Hide woke to the sound of soft shuffling from the hallway and sat up quickly. He glanced beside him to find Kaneki still asleep. He remained still for a moment.

Deciding to check it out, Hide crept across the room.

"This is such a stupid idea." He whispered to himself, now close enough to peer into the hall. He found it empty. He shook it off and turned back around to find a pair of deep red eyes looking back at him. Hide opened his mouth to scream, when the intruder's hand prevented his attempt.

"It's okay," the female voice whispered, "it's just me." The hand was removed from the human's mouth slowly and he began to calm down.

"Do you really have to sneak up on me like that, Touka?" He hissed, causing the ghoul to chuckle.

"Sorry, didn't mean to scare you." She said. "I just wanted to stop by and see if you two needed anything. Is Kaneki feeling better?" Hide sighed and shook his head.

"I think he's getting worse. He really scared me today." Touka frowned.

"What happened?"

"He wouldn't wake up, "he was up before that but he was struggling, he won't eat,I had to give him some of my blood to wake him up. And- you know, I fully expected him to be upset with me when he found out...I just didn't think-"

"What did he do?"

"He said.. Why are you trying so hard to keep me alive. He told me he thinks he's dying. It wasn't even like when you use it as an expression kind of thing. It was a sincere statement."

"From what you described to me, he's had it rough, I mean, it sounds like he's really sick, it could be his fever or something. Yoriko had a bad fever once and she wasn't exactly herself."

"I guess,that's what I thought it could be, but there was just something about the way he said it."

"He's going to be fine." Touka soothed.

"How can you be sure, I mean what if it's something I'm doing or-"

"Hide, Kaneki pretty much showed you he'd do anything in the world for you. He's not going anywhere. What are you afraid you're doing?"

"I don't know, I'm not making him better,I don't know where to start." Hide leaned against the wall, his eyes locked on the white haired ghoul.

"Maybe I should've given him more or pushed him to try to eat."

"You can't force him. You can offer food but if he doesn't want it, he won't take it. I told you, it's not going to cure him and you can't blame yourself. You can only give him so much before you end up sick and right now, Kaneki really needs you to be here. You can't help him if you lose a lot of blood. He obviously loves you very much or he wouldn't have helped you."

"I love him too, but still, how am I supposed to get him through this, Touka?"

"You won't like my answer. The only advice I can give you is to keep doing what you've been doing. Believe it or not, you sitting with him, that does more than you think." Touka explained.

"You're sure there's nothing else?"

"Sorry, that's all I have for you."

'I feel like I'm failing him." Hide confessed. Touka shook her head.

"You're not. Do you know just how few people in this world would go to the lengths you did to find him or to accept their friend after finding out he's a ghoul. You're still protecting him by keeping those guys outside and away from him. I'd say he's lucky to have you. I don't think either of you could fail the other if you gave it your best shot, you'll always have his back and he'll do the same. " Hide smiled sadly.

"You really think so?" He asked.

"Yeah, I do."she confirmed.

" Hey, I meant to tell you, I appreciate you bringing that stuff for him. Sneaking in here knowing what can happen if they see you, I just want you to know that I'm grateful. "

"Bet those CCG guys make you feel real safe." Touka said attempting to lighten the mood.

"Yeah, they're doing a fantastic job, always so alert." Hide chuckled. "No one gets past the team.' Silence passed between them as they both turned their attention to Kaneki.

You have to start getting better. Hide thought to himself.

" H-Hide?" The ill ghoul called out, barely audible to the human. Hide wasted no time in moving to the bed and sitting on the edge. He reached out, stroking Kaneki's hair softly.

"Hey, I'm right here, everything's fine." He soothed. Kaneki's eyes opened slowly, Hide smiled down at him.

"Feeling better?"

"T-Too hot."

"Okay, just lie still, I'll go get some more cool water." Hide stood up and moved to Touka.

"Can you stay here while I get the water?" He whispered.

"Yeah. No problem." She replied moving over to the chair beside the bed, she sat down.

"Touka?" Kaneki said.

"Yeah, I haven't seen you for a while. I wish it was under better circumstances."

"Me too. Thanks for taking care of Hide, he means a lot to me. If I get better-"

"You will. It'll take time, but you will." She encouraged.

"I'm not really sure I can."

"You will, Hide needs you, you'll find a way. Let him be your strength. You have to try to eat something though."

"I can't. I feel like I'll be sick."

"Then take one or two bites at a time, but you need it. Starving isn't going to help you."

"I don't feel hungry at all."

"Whether or not you feel like it, you still need to. You have to...for Hide if not yourself. Think about trying to take something." Kaneki nodded. It hadn't taken long for Hide to return with the required item. He placed the bowl on the bedside table, soaked a cloth, squeezing the extra liquid from it before putting it on Kaneki's head. The ghoul closed his eyes, relaxing once more.

"Sleep will help, it's good that he isn't being kept awake by whatever it is." Touka said noticing the concern in Hide's eyes.

"But should he have a hard time staying awake?"

"Don't you ever feel really tired when you don't feel good, at the hospital, you-"

"That was different. I had a lot of medicine going through my system. I haven't given him anything at all."

"being only part ghoul, maybe he caught something and-" Kaneki moaned softly turning his head from his friends.

"Kaneki, what's wrong?" The ill ghoul didn't speak, instead, he simply shifted uncomfortably.

" Go wait in the hall for a few minutes. " Touka instructed.

"But-"

"You don't want to see this." Hide obeyed, hurrying from the room just as the sound of Kaneki being sick reached his ears.

"Just can't get a break can you?" The human whispered into the empty hall.

"Damn it." Touka hissed.

"what's wrong?" Hide called.

"Just stay there." Hide felt his heart sink.

"Touka, you have to tell me, is he okay?"

"I need you to trust me, I'll let you know when you can come back in."

"Why-"

"Go find another blanket and if you have an extra night shirt bring that too." Hide searched the rooms, managing to pull together two small blankets and a thin sheet. He raced back to the room.

"Touka?" The female ghoul met him at the door. "This was all I could get. There's clothes in the dresser by and wall. What happened?"

"Hide, He's really sick." She stated, unable to look at him.

"Yeah, he's been that way for-"

"No. He's- He's really not doing well."

"What happened?" Hide asked sternly, unsure if he could handle the answer.

"I'll let you see him, but I want you to prepare yourself. Kaneki's in a lot oof pain right now and he's-" Hide didn't wait for Touka to finish, he placed the items on the chair and turned to Kaneki.

The ghoul's breathing came in gasps, his skin, already pale from his illness seemed more so and his body trembled with pain.

"Kaneki," Hide said touching his friend's cheek softly.

"I-m s-sorry." Hide did his best to fight the tears.

"it's okay, just take it easy. What happened ?"

"He got sick." Touka explained. "He vomited, a lot of blood came out. I don't know what's going on."

"I gave him so!me earlier, maybe-"

"It was his." Hide brushed back a few strands of white hair from the ghoul's face, now catching sight of the crimson on Kaneki's shirt. Hide forced a smile.

"Don't worry, it's okay." He said. "I'm going to help you get some fresh clothes and then we'll figure it out." He moved to the dresser and pulled out a black shirt.

"This one should be good. It's light and kind of big." He carried it back to the bed.

"Ready?" He asked.

"I- d-don't think-"

"I'll be careful." Hide promised, pulling himself onto the bed and slipping a hand behind Kaneki.

"H-Hide, it hurts."

"I know, I'm sorry." Hide raised his friend up, positioning himself behind him. Kaneki cried out in pain.

"Sorry. Do you want to rest a second?"

"Yes." The blonde human settled himself against the headboard and pulled Kaneki back gently so that his head was now resting on his chest.

"I'm going to give you some time, then I need you to drink some more."

"N-no. I can't-"

"Yeah you can." Hide insisted. After placing the new shirt on Kaneki, Hide allowed him to continue to rest against him, not wanting to add to his discomfort. The ghoul allowed his head to turn to one side.

"I'm sorry I've been such a burden to you, I want you to call Amon and tell him to take me back to-"

"Not gonna happen. You're not a burden, you're just sick. I'm going to take care of you as long as it takes. Then, when you're better, and you will get there, it's gonna be awesome."

"You don't know if-"

"I do, because we've been through a lot together and...we got this. I'm not going to let you down."

"Hide?"

"Yeah?"

"I need you to keep me here, I can't do it on my own."

"You're not. I've got you, and I'm not letting go."