Prompt: "hey thanks for literally saving my life by pushing me out of the way of that car, but now you're yelling at me bc i was reading and walking and you said i'm too cute to die" au
(I may have gone a little off course, though.)
Usually, you're hyper aware of your surroundings - so aware, in fact, that it borders on unhealthy - as you well should be, considering most of humanity is after your blood. You've seen and been through too much to lower your guard when in public, regardless of the chances of anyone realizing your true nature. Caution has been instilled into you via the clean, precise scar on your abdomen, the one and only mark on otherwise flawless skin, and you heed its warning, albeit bitterly.
Usually, you do not read while walking, not now that such a carefree action is a leisure you cannot afford, and even when you do, you do not immerse yourself so completely that you lose track of the world around you. Takatsuki Sen's books are no exception. When otherwise occupied, you set them aside for later. You're living those tales now, after all, so you don't clamor for each new release and then close yourself off for hours as you soak in the intricate prose and tangling webs of a fine piece of literature as you once did.
Usually.
Maybe you've grown content these past few months, lulled into a false sense of security in the wake of Aogiri's destruction and Anteiku's rebirth. Maybe you're tired of being so high-strung and tense all of the time as you wait for the other shoe to drop, tired of pretending to be human and parading as a ghoul when you're neither and both. Maybe you want to die.
None of that explains why an attractive stranger pushes you out of the way of a speeding truck and proceeds to reprimand you for your carelessness. He's just winding down from his lecture by the time you get your bearings back enough to decipher the string of panicked, disapproving words.
"You could have died, man! Died!" He gestures wildly, clearly still on an adrenaline high from your near-death experience. He peers at you from under a mop of unruly, bleached hair, adamant as he claims, "You're too cute to die!"
A delicate, white brow lifts at this, because wow, really? The guy smiles cheekily at you, and okay, yeah, it's a good look on him, much better than the distressed scowl he'd been wearing earlier. You're not available, though, now or ever, so you roll your eyes and ignore his waiting hand in favor of standing up on your own.
"You okay?" He asks, presumably looking over you for injuries but lingering a little too long on your collarbone and where your shirt has ridden up to reveal your stomach for it to be believable.
You pick up the book that had caused all of this, discarded when you'd been tackled into the pavement, and adjust your clothing accordingly. "I'm fine," you assure him. You're about to leave, but you feel compelled to say, "Thanks" - even though that truck would have done little harm to you, your constitution being what it is. It was a nice gesture, at the very least.
"It was no problem!" He laughs it off, innocently. His smile gains a determined edge as he suggests, "Hey, how about you and I get some coffee? My name's Nagachika Hideyoshi, by the way. You can call me Hide."
You blink, surprised by his forwardness. "Um, I'm Kaneki Ken," you offer, hesitantly. Unbidden, your hand curls into your t-shirt, a stupid nervous habit you've never quite grown out of. "Actually, I have plans..."
You really don't, but this whole scenario screams Bad Idea. As a rule, you avoid dating people you've just met, and although Hide practically oozes friendliness, you've been fooled by appearances before. Inexplicably, your scar aches.
Hide is not deterred. "Aww, come on!" He pouts, which is ridiculously adorable. "You may be okay, but I've been traumatized! What if I never recover? You need to keep an eye on me!"
Your mouth twitches into a small smile as your resolve weakens, and he must notice because his grin actually grows brighter, somehow. "Think of it as repayment for saving your life," He cajoles.
You sigh internally, your inner voice (which sounds a lot like Touka, creepily enough) becoming increasingly creative in its insults and questioning of your sanity, but you give in. "All right, already, but I get to choose the place."
Anteiku is as good as anywhere, and although you can already imagine the merciless teasing of your so-called friends, you figure it's a fair trade for the safety and comfort the coffee shop provides.
Hide whoops in victory, and you fight a smile.
You're tired and bitter and broken and just barely hanging on, but maybe, just maybe, you still want to live.
Notes: I honestly don't even know if this makes any sense. I saw the prompt on tumblr and spent thirty minutes jotting this down on my phone. I'll probably write a more cohesive, lengthier HideKane fic later, but I hope you enjoyed this little piece for now. These guys are too adorable, seriously.
The title is a line from "The Walk" by Imogen Heap.