守りたい // hidekane

18

Kaneki had an epiphany.

"Rather than a person who hurts others, become the person getting hurt." His mother's voice rung in his ear when he had lost consciousness a few minutes after Yamori had stuffed a centipede into his ear.

Rize had appeared in his mind long after and she had mocked his mother's ideology. His mother had ended up being the person getting hurt so much that she overworked herself and died due to her selflessness. Rize made Kaneki angry, but more than that, he'd realized that she was right. His mother had chosen both sides and lost herself to provide for her sister who is less than deserving of her concern, causing a great price of her life in return and left Kaneki in the hands of his horrible aunt.

"She wasn't kind for choosing both you and her sister." Rize had said, "She was simply weak."

Kaneki was like his mother.

But he didn't want to be like her anymore. He couldn't forgive and forget forever. He couldn't possibly forgive someone like Yamori. Someone takes lives at the expense of his entertainment. People like that must be punished. They shouldn't be given an ounce of kindness or compassion for their actions.

Rize carries on, "If the Aogiri grows in number, it won't be long until they gain power and demolish every ward. Including the 20th ward." She steps closer to him, an ever present smile on her face, "You know who's in the 20th ward, right?"

"Anteiku...." Suddenly it's getting hard to breathe, "Hide."

"Right. Your friends from Anteiku and your precious Hide will fall into the hands of the Aogiri, is that what you want, Kaneki?"

He grits his teeth. "No...no. Anyone who takes the only place I belong..." Kaneki meets Rize's eyes, "I won't forgive them."

"Now you're getting it!" Rize lets out an enthusiastic laugh, "So what are you going to do Kaneki?~"

"I'm going to be a ghoul."

"I..like what you did with your hair."

Kaneki looks up from where he had zoned out after the hug, lips perking up a little bit at the comment. Hide never fails to make any situation seem lighter...

"White's a great look on you." Hide adds, his hand automatically forming an awkward peace sign and he almost shits himself in embarrassment. It's worth it though when Kaneki lets out a little chuckle.

But the loud commotion from outside drags them back into the reality and as quick as it had came, Kaneki's smile dropped and his gaze turned hard. Hide's eyebrows crease in worry, but he decides that they'd better leave this place then catch up with one another, as much as he would want to do that now.

"Let's go."

Kaneki leads the way outside the doors and they break into a sprint through the empty halls which seem to ring with every crash and explosion coming from the war out front.

But as they ran, it struck Kaneki as hard as a knife as he realized that Hide was here in this dangerous ghoul filled hell. The main person he is trying to protect is the one who had risked his life coming all the way here. Shit, does that mean he....

"Kaneki, look out!" The light haired male didn't have time to process the words and Hide (idiotically) jumps in front of him to shield him from an incoming kagune, which sends him flying against the wall, knocking him unconscious.