Work Text:
From: Hide
Yo Kaneki you awake?
Seen 3:18 am
The city was quiet. A light summer drizzle kept most people indoors. Besides the fact it was just a couple hours away from sunrise. Although there was at least one person still awake. Hideyoshi Nagachika couldn’t sleep. It wasn't that shocking these days.
It wasn’t because he wasn’t tired- he was. But worrying about his childhood friend had taken up priority. The accident he went through only a month ago still left him anxious and concerned. Without realizing it, Hide found himself wandering towards that certain friend’s house.
From: Yes u Ken
..yeah. Why are you still awake??
Seen 3:22
Hide grinned.Why was he not surprised. Slipping his phone into his jacket he elected to knock on the door instead of replying. He waited a moment, but when it took too long he used the spare key above the door frame.
"Grab your shoes, Kaneki!" Hide said.
Kaneki came from the kitchen with a question clear on his face. Unbeknownst to the blond, he had come from trying to find some food he could actually keep down.
"Hide? What are you doing here?"
"Couldn't sleep, and it looks like we're in the same boat," he stretched for a moment, fighting off a yawn, "want to go for a walk then?"
Onyx eyes glancing at the mess in the kitchen, Kaneki felt a strong desire to escape from the troubling thoughts beginning to form in his mind.
"Sure," he said. The rain had lightened to a silvery mist, bringing in a light fog that blanketed the quiet streets.
Hide gave a side glance and couldn't help noticing the way the raindrops clung to Kaneki's veiling lashes. Tragedy strikes and you're still as beautiful as ever, Hide thought fondly.
He wasn't sure when it started- maybe it was immediately- but at some point he realized that Kaneki was more than just a friend to him. Although positive his feelings would be unrequited, Hide didn't mind too much. As long as his best friend was happy, so was he.
"Don't you have classes in the morning?" Kaneki asked, breaking the silence.
Waving his hand as if smelling something unpleasant, Hide said, "Ahh, I'll be fine. You worry too much. I was planning on skipping anyway, I've already read ahead."
Kaneki gave a little hum.
The two of them passed by a bar, drunken laughs and warm light spilling onto them- quite literally, as several men collided into Kaneki , propelling the raven into Hide.
"Whoa," Kaneki gasped as he tipped sideways.
Hide's breath hitched in his throat as his longtime crush landed in his arms. Just like a shoujo manga, he thought absently.
"Well," Hide laughed, "if you wanted a hug you could have just asked."
Kaneki pulled himself up and shook his head as his childish friend.
"You're such a pervert, Hide," he said, sending a small punch to the others shoulder.
"Wahh so mean!" Hide pouted. "When did Kaneki-chan get so strong, huh?"
Kaneki rolled his eyes and grabbed Hideyoshi's hand, pulling him along. And no, he didn't notice how warm it was, or how soft, or how right it felt in his. None of the above. He shook his head at those thoughts for his friend; maybe he was the pervert after all.
“So what did you drag me out here for?”
“Well, Kaneki, dear friend of mine- I don’t know actually. You wanna go to the park or something?”
It wasn’t too far, honestly. At most it would be a little wet, a little dark. The back of Hide’s mind still noticed Kaneki had not let go. He wouldn’t bring it up definitely . . .
Coming to the park brought old memories for the two college boys. Many summer afternoons were spent here in their youth. Hide disentangled their fingers and wrapped an arm around Kaneki’s shoulders.
“We haven’t been here in ages. Come on, I’ll push you on the swings.”
Once Kaneki was settled, Hide sent a strong shove to push him into the air.
“So,” Hide said, “Did you hear about that ghoul on TV yesterday?”
“Not really. Did something happen?”
“Another body was found. We actually discussed it in my class at Kamii- sort of off topic but we were asked if given the choice if we would be able to live as a ghoul with a clear conscious . . . what do you think Kaneki?” Hide asked, keeping a careful ear on his friends answer.
“Oh . . . um- I don’t know, it would be impossible to know what you would do unless you were actually a ghoul, don’t you think? People would say they would do what’s right, but placed in that circumstance most would probably do what’s necessary.”
“Hmm, you’re probably right. If you need to do what’s necessary, isn’t there a way to make it what’s right, as well?"
Kaneki thought for a moment- once you put it that way, “I- I suppose there could be.”
Walking around to the next swing, Hide sat down and let the small breeze to the pushing. “Well that’s good then,” he murmured to himself.
“Yo Kaneki, look. The rain’s stopped.”
The clouds that had shrouded the sky was parting and breaking, piece by piece revealing the stars that lie behind. The waxing moon shone enough light down the Hide could clearly make out Kaneki’s pale complexion. Hide hoped he wasn't coming down with something-
“Let’s look for shooting stars like we used to, Hide,” Kaneki said, startling the blond from his thoughts. “We used to do that all the time, remember?”
“Ahh, goody two shoes Kaneki snuck out of the house all for me, how could I forget?” he teased, poking the raven’s side.
To return the favor, this time it was Hide who grabbed the others hand and pulled him along to an empty area on the playground equipment. Their backs rested on cool plastic, while their heads were lifted up towards the sky.
“A shooting star, Kaneki,” Hide said quietly. He turned to look at the boy beside him to see he had fallen asleep, his head falling to rest lightly on Hide’s shoulder.
“Ah, look at you. Well, it must be luck, yeah?”
Closing his eyes, Hide planted a small, feathery kiss to Kaneki’s forehead. “Yeah, luck.”
Hide placed his head on the wall behind him and directed a soft smile above him, drifting off to sleep himself.
Next to him, the feeling of hunger finally subsided for a moment; Kaneki too, felt a small smile sneak onto his face.
***
The suns morning rays woke up Hide only a couple hours later, but he felt more rested than he had the past couple of days. Kaneki was still sleeping soundly next to him and Hide was loathe to wake him up, but he would feel more piece at mind knowing he was in a bed.
“Come on Kaneki. Let’s go home.”
***
What's a soul mate?
It's uh... Well, it's like a best friend, but more. It's the one person in the world that knows you better than anyone else. It's someone who makes you a better person. Actually, they don't make you a better person, you do that yourself because they inspire you. A soul mate is someone who you carry with you forever. It's the one person who knew you and accepted you and believed in you before anyone else did or when no one else would. And no matter what happens, you'll always love them. Nothing can ever change that. Make sense?