AN: Set in a completely alternate universe from God Eater. Absolutely no canon compliance.

'What is that?' Lindow squinted, peering down the shoulder of the freeway. There was a blob of color, just so slightly different from the dark night surrounding it. He shifted over to the far lane, and a few cars ahead of him flooded the shape with its headlights.

A person.

It was a person in a dark blue jacket with the hood up, trudging through the rain. Whoever it was wasn't trying to bum a ride, it looked like, but then again they might have been more interested in trying to stay warm than get somewhere. Lindow pulled up next to the anyway, just able to make out dark skin, pale hair, blue eyes.

"Need a ride?" Lindow had to shout to be heard over the loud drumming of rain and the sound of cars zooming past, but all the same the stranger stared at him for a minute, before gesturing to his dripping clothes.

"I'll ruin the seats," he said. Lindow waved it off.

"Gives me an excuse to get me reupholstered," he joked. "I know it doesn't look like much, but it's dependable, and probably a lot warmer and drier than out there."

He hesitated for another moment, and finally gave in, loping around to the passenger's side and getting in. "Thanks," he finally muttered.

"Don't sweat it." After some careful maneuvering, they were off. "Name's Lindow-Lindow Amamiya. Where you headed?"

"Soma," the stranger introduced himself. "Where I'm going…" he stared out the window, watching the rain stream down the glass. "I don't care," he finally answered. "Anywhere. Just - away from that godawful place I called home."

Lindow only hummed in acknowledgement. He stole glances at Soma from the corner of his eye, noting how skinny-and more importantly-how young he looked. "Been traveling long?"

Soma scoffed at the euphemism. "Running," he corrected. "And as far as I'm concerned, it hasn't been long enough."

Lindow didn't miss how his fists clenched.

"And bother telling me that my parents are worried about me," he continued. "My father has considered me nothing but a fucking failure since the day I was born."

Lindow didn't bother asking about his mother. If Soma didn't mention her, it was because he most definitely didn't want to. "You got a place to stay tonight?"

Soma let out a sharp laugh. "What do you think?"

Lindow shrugged. "Just asking."

There was relative silence-cars passed, signs flashed by, the road went on. "You know, if you want, you could stay at my place until the rain stops."

Soma turned from the window to give him a strange look. "What?"

"I mean, come on," Lindow wheedled. "If you keep on like this, you'll get sick-and the flu can be really serious if you don't treat it properly. People die from that, you know."

Soma rolled his eyes and scoffed, turning to face the window again. "No thanks."

"When was the last time you ate your fill?" Lindow pressed. "When was the last time you were warm at night?"

"You could be a serial killer," Soma pointed out.

"So could you," Lindow agreed. "But I still stopped, and you still got in."

Got him there. Soma was silent, struggling to come up with a response. Finally, he huffed. "I don't need your pity."

"Who said anything about pity?" Lindow protested, mocking injury. "Humor an old man."

"So that's what it is," Soma remarked. "You're a pedophile."

"Hey now," Lindow protested, but Soma settled back in his seat and closed his eyes.

"Wake me up when we get there," he said. "And if you're planning on raping me, do it when I'm sleeping."