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WHO: Kaneki + Open
WHERE: Heropa, Nonah, Maurtia falls, De chima
WHEN: March 1st to March 15th
WHAT: Find Kaneki on the street because he won't tell you he is here otherwise
WARNINGS: Canon spoilers, mentions of violence, gore and cannibalism

[ His arrival back in this world was smoother than he expected. The government told him he was not going to prison for what he did, but due to his violent acts --even if he wasn't in his right mind and was being "controlled" by Hornets-- he had to be put on probation. He was requested to wear an ankle monitoring bracelet for a month and he will have to report to a Registered imPort who will act as his parole officer; the tattoo in his arm now says "criminal" and will remain so for a month. And during all of this, not once Kaneki argued or complained. He nodded and accepted every decision the government made about this situation, and at the end all he did was ask if he still had access to De Chima labs --they said 'yes' because it was necessary-- and requested to now live in De Chima --request accepted-- and that was it.

That's how he returned to this world.

He left an entry over the network, and went to his new place. he is not sure how to address others just yet, but he knows he has to apologize, though you can't really apologize for something like that, not so lightly. He will focus on what he can while he decides the best course of action: the Hornets, the Porter, he will focus on keeping his place in this world, that has been threatened so many times already, and he will protect everyone. He will find what is the better way to do that, since experience told him he can't just do everything blindly. He needs to think.

He will figure it out. ]

HEROPA : Bookstore

[ Even though Kaneki is no longer living in Heropa, he still walks around the city quite often. It's a way to make sure everything and everyone are safe and in case something happens, he will be there to help and protect the people he cares about. He is now working at De Chima bookstore, but he decides to drop by his old workplace; here, only few days passed after he was sent back to his world, but back home it was over 6 months.

He smiles politely at his ex-boss as he comments on the white hair, and he smiles kindly at the man. He also apologizes for leaving and apologizes for no longer working there. With a small bow, he buys three new books and an extra fourth is given to him for free. When he finally leaves the bookstore, he looks around for a second and decides to take off his eyepatch; white hair and black clothes made him pretty weird already, but he figured it was better to avoid looking THAT weird with an eyepatch too. ]

NONAH : Coffee shop

[ He never actually been to Nonah before. It's funny because he was 6 months in this world before, and he never found an excuse to go to Nonah and visit the city. Right now he is only doing so because he wants to know the city, the layout, to see the people, the natives, the imPorts and their locations. He is scouting, that's the only reason he is there. Annie and Reiner live there, so it's important for him to know the place and in case something happens, he can navigate through it.

After a whole morning of walking around, he eventually comes to a coffee shop - a petite and quiet one - and asks for their "best coffee, no sugar, no cream, just coffee". And he eventually sits by the window, looking outside. Doing this sort of things... drinking coffee at a coffee shop, taking a moment to look around without searching for an enemy... it has been a while. ]

MAURTIA FALLS : Streets

[ This was the second city Kaneki was set on getting to know. Like Nonah, he has never been there, but like Nonah, he needs to get to know it in case anything happens. Scouting, learning the layout, learning what you may need to face. If anything happens and he needs to go to this small city again, he will know the place easily. He is also interested in the rumored underground scene going on; these are usually good for information, but given Kaneki is currently a "Criminal" and under Government's observation he knows he can't approach it just yet.

He is carrying his eyepatch today, plus the black clothing and the white hair help a lot for people in this town not to be so suspicious of him. The ankle monitor also brought enough attention, too, but Kaneki politely asks them to go away -with a smile and everything!- as he grabs his cup of coffee and sits down at a public bench to drink it.

This is a really interesting place, actually. Ghouls would probably find it "homy" ]

HEROPA/DE CHIMA : Moving from a city to another

[ Now that he lives in De Chima, he will have to move there. It means going to his old apartment in Heropa and get his things and move them to a different city. At least Kaneki doesn't have much house utensils and necessities, but he has a lot of books and carrying those can be a feat. At least he has super strength and he isn't going to hide that anymore; in his hands, he carries bags full of books, some clothes, some other accessories like coffee.

He can be found carrying his items from Heropa Individual Housing back to De Chima Individual Housing, since it's where he will live from then on. ]

CLOSED : Will Graham

[ Kaneki was assigned Will Graham as his parole officer; he is to report to him and the man already has files on what Kaneki is, thus he doesn't expect having to explain it to him. Hopefully. Though he has a feeling questions and conversations will be had. In any case, Kaneki decides to visit him the second he can.

At least he doesn't bring cupcakes this time.

Kaneki is wearing black, and if Will remembers a gentle black haired kid who smiled and looked too naive for this world, he will now meet a white haired Kaneki who still wears an eyepatch and looks far too tired (and sad). He is still smiling, though. Once he arrives to Will's shop, "Hook, line, & tinker", the first thing he notices is the dog, but after he looks around ] Excuse me...?

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...

[A blink.]

You don't remember it?

Like...

At all?

[NOW he looks concerned.]

[ noticing his friend worried, Kaneki decides won't talk about that matter, and instead opts to change the subject ]

Are things calmer here? Ever since the Hornets attack, I mean.

For the most part? [You should know Hide, checking the recent-goings on, making note but barely ever letting himself be seen--it was the way he always was.]

imPorts themselves make a lot of noise with their powers and general existence, but. By the looks of things, there's been a lot of people upset about the attacks and the infoleaks, but other than that...

Things seem to be grinding back down to... a relative norm. [How long that'll last is anyone's idea.]

[ Kaneki nods softly. ] it's good this way. I hope there will be some time to breathe. small>[ not for himself tho kaneki doesn't stay put for too long ]

You need a break as well. [ after being nearly killed by ken, he means. ]

...Yeah. A vacation would... probably be good for both of us.

[His fingers twitch at his side, and they maybe settle against his side, without really thinking about it.]

All fun and no games is a real dry way to live, yanno?

[ both?

He smiles softly at the suggestion, but won't address it. Because he can't. There is so much he has to do. Even if laying low, he still has things to do.

He can't stop.

And maybe he has become dry. It's fine. ]

Hm. [ a small acknowledgment of something that will never happen ] You were enjoying the place, weren't you? [ before all that happened.

One thing Kaneki is sorry, is that he broke it for Hide. He did warn him the place could be dangerous, but he showed that to him the worst way possible ]

...Eh?

[His fingers clench a little over the cloth of his coat, and he quickly lets go when he realises he's doing it.]

'Were'? Past tense?

Come on, bud, I still am enjoying it. Despite the bad things that have happened.

[ still?

Kaneki really has to wonder how can Hide keep so upbeat about everything. it's refreshing and actually, that's something sort of always fascinated Kaneki.

Kaneki blinks, but his smile grows wider ]

That's good to know. You love your powers, after all. You should keep enjoying them.

[Still.

It'd take a whole lot more than almost getting killed to make him hate a place like this; somewhere he could actually be with his best friend and even others without the worries of home; of Kaneki dying for good, of actually losing him (again--)

No, he still liked this place.]

Sure, I love my powers for sure. But you know, that's not the only reason why I like being here. [Idiot.]

[ he hums, a bit playfully ]

I don't know unless you tell me. My power is to have tentacles coming out of my back, not read minds.

[ he is joking. It's a bad joke.

but he nods ]

Back home, too. I won't be missing for very much longer. [ he had every intention of reaching for Hide ]

Aaah, don't call them tentacles, I'll just imagine you as a squid and I don't want to be best friends with a squid.

[You get a terrible joke back, bud.]

You wouldn't be missing much longer, huh? You're telling me that you were gonna go look for me back home, then? [A tilt of his head, a curious look.]

See, the best thing about this place. It's not having to wait around to see if you'll show up.

I can just call you, instead of not knowin', yanno?

Now I'm a squid, uhm? I should ask for my codename to be changed, instead of Centipede.

[ Kaneki smiles softly at those words, even though he actually feels guilty. He hid from Hide for so long, he avoided him, he didn't tell him anything, for over six months. he left his friend like that. It was all to protect him, it's true, but Kaneki surely didn't go about it the right way.

He wants to tell him he did it all for him, but it's unfair to say that because it'll feel like Hide is the reason why kaneki left, and that's not it at all ]

Even if I left, I didn't stop caring about you, Hide. [ of course not. Hide, people at Anteiku, Banjou-san and his group, Hinami-chan... that's all Kaneki could think of ]

Heeeh. I think squid would be a horrid codename, to be honest. I'd rather take rabbit as my own, if it was a choice between you being Squid and me being that. [Nope, centipedes were definitely less gross than squids.

He goes quiet after that, however. Kaneki's words something that was both comforting, as well as a little grounding. 'I didn't stop caring'... at least there was that. He could live with that.]

I know you didn't. I guess, I knew the whole time. It's why I was looking for you so hard, I think. Because I knew ya didn't forget about me, even in that new world of yours.

...I guess I just. Wanted to let you know that you didn't. Have to leave me behind to protect me.

[ Kaneki watches Hide for a moment, before he looks away. His eyes search for the coffee, but all he has is the empty cup - that's what he focus on anyway.

There was so much. There still is. To tell Hide, to explain, and at the same time, to keep from him. "Hide from Hide"; hide what and how much, though? He doesn't want to scare him, he doesn't want to push him away, but that world of his, it's such a world that he doesn't think Hide would survive in.

And that scares him so much.

Kaneki knows he did things wrong, but at the time, he as so scared of losing the person looking at him right now. And he still is, Kaneki is so terrified of it.

But Hide knows. The reason why kaneki pushed him away. ]

... I couldn't... [ his voice comes out so softly. he remembers the day when he decided he'd be a ghoul, when he decided he'd surpass Rize. The day he ate her. ] ... I couldn't abide someone like Yamori- Aogiri tree.

If they got stronger, they'd do so much damage to the 20th ward. And you and... Anteiku would have to go through so much. [ through what Kaneki suffered ] I couldn't allow it.

[ at each word his voice grows colder, and his focus on the cup is lost. And bit by bit, he gets lost within the sounds inside his head. Rize's voice. Yamori's screams. A scratching sound. A maddening laugher, his own. ] They would get no mercy. I had to eradicate them, pluck out the bad coffee beans. One by one. Stop them all before they bloom.

[ with his thumb, Kaneki cracks his middle finger. He isn't focused on anything in particular, but his eyes are set on a point, which isn't anything Hide could actually see. ]

I won't allow anyone to threaten that world.

[He's watching Kaneki carefully. His expression a true neutral in nature, but in his head, there were so many gears turning that if you looked close enough, you might even see them.

I couldn't abide
I couldn't allow it
They would get no mercy
I had to eradicate
pluck out like bad coffee beans
Stop them all

This... this wasn't the normal voice of his best friend. And even more, he just wondered. What... have you gone through, Kaneki. To have changed this much. To have goals like this.

Without a word, he reaches across the table. Taking that hand, the hand which Kaneki's knuckle had popped so loudly.]

...Earth to Ken. Did I lose you in all of that there, bud?

[ when Kaneki feels a hand touching his, he stops breathing, and his kakgun reacts faster than ever. Because there is no eyepatch, Hide will be able to see it turn black and red in blink of an eye, but it returns back to normal just as fast, when Kaneki comes back to reality and the incessant voices inside his head stop. ]

Sorry. I got lost in thought.

[ kaneki moves his other hand to his pocket, reaching for the eyepatch. he should keep wearing it; it's true he can control his kakugan now, but sometimes, when he gets lost within his own head, he activates it suddenly. So wearing the eyepatch IS the best ]

[Something prickles up on the back of his neck when Kaneki's eye changes. No matter how much he boasts that his experience with Kaneki had been one that wasn't his best friends' fault--the fact still stood that he'd almost gotten eaten by him.

That eye brought back too many memories way too quickly; and he does his best not to let it show on his face. A smile widening over his expression as he covers his mouth with a free hand, a little laugh escaping him.]

Don't get lost in your head too much, bud. I'll try to follow you in, and I might get lost.

[It's a joke, but there's a lot of weighted truth to it.]

[ Kaneki smiles softly and whispers: ] You wouldn't like it in there.

[ because it's so true. Hide would see sides of Kaneki that he would never want his best friend to see, sides Ken himself sometimes thinks that are so wrong, but also necessary.

No matter.

Hide would never see them.

Kaneki finishes placing his eyepatch, covering his eye perfectly, before he looks down at Hide's hand. His own, in comparison, is cold, rough, the nails sort of crooked and thick. How unsightly. He pulls his hand away. ]

Thank you, Hide. [ for still being there, for still caring and for still reaching for Kaneki's ugly hand. ]

Maybe not. But I'd go anyway.

[Because that's true, too. He'd followed after Kaneki once before, he'd do so again, in a heartbeat. His eyes were looking away, however, giving the other that little bit of privacy as he places his eyepatch on--the reason why the other wears it a little more obvious to him now.

His eyes had hit, instead, Kaneki's hand in his own. He'd wanted to tease Kaneki for painting his fingernails, but touching them, it's clear that it's not paint at all; but rather, the colour of the nails themselves. Hard, like an insect's carapace. ...How?

His thoughts were inturrupted when Kaneki pulls away.]

Yeah. No problem, bud.

...So, shall we go, then? I'm sure I've kept you from your work long enough, huh. [It was getting late.]

[ he nods softly, getting up eventually after. That's right, it was. And Ken still had to bring some things to his new place. ]

You too, right? After all, you work as well.

[ Kaneki waits for Hide to move, and he will follow after the other ]

Send me a text whenever you want to hang out, alright? [ there is no need to keep away now ]

My shift starts in about an hour, but. I'm not worried. If I'm running late, then I'll just have to pick up the pace. [A grin, as he moves to stand up. Hands sliding into his pockets as he starts to head towards the door.]

You know it, bud. You're at the top of my contacts, after all. If I ever need a dose of company, I'll be buggin' the heck out of you.

So expect it. [Even if, sometimes, he expects Kaneki not to answer. Life as normal, honestly.]

Aha, that's cheating.

[ kaneki smiles.

Indeed, there will be times when Kaneki won't answer, times when he can't, times when it's better not to.

But in the end, Kaneki won't be completely gone ]

Already am.

See you, Hide.

Maybe a little. But hey, you use what you've got to succeed, right?

[He tips his head back, flashing the other one last smile; a wave of his arm.]

Later on, Ken.

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