Cloudy Skies {Kaneki x Fem!Reader}

12: Secretive

A/N: Hi everyone!! I get nostalgic when I remember how long ago I started this story. It was back in 2017. The story started off so incredibly different than how you're reading it now and I remember giving up on it for so long. After the :re manga ended in 2018, I reread the TG and TG:re mangas and got the inspiration to continue this fanfiction. I had to do a loooot of editing and I'll admit how much I absolutely cringed with the manner I wrote the story all those years ago. I just hope you all love this story as much as I love writing it. This chapter is dedicated to 'I Need Some Sleep' by Eels. Enjoy reading everyone!!! I hope you're all doing well and you're all safe!! <3333333

  "Did you check the vitals on the fourth floor?" You asked one of your coworkers while you were nearly finished with your shifts. All that was left to do was your usual rounds of all the patients.
"Yeah, but I think Izumi is still finishing his hall." Your coworker answered while shrugging her shoulders. You nodded.
"I guess I'll miss him, then." You brought up, knowing that Izumi would take much longer to get his vitals done on ICU compared to the telemetry unit that you were working on. Soon after checking the last of the vitals on your hall, you clocked out to head home. You still decided to send Izumi a text message stating you were free to hang out again whenever he had the time. While walking toward the front entrance of the lobby, you heard someone calling your name frantically.
"Y/N!" You turned, confused at first, until seeing that it was Hideyoshi Nagachika. You were greatly surprised over seeing him after all the time that had passed. The both of you met when you first started attending college two years back, but evidently fell out of touch after graduation.
"Oh my god, hey Hide! It's been so long." You exclaimed excitedly, hugging him once he met up with you in the middle of the lobby. You instinctively ruffled his blonde mane. It was still as thick as always. You noticed how much it had grown after all the time you both were absent from each other's lives. It brought a short smile to your face. The patch of his natural dark hair color peaked through the top of his head like it always used to.
"Still dyeing your hair, I see." You commented, lightly joking with him. He widened his eyes, covering the top of his head where the natural roots were revealed. You chuckled, raising your hand up to gently move it up and down as a means of regret over your teasing words.
"I'm kidding, I'm kidding. It always suited you well." You complimented. He groaned playfully.
"So, what brings you here?" You asked, upon realizing that he was likely there to see someone. You had hoped it wasn't serious if that was the reason he was present in the hospital.
"Some friends of mine said you worked here, so I had to come see you." Hide explained briefly. You lightened up, but then squinted your eyes with a small grin.
"It was Izumi wasn't it?" You questioned immediately. Hide laughed, nodding at you.
"Yep, that fucker. How have you been? I really wish I had kept in touch with you." Hide scratched the back of his head nervously. You tittered on, shaking your head.
"It's fine, really. Don't feel so bad about it. I'm to blame as well if we really think about it. I guess we got too caught up in our jobs. I'm doing pretty good though, getting by. How have you been doing?" You responded, reassuring Hide from feeling unworthy of friendship. Hide hummed with great understanding before answering.
"I've been fairly busy myself, being an International Interpreter keeps me really busy most of the time. I'm glad you're doing well, I know things were pretty rough for you a while back." Hide became a little gloomy, acknowledging the melancholic state you were stuck in for the first year you had attended Kamii University. You shook your head.
"Don't dwell too much on what happened. I'm just grateful that you and I got to know each other when we did. Besides, I'm more interested in knowing how that international job has been going." You continued conversing, your curiosity had peaked once you heard how successful Hide had become. His expression lifted, excited to tell you all about it.
"It's better than I ever could've imagined. I get to travel around the world. Right now they mainly have me working over in New York and Chicago, but I've already seen so many different places." Hide gushed about his career. It truly did sound exciting.
"You'll have to tell me all about the places you've seen because I'm jealous just thinking about it." You joked, chuckling with Hide.
"I'd be happy to, Y/N. Do you want to get a bite to eat?" Hide narrowed his eye at you, hoping for an enthusiastic answer.
"Of course, we still have a lot to catch up on." You delightfully agreed to his invitation.
"Great, meet me at Anteiku in about an hour?" Hide suggested, not wanting to assume if you had the time or not. You seemed a bit wary and just like always, Hide picked up on that right away. He was always so extremely attentive and aware of the people around him. He became even far more protective of those he deeply cared about. You loved that about him.
"Is that not a good option?" Hide questioned, concerned over your sudden odd reaction.
"No, it's perfect, I just went there last week with a coworker. It's nice to see that place growing in popularity." You explained, leaving out major details. You could see in Hide's face that he knew you weren't being completely truthful with him, yet, he dropped the questions he had.
"It's a very quaint coffee shop." Hide added, making you nod. You giggled, reminding yourself of something you always knew Hide to be famous for.
"I also half expected you to suggest that burger place you always went to when we were studying at Kamii." You continued, making Hide laugh along with you.
"Yeah, I kinda grew out of all that." Hide admitted, playfully rolling his eyes.
"Nonsense, you like what you like. I'm not here to tell you that you can't have a burger for every meal." You teased, laughing to yourself at how it made Hide react.
"Hey, it wasn't every meal." Hide proceeded with the banter between the both of you. You smiled up at him.
"I'll see you soon, Hide." You stated, walking out of the hospital once you both said your goodbyes. You were overtly ecstatic to spend time with Hide again after what seemed like a very long time.

You walked into Anteiku and saw Hide being chatty with Kaneki. Kaneki's silver eyes immediately met yours as soon as he heard the bell jingle. Hide stood up from his seat to greet you while you continued to give Kaneki a distrusting expression. Kaneki left the room after giving you a quick glare. You wished you could've left one in return without the high possibility of raising suspicions with Hide.
"You know Kaneki?" Hide asked, acknowledging that it was far too easy to tell that you were uneasy with his presence. You stuttered for a moment before answering.
"Yeah, we've met once or twice." You answered, lying, and seeming cryptic. Hide tilted his head to the side, wanting to understand more. You were also just as curious in how Hide knew Kaneki.
"Once or twice?" Hide questioned, knowing that you were being untruthful. You sighed.
"Alright, I know you're the all seeing eye of catching people in lies, but I'm serious. He and I don't know each other all that well and I was just surprised to see him." You lied once more. Hide was still suspicious, but decided to let go of his wandering curiosity.
"Hide, may I talk with you for a moment?" Touka asked, completely avoiding eye contact with you. You stared her down as she and Hide both walked away upstairs. She could feel your eyes on her, causing her to feel a bit worried. You rolled your eyes, assuming what was about to happen. Kaneki walked over to you as you remained seated.
"What's with you coming here?" Kaneki asked. You laughed, seeming offended.
"Is that all you have to say to me?" You asked, chuckling softly to yourself. Though, you were moderately unsettled how avoidant Kaneki was with simply telling you the truth about that night. He'd rather bicker and argue with you over nothing than get to the bottom of everything you wished to know.
"It's a question that should be answered." Kaneki warned, setting his hands flat on the table, sneering at you. You looked up at him with a greatly displeased expression. Your eyes were half lidded—dead—as they stared into his.
"You don't have that right." You stood up from your seat, inching closer to Kaneki. Your short stature was never a concern in any situation.
"If you want me to answer your questions, answer mine first. In fact, there is only one question, and I think that is the only one that deserves to be answered." Your lips broadened demandingly, tilting your head to the side. Your hair fell in front of your face as you gave him a challenging scowl. Kaneki took a step back; not out of fear, but simply wanting to avoid the conversation. You took a step forward in return, forcing him to acknowledge that you weren't backing down.
"What's the matter, you're not scared of a little question, are you? That would be quite a new one coming from you." You laughed almost inaudibly, looking around the coffee shop.
"This place hasn't changed much at all. Ever hear of redecorating?" You walked around the counter, looking over all the things on the shelves, lightly brushing the ends of your fingers across some of the items while you walked passed them.
"Why are you here?" Kaneki asked once again.
"Whether you believe it or not, people ask me here conveniently. I guess this place is becoming popular. It would be a shame if all your customers found out that the people serving them coffee wanted to have them all for lunch." You stated tauntingly, angering Kaneki.
"You don't know shit." Kaneki murmured to himself, avoiding eye contact.
"I'm sorry, what was that?" You swung your legs over the counter after hoisting yourself up. You never dropped your gaze at Kaneki. He didn't respond. You could see that he was clenching his jaw, annoyed by your nonchalant attitude.
"What don't I know? Is there more to what happened that night and during all my time living under your wing that you're not explaining? Or is it that you're so overwhelmed with guilt, but full of too much pride to admit it?" You began to lose your patience. You took a long, deep breath after the silence grew loud. You had noticed how long it was taking Touka to bring Hide back down stairs.
"Where did Touka take Hide?" You interrogated. The tone of your voice sounded as if you made the assumption that she was harming him. Kaneki looked at you with alarming aggravation, furrowing his brows.
"She's not doing anything. She's probably just talking to him about coming here more often. I asked her to distract him so I could talk to you." Kaneki seemed honest with his words. You squinted your eyes.
"Well, the only one really talking about anything is me. I see you still have her acting as a minion. What a shame, she used to be so frightening to many." You commented coyly.
"I don't make her do anything, we all just understand each other. I hardly think she needs to be menacing towards anyone when most of us are civil now." Kaneki defended. He appeared to be annoyed by your tone. You hummed with comprehension.
  "Civil, he says. That's a good one." You scoffed, pushing your body off the counter, walking over to him. He stepped back never taking his plain eyed visage off you. You suddenly became saddened, not knowing why the unexpected turmoil had overtaken your emotions. You looked away, relaxing your face.
"What did I do to deserve everything you put me through?" You asked softly, almost like a heartbroken child. Kaneki widened his eyes a bit, seeing how much everything had affected you. You could see the emotions he was trying to hide just by the way he looked at you in that brief millisecond. Hide and Touka came back down the stairs. Hide seemed to be fine; his usual self. You turned to face the both of them, ignoring Kaneki.