Chapter Thirty: Kuroo I
Kuroo Tetsurou liked to think he was a good guy. He was prone to helping the people around him in anyway he could, but there were exceptions. A select few who he helped in every way that he could. Kuroo could count them on a single hand. Mom, Dad, and Kenma. The last one had taken him as a surprise, he'd known the younger boy for years, would consider him his best friend without a doubt. It was during his first year of high school that he realized that Kenma was one of his special people. He'd been devastated at the fact that he wouldn't be see the younger boy at all during school hours.
That year had been one of his harder ones, but it also gave Kuroo hope. He forced the younger boy to practice everyday, something they could do together when Kenma came to Nekoma. Almost didn't notice Kenma was saying something he was so excited. "I'm not going to high school." Something hurt at the words. Doesn't have an answer until he finishes lecturing the younger boy at the importance of getting a good education when he has the opportunity. Heart, he realizes, settles a hand over the beating organ, feels its painful beating as he walks from Kenma's house to his.
It wasn't his intention to ignore one of his precious people. "Practice." He spits out bitterly whenever Kenma asks, "I'm not ignoring you. It's your choice." Didn't admit how hard it was to think of Kenma as his own person instead of a number on his finger. The middle one, the one that could stretch the farthest without breaking. Kuroo also doesn't admit that he cries the night that Kenma agrees to go to Nekoma, instead he e-mails him their practice schedule.
He's a little irritated that Kenma doesn't take school as seriously as he does, doesn't take advantage of the resources around him, or abuse the time they have together. Kenma calls him lame, and a nerd; he laughs the first time Kenma comes home with a zero on his test. The younger boy hadn't even attempted to answer the questions. Taking it upon himself to tutor his precious person, he strikes a deal with Kenma. Kuroo would make sure that Kenma passed all of his classes, and Kenma would give his all to the team.
Kenma isn't pleased with the deal, he can see that Kenma is considering dropping out. "You can't fund you collection if you don't have a good job." He announces, gesturing to the shelves of video games that take up most of the younger boy's room. Watches Kenma huff angrily, but Kuroo can see emotion in the other's golden eyes. Kenma looks like he might yell at him, like he might argue and scream, but the dark haired boy is mostly composed and practically silent. "I'll even pay for your next appointment." Kenma hated spending money on appearances and his health, "Maybe blue this time?" His precious person glares at him, but their hands shake. Kenma passes the the next two tests, but Kuroo is more pleased when Kenma ends up with a single streak of blue through his bangs.
The blue is gone three months later, "It's distracting." Kenma admits after being asked six times. The taller boy has trouble accepting that, but their deal is still there, ends up smiling as he spouts random trivia about the history of the dogwood tree. Kenma doesn't sign up for botany during his second year, gets into astronomy at his suggestion, doesn't tell Kenma about the forty-thousand yen telescope until the younger boy asks him for help on his first test.
It's one of his more fond memories, carrying a giant box onto the train, Kenma half smirking on the other side of it. They end up in Odaiba. Pulling what wasn't a picnic out of his bag after he finished setting up his telescope, Kenma had called him a nerd, but there had been more infliction in the younger boy's tone than usual. The blond had denied it, hid his face by shoving it into telescope's eyepiece. He kissed Kenma that night, couldn't ignore the sugar on the younger boy's lips. Kenma had stared at him for a long time when he pulled back, Kuroo remembers twitching under the golden gaze. Watched in awe when Kenma's fingers, long and slender, started to trace his recently kissed lips. They kissed more, so long that Kuroo was sure the stars would be gone by the time they returned to looking at them. Kenma just glared at him when he brought up the reason they were there.
They don't talk about it. Kenma refuses to acknowledge that it even happened. He mopes, accidentally ignores the younger boy for two weeks until Kenma shows up at his bedroom. Kenma calls him an idiot, pushes him away when Kuroo leans in for another kiss. Kenma points out that they're both men, tells him about how Hell would swallow him if he continued to think like that. He points out that Kenma doesn't even believe in his religion. The blond almost smiles, tells him about his next test. They don't kiss again.
He wonders what Kenma would say if the younger boy even found out he wrote about that moment in Odaiba. How he could see the stars reflected off of Kenma's pupils, how bright they looked when imprisoned in amber. He writes about that night for a long time, then the paper starts getting wet. He tells himself not to cry, that it had been one of the best moments in his life, but fat fears block up the last line on the paper. He knows what he was going to write, thinks about ruined paper whenever he sees Kenma. That paragraph, not a poem because poems are for girls, is tucked away under under the cover of a book of constellations.
Kuroo knows Kenma better than anyone, knows what the blond's taste like, know what each scrunch of his face means, and most importantly, he knows when Kenma is lying. He's more interesting in why. "Can't." Kenma says to his offer, his offer of video games and companionship, things that Kenma wants. "Family stuff." The shorter boy explains, but there's no groaning when the younger boy talks about his family. There's always groaning. "No practice today." Doesn't tell Kenma that he cancelled their team meeting so they could have more time together. Kenma hums from behind him, he can hear the rapid clicks of Kenma's PSP, can hear Kenma muttering to himself about how unfair his game is.
"When are you free?" Words that are unfamiliar to him when it comes to Kenma, the younger boy had always been nonresistant to his presence. Kenma hums again, Kuroo can hear the irritation as Kenma clicks pause. "Sometime next week." Is mumbled into the wind, "Maybe." Maybe. He's uncomfortable with maybe. Maybe could mean anything. It usually meant no coming from Kenma, but Kenma had never maybe'd him. "Want to go to a college game on Wednesday?" Might as well test how maybe Kenma was feeling. "What team?" The younger boy asks like he's almost interested, but buttons are being noisily smashed again. He almost laughs at the question as he processes it, wonders when Kenma will realize there was only one college team worth watching.
"Tokyo University, duh!" He glances at the boy using him as shield. "I'll think about it." Is the other's response. Kuroo had only managed to drag him to one college game, Kenma vowed never to return no matter how many pies were offered. "I'll get two good seats, just in case." Smiles at the failed joke, Tokyo University's gym was usually empty of observers, something he would change when he joined the team. Kenma hums, confirmation of his words being heard but offering no response. He shrugs, slows his pace so he can get a better look at his precious friend.
He almost gapes when Kenma's game is stowed away in his school bag, a rare sight even for him. Kuroo smiles, taking in the back to back sighs. "Is there something wrong?" Kenma asks seriously. He feels his head tilt at the question, Kenma was acting weird and dares to ask him if there's a problem. Family stuff. There is something wrong. He laughs to hold back his response, Smiles harder when Kenma sighs for the third time. "Are you okay?" Kenma asks, Kuroo soaks in the feeling of amber roaming his body.
"I was pretty sure I was asking the questions." He says instead of answering the questions, "Are you okay?" He asks right back, almost laughing again when his blond friend sighs. "I'm fine." Is the answer he gets, but he's certain that Kenma is lying. Intends to find out why. "If you're sure." Shifts his tone to almost make a question, Kenma ignores him and starts walking. A tell of his irritation, he catches up to the shorter boy easily and walks by his side silently. Counts each of the steps that Kenma makes, until they're walking through the gate of Kenma's home.
He almost doesn't catch the smaller boy's next action, finger twisting against a resisting knob, a key. Nobody is home. He could go inside, bother Kenma until the younger boy spills. Almost does, but decides to let his precious person keep his secret. For now, he decides, wondering at which moment he'll have to interrogate his best friend. He pretends to look away, waits until Kenma is on the other end of the door before letting his eyes fall onto a blank face. "See you at the game!" He croons, chuckles when the door is promptly shut in his face.
Kenma was a trustworthy kid, but that didn't apply to every situation. Like now. He walks back to his own home, ponders over the secret that Kenma could have. Tokyo was a big place, full of crime and drugs. Kenma has the option to do anything. Kuroo is certain that the younger boy will be inside of his house, playing video games until family stuff happens. That doesn't deter him from watching Kenma's house, trying to convince himself that he's not spying on a neighbor, but watching over a friend. His best friend.
Kuroo almost looks away, tries to look away, but he can't. Kenma was walking, a different bag on his shoulder. He almost opens the window and screams at the younger boy, but decides to remain hidden as he watches his precious person walk in unfamiliar path. There's a moment of consideration, a brief one, as he's pulling his shoes back on and slamming his front door, that maybe he should be happy that Kenma is doing things on his own. The dread that fills his gut keeps him going, maintaining just enough distance to avoid looking like a pervert.
A station. Kenma stops at a station. He's not sure what he expects, continues watching as the shorter boy pays for a ticket. Waits half a second longer then quickly purchases his own, Kuroo picks the cabin next to Kenma's, the distance is enough to make Kenma's face indistinct, but the blond is the only one with a computer on his lap. His foot starts shaking as he watches his friend, waiting for something to happen. The train lurches under them, loud noises only a machine could make. He doesn't stare through the windows of the doors that separate them, but he does look up whenever the transport eases to a stop. Kenma doesn't move for a long time, so neither does he.
He wonders if this was a mistake, if Kenma just had a secret hobby of watching movies while on a train. The train stops again. Kenma stands up, and Kuroo waits. Slides out of the cabin doors just before they close. "Kenma!" He hears, glances across the sparse exiting passengers wondering if it was actually him that had yelled. He almost screams when he spots Kenma across the station and talking with someone. He eases closer until he can spot the gold in Kenma's pupils. He sees orange instead. "How was the ride?" A familiar middle blocker chirps, Kuroo's feet itch when he feels the need to stomp over and demand an explanation. Miyagi.
Kenma is in Miyagi. Where Karasuno is located, where that middle blocker most likely lives. Tells himself not to jump to conclusions, deems the situation a complete coincidence. Considers the possibility that Kenma has family in Miyagi that he doesn't know about. "How was the ride?" He hears as he slips forward, feeling almost exposed in the afternoon light. He can barely hear Kenma's response. "Fine." The blond's voice states, almost sounding bored. Kuroo smiles.
"Want me to take your bags? It's a pretty long walk to my house." Catches a brief glimpse of a smile from Hinata Shouyou's mouth, he's too focused on holding back whatever is attempting to come out of his mouth. My house. Kenma came to Miyagi to visit. Visit not family. He should be satisfied. Kuroo had found out his friend's secret. The truth only makes him furious and confused. Why did he lie? Tries to draw a conclusion from empty theories. Knows that Kenma had run away to Miyagi to visit that shrimp, but he can't figure out why.
He's following them before he can help himself. Watches Kenma offer over his bag, and pat the orange fluff on the head. Hinata Shouyou flinches under Kenma's hand. The walk is long, Kenma looks like he might drop dead at any moment, and he's feeling almost the same. They end up in a town, old and almost barren, but Hinata is practically bouncing as he points out random buildings. "That's where our team gets meat buns after practice!" The orange blob squeaks, then starts dragging his precious person inside of a dirty looking building. He doesn't follow them, or even look into the window of the establishment.
Kenma and Hinata are out moments later, a greasy white bag shaking in the middle blocker's hand. He watches as Kenma starts eating what could only be a meat buns, watches his blond friend's face scrunch up in distaste, the snack is finished quickly and shorty is tugging on his best friend's arm. Kuroo follows slowly, all the way up a too steep hill, he glares at Hinata Shouyou for living in an inconvenient region. Silently curses the boy for forcing his Kenma on such a treacherous journey.
Kuroo watches as a too short middle blocker pulls his Kenma towards a small house. Hinata Shouyou's house, he realizes, glares at the building as Kenma is dragged into it. That's the end of his journey, he stands there, staring, for a long time. Praying that his best friend will end up running out of the house, begging to be taken home, but Kenma doesn't know that he is there. He retraces his steps, not pouting and not cursing the existence of a orange haired little brat, taking his Kenma away from him.
He doesn't look back at the shrimp's house, even if his Kenma is inside of it. Kenma inside of a house that isn't stationed in Tokyo. It's a rather jarring revelation, his lazy best friend who doesn't even have enough energy to walk to school everyday, taking an hour walk to go to an almost stranger's house. He thinks about it the entire way to the station, retracing his steps carefully.
There was little that he knew about Hinata Shouyou, short with orange hair, excitable and dedicated. Loud. Big smile and impressive legs that propelled him above the net. Kuroo recalls the first time he met Hinata Shouyou, the barely half a minute with no words exchanged between them. Picking up his best friend from being lost, seeing bright hair, like dying beams of sunlight, and wide, fearful eyes. Meeting Hinata Souyou was an interesting interaction, someone being scared of him just by looking at them, someone who made Kenma smile briefly as they walked away from the scene.
It was exhilarating and almost terrifying, how someone small and weird could make Kenma react that way. He just remembers catching wide brown eyes and awkward stuttering. The middle blocker was much different on the court, still awkward and eyes still wide, but there was something else. Something he was drawn to, a different way than he could explain. A feeling weaker than his feelings for Kenma, but definitely stronger than it should be for a stranger. Kuroo thinks he could be friends with Hinata Shouyou, good friends even. The orange haired boy had made his Kenma smile, had inspired the blond in a way that he couldn't manage after years of trying. He also resents the middle blocker. Hates him for doing things he couldn't. Hates him for drawing reactions from Kenma so easily.
He wants revenge, but he also wants something else. Answers. Wants to know what could be so special about an underdeveloped, obnoxious brat. Kuroo can wait. Read that patience is a trademark quality in a good captain. He'd wait for his chance. Nodding to himself, Kuroo decides to leave Kenma in Miyagi, with Shouyou.
Then he's on the ground, cursing as his face collides with concrete. "What the hell!" He shouts, coughing up gravel and rocks. Stupid fucking Miyagi. He turns onto his back once the coughing is finished, spots a big pale hand. "Kuroo-san?" The hand asks, he stares at it for a moment before getting to the ground on his own. Wiping dust and the stench of betrayal off of his clothes, he looks at the stupid person who knocked him over. "...Oikawa?" He didn't mean to pose it as a question, he's just rather shocked, Seijoh wasn't around this town if he remembered correctly.
"Ah, you do remember! So, what brings you out here, Kuroo-chan?" Kuroo blinks. chan? Stares at Oikawa Tooru for a long time. "Nothing." He answers, recalling that he'd been asked a question. "What are you doing here? Isn't your school like, that way?" He points towards a random direction, not sure why either of them are here. Oikawa's smile drops a fraction, Kuroo smirks at the sight, wondering if he's actually winning this stupid argument. "Isn't your school farther away, Nekoma captain? Or did the little kitty get lost?" The other boy coos, wiggling a finger at him.
Kuroo throws a punch. Connects with Oikawa's shoulder instead of his chest when the other boy leans away from it. "Now now, Kitty-chan, I was just being nice." There's something unsettling in Oikawa's tone, but he makes sure his unease doesn't show on his face. "Let's a deal, then!" The other boy chuckles, making his floppy hair bounce softly. Kuroo wants to rip it off. "I'll tell you why I'm here, then you tell me the same." The Seijoh captain claps his hands together, the smile is back and it almost distracts him from the look in Oikawa's eyes.
He's not curious, but something tells him it'd just be easier to agree to the stupid conditions. "Fine." He mutters, sighs when Oikawa offers his stupid hand and ends up shaking it anyway. "I'm here to see my chibi-chan!" Oikawa chirps as soon as the deal is struck. Kuroo blinks, it couldn't be, then pouts. "Hinata Shouyou." They say is almost simultaneously, but Oikawa's tone is filled with cheer while his is filled with contempt. "You know him, then?" He nods, glaring at the other boy now. A friend of a friend-stealing little runt was not someone with whom he'd like to communicate with.
"Something wrong, Kuroo-chan?" Kuroo's fist trembles at the honorific, wondering why this idiot was still talking to him. "You seem..." Oikawa taps his chin in thought before smiling brightly, he can't help but flinch away from the lecherous expression, a clear sign of danger. He'd only played against Seijoh once, but had heard plenty of rumors about their captain, none of them pleasant. "So, why are you here?" Oikawa asks instead of finishing his previous statement. Kuroo can't think of a lie fast enough and it's going to be more obvious if he doesn't say anything.
"Meat buns." He says smoothly, watches Oikawa's face for disbelief, but nothing shifts. "Your fists seem to be empty, and quite clenched. Is something wrong?" You, he's not scared but the other captain puts him on edge. "I ate them- And I should really get going." He turns around, starts walking towards the station, but is stopped. Kuroo knows why, almost groans loudly, curses the stupidly persistent captain behind him. "Don't you have a shrimp to see?" He barks, trying to shake the other boy's hand from his shoulder. It doesn't budge.
"No need to be rude, Kuroo-chan, just looking out for a friend." He scoffs at Oikawa's words, he never thought that the Aoba Johsai captain would be a loon. "Any friend of chibi-chan's is a friend of mine." Growling at the words he lashes out, "That runt isn't my friend!" Oikawa just laughs and Kuroo realizes he might have made a mistake. "And why is that? Something you don't like about him?" The other captain smirks, teeth gleaming like he just knows everything. "Nothing." He says crossly, trying once more to pull his shoulder away from the captain's grasp. It still doesn't budge. Kuroo wonders what the point of this is, asking him stupid questions and refusing to let him leave, it's almost like Oikawa Tooru is looking for a fight.
"What is your relation to my chibi-chan?" My. Mine. Remembers when he had someone who was just his, he's pretty sure that Oikawa and Hinata Shouyou don't share the same relationship as he and Kenma do. "I was checking on my friend." Oikawa's smile tightens. "I thought you said he wasn't your friend?" Kuroo rolls his eyes, "My friend is staying at that idiot's house." Oikawa's lips form a ring for a moment. "That doesn't really explain why you are here, though."
"I followed him here." Oikawa nods slightly, "Are you worried about them?" Kuroo frowns, shrugs, keeps that information to himself. "If you were wise, Kuroo-chan, I'd keep your friend away from my property." He throws another punch, but the other captain barely dodges it. "Don't threaten Kenma, you little shit." He growls, but Oikawa is laughing again, the noise makes his fists itch. "So, is this Kenma person important to you?" Kuroo freezes at the question.
"Yes, obviously, or I wouldn't be here." Oikawa nods again, "Do you know where my chibi-chan lives?" He thinks it might be an honest question, Kuroo snuffs a smirk before it can show. "Aren't you his friend? Shouldn't you know?" It's an obvious taunt, sickly enjoy the way Oikawa's face twitches at his words. A similar power he held over Hinata Shouyou, like he could scare him off with just a look. "Ah, well, if you don't tell me, how are you going to make sure nothing happens between them?" He frowns at that, not quite sure what Oikawa was getting at.
"You don't think your Kenma would replace you, do you?" He shakes his head, but there's a spike of fear that makes his blood freeze at the words. "Of course, I can't control everything that happens if my chibi-chan ends up in Tokyo. But I'm sure you'll look out for him, the same way I look out for Kenma, right?" Kuroo finds himself nodding reluctantly, he's not sure what Oikawa had in mind. "Don't touch Kenma." He warns, Oikawa's hand drops from his shoulder.
"I wouldn't dream of it, Kuroo-chan." Oikawa offers his hand, they make a deal.