Work Text:
Prologue:
*whoooosh*
*thud*
Tent – check.
Sleeping bag – check.
Change of clothes, toothbrush, non-perishable foodstuff, water bottle – check.
Lighter, extra cellphone batteries, portable radio, lotsa lotsa snacks – check.
And… oh! The picture! – Check!
That all of ‘em?
*rustle*
*inhale*
*exhale*
*plop*
“Ok. It’s showtime”
It was late in the Spring, the air has just started warming up to an early summer with only the final, stubborn blossoms of the Sakura trees left still clinging to their branches.
And there’s a boy near the Riverside Park, east of the 20th ward, with bleached blond hair and a blinding smile. He lives in a tent by the banks, half-in, half-out of the nearby woods. Half-in, half-out of what could be considered civilization.
He bathes in the river late in the morning, where the sun is warm, but not too hot, after some early morning calisthenics. His youthful, relatively toned body free for all to see, only half hidden by his tent and the nature behind him. He’d light a fire just past nightfall, snacking on instant noodles, canned food and the occasional fish he actually manages to catch.
It was a peculiar sight on its own, considering it was a residential area only a few blocks away, but the strangest part is that he rarely ever moves from that small patch of ground he seemed to have deemed his ‘territory’.
At first no one pays him any mind, thinking that he’s just a random kid who wanted to try camping out and found that particular spot as good as any. He’ll just leave when he gets tired, or when the school days begin again.
But then, days turn into weeks and he doesn’t move. And the oddest part about it was that when he isn’t doing random activities to seemingly pass the time –and that is most of the time— he sits in front of his tent with a picture in one hand and a sign board on the other. The words ‘If you’ve seen this guy, can you tell him where I am?’ printed rather sloppily in bold letters.
His smile is bright and friendly, but his gaze is strong and determined.
-
-
One day found one thousand yen tucked into Hide’s empty coffee cup (downed in two minutes, no matter how bitter it was) and the blond had to jump up to sprint to the tall, fair-haired man down the street who was the most likely to have been the one who put it there. “Wait!”
The man pauses, turning slightly in confusion, most likely. Hide takes the slightly damp note out and pushes it on the guy’s chest immediately, smiling rather bashfully as he scratches the back of his head in slight embarrassment.
The man seems to regard this for a moment, light flashing on his rimless glasses before simply staring at him, his eyes unreadable in a way that made Hide slightly self-conscious.
Hide gulps in intimidation, but his smile doesn’t waver. “Sorry sir, but I don’t need this. I’ve got plenty of food and money right here, thank you very much” he taps at his clothes, looking just a little worse for wear after days of inexpert river-washing and reuse. Not that he ever minds. “But if you could help me find this guy though” and from a slightly faded pocket, he produces a folded piece of paper, on which is the picture of a timid black-haired boy around his age, a barely visible smile on his face. “It’d be a real big help”
The man’s head tilted to the side just slightly before taking the poster in his hand, eyeing the blond all the while. “Someone you know?” he asks, voice deep as he inspected the page.
Hide’s smile grew slightly nervous, scratching the back of his head yet again. “Yeah….” uncertainty finds its way into his voice, but he steels it, instead, just a bit of sadness taking its place. “Known ‘im pretty much all my life”
The man’s rigid posture softens at this and tucks the poster in his coat pocket, pointedly ignoring the thousand yen bill. “Well, I’ll keep an eye out at least” he states before finally walking off.
If he noticed Hide slipping the note in the same pocket, though, it didn’t show.
-
-
“HIDE HIDE!!” the telltale calls from several high-pitched voices resounded through the block, and the blond looked up from his usual spot –cross-legged in front of his tent— to find a horde (really just around 10 of course) of little kids running his way.
He jumped up in horror before preparing to turn tail and run (incredibly slowly, if I may add) but it was too late! He was already caught between eight-year old pincer grips to his legs, a couple of five-year olds jumping up to hang onto his arms.
“Hey, hey!! Easy there guys” He laughs, loud and boisterous, maneuvering himself so the little tykes don’t accidentally fall over and hurt one another, swinging around when he finds it safe to do so if only just to hear the kids’ excited squeals.
It didn’t take long for him to capture the attention of all the young children in the area, and just as fast did he catch their hearts too. All he needed to do was smile and talk and he was instantly everyone’s big brother.
Sitting around all day was, in all actually, not his thing. Playing with kids while he’s doing so, though, is, and it’s definitely all the more fun for everyone.
Muscles softening from the strain, he tries his best to set them all down safely, crouching down to their eye-level. “Whatcha all up to today huh?” he asks in a mock whisper, winking.
Giggles were heard from around, but it was a spiky-haired boy at the front who spoke. “Mum’s taking me and the gang to the arcade later today!!” he announced, chest sticking out with pride.
“Kaai!”
“It’s totally gonna be awesome!!”
“She said we can play all we want till evening!!”
“That’s so cool!!”
“Why only you? Take us with take us with!!”
“Eeh? I wanna come too!!”
Hide smile at the mixed reactions from the group, humming under his breath at every comment.
“Well, I dunno about the rest of you, but you gotta come with us Hide!! It’ll be awesome!!” the boy from before urged, face alight.
Hide grinned, but it was the apologetic type. “Hehe, sorry Kai, but I can’t” he answered honestly, plopping down on the grass.
‘Eeeeh??’s resounded from the group, and the blond spied several pouts.
“Why?? It’s not like you’re doing anything” one of the boy’s pouted.
“Yeah yeah!! You just sit around doing nothing all day!!” another huffed, and at this Hide gasped.
“HEEY!!” he mocked cried, face scrunched up in an over-exaggerated expression of shock. “For your information, I am doing something!! In fact, I’m doing something very important!” Hide huffed himself, pouting as he crossed his arms in defiance, shoulders set.
The children whined a bit more, pleading and tugging at him, some even throwing some minor temper tantrums, but Hide stood his ground at them and soon enough they gave up.
“What are you doing that’s so important Hide?” one meek little child asked, his doe eyes alight in simple curiosity unlike the rest of his friends, and Hide felt a tug at his heart, thinking that he’d definitely be the type who read books for hours on end if left by himself.
Hide crouched down and ruffled the boy’s hair, smile bright and warm on his face as he gently spoke. “You see, I’m waiting for someone veryimportant to me”
The boy blinked once as if processing his words, before nodding in understanding, his lips forming into a small smile himself.
Hide grinned, picking the boy up by his armpit and swinging him around. His half-frightened, half-excited squeaks making laughter bubble up the blond’s stomach. “BUT!” he called out, catching everyone’s attention. “That doesn’t mean I can’t still play with you all right?”
And he was immediately swamped.
“Hide. I hope the person you’re waiting for comes soon!” the cute little boy with the meek smile says.
Hide returns his smile with a gentle one of his own. “…I hope so too”
-
-
“The Boy Who Can’t be Moved, huh?” a mother of two called as Hide washed up to the shore right after his morning routine.
“Oh, Hello Mrs. Tanizawa.” He greeted her, also sparing the little boy half-hidden behind her legs a smile. “I rather like the term ‘The Man who can’t be moved’ better though” he puffs out his chest, perhaps trying to emphasize the man part of his statement.
The woman only chuckled at this, but said no more. Then a hand suddenly grabs his waist from behind and Hide jumps.
“Good morning onii-chan!!”
“GAAH! KARIN-CHAN NOOO!! MY VIRTUE” he mock-cried out, exaggeratedly hiding his bare chest behind his arms. The little girl behind him laughs at this and let him go. Skipping into his field of vision, she gives a couple of twirls.
“Look look onii-chan!! Mum said we can swim here today!!” she exclaims, jumping happily in the water.
Hide fakes a gasp. “Oh no!! Must. Not. Stare. Too. Cuute!!” Laughter filled his ears and he cracks a genuine grin, joining along.
“The onii-chan onii-chan is waiting for still hasn’t come?” the shy little boy asks after finally being dragged out by his sister, and Hide’s smile saddens just a bit as he crouches down to her level.
“Yeah…”
“I’ve always wondered but, don’t you think it would be better if you just filed a Missing Person’s report?” Mrs Tanizawa asked, a worried look on her face as she eyes the picture safely tucked inside a waterproof bag by the tent.
Hide merely shook his head. “No, I’m afraid that won’t work Ma’am” his smile turns solemn. “He’s not missing…. He just won’t come home”
The woman’s eyes lower in sympathy, but she says nothing else.
-
-
It’s been weeks since the boy had camped and he has yet to fully leave his spot other than to go a bit into the forest or to the convenience store nearby (barely taking ten minutes each time), and he has become a bit of a spectacle for all the passerby.
He wasn’t homeless, nor was he a creep. He was just that guy who made that particular spot near the riverside his residence. And, instead of a nuisance like what most people would think, he became an attraction instead, with his bright smiles and amiable personality.
Still… there are a certain set of rules in every community, and sadly what he’d been doing is against one of them.
“Sor’y son. We tried ta ignore it o’er the week in the guise of camping, but ya real’ can’t stay here any longer than this. Policy an’ all that” Takashi says, decked out in his Police uniform, face casual and slightly tired from overtime the night before and an early call this morning. “Plus, out ‘ere yer a pretty great target fer all them hungry ghouls”
There had been far too many ghoul-related crimes humming about these days, and he was more than worried that someone could be so casual at all around these parts after.
The boy chuckled. “Sorry Sir, but its ok. I’m not that worried” the boy seemed to stretch, shifting his position on the grass and flashing him such a sunny smile that Takashi almost felt himself returning it. Almost, but not quite. …no wonder none of the folks around ‘ere were complainin’.
“Not worried about human-eating ghouls prowling about every which way?” he raised a brow.
In an almost inappropriate manner, the blond seemed amused at this question. “Well I haven’t been eaten yet, have I?” he stated cheekily, winking, before he shrugged. “Besides, I’m waiting for someone”
Takashi raised a brow. “Hoh? Don’t see em comin’ anytime soon though” he began without thinking, and wanted to beat himself up when the boy’s face dimmed considerably, his warm brown eyes looking forlorn. He twitched.
“I’ll wait” the boy stated, smile slightly sad but still determined. “Even if it’s a day, a month or a year, I gotta stand my ground, rain or snow. He’ll come around eventually” he crosses his hands behind his head, letting the wind ruffle his dyed blond hair. It’s turning brown at the roots, but it doesn’t look like he was affected by it. “So I’m sorry but you’ll just have to let me pass” he gives a cheeky grin this time, flare coming back, and this time Takashi did return it.
He tilts his head, eyeing one of the posters by the boy’s side. A candid photo, by the looks of it –portraying a black-haired boy with grey eyes wide in surprise, cheeks slightly flushed and arms spread out in an aborted movement— a smile tugged at his lips and he shook his head in a resigned gesture.
“This boy that important to ya huh?”
A nostalgic, but pained, smile emerged on the blond’s face. “He’s my best friend”
Takashi raised another brow, mouth turning up at the corner. “Oh? I woulda thought he’d be more’n that. What with you going on strike for ‘im and all”
“…”
“…”
“…”
“…”
The boy burst out with a laugh, loud and clear with his head thrown back and his arms wrapped around his stomach. “Yeah” he starts, wiping at the tears at the corners of his eyes, shoulders still shaking. “You would think so huh?” he grins cheekily.
Takashi smirks at him, before he sighs in defeat. “Well ok then. I won’t ask ya ta leave” he says, taking one last look at the boy in the poster before tucking it into one of his pockets. “If I see ‘im I’ll let ya know”
Another laugh makes him pause and he turns to find warm honey eyes looking back at him.
“Thanks officer, but instead, can you just tell him where I am?”
Takashi raises a brow.
The boy shrugs. “He has a really bad habit of running away from people who actually cares about him. He’s a recluse like that” he explained with a sigh. “It’s useless telling me. Just let him come himself”
This time, Takashi’s brows furrow, sensing the deeper story behind those words, but he lets it go. “Roger that. You take care’a yerself now yea? I don’t wanna see you eaten by any ghouls”
“Yessir!” the boy makes a mock salute, making him grin, and he walks off.
“…Oh, but that picture may be a bit unreliable now, so please keep an open mind ok?” Takashi pauses and sends him a questioning glance, but the boy wasn’t even looking at him anymore, eyes glazed over onto some distant place, and again he just shrugs.
Still, he keeps everything in mind.
-
-
“You’re an idiot” a callous voice calls, and a brilliant smile appeared on Hide’s lips as he turned to see who it was.
“Touka-chan!!” he greets the silent girl with an energetic wave of his arms. “It’s great to see you!”
“What am I, chopped liver?” the true owner of the voice grumbles from not too far behind, an arm on his hip and a paper cup on the other.
The blond merely chuckles as he turns to him. “Nishiki-senpai too. What brings you two over here?”
The bespectacled man raises the cup in his hand, extending it to him. “Got you some actual coffee” he states.
Hide thanks him with a grin. “Man you guys still seriously make the best coffee!!” he comments after taking a sip.
Touka took one look at him and sighed. She plops down on the grass beside him, fingering the picture beside him now. Nishio does the same on her other side, opening an instant can for himself.
Companionable silence fills the air as they sat there, listening to the waves.
“Do you really think he’ll come if you do this?” Touka asks finally, glancing to the bleached blond from the corner of her eyes.
The silence becomes just a bit more awkward.
“I wonder the same thing. I mean, that guy knows where you live and where you go. You don’t have to stay in one place” Nishiki pitches in just to break the rapidly forming ice.
Hide’s smile then was almost resigned. “Yeah… but if I don’t make a point, there’s no way he’ll understand”
The disguised ghouls share a look, Nishiki sighing in slight exasperation. “You could always just tell him”
Hide stiffened at this, a near imperceptible jolt that anyone who didn’t know him for long enough wouldn’t have noticed it at all, but these two knows. They’d been his constant companion since he disappeared, and Hide knows by the look on their faces that shrugging off this conversation is useless anyway. “Well… just like you said. I’m an idiot” He smiled, solemnly, fists tightening unconsciously on the cup in his hands. “…and a coward”
Touka glances at him from the corner of her eye for just a moment. “Well” she began, standing up and dusting off her pants “You seem pretty brave to me. You just gotta know where to use it” and with that, she turned and walked away.
Nishiki rolled his eyes, not quite rising to follow her just yet, but after a seconds pass with nothing but silence in the air, he pushed himself off the ground as well, crunching the coffee can in his hand. “Right, I’ll just leave you to your idiocy then” he walked off, one hand up for a wave.
Hide smiled. “See you around senpai”
Nishiki paused, not quite out of earshot just yet, before calling back. “If he ever does get his butt over here, tell him to come visit the shop sometime yeah?”
And then he’s gone.
-
-
~_~_~
A high pitched scream pierced through the otherwise quiet night, sending him leaping off his seat, the hot-pocket that would have served as his only form of supper that night falling forgotten to the ground as he sprinted down the streets –not so crowded now at the lateness of the hour, thankfully— headed towards the possible source.
Though he may not look it, Takashi was still a police officer, and before that a soldier. War has taught him many things. He never slacked off with training, and his ability to adapt to any situation has saved more than a few lives over the years –against ghouls or otherwise.
And thus, when he bumped into a rather hysterical girl just as he reached the back alleys and the rather sickening sounds of rending flesh and shattering bone reached his ears, ineffectively drowned out by the ear-shattering screams, he didn’t think to run. But he clutched at his walkie-talkie all the same, just in case.
“Shh shh shh” he whispered, trying to calm the terrified young lady. He barely even managed to point her towards the direction he came from before she broke into a mad dash. He decided he probably didn’t need to follow suit, simply hoping she manages to find her way out ok.
Sometimes Takashi couldn’t believe human stupidity; because really, ghouls couldn’t eat anything but human meat, and humans just sauntering alone in shady areas like these were basically just begging to be attacked anyhow. It wasn’t uncommon, after all: both the ghoul attacks and the civilians who managed to survive them. What was odd, though, was how frequent it’s been happening lately.
The 20th ward is a pretty peaceful place where ghouls are considered, probably even the safest in all of Tokyo if it weren’t for the whole “Binge Eater” spectacle. Of course, disappearances still happened regularly –a ghoul’s gotta eat after all— but they’ve all been pretty low key; either what’s left of the corpses were found days later, or missing persons reports being filed when friends and family started to worry.
(It was a depressing thought, sure. But unlike just-about-everybody-else, Takashi can see that this is just the natural order of things. There will always be the hunters and the hunted where survival is concerned. And really, people should learn that dark, isolated places are more ‘ghoul-hunting grounds’ than shortcuts or privacy.)
He gave an exasperated sigh, running a hand through his greying hair as he stared back into the shadows. The screaming has stopped, but the… other… noises didn’t. It made him feel sick, but somehow he doesn’t really feel as though he was in too much danger even though he was practically set up as a hungry ghoul’s dinner.
And that was just it.
Somehow these days, there’ve been a lot more reported ‘ghoul attacks’ and a lot less actual ‘disappearances’ or ‘mutilated bodies’. And really, one has to wonder how that happened.
Are the ghouls acting up? Unlikely, because then there would’ve been more blood and corpses around, not less. The CCG working behind the scenes perhaps? Same rule applies, only with ghoul remains. Or maybe, taking from Takashi’s own hope and strange feeling of security in the face of probable demise, the possible case of a vigilante just trying to save everyone grief by helping unwitting victims and reasoning with the culprits instead?
…Or just one very hungry ghoul finding other ghouls tastier that unwitting humans.
Takashi didn’t really know what to expect when he rounded the corner all casual-like, but it probably wasn’t a white-haired boy taking large bites off an older, gruffer looking ghoul –and yes, it was a ghoul, if the bright green appendage that could only be a kagune was anything to go by. And it also probably wasn’t for the boy, whose face was streaked with blood, mask sliding half-off, to freeze at his sudden appearance. And instead of annoyance at being interrupted during his meal plus the whole “but I guess I still have room for dessert” thing, the look on his face was more like that of a lost, guilty child who has done something terribly wrong and is expecting severe punishment.
For a few heartbeats, no one moved a muscle. And then the boy’s kagune (only one eye… now that was definitely strange) faded into normal dark grey as a guarded expression overtook the boy’s face, body tensing in an obvious preparation for fight-or-flight.
And then, Takashi’s eyes widened as realization hit him square upside the head. He gaped “…so that’s what he meant…”
Just about his entire appearance is different, but Takashi had a pretty good memory, and he’s definitely seen those eyes before.
The white-haired boy flinched in a way that made Takashi wince, and he looked just about ready to bolt. In fact, Takashi had no doubt he’d already be long gone if the officer wasn’t blocking the only entrance, as was the case with the dead-end in the back-alleys he was unfortunate enough to find himself in.
Takashi’s regarded him, assessing, and the boy seemed to shrink into himself just a bit. His gaze softened. If he wasn’t sure before, just the fact that the boy showed absolutely no sign of aggression in the face of a lone human officer proved that he was right. His instincts proved true yet again.
He took a casual step back. “You know…” he began, taking in the boy’s confused gaze as he slowly rose from his crouch. “there’s this kid ‘bout your age, human –‘t least last I checked anyway— campin ‘round the riverside east. Been there fer weeks”
If anything, the boy looked even more confused, and Takashi used this window to approach him as calmly as he can. He felt his lips tug up at the corners, reaching for the folded piece of paper he keeps in his front pocket just in the case of situations like these. “Said he was waitin’ fer his ‘best friend’” he hands it to him, watching carefully as the boy takes it cautiously in his blood covered hands before opening it.
Grey eyes widened, and Takashi smiles. “Son, do us both a favour and take ‘im home b’fore he cathes somethin’” he states before turning around and walking away.
“You…” the low, solemn voice made him pause, half-turning. The boy looked up at him from under snow white bangs, eyes cautious, pained –scared almost, but of what, Takashi couldn’t tell. “You’re not… scared of me…?”
Takashi stared, faintly surprised, and then he took in the boy’s blood stained form, followed by the body slowly regenerating on the ground, which just minutes prior was being eaten right in front of him. …Yes… that was a valid question… But as forlorn brown eyes flashed in his mind followed by a candid picture of a shy boy caught off guard…
“He has a really bad habit of running away from people who actually cares about him. He’s a recluse like that”
He smiled, walking off once more. This time he didn’t bother turning around.
“Nope” he stated. And it was true. No one who could be friends –best friends even— with a kid that bright could possibly be a bad person, any-and-all first impressions aside.
‘sides, he probably has this guy to thank for half the city bein’ able to sleep peacefully at night. He definitely would for himself, anyway.
“Instead, can you just tell him where I am?
Well, looks like he’s done his part. The rest’ll be up to them.
-
-
-
~_~_~
Hide awoke with a shiver, unconsciously tugging his sleeping bag closer to his body. Summer days are always hella hot, but sometimes the nights can surprise you with a sudden 180 degree turn.
He sighed, huddling further underneath, but then his bladder made itself known, and he had to force himself to crawl out of his nest in order to go deal with it. He groaned, cursing his bodily functions.
He couldn’t help but flinch at the full force of the night air once he’d stepped out of his tent, already wishing he could go back inside where it’s relatively less popsicle-inducing, but the pain in his lower abdomen was making him slightly nauseous so he decided to just man up and take a piss.
It was a peaceful night, often is around these parts, like a small sanctuary away from the hustle and bustle of the city without being too cut out from it too; the moon was full, like a cliché, the light reflecting in the river and grass, and he marvelled at the sight.
“Hide…”
Hide froze, his heart skipping a couple’a beats at the familiar voice, the sudden presence he wasn’t able to sense at all before then. A small sigh left his lips, and he tried to act as casually as he can while zipping his fly. “Hey” he replied, his entire body warming up as he finally faced those familiar grey eyes. “Thought you’d be dropping by” he grinned, unable to keep his triumph from leaking out of his voice.
There was no reply as his bestest best friend in the entire world (recent evens ignored) regarded him with a blank expression (of course, there’s still no way Hide couldn’t see the exasperation in his eyes anyway) , the light from the full moon setting his pure white hair and pale skin ablaze in deep contrast with his pitch black clothes, making him look almost ethereal. (Like a ghost… or maybe a fairy. Huh. Hide always did think his bff was a bit too cute to be simply human even before the whitewash. Maybe he was already part fae before the whole mess started. He wouldn’t put it past Mrs. Kaneki… She was a damn fine woman.)
“You’re an idiot” the clipped tone managed to jolt him back to reality, just in time to see his friend sigh, shoulders drooping as his exasperation finally became visible, and Hide suddenly felt lightheaded when a small, barely-there smile tugged at Kaneki’s lips.
Hide’s grin only brightened. “So they call me. But hey! It worked didn’t it?” he huffed, chest puffing out in a display of pride.
Kaneki rolled his eyes, and Hide gave himself a pat in the back for a job well done. “How did you even come up with something like this?”
“….Ehehe…” Hide began, rubbing his nose with a finger. “A song”
“…a song…” Kaneki stared, brow raised.
The blond coloured a bit. “Hey! It’s a great song!! In english!! And it made perfectly good sense at the time!!” he exclaimed, indignant, and then a particularly cold breeze suddenly washed over him, reminding him of the warmth of his tent and sleeping bags. “Man, you know what, it’s too cold for this. Let’s just go back to my tent where it’ll be at least a bit comfy yeah?” he babbled, gesturing for the albino to follow him.
He didn’t move. And he didn’t need to speak for Hide to know what he wanted to say judging from his expression alone. He sighed. “You know what, I’ll be right back” he announced before he set off on the direction of the closest vending machine.
“…”
A fair distance away, Hide sighed again (man, just how much happiness has he lost today with all the sighing?). It was probably a stupid move leaving like that, but he was tired, and if he knew his best friend at all, so was Kaneki. Besides, if he isn’t there when Hide gets back… well, it’ll just be like he never came at all and Hide’ll just go back waiting.
He prays Kaneki doesn’t leave.
A few minutes and two cups of hot vending machine coffee later finds Kaneki sitting on the grass just outside his tent. Hide smiled in relief, handing him one.
Kaneki wasted no time.
“Go home Hide” and this time is was Kaneki’s turn to sigh, looking completely exhausted for how strong and scary be might be nowadays, taking the offered cup and blowing gently at the steaming liquid.
Hide stayed quiet, mimicking him as he crouched down to sit just inside the open flap of his tent, his face going serious.
“…”
“…”
“…”
He sighed (again), looking up to the night sky. “That’s what I’m trying to do” he whispered, just loud enough to be heard.
“…”
He smiled, albeit a bit sadly. “Hey, do you remember when we first met? It was right here at this very spot” he began. “I remember it because the water here changes a bit differently when the sun sets”
Kaneki smiled a bit at that too. “Yeah… you asked me to be your friend”
Hide chuckled. “Wrong~” he sang, earning a confused look from Kaneki. “It was the day before school started actually. We bumped into each other right here, but you were too buried in your book that I don’t really think you saw me even though you apologized, like, a hundred times” the blond explained with an amused grin, remembering the small black-haired boy almost tripping over himself trying to apologize. “I guess you really didn’t” he shrugged, taking a sip of his coffee. .
“…S-Sorry…” And then Kaneki’s face scrunched up then, looking almost exactly like he did before that Hide couldn’t help but laugh.
The half-ghoul frowned, cheeks colouring, and if anything, it only made Hide laugh harder. “Hide!!” the albino scolded.
“Sorry, sorry” Hide took a few moments to compose himself. “I just seriously… missed this…” he sobered, taking another sip of his coffee and directing his gaze at the starless sky. It’s a pity that. For all that the area was nature, the lights from the city a few blocks away still managed to drown out the stars.
There was silence for a moment, the air tensing between the two are they digested the words.
Finally, Hide took in a deep breath. “It doesn’t feel right” he stated; his voice barely above a whisper, but it resounding, loud and clear in the quietness of the night, bearing his soul out in the open. “Going back to my mess of an apartment... the college… Big Girl… and it just feels awkward going to Anteiku without you there…” he sighs. “Sometimes I find myself camping out at your apartment just in case you decide to drop by and decide not to tell me or the guys at Anteiku. I can’t help but be worried sick! I mean, you could be somewhere out there being eaten, or torn apart, or hacked to death! I’m practically updated to any ghoul related news nowadays—“
A sharp inhale.
“—and heck, I even thought about getting a job at the CCG just to get a peek at their records about you. But then, it would have been really awkward when you actually did show up, and I find you on their hit list and Oh my GOD Kaneki” he groaned, aggressively running his hands through his hair, his frustration finally rising up to the surface after months on strike. “Seriously Kaneki!! You gotta cut me some slack here!! I thought I told you rabbits die when they get lonely and you wouldn’t even bother to call Touka-chan at least??!!!”
“…S…since when?”
Hide’s brows furrowed at the sudden question. “What? Since you disappeared, obviously” Hide scoffed, still a bit twitchy. He just wants to hug the guy next to him right then and there and maybe put a tracking device or two somewhere in him so he’ll at least know where he is… ok wow, that sounded wrong.
“No… since when?” Kaneki asked again, looking almost desperately at him, and Hide felt himself deflate at the badly concealed fear in his best friend’s expression.
Hide smiled, small, soft and reassuring, and looked him straight in the eyes. “Since the beginning, bud” he whispered, placing a hand on the other’s shoulder. “Kaneki” He didn’t react when the half-ghoul flinched, instead holding on tighter, pouring every ounce of sincerity he can manage in his voice, his eyes. “Let’s go home”
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The next day found Hide in his tent, all alone again, his entire body limp in a way he never was, tears falling from his eyes for the first time in… ever… as his phone flashed with an alert from the only frequency available to the public from the CCG.
A large number of Ghouls inhabiting the unsuspecting coffee shop, Anteiku, has been successfully neutralized, along with the SSS Rate Ghoul, Centipede. However, due to the unexpected interference by the Aogiri Tree in the midst of battle, the main target, SSS Rate Ghoul, ‘One-Eyed’ Owl, has escaped.
A Ceremony will be held in the near future honouring the fallen.
“…Ken... you idiot”
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EPILOGUE:
A Year Later
Sasaki Haise was utterly confused. Somehow, suddenly, Special Class Investigator Arima had gotten this look as if he’d just remembered something and then just pushed him out of the building.
He didn’t know just why Arima-san wanted him to come to this place –he wasn’t given any further instructions apart from the set of seemingly random directions and a “You should go there”— but he decides it’s not so bad. He managed to make it just before sun set, and the sight of the water changing colours in the play of light was breath-taking. Looking closely, it seemed to change just a bit differently from the rest of the river. He was terribly curious to know how that is…
“Beautiful right” a voice suddenly called out behind him, and he jumped almost a foot in the air, caught completely off guard. Idiot!! He thought to himself. If that was a ghoul he might already be dead!
His face heating up in shame and embarrassment, he turned around slowly, ready to apologize as much as he can, but when he saw who was there, he found himself at a loss of words.
Honey brown eyes observed him carefully, making him feel slightly self-conscious. He was used to scrutiny, being a half-ghoul in a building full of Ghoul investigators, and his strange hair colour had gathered more than a few odd looks whenever he goes out in public, but this felt different somehow.
The man before him didn’t look any older than him, about an inch or so taller maybe, with bleached blond hair already browning at the roots. The man’s lips stretched into a smile, and Haise felt himself blush when he realized he was staring probably just a bit too much. He turned away quickly. “S-Sorry. I mean, I didn’t mean to bother you, or stare at you— I-I mean of course I wasn’t staring, exactly, but just, anyway sorr—“
A jovial sound reached his ears, sending a wave of warmth and nostalgia through his ribs and stomach, and it took him a few moments to realize the man was laughing. “No, no, it’s okay. You don’t have to apologize”
Haise gulped, flushing again in embarrassment, and the man hummed. “You’re Rank 2 Investigator Sasaki Haise, right?” he asked casually, making Haise flinch.
“You know me?” he frowned, nervous. He’d only been awake a few months at this point and he’s quite sure the only people who knew about him, and especially his promotion, were from the department. He felt himself tensing up.
The man –and he really needed to know if he has a name. He really couldn’t just keep calling him ‘the man’— grinned. “Relax. I’m not anyone suspicious” he stated (and really, that has to be one of the most suspicious things a stranger can say, ever). “You, however, are famous” the man stated. And then he extended a hand. “I’m also a Rank 2 in the Information Division. My names Nagachika Hideyoshi, but please call me Hide ok?”
“Hide…” Haise tilted his head, his brows furrowing. Where had he… Oh! “You’re the hermit!”
“Hermit?” Hide repeated, sweatdropping.
Haise sweatdropped too. “S-Sorry. It’s just, that’s what everyone seems to be calling you. They said you never leave your home base and—“ And then he spotted the tent not too far in the distance and it clicked. “…right”
Hide smiled, sending butterflied fluttering through Haise’s stomach, as he followed his gaze. “Well, I’m actually about to move out right now. Figured I wouldn’t need to stick around any longer than this” he explained with a wink.
“I see… Do you need any help? Where are you gonna be going?”
“Hmm” Hide began, looking thoughtful. “Yeah… Well, I kinda hope I can go home soon… but that probably won’t happen for a while. Still, the help would be great”
Haise’s brow furrowed, following him down and helping him dismantle his tent. “Why? Can’t you go home?” he couldn’t help but ask, if a bit guiltily. He shouldn’t be prying, but the slightly solemn look that overtook the man’s –Hide’s (and why does that name seem so familiar?)— eyes ate away at him.
Hide regarded him again, honey browns looking straight into his grey, and Haise gulped at the intensity. It lasted only two seconds though, and Hide was all bright grins again. “I’m waiting for someone you see. It won’t really be home without him”
“…eh? Him… as in… your lover?”
“…”
“…”
“…”
“AHAHAHAHAHA!!!!” Haise flinched at Hide’s sudden outburst. He frowned, unamused.
“Yeah…” Hide began through gulps of air, still chasing his laughter. “Yeah you would think that huh?”
Haise’s frown deepened, red pooling in his cheeks again as they manage to wrap up the rest of Hide’s belongings (there really wasn’t all that much).
“But never mind that” Hide just states, lifting a stack of his boxes, the tent rolled up and strapped to his back. He smiled, soft this time, kind, content.
“Let’s go home”