Hidekane Week Day 5 - Winter/New Years/Reunion
Summary: Kaneki never needs to feel the cold when he has Hide to hold on to.
Kaneki lay awake on his back, listening to the loud rushing of the wind from the snowstorm outside. Hide, after spending the day hanging out at Kaneki’s apartment, occupied the other side of the bed. Kaneki was grateful that Hide was staying over; he wouldn’t want to be alone in his apartment while the weather was this rough. Kaneki shivered and buried himself further underneath the blankets; of all the times for the heater in his apartment to be faulty. The blankets were providing some amount of warmth, but not nearly enough for Kaneki to be satisfied.
Kaneki rolled onto his side to face Hide’s part of the bed. The other boy was turned away from him, but Kaneki could see the slow rise and fall of Hide’s body as he breathed, so he guessed that Hide had fallen asleep, the cold not having bothered him. Hide’s blond hair was already starting to become ruffled from the pillow he was sleeping on; he’d wake up with ridiculous bedhead in the morning. Kaneki smiled at the image. It was quite peaceful watching Hide sleep, even if Kaneki couldn’t see his face. He looked comfortable where he lay, and he seemed like he would be really warm …
Maybe Kaneki didn’t have to spend the night shivering after all.
Kaneki raised himself a bit off the bed and began to slowly move in towards Hide, making ever so slight movements so as not to disturb Hide’s sleep. He froze when the blond suddenly shifted in his position, but Hide merely curled up and brought his legs closer to his chest before lying still again. Kaneki sighed in relief and carefully crept further towards Hide until he reached where he was sleeping. He eased himself back down onto the bed and pressed himself up against the other boy’s back. Just as Kaneki had thought, Hide’s body was radiating warmth as always. He exhaled as he rested his head between Hide’s shoulders, letting his eyes close as he breathed in Hide’s scent.
His eyes opened as he felt Hide move once again. This time though, Hide rolled over so that he was now facing Kaneki, allowing Kaneki to get a full view of the blond’s smile and open, brown eyes.
“Did I wake you?” Kaneki asked guiltily.
Hide laughed softly. “You’re not as stealthy as you think you are, Kaneki.”
So Kaneki hadn’t gone unnoticed after all. “Sorry about that.”
Hide grinned. “Did you want to snuggle or something?” he teased.
“Well…” Kaneki pouted, averting his gaze to the side. “It’s cold.” He hoped Hide couldn’t see what must have been a blush on his cheeks.
“Cold, huh? I can help with that!” Hide exclaimed. “First, come closer.”
There wasn’t much distance between them, but Kaneki proceeded to move the extra inch inwards that was left until they were completely up against each other.
“Ok, good,” Hide said. “Next step…”
Hide reached over Kaneki, partially leaning on top of him, to feel for the edge of the bedclothes on the other side of the bed. Grabbing onto the blanket, he pulled it towards them and tucked it underneath Kaneki before wrapping it around his body. Hide reached behind him for his side of the blanket and did the same thing, tucking it underneath his own body before wrapping it around himself.
“There!” Hide said triumphantly. “Blanket burrito!”
Hide was beaming at this clever idea of his, making Kaneki laugh.
“Are you warm now?” Hide asked.
“Yeah,” Kaneki giggled. “Mostly”
“Mostly? In that case, I’ve got an even better idea.”
In one swift action, Hide wrapped his arms around Kaneki’s torso and nuzzled his head in Kaneki’s chest. Kaneki’s eyes widened in surprise at the sudden embrace. He was sure of it now; he was most definitely blushing. Once Hide had found a comfortable place for his head in Kaneki’s chest, he rested his hands on Kaneki’s lower back and entwined his legs with Kaneki’s. Kaneki wondered if Hide could hear his quickening heartbeat from his position against his chest.
Kaneki glanced down towards Hide and began to run his fingers through Hide’s hair in an attempt to fix the unruly blond locks that had set themselves in all different directions. Hide hummed at the touch, and Kaneki found himself continuing to stroke the other’s hair, even after he realised that any attempt to fix its mess was futile.
“Are you completely warm now?” Hide asked, his voice muffled against Kaneki’s chest.
Kaneki smiled. “Mhmm,” he murmured in response, returning the embrace by holding Hide around his shoulders.
Not able to help himself, Kaneki leaned in to place a light kiss on the top of Hide’s head before closing his eyes to drift off to sleep.
From the heat that lingered on his cheeks, to the feeling of Hide’s body against his, to the warmth in his heart as they snuggled, he was in no danger of feeling the cold while he held Hide in his arms.
No matter how close Kaneki held Hide in towards his chest, the warmth that had always radiated from Hide, the warmth Kaneki had gotten so used to, was gone.
Fire blazed around Kaneki as he walked out of what remained of Anteiku, but he was numb to the heat of the flames. He was indifferent to the freezing air that blew in his direction as he stepped outside.
Hide’s body hung cold and heavy in Kaneki’s arms as he carried him away from Anteiku. He trudged through the snow, just barely aware of the investigators that were watching him from all sides but making no move towards him, even after the white sheet that had covered Hide drifted off his body and onto the ground.
Kaneki stopped walking when he reached the white-haired figure that stood underneath the light coming from above. Kaneki gently placed Hide on the ground, where snowflakes immediately began to fall on him and cover his body. He faced the investigator across from him, but Kaneki had no will to fight anymore.
All Kaneki had left was the cold emptiness in his chest.
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