A New Battle

Carolina Blue

~ "Aren't you having a girl?" Hide dipped the paint roller into the blue paint buket and rolled it on the once white walls. Ken was using a brush and delicately painting the space between the wall and the door frame.

"Yes," Touka answered sitting on the hallway floor just outside the baby's room. She barely looked up from her book

~ "Well if your having a girl shouldn't you paint it pink?"

"Actually," Kaneki began. "Red and darker pinks tend to have a negative impact on the brain, causing an individual to feel more irritable and violent. Blue, however, tends to have a calming effect, and I feel like all of us could use more tranquility in our lives."

~ "Once a nerd, always a nerd. You better not start telling terrible dad jokes."

Kaneki reached for the stuffed bear out of the pile of stuffed animals in the middle of the room. "That would be un-bear-able."

"I'm divorcing you."

Ken laughed and through the bear back in the pile.

~ "Touka if you're not gonna help paint at least make fun of Ken more."

"80% of my time now is dedicated to trying not to throw up."

~"Kaneki tends to have that effect on people."

"Fuck off." Ken laughed. "I will drown you in these stuffed animals."

~"Why do you have so many of them anyway?"

"Do you want to tell him?" Kaneki asked.

"Yomo gave us 52 stuffed toys, a crib, a changing table, and what is probably a year's supply of diapers."

~ "Wow," Hide laughed, "He's really crazy about this isn't he?"

"That would be an understatement," Touka scoffed.

~ "Isn't that less work for you guys."

"It is," Ken said "But it takes away some of the joy of actually buying something for your baby. The paint is the first thing we actually bought for her."

~ "Well, you guys can't be too annoyed. Yomo's just excited to be a grampa."

"What do you mean?" Touka asked.

~ "Yomo helped take care of you guys when you had no one. He saw everyone close to him die with Antieku. It sounds like he just once to spoil your daughter for as long as he possibly can."

Kaneki couldn't help but smile at that.

The doorbell rang.

"That must be Yoriko. Kaneki, can you help me up?" He put his paintbrush on the lid of the paint can. He supported her at her elbows as she rose to her feet.

"Oh!" She put a hand on her abdomen.

"What is it?" Touka guided his hand to hers, and both felt their child kick. Kaneki put both of his hands on her belly and felt the baby move.

"Does it hurt?" Ken asked. Touka laughed.

"It's the best feeling in the world." She pulled his chin closer, and just before their lips met the doorbell rang again.

"Yoriko!" Touka ran to the door.

Kaneki looked at Hide.

~ "You guys are so cliche."

~ I'm glad to finally see you this happy.