Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

There she was, framed by window light. The edge of her book making a perfect shadow that lay under her eyes and across the bridge of her nose. And her eyes, what perfect eyes they were, circled by red rimmed glasses, lightly moving back and forth in order to take in each detail of the story she was reading. A few strands of hair slipped gracefully from her ear, she lifted a perfectly manicured hand, using two delicate fingers to adjust the purple strands back into place. As she did so, her eyes left the pages of her book and moved up. Just for a moment, one perfect moment she gazed back and let out a small smile, lifting her novel a little higher so that the cover could be seen more clearly.

Kaneki blushed, fumbling his hands around his coffee and causing the saucer to chink lightly against the cup. He picked up his book and traced the edge of the bookmark, flicking open pages, his heart calming slightly from the rapid rhythmic noise of paper on paper.

“Kaneki.” Hide lent forward, elbows on table and face resting in the palm of one hand. “She is way out of your league.” He seemed to be acting rather unimpressed, or perhaps just disappointed. “Like, way, way, way, way, way…”

“Hide.”

“Wayyyyyyy out of your league.”

Ken snapped his book shut, annoyed. “No need to say it that way,” he mumbled. Picking up his coffee to take a sip and averting his eyes. Clearly he was more than a little embarrassed by this short series of events. “So, what is my league then?” He placed his cup rather forcefully back onto the saucer.

“What? Oh, erm…” Hide scratched his cheek, a little surprised that Kaneki would spring that question upon him. “I guess… I don’t know.”

“If you don’t know, how can you say its not her?” Kaneki kept his focus on the pages of his book, but Hide knew that right now he was only pretending to read.

“Okay, I’m sorry Kaneki, that was mean.” Hide nodded, trying to keep a straight face. He rose from his chair and bent his knees.

“No don’t…Hide…”

“Please forgive me!” Hide chortled, bowing so his forehead tapped the café’s wooden floor.

“Get up Hide. People are staring and I don’t want to get kicked out…” Kaneki spoke from the corner of his mouth, hiding his embarrassment behind his novel. Hide had sprung to his feet before Ken even had time to finish his sentence.

“Alright! Big Girl tonight, my treat, to make up for it.” Hide grabbed Ken’s arm and pulled him up right. Almost dragging him away from the table and outside. Kaneki waiting a few seconds, glancing about, worried that everyone had seen Hide’s over the top display. “Oh, wait!” Hide zipped back inside to pay. Kaneki had his wallet out when He returned, Hide just waved a hand joyfully “Na, don’t worry about that, you can just buy me a coffee next time.”

“Sure…” Kaneki pushed his wallet back into his pocket and held the strap of his messenger bag is if it were a lifeline. He tried to resist looking up and through the glass, back towards the lady quietly reading in the corner.

“Lets Go!” Hide threw a fist in the air and jumped.

“Now? Its only just past lunch…” Kaneki liked Big Girl a lot, but hunger is the best spice and he’d already eaten.

“Alright, alright. Meet me there at 7pm and wear something smart but casual.” Hide’s grin stretched from ear to ear, he was lifting himself up onto his toes and back, swinging his arms.

“Why?” Kaneki asked, worry in the undertone of his voice. Hide clearly had something planned.

“Because,” Hide’s trainers squeaked as he turned to face Ken, his nose just a tiny bit closer than what was commonly understood as ‘personal space.’ “I’m taking you on a date!”

--

Kaneki’s jaw moved a few times with unspoken words, nothing escaped as he considered every possibility of Hide’s declaration. He stood in front of his small bathroom mirror wondering if a tie was to formal or a summer jacket to casual. Why was this all so tricky, if Hide wanted to go to Big Girl then why couldn’t they go the same way they had gone hundreds of times before. Making it a date was… questionable.

Ken flung both the jacket and tie onto his bed, where it joined the slowly growing pile of clothes, more than half of his wardrobe must be heaped up there by now. Eventually he decided on some smart dark trousers, a cotton shirt and patterned dark blue cardigan closed with a single wooden button. Outside seemed too warm for his usual mocha toggle coat, so Ken pulled on a light bomber jacket instead. The jacket was a little to big and came down past his hips, but Ken didn’t notice as he avoided the mirror after changing. He would have checked, but he didn’t want his remaining wardrobe to end up scattered on his bed with the rest of his clothes.

‘If Hide hadn’t used the word ‘date’ then everything would be normal.’ Kaneki’s thoughts ran laps around his brain, ‘I could have said no, why didn’t I say no’ He paced up and down his apartment, turning on his heel once he’d reached the kitchen counter and back again at the bedside. Then he stopped, one-foot hovering above the ground, frozen mid-step. ‘I didn’t say no because, because I didn’t want to. Going on a date with Hide… has never been something I’ve directly apposed...or even…’
Ken’s alarm beeped, he pulled on his shoes, resisted a final urge to look in the mirror and left.

--

Hide was already outside the restaurant when he arrived, his form glowing under the neon lights surrounding the entrance way. He looked smart, day dreaming up at the darkening twilight sky in his dark green shirt, black trousers and a crème coloured overcoat. His collar pulled up around his neck to shield him from the cool night winds. He didn’t even have his signature orange headphones on. Ken realized he’d been staring and stepped closer, purposefully making his footsteps tap a little louder so that Hide would notice him approaching.

“You really did dress up!” He exclaimed, placing his hands on Ken’s shoulders and looking him up and down.

“So did you…” Kaneki tried to hide his face, warmth radiated from his cheeks as he realised he could no longer suppress the blush.

“Don’t be embarrassed.” Hide looped his arm under Ken’s and lead him through the restaurant doors. Lowering his voice and leaning in to whisper, “you look great.” Hide chose a table for two in a small enclave at the back of the restaurant. The waitress gave them plenty of smiles and giggles as she handed down menus, Hide smiled back, Ken stayed quiet.

After a few silent moments of Ken fiddling with the candle holder Hide coughed and spoke up. "So, Ken, I was wondering, this being a date and all..." He breathed in, breathed out and steadied his confidence. "I would like to date you."

Kaneki tilted his head slightly, confused by the question. "I thought this was a date." He asked.

"This is... I mean," Hide was usually a natural at speaking, his words flowed effortlessly over his lips as if he had practiced every phrase. But this time he stumbled, searching for an expression just out of his reach. Ken waited patiently, a little nervous and concerned, but ready to listen to whatever his best friend had to say.

"Could you, will you... be my boyfriend?" Hide sighed in relief after getting the words out, he quickly regained some composure and tried to stay calm.

"Hide I..." Ken began, but was interrupted but the waitress bringing over two glasses and a pitcher of water.

"Are you gentlemen ready to order?"

"Yes barbeque hamburger please." Hide didn't look up, he just remained looking at Ken. Chewing his lips and interlocking his fingers.

"The same, please." Ken tried so smile but just ended up stuttering as he handed the menus back. He usually would have ordered the original big girl but was too caught up in the moment to think about food. "Hide..." He restarted after the waitress had left. "Hide, Hide I... Yes."

"It's okay I understa.... wait, what did you say?" Hide leaned forward, shock and happiness reflecting in his gaze.

"Yes." Ken nodded, "I didn't think you liked me that way, so I gave up..."

"Oh wow." Hide slapped his forehead, "I actually thought the same thing, but when you waited in the coffee shop hoping she would come in... I got so jealous I just had to ask. Once and for all." He reached out and placed his hand on Ken's. Kaneki twitched a little, but didn’t draw back. “So, all I had to do was ask? Wow, wow.” Kaneki smiled, a genuine smile that lifted his face and shined. Hide flushed red whilst laughing, “After all that, I should have just asked sooner!”

Ken nodded, despite the thousands of words he had read, books filled with phrases from fictional moments that strode past anything this reality could create, right now he had no idea what to say. There was only one phrase that could possibly accumulate every feeling rushing though his chest during this moment. A few words that summed up how all of the emotions he had locked away, hidden in fear that they would not be reciprocated, he took a deep breath.

“I love you.”

“Kaneki?”

Ken squeezed his hand, gently moving his thumb back and forth. “Hide, I’ve always loved you. I was broken when you got that love letter in your locker, twisted up inside when you told Kirihara-chan in class that she looked cute. My chest burned up into ashes when you held Edogawa-chan’s hand during our school trip.” Kaneki’s shoulder’s rose, his head stooped in shame at admitting every spark of longing he had ever felt.

“Kirihara? That was in 4th grade, how do you even remember that?” Hide reached across the table and carefully placed his palm on Ken’s cheek, lifting his head and wiping away a tear with his thumb. “I always thought you liked books more than you liked me, you’d tell me time and time again after all…”

“Sorry…” Kaneki shuffled in his seat and sniffed.

“No…no don’t be, please don’t be.” Hide smiled, feeling droplets rise up in his eyes, pulled up by every word Ken had uttered, every movement of his body and every expression on his face. “ ‘neki,” Hide stumbled over his words as a tidal wave of repressed feelings broke down the dam he’d spend so long crafting. “I love you too.”

Kaneki blinked, looking up into Hide’s eyes which shone with the flickering orange light from the restaurant’s fake candles. His face blooming a smile which all of the misfortune in the world could not dampen. Hide leaned forward, pulling Ken’s hand close and slipping his fingers around the back of his neck and through his soft hair. Over the table of a restaurant they’d always enjoyed together, ignoring the other patrons and the blushing waitresses, they shared a long kiss.

For both of them, it was their first kiss. A kiss that would always be remembered come sunshine or storm. A memory they would cherish close and hold on to during bad days, recap during good days and one that would always, always, bring a smile to their faces.

A single kiss.

And a moment that lasted for all of time.

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