Coexisting || Uta x Reader

➺ Chapter Two

You found Uta in the workshop early the next morning. You were reigning in your frustrations with his behavior and replacing it with the curiosity of how far he had gotten on Kaneki's mask.

"Uta," you called, crossing your arms as you stood in the doorway.

"Shouldn't you be sleeping?" he questioned, not glancing up from stitching the leather fabrics together.

"It's ten in the morning."

Uta halted his work and looked at you expectantly for your chastising, but it didn't come. You simply sighed and walked in the room toward him. The darkness under his black and red eyes bothered you, but you knew you couldn't turn back the clock and make him rest those hours.

"How far did you get?" you asked instead, examining the table with different materials and colors that he was experimenting with.

"The design is done, I'm just searching for the right shade of black and correct leather palette," Uta answered, abandoning his focus on the task and turning in his chair to you. He laid a hand on the small of your back and your hand went to his opposite shoulder. "I'm sorry."

"It's not okay," you said firmly but with that undertone of shyness you were accustomed to. With Uta, it was hard to assert dominance when speaking. "You need to sleep, and I know you love your projects, but you barely get more than four days of rest a week."

Uta let out a breath then put his forehead against your stomach. You brought your hand up to run your fingers through his ponytail just as a knock was heard from the front door.

"I'm tired," Uta mumbled.

"Shower, nap, and I'll get the groceries," you said, leaning down and pecking his lips, feeling the cold metal of his bottom piercing against your mouth.

You both strolled out of the workshop and he headed to the door that led to the apartment upstairs while you went to the front door. You opened it and towering over you with a cooler in his hand was Renji Yomo. He was a scary man, but with the many encounters you've had and with Uta nearby, you were more confident.

"Hey, how are you?" you asked, taking the handle of the cooler as he passed it to you.

"As good as can be expected," Renji answered gruffly. "You and Uta should come down to Itori's after closing tonight. I'm bringing Kaneki; I want him to get more acquainted with the ghouls."

You smiled, ignoring the weight of the icebox. "Yeah, that sounds great."

"Have a good day, and tell Uta to stop letting his girlfriend open doors while he's not around. Bad things could happens, especially in these parts," he warned lightly.

"Thanks, Renji," you replied as he began to stride away and closed the door, locking it afterward.

The shop was closed on Saturdays and you hoped none of those unwelcomed visitors would arrive anytime soon. You headed up to the apartment with the heavy cooler and eventually set it in the bathroom where Uta was showering. You made him eat his meals in there since you didn't like cleaning blood from the carpets and it was easier if it went down the drain.

You watched the news in your sweats as you waited for Uta and saw the commotion about ghouls, gluttony, and the CCG. They never reported on humans' crimes as if they never committed any and were absolute saints, which only began to anger you, so you switched the screen to a movie.

Uta joined you with his shirtless chest on display and only wearing a pair of those special harem pants. You marveled in the sight of the water droplets dabbing his skin and grinned wider as you spotted the small outlining of a heart he got tattooed on his forearm for you.