into in my absence is proof!"

"You are totally right, Touka-chan!" Hide cheerfully added.

Kaneki mock glared at him, while Touka snorted, mumbling 'of course you do', and pulled both a bit closer, making sure to not pull too much on the fragile human to her side.

Hideyoshi woke up to a lovely feeling. His pillow felt unusually soft and warm. As he raised his head and opened his eyes, the view proved to be pleasant as well.

'It's a nice view, but you will get angry when you wake up, Touka-chan.'

The subject of his thoughts emitted a grunt of dissatisfaction and a small hand gently, but firmly, with a strength that he couldn't resist on his best days, pulled his head back into its owner's bosom.

"Mhhh…. Kaneki…"

'And how can it get any more awkward?'

"Oh… Kaneki!"

The pressure on his head kept him pinned for a couple of minutes, before lessening.

Now free, Hide tried to extricate himself from the awkward position, and froze as his gaze landed on the surprised expression in a blushing face.

"Please don't make me a breakfast in bed!"

The eyes reflected anger and embarrassment, before closing, as she took a deep breath.

"Just get up."

As he did, Hide noted the way they ended up arranged in their shared bed-Ken hugging Touka-chan from behind, who was in the middle and hugged Hide.

It has been that way for the past week, ever since Cousin Gakudera left them.

He went to deal with the morning ablutions and then to the kitchen.

Touka-chan followed as he was making himself some instant ramen.

"Ugh, you're lucky you shitty humans are so fragile, or you would have been in a world of pain now."

"Touka-chan…"

"I didn't mean it like that!" Touka exclaimed. Then calmed a bit, "Sorry, Hide. Kaneki was rather clingy last night; I'm a bit sore now."

"Ghoul super-strength hugs… that's way more than my recovering body can take at the moment, it would break, and it won't even be at the hands of the pretty Touka-chan!"

The girls anger risen, and was quickly subsumed as she closed her eyes for a few moments.

Hide hastily added, "And I'm sorry, too, that must have been embarrassing way to wake up... particularly right after a dream of such nature."

"You are much more perceptive then I thought."

"And Touka-chan is really not the meek girl I thought her. But the real Touka-chan is still very pretty."

She reached for the fridge, towards what would be the breakfast for her and Ken. Who still didn't want to eat as often as he needed to, to keep his strength.

"Call me Touka, we are know each other intimately enough for that."

The young man just chuckled.

"So what is the plan for today?"

"I was hoping to make some progress about the café, look for a building that would be good place to make into one. You will wait for Kaneki to awaken, and then go for a SHORT walk-as you are incapable of staying indoors, then you two will clean the place. If you are good boys, there will be a reward in the evening!" the girl winked, even though she blushed heavily.

It took another half hour until Kaneki joined them, grumpy about being left to sleep in. 'But you are cute, when you grump like that, kaneki! Especially when you pout!' he inwardly laughed smiling bright to the other two.

Soon, Touka left, and after five minutes (to not be seen together), Hide left for his walk.

"How is the new prosthetic?"

"I can walk better with it. Now I'm almost like a pirate, just need an eyepatch."

"Hide!"

The youth smacked his head in mock realization. "You are right; I already have an Eye patch-don't I? nudge nudge, wink wink." He nudged his eyebrows and winks at the unmasked 'eyepatch' ghoul.

"Just don't get into trouble", Was the rueful reply.

Hideyoshi nodded and left to his walk, prosthetic and cane having replaced his crutches.

It was five minutes into the walk that trouble found him.

Author Notes: The Cousin has left the building! the unimportance of the 'precious memento' is deliberate-Hayato hid a key in there and it was that key that he was really after. The nature of it will be discovered later. Just what that memento was is not really important, and after deliberation was skipped-imagine what you will for it.

The entire Touka segment was a big fluff-because they deserve it, and humor-because Hide is a human shaped sunshine. it was very fun to write. I hope it was fun to read too.

the last segment was some more fluff, a bit of progress-of time, of their healing and relationship with each other. They are now used to living together, being so close and so used to each other's lives.

And just as things become used to outright domestic, reality ensues.

Criticism and Reviews are very appreciated.