Of Bedhead Kittens and Megane Aliens
Pairing: Oikawa Tooru/Kuroo Tetsurou
Rating: PG
Summary: In which Oikawa is completely taken with Kuroo's smile, and lets him get away with just about anything.
Author's Notes: Written for Writers' Inktober Day 3: Warmth.
"C'mon, Tetsu!" Oikawa practically whines as he watches Kuroo scramble to prepare for their outing. "I'm so hungry that I'd leave without you if it wasn't your turn to pay!" He declares, sporting a playful grin. Although he claims to be starving, he still hasn't quite decided on where he wants to go yet. At this point, everything sounds delicious, and he's certain something will strike his fancy when they get downtown, or at least he hopes so. It just wouldn't do to starve from indecisiveness, however, starving because he must wait for Kuroo to get a move on seems likely.
"And go sans my delightful company?" Kuroo snickers as he zips up his jacket and wraps the handmade scarf his grandmother knitted him last Christmas around his neck. "Don't act like you wouldn't miss me."
Oikawa can't help but roll his eyes at that, but otherwise doesn't respond. He has a point after all, going without Kuroo and his mischievous antics that always seem to spice up their ventures in one way or another wouldn't be any fun – not that Oikawa is going to give Kuroo the satisfaction of saying that out loud.
Even though Kuroo's clearly rushing for his sake, Oikawa notes the swift elegance Kuroo possesses as he dresses for the frigid weather – he has a certain kind of grace Oikawa struggles to describe, yet everything about such agile movement is so uniquely Kuroo, and Oikawa finds himself becoming more enamored with each passing day.
"All right, ready to go!" Kuroo's voice brings him back to the situation at hand. True to his observant nature, Oikawa immediately spots something amiss about Kuroo's attire, to which he lifts an eyebrow in Kuroo's direction, giving him an expectant look.
"What?" Kuroo blinks, clearly oblivious as to why he's earned such an expression.
Oikawa sighs, feigning exasperation. "Aren't you missing something?"
Kuroo pauses for a second before patting his jacket pockets; Oikawa assumes he's making sure he has his wallet, phone, and keys on hand. "Nope, got everything," Kuroo answers after a bit, making it apparent that he has everything on his checklist.
"Really?" Since it's obvious Kuroo's not about to realize it on his own, Oikawa makes a point to remove his gloved hands from his coat pockets, waving them at Kuroo just to get his point across. "You can't think of anything you might be missing?"
If this was a cartoon, Oikawa swears he'd see a luminous light bulb appear over Kuroo's head in that moment.
"It's fine," Kuroo replies airily, waving off the realization like it's nothing. "I don't really need them."
"No, your paws will freeze." Even though he's displeased with Kuroo's apathetic nature when it comes to dressing properly for the harsh winter weather, he can't help himself with the cute way in which he refers to Kuroo's hands. "I don't have time to deal with you catching a cold!" Of course, he makes it sound like a sick Kuroo would be nothing more than a nuisance to him, but that's not the case at all. "Honestly, what happened to the pair I bought you last week?"
Kuroo doesn't respond at first. He taps a finger to his chin in thought, and Oikawa is certain he can hear the cogs in that scheming mind of his turning, trying to recall where he might've placed the black pair of gloves Oikawa had been generous enough to buy for him. As a few seconds of silence creep by, Oikawa comes to the realization that Kuroo probably hasn't seen them since the day they were gifted to him. He imagines they must be somewhere obscure in Kuroo's apartment, unworn with the tags still intact, probably never to be seen again.
"You're so forgetful, Tetsu," Oikawa chides, placing a hand on his hip and giving Kuroo a look that says exactly what he's thinking without needing to say it.
Kuroo knows him well enough to deduce the thoughts that are so clearly written on his expression, but with the pleased grin Kuroo gives him in return, Oikawa can tell that once again, his judgement has slid off Kuroo the same way baked goods slide off Teflon.
"Well, I guess it can't be helped." Another sigh leaves his lips, adding to the ruse that he's inconvenienced by Kuroo's carelessness. Just as he's done countless times before in this exact situation, he removes a glove from his right hand and gives it to Kuroo, who's practically beaming as he takes it and slides it over his own right hand before holding his left one out to Oikawa.
"You'll never learn if I keep doing this." A faint smile graces his lips as he takes ahold of Kuroo's proffered hand without hesitation, and just like that, they're off, heading downtown to a restaurant Oikawa still hasn't chosen.
"That isn't some sort of threat, is it?" Kuroo asks as they walk, looking aghast, as if he's horrified Oikawa could ever be cruel enough to deny him handholding.
"More of an observation, really." His response is delivered in a flippant manner that suggests he could be persuaded to change his mind at any given moment, but he knows Kuroo won't believe that.
"Yay! ~" The subsequent grin playing upon Kuroo's lips, while triumphant in its own right, holds a trace of something special that sends Oikawa's heart aflutter. It's a smile that's bright and pure, unlike the usual devious smirk he wears, and its contagious nature has Oikawa smiling right back at him. Sometimes he's amazed how the smallest of things, little inconsequent gestures he puts absolutely no thought into, always seem to make Kuroo so happy. He's not sure how he manages to pull off such a feat on a regular basis, but he hopes that he never loses his touch.
The natural warmth emanating from Kuroo makes it feel like Oikawa's still wearing a glove on his right hand, but even so, Kuroo does his usual thing and pulls Oikawa closer to himself as they trek down the street, nonchalantly stuffing both his and Oikawa's hands into his jacket pocket, as if it's the most natural thing in the world. Kuroo never offers him an explanation for his actions, but as silly as it is, Oikawa never has the heart to try and remove his hand from Kuroo's pocket.
They continue their short journey like that, and in the end, Oikawa ends up choosing the place that serves the best grilled mackerel, simply because he never wants to see Kuroo's smile fade away.