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Kaneki sat across from his friend, staring down at the burger that sat on the plate before him. Though he hadn't been a ghoul for too long, as the smell of it came up and filled his nostrils he questioned his sense in ever eating the food int he first place. The scent that came off of it reminded him of road-kill, the scent of rotting meat filling his nostrils as he shakily reached down and picked up the dripping burger. While he was so wrapped up in his own dilemma of working himself up to eat the burger, he hardly noticed the careful glances from his friend across the table. Hide continued eating his own food, all the while watching Kaneki stare down the burger as if he were about the enter into an old fashion cowboy shoot-out.
"Ken, if you're not hungry we can have it wrapped up to go. I know you're still feeling a little off considering everything..." Hide suggested, pausing his words for a moment to take a large bite out of the burger in his hands. Its juices ran down his hand and to his arm, and Kaneki couldn't help but watch the dribble with disgust. This fate he had incurred had not only caused him to no longer be able to eat his favorite foods but now he was getting to the point where the smell and sight of it was nauseating. The image of the manager flashed in his mind and how he had so convincingly taken that bite out of the same sandwich Kaneki had thrown up. Squaring his shoulders as if he were about to go into a fight, Kaneki dove in and began tearing away at the burger taking bites from it and swallowing them whole as the manager had shown. The nausea quickly set in and as he sat there still pretending to chew, he could feel the bile begin to rise in his throat. This is for Hide Kaneki reminded himself as he repeated that statement over again in his mind. This is for Hide, this is for Hide, this is for Hide.
"Woah, man, calm down. Its just a sandwich not your mortal enemy or something." Hide laughed, watching Kaneki with a masked look of concern. He didn't know, did he? Hide couldn't know or everything will have been for nothing. Kaneki swallowed hard for a moment before taking another bite, and another after that just to try and continue to facade. Though he continued eating the burger and its taste never improved the initial impression from the boy sitting across from him never changed. By this point hide had set his own burger down onto the plate and was staring at Kaneki with a look that mirrored pity. Finally his friend reached across the table and placed a hand on his own, turning his upward to stare into Kaneki's. Hide swallowed hard and as Kaneki watched him he saw obvious discomfort in his eyes and the way he held himself.
"Actually, man... I'm not feeling too good, do you mind if we get these to go and head back to my place?" Hide said after moments of silence.
Kaneki nodded his head, relief across his face as he placed the burger he had been ravening back onto the plate. Hide raised his hand into the air and the waitress responded by bringing the check with her. Once the food was paid for they quickly made their way out of the restaurant and Kaneki was already beginning to feel the after-effects of his poor decision. His feet didn't move as fast as he wanted them to, a horrible bile kept threatening to rise up in his throat, and his stomach felt like he had just eaten a metric ton of bricks. So when they finally reached Hide's flat, he couldn't control the urge any more and he rushed to the bathroom vomiting up the poison he had just willfully eaten. He stayed in there for minutes before the realization began to set in on him. Hide wasn't stupid and he had read plenty of books on ghouls. He knew how they acted and knew what they could and couldn't eat. He was sure Hide even knew how they reacted to eating food they couldn't eat. Yet here he was in Hide's bathroom puking up the burger he had forced himself to eat. Smacking the toggle on the toilet, he watched as the food was flushed away and foolishly wished for a moment that he could be flushed away in the toilet as well. He would have to come out sometime and standing outside that door would be his best friend who surely had guessed of his predicament by now. With weak knees he stumbled to the sink and began washing off his face, glancing at the pale face and dark eyes that stared back at him int he mirror. Black hair that was normally neat now stuck up much like Hide's and on the side of his face a small piece of his dinner still remained. Groaning, he splashed himself with some water before summoning the courage to step out that door.
Would Hide be standing there with an accusing look? Had he already called the ccg? What if he had a weapon? The thoughts that raced through his mind broke his heart but he knew there was no other way. With a quick twist, he thrust open the door to realize that Hide wasn't even standing on the other side. Noises came from the kitchen and Kaneki followed them carefully, his mind racing and guessing as to what he might find. Was Hide looking for a knife? He had already tried to cut out the organ implanted in him but maybe Hide didn't know that knives wouldn't work... He was beginning to feel sick again but this time it wasn't because of the food. When he rounded the corner he was surprised to find Hide standing beside his counter pouring them both cups of coffee.
"Hey, you're taking yours black now right?" hide asked, sliding the coffee over across the counter as he began pouring milk and sugar into his own. Kaneki could only nod, staring at the blonde boy who he had been convinced was going to stab him only moments ago. Hide smiled, turning to glance at Kaneki for a moment as his brown eyes quickly scanned his friend for any signs of abnormalities.
"Next time I'm hungry we'll just come back to my place, okay? That way you don't have to pretend to eat." Hide continued, saying it so simply that if Kaneki hadn't known the blonde for as long as he had he would have mistaken its meaning for something else. He knows, oh dear god he knows. Kaneki laughed nervously, his palms beginning to sweat as he picked up the cup and followed the blonde boy into the living room. For a while it remained silent, save only for the sound of sipping coffee. Kaneki sat beside Hide, but as he sat there he felt his gaze quickly drawn back to the human boy beside him. He's quiet. Why isn't he saying anything? He knows. With a deep breath, Kaneki turned himself to stare at Hide with a look of conviction.
"I'm a ghoul!" he blurted out, no longer able to hold onto the secret that he was sure was already blown by his earlier actions. Hide's reaction wasn't what he had expected. Fear or even laughter were among his top choices for reactions but neither of those were what was displayed. hide simply sipped at his coffee and nodded his head as if Kaneki had told him that his own hair was blonde.
"I know." Hide replied, taking a sip of his coffee as he stared over his cup at his panicky friend.
"You do? How long?" Kaneki asked, setting his own coffee on the floor so his shaky hands wouldn't spill it everywhere. Hide paused for a moment, glancing away from him as he seemed to be contemplating this.
"Well, it was confirmed when that whole thing happened with Nishiki but I had my suspicions before that." he began, twisting his body around so he could face his friend.
"Why didn't you tell me that you knew?!" Kaneki demanded.
"I figured you would tell me when you were ready. Its a big thing, being turned into a ghoul, I wanted you to do it at your own pace." he said, pursing his lips together as he watched every expression and movement his friend made. Kaneki sighed, leaning forward and resting his head on his friend's shoulder. He knew all this time. I've been such a fool.
"Its okay though, man. I don't care about that." Hide reassured him, reaching up and running his finger's through his friend's hair.