Work Text:
"Let's get one thing straight."
Kumamoto nearly leapt out of his seat when Kanae slammed down her dark roast coffee onto their shared table, causing it to shake violently. She leaned into his face, ignoring the stares she drew from all around them. "This isn't a date. Not even close. So I don't want you leaving this cafe thinking we're suddenly an item, got it?"
Kumamoto shriveled like a prune under her intense glare. He nodded vigorously. "N–Not a date… Got it."
"Good."
Satisfied, Kanae pulled out her chair with a loud, grating screech and slumped into it sideways so that she wouldn't have to face him. She crossed her legs and took a long sip of her coffee, then heaved out a sigh.
This was the worst. If she knew better, she would've been spending her day off doing something worth her time, not drinking coffee with this quibbling excuse for an S-rank hunter.
Kumamoto Atsushi, newly registered S-rank hunter and newest addition to the Draw Swords Guild. At first glance, he was the epitome of "dark and mysterious"—quiet, withdrawn, and exuding an aura so thick and morose that it made you want to steer clear from his presence whenever he was nearby.
Kanae, as much as she hated to admit, had been no exception.
And the thing was, it didn't make any sense. How could Kanae, brash and fearless, who smiled in death's eyes countless times, tense up when some long-haired, masked edgelord got a little too close to her? It pissed her off to no end, and she wasn't going to allow this guy to continue making her walk on eggshells.
So, she tried to seek Kumamoto out. Get to know him, figure out what his deal was. Maybe find out why he wore that eyepatch while she was at it, all in hopes of overcoming the intimidation her body felt inclined to feel towards him. When she did finally get the opportunity to talk to him…
Kanae snuck a glance across the table, watching her not-date fiddle with his mask as he brought the straw of his drink to his lips. His one-eyed, quivering gaze flew from one corner of the cafe to the other, landing everywhere except on her.
… Well, that was who she discovered.
Kanae almost let out a snort. To think that the "dark and mysterious" S-rank hunter who once made her shiver in her boots was, in actuality, a socially awkward wimp who couldn't hold eye contact to save his life. How annoying. But, at least he kept his mouth shut. Saved her the frustration of having to maintain a conversation with him.
The blissful silence, however, didn't last long. The moment Kanae raised her cup to her lips, Kumamoto's small voice tiptoed into the scene. "So, um…"
Kanae let out an irritable sigh. "What?"
Kumamoto flinched at her gruff tone. He averted his focus to his tall frappucino and began playing with the straw. "H–How long have you been a hunter?"
"Two years or so," Kanae responded half-heartedly, and hoped that would be the end of it.
Unfortunately for her, Kumamoto had more to say. "I see." He paused for a sip. "Then, if I may… I mean, if it's alright to ask, um…"
"What're you mumbling about? Just get on with it!"
Kumamoto froze up. "Eek! Sorry! What I mean to say is, um… How do you do it?"
Kanae raised a brow. "Uh, can you be a little more specific?"
"I mean, how do you keep your composure as a hunter? How can you just fight those horrifying monsters all the time and not fall apart?"
"I dunno." Kanae shrugged, taking a sip of her coffee. "I just go out there and do it."
"Go out there and do it, huh…?" Kumamoto spun his cup in circles, appearing deep in thought, and… Wait, was that a scoff she heard? "I suppose I should have expected you would say as much. Someone like you who never fears death…"
Kanae fixed him with a pointed look. "Don't put words into my mouth. I didn't say that I never feared death. I simply learned to master my fear over time."
"O–Oh. I guess because you're always so confident, I assumed—" Kumamoto shook his head. "Uh, never mind. So, how do you do that?"
"What, master the fear of death? Simple. You treat every mission like it's your last. Fight like you won't see another dawn. Imagine yourself dying over and over again until the inevitability of your own death has become ingrained into your existence."
"That sounds kind of… intense."
Kanae shrugged again. "Well, intensity hardens you, and you need to be hardened if you want to survive this life."
"Me, hardened? I don't know if that's possible."
"You're one of us, now. You'll find out if it's possible soon enough."
"Soon…?" Kumamoto clutched his forearms, wrapping himself in a tight hug. He began to shiver as if a cold front passed by. "W–What do you mean? Goto doesn't plan on sending me to a gate anytime soon, right?!"
"Huh? No, that wasn't what I was trying to say—"
As Kanae tried to clarify herself, Kumamoto doubled over with a teary moan, fingers coiling into his dark locks, pulling and twisting with anxious energy. "Ngh.. It's hopeless… I knew I shouldn't have registered, but no, I just had to convince myself that it was the responsible thing to do as an S-rank… Now I'm going to get sent on a super dangerous mission and die horribly…"
Kanae huffed, massaging her temple. Christ, it was like dealing with a toddler. How old was this guy again? Twenty-five?
Take him out for coffee, Akari had suggested. It'll be fun, and you'll be less wary around him, she had insisted. Kanae made a mental note to never accept advice from her colleagues ever again.
"Stop crying," Kanae demanded. "You're not gonna die."
Kumamoto shot a bleary, red-rimmed glare at her. "How do you know that? I'm not like you; I'm a coward! What makes you think I have any hope of surviving a single mission?!"
"Because I won't let you die!"
Silence seemed to envelope the entire cafe. Kumamoto stared at her, his right eye wide with shock. Why was he giving her that incredulous look? She didn't say anything crazy, did she? All she said was that she wouldn't let him die.
Then, Kanae's blood went cold, the realization of her words and how they might be twisted immediately dawning on her.
Kanae stabbed a finger at Kumamoto. "Don't you dare get the wrong idea! I only said that because there's nothing more annoying than having someone die on my count. Not because I care about you! I just hate being liable for a corpse, that's all!"
"R–Right, right! I understand!" Kumamoto sputtered, flailing his hands in front of him. After a couple of deep breaths, his composure returned, when he looked at her, he held her gaze with a steadiness he hadn't shown before.
"I know I'm a coward," Kumamoto admitted, "but, I'll try my best not to be a burden on you." A slight head tilt lured his hair to follow suit, allowing it to cascade down the side of his face. Crinkles formed at the end of his right eye, and his face softened. "Thank you, Tawata."
Kanae opened her mouth, but found herself unable to muster words.
The way Kumamoto appeared right now, sweet and pure under the gentle gleam of morning light, it had her wondering if the smile underneath that surgical mask was just as beautiful as his face.
Feeling a blush come on, to Kanae's utter horror, she turned her face away from Kumamoto.
"W–Well, whatever." Great, now she was stammering. "Just don't get too comfortable relying on me, alright? We won't always be paired on missions, so you'll have to grow some balls. And if you're too clingy, you can forget about my protection."
A light chuckle chimed from underneath Kumamoto's mask. "Because you would kill me before any magic beast could, right?"
Kanae smirked. "You already know me so well."
Kanae couldn't believe she was telling herself this, but this Kumamoto guy might not be so bad after all, crying and awkwardness aside. In due time, she might learn to get along with him. She might even grow to like him.
Maybe.