It had been Akaashi's idea.
Kuroo was surprised when the younger boy, ever the lackluster being, suggested such a heartfelt gesture.
An homage to their friendship, he said.
An ode to what brought them together, he explained.
What surprised Kuroo even more was Bokuto's reluctance in agreeing.
Kuroo remembers one night he jokingly asked if Bokuto wanted to go streaking through main campus with him. Before he could laugh at his own joke Bokuto had been out of his pants and working on his shirt. Plus, it's Akaashi asking. Anything Akaashi wants from Bokuto, Akaashi gets from Bokuto. So when his silver-haired friend had only agreed once Akaashi gave him the puppy dog eyes Kuroo wasn't sure what the aversion was.
It's only a tattoo, after all.
Only a permanent stamp on your body.
Only a thousand little needles puncturing your skin at the same time.
That's all.
"We'll leave tomorrow around 4:00pm so we can grab something to eat first, sound good?" Akaashi is explaining to the two older boys. Kuroo read online that they should refrain from drinking alcohol within 24 hours of getting a tattoo, but he thinks one beer isn't going to do anything.
Bokuto, however, must think three or four beers won't hurt, "about this tattoo tomorrow..." Bokuto begins, trying to be nonchalant about this nerves.
Kuroo and Akaashi share a look, but both let Bokuto finish.
"Are you sure it's a good idea, Keiji? You want to ruin that pretty skin of yours?"
Kuroo snickers while Akaashi remains stone-faced.
"I mean," Bokuto continues, "it's not like either one of you play volleyball still anyway. So it doesn't really pertain to you, right?"
"Hey, that doesn't mean we don't miss it!"
Akaashi nods in agreement, "I have a lot of great memories from playing volleyball."
While Bokuto tries to think of another excuse to get out of tomorrow Kuroo thinks about his own great memories made during his volleyball days.
There's one tall, blonde, memory that definitely sticks out among the rest.
It's a fond memory, one that Kuroo thinks about often. One that always brings a smile to his face. One that he wishes hadn't become a memory, though. By the end of Kuroo's third year in high school he and Tsukishima had formed an odd, close, relationship that Kuroo loved. Liked. Kuroo liked.
Along with the training camp and practice matches for volleyball, taking trips to Miyagi and having a semi-regular guest at his parent's house in Tokyo had been what got Kuroo through his final year of high school.
Tsukishima had even come to his graduation ceremony. Had even went out to eat after the ceremony with Kuroo's family. Sure, Kenma, Akaashi, Bokuto, Lev, Yaku, and Yaku's family had been with them, but Tsukishima had come the farthest to celebrate.
Once Kuroo started university things began falling apart. It's not like anything had officially been set, or that there was anything put together to fall apart, but that's how it felt to Kuroo.
Tsukishima was only a second year, then. And Kuroo understands the pressures of being in college prep classes on top of being a fixed starter on a (powerhouse) volleyball team, things get a little busy.
But it hadn't really been Tsukishima's fault, had it?
No, the first few weeks were manageable between the two. Tsukishima helped Kuroo move. Kuroo had been excited to show Tsukishima around campus. Take him to his favorite noodle shops, where he stops for coffee in the morning before class. But then the fun of unfamiliar surroundings dulled and the two were slowly swept into that horrible time-consuming thing called life.
Tsukishima's studies caught up with him and ever since he started taking volleyball seriously finding a an open weekend was next to impossible for the younger boy. It's not like he didn't try, though. The steady Nekoma-Karasuno rivalry was still strong, even without Kuroo and the other third year players. Whenever a practice match was arranged in Tokyo or Karasuno would come for training camp Tsukishima made sure to call.
The first few times Kuroo tried his hardest to make it. But there was always a class ending or a class beginning, mandatory study sessions, or an impromptu nap. It was easier to drop by Nekoma at his leisure, or find Bokuto on campus somewhere. But with Tsukishima the timing was never right.
Eventually he heard from Tsukishima less and less. To no fault but his own. At first he told himself it was mutual. That he tried just as hard to keep in touch. Kuroo did try to come out for a weekend once, but it was during pre-lims and Tsukishima told him not to bother. It's not like they would have any time to hang out anyway.
Before he knew it, his first year of university life had passed. And then his second. And his third. Even into his fourth year, there's not a full moon that goes by that Kuroo doesn't think of him. Okay, there are a lot things that bring Tsukishima to Kuroo's mind (blonde hair, glasses, dinosaurs, volleyball, crows, sarcasm, insults, anyone taller than Kuroo, strawberries, raspberries, blueberries, fruit in general, legs, honestly the list keeps going...), but Kuroo is positive he's nothing but a memory to Tsukishima. He's not even sure he ranks in the 'great memory' section for Tsukishima anymore.
Bokuto's sigh breaks Kuroo from his thoughts, "ugh. You're right," he orders another beer while chugging the full one he has on the table, "let's do this!"
Their dinner had been quiet. Like Last Supper quiet. Bokuto's mood swings usually never phase Akaashi or Kuroo, but it's Bokuto's lack of mood that stills the other two.
Kuroo clears his throat, trying to make conversation, "is it supposed to rain later?"
Akaashi shakes his head, "don't think so."
"Oh that's good."
"Yep."
Eating. Drinking. Bokuto needs a refill (of water this time). More drinking. Another refill.
"Can we just go do this? Before I chicken out?" Bokuto throws down enough money to cover the bill (more than enough) and walks out of the restaurant.
"You sure this is a good idea?" Kuroo asks Akaashi, wondering if the younger one's nerves are as rattled as his own.
When Akaashi faces him there's a smug look on his face that Kuroo can't find justification for.
"Don't tell me you want to chicken out, too, Kuroo-san?"
Had someone asked Kuroo a week ago who would be the one to refuse a tattoo with all their might his money would be on the little shit head with the shit eating grin in from of him.
"Dammit."
"That's the spirit."
DING
Akaashi chose a small shop a little further into the city. Kuroo isn't sure if the name of the shop is simply TATTOO, or if that's just an advertisement of their services. Kuroo has seen plenty of shops closer to their apartment complex, close to university, but Akaashi seems adamant on this shop.
They must have just opened. There's no music and it's still a little stuffy from the lack of air conditioning. He hears a voice greet them from somewhere in the back, telling them to take a seat.
It's real. This is happening. Bokuto is flipping through the pages of flash work on the wall like he's looking for a specific recipe in a cookbook. Akaashi is playing with his fingers, losing his confidence he felt in the restaurant just minutes before. The more Kuroo looks around the shop the more Kuroo feels a little better about it all. It's stark. Crisp. Clean. The smell of cleaning product puts Kuroo more at ease than he thought it would.
Bokuto is about to tear the plastic flash displays off the wall, Akaashi is battling his own hands, and Kuroo is too busy closing his eyes and focusing on the clean smell to notice the voice from the back has emerged.
"Do you guys have—Oh! Kuroo-san? Bokuto-san? Akaashi-san?"
All three boys look up, surprised their names are used without introduction. A guy with his hair pulled up in a ponytail is staring wide-eyed at the trio. He's wearing a long-sleeved shirt, but his shorts expose his colorfully tattooed legs. Kuroo doesn't want to stare, but does he see outlines of constellations on the boys left leg? And are those mountains on his right leg?
When no one acknowledges the boy he starts to laugh, "you guys don't remember me? It's been a few years, hasn't it? Hey, my face is up here," he jokes.
Kuroo realizes he isn't the only one staring at the boy's legs. He sees Bokuto and Akaashi lift their heads out of his peripherals and he does the same.
Ah, so that's why he directed them to his face.
"F-freckles." Bokuto says, making the connection as well.
"Yamaguchi..." Akaashi searches for his full name.
"Tadashi," Kuroo finishes for him.
Yamaguchi smiles, "I was worried you all had forgotten, so quickly even. Although I did a pretty good job of blending in back then."
"Yamaguchi you're..." there's rarely a time all three boys are at a loss for words.
"Different?" Akaashi tries.
"Colorful?" Kuroo's turn.
"Hot." Bokuto wins.
Yamaguchi laughs again, "so what brings you guys in?"
"Ah..." Bokuto begins, but is suddenly feeling a little foolish for being so nervous.
"We want tattoos." Akaashi says, glancing at Yamaguchi's legs.
"Ah, okay, you want them today? We're pretty much walk in only, so I can check with-"
"Yes, today. I don't know if I can go through with it if we wait another day." Bokuto blurts out, nerves beating out pride.
Kuroo laughs, honestly, since recognizing Yamaguchi, a tattoo is the farthest thing from Kuroo's mind. He knows it's rude but the minute Kuroo looked the pretty freckled boy in the face he hoped a pretty blonde boy would materialize next to him like he used to in high school. He wants to ask Yamaguchi how Tsukishima is doing. He has no doubt Yamaguchi is a better friend than Kuroo and keeps his relationships close. If Yamaguchi is here in Tokyo does that mean Tsukishima is too? What if they go to the same university? Why wouldn't Tsukishima let Kuroo know that, though. Oh that's right, because they haven't spoken in over three years.
"Aw, Bokuto-san, it's not so bad, don't worry! What are you guys looking to get?"
Kuroo tunes out Akaashi explaining their tattoos and watches Yamaguchi closely. How does he bring up Tsukishima casually to his best friend? Although, what if they aren't best friends anymore? What if they had a fight and no longer talk at all?! What if Tsukishima doesn't approve of Yamaguchi's lifestyle? Kuroo can definitely see that happening. Straight-laced, serious, to-the-point Tsukishima in a tattoo shop? Kuroo has to hide a smile at the thought.
Then, he notices all three boys staring at him. Akaashi's smug look has spread to the other two and Kuroo realizes he's missed something.
"What?"
"Did you hear what Yamaguchi just said, Kuroo?"
"Oh uh... yeah. That's fine."
"That's fine?" Bokuto cocks his head to the side, smile getting wider. "Just fine, Kuroo?"
He's definitely missed something, but everyone else looks fine with it, so it's whatever.
Kuroo shrugs, "yeah, let's do this."
He's not sure why Bokuto's suddenly excited for this to happen or what he's just agreed to, but Yamaguchi gives him a smirk that reminds him of Tsukishima and then walks to the back.
"Kuroo... Are you sure you're okay with this?" Akaashi is the anxious one, now. Kuroo prides himself on rolling with the punches, never being too caught off guard, so he nods and tries to give a smirk of his own.
He's just not sure what could have been said the change the moods of the two that were obviously listening better than Kuroo had been.
He hears a laugh from the back and Kuroo thinks his ears are playing tricks on him. Even this guys laugh reminds him of Tsukishima's.
But then the figure comes into view. "Well if it isn't my volleyball senpais."
"Tsukki!" Bokuto goes to throw his arms around the tall blonde boy.
His eyes must be playing tricks on him, too. And Bokuto's eyes. Although the quick evasion the tall blonde does certainly reminds Kuroo of Tsukishima.
"Still Tsukishima, Bokuto-san." The boy deadpans.
Akaashi smiles and greets the taller boy with the same name that Kuroo thinks he's projecting in his head. There is no way this guy standing in front of him is Tsukishima Kei. He's taller than Tsukishima. Just as lanky, though. But he's more... colorful. In more ways than one.
The boy is donned in a similar outfit to Yamaguchi's. Shorts exposing colorful legs. He's wearing a zip-up sweatshirt, but there's a splash of color peeking out of his left sleeve that whets Kuroo's curiosity.
But his demeanor seems more colorful than Tsukishima's. Not as animated as Yamaguchi, but less uptight compared to the Tsukishima Kuroo knows.
"Kuroo-san, long time no see."
"Ts-Tsukishima?" Kuroo sits down, suddenly feeling a little too faint for a thousand needles to attack him today.
So it is Tsukishima. He still hides his laugh behind his hand. His face gives little expression, but his eyes tell Kuroo that it is in fact, Tsukishima Kei.
He wouldn't forget those honey brown eyes anywhere.
"Alright, tattoos for everyone." Tsukishima leads them back to his room.
Bokuto's mouth is running and he knows he should be listening, but it's like a bomb went off in Kuroo's head. There's ringing in his ears that has completely deafened him. He wants to say his vision is blurry, but he sees Tsukishima just fine.
They're catching up, like old friends do. He hears Akaashi's voice every now and then, Bokuto's voice more often than not, but Tsukishima's voice is the only one that breaks through the ringing in his ears and makes any sense.
"So who's going first?"
The room is silent and again, the roles have reversed.
"I will." Akaashi says before Kuroo can find his own voice. Dammit, Akaashi, Kuroo wanted to look like the cool one.
"As expected. I'm surprised you convinced these two to go along with it." Tsukishima removes his jacket and his left sleeve practically blinds Kuroo. He stops and acts deep in thought, "although, I'm sure you could convince these two to wear their pants inside out if you tried hard enough."
"Hey, that was one time." Bokuto does nothing to help their case.
"He told me it was for an experiment." Kuroo snaps back, just like old times.
"Experiments are conducted to produce better outcomes or give useful information. What good could possibly come from wearing your pants inside out?" Akaashi groans, finally glad to have someone else to share the burden of his two friends with.
"Maybe you proved we need reversible pants. For those less... aware."
"I was totally aware they were inside out!"
"I was being a nice person!"
Tsukishima and Akaashi roll their eyes, but the atmosphere turns serious when Tsukishima applies the stencil to Akaashi's arm.
Tsukishima has Akaashi look at the word placement compared to his elbow. Of course there's no need for a second try. It's Tsukishima we're talking about. No doubt he's going to place the stencil perfectly the first time.
"Ready?" Tsukishima gives the tattoo gun a quick buzz, letting all three boys get a sense of the sound that will almost be a constant for the rest of their time there.
Kuroo isn't sure if he should watch or if he should look somewhere else. He's afraid if he watches and sees blood he'll pass out. But if he doesn't watch then where is he going to look? Watching Bokuto will probably produce the same results, Tsukishima, too (for a different reason, though).
Instead he focuses on Tsukishima's left arm. There are crows, some with Kabuki Masks, others are plain. Realistic. There's background colors to give his sleeve more depth, but the detail of each mask really captures Kuroo's interest.
He hears TsukiAka talk softly among themselves like he has so many times before. They aren't speaking softly to prevent anyone from hearing, that's their normal tone. Even over the buzz of Tsukishima's tattoo gun, the two seem to hear each other perfectly. Which is good for them because Kuroo has no idea what they're saying. Still.
"Done. Let me clean up and switch everything out and I'll be ready."
"Done already?" Akaashi asks, looking dazed. Not a bad dazed, but a good dazed. A dangerous dazed. An addicted dazed.
"Check it out." Tsukishima urges, pointing towards the mirror.
Akaashi has to twist his arm inward to see the word right below his elbow, but it fills the space perfectly. Simple, easy to read, just how Akaashi imagined it.
SET
"Dude, badass." Bokuto stands behind Akaashi, admiring the three letters, "Tsukki, can I try?"
"No."
"Why not!?"
"There's no way I'm letting you use my gun."
"Come on, it'll be fun! Just a straight line."
"Draw a straight line on a piece of paper first and we'll see."
"Hey! What are you trying to say."
Kuroo gives Akaashi a thumbs up when he faces Kuroo for approval. "It wasn't so bad." Kuroo know Akaashi is downplaying his emotions. Not that it was actually a bad experience. Quite the opposite. He can tell Akaashi is pumped. He keeps staring at his arm and some might not be able to tell, but Kuroo has known Akaashi for almost a decade now and the look on his face is most definitely an elated one.
Bokuto should pick up on these things, and Kuroo thinks he probably would have, but he's too worried about his own arm, now.
"I'm saying stand still, let me place this stencil on you."
Bokuto freezes. Kuroo doesn't think he's breathing. Luckily it takes Tsukishima no time to align the word and order Bokuto on the freshly cleaned table.
"Aren't you going to let me look at it like you did with Akaashi!?" Bokuto's panic is rising to his voice.
"No." Tsukishima pulls out a new pair of gloves, checking to make sure his new needle is fastened correctly to his gun.
"Why!?"
"It looks good, Bokuto." Akaashi reassures.
"Why can't I see for myself?"
"Because you're just going to knit-pick and over think it. Trust Akaashi if you're not going to trust me," Tsukishima says. He has a different way of dealing with Bokuto. He doesn't tell him he's starting, doesn't tell him to sit still if he's moving to much. There are a few times he has to stop and re-position Bokuto's arm, but the whole time he's silent.
Bokuto talks to himself, sometimes to Akaashi, but mostly small words of encouragement to himself.
"This isn't so bad."
"Pain is all in your mind!"
"How bad did yours hurt, Akaashi?"
"Are you a masochist, Tsukki?"
"No pain no gain, heh."
Kuroo thinks if Bokuto hadn't psyched himself out for this it would be a pleasurable experience. Because from what Kuroo can see, there are no signs that Bokuto really does think it's painful. His fists aren't clenching, he's not sweating. It's like his mind made up that getting a tattoo would be painful so he has to act like it to the end.
"Done." Tsukishima says, he barely has enough time to give the tattoo a nice wipe down before Bokuto is up and looking at his arm in the mirror.
"Dude..." Bokuto turns his back to the mirror, getting a look at it from behind. It's placed in the same spot at Akaashi's, right below the elbow.
"It's... what did you call Akaashi's? 'Badass,'" Tsukishima jokes, but Kuroo can tell he's having fun.
"It is badass! I love tattoos!"
Bokuto faces Kuroo so he can see it before Tsukishima bandages his arm like Akaashi's.
SPIKE
"Saving the best for last." Kuroo jokes when Tsukishima faces him with a clean table and set of tools.
His approach is different again. Instead of explaining the steps like he did with Akaashi or just roughly yanking Bokuto's arm closer to him Tsukishima holds out his hand, waiting for Kuroo to come to him.
Kuroo holds out his own hand, walking towards the blonde. He realizes he forgot about the task at hand, or arm in this case. A hand is what Tsukishima got. Like an idiot, Kuroo places his hand in Tsukishima's. Instead of laughing or jeers like Kuroo was expecting, Tsukishima raises an eyebrow at the brunette. He pulls Kuroo's hand, making Kuroo step closer. So close he's standing in between Tsukishima's legs.
Did that air conditioner ever get turned on or...?
Tsukishima clears his throat and grabs Kuroo's elbow to position the stencil.
"We're going to get um... a drink... and talk to Yamaguchi... so, yeah...take your time." Bokuto says, still not moving. He seems to be enjoying the scene a little too much.
"Smooth, Bokuto," Akaashi says softly, pushing Bokuto out of Tsukishima's room, "we'll be back."
And just like that, Kuroo is alone with Tsukishima.
Is that air conditioner broken or...?
Kuroo hops on the table the moment he feels the stencil being peeled from his skin. "I trust you completely, Tsukki, don't worry."
Tsukishima has a new pair of gloves, the buzz of his gun once again filling the room, "I wasn't going to give you a choice either way."
The first contact is shocking, but it's a dull pain at most. Kuroo has definitely felt worse, plus, the touch of Tsukishima, even though it's through gloves, offsets the pain.
"So... how have you been."
"You didn't get my life story earlierwhen Bokuto was drilling me with questions in the lobby?"
"Ah... I wasn't really paying attention. I was kind of in shock from seeing you."
If the small confession from Kuroo surprises Tsukishima he doesn't show it. The tattoo gun is ever steady, unwavering.
"I was in kind of a shock, too. I haven't seen you guys in a while."
"I know, I'm sorry about that."
"It's fine."
"Not really, I don't know what happened."
"School, volleyball, life. People grow apart." Kuroo sees Tsukishima shrug at his own explanation.
"It was my fault, I should have tried a little harder."
"It's no big deal, really."
"It is to me."
"It's okay, Testu, things happen."
The tattoo gun stops, but it's because Kuroo flinches visibly at the sounds of Tsukishima calling him 'Testu'.
"Sorry," Kuroo mutters.
"S'okay." Tsukishima grabs Kuroo's arm again and starts to tattoo.
It seems like Tsukishima should be finished by now. BUMP is only a four letter word. The idea had been perfectly cheesy. Another reason why it's hard to believe Akaashi brought the idea to the table. Bump, Set, Spike? How perfect is that? Of course, Kuroo had somewhat drawn the short end of the stick when it comes to words, but who is he to argue? It's only natural for Akaashi to have Set and only natural for Bokuto to have Spike. Kuroo does Bump a mean ball, but doesn't everyone? But it doesn't matter, it's when the three are put together that any of them really make sense anyway. He just has to make sure he's always standing on Akaashi's left.
Just as Tsukishima's gun goes silent Kuroo opens his mouth.
"I've missed you."
It's a good thing Tsukishima is finished because Kuroo sees the blonde flinch at his words.
Tsukishima cleans up the tattoo in silence. Kuroo, worried he's crossed a line somewhere, remains silent, too.
Tsukishima takes Kuroo's hand again, helping him off the table and leading him towards the mirror. When Kuroo turns his arm to read the word below his elbow he's caught off guard.
It's not BUMP, like they had planned.
Instead he's met with a five letter word that swells Kuroo's heart:
BLOCK
Tsukishima searches Kuroo's reflection in the mirror. Kuroo is sure there's some sort of customer breech to tattoo something completely different than asked for, but he wasn't lying when he said he trusts Tsukishima. Looking at the word in bold, black letters on his elbow he knows Tsukishima would never steer him wrong.
"I thought it was better fitting for you."
"I love it," Kuroo says breathlessly.
At that, Tsukishima offers a small smile, but only to himself as he cleans up the last of the supplies.
Kuroo pokes his head out of the room to listen for Bokuto and Akaashi. He sees Yamaguchi talking to some customers, but no sign of his two friends. He goes back to staring at his arm. His first tattoo. From Tsukishima Kei, of all people.
"Kuroo-san?"
Kuroo tears his eyes away from his arm and looks at Tsukishima, "Hmm?"
"I've missed you, too."