The Pirate & The Princess [KaneTou]

25

"We're not supposed to go into the gardens at night and alone. People will think that I've compromised you and they'll talk—" Kaneki protested as his violet haired lover pulled him by the hand and headed towards the gardens.

After deciding that they're far away enough from the castle and covered by the trees, Touka stopped, spun around and placed her hands on her hips. "You've already compromised me anyways and I don't care what others think. Now stop talking and kiss me."

The male squeezed his hands into fists and clenched his teeth. He was trying to hold himself back but this woman was testing him, with her arms around his torso, breasts against his chest and hot breath on his lips.

"Ken." She pouted.

At her whine, he grabbed her cheeks and pressed his lips onto hers. She sighed into the kiss, body melting against his as she leaned into him, wrapping her arms around his neck, and his hands moved to tangle in her hair and down to rest on her waist. He murmured her name when they separated before claiming her lips once again.

It's been months since they've last kissed and they were making up for it by having kisses one after another. Hesitantly they parted, still holding onto each other, afraid that one of them would leave if they let go.

Touka's hands caressed his cheeks, her brows furrowing and frown deepening at the sight of his eye bags. "You've worked hard, haven't you? Trying to become a real prince for me."

Resting his forehead against hers, he smiled as he inhaled the sweet lavender scent of her hair. "For your happiness, I'd do anything. Even if it meant separating from you and suffering by myself."

Though she started crying, he thought that she was beautiful, with the tears in her eyes making her lashes glisten in the moonlight. She then shook her head, tears falling down her rosy cheeks. "I don't want you to do that. I want you by my side."

His hands squeezed her waist in assurance. "And you will, I promise. Have I mentioned that you look beautiful tonight? Stunning, actually. When I saw you, I almost couldn't speak. You looked like a Princess."

Kaneki's eyes crinkled as she burst out into laughter, glad that she got the joke.

"I am an actual princess!" Touka exclaimed, hitting on his chest, earning a laugh from deep his throat and he kissed her temple lovingly before pulling her close.

"I missed you." He repeated into her hair.

"Me too."

Having talked to Hikari for the past 20 minutes or so, Arata was alerted when he scanned the ballroom and couldn't find his daughter. He shut up immediately, searching the floor for a tuff of white hair—Kaneki—and was enraged when he couldn't find him either. His mind was filled with thoughts of torturing the male to beheading him if he so much as touch his baby daughter.

Afraid that the servants will spread rumors if he got them to search for the missing couple, Arata decided to do the search himself, along with Hikari. After searching through the ballroom, Touka's room and other places that she could be, they went into the gardens at Hikari's suggestion.

The cold wind blew past the elder couple, making them shiver as Hikari grabbed onto Arata for some warmth. He smiled down at her and kissed her forehead. "You can go back in if you want. I'll search for them myself."

"No. I need to stay here and stop you from doing stupid things."

He clutched the shirt over his heart and frowned. "That hurts. What do you mean by 'stupid'?"

"You're being too strict on them. Let them have some fun, at least. They're young people."

"..I'll think about it. Only if they're not together."

As they walked further in, they could hear a burst of soft laughter and it sounded like it came from a lady. Touka came into view first, and then they saw Kaneki. Clenching his fists, Arata was about to go over and scold them but Hikari held him back and pulled him behind some bushes.

When turning to his wife to ask her the reason, she shushed him and got him to direct his attention to the couple who stood in the gardens under a tree. The both were laughing at first before Kaneki took their daughter's hand in his and leaned over to kiss her. Touka responded to the kiss by hugging him close and they separated for only one second before joining lips again.

After that, they were talking with their hands intertwined with one another's and Hikari squeezed Arata's arm at the happy sight. He looked at his wife curiously and cocked his head to the side. "What's wrong, dear?"

"That boy truly loves our daughter. I see it in his eyes and the way he looks at her."

"How do you know?"

At the question, Hikari turned to Arata and smiled. "Because it's the same gaze that you would look at me with."

His cheeks burned. "W-with what gaze do I look at you with?"

"One with admiration, adoration and of course, love. Putting aside the boy's feelings towards Touka, look at how happy she is. She hasn't smiled or been this happy since we separated them."

Arata looked at his daughter, who seemed to be laughing at something Kaneki said and he felt his heart tighten. While he did not want to admit it, she does look so much happier with that guy.

At this point, if he still didn't allow them to be together, he would just be selfish. Kaneki Ken has proved to him that he is worthy of Touka and done everything to make sure he performed well tonight; be it in terms of manners, dancing skills, eating etiquette and other things. He even already returned the jewels he stole. He couldn't very well refuse the man's request in his daughter's hand for marriage now, could he?

Hikari held her husband's hand and leaned her head against his arm. "Let's just leave them for a bit. We'll watch over them for now and get the explanations later."

"..Alright."