"Good evening...Abyss.."

An icy glare. "What do you want. I'm busy."

"Come now, we didn't mean to interrupt your evening stroll. We just want to talk."

"You filth never come to play nice...and I'm not in the mood to shatter your skulls."

Silence.

"..but you see. You've found something that doesn't belong to you. Kaneki-sama."

"..."

"A human whose existence has been wiped from every database. The one you carry is now the property of V."

"We've simply come to claim him. He's of use to an impending project."

Laughter. "You really don't get that I live to eat scum like you. Now tell me, for what purpose should I give up my snack? I found him, so he's mine."

"That, is classified. The projects which the shadow undertakes, should not be shared with the common man."

"Is that so...?" -Vessels, with a luminous air, crimson, ruby, scarlet, every shade of red... come forth. They are tendrils of lethal design, an organic weapon to utterly destroy. Their master is silent, a smile both wicked and callous, preemptive to the slaughter that will begin. Eyes succumb to an eternal darkness, a lone red jewel piercing as it glows.

"If you have nothing to share...then die."

The Beginning of a Healthy Obsession

He awoke to the sound of crunching. A strange sound unlike when someone eats chips or bites a frozen pop. This crunch, was unnerving, and moved him from unconsciousness; a place he had preferred to stay. The sky was subtly shifting; the octaves of black that had painted it, gradually fading to a dark blue. Dawn would be coming soon and yet he was still about...outside, chilled, and sore. Shifting his weight made evident his place; positioned against the concrete of a building's side, his butt raw from the stone floor. The soft brown eyes stared blankly at a fire hydrant, the smell of iron causing him to grimace and gag.

Blood.

With a jolt, Hide sat up, pain throbbing in his injured side, pulling at the makeshift bandages now firmly about his torso. Though hastily made they had stopped the bleeding and so he managed to move without a head spin. Despite every urge to crawl the other way, the events of hours past were playing vividly within. Where was the guy who had saved him? The one who'd called him that strange name? For someone else going home was the smartest option but seeing as he had none, and was frequently in danger, staying in the company of someone strong...someone strong who didn't want you dead; seemed wisest. Never mind the fact that he wasn't, 'couldn't' be, this 'Hide'. Stuff like that only happened in movies, right?

There were tons of blonds his age; he'd been mistaken for other people before and this was no different. He had to remember that. This was just a move of survival...nothing more.

When child like movements brought him between two buildings, his eyes widened, curiously attentive, to the carnage that unfolded in the alley. The man was engrossed in eating...white molars tore easily into skin, and bones. The swallowing was deep and exaggerated, the leather gloved hands soaked in red. This, was the man...the 'ghoul'...that had saved him. Worry pooled in his gut, until he saw the remnants of torn kagune. So they were ghouls..he thought, feeling relief. After all, it meant 'he' wasn't on the menu. For a while he just sat there, listening to the other eat...looking down the road still barren of cars or feet.

This side of town was called the 'slums'...and with good reason. Once a violent war had broke out here. A war that lost too many to count and soaked the streets in blood. It had only happened in the space of a week, but the 7 days had destroyed it beyond repair. Once it had been called the 20th ward. A relatively peaceful place with good coffee. Now, all businesses had closed and any open were of the worst kind. It was here he could sleep under some stairs and not be bothered by police or concerned passersby;It was the only reason he'd come to the hell hole. His memories of everything 'but' himself, were clear. Discarded along with the kagune, were two leather wallets, he reached for them slowly, careful to wipe off the blood. Inside were the ID cards of the two now being eaten and plenty of cash which he pocketed. The names didn't ring a bell and neither did the strange seal on the front. Still, he'd keep them...they might be worth something in the future.

When a little more than an hour had gone by, and his limbs grew numb he grumbled, turning to the investigator still stuffing himself. Frowning, the man fought to find his footing, grunting and groaning until he leaned against the wall, but on two legs.

"Hey.." he snapped at the back facing him, pissed that he was within ear shot, but unheard. "Hey!"

"..."

Still blissfully ignored, he inched ever closer, the grinding sounds loud, the scent of iron and rancid flesh, pungent. "HOW LONG ARE YOU GOING TO STUFF YOUR FACE?!" he yelled, kicking a nearby can in frustration. "Should I just go home?! Its almost morning!"

Hide.

Coherency flooded the ghoul with the approaching scent, Kaneki stopping suddenly, swallowing the last morsel and wiping his mouth in one motion. Time flew when you were devouring the ilk of the world, and it was something he took his time with and enjoyed. Turning a soft red gaze to the pale human, he straightened himself up and removed his gloves. "I got carried away, since I was hungry. But we can go now.." he assured, retrieving a lighter to set flame to the remains. Advancing towards the other slowly, he paused, nose twitching slightly at the scent.

Fear...? he thought, and for a moment was perplexed. After all, this was Hide, 'his' Hide. What should he have to fear? And then he remembered; the man before him had no recollection of his former self...and well, he himself could be called a monster in the truest sense. Still, it made him feel funny, and caused an unpleasant feeling in his chest. "It would be better if you relaxed, Hide. There are hundreds of things that can kill you in this world...many things that 'want' to kill you too..."

Pausing briefly, he leaned in, feeling the other inhale sharply, practically holding his breath at the invasion of space. Slender fingers rested in comfort on the tense shoulder, giving a good-natured squeeze. "..but I am not now or will I ever...be one of them."

Hide stared wide eyed into the dark chocolate eyes, at the porcelain skin and silk raven locks, so close to him now. It had startled him when the man drew close, having witnessed what the hands could do, what those teeth could do to him...If he wasn't careful. But then he 'spoke' and something changed. A faint sense of nostalgia, a knowing that the man before him would not lie to him. The hands that touched him were soft...he could, recall them from somewhere...

NO.

Abruptly, the growing recollection stopped, Hide shutting them out, in a way even the other could tell. He's probably trying to lure me in. he thought grimly. Yes, he was relaxed... but now a new emotion was burgeoning, something that felt out of place but that sort of aided his next plans. Plans to ensure his survival; He had to stay focused. "If...if I mean as much to you as it seems...Then why did it take something like this for you to find me?"

There it is again, THAT pain.

"Hide...there were other things...other things that happened.." Looking for you meant finding the truth. That I really had murdered you. That I really had eaten my best friend.

"Things that were more important than me?" the blonde countered, finding himself more upset than he should have been, for this long gone 'Hide'. It was only a ruse...or at least it was supposed to be. Fake an angry reaction, make him feel guilty, and then storm off before the other caught wind of his farce. One of the wallets he took had enough cash to hop a train to the countryside. There he'd lay low and make a new life for himself. But now, his heart was racing, and he clenched his fists to keep them from shaking. "If it were me, I'd have found you...found you before you almost died!"

"Hide.."

"Shut up! You don't get to show up after I've suffered! After I've been homeless and abandoned and starved!...You don't get to play hero now!"

"Enough, Hide..."

Silent, deadly...the tendrils heeded their master's anguish, slowly emerging...coiling around the form that would break from just a little pressure. They hoisted the object of their master's attention high. Ever present for the order to squeeze it to death.

Kaneki sighed, crimson eyes now regarding the light brown above him. Holding him up with his kagune, as a fussy child that needed a firm talking to. "I never asked that of you Hide. To save me, to protect me...to help me. That's not what friendship is about...expecting something in return. You know better than that. But then again you don't know anything right now, so I'll forgive you." Frozen in place, Hide looked down at the man who saved him, feeling dejected, annoyed, and slightly childish.

"Once, I was human...like you. You were the only one who ever cared about me. I had no family to concern and no friends. But I had Hide, and that was enough. But one day, Hide encouraged me...to meet with a woman who was reading a book that I liked." Closing his eyes he recalled the fateful day; The smell of coffee, the sounds of Anteiku. "You took me to a cafe I had never frequented, and urged me to meet with a woman who would try to kill me. If I hadn't listened to you...if I had canceled that day, If we hadn't ran into each other...I might still be okay."

Hide frowned, a deep and mournful weight clutching at his heart suddenly. Why should he feel anything? He did nothing wrong. And, he 'wasn't' Hide. This was all a game...right? Chuckling nervously, he responded. "W-what...are you saying?"

"I'm saying, that because of you...I was on the brink of death, because of you, my organs were forcibly replaced with a ghoul's. Because of you I ended up captured, mutilated, and tortured. You were the domino that fell, starting a chain reaction I haven't been able to stop in my life until now. Because of Hide...my world became an even greater hell than I could ever imagine."

"..."

Speechless, the human could only look on, struggling with misplaced emotions a ghostly pain. Whatever this feeling was, he did not like it, and from the look in the ghoul's eyes, he could tell he didn't either. "Its your fault I'm this way, so take responsibility...Is that what you want me to say to you Hide? Because, whether I say it or not...its the truth. Whether you acknowledge it or not, you can't undo what's been done to me."

Blood rushed to Hide's lips as he bit them, the wheat blonde locks tousled as he ran a hand through his hair. Whether he was Hide or not was irrelevant. This was too much for one human to bear. Even just listening to the ghoul, the weight of such a tragedy was getting to him. Silent for several moments, he finally squirmed, uncomfortable in the kagune arms holding him up. "No. That's too much for one person to handle." he said "I was just pissed things haven't been going right for me. Its not your fault so, lets start over...since you saved my life, and all. Don't ask me those difficult questions. I don't have answers...and it hurts like hell to hear your pain."

Just as gently as he'd been picked up, the rinkaku set him on his feet again, eyes curiously watching, as the membranes hid under the ghoul's coat. "So, those things can be gentle if you want them to.." Hide mused, leaning heavily against the wall again. Kaneki nodded quietly, offering his body as a crutch, leaning into the other until their clothes and skin brushed lightly. Progress was slow through the slums of the ward, their breaths having reached a soothing rhythm as they walked.

Hide found it strange how different the ghoul seemed, now knowing his past and close enough to kiss, walking towards a destination only the other knew. There was no sense of impending danger with the man right beside him. He felt soft like a human, he smelled faintly of earthy soap, his hair tickled his cheek and he breathed in and out just like him. He wasn't all that tall and bulky but still managed to tear through ghouls like it was nothing. So strange.. Hide mused, jumping slightly. He found that he too was being stared at intently.

Kaneki met the almond eyes evenly, wondering what thoughts lie behind them as he stared. From the scent of his skin to the aroma of sweat and blood; This was Hide without a doubt. His hair was certainly longer but not much had changed on the outside. Feeling not the least bit awkward, he spoke, stopping their journey in front of a seedy pub. "We'll stop here. I'll call for our ride."

Looking on, Hide watched as the ghoul made the call, wondering about the source of the grimace at the one who answered.

"Ka-ne-ki-kuuun..."

A woman had answered; voice a summer bell, laced with honey and deceitfully sweet. A deceit he had known all too well. It had nearly killed him...nearly. "Don't sound so happy to hear from me, Rize." he growled "I'm only calling because I need something. Who else is there? I don't want you to be a pest if you come here." Contented by the garish response the woman sighed, laughter airy and wanton. "The gang still isn't back from their assignments. I'm the first to return...so deal with it."

"Tch. Fine. We're, at locale B, in the 20th. Just get one of the cruisers and come. Keep a low profile. You attract any attention and you're as good as dead to me."

"We? Whose we?"

"...you'll see when you get here." he hummed softly, casting a gentle gaze towards his companion. "You'll definitely hate him, and that will give me great pleasure."

"Who-?"

Without preamble the man hung up, a mischievous smile on the youthful face. His relationship with the femme fatale had changed over the years and unfortunately that hadn't been a good thing. First she was the one who had given him strength...the strength to become the monster he'd denied so much. Then he had consumed the man created in her image, becoming something greater, something stronger than himself. Seeing her after many years in the beginning had shaken him...it had shown him that 'pain'...was the ultimate god; And it could even break an enigma like her with no problem. From then on the novelty had worn off, the honey moon illusion dashed. She was no different than any other ghoul...except she'd deceived him and brought him hell.

That, he never forgot. It always lurked in the back of his mind. As he was now he could tell her to her face. In fact he did every chance he got. Less like a mentor and more like a crazed sister, the two fought like cats and dogs on occasion. For some reason she had taken a liking to him and THAT, was what ultimately caused the state of their current bond. He could only take so many attempts at being seduced before it got annoying. Could only take so many attempts at his life before it got agitating. In a last ditch effort to curb her nagging (without ending her life and eating her whole), he had given her a place among his organization; and threw some of his toughest assignments at her. She was a fine fighter, a fine assassin... he'd give her that. And her beauty, well...it came in handy for certain jobs.

In the end though. She was as much a nuisance as the three little birds. And were it not for the fact that she too was a 'fugitive' to the organization V, He'd have given her the boot long ago.

It wasn't long before he became aware of a pair of disapproving eyes, the expression on Hide's face, quite amusing. "What's wrong, Hide?"

"What's wrong?" the blonde repeated, raising his voice. "Is that how you talk to women? 'I'm only calling because I need something..'" he mimicked, wondering what kind of woman would put up with such things. "You'll never get married at this rate. You think power is everything?"

Kaneki blinked. Shaking his head slowly. "You don't understand. The ghoul that I met at the cafe...the woman I told you about...its her. For a while she wasn't herself. Then she went missing. When we crossed paths again I saved her life and fed her. She became obsessed soon after. Tsuki was the same way... until I beat him to a pulp."

Now it was Hide's turn to blink. Following the same gesture except to show his confusion. "So...why do you still let her hang around you?" he questioned, moving closer, needing to get a better look at the faintly human like expressions. "..and whose Tsuki?"

"Its because the same organization that wants you...wants to kill her for desertion. And my organization, K...lives to ruin them. We destroy their influence and kill off any who support them in earnest; If we catch wind of their schemes, we get in the way until its a mess. And Tsuki, is an old gourmet. Someone who is also obsessed with me. Though, not so much, anymore."

Hide listened, not really liking what he was hearing. But considering all the other had been through, it would be weirder if the man wasn't warped in some way. "This organization wants me too? What for?"

Kaneki frowned, looking into the light brown eyes, wondering what scars lie lurking behind the wall of forgetfulness. "I don't know. But they said you've been wiped from existence...and that you are an asset to their newest project." Touching his cheek gently, he sighed. "..but Hide is the one thing they absolutely can't have. I'll keep you safe, and teach you to protect yourself. If you're captured, I'll find you before you're hurt. Death will come to me, before it comes to you, understand?"

Hide nodded, reaching out to touch the porcelain skin softly lit by street light. Who was this strange man that seemed to need him so desperately? What was he compensating for, by protecting him? "I understand.."

"It seems like, we all have our obsessions..." he began, noticing the subtle reactions from just his touch, the way the man inhaled deeper to take in his scent, the way his pupils gently eyed the veins pumping blood through his wrists. "...do you have something like that? Someone whose your obsession?" Do you wanna protect me or eat me you half crazed doberman?!

Senses muddled, Kaneki paused, touching the hand that was still lightly cupping his cheek. No one would ever see him in such a vulnerable state...but Hide was fine. "I don't think so.." he answered honestly, closing his eyes to the warmth on his face, enjoying this one moment in years he could safely accept affection. "..but I do have something I need more than anything right now. Something I don't want to give up." Hide looked into knowing eyes, his own widening slightly. "So...looks like I'm going to be stuck with you for a bit, huh."

The smile given was apologetic, but in truth Kaneki felt no remorse. He was a predator first and foremost so felt no guilt in claiming what was 'his'. But the human part of him echoed complaints..to show tact and courtesy in his dealings. "I did say you'd take responsibility.." he half joked "So yes...in a way."

Chuckling softly, Hide placed a hand on his shoulder. This was a deal that seemed to benefit them both. "Well! As long as it comes with three meals a day, I can work and I've got a place to crash...feel free to be as clingy as you want. We can even wear matching pajamas. I'll let you call me onii-chan." he teased "..but being your security blanket will cost ya."

Kaneki frowned, brushing the hand away abruptly. Way to kill the mood, Hide. "I'm not going to cling to you. Or call you that. And you're not my security blanket. I've survived this far without you." he snapped, a bit peeved at the sunshine smile. "..but, I can promise you the other things. If you get on my nerves there's consequences, so don't be too cheeky. I hate that."

Hide's eyes narrowed, his smile cavalier as he responded. "If you say so...Kaneki."

Bristling at the sound of his name, he looked at his companion, a storm in his eyes at the tremor that ran through his spine. "..."

Hide beamed, knowing all too well what was required. "Shall I say it again? Your name.."

Silence. But eventually, a subtle nod.

"Ka-ne-ki..."

Next time: A Time For Cruelty and A Time For Tea

AN: I have changed my chapter style at random, so excuse me. I have NO intentions of going pro XD Titles help me pull the story along and get me pumped believe it or not; even my simple ones...I'll edit chapter's one and two so there's some consistency XD My apologies to anyone who was reading Tokyo Kyushu: Aftermath...There will be at least a month more before I update it. Got to get this one out of my system first.

**Update**: So I REALLY changed things up to get some consistency and because I was unsatisfied with how I threw everything together. lol I know being that the manga is out and in full swing, so few can focus on writing TG fics or updating them on FF, but I appreciate those that continue to. I love stories with Hide in it since he's such a dynamic and mysterious character when you really think about it. When I first started this I only had vague images of how this would go but everything is getting clearer so its full speed ahead.

Thanks to the few for your favorites and follows. I like reviews too x3