The coarse wind bites at his cheek and it's enough to keep anyone else indoors. He clutches the collar of his coat tighter and every exhale he takes comes out in frosty clouds.
Beside him, his friend shivers, hugging himself and pulling the hood of his jacket over his head. He cups his hands over his face and breathes into them. Kaneki watches his friend as they continue walking side-by-side, their prior conversation on his mind.
"Think we'll see that Nishiki guy again?" Hide states between teeth chatters.
Kaneki clenches his hands. Hide was so insistent on coming along with him on his occasional hunt for flesh. It makes him sick to think his friend will be watching him consume a human, especially since the one he cares for most is one of them. He had been careful in the past to go without letting his friend know. But this time, he couldn't get away fast enough.
He finds it hard to say "no" to him. Hide is too convincing. Too caring.
He said he wouldn't be disgusted. But still…I am.
"Maybe. I've only bumped into him once since the first time…" he answers quietly. Worry clouds his mind.
What if there are other ghouls this time? Fear overcomes him over the fact that he might not be able to protect Hide. He peers over at his friend again, who seems far too excited despite the cold.
"S-Stay close, Hide. Remember what I told you?" he tells Hide once more.
"Yeah, I know. I won't wander, don't worry, buddy," Hide reassures him.
True to his words, his friend shadows him without another word as they trudge through the chill of mid-December. The nights are darker, although holiday decorations begin to decorate the streets. Kaneki looks over his shoulders constantly, making sure his companion is still there and that no one is following. His senses are hyperactive and it merely increases his anxiety. He can smell the stench of old blood staining the obscure hunting grounds and he wonders if Hide could as well. Whenever he glances at his friend, Hide remains unperturbed, only curious and observing.
As the neighborhood grows quiet, the closer the boys get to the hunting territories. Kaneki feels just as cold on the inside as his surroundings; the bit of solace he finds is the sound of Hide's footsteps following him.
Near the outskirts of town shrouded with minimal light, Kaneki picks up on pieces of a conversation that becomes clearer the further he enters.
"Oh, come on, I deserve more than that!"
"You would, if you'd done your share of finishing the job."
"I'm just a kid, man, an innocent kid. You think I'd be able to handle killing someone on my own?"
"Don't give me that bullshit. I've seen what you can do."
Kaneki stops in his tracks and peeks behind the building to see none other than Nishiki currently in an argument with another ghoul. An adult, male ghoul who is covered from head-to-toe in blood and human remains.
Kaneki feels Hide's breath on his shoulder as the blond gasps at the sight. He notices the adult ghoul's eyes immediately flit to the side, and to Kaneki's horror, he is staring right at his friend.
"Dude, pay attention-" Nishiki shouts at the man but is interrupted when the man rushes towards the boys watching behind the building.
On instinct, Kaneki grabs Hide into his arms, causing Hide to almost fall over as his head is buried against Kaneki's chest and his body leans forward due to the awkward angle of being pulled down to the half-ghoul's height. Hide hears Kaneki's heartbeat pounding like loud thunder in his ears and he looks up to see his friend's terrified expression. A dark figure towers over the boys and Hide turns his sights to the man standing before them, a pleased smirk on the older ghoul's lips.
"Mmm, something smells really good over here. Another human. Juicy, yes. And you…"
The man hums in thought when he stares at Kaneki and Hide knows that he must see his friend's sole kakugan. Kaneki tightens his grip on Hide and he steels himself. When the man notices Kaneki's glare, he merely scoffs. "A half-breed? Didn't think any of you were around."
"What are you two doing here?" Nishiki cuts in.
The man furrows his brows and the three of them turn towards the other young ghoul, who is shocked to see the duo.
"You know these kids?" the man questions.
"Yeah…I know a lot of people," Nishiki replies shortly.
The man sneers and looks at Kaneki. "Don't tell me he made you do the killing for him."
Kaneki doesn't answer, and he hopes his trembling isn't obvious. Hide lifts his hand, grasping Kaneki's arm. The half-ghoul calms down slightly at his touch, though his kakugan remains in sight.
The man takes another moment to stare down both boys before gesturing for them to follow. "Why don't you join us? I was just about to split a meal that this little coward over here made me cut down."
"Shut up. At least I knocked the guy out before he could scream," Nishiki snaps.
"One more step wouldn't have killed you, kid," the man replies and flicks his hands to the side to rid himself of blood that drips down his skin.
Kaneki is frozen in place, and his grip on Hide loosened without him knowing. He almost doesn't notice Hide's hand pressing on his back.
"You okay, Kaneki? Not hungry?" Hide asks quietly.
Kaneki blinks a few times and turns to his friend, who jerks his head forward as an indication for him to move. He sees his friend has no trace of fear in his disposition and he reminds himself to keep his composure as well.
The boys follow the man further down the alleyway toward a secluded area, where the man has set up a small fire pit in the middle of a circle of metal bins serving as chairs. On the ground to the far right, Kaneki spots the bloody corpse already cut up and ready to be consumed. He glances at his friend and finds that Hide is still not showing any signs of discomfort. Either that, or he is good at hiding it. His friend doesn't waver in his step.
The man gets down on his knees and begins to get the fire started while Nishiki confronts the boys, his arms crossed.
"I figured I'd see you again, Kaneki, but him? Why is he here?" Nishiki directs his thumb at the blond boy, who simply steps forward and grabs Kaneki by the shoulders from behind.
"I'm here to keep my friend company. Is that not allowed?" Hide questions, a challenging look in his eye as he smiles.
Nishiki scoffs. "Well, if you want to die young. Whatever."
A spark ignites and the man stands up, wiping his hands off on his pants. "So…who wants first dibs? Oh wait, that would be me, of course, considering I did all the work," the man states with a snicker. He points a finger at the bins. "Take a seat, kiddos."
"With that logic, I call second considering I was here before Kaneki!" Nishiki exclaims. He plops himself on the bin nearest to the human meat.
"Kaneki, huh? So that's the half-breed's name," the man mumbles to himself as he starts shoveling through the flesh. He looks over his shoulder to see Kaneki and Hide taking adjacent spots opposite from Nishiki. He keeps an eye on the human boy. "And the other boy, what's your name?"
Hide clasps his hands together between his legs that sway. "Tell us yours first!"
The man smiles and as he rips apart a large piece, he replies, "My name is Sho. Spunky kid, aren't you?"
Hide shrugs and stares at the developing fire, his hand reaching out to feel the heat on his skin.
The man wipes at his forehead before turning around. "So, I gotta say, I'm surprised to see a human hanging around a half-breed. That's something I didn't think I'd ever see."
"Nagachika's a weirdo, okay? He thinks us ghouls are interesting. Like what are we, science experiments?" Nishiki pipes in. He sneaks over to grab some of the human meat behind Sho's back.
The man rolls his eyes as Nishiki rushes back to his seat with a satisfied grin. The young ghoul immediately chomps down on the meat, his kakugan activated and blood splashing onto his cheeks. The man continues watching the two other boys, a smirk rising on his face as he walks over to them.
"So, you like ghouls, huh? And Kaneki, you're not even the least bit interested in tasting your friend here?" Sho inquires in a tantalizing tone. He kneels to the boys' level and keeps his eyes on the half-ghoul.
Kaneki clenches his knees and bites his lower lip, maintaining his gaze on his hands. He then looks up straight into the man's eyes.
"No."
Sho chuckles at the coldness in Kaneki's tone. "You say that now 'cause you're just a kid."
Kaneki's glare pierces through him, but it doesn't leave too much of a mark on the older ghoul. "I assume your father's the ghoul, huh? Alive or dead?"
Kaneki breaks his gaze and looks back down, staying silent.
The man nods his head in thought. "I see. Dead, then. Well…" He points a finger at Kaneki's left eye, which no longer reveals his ghoul side. Kaneki looks up abruptly at Sho's action and he finds his eyes connecting with the man's again. "Bless your mother for bringing you into this world. I know it's not always successful, but you're here now. Alive and well."
He notices Kaneki's scowl at his words and continues. "The struggle never really ends, does it? But look on the bright side, kid."
He walks back to the meat pile and pulls up a piece. "You're essentially a part of two worlds. When you look at it that way, it's not so bad." He offers the piece to Kaneki, who hesitantly takes it from him.
Hide looks at the man with utter curiosity in his eyes. "You seem to know a lot about half-ghouls."
Sho chuckles, turning to Hide with his hands on his hips. "Nah, I don't know that much. But I understand. You see, I had a relation with a human once."
Nishiki nearly chokes on his food. "Wh-what? You, Sho? Seriously?"
Sho nods and he takes a seat on the metal bin in the middle of the boys. "Yeah, a long while ago. We were going to have a child too, a half-breed. Just like Kaneki."
Hide leans forward in intrigue and Kaneki looks up, watching the man pick at the small fire with a stick. "But like most cases, the child didn't make it. And neither did the mother." His voice grows solemn and the fire makes crackling sounds that fill the gap.
Sho sighs heavily. "It was a mistake on my part either way."
"My mom thinks the same," Kaneki speaks up, causing all three to look at him.
Hide frowns at his words but Sho beats him to replying. "Well, your mother is wrong. You probably don't even know what you're capable of yet."
Sho rests his elbows on his knees, his hands dangling between them. "You're part human. Ever thought of trying human food?"
Kaneki furrows his brows in uncertainty. "N-No…I don't think I can. I think the ghoul side of me overpowers my human side. My body would probably reject it."
"You sure about that? How can you be certain if you don't try? Of course, us ghouls can't. But half-ghouls can be an exception. You're a special one, kid," Sho explains and he reaches behind him for his own share of meat.
"Special, why do people keep saying that?" Kaneki mumbles to himself.
Hide sighs in a playful manner and smiles. "Because you are, dummy!" he exclaims, wrapping an arm around Kaneki's shoulders.
"You're special and you're rare. If children are born from a ghoul father and human mother, most either die, like mine did, or they become half-human with no ghoul abilities. In my opinion, the latter result is worse considering those half-humans have a shorter lifespan, thus dying prematurely."
Hide laughs. "Liar. You do know a lot, Sho."
Sho shakes his head with a chuckle. "I just did some extensive research when the woman I was with was pregnant. I was scared. But there's not much information out there, so I took what I could get."
He nods at Kaneki. "Own it, kid. It's hard, but someday, you'll appreciate what you got. You could even be a pioneer of sorts when you're older, ya know?"
Hide pulls away from Kaneki and the half-ghoul chooses not to say anything once more. A silence sets upon the four as the ghouls begin feasting on the bloody flesh. Kaneki stares down at the piece he still holds in his hands and his mouth waters at the smell of fresh blood. He swallows hard, wondering if his friend is uncomfortable, but another peek at him shows Hide staring up at the night sky nonchalantly as he leans back on his hands and his legs gently kick the air.
Kaneki then tentatively takes a bite of the meat, wincing as his teeth catch into a tendon. Flecks of blood splatter on his cheek but Kaneki is too overwhelmed by the taste to notice the mess. He closes his eyes, relishing the sweet juiciness of the meat. Every bite satisfies every inch of his body and he tries hard to slow down. He doesn't notice Hide smiling at him by his side. Hide can't help but feel relieved knowing Kaneki is getting his strength and health restored.
"So, Nishiki, how's your fine sister?" Sho teases as he takes an aggressive bite of the meat.
"Ew, don't mention my sister like that, ya pig. She's doing great as an independent woman," Nishiki snaps as he splits his food in half with his fingers.
Sho smirks. "Yeah, we'll see how that lasts. Your sister's working with humans, right? She'll end up falling for one in no time."
Nishiki kicks the man's leg with a harsh blow. "Shut. Up."
"I have a question," Hide cuts in.
The two ghouls turn their attention to the boy, who raises his hand like he's in school.
"So, um, you said half-ghouls could eat human food too?" Hide recalls.
Sho nods and Hide continues. "Is there a difference in the effect human food and human flesh have on a half-ghoul's body? Do you happen to know anything about that?"
Sho hums in thought and he rubs some blood off his chin. "That is a really good question. Unfortunately, I don't have a definite answer because it's not very clear on what a half-ghoul can consume safely compared to regular ghouls."
Hide nods slowly, his stare turning to the flickering flames again as he sinks his words in.
"There's no harm in trying it out, like I said. The most human food can do to us ghouls is make us sick and weaken our bodies and abilities," Sho adds and he glances at Kaneki occupied with eating his share.
"Human food smells like horse shit and tastes like horse shit," Nishiki states proudly with his mouthful.
Sho frowns at the boy next to him and raps him over the head, causing the boy to yell out in anger. "Language! Who taught you to speak like that?"
Nishiki rubs at the back of his head and grumbles. "Ever hung out with the other ghouls lurking on the grounds?"
Sho exhales in exasperation. "Oh…right. You need to spend less time on the streets, boy."
"Like I have a choice with my sister always off at work!"
"Visit a library or something. You need to stimulate your brain some more."
"Stimulate it with useless human knowledge? No thanks."
"If you want to continue living among the humans, might as well learn more about them through the written word, eh?" Sho states, grinding his hand down on Nishiki's head, which annoys the younger ghoul even more.
Nishiki shoves the man's arm off his head and crosses his arms with a pout. Sho cracks his knuckles and looks up in thought. "Right, where was I before this idiot interrupted. Oh yeah, speaking of abilities…"
Hide vocalizes his awe at the bikaku kagune that appears out of Sho as the older ghoul allows it to slither towards Kaneki. The half-ghoul is still enraptured by the meat in his hands until Sho allows his kagune to gently stroke Kaneki's head like it was a human hand. The rough feel of the kagune snaps Kaneki to reality and he immediately stops eating, his mouth and hands covered in blood as he looks up wide-eyed at the bikaku waving in front of him.
"Kaneki, have you learned to use your kagune yet?" Sho asks with a smirk. He pulls his kagune back into his body as his black and red eyes watch the half-ghoul.
Kaneki's eyes remain wide as he swallows hard and begins to wipe the blood off his lips with the back of his hand. He shakes his head. "I…I don't even know if I have a kagune…"
Sho places his hands on his knees and hoists himself up. "Sure, you do, kid. If you crave human flesh, and have that kakugan in your left eye, then you certainly can procure a kagune. Now I'm just curious what a half-ghoul like you can do."
Nishiki scoffs, placing his chin in his right palm. "This guy, he's too nosy for his own good."
Sho glares at the boy. "Not nosy, merely curious. Besides, if he doesn't know how to wield his own kagune, that could bite him in the butt one day."
Hide watches Kaneki stand to his feet, his fists clenching. "I want to try. I think it's time I learned. Can you teach me?" Kaneki asks.
Sho smiles and gestures for him to follow. Hide and Nishiki observe from afar as the adult ghoul leads Kaneki a fair distance away from the fire pit, giving both ghouls enough space. The two end up facing a dead end of the alleyway, a brick wall in front of them.
"So, clearly, you've seen what kagune look like, but every ghoul has their distinct types. Nishiki and I are from the same type, and you don't know what type you have yet. That's not an issue though."
The older ghoul then closes his eyes before reopening them to reveal his kakugan. In the next second, his kagune emerges again from his rear. "It's hard to explain, but we ghouls need to have enough energy to use our weapon. That's where human flesh comes in handy to replenish those energy stores."
Sho's kagune disappears once more and he turns to Kaneki. "Now you try. What I find helpful is harnessing all the energy you have inside you and focus on using that to unleash your ultimate power."
Kaneki nods and shuts his eyes to concentrate. He takes a few deep breaths and imagines what his kagune could look like. He pictures the slithery, tentacle-like appearance similar to Nishiki and Sho's bikaku. He thinks about the movement of the kagune and the crackling sound it makes when it appears.
"Think of some motivating factors too. Why would you want to use your kagune? To fight? To defend? To kill? For food?"
Hide stands up from his seat and takes a step forward. Nishiki places a hand in front of him. "Don't go any further, Nagachika. You could get hurt."
Kaneki clenches his fist and squeezes his eyes tighter, trying hard to gather his energy like the man said. He thinks about the first time he killed someone and tries to recall the massive surge of energy and power he had felt before he had done so. He allows himself to enter his ghoul side, his breathing picking up pace.
Sho notices a crimson, particle-like matter erupting from Kaneki's lower back. "Yes, just whatever you're doing, keep at it. I think I have an idea what your type is…"
Nishiki places a foot on the metal bin from where he is standing. "Think he's a rinkaku, Sho?"
"Yup, that's right. Unless he surprises us, that's all I could think of, other than bikaku like us."
Kaneki continues tapping into his ghoul side, trying hard to let his power take over him. After a few more minutes, he finds himself unable to release anything and he opens his eyes, catching his breath.
"No…I don't think I can do it." He shakes his head, panting heavily.
Sho narrows his eyes. "Are you sure? It looked like you were starting to form something."
Kaneki swallows and turns to him with disappointment in his gaze. "I don't think my body is ready yet. I'm too weak. I'm weaker compared to you and Nishiki."
Sho holds his chin in thought and he looks at Nishiki. "Got any other tips for your friend here, boy?"
Nishiki shrugs. "Nothing else I can think of. My motivating factor is getting some decent flesh around here."
Sho hums to himself and his sight wanders to Hide, who begins to walk over to Kaneki. When he sees Hide at Kaneki's side and patting him on the back, the thoughts in his mind begin to swarm. "I see…well, it would seem you can't do it after all, Kaneki."
The half-ghoul doesn't look at the man as he keeps his head down. Hide stays silent as well, and the man can tell that the human is thinking hard by the way his brows knot and his gaze stays fixed on nowhere in particular.
Sho sighs and strides past them. "Keep trying though, kid. Perhaps the next time you and Nishiki scavenge for food, I'll find you two and help you again."
Hide allows Kaneki to move ahead of him first to the campsite. The human scratches at the back of his head, wishing he could do something to help. But right now, his mind draws a blank and it frustrates him to no end.
Kaneki's shoulders are slumped as he slowly sits himself back on the metal bin. Hide feels empty when he catches Kaneki's grey eyes growing darker against the small flames that no longer warm him.
His legs pedal fast on his bike, the frigid wind rushing through his body. He maneuvers his way smoothly through the town that bustles with everyday commute. For once, he has a paper with directions on hand to where he wants to go. Along with that, he told his dad where he is going instead of wandering off unannounced like usual. So far, he's been following the rules.
All he can hope now is that his surprise will be completed successfully.
He reaches his destination quicker than he thought and he parks his bike on the rack across the street before excitedly rushing into the building. The bookstore.
As he enters, he reads the signs indicating the different sections and heads to the one he has in mind. His eyes scan through the multiple books lining the shelves, the title repeating in his head before he finally finds the novel. He sees several copies of it available and he takes time to pick the one that has the best quality compared to the others with no dents and scratches.
Once he is satisfied with the novel he chooses, he skips over to the cashier. He checks his pocket for the money he earned from dog-sitting for one of his neighbors in the past few weeks. When he passes over the book, the cashier turns it a few times in her hands and looks at him.
"Wow, this book is pretty advanced for someone your age, don't you think?" she says in intrigue.
Hide smiles. "I suppose, but don't judge a book by its cover," he replies playfully.
She laughs lightly at his comment and takes the money from him before giving him the book back in a paper bag. Once he has it in his clutches, he peeks at the book again with a grin and returns to his bike waiting outside.
When he arrives at the rack however, his bike is nowhere to be found. Instead, he finds a note attached to where his ride used to be. Cautiously, he steps closer and takes the crumpled note, unfolding it and reading the contents.
The note contains instructions for him to go to meet the mystery person. But what catches his attention the most is the threat that follows, saying the person would "hurt his friend" if he didn't obey. The person had even written his friend's name down in full, indicating that this is someone he and Kaneki know. Hide thinks for a minute about the possible person behind this message and already has an idea.
"So much for following the rules…" Hide mumbles to himself. He keeps a firm grip on the bag in his grasp and makes the choice to obey the note.
It is quiet and distant from the citizens where he arrives, a dingy alleyway in which is another ghoul hunting area. Against the wall of the building to his right, Hide finds his bike leaning there and he looks around himself before approaching it. Scanning over it closely, the bike luckily sustains no scratches or damage. He then lifts his head up at the cloudy sky between the buildings he stands within and takes a deep breath.
"Hey, Sho! Where are you?"
There is no answer at first and Hide puts his guard up until he sees the mentioned ghoul appearing on the rooftop to the left. The older ghoul stares the human down with no emotion apparent on his face as he jumps down and lands in front of the boy.
"Hurting my friend? What are you-"
His words are cut off when the man's fist suddenly collides with his face. The force of the ghoul's punch sends Hide's body flying a few feet backwards and the paper bag in his grasp loosens and falls away from him.
He feels an immediate throbbing pain in his left cheek coupled with a spinning headache that causes his vision to blur intermittently. He could feel his arms and legs burning from the new abrasions and he rolls to his right side. His hand finds his forehead as he tries to stay calm.
He hisses from the ache he experiences and when he senses the ghoul approaching him, he raises his head to see the ghoul's kakugan and kagune at the ready.
He doesn't bother asking any more questions. His blurred gaze stays fixed on the slithering appendage that rises above him in slow motion, like a snake aiming to inject its venom.
…
It had been a few days since Kaneki has fully replenished himself and when he and Hide had met another ghoul aside from Nishiki. Since then, it's been quiet, and as always, he and Hide would make time to see each other.
This time, though, Hide is not home and hasn't contacted him like he normally would.
Kaneki leaves Hide's father behind after visiting his apartment to check if Hide was there. According to Hide's dad, his friend had gone to the bookstore, particularly one that Kaneki enjoys venturing, which is rare for him as his mother's been busier than ever and he could not afford to purchase any new books.
He doesn't waste any time. When he makes it to the bookstore, he is met with the same result. He is still not there.
He is told that his friend had been in the store, but he had never returned home. His heart races nonstop. His stomach churns with the bad feelings that overwhelm him and, for once, he knows for sure that Hide got himself in trouble.
His mind delves into a mad frenzy when he catches onto the faint scent of his friend barely lingering in the frosty air. He's running now, not caring about the strange looks people give him when he races past like his feet are on fire. He holds onto Hide's scent with a vice grip, a thin thread that seems to fade. With the last of its traces, he arrives at a hunting ground and here, his friend's scent stays the strongest.
The further he goes down the alley, blood enters his senses. He can't think straight anymore and finally, he sees him. On the ground, his head of blond hair tainted with red. He can't see his friend's face. Hide's body is curled right beside a ghoul. His kagune too familiar and his aura menacing, but it doesn't shake Kaneki.
No.
"Came to play, did you boy? Right when I was just about to eat your friend here too." Sho looks over his shoulder, a disturbing grin spreading on his lips.
The ghoul has no time to face the younger ghoul, who launches himself on him, the boy's sole kakugan blaring in fury, the veins spreading down the left side of his face. Kaneki's teeth dig into the man's arm, growls emitting from his throat and blood seeping out from the bite mark. It takes a few swings for Sho to shake him off, and even so, Kaneki would lunge back onto the same arm to leave more vicious chomps that aim to rip his limbs off.
Sho grunts in annoyance and with one forceful push, Kaneki is thrown back to the ground. The half-ghoul grits his bloody teeth, parts of the ghoul's flesh dangling from his mouth before he spits it out. The older ghoul faces him, taking a step forward with his kagune swinging behind him.
"Come on. Is that the best you can do?"
What comes next is a haze in his view. He finds himself avoiding attack after attack, though when he fails, he can't feel the pain. He doesn't feel anything. The only prominent emotion keeping him going sets his insides on fire. It's like a fever taking over him, his thoughts don't reach him as clearly, if at all.
At one point, his body lands next to Hide. When he turns to his side, he sees Hide looking at him behind his matted hair sticking to his forehead from a small gash on his forehead. Just from their gazes meeting, Kaneki immediately sits up and scrambles over to his friend. His shaking hand hovers over Hide's head but his fingers don't touch. He trembles at closer inspection of his friend, who has large scrapes on his arms and legs. The gash on his forehead stopped bleeding, but the red liquid that had spilled covers his entire face and leaks into his hair, turning the blond locks to a rusty brown. Hide takes notice of the horror in Kaneki's gaze, watches his ghoul eye piercing through him with worry. Kaneki is frozen and paler than before, causing Hide to reach his arm out to him.
"I'm okay…" he whispers to him to try and rid the panic that plaques his friend.
Like everything else, his words don't reach. His brown eyes reflect the red matter that begins to emanate from his friend like before when he had tried to unleash his power. Only this time, it's stronger. He feels his breathing stop momentarily as a lone, red tentacle appears out from behind Kaneki's hunched form. He's left speechless when Kaneki grasps his forehead, a beast-like growl emitting from his friend's throat. When he stands to his feet and turns away from him, Hide refuses to blink when he notices two more tentacles beginning to bud from the middle of Kaneki's lower back.
He hears Sho laughing, but it doesn't hold malice. The man sounds delighted.
"Yes! It worked! I knew that human friend of yours is the key! Protection! That is your motivating factor!" Sho exclaims in excitement.
Hide hears his own heavy breathing as he watches Kaneki charging for the man without another second wasted. His vision blurs slightly from the ache in his head. He sees a rush of red bursting in the air. He thinks its blood, but it is also his friend's kagune that spreads wildly with no sense of firm obedience to its master. The man's shouts of pain are dull to his ears, but according to those screams, the attacks are relentless. Crimson stays in his view, the scaly appendages flowing back and forth.
Kaneki moves like he never had before. Every cell in his body is on fire and something in his mind tells him to keep going. One of the tentacles pulls away from stabbing Sho for what seems like the thousandth time. The man collapses in a pool of his own blood. He chuckles despite the pain coursing through him and his eyes stay on the half-ghoul, who's newborn kagune flies about uncontrollably. Kaneki grips the left side of his face and his body begins to twitch from his own overwhelming power. He falls to his knees, his fists landing on the ground as his head bows.
"I can't…I can't control it," he states while he strains to subdue his rinkaku. The kagune slow its movements, but it still does not retract inside his body.
More blood. More blood! Kill him!
Sho grins, his mouth coated in red. "Don't hold back, boy. Go and finish me off. Listen to your instincts."
Kaneki grits his teeth and shakes his head vigorously. He begins to bang his own forehead on the concrete under him in an attempt to shake himself out of his ghoul state.
"Stop, stop, stop!" he shouts at himself over and over each time he slams his head on the ground. He feels warm blood crawling down into his eyes, but it's not enough.
The older ghoul looks on curiously as the human boy he had used as bait staggers to his feet. Hide pauses, making sure the world isn't spinning too fast for him before he takes his first step. The man notices the resolve in the boy's expression as his battered legs limp forward towards the struggling half-ghoul.
The three scaly tentacles flail in anger, ready to strike at anybody. Hide still moves closer, his gaze focused on his friend, who continues to knock his head down. He doesn't feel pain anymore. It's nothing to him. He manages to avoid the kagune, and even if he had been struck, he wouldn't have stopped.
Kaneki lifts his head and opens his eyes to see a circle of his blood staining the concrete under him. He's tempted to gauge his own eyeball out, and just when he's about to inflict more damage to himself, a soft touch catches his attention.
He feels something inside him shift. A sense of calm at the warmth resonating from his shoulder to his heart. He slowly lifts his head and looks to see whoever is standing before him now.
Brown eyes hold his distressed gaze with care. That smile of his appears with no words spoken. The hand resting on his shoulder tightens as his friend's other hand comes up to rest on his head. Kaneki doesn't move an inch as Hide gently ruffles his black hair.
His grin widens and Kaneki feels his body relax from the tension. He finds himself gravitating closer to the boy in front of him. His bruised forehead that stealthily begins to heal rests against Hide's chest as Hide wraps his arms tighter around him. Kaneki lets out a deep breath and his friend's stare travels from his black hair to the tentacles behind them. The kagune no longer writhe in rage, but lay like a tamed dog on the ground as it begins to withdraw into Kaneki's lower back. The last of the red matter disappears, leaving behind a quivering boy in his grasp.
He feels Kaneki's hand reach up to grip onto the front of his shirt. He thinks he hears someone else enter the fray just now. But his chin rests on top of his friend's head and he does nothing else.
Nishiki sighs heavily as he finally rests against the grimy wall of his shared hut with his sister. He scratches his head and stretches his neck back before glancing over at the duo he finds himself constantly bumping into. The blond human is currently bandaging the gash on his forehead after the half-ghoul had spent over a half hour meticulously treating the boy's scraped up legs. Nishiki scoffs to himself and rubs his eyes in exhaustion after having helped drag the severely injured adult ghoul to his place. Thankfully, the man hadn't been fully unconscious, otherwise he wouldn't have been able to take him anywhere
"You could have just left me there, you know." He hears Sho mumble to his right as the man rests himself against the wall, letting his ghoul powers heal him over time. The man's eyes are closed.
Nishiki smirks and lets out a bitter laugh. "Yeah, I should have, right? But I didn't. That was pretty reckless, what you did."
"But it worked. My plan worked perfectly," Sho states proudly with a small smile.
Nishiki rolls his eyes and he looks over to the boys again before shaking his head. "How can it work, a human and ghoul together? It doesn't make any sense."
"You will see soon enough, boy. Someday, you won't be able to resist the charm of humans. They surely are interesting creatures."
The young ghoul turns to Sho, who still does not look his way. "Just like you?"
Sho smiles again and nods. "Yeah. My biggest regret, but what could I do? Things happen."
"Shit happens," Nishiki adds.
Sho scowls and smacks the boy over his head, who punches the man back in the arm. "Does your sister know of your sailor mouth?"
The young ghoul groans and sinks himself to lay on his back. His arms cross behind his head and he stares at the cracked ceiling. "What does she know these days…"
Meanwhile, Hide's tongue sticks out the corner of his mouth as he makes sure the bandage on his forehead is secure before turning to his friend. "Does it look okay?" he asks.
Kaneki nods solemnly, the weight on his chest not leaving at seeing how many wounds Hide has sustained. "I'm sorry…"
His eyes are downcast as he continues. "I couldn't prevent this. I couldn't protect you like I wanted…"
Hide exhales softly and wraps an arm around his friend's shoulders. "No, Kaneki. I'm sorry. I'm just a weakling who got himself into another mess." His smile lessens. "I caused you to enter that side of yourself. I know it makes you uncomfortable and I'm just a stupid human…"
Kaneki frowns and shakes his head. "Don't say that. Don't blame yourself for what you are. Now that I think about it…" His hand travels to his friend's knee. "I'm glad that I was finally able to use my kagune. I didn't know if I could but…" He looks up into Hide's eyes and smiles. "You helped me."
Hide's mouth opens slightly and then his brown eyes shimmer in glee. "Well, when you put it that way…"
Kaneki nods and his hand finds Hide's as he grips onto his fingers. "You are not to blame for anything. You're not stupid, Hide."
He squeezes Kaneki's hand back. "You're not at fault either. I think it's just how it is. We're gonna go through this together."
Kaneki gazes down at their intertwined hands. "I hope so…"
He then looks up. "Hide, why were you going to the bookstore anyway? I thought you didn't like reading.
This makes the blond child laugh loudly and the three ghouls in the hut stare at him, either with curiosity or annoyance. Kaneki furrows his brows in confusion as Hide calms himself and then looks at him, his bright eyes vibrant with joy.
"Kaneki! Do you know what day it is?"
Kaneki shakes his head slowly, baffled by Hide's reaction.
"December 20th," he simply responds and watches as Kaneki's face changes to one of understanding.
"Oh…I forgot…" Kaneki says quietly. He finds this day not worth the attention for the longest time.
"Well, remember when you told me about this new book that you couldn't get?" Hide continues.
Kaneki looks at him in disbelief. "No…don't tell me…"
Hide grins and quickly crawls over to the blood-stained paper bag he left next to the first-aid supplies. "Here, this is for you. Sorry it's all messed up, but I checked and it's still good as new."
Kaneki's eyes widen and he carefully takes the bag from his hands. He reaches in and his fingers brush against the fresh pages. He gasps when he pulls out the very book he mentioned to Hide a week ago.
"But, Hide, you didn't-"
"Nope! It's a present." Hide then places his hand on top of Kaneki's head again and he strokes his smooth hair. "Thank you for being my friend."
Kaneki bites his lower lip and his fingers grip onto the book. He presses it to his chest and turns his head to his friend. Hide feels a rush of euphoria when he sees the most joyful expression on Kaneki's face. A smile so wide that it shows teeth and his grey eyes sparkle in the dim light. Hide's heart jumps and skips like a hyperactive child. He finds his breathing stop then.
"Hide, I'm so happy. You make me so happy. Thank you."
Without another word, Kaneki leans into Hide's chest again and buries his face there, the book held firmly in his grasp as he can't stop smiling. Warmth spreads through him so fast, he feels he could burst. Hide holds him close and secure like always and when he hears Hide's heart thumping in his ears, his beats faster.
Their knees press close together and the stinging pain from Hide's injuries fades like it was never there. Hide hears a noise behind him and looks over his shoulder to see the two other ghouls, one of them fast asleep. Nishiki snores loudly and Sho grunts as he gets himself up from having sat on the ground for a long while.
Kaneki hears the movement as well and he glances up at the serious expression on Hide's face. He follows his friend's gaze and the two of them stare at the adult ghoul, who begins to limp towards the entrance of the hut where the boys reside.
The boys both watch carefully as Sho stands before them and he gives a small smile. "I'm sure you both despise me. I understand. I just wanted to help and…I'm sorry for causing you both so much trouble."
They stay silent and Sho kneels to their level. "Stay safe, both of you. It's cruel out there, I'm sure you two know very well. People like me, right?"
Hide smiles lightly and Kaneki merely tightens his hold on Hide's shirt, his eyes showing caution.
"Good luck from here on out. You're both stronger than you look, I can guarantee that," Sho finishes and he stands up straight. No more words are said as the boys watch the man disappear out of their sights and into the cold once more.
His footsteps vanish so quickly, leaving behind an eerie silence.
The boys both have a feeling that is the last time they would ever see this man that entered their lives and exited in a blink of an eye.
"I want to get stronger," Kaneki states finally in a quiet tone.
Hide looks down to see his friend grip his book. His smile broadens.
"You will, Kaneki. You already are, more than you know."