Hiraeth (A HideKane/ KaneHide multichapter fic)

Chapter 4

I do not own this story. It is written by Aellia on FanFiction.net. All credits go to her.

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ao3: Aeliia
http://www.fanfiction.net: Aeliia
tumblr: memesbeforedark/sunshineboyhide
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Hide had been correct to assume he wouldn't get a single scratch-he had at least fifty by now, and the number was only growing.

Despite his complete lack of knowledge on fighting, Touka didn't let up at all. She punched him, kicked him, and tossed him on the ground with no mercy, claiming experience was the best teacher. "T-Touka," Hide panted. "I think I need-"

"No breaks!" Touka yelled, throwing a hard punch at his stomach. Hide attempted to dodge it, only to trip over a raised piece of concrete and fall over. Touka mounted herself on top of him, triumph on her face. Hide closed his eyes and waited for the punch, but it didn't come. Instead, she got off him and helped him to his feet. Smirking, she crossed her arms. "See? That wasn't so bad, was it?"

"Speak for yourself," Hide mumbled, rubbing his bruised and throbbing face.

Touka tossed him an after-work out towel. Catching it, Hide wiped the sweat from his forehead. "We'll go upstairs and rest a bit. After that, we'll work on bringing out your kagune," she stated. Hide nodded and followed her up the steel rungs that led outside.

Back inside Anteiku, which had been closed for an hour or so, Touka started up the coffee machines and brewed them some coffee. She threw in a couple sugar cubes in Hide's. Thanking her, Hide took the cup and sipped it graciously, the flavorful taste of the coffee filling his mouth. They sat down at a nearby table. The shop was illuminated only by the lights behind the counter, leaving the rest in shadows. Like in the lab, Hide had the odd sense of being watched. He looked out the windows at the dark street, but there was nothing. Ignoring the feeling, he returned his attention to Touka, who was talking about blending in with the human world.

"Are you even listening?" she snapped.

"Of course, yeah!" Hide replied, plastering a smile on his face. "What were you saying?"

Touka narrowed her eyes in suspicion but continued anyways. "Interacting with humans is dangerous until you've perfected the art of acting like one. You'll have to learn how to eat human food without vomiting, and you'll have to make sure no one discovers your true identity. If someone does..." She pantomimed slicing her neck. "Understand?"

Hide's smile wavered. Looking down at his coffee, he stared at the reflection looking back at him. The light only shone on half his face, the rest shrouded in darkness. "Yeah," he said simply. "Got it."

They remained in silence for quite some time until Touka finished her cup and got up. "Finished?" she asked him. Nodding, he handed her his cup and she went behind the counter and rinsed them out. Hide had only drank a quarter of his drink, but he had lost his wanting for it. "Alright," she said when she was finished, "ready to test out your kagune?"

"Try harder! Come on, it's not that difficult!"

"Says the person who's been doing it all her life!"

"Just think about releasing the Rc cells and it'll happen!"

Hide groaned, clenching his whole body. He was definitely not doing this right. How the hell did Touka bring hers out so easily?