Kuroo didn't go looking for Akaashi. Really he didn't. He kept his word to Kenma and stopped wandering near trouble.
It was Akaashi who found him.
"Is that offer for coffee still on the table." He'd said by way of greeting. Kuroo, who had been wandering back from Kenma's that morning froze mid step. Akaashi was leaning out of the edge of a narrow ally looking a little uncomfortable in the suburban setting. Once again Kuroo had that distinct jolting sensation of losing touch with reality for a moment before reorienting with a hyper focus on the man before him.
"Of course! When are you free?" grinned Kuroo trying to hide how giddy the offer made him. Maybe Akaashi wasn't really asking him out, but he was content to lie to himself.
"Now would be ideal." Akaashi said still glancing around Kuroo as if looking for something.
"Great! Did you have a place in mind, or shall I lead?" asked Kuroo, already sorting through a mental list of places Akaashi might like.
"If you don't mind… I have a place I'd like to take you." Said Akaashi nodding towards the ally. Kuroo knew it was technically really stupid to follow someone he barely knew into an ally, but some part of him felt like Akaashi would never willingly let him be hurt.
"Lead on." Said Kuroo stuffing his hands into his pockets and following after his strange new acquaintance. Akaashi took him in a winding roundabout path that Kuroo didn't ever remember seeing before. He tried to orient himself, but he couldn't see any of the skyscrapers or landmarks over the top of the buildings looming on either side.
"This place has good drinks." Akaashi said at last leading him into a shop. There appeared to be now owner at the desk, or any other customers. There were several traditional tables on the floor and Kuroo attempted to settle himself awkwardly on the ground. It had been a while, most of the houses he visited these days favored western styled furnishings. Still, he liked the aesthetics, even his he wasn't sure what to do with his long limbs.
"I'll have whatever you have." Kuroo said smiling easily to distract the other from his awkwardness, "I am not picky at all, I promise."
"That's probably not a good idea," said Akaashi huffing out a breath that sounded like the start of a laugh, "But I can get you something that you'd probably like."
"Good enough for me." Said Kuroo shrugging. He glanced around for some kind of server or shop keeper, but the place remained deserted though. Akaashi placed a few glass looking beads on the counter and before coming back to settle across from him.
"So what brought this on? Honestly I was sure you'd blown my offer off." Kuroo inquired curiously.
"I had." Akaashi said bluntly. Kuroo snorted a laugh. He was learning that he was rather fond of blunt people.
"But, let me guess, you need me for something?" teased Kuroo leaning his arms on the table.
"Sort of," admitted Akaashi, "I have a project for school, and I realized that you'd be a perfect person to ask questions."
"Oh? How old are you? What school do you go to?" asked Kuroo eagerly. He hoped he wasn't too much older than him. If he was in his first or second year of college he could probably be fine with that since Kuroo was graduating this spring. Much more than that and he wasn't sure he'd be comfortable with more than friendship. All though that could be really nice too.
"I am home schooled." Akaashi replied after a moment's hesitation. Kuroo raised an eyebrow, home schooling was almost unheard of in Japan. Perhaps his parents were foreign? Or lying. It didn't really matter though. He didn't miss that he avoided the question about his age as well. Wasn't his business unless Akaashi felt like sharing.
"Mmm, so you want an interview with little old me?" grinned Kuroo teasingly giving the other a tilted look that would have probably been cute if he'd been able to keep the big smirk off his face.
"To put it simply, yes." Said Akaashi looking unaffected.
"I see, and suppose I said yes: what's in it for me?" asked Kuroo pretending to think about it. As if he needed to. Akaashi could have probably asked him for his soul and Kuroo would have offered it. He wasn't sure why he was so fixated. Only that his heart had never beat so fast around someone before.
"For you?" the other looked a little surprised by the question and Kuroo took special delight in that. Akaashi licked his lips uncertainly and Kuroo couldn't help the way his gaze followed the motion, "I could show you around the city."
"Why? I've lived here all my life." Laughed Kuroo.
"Yes, so you of all people should know there's more to this city than meets the eye. That is why you wander, isn't it? I can show those parts of it that you'd never be able to find on your own." Akaashi countered frankly. There was not particular intonation to the statement, but somehow that made the zing of excitement that went though Kuroo all the more potent.
"And how would you know about that, hmmm Akaashi? You been stalking me?" asked Kuroo slyly.
"I may have asked around after our initial meeting." Admitted Akaashi.
"Alright, sounds like a date." Grinned Kuroo, wide and teasing. Akaashi merely raised and eyebrow, "Ask away your questions."
"Very well. I am going to ask a few questions about your day-to-day experience of the world. If you don't really know the answer to a question, don't make something up, just say so. The more honest your answer, the more it will help me." Said Akaashi formally getting out a notebook and pen.
"Sounds good to me." Shrugged Kuroo leaning back slightly and letting his arms fall to brace himself up off the floor. A soft bell chimed and Kuroo glanced up to see two steaming cups sitting on the counter without any sign of who had put them there. Akaashi didn't seem at all surprised by this, merely rose and retrieved them.
Kuroo cautiously tasted his drink. He jerked back in surprise. It wasn't that it was bad, quite the opposite in fact, but more that he had never tasted anything like it before. The only way he could describe it was if fond memories had a flavor, that is what the drink would taste like. Akaashi laughed softly at his expression from over the rim of his own cup.
"So, first, how do you generally experience time?"
"Pardon?" blinked Kuroo cautiously setting his unknown drink on the table. What a bizarre thing to ask.
"Do you feel like an hour is a short or long amount of time? Is that answer ever different?" Akaashi clarified carefully.
"Uh, well, I suppose it depends on what's going on. Sometimes and hour can go by really fast and other's it seems like it can take a lifetime." Said Kuroo scratching his head. Akaashi nodded as if that answer was expected.
"And what generally seems to be the difference in these situations?"
"The environment I guess? Or the people maybe? Things always seem to go really fast around some people. Or maybe they just make me stop paying attention to the passing of time?" Kuroo explained uncertainly. He though of Kenma who had such a calm demeanor but whom Kuroo could accidentally spend an entire day with getting lost in the moment. Or maybe that captain from the other school, Daichi, with whom each second felt like it packed a minute's worth of experience and detail. Or even Akaashi himself.
"Can you describe those experiences in more detail?" Akaashi asked scribbling something down.
Kuroo did, and the questions went on like that. From "How does a day feel to you when you're not around anyone else?" to "Have there ever been things that seem extremely disjointed or sequences of events that seem really uneven or unnatural?". Kuroo had to wonder what kind of paper Akaashi was writing and what other people Akaashi had talked to had said.
"Is that it?" asked Kuroo when Akaashi closed his notebook.
"Yes, that was very helpful." Akaashi said standing up.
"Any chance you could show me the way back? I am not sure I remember how to get out of here." Kuroo admitted.
"Of course." Said Akaashi, his eyes gentling a fraction. Kuroo breathed in a long slow breath. It was strange, though he'd only known Akaashi a little while, he felt like he had known him forever.
"And when do you want to go around the city together?" Asked Kuroo when they neared the end of the alleyway.
"When… I suppose when you're not busy." Akaashi said vaguely.
"That's the most specific kind of answer I am going to get out of you isn't it?" laughed Kuroo shaking his head.
"I am afraid so." Said Akaashi gravely, though his eyes twinkled slightly.
"I guess I'll see you when I see you then." Said Kuroo. He felt like he should do something, give him a kiss on the cheek or a clap on the back or something, but he didn't think they knew each other quite well enough for that so he contented himself with a small wave.
"Indeed, I look forward to it Kuroo." Akaashi nodded with a wave of his own before turning and disappearing back down the alleyway.
Kuroo turned and began to walk back towards his house. He hoped he wasn't too late for lunch. Glancing at his watch he frowned when he noticed that it had stopped working.
"Kuroo?" he turned at his name and saw Kenma standing at the end of the street looking hot and a little bit harassed.
"Kenma? What's wrong?" asked Kuroo immediately putting Akaashi out of his mind and stepping forward looking concerned.
"Where have you been? Why didn't you answer your phone? Your mom has been calling me for hours frantically trying to find you." Kenma said hardly.
"What do you mean-?" Kuroo began frowning and pulling out his phone. For one moment it stared up at him saying 11:07 am before suddenly glitching to 7:45 pm and buzzing like crazy with what looked like 14 missed calls and 20 something texts.
"Oh, fuck, sorry my phone wasn't working. I just got them." Kuroo said guiltily.
"Well you should call your mom, she was very worried." Kenma said looking annoyed, though Kuroo could tell he was immensely relieved. Judging by the fact that he was out here looking for him instead of curled up at home like he'd normally be on a weekend, Kuroo didn't think his mom was the only one who'd been worried. Still, quickly typed in her number and called her, even as he crossed over to Kenma and slid his hand into his. His friend's fingers trembled for a moment before he squeezed back. Kuroo couldn't see his expression from behind his fringe.
"Tetsu? Tetsu is that you?" can his mom's frantic voice.
"Hey mom, sorry I didn't get your calls. I just ran into Kenma and I am headed home right now." Kuroo said as they began to walk.
"Where were you? I called and called but it said your phone was out of service." Said his mom anxiously.
"Sorry mom, my phone seems to be having problems. I was just with a friend helping them with their homework. Must have lost track of time, I din't mean to be out so long." Kuroo explained guiltily. He could feel Kenma's gaze on him, hard and searching.
"Oh. Oh I see. I suppose I freaked out a bit," his mother laughed shakily, "It's just you've always called before you went somewhere and I thought you were coming back from Kenma's for lunch and so I got worried when you didn't turn up and when I called Kenma and he said you'd already left-"
"Sorry mom, I'll make sure I'll call next time." Kuroo said wincing.
"You'd better." She warned, "Now get your self back home asap."
"Will do. Bye mom." Kuroo hung up and sighed.
"Who were you with?" asked Kenma quietly.
"I ran into Akaashi. He needed to interview someone for a school project or something, so, you know…" Kuroo shrugged, "I honestly didn't realize it had been this long or I would have called someone."
"Akaashi." Said Kenma looking like he was trying to place the name before his gold eyes suddenly flashed with realization, "You mean that strange pretty person you met last week?"
"That's the one." Said Kuroo with a fond smile.
"And you just followed him wherever when he said he wanted an interview?" there was an accusation there, one that made Kuroo glad that Kenma didn't know the fully sketchiness of the situation.
"Look, I know I don't really know him yet, but Akaashi seems like a really good person. I was never in any danger. I actually think you two would get along really well." Kuroo told him.
"You don't know that." Muttered Kenma before commenting, almost accusing, "You look really sick."
"I-" Kuroo realized it was a bit true. It felt a bit like he had mild whiplash or something, his head was spinning and his limbs felt a little uncoordinated and hollow, "Just a bit dizzy. Probably over hungry. I forgot to eat."
"Mmmm." Kenma looked a bit suspicious, "Something isn't right."
"Kenma, trust me, Akaashi's fine." Kuroo groaned as they neared his house.
"It's not you that I don't trust." Kenma grumbled.
"Then meet him and decide for yourself." Kuroo challenged.
"You're going to see him again?" Kenma looked wary.
"Yeah, I am." Admitted Kuroo simply. Kenma sighed in defeat.
"…Be careful. And at least text me next time before you go off with him."
"Gotcha."