a/n: writer's month day 6, "surf"!

i really enjoyed writing this one, it's a shame i get intimidated by word counts larger than 2k or it may have gone on a while.

"Uh, hey, Kuroko, I got a favor to ask you," Kagami says, stumbling over his words, "it's not a big deal if you don't want to."

Kuroko looks up at Kagami. "What is it, Kagami-kun?"

Kagami sighs and shoves his hands in his pockets. "There's a surfing competition in Chiba this weekend, and I was wonderin' if you'd come with me to watch."

"Sure."

"Seriously?"

Kuroko takes a drink of his milkshake. "Yes, seriously. You like surfing, don't you? I want to see it."

Kagami grins and takes out one hand to ruffle Kuroko's hair. "Thanks man, you're the best."

Kuroko smiles back and gets on his phone to send a text message.

Kagami looks out the window of the train and sighs. Kuroko glances up from his book.

"Something wrong?"

Kagami twists his mouth to the side for a moment. "Kinda wish Akashi could come, too, but Kyoto's pretty damn far away, huh?"

Kuroko nods. "It is," he says. He pauses, then closes his book with his finger holding his place. "You miss him, don't you?"

Kagami turns his eyes to Kuroko. "Don't you?"

"I do."

Kagami sighs again and slumps back in his seat. "Oh well. Maybe we should go somewhere when he's back for the summer. Just us three."

"I'd like that, and I'm sure he would as well."

Kuroko picks his book back up for the last ten minutes of the train ride. Kagami stares out the window again, his mind preoccupied by how the video calls with the three of them are nice and all but nothing can replace seeing Akashi in person. Kuroko feels the most like home, but those feelings don't overshadow the fondness he holds for his other boyfriend. Sure, getting used to having two boyfriends, let alone one at all, has been his own journey to tackle, but he's come to recognize affection and devotion when it's right in front of him.

The train pulls into the station in Chiba, so Kagami and Kuroko get off with their bags of beach clothes and towels. When they get outside, Kagami checks his phone for directions while Kuroko is typing away on his own phone.

"We should find a cab," Kagami says, "I got cash so we should be good."

"I'm sure that will be fine, Kagami."

Kagami turns abruptly towards the familiar voice, and is shocked to see Akashi standing behind him next to Kuroko. Akashi greets Kuroko with a kiss and then moves his attention back to Kagami. He's smiling up at Kagami with a warm fondness Kagami realizes he misses the most.

"Akashi...! You're here!" Kagami exclaims. He looks over at Kuroko. "Did you...plan this?"

Kuroko nods. "I did. I asked Akashi-kun if he would meet us here for the competition."

"I was able to make time for this weekend," Akashi says, "I didn't want to miss something important to you, Kagami."

"But—isn't Kyoto really far away?" Kagami asks.

"Yes, but I'm willing to make the trip for you," Akashi says in a tone that makes it impossible to doubt him.

Kagami finally approaches Akashi and has to lean down to hug him. He receives a kiss on the cheek in addition to a hug in return. Akashi's arms are small like Kuroko's but they feel as though they're enveloping Kagami as a whole. Kagami lets out a breath he felt as though he was holding until this moment.

"I missed you, man," Kagami says.

"I missed you, too," Akashi hushes back.

Kagami finally releases Akashi and sees Kuroko smiling at them. He can feel his cheeks heat up from all the attention from his two boyfriends. He quickly looks away and makes a show of looking around.

"There's, uh, gotta be a cab 'round here somewhere..."

The beach is crowded with onlookers, but the three manage to find a spot to lay out their beach towels. Seeing that the competition hasn't started yet, Kagami, finished with having Akashi put sunscreen on his back, stands up from the towel.

"I'll go get us some water and stuff," he says, "we didn't bring a cooler so I'll try to find some ice, too."

Akashi gets up as well and shakes his head. "No, you should watch for the competition to start. I'll go get drinks."

Then Kuroko stands up. "I'll go. You two should catch up," he says and, without waiting for a response, heads off towards the concession stand.

Akashi chuckles. "That's Kuroko for you, I suppose. Why don't we sit and chat?"

Kagami nods and follows Akashi back to sitting down on the towels. He scratches his cheek and looks over at Akashi. "So, uh...how's Kyoto?"

"Good. We've been going out as a team more lately, so I've been enjoying myself and their company," Akashi responds. "How is Tokyo?"

Kagami leans back on his hands. "Same old, same old. Practicing, getting roped into hanging out with Kise a lot lately, that kind of stuff."

"I take it school is going well?"

"Uh, I wouldn't, um, say that..."

Akashi gives him a piteous smile. "If you ever need help, I'm a phone call away."

Kagami can tell the embarrassment is creeping up on him. "Right...I'll remember that. You must make good grades, huh?"

Akashi sighs and folds up one leg to his chest. "Yes, but I suppose my motivation is that I have to."

"Oh right...'cause of your dad, huh?"

Akashi nods then smiles, though it's tinged with melancholy. "Things have been better as of late, but the expectations are still there."

"Yeah...guess that makes sense."

Kagami is about to add to what he said, but yelps when something cold is pressed into the back of his neck. He scrambles to look behind him and—honestly, not to anyone's surprise—there's Kuroko with his arm full of cans and bottles. He doesn't appear to be reveling in his mischief, which makes Kagami more reactive.

"Hey, man! That was cold!" he exclaims.

Kuroko stares down at him. "I would hope so."

Kagami grumbles and watches Kuroko take his seat on his towel.

"I couldn't find any ice, so we'll just have to deal with it if they get warm," Kuroko says.

Akashi takes a tea. "This must have been a hassle to carry back. Thank you, Kuroko."

Kuroko has already popped open a drink of his own, and nods as he's taking a sip of it.

Kagami is in the middle of his own thanks when the announcer comes over the speaker.

"Is everyone ready for the competition?! Looks like we've got some good waves coming in today!"

Many voices ring out to cheer, including Kagami, whose attention has wholly shifted to watching the contestants mingle in their circle with their surfboards, ready to go. Akashi and Kuroko look at each other and smile; Kagami is cute when he gets really into something.

"That was incredible! Did you see how the second guy handled that wave?! Awesome!"

Akashi chuckles and Kuroko smiles. Kagami hasn't been able to stop talking about the surfers since they left. The train ride to Tokyo, where Kagami and Kuroko will go home from and Akashi will make his connecting train to Kyoto, is short so they have to absorb all the time together they can. Kagami stops his gushing for a moment to catch his breath from talking.

Akashi takes the chance to ask him something. "Kagami, have you ever surfed yourself?"

Kagami appears shocked. "Uh, yeah, I used to surf all the time in the states. The waves out there are crazy, wish I had my board over here."

Akashi sits more upright with the new information. "Very impressive. If you had your surfboard with you, would you go back to Chiba?"

"Yeah, I guess so."

Akashi nods and seems to drop the subject. Kuroko looks over at him; they share a gaze that Kagami feels left out of, but he knows the two share a nonverbal connection that he can't pick up on. Kuroko's eyebrows shoot up and he glances at Kagami before settling back in his seat.

The train pulls into the station and once they get off a sorrowful air settles around them. It's goodbye again, at least until Akashi is back in Tokyo for the summer. Kagami and Kuroko take turns to hug and kiss Akashi.

"I'll see you two over video calls," Akashi reminds them, "no need to be sad."

Kagami shuffles his feet. "Yeah, that's true, but it's not the same, y'know?"

Akashi nods. "I know. Well, I must catch my train. Goodbye to you both."

With that, they go their separate ways. Once out of the station, Kagami groans and Kuroko looks up at him.

"Kagami-kun?"

"It's nothin'," Kagami says, though he sounds tired, "I'll get over the long-distance thing eventually."

"Do you want to go to Maji Burger? You didn't have a large lunch like you always do."

Kagami thinks about it. "...Yeah, let's go."

"This won't be the last time we see Akashi-kun."

"I know, but it still sucks."

Kuroko nods. "Yeah. Hey, Kagami-kun?"

"What's up?"

"Would you like company tonight? I could ask my parents if I can sleep over."

Kagami takes a moment to consider Kuroko's offer, then grumbles. "Yeah, sure, I think that'd be cool."

"Okay. Maybe we can talk to Akashi-kun if he's not too tired from his trip."

"You think so?"

Kuroko nods. "I'm sure he'd like to hear more stories about you surfing."

Kagami's cheeks flush a little. "Well, I got a few he can listen to. They're nothin' special, though."

"Kagami-kun."

"Yeah?"

"You can surf. I don't know anyone else who can. I'd say that's special enough."

Kagami rubs the back of his neck. "Yeah, okay, guess you got a point."

Kuroko hums. "We should get to Maji Burger before they close."

"Right. Let's go."

Back at Kagami's apartment, he sets Kuroko up in his spare room.

"I let it get kinda messy since Alex left, just puttin' random stuff in here I don't know what to do with."

Kuroko looks around at the plain room's small amount of clutter. It's not a big deal to him, but he supposes Kagami has a different standard of what's acceptable for guests. Kuroko sits on the bed and drops his bag to the ground.

"It's fine. Thank you for letting me stay over."

"No problem, man."

Kagami lingers and Kuroko checks his phone.

"Ah...Akashi can't make it tonight. He says tomorrow is good, though."

Kagami nods. "'Kay. Well I'm off to bed, what do you want for breakfast?"

"Eggs are good."

"Alright, I'll do that, then."

Kuroko smiles up at Kagami. "Goodnight, Kagami-kun."

Kagami leans down to kiss Kuroko. It's soft and quick, just right for a goodnight kiss.

After they part, Kagami smiles. "'Night, Kuroko. Sleep good."