Differences and Similarities. Ayato Kirishima x Reader x Kaneki Ken

Chapter Four: Flustered

Chapter Four: Flustered

It's been a few weeks since I last heard from Kaneki. I knew where he was: in a hospital, injured. 

Asami had told me, running up to me with melancholic eyes. I barely knew the brunette but I cared for him deeply, as a friend. I've kept the book he gave me next to my bed, re-reading it over and over again. The fact that Kaneki turned the pages with his own fingertips soothed me, helping me relax. 

"(y/n)!" Asami barged into my dorm room, throwing her things onto her bed that was on the other side. She jumped onto mine, climbing on top of me and pulled me up, our foreheads close. I could feel her breath; my cheeks warmed up. "Guess what!" 

She didn't let me answer, cutting me off. 

"Kaneki's out of the hospital. He signed himself out yesterday morning."

A smile grew as I heard her say those words. I've never dressed in front of someone before, but I was eager to run out and see him. 

~*~

Knocking on his apartment, I heard shifting coming from the other end of the door. A short few minutes after, I see Kaneki, his ebony hair a mess, dark circles decorating his features. I quickly embrace him, taking in his scent. He smelled. . .different but I was still delighted to see him. 

"(y/n), what are you doing here? Shouldn't you be in class right now?" He asks, pushing me off him. "Or high school as of that matter. You're only sixteen." 

"Seventeen, correction, and I was worried about you. I was also sick with food poisoning." I bent the truth a bit, lying about being sick. 

He looked at me strangely, his mouth parting slightly, teeth gnawing at his bottom lip. He stepped out of his apartment, closing the door behind him. I try to look inside before he could close the door but he catches me. 

"It's a mess." He bluntly says. 

I start to grow suspicious but shrug the feeling off. Going on my toes, I happily pull out the book he gave me. "I've been reading it over and over again. And the most interesting part was, did you give me a signed copy?" 

His quickly snatches the book from my hands, hurting me which was odd. I've taken things from him before and he was always gentle. Now suddenly, it feels as if he could injure me. He notices the way I turn quiet and hands the book back to me. "Sorry, I just forgot that I got it signed." 

I reassure him that it was alright. "Well, do you want to go out and eat? I'll pay!" I grab his hand, holding it in mine, feeling his soft skin and how his fingertips brushed against mine in just one motion. Giving an odd smile, I let go and step back. "Of course if you don't want to, you don't have to." 

Kaneki cocked his head, blushing. "I'd be glad to grab something to eat with you. J-Just let me grab my shoes." 

~*~

Ordering a sandwich at a burger joint is funny but I didn't want to deal with large amounts of beef in my mouth. Picking at it, I manage to take a bite, swallowing it 'contently' in front of him. Kaneki stares at his own food, taking the seeds out of his bread. He glances up at me and notices that I've been watching him. 

"I'm not that hungry to be honest. I ate beforehand and I'm still pretty full from that." 

Strange, Hideyoshi and him use to come to this place all the time. He would eat here even if he had a thanksgiving size meal just hours before. 

"That's okay. I mostly just wanted to take you out." I admit, stabbing the tips of the fork into the bread of the sandwich. I had been cutting the sandwich into small bites. Something I did to stall before actually eating it. Holding a cup of water, he sipped at it before looking at my plate.

"Aren't you going to eat? You should even if I'm not."

"I'm on a diet." I lied for the second time, "So this would be considered breaking it." Kaneki suddenly dropped his cup, spilling it on himself. Getting up quickly he pulled the table cloth on accident, bringing everything down as he went up. 

I sat there, fork in hand, watching as a catastrophe unraveled in front of me. 

Face turning beat red, he ran out the restaurant, apologizing every step of the way. 

Looking around, I see glares from waiters and waitresses probably already imagining the work they had to do to clean this up. Placing the fork on the table, I awkwardly get up and walk to the counter to pay. 

~*~

Kaneki was waiting by the street light, his blue sweater covering his hair and flushed face. Picking up my pace, I angrily march up and hit the side of his shoulder. "You left me alone you jerk!" I frown, crossing my arms over my chest. Kaneki scratches his cheek, rubbing his chin with his index finger anxiously. 

"I-I'm sorry but what you said sounded so familiar." He murmured. 

"Did I say anything scary?" I asked confused. 

"Not necessarily. It's nothing, I swear." Placing his hand in his pockets, he slouches and grits his teeth as if fighting back something. "I-I should go home. I'm not feeling well." 

"I'll walk you. I don't want you fainting somewhere and no one knowing where you are." I pull his hand from his pocket and lock my arm around his, keeping him steady. I smile shyly and begin to walk in the direction of his apartment. 

It was quiet, not many words were exchanged. I mostly looked at my feet and tried to avoid any cracks on the streets and sidewalks, playing a game with myself to keep me entertained. "Do you always do that?" Kaneki spoke up after ten minutes of silence. 

I nod, continuing to act like it was a mission for me not to step on cracks, splits and pot holes. "I did it when I was younger as well. It's a weird quirk of mine." I laugh, scratching the back of my neck nervously. "You think I'm weird, don't you?" 

"No," Kaneki answers rather quickly. "I think you're cute." Immediately my head snaps up, eyes beaming with surprise. I see him tilt his head to the side, avoiding eye contact. His lips were pursed together and he was doing the thing with his face again: scratching his cheek and rubbing his index finger against his chin. 

A grin tugs at the edges of my lips, forming as a relevant thought came to mind. "I think you're absolutely adorable." I then kiss his cheek quickly and continue with my game as if nothing occured. 

Flustered, Kaneki says random words trying to comprehend what had happened. His grip on my shoulder tightened and his posture was better all of the sudden. A few moments later, he stopped in his track, turned me around, bent down and this time, he chastely pressed his lips against mine. 

//Updated (8.20.2016) 10:32pm//