Snuggle Time! Oh yes, the feel will be coming. Soon. Soon. Muhahahahaha!

"A-ah, Kaneki?" Hide gently shook his meister's shoulder, the other boy grunted so that Hide would stop. "C-can I sleep with- er- next to you tonight?"

"It's two in the morning, Hide. What is it really?" He could just make out the grey eyes, burning with irritation in the darkness. Kaneki looked at him for a long time before rephrasing, "Hide, what's wrong?" more concerned and less annoyed. He just couldn't do it. Half in frustration and half in fear Hide wrapped his arms around Kaneki's shoulders, flopping down onto the black and gray sheets.

He bit into his lip to choke back a sob. "It's just a bad dream," it was barely more than a whisper, more to convince himself than his meister. The very memory of it sent a shudder through the sword's body and his grip tensed. Hide needed the physical anchor. He needed Kaneki to understand even though he couldn't tell him about it. About seeing him dead; about cradling Kaneki's lifeless bloodied corpse in his arms; about weeping endlessly into the cold chest; about failing to protect the person he loved most.

"Alright," Kaneki spoke gently, stroking the top of Hide's head, "you can stay here tonight. Common, I'll help you get settled." His meister pulled Hide's weight into his lap and slid the sheets down. After laying him back onto the bed Kaneki pulled the sheets up. In any other situation Hide would be super aroused but he was still too shaken up to really appreciate the affection. "You need a hug?"

Hide nodded and Kaneki slid an arm underneath him, pulling the blonde close. "Thanks," he muttered into his meister's shoulder.

"Mh."

Hide drifted off quickly, Kaneki's warmth and scent permeating into his subconscious mind. He had the nightmare again and must have woken his partner up slightly because he felt Kaneki's hold tighten briefly. The dull, incomprehensible murmur of the other boy's soothing voice banished the dream, replacing it with a comfortable emptiness.

~~~~~~(-^3(/O\\\)"~~~~~~

When Hide blinked awake the next morning he'd forgotten where he was. Kaneki's warm breath pooling over the blonde's shoulder, as well as his scent, quickly snapped the weapon into attention. "Uh, Kaneki?" His meister's pale hand slapped over his mouth and Hide gave a startled squeal.

"Shut up," the grey haired boy growled, "you kept me up last night so now I'm trying to sleep."

Hide tryed to move but Kaneki's other arm was wrapped around his waist like a vice, pressing his waists against Hide's back. This was all a little much for the demon sword to handle. He tried to pry off his roommate's hand as gently as possible, "B-but, we're going to be late for our flight."

"Shit," Kaneki muttered and let go. Hide immediately sprang up, a slight redness on his cheeks.

"I-I'll go get ready."

"Mhm."

Once the door to Kaneki's room had been shut Hide took several deep breaths, clutching his chest. It felt like his heart was going to explode! He had not expected an aggressive Kaneki, sure Kaneki could be a bit passive aggressive, but that was dangerously close to non-passive aggressive. "Holy Cows on a hot air balloon!" he muttered to himself, quickly making his way into the bathroom.

Once the hot water poured over his head, Hide felt himself relaxing. He massaged shampoo into his scalp and sighed. The steamy air felt good in the early autumn morning. Feeling especially happy today, despite a sense of impending doom lingering in his mind, Hide drew a smiley face on the frosted glass shower door and chuckled. Kaneki knocked on the bathroom door twice before opening it, "I'm coming in to brush my teeth okay?"

"S-sure." At least his meister was back to sounding normal. Hide heard the splash of the faucet and the quick plish of Kaneki flicking water onto his face. There was a shuffling pause followed by the door opening and closing again. Hide lingered, unmoving for a few seconds longer, listening to Kaneki's footsteps moving toward the kitchen before resuming his scrubbing.

Once he'd finished washing, Hide stepped out and dried off. He forgotten a fresh change of clothes, panic rising a little when he noticed a bundle on the counter. Kaneki must have brought them in for him.

When he opened the door Hide almost jumped out of his skin. Kaneki was standing right there, a coffee mug in each hand. He extended Hide's Friday mug to him. "T-thanks."

"Go ahead and pack your Toilet trees, I'm already done."

"Hm?"

Kaneki gave him a slightly sour, neutral expression. "Plane? Flight? Three hours?"

"Oh. Oh! Shit!" Hide swiped the coffee, muttered a customary thanks, and took a deep sip, flinching at the burn. Kaneki just chuckled and walked back into the living room. Today they were leaving for Tokyo on a direct flight. Lord Death had already made arrangements for them to stay in a Hotel and placed them under the supervision of a separate police branch of the DWMA called the CCG. This was going to be a long and arduous mission, but if Lord Death thought they could handle it, Hide didn't want to doubt it.