[ Closed ]

[anthropophagite]

WHO: Kaneki + Reiner + Hide + Annie
WHERE: Around Florida, honestly this is a road trip
WHEN: Thursday
WHAT: Double not dates
WARNINGS: Canon spoilers, mentions of cannibalism

[ kaneki's life is never "amazing" or "great"; it's hard to when he lives the way he does, with what he is. But the hardest part was to hide it from people who are close to him and sometimes life takes a turn and makes things easier, smoother. Annie knows, Hide knows, Reiner knows; that made things smoother. Not amazing, but a bit better. Of course he still struggles a lot, to be looked at as "not human" and worries that they look at that inhuman part whenever they are with Ken. But in all honesty, after admitting to it, after he allowed them to know, it became easier not to think about that.

And Kaneki feels that it'll be alright, in a way; never completely, NOTHING of what he is is "alright", but with his friends, the people he cares for. Yeah. It'll be.

He has decided to do more. Enjoy that state of "alrightness". So he talked to Hide and then Reiner and Annie, and he decides why not hang out together? He never really left the cities with Annie before, and Hide wants to explore America and Reiner still has to meet and get to know Hide, so it's all good if they go together somewhere. Kaneki isn't sure where, but they will get to that.

They agreed to meet near the train station, but Kaneki decided that no, they won't be going by train. Because he does have a driver's license, and thanks to being an imPort, kaneki rented a car - not a hoover car, he doesn't know how to handle that - a black simple one that wouldn't be too expensive to rent for a day, and he drives off to the meeting point. On the luggage he has all sort of traveling utensils that might be necessary along with towels (in case someone goes skinny dipping again HI REINER) and, of course, he brought along his imunosuppressant drugs and those special "sugar" cubes. Another good thing? He isn't wearing the eyepatch. He can't drive with it. ]

Comments

[anthropophagite]

[ he blinks for a second, glancing back at Reiner. He remembers how he and Hide spoke about dating guys few weeks ago, so- ] Dating guys, then?

[ it's fine if Reiner doesn't want to answer and/or dismisses the question altogether. Kaneki will give him the chance to do so by answering about Alligators ]

well, they do this every day, so I doubt they'd still do it if it was dangerous. What I know from gators comes from the television and they usually like to fascinate people - so they show them hunting most of the time.

[ but he doesn't know if they are vicious when they aren't hunting ] ... don't get eaten by one, please. [ he is joking ]

[soldiarity]

Right. If I was going to be dating anyone, but-- [ A pause. ] For right now I'd better not.

[ He was wrong -- that was pretty easy. Though Reiner looks at Kaneki warily for a moment to make sure this isn't suddenly going to become uncomfortable.

Reiner crosses one of his legs over the other, still leaning his weight against his arm on the boat's ridge. ]

Oh, that won't happen. Even if they did attack. But we'll probably just have a nice day watching them instead. Or... at least fish.

[anthropophagite]

[ Kaneki seriously doesn't mind. He just nods and smiles softly ] I understand. [ "it's better not", that's what he means he understands. because Kaneki thinks the same, too, but his better not might go on for a real long time.

He does have to wonder if dating a man is that different from dating a woman. He never really dated before, so it's not like he knows. ...intimate things would be VERY different, but he doesn't think about that. ever. nope.]

I prefer watching, really. it sounds a lot more safer. [ and dryer, too. And that's when Kaneki notices a figure passing right under the boat, and his first reaction is to quickly pat Reiner's shoulder ] There!

[soldiarity]

[ Whatever you do, Ken, don't let it be Reiner that has that talk with you. You will regret it. ]

I know. [ Though after saying that he realizes he actually isn't sure what in specific Kaneki is referring to. Taking a guess: ] At least, I figured you would.

[ Dating is the kind of frivolous and distracting thing Reiner always expected never to have time for, anyway. People with normal lives date and get married, not... well.

He lets his attention get carried away with the alligator, sitting up excitedly. ]

Oh! [ Points!! So cool. ] Damn, that thing looks way longer than the boat -- is that an optical illusion or do you think it's really that size?

[anthropophagite]

[ he doesn't need the talk! he knows about it! he just doesn't think about it. Ever. ]

[ kaneki looks through the glass, but as soon the animal is out of sight, he is moving to the edge of the boat, to watch the water ] I think it's really that size! Alligators can get pretty big!

[ and when the gator passes by the boat, before it dives back into the water, kaneki looks pretty impressed ] it's huge!

[soldiarity]

[ GOOD. That is for the best...

Reiner stomps his foot against the bottom of the boat enthusiastically, moving closer to the boat's edge to watch the alligator move as well -- it's all he can do to resist from standing up, but Reiner is not so dense to think that's a good idea. ]

I'll say it's huge... it's got to be heavy, too, just look at the size of that splash. Geez. [ He grins, though. ] Imagine having something like that try to swallow you whole.

[anthropophagite]

[ Kanki laughs ] I heard some alligators do eat people. Not sure if it's a rumor or not. [ and eventually they pass by what it looks like an island of gators, and Kaneki is the most amazed person on this boat right now ]

So many. [ he looks back at Reiner ] are you sure you want to go skinny dipping here?

[soldiarity]

[ Indignantly: ]

I never wanted to! Can you imagine? I could grow my limbs back, but I don't think my mind would ever be the same. [ Reiner clamps his legs together at the knees, considering it. It's enough to almost make him shudder at the thought. Joking, he adds: ] Besides, I know you want me to keep all my clothes on this time.

[anthropophagite]

I think people would freak out way too much about something like that. [ please don't consider it ]

And I never said anything bad about you taking off your clothes, but the public might have something to say. [ he chuckles, playfully. His eyes return to the glass floor to watch the lake (river?) floor. Since the water is so clear, it's very easy to see everything, actually. ]

[soldiarity]

I can control myself -- I'm not an animal.

[ Reiner smirks, giving Kaneki's shoulder a light shove. ]

Swimming isn't even something I do very much. Before I got here I mostly knew enough not to drown, there wasn't a lot of time for that kind of thing. [ Or like... pools. Reiner shrugs his shoulders, still grinning mildly. ] I only did that in the mountains because I thought it'd be fun.

[anthropophagite]

Oh good. Because with your size, it'd be really difficult to stop you. [ and kaneki is going to shove Reiner back - lightly, of course ]

Turning blue always is fun. [ okay no, Kaneki will stop now. ] But it was. Fun, I mean. It was a good day.

[ this one is being, too ] Thank you for coming. [ he means it. Because after what he told Reiner, he wasn't sure if it was alright to invite him like this ]

[soldiarity]

It might be fun if it wasn't just me. But maybe next time.

[ His grin broadens briefly and he nods his head, leaning back in his seat and adjusting his arm on the rim of the boat. ]

It was -- I had a good time. Thanks for inviting me out again, I didn't know if you'd want to see me anymore. [ Considering last time. ] That guy is your friend from home, right?

[anthropophagite]

[ Kaneki looks back at Reiner for a second. Actually, he doesn't think he is the one to decide if they should see each other again or not; he thinks that it should be Reiner's choice and he should keep away but-

he sighs eventually, looking back to the water outside the boat ]

... I didn't want to stop being your friend. [ someone like him, well. it's a bit selfish ] I enjoy being with you.

[ it's his place in the world. people make up Kaneki's place, kaneki's "home", and Reiner is one of them. ]

[soldiarity]

[ Reiner and Kaneki are both apparently stubborn that way; Reiner isn't usually on the receiving end of such revelations, but when he is the one delivering them he understands and expects them to change his relationships with the persons in question. Presumably, Kaneki feels similarly.

But right now Reiner doesn't see it that way. He still wants Ken to be the one to decide what he's comfortable with. ]

And I enjoy being with you, so that makes two of us. We have a few things in common, after all.

[anthropophagite]

[ he doesn't know if he can call it "common". It's true Reiner has done terrible things as well, and circumstances are at best quite similar. But there is still a lot that is different from each other's situations.

Mostly because while Reiner can lock away his and pretend it's fine (and probably do that in a seriously messed up way), kaneki's is always there. Nothing is fine. He still eats people. He still wants to vomit everytime. he still hallucinates Rize often.

But Kaneki smiles softly, before he nods ]

A little bit in common, yeah.

[soldiarity]

[ Reiner stares down through the bottom of the boat, moving his legs and feet apart again so they don't obstruct his view, and then looks out over the top of the boat at the mass of crocodiles just... hanging out (for now) around them. Sunning, probably, by the look of it. ]

What's your friend like? Are you glad to have him here now?

[anthropophagite]

[ Kaneki was looking at the crocodiles when he heard the questions and smiles back at Reiner ]

... Hide is a bit like you, except he is way more excitable. He is very social, and popular, people like him from the start. [ his smile softens and though kaneki is looking down at the bottom glass, he isn't looking at anything in particular ] I never had many friends and Hide was my only support. We mostly talk about trivial things, but he really saved me.

I think... having him here helps me more than I ever will realize.