Hi! Tsukki's chapter!
Mirror cracker
He's an idiot, an utter idiot.
Kei heads home by foot, with the neon blur of Tokyo speeding at his sides, becoming more of a streamline of light than any individually recognizable sources.
Of course, he's not thinking that about himself; he's thinking such things about one Kuroo Tetsuro.
It's like the man either doesn't know what he wants or he's simply playing around to see if he can fluster Kei.
-and damn well succeeding at it-
The blond himself knows what he wants, he has since the first time he saw the man at the bar, even though at that moment, being focused on his hunt and tired as hell, it hadn't registered with the weight that belonged to one such thing.
He is even willing to bet that perhaps it hadn't because typically such weight wouldn't belong to the revelation of him being attracted to another man to almost ridiculous levels, but rather that the fact that now that he knows the man on a baseline level and he is – funny, somewhat charming, gifted as hell- all of the things he is in addition to being attractive, is what gives it so much weight, such an increased capacity to unsettle his mind.
And so, it's increasingly frustrating how when Kei would really like to hook up with the man, that he doesn't even treat him like he treats everyone else, but regards Kei with a behavior that suggests he wants him, and yet the blond can tell that there is an ocean of hesitation awaiting him behind the other's pupils.
How the dark haired man leaned over him, intent to kiss him clear after they literally spent a couple of hours fighting –dancing- around the issue.
How when he stopped, in abject rapture, Kei leaned up, ignoring the hesitation in the other's eyes.
How the man's lips parted and his pupils dilated…
All of the way to his apartment is spent submerged in such thoughts, toeing the line between irritated and mildly aroused, eventually deciding for the latter.
The inside of his apartment greets him with a stale atmosphere, and for once, he feels compelled to open the windows just so that the air can get in.
-he's feeling out of breath himself-
A cup of instant noodles serves as dinner, some old, holey sweatpants as pajamas, it's almost summer and decidedly too warm in the apartment.
Rush hour has already passed in his sector of the neighborhood, and since it's early in the week, he doesn't have to worry about much noise from now on.
The breathless feeling remains.
Long, pale fingers turn the TV on, he doesn't do so often, but he's in no mood to look for his laptops charger.
And the stories of the news start drifting by –because he doesn't have cable; what for? All he ever watches is just as if not more available online and it's not like Kei has that much free time-.
Several traffic accidents, news about the recent sightings of the incorporeal that he's starting to get curious about himself, the rise to fame of some pop star, the asylum escapee son of some minor tycoon, news about Japan's sports teams…
Groaning, he turns around, pressing his cheek to the pillow, feeling like the air has become molasses.
With a hasty hand, Kei presses the off button on the tv and sighs.
When his eyes open, he can almost see the way Kuroo's form would look beside him, eyes smoldering, dark with intensity.
It is not long afterward that he notices the weight in his lower abdomen and his own labored breathing.
With a groan perhaps even louder than before, he turns over to lay flat on his back.
Oh god, whatever.
-he hasn't taken care of himself in a while too, he hasn't even hooked up with someone at a bar, his libido, with the exception of the present case, has always been like that, short bursts each separated from another by a short amount of time-.
Not wearing a shirt to bed –as is his old habit- makes it even easier.
His right-hand slides up to brush over the skin stretches taut over his pectorals, noting that maybe his fingernails have grown a bit too long as he grabs one hardened nipple and proceeds to twist it lightly, reveling in the very small twinge of pain mixed in with the pleasant sensation that races along his nerve endings.
And then the images come, and Tsukishima doesn't even bother with trying to stave them off.
-it will only make it worse, he knows, he learned so when his first crush on one of his upperclassmen came around-
The hand that isn't busy teasing and pulling at his nipple slides down, gliding over his hipbones, far too warm.
Kuroo's darker skin against his own, pulling the man flush against him, sinking his fingers in the muscles of the other's sides.
His tongue peeks out to lap at his lower lip and his lips catch onto it, he has sturdy walls, it's true, but to his utter embarrassment, has a tendency to get loud.
A hot mouth moving against the side of his neck, teeth scraping down his chest as he watches the man's knees bend and the unruly mop of hair on his head sink.
The edge of his pants is lowered, allowing his shaft to slip out and the whimper that escapes his mouth when his hand finally comes to close around it is nothing short of breathless.
Deft hands unbuckling his pants, he imagines not being able to break eye contact with the man, he imagines that damned smirk breaking just so Kuroo's lips can wrap around the head of his cock.
"Ah" At some point he has spread his legs and lifted his hips, the hand that was teasing at his chest is now pressing patterns into the soft skin of his inner thighs while the other –aided by some conveniently placed lotion and the precum that he's leaking- has begun pumping his length at a steady pace. "Fuck- "
"You have nice moans Tsukki" the man says, as his hands cup Kei's backside and squeeze it, and then, his mouth is right back to it, swallowing his length in one go and sucking. Dark eyes look up at him from above hollowed out cheeks.
With every upwards stroke, his thumb stars swiping over the too-sensitive head of his dick, at this point, he knows that even if he isn't focused enough to register them, a string of moans is escaping almost steadily from his open mouth.
The man's hands squeeze one last time and proceed to busy themselves with delving deeper, teasing at his hole before they retreat and come back from the front of Kei's spread legs to cup and toy with his balls.
His hips stutter, arch off the bed, he's thrusting his leaking cock into his hand now more than he is even stroking, and his feet are digging into the soft mattress. His teeth dig into his lower lip until he tastes iron, and at the slight stab of pain that makes them let go, a bellowing moan escapes.
Somehow the smirk is now in his eyes, unable to take it anymore, Kei thrusts forwards, hands burying in Tetsuro's unruly hair as the older man readjusts himself and starts bobbing his head slowly, swallowing him whole.
"Come for me, Tsukki"
And he does, with his pants around his knees and a moan that's more of a scream, back arching artfully off the bed and then falling limp onto it along with his tired legs, moisture shooting over his stomach.
The man stands as soon as Kei has recovered some sort of self-awareness, and then it's the blond sinking to his knees and gripping Kuroo's knees
"Oh, ho, ho?"
After much toe prodding and wiggling, he manages to get a blanket over his spent body.
He's exhausted, from the sparring and the hunting and just everything. Kei forces his eyes closed and slips into slumber but –and he knew this would happen- the images won't cease for another long while.
.
.
The frustration doesn't wear off, through the couple of days that pass.
And before he'd want to, he finds himself at the trading center -he picked up only a couple of bounties and he's already out- he takes care, however, to go on Saturday's morning when he's almost sure that Kuroo won't be there.
But of course, such is his luck, oh such it is that he decides to go talk to Tadashi first –because his friend teaches the preteens at this hour on Saturdays and Kei wants to feel normal at least today and the green haired man called him last night, requesting to see him at some point soon- and strides through the door to the patio, all comfortable and tranquil only to freeze when he spots the two dark-haired figures standing in the middle of the patio in front of Sawamura.
He catches only a snippet of their conversation over the ruckus of a bunch of psychic seven-year-olds and Tadashi's attempt at a stern voice –something about the man by Kuroo's side and control? Yeah, something like that- before robotically trying to turn around and go back the way he came from, only snatching a couple of bounties from the board.
Of course, again, Tadashi notices him before he manages to.
"Tsukki" the man turns to the rambunctious children "Now, practice exercise number three while I go talk to Tsukishima-san"
"Is Tsukishima-san going to teach us too?" one asks.
Hah. Kei thinks. Fat chance.
Tadashi chuckles "Not for now, no, I don't think so" and he turns away from the children, heading for Kei almost immediately "I didn't think you'd drop by so soon, Tsukki" he says, and there's an edge of distrust to the phrase, born from the fact that they have known each other since second grade.
Kei shrugs "I ran out of bounties"
"Oh" the man says, timidly "Listen I'm a bit tight" the man says, fiddling with his fingers "I wanted to ask you something- "
"Tsukishima" a soft voice speaks from behind him, and he turns to find the very same group he hoped to avoid, plus a knowing looking Suga, the owner of the voice "you've been visiting us back here a lot more lately"
"U-Uh, yeah, I- ", well, what is he supposed to say?" Thankfully, it isn't long before he regains his composure "I've just felt like it"
"I see" Suga says, and then, Kuroo thankfully –or not- cuts in.
"Tsukki!" he says, grinning, though, Kei notes, some worry reflects in his eyes "Strange seeing you here this early"
"I ran out of bounties, Kuroo-san" he says, looking away, and unwittingly meeting the piercing green eyes of Kuroo's guest "Though I could say the same to you" he says, while digesting the image in front of him "This is the preteen class, you can't tell me your control matches up."
"Tsukki" Yamaguchi says, disapprovingly.
And Kei knows, he knows that it sounds like an attack, that it's a step further from proper than even he usually is, but he's both on guard from everything his mind has been providing him about the older man for the past few days, and suddenly frustrated at the stranger in front of him.
The man is standing far too close to Kuroo for normal friends, and he's in one-word stunning.
Kei does know that he himself is attractive, but the young man –because he at least looks younger than Kei- has an ethereal quality about his slender body.
His skin is pale and unblemished; as if he hasn't been out in the sun for a long time, and his eyes are a green that he has never seen on anyone before, backlit by a flame of stubbornness that even he can see.
The stranger's hair is a mess of dark curls that frames his cherubic face, it's perhaps a bit too messy, but it only manages to give him an air of something that must be protected.
The beautiful man is holding tightly to the sleeve of Kuroo's jacket, and they exchange a brief look.
-his ears have begun to ring, he can't quite focus on anything but the two in front of him-
Kuroo doesn't seem offended though "Ah, we didn't know that, we just needed some lessons for Akaashi here" he pats the man on the shoulder.
"A pleasure" the man says "Akaashi Keiji" and he bows, ever so slightly, distrust shining in his expression.
"Tsukishima Kei" he bows, just as slightly "Are you just starting too Akaashi-san?" he says, it's a barb, again.
The man hesitates "I studied divination for most of my life" he says, and if Kei disliked him before, now… yeah, divination is a sore spot –let's just say that no one ever wants to see Suga that frustrated again, except perhaps, maybe Sawamura who got to take care of him afterward- "But lately I've become interested in more combat oriented training"
"I see" Kei says, trying not to seethe "Akaashi-san, a sudden interest?"
Kuroo's eyes have been glued to his face during the whole conversation, Kei knows well.
The green eyed man smiles, amused "I'm taking a couple of semesters off of college" he says "I figured I'd get a hobby"
And in the most passive-aggressive way he can, Kei raises an eyebrow and asks "College? How old are you?"
And it is then that he sees it, another unsettling similarity between the two creatures in front of him, the green-eyed man struggles, he hesitates markedly, just as Kuroo did the night he and Kei met and with the exact same question. Even if after a couple of seconds, he regains his composure, at least to Kei, it's pretty evident "I'm nineteen" the man answers, for a second seeming sad. "If I may return the question?"
"I'm twenty-three,nervous looking" Kei says back, and directs a glance towards Kuroo, who doesn't seem mortified by this either.
Tsukishima's blood boils, if only a little.
"Well, then, I guess I'll see you around" he says, bowing "Akaashi-san, Kuroo-san" then he turns to Yamaguchi "Usual place toninervous-looking
"Sure" a Tadashi says, glancing back at his students "I'll see you Tsukki"
He has already turned around when a heavy hand lands on his arm and throws him slightly off balance "come spar with me some time Tsukki" there's a tilt of something he can't quite recognize in the man's voice, maybe it's a bit of desperation? Or mortification? When he turns his head around Kuroo looks as confused by his own actions as Kei himself is.
The blond raises his own hand coolly to grasp at the other's wrist, ignoring the spark of electricity that runs through his skin then "I guess we'll see Kuroo-san"
And then, he turns to the place where Sugawara and Sawamura have become engrossed in their own conversation to bide them goodbye and warn them that he's taking a couple of bounties from the board.
As he's almost mechanically executing that last action, he realizes another thing, namely, the way that the t-shirt he was wearing almost fell off his bony shoulder, and the belt that was pulled tight to keep the pants he wore from sliding off.
He grits his teeth.
.
.
It was most certainly the blinding jealousy –because though he denied it to himself, he knew that it is what it was- that prevented him from properly analyzing the cases he took, he only checked that they weren't unnecessary trouble –namely the weird demon that had been showing up lately- but that was only in revising the details, it didn't occur him to check well the places or the quirks of each case, just as he didn't ever think Akaashi's hesitation or read his energy.
Just as when there was a twinge of recognition in the back of his head towards the younger man, he just brushed it off as paranoia.
That's why he's where he is here now, he thinks, all of those things –well, not maybe the ones pertaining Akaashi, but the ones about the hunts-.
He leaps all the way out of the trajectory of what looks like a tentacle of solidified mist that has left several welts on his arm already at the slightest contact with it.
Fucking incorporeal.
It doesn't help that it has been muttering from pretty much everywhere in as many languages as there seem to be in the world, at first, it was Latin, then Greek, both which he can identify, but not quite understand.
When English came, he had to question the functionality of his own ears.
Japanese was the one that he couldn't chalk up to exhaustion.
Child smells like him, child has his energy, this child will be useful.
Whoever he is, is quite a mystery to him.
For the moment, he decides to focus on getting out alive and chalk the thing's crazed ramblings to the fact that it's some abomination from god knows which dimensional fold.
It doesn't calm the uncomfortable feeling that has taken over his stomach in the slightest, but that was to be expected.
After all, it was a reckless thing to just leave for what looked like a simple mission as soon as he got out of the center, he should've at least thought a bit more about the area, and the particularities of the case.
It seemed like a feral, it was actually the textbook description of a feral, and that, coupled with its location, almost beside the place where the incorporeal had last been seen should have tipped Tsukishima off.
He doesn't make these kinds of mistakes.
Eyes wide open, he leaps to the side, landing with a roll that scrapes off some skin from his forearm in the place where there are already forming welts.
Kei hisses and gets up again.
Transference, his specialty, works by running his power through objects, of course, blessed materials, pure in their manufacturing work best. However, precisely because of this, he's ill-matched to fight with an incorporeal, at least so long as they are as powerful as he is or more, the weaker ones he can dispatch with incantations either way but…
Yeah, his knives will not be enough this time around.
He stills himself and closes his eyes, preparing the state of deepest focus he can muster.
The knives go back to their sheaths, he won't need them, at least for the time being.
It's an incantation that works for most incorporeal demons, and again, not his preferred method of fighting, not even one he marginally likes, and in fact, loathe as he is to admit it, Tadashi bests him at it by far, but, knowing that he most likely can't kill this thing, he's aware that it'll been enough to neutralize it for so long as it is necessary.
And so, he dodges, through the rarefied air and the wisps of sulfur, all the while muttering the words that he's learned by heart under his breath and trying not to wince when his skin is burned –he also has a pretty nasty stab on the side of his abdomen, he doesn't particularly want to think about- and just as the mass of darkness has retreated into itself to form a hulking monster that threatens to fall over him and either reduce him to ash or imprison him, he finishes.
Something akin to light bursts from his pores, it's pure power that takes the form of substance, and fills the darkened room so brightly that even he cannot see.
Kei turns around and, still blinded, runs away as fast as he dares to with his exhausted legs.
.
.
The shower he takes at home is excruciating, not only because of the sore muscles, the power depletion or the welts on his skin that sting when the water touches them –he managed to patch his side quite well, but he's got no idea how to deal with the skin abrasions, or at least, they haven't responded to the standard procedures so far- but for the permeating smell of sulfur that seems to be stuck to his skin.
Half a bottle of body wash later, he deems the endeavor pointless, having only scraped off about half the intensity of the smell, gets dressed and goes to meet Yamaguchi.
.
.
"Tsukki, you- you- "the younger man seems terrified, Tsukishima rolls his eyes, Tadashi hasn't even seen the shape his forearms are in yet.
"I know, I reek" he says, simply "I had a run-in with that incorporeal that has been causing trouble lately"
"Tsukki! I thought you- Are you alright?" Yamaguchi's large, green eyes stare at him.
Kei looks away "I'm fine, I just don't know how to heal the welts it left behind. Why are you so concerned?" it's meant more as an exasperated statement, but Tadashi takes it to heart.
"There have been deaths" he says, quietly. Their usual place is a small bar-restaurant close to the trading center, it's not the usual haunt of psychics or bounty hunters, so they mostly try not to talk about things pertaining to their jobs there too much "You stay away from us a lot, but even one of the guys from the Iron Wall died trying to get rid of this one"
And that much is news, the iron wall is well known for their nigh-impenetrable defense.
"It's not like I went chasing the thing on purpose" Kei says defensively, and sighs "Can you do something about these?" he lifts the sleeve of his button down and Yamaguchi looks mildly horrified.
The welts are swollen and pink, very obviously far from healing or even drying up.
"I'm not sure Tsukki" his friend's fingers skim over the wounds lightly.
Suddenly Kei feels a surge of heat, stinging, so much so that he retracts his arm with a hiss. He knows that what Yamaguchi just did should have had a pleasant warmth as its effect, and it did, in the unharmed skin surrounding the welt. "Ouch, what the hell?"
"Sorry Tsukki" Yamaguchi says "Maybe you can ask Suga-san, it might be the type you have to let heal naturally instead of interfering.
Kei frowns "What the hell was that thing?" his shirt sleeve is tugged back down and he takes a swig at his beer, hoping that it will dull the slight stinging.
Yamaguchi shakes his head "Nobody knows; you should keep your distance"
"Tch, of course" he says "I'm not foolhardy"
"No you aren't" His friend agrees "Come on Monday afternoon, Suga-san and Daichi-san should be back by then"
Tsukishima raises an eyebrow "They're gone?"
"Yeah, it's their monthly weekend for themselves" the blond grimaces and looks away "Oh c'mon, Tsukki, don't be like that"
"Like what?" Yamaguchi gives him a look "Look, I just don't find it amusing"
"You'll find someone, you'll see" Yamaguchi says, suddenly sounding like his grandmother "Actually, I- "and then he chokes up, and Kei remembers the reason they are meeting up in the first place.
"Finally tying the knot?" he asks, amused, even if he finds romantic antics awkward most of the time, he can't help but feel glad for his best friend.
Tadashi goes red "No… I mean- Probably? I don't know if now she- "
Tsukishima pushes the man's own glass towards him "Breathe"
The green-haired man takes a swig and stays quiet for a while, looking everywhere but at his friend "Hitoka's pregnant"
Eyes widening, he feels in dire need for another drink "I thought you two had just- "
Yamaguchi cuts him off "No, no, we just… wanted to keep it silent, it's been almost eight months, it's just, you haven't been around much"
He feels a pang of guilt at his friend's words, it's the truth, although he has his own reasons for having been so absent lately, that doesn't excuse him very much.
Kei takes a deep breath "So is this a good thing, or a bad thing?" he says "you're both adults after all"
"It's good" Tadashi says, brightening up a little "Her mom isn't going to be pleased, but…"
"You know her mom" Kei deadpans, and wonders when he detached himself so much from his old friends.
"Uh, yes?" Yamaguchi says "I guess- I'm actually freaking out over nothing, It's not the baby, we're glad about the baby"
"So?" Kei says.
"Would you do us the honor of being the godfather?" Yamaguchi starts "Kyoko-san is going to be the god mother so um- "
"Sure" It's not like he has to think about it twice, it is his best friend.
He will have to drop by more often now though, even if it means running into Kuroo some more.
.
.
That said, Monday finds him standing at the top of the stairs, staving off the need to go for another drink –or five- in fact, if it weren't because the damned welts refuse to show the slightest sign of getting better, well, he'd be at home.
After all, the two other bounties he picked on Saturday, almost as if counterbalancing the hellish issue with the incorporeal, turned out laughably easy and he doesn't even quite need the money much, since he is good at saving and planning and such things have granted him a decent enough cushion of funds to fall back in for more than a few months if he so wished.
-of course he doesn't, even Kei acknowledges that he's a workaholic, the adrenaline rushed certainly do not help-
Still, he really wants these things healed –and is grateful that what injured his side was some piece of sharp debris instead of an actual tentacle, god knows how that would be feeling by this point-.
Feeling dreadful, he walks down the steps and heads straight for the room where Suga often conducts his healing and divination classes –the thought of the latter just makes him shudder, the healing not so much, while no prodigy, Tsukishima is decent- as he passes the patio, he notices Kuroo beginning to train some sort of control with Hinata, and almost with glee, doesn't find the dark haired man from Saturday anywhere close by.
He shoves the door open and peers inside "Suga-san, do you- "his gaze is met with brilliant, bottle green "Akaashi"
"Good to see you so soon Tsukishima" he didn't notice on Saturday, but the man's speaking patterns are a bit outdated, a bit too formal, perhaps he's from a traditional family or something? He seems like he could be from one of those old, stuffy clans.
In front of the green eyed man sits the one Tsukishima is looking for "Tsukishima, do you need me for anything?" he says cheerily and Kei recoils.
"I can wait until the lesson is over" he says, clasping his hand over one of his bare forearms –with each passing hour, despite the pain neither lessening nor increasing, the thought of fabric touching the welts has become more and more unbearable- "It's just something I need help healing"
"Oh" Sugawara's face goes blank, it almost seems like he is running through a myriad of scenarios in his head "Come in then, we were just needing someone to practice on"
"No, I can- "
Akaashi suddenly sniffs and his nose wrinkles "You should come in, Tsukishima" he says, voice flat "It smells like our might have some residue"
"Kei grits his teeth and then Suga sniffs at the air.
"Yes… Now that you mention it…" he says, and Kei is both beyond mortified and worried, he has gone through more bottles of body wash than he cares to admit, by this point out of sheer exposure, he doesn't smell it, but it the others can still do so… "Come here, Tsukishima" Sugawara says in his stern, no nonsense voice, and out of sheer habit, he does, stepping inside and shutting the door behind him.
He can feel two pairs of exceedingly sharp eyes upon him.
Akaashi's settle on the wounds first, but Sugawara's follow them not long after.
"Did you try to heal this yourself?" Sugawara asks, almost pale, standing from his cushioned seat. Kei nods "What happened?"
"The incorporeal that got one of the Iron Wall's" Kei answers as the cool fingertips of his teacher skim over his skin.
"Oh" Sugawara says "How do you- "he shakes his head "I meant what happened when you tried to heal them"
Kei looks away "At first they bled a little, now it's just far more painful than leaving them like that, and it does no good"
"Well, of course" Akaashi says suddenly from his seat "It's masked but the demonic energy is still there"
Sugawara perks up, although the worry does not manage to disappear completely form his face "Exactly. How do you know Keiji-kun?"
The younger man goes pale "I've seen it, once" he says "A friend, from way back."
"Yeah" Sugawara says "It's pretty powerful to be so well hidden behind Tsukishima's energy, but it's definitely there"
"You know how to treat it?" Akaashi asks, mirroring Kei's own thoughts.
"I do" Sugawara says "If I can do it is completely different"
"What do you mean?" Kei says. "You can't treat it"
"I'm not sure I have enough energy" the man says, and it is true that Suga has never been known for exaggerated reserves like Kei has. The silver-haired man starts muttering, pressing a hand to his chin "Keiji-kun doesn't either… Daichi and Noya are out… Kageyama doesn't… Hinata-kun and Lev-kun are too green and Tadashi-kun is out too… Akaashi-kun, could you call your cousin in for a second?"
Cousin? "Cousin?" Kei asks, not fully understanding the last of Suga's statement.
"Sure" Akaashi says and promptly steps out of the room.
"Kuroo-san didn't tell you on Saturday, I guess" the silver haired man's smile turns mischievous for a second "Keiji-kun and him are cousins"
Kei stops and wonders, slightly stunned, the two men hardly have much in common, except for the hair color and the fact that they are both tall and attractive, albeit in very different ways.
He is left doubting their connection, although it seems rational to him, it makes sense that they'd be familiar with each other, that both of them would be mostly untrained and that they share quirks. They'd have no reason to lie, especially when the first time Kuroo met Suga, Daichi presented him as his fiancé.
Suddenly, he feels a little less indisposed to meeting the man.
That is until he comes through the door and Kei finds himself petrified.
.
.
The closer he gets to the room, the smell of sulfur becomes stronger, and it becomes clearer that it is intermingled with that of the man that he has tried and failed to avoid thinking for the past two days –Between Bokuto and the other demon and everything else-.
-this human body is far too unruly; he has decided-
But that smell can only mean a very limited number of things, and in the end it's not even luck, It's just that the most likely demons who could leave some imprint like that upon Kei are also the ones that are currently looking for Kuroo, and of course, the only ones big enough to still be transitioning after more than a couple of weeks, though in that respect, being incorporeal doesn't quite help.
The other demon's eyes speak all that he needs to know either way.
It is them.
He pushes the door open, and right after he averts his eyes from Tsukishima's golden ones, they fall on to the marks on the other's forearms.
He sees red, red and black, and tastes blood that isn't there on his tongue.
.
.
"Tsukki" the dark haired man says and Kei looks away "I didn't notice you come in" there's a glint in his eyes, one that scares him somewhat even if the words are spoken in a cheery tone.
"I didn't notice you were here either, Kuroo-san" he says, voice as level as he can make it.
"'s strange, don't you think?" Kuroo says, out of the corner of his eyes, Kei can see that the too, has his head turned away stubbornly.
"I…" he hesitates "Guess so".
"So?" the man says dubiously "What happened?" he turns towards Sugawara "Why do you need me Suga-san?"
The silver-haired man lets an uneasy smile show "I was hoping you'd lend me some of your energy, Kuroo-san"
"Uh?"
"You know about that incorporeal that has been going around?" Suga continues, Kuroo nods mutely "It has a couple of troublesome attacks, they're difficult to heal and I don't have reserves that large- "
"I thought you were avoiding it" it's very obviously directed at him, fighting the temptation to look up at the man, Kei walks over to the nearest sofa, hand still holding his wounds and gaze still fixated on the mustard-yellow walls, heart racing just slightly –Kuroo's voice dropped in that last phrase, he can't help it if memories of his fantasies are surfacing, if only to be drowned as soon as they are identified-.
Kei takes a deep breath "Believe me, it wasn't intentional" He drawls.
"So it's really a tough one huh?"
Kei simply lifts his arm, if he didn't know better, he'd say that the look in Kuroo's eyes becomes just a smidge more predatory.
"What do you think?"
"Will you help out, Kuroo-san?" Sugawara interjects, shooting Kei a small glare as well.
The dark haired man shrugs "Sure, what do I do?"
"You just need to channel your energy" Sugawara says "I'll take care of the actual mending, but we need to flush out the demon energy in the wounds first"
"So I'm replacing it?"
"Pushing it out is more like it"
All though the exchange, he's sitting there, watching them speak and wondering if this will actually go down well.
As Suga is having Kuroo shift into position and Kei extend his arm, he mutters "I can't believe something like that is still transitioning"
"What do you mean?" Kuroo says with a puzzled expression.
"No, I guess you don't- "
"It means that the demon isn't fully in this side yet, the energy of an incorporeal tends to lag a bit" Kei explains, eyes meeting the older man's "We're going to have to do something about it soon too" he says, turning to Suga, fighting down a blush "It's already huge, by the time it passes it's going to become a real nuisance"
The older man sighs "I know, Daichi and I have been planning something since the Iron wall incident, you'll come with us, Tsukishima-kun?"
Kei scoffs "That thing doesn't belong in this world, I wonder what it is that it wants enough to try and pass when it's so big"
"It certainly must be looking for something" Sugawara says "Now Kuroo-san, you need to push gently" he says, signaling Kei's lacerated arm "when you feel the demon energy you have to pull it upwards, it's gonna take a lot out of you but you can't let go"
The taller man nods "Is it gonna hurt?" he asks, uncharacteristically.
Sugawara shrugs "Probably, we'll have to trust Tsukishima will stay still"
Kei snorts, as if.
"Ready?" Suga says.
"Mhmm" Kei hums, his arm is already starting to go numb from being extended for so long.
"Yeah" Kuroo says.
"Ok, start pushing"
At first, it's warmth, thein it's heat, and the heat becomes pain that laces like a woven cloth around his whole forearm, not just the lacerations, he can feel the flow of the dark haired man's energy inside his flesh, he can feel it swirling and reaching down deep so that when he pushes up the demon energy won't have much of a place to go.
And surprisingly, Kuroo is a natural, the process is slow, like waddling through two feet high snow, and as painful as that, by the time ten minutes have passed, Kei can feel a thin trickle of blood slide down his chin from where he's bitten his lip hard enough to pierce the skin in an attempt to muffle any pained sounds.
They have not even started pulling up.
"Careful now" Sugawara says, when they do start pulling up and Kei has taken to detailing every single detail of Kuroo's' now sweaty, concentrated face.
All to not scream.
Like wisps of whatever substance, it is that makes up the incorporeal, the energy starts dissipating and rising off his skin, and the pain recedes, each time a little bit more, until he only feels the warmth of Kuroo's energy enveloping his arm, though there's something odd about its composition, it's strangely comforting.
Kei's eyes are met with dark golden irises.
They're both panting, exertion and pain, and quick as lightning a tanned thumb comes up to brush the blood at his chin off.
Kei shudders, and for a second, is about to surge forward and pin the man to the wall.
Of course, next he knows, Suga is pulling up his other arm and it starts over again, Kuroo using massive amounts of energy, concentrating, breathing deep and slow so he doesn't lose his concentration and the same pain, the same pain and the smell of sulfur, and amidst it, the comforting, musky scent of the nape of Kuroo's neck, the warmth of his oddly configured energy. Kei bites at his already split lip again and in between the pain remembers how attracted he is to this man and the burst of sensation when there's only the pleasurable warmth of his energy leaves him reeling.
"There, all done, Tsukki" the man says, low volume, exhausted "Wear some armor next time"
"Next time, I'm walking away with its hide" Kei musters up the energy to smirk "Thanks Kuroo"
Their eyes are locked again. It's dangerous, Kei muses, this thing where suddenly they can't look away from each other, he's sure Kuroo feels it too, Kei's perceptive, and it's very obvious, the sensation of being mesmerized is very mutual in a way.
"Ne, Suga-san" and then, Kuroo breaks the silence, just as Suga is taking over healing the actual welts in Kei's arms "'s it too late to change my mind and say that I want to become a hunter?"
A little bit of smut in this one, yay, it was actually the hardest part to write, but I ended up liking it the most.
Please do tell me if the chapter feels rushed, it's been a pretty awful week, so I'm afraid it might not be up to standard.
Next chapter's Kuroo's, and there's some Bokuto, I really love writing it
Anyway, I hope y'all liked it
Love, Kyrye.