Summary: "Kageyama just told me there's a party on campus this weekend."
Kuroo almost jumped when he heard Chris's voice so close to him. Too much information at once: how had he managed to get so close without him noticing, and then Kageyama? Inviting them to a party?
Hinata, who apparently followed the conversation, started signing with overflowing enthusiasm. After a good minute, the redhead finally stopped and turned his eyes to his mate for him to translate:
"He's asking if you're coming."
A very brief, yet undoubtedly effective summary.
"Yeah, when is it ?"
"Saturday night," Kageyama answered.
Two days.
Kuroo felt a thrill of sparkling excitement running through him. This would be his first uni party of the year in Tokyo, and he hoped it would be memorable.
And damn, it was."
Chapter 7: Hercules Mercury
One month had passed since Kuroo's first encounter with the members of CATO. It was only the fourth time he had seen most of them, but he was now a full-time member of the gang. In the meantime, new faces had also appeared, including Tanaka Ryû, Nishinoya's best friend, with whom the first meeting had almost turned into a street fight. Although he found it hard to admit, Kuroo was not entirely innocent in this story. On his way to CATO for the second time, he spotted Nishinoya from a distance. So, he started following him, not only because he wasn't sure of the way to CATO, but also because he did not really know how to approach him, he had after all only met him once. Unfortunately for him, Tanaka, thinking he was a stalker or something, stumbled upon him, promising a good beating, whatever his intentions were. Kuroo, as stubborn as he was, didn't bother denying the facts, too happy to respond to the provocation. Fortunately for the two hotheads, Nishinoya put an end to the confrontation when he jumped onto his friend's back, screaming with joy, instantly defusing the conflict.
No major incidents have been reported since.
Kuroo had adapted to the polymorphic atmosphere at CATO: sometimes a philosophy cafe, sometimes a kid playground. That Thursday, the tone was definitely set on the latter: in one corner of the room, Nishinoya and Tanaka had decided to engage in what seemed to be Olympic gymnastics, under the horrified gaze of Azumane, who, despite himself, was included in the exercise, serving as a safety net. On the side, Kuroo spotted Chris and Kageyama, silently watching the scene unfold, probably waiting for a fall that would inevitably happen sooner or later.
After Chris met Oikawa, Kuroo introduced his friend to the group, and he integrated well. Initially, Kuroo feared that the language barrier would be a problem; however, not only did the young man's Japanese proficiency experience exponential growth, but he also formed a strange friendship with Kageyama, both seeming to appreciate each other's company without the need for words.
As for Kuroo, he lounged on a sofa, accompanied by Sugawara and Oikawa, who, after their weekly battle, were just talking, sometimes trying to include Kuroo who wasn't really paying attention to what they were saying.
Boredom was slowly setting in, and the brunet wondered how to intelligently occupy his time. He surveyed the room and smirked when his eyes fell on his favorite target: Tsukishima. Smiling, already relishing the prospect of pissing him off, Kuroo straightened up to approach him. However, he was preempted by Hinata, who captured the blond's attention before him by making faces. Tsukishima, unimpressed, raised a disdainful eyebrow before signing a response. A response apparently cutting, judging by the annoyed reaction of the redhead, who vehemently replied. The blond smiled and retorted. The non-verbal banter continued like this until Hinata rushed at the blond, ready for a showdown. Unimpressed, Tsukishima simply extended his arm and stopped him by pressing his palm against the redhead's forehead (a technique well known to Kuroo, having used it many times against his younger sisters). Hinata pushed on his legs to break free, in vain. Tsukishima chuckled as he heard him start to growl but didn't budge.
"Tsukki, it's not nice to pick on someone smaller than you," teased Kuroo, amused.
The concerned party clicked his tongue.
"First, stop calling me that. Secondly: not my fault if the Lilliputian decides to pick on me; he deserves what he gets. Thirdly..."
Thirdly, nothing, as Yamaguchi came out of nowhere and jumped on the blond's back, destabilizing him and giving the redhead a chance to break free. He hit the blond like a cannonball, who, off balance, stumbled backward and crashed to the ground. Yamaguchi burst into laughter, not the least bit concerned about the state of his mate. Hinata triumphantly towered over the blond.
"Thirdly, you're stupid," declared Yamaguchi, squatting next to the blond before planting a kiss on his cheek.
"Traitor," the latter grumbled, pouting as he got up.
"I think the Lilliputian got you good," Kuroo said slyly.
"I'd like to see how you'd manage if two idiots Yama-shis decided to team up against you just to piss me off."
Silence.
Tsukishima raised an eyebrow, seeing the perplexed expression on Kuroo's face.
"I don't see what you didn't understand, 'idiots.' Or 'piss me up'? Seems to me like you do know how to do that already ."
"Ahaha, very funny, I'm amused! No, Yama-what?"
"Yama-shi?" interrupted Yamaguchi.
Tsukishima chuckled.
"You're really a..."
"Cluless beta, yeah, I know, thanks."
He was used to it by now; it took more to ruffle his feathers.
"Clueless is an understatement..."
"Tsukki," reprimanded Yamaguchi. "We're both Yama-shis with Hinata, that's why he said that."
Kuroo raised an eyebrow. He vaguely remembered hearing similar terms when Sugawara had invited him to join them. Since then, he hadn't asked what it meant.
"Do you know there are several groups, right?"
"Groups? Uh, I heard Suga talk about packs or clans, is that it?"
Yamaguchi shook his head.
"No, genetic groups."
Hinata signed something that escaped him.
"Oh, I didn't know that..."
Tsukishima rolled his eyes outrageously. Kuroo decided not to react and went to sit in front of Yamaguchi, who had returned to his seat.
"There are six different groups, well, I think, at least in Japan, we count six."
"Oh, okay... How are they different?"
"You study biology, right? Genetics is too hard for you, huh?" taunted the blond.
"Biochemistry, actually, and, phenotypically?"
Tsukishima sighed deeply but finally decided to cooperate.
"Differences in behavior, social hierarchy, courtship behavior or during cycles... Mainly. It's a bit like comparing a wolf and a jaguar, in terms of behavior, I mean."
"Yeah, a bit," interjected Yamaguchi. "As I was saying, there are six main groups: the Sô-shi, Sô-nami, Sô-kita, and the Yama-shi, Yama-nami, Yama-kita. I think the basic names come from the geographical areas where the first colonies came from in Japan, but it doesn't really matter anymore..."
Oh, it was starting to vaguely ring a bell.
"Oh! The Sô-kita, like, the omegaarchies, right? Suga told me about those."
"Yeah, for example, but it's a minority really. I would say that the majority are Sô-shis... Though we might not be the best representation here, " Yamaguchi turned to scan the room "I think Sugawara is the only one here."
"Oh yeah, so like the big, crazy doggo," Kuroo formulated, not missing a sly smile when he saw that the person in question had started bickering with Oikawa again.
Tsukishima and Yamaguchi chuckled together:
" Yeah, kind of. Well, generally, Sô-shis are big brutes who are always looking for trouble... But that's more because they're a bunch of pretentious fuckos. Nothing to do with genetics, just education. Sô-shi packs are pretty fuck up."
Ah, the barkers, Kuroo mentally noted.
"Anyway, Suga is different, I imagine..." Yamaguchi finished a hint of tenderness in his voice.
"I think Iwaizumi too," the blond added.
"Isn't he a beta?" Kuroo interrupted.
"Yes, but let me finish: he is, or used to be, part of a Sô-shi's pack."
"Oh... I didn't know there were betas too..."
"You non-pack betas are not the only ones around you know ?!"
"We'd be in trouble if the planet was only populated by clueless betas..."
"Okay, I get it, I get it !"
"Anyway," Yamaguchi continued, amused, "Tsukki and Oikawa are Sô-nami..."
"Hmm, yeah, I see the similarities," joked Kuroo.
"Pff... Yeah. As I said, Hinata, Asahi, and I are Yama-shi, Nishinoya, well, Yama-nami, and... Kageyama? Kageyama too, he finished after confirmation from Hinata."
The comparison was more complex to establish this time.
"Each group kinda developed different cultures too. We talk about a pack in general, but it depends. I can't explain why... Most of the time, the pack is structured around a pair consisting of the dominant alpha and their omega. Generally, all pairs are made between alpha and omega of the same group..."
"Which is absolutely not the case here," noted Kuroo with a smile.
"No, not really..." Yamaguchi caught his mate's gaze and joined his hand with his. "We're not the club of troublesome outcasts for nothing!"
"Adorable troublesome outcasts!" Sugawara intervened, ruffling Hinata's hair.
The latter seemed to appreciate the gesture, displaying a blissful smile before chirping. Just a few seconds later, the attitude of the redhead changed drastically as he began to growl, squinting his eyes. Kuroo couldn't help but laugh when he realized that it was none other than Kageyama's approach that caused it.
Their dynamic was really something to be puzzled about: these two could really go from lovey-dovey to a growling duel in just a few seconds. Kageyama let out a brief guttural growl before settling next to his mate. Hinata tilted his head, and Kageyama joined his forehead to his, rubbed his cheek against his briefly, and pulled away. Kuroo had already witnessed this kind of interaction. Indeed, the behavior, which he found completely adorable, seemed common to more or less all the members of the club.
"Kageyama just told me there's a party on campus this weekend."
Kuroo almost jumped when he heard Chris's voice so close to him. Too much information at once: how had he managed to get so close without him noticing, and then Kageyama? Inviting them to a party?
Hinata, who apparently followed the conversation, started signing with overflowing enthusiasm. After a good minute, the redhead finally stopped and turned his eyes to his mate for him to translate:
"He's asking if you're coming."
A very brief, yet undoubtedly effective summary.
"Oh yes! It's the party organized by the student council !" Yamaguchi intervened, just as delighted as the redhead, "all faculties are participating, and usually the first one of the year is insane!"
"I just hope you won't end up at the police station this time," Tsukishima grumbled.
"What did you do to get...?"
"You don't want to know," Sugawara interrupted.
Kuroo raised an eyebrow but decided to not ask further questions when he witnessed the insane smile on Yamaguchi's face. Certainly, Kuroo had a hard time understanding how beings like Sugawara and he could be both so adorable and so deeply frightening at the same time.
Okay, quick, change of subject:
"When is it ?"
"Saturday night," Kageyama answered.
Two days.
Kuroo felt a thrill of sparkling excitement running through him. This would be his first college party of the year in Tokyo, and he hoped it would be memorable.
And damn, it was.
-/-
21:34:
In nearly three years of college, Kuroo had had his fair share of crazy nights. He had his rebellious years, even before turning twenty. He must have visited most of the bars in Sapporo, attended at least one party in each dorm on campus, and lost count of the times he had returned to his parents for the weekend with a cosmic hangover. Something entirely normal for a "bon vivant" of his caliber. Anyway, Kuroo Tetsurō wasn't born yesterday; he had tested his limits extensively, seen dawns with way too much alcohol in his veins, and was notably proud of his alcohol tolerance, which most of his comrades found quite remarkable. Yes, Kuroo could hold his liquor pretty darn well, or so he thought.
What an idiot, what a fool to have thought that such a small accomplishment could bring him glory and pride. Truth be told, he was nothing, he had no merit or grand immunity, no advantage. He realized this very quickly that evening...
Kuroo arrived on campus with Chris in the early evening. He was worried about not finding the precise location of the party. Indeed, the event did not specify a specific location, just "Hongo campus," which was, in the eyes of the brunet, a rather vague geographical indication. He quickly realized that, no, the location was not wrong or too vague. No, when they said campus, they meant the entire campus.
People were everywhere, and the music seemed to invade all the space, harmonizing with a thousand tones changing with each of their steps. The trees had been decorated with lanterns and colorful banners, and food stands had been set up on the alley facing Yasuda Auditorium. After a quick tour, Chris and he quickly joined Kageyama, Hinata, Tsukishima, and Yamaguchi near the main gymnasium. The place seemed less crowded than the rest of the campus, and the atmosphere was rather relaxed.
And there, in this gymnasium, the floor already sticky with alcohol, there precisely, he knew. He knew that he was nothing. He learned humility. It was at that moment that he saw all his convictions collapse (regarding his alcohol tolerance), all his pride (still regarding his alcohol tolerance), his honor (alcohol wise obviously). Indeed, when Chris and he found their little group of friends, they were excited to finally have access to the Ping-Pong table to... play beer pong. Not particularly surprising so far, unless you consider that the average Japanese struggles to swallow more than one and a half beers before hitting the floor. The very idea of throwing dirty ping pong balls into beer-filled glasses to end up dead drunk after three shots was not necessarily the most charming and exciting plan one could formulate. Kuroo had nevertheless accepted, partly because he did not deny that the said activity had something appealing, but also because he thought the game would end before reaching the end. What an idiot to have thought that... How could he have thought for a moment that his metabolism, as strong as it may be, could measure up to that of four alphas and a European? It was barely ten o'clock, and Kuroo was going to have to give up so soon... Fortunately for him, after just 10 minutes of play, Kageyama and Hinata had ended up monopolizing the table, both unable to tolerate that one was better than the other. It quickly turned into a competition between the two alphas. The game had the merit of being captivating, and Kuroo enjoyed commenting on the match while sipping his beer, which also seemed to amuse Chris leaning beside him.
During a timeout in the beer pong game, caused by a heated dispute between the two competitors, Kuroo glanced at his phone, still waiting for news from Oikawa, who had promised to join them. As he looked up, Kuroo's gaze met that of a young woman leaning on the bar in the middle of the gymnasium. She quickly averted her eyes when she realized she had been spotted. Kuroo raised an eyebrow but quickly lost interest, focusing again on the game that had just resumed. Kageyama and Hinata had decided to slightly modify the game's rules, now seemingly limited to "throwing ping pong balls as violently as possible at your opponent," but it was no less entertaining. Soon, however, Kuroo had the unpleasant feeling of being watched. Turning his eyes, he found the gaze of the young woman again, who quickly looked away. Without really noticing, he puffed out his chest. He understood the appeal of the women for him; he wasn't too bad to look at after all. But this lady needed to understand that he was not interested.
A second blow to his ego came when he realized that the stolen glances were not directed at him but rather at the tall blond European with blue eyes next to him. Suddenly, it all made sense. No metabolism, and no charisma, he only had his gentlemanly attitude left:
"Chris..."
The latter directed his attention to him, intrigued by Kuroo's tone :
"Chris, I never asked before but...are you into girls?"
Kuroo hated when people assumed he was straight, he was not about to do the same thing, nope.
Chris seemed surprised by the question but answered without hesitation:
"Yes, well, I just don't really care."
"'bout what?"
"Genders."
Kuroo was initially surprised by the answer but quickly integrated it.
"Ok, in that case, don't look too obvious, but I think there's a girl over there that seems pretty interested."
Chris frowned, "Interested in what?"
"In you dude!"
Deeply surprised, the blond blinked several times before raising his head, sweeping the room without any discretion.
"Where is she?"
"At the bar."
Chris squinted his eyes.
"The girl with black hair?" the blond asked, switching back to Japanese.
"That's a bit broad to describe a Japanese girl, man. I know we're not a good example, but still!"
Chris let out a smirk:
"With the blue shirt?"
Kuroo discreetly glanced in the direction of the bar:
"Yes, that's her."
The expression of the blond didn't change, but Kuroo still noticed a slight shade of pink tinting his cheeks.
"She's cute," the blond said placidly.
"Are you gonna talk to her?"
The blond shrugged, trying, in vain, to remain as neutral as possible.
Kuroo didn't have the leisure to investigate the question any further because, after having disappeared for a while, he saw Tsukishima coming towards them.
"Have you seen Yamaguchi?"
"He's not with you?" Kuroo asked.
Tsukishima seemed extremely annoyed and retorted sarcastically:
"Well, yes, he's with me, and that's why I'm looking for him."
Chris chuckled. Kuroo gave him a sinister look.
"Traitor."
"Bathroom?"
"No."
"Okay, wait, I'll search with you. I'll be back, Chris."
The latter nodded and gave him a quick wave. Kuroo scanned the room. No Yamaguchi anywhere, he decided to try his luck outside. He scrutinized each small group that had formed around the entrance, even went into the grass to discreetly check if the fugitive wasn't among one of the groups there. Not there either.
As he approached the entrance, a furtive movement on the roof of the gymnasium caught his eye. He focused on the source and finally recognized Yamaguchi, comfortably seated on the gymnasium roof. What the fuck was he doing out there? Just as he was about to ask him - yelling - the young man urged him to stay silent and ask him to join him. Kuroo raised an eyebrow, perplexed.
"How do I come?" he managed to sign after mentally collecting the few signs Hinata had taught him. "Ladders," signed Yamaguchi in response, indicating the left side of the building. The brunet hesitated but eventually followed his instructions.
He indeed found an emergency ladder on the side of the building, but:
1- Nearly two meters was separating him from the first rung.
2- The said ladder was surrounded by iron arches that wouldn't give him much freedom of movement.
3- It was night, and the ladder didn't necessarily look inviting.
Undeterred, Kuroo decided to set aside his mental nuisance (also known as conscience) and embarked on the adventure. With a bit of momentum, he managed to jump high enough to grab the first rung of the ladder. After pushing hard with his arms, praying that his biceps would accompany him in the ordeal, he managed to straighten up enough to grab the second rung and finally positioned himself correctly on the ladder. After a good minute to climb it all, he proudly reached the roof of the gymnasium and joined Yamaguchi, who had crouched behind the roof panel.
"What the hell are you doing!"
"Shh, nothing, I want to prank Tsukki."
Kuroo smirked:
"How?"
"I'm going to throw water on his head," the young man announced proudly, his eyes sparkling with childish amusement. Or maybe it was the alcohol? Definitely alcohol.
What a shock it was for Kuroo when Yamaguchi presented him with a bucket filled to the brim with water. He phased, unable to understand how the latter had managed to climb the ladder with his bucket.
"How did you climb up?"
"The ladder," Yamaguchi replied as naturally as possible.
His brain must have started to take a good hit because he just sat down next to Yamaguchi without asking for details. Sometimes you had to let go and not try to understand absolutely everything.
Both of them crouched discreetly, like predators lying in wait, ready to strike.
"What the fuck are you doing here ?" asked the said Tsukishima behind them.
Yamaguchi and Kuroo jumped so violently that they both hit the bucket, which fell from the roof. Fortunately for them, no one was in its path, and even though many students ended up copiously drenched, no deaths were to be reported.
"Shit... How did you find us, Tsukki?"
" I saw Kuroo struggling to climb the ladder."
"Pff, I'd like to see you try," the latter mumbled.
Tsukishima smirked :
"Drinks ?" ask the blond, three glasses in hands.
"But how did... what ? How did you climb up?" Kuroo asked, convinced that there was definitely another way up.
"The ladder."
Seriously, what the hell?!
"Thanks, I'm deeply touched," Kuroo announced in an excessively sweet voice, grabbing the glass offered to him.
"My pleasure."
Damn, this kid was annoying.
Tsukishima came to sit next to his mate, and all three of them silently sipped their drinks. From where they were sitting, the lights stretching to the Sanshiro Pond seemed to dance like fireflies. The crowd, on the other hand, seemed to have intensified. The air had taken on the smell of alcohol, tobacco, and night.
"Hey, you want to see something funny?" Yamaguchi asked, seemingly aggravated. Alcohol, what a plague for the youngster.
"No", firmly stated the blond.
"Yes."
"Tadashi, no."
"Tadashi, yes!"
And without further ado, to Kuroo's astonished eyes, the young man straightened up and started howling. Even more astonishing, the crowd seemed to respond to him, and all around them, howls joined his. Yamaguchi eventually fell silent, but the choir around did not stop, and howls echoed from everywhere, which seemed to deeply amuse the young man.
Kuroo couldn't help but laugh too, both amused by the situation and by Yamaguchi's attitude, who seemed deeply proud of his mischief.
"You can't help it right..."
" No. I can't help it if the Sô-shi are so easy to provoke..."
Tsukishima rolled his eyes but added nothing more.
"You really have a grudge against them," the brunet observed.
"They've pissed me off enough, I have to give them a little payback," he said, a smile this time devoid of any malice across his face, his eyes focused on the distance.
"Shit," the blond intervened.
" What?"
"Ennoshita."
"Fuck..."
"Who ?"
"A friend but… He's part of the student council. If he sees us, will be in big big shit"
Kuroo glanced over the edge of the roof and discovered that a young man, was standing below. He was well-built for sure, but they were not dealing with a polar bear either.
"He doesn't look that bad..."
Both nodded their heads in concert.
"No… imagine a fusion between Daichi and Suga and multiplied by 10."
Kuroo shuddered with pure terror. Even the polar bear would have been scared.
"Exactly."
"We need to go down," urged the blond.
"Yeah, but he'll see us if we take the ladder…" noted his mate.
"So what? We jump?"
What?
"Ok."
I beg your fucking pardon?
The two straightened up and went to the edge of the wall opposite the ladder.
"Wait!"
These idiots weren't going to jump from the roof, were they? Sure, it wasn't very high, but the height was not comfortable either, even for an experienced ninja!
Yamaguchi was the first to jump, followed by Tsukishima. Panicked, Kuroo rushed to the edge of the roof to check that the two fools hadn't killed themselves. Apparently, all their limbs were intact. Not sure if their heads hadn't taken a serious hit though.
"Coming?" Yamaguchi asked.
"No, of course not!"
Kuroo wasn't ready to die just yet.
Yamaguchi shrugged:
"Okay,see you later then!"
And the two walked away. Bastards.
Kuroo discreetly returned to the front to check that the "terrible" Ennoshita wasn't around. Unfortunately, he must have sensed trouble and was now looking suspiciously at the roof. Kuroo hid behind the ledge to avoid being spotted. It was only five minutes later that he dared to straighten up. He seemed out of danger now. Still alert, he crawled in the direction of the ladder. Once sure that the area was safe, he began to climb it down. Those brats were going to hear from him!
He tried to blend back into the crowd, hoping to find his friends. Unfortunately, Kageyama and Hinata were still throwing ping-pong balls at each other; the sport had attracted quite a crowd now. Tsukishima and Yamaguchi were nowhere to be found, and Chris... The brunet smirked, when he noticed that the blond was in the company of the young lady who had only eyes for him earlier. Kuroo checked his phone again: no news from Oikawa.
And... he was alone.
Undeterred, he went to get another drink at the bar and mingled with the crowd, maneuvering through the dancers, chatters, and embracing couples to reach the back of the gymnasium. He leaned against the wall and sipped his beer, humming softly.
As time passed, the alcohol began to make him dizzy, the music resonated loudly within him, and his voice became louder, more confident. Before he realized it, he was singing Britney Spears at the top of his lungs, disregarding the looks it might attract. The volume of his voice increased even more when the first verse of Beyonce's "Single Ladies" started. He didn't know who had made this playlist, but damn they were good, and he was loving it. While shouting the lyrics, he heard for the first time a voice echoing his.
Kuroo recognized it. He felt the childish excitement he had felt the first time that voice had blended with his rush through him. He continued to sing, this time to trace the path of his echo. He had to find him! The voice got closer and closer, the song was about to end, but he had to find him, so he pushed harder on his voice, hoping that his counterpart would do so as well.
As the music delivered its final notes, he spotted him: Hercules Mercury, in the flesh. He saw that his excitement was shared when he met the look of pure euphoria on the individual's face. Kuroo could finally get a good look at him, and damn, he almost fainted. He had had a good glimpse of him during their first encounter, but, whoa... His mind hadn't exaggerated his memory of him. Hercules Mercury stood there, with his godlike physique, in an outrageously low-cut black tank top and... loose striped pants? Kuroo's gaze found Hercules' again, and he let out a smirk, finally taking note of the individual's hairstyle, his hair standing on his head, defying gravity (well, Kuroo didn't really have room to criticize). Everything happened in slow motion, and the moment the song dissolved into another, Hercules rushed towards him, and without really controlling it, he also rushed towards him. They met in an overexcited and euphoric embrace, crackling with static electricity.
"Bro! It's you! The shower singer!"
"In the flesh," replied Kuroo, who couldn't stop smiling like a kid.
They didn't say anything else, not yet, looking at each other like two old friends whose paths hadn't crossed in a long time.
"Bokuto Kōtarō"
No more Hercules Mercury then.
"Kuroo Tetsurō"
Bokuto seemed about to speak again when he stopped, taken aback by the music that had just started. His pupils dilated, and his gaze met Kuroo's. The atmosphere had dramatically changed, more pop-rock than before. A smile of pure joy escaped them before they started singing in unison.
-/-
23:42
After a good hour of jumping around and screaming at the top of their lungs, Kuroo and his brand-new friend finally decided to take a few minutes to chill.
"Bro, I'm going to get something to drink, want anything?"
"A beer sounds nice."
While Kuroo was rummaging in his pockets for loose change to give to Bokuto, the latter grabbed his arm, shaking his head.
"Don't worry; I got this," assured Bokuto, eyebrows bouncing, apparently ready to put a Machiavellian plan into action.
He swept the room with his head, and finally, he spotted a victim, leaning on the bar. Kuroo saw the young man heading to the bar to accost a young woman. Their body language was confusing: impossible to discern whether the exchange was on the tone of seduction or camaraderie. Anyway, Bokuto quickly returned to him with two pints. He handed one to Kuroo before starting to gulp down half of his.
"How did you do that?" asked the brunet, curious.
Bokuto smirked
"Oi oi, I'm not going to reveal my secret to you like that !"
"Ouch... offers me a drink and doesn't even confide a little."
Bokuto chuckled. In a fraction of a second, something changed in his gaze, shifting from friendly to almost flirty, which almost made Kuroo blush.
"If you really want to know..." began Mr. Mercury, approaching the brunet. "I told her..."
Damn, Kuroo was going to suffocate, how did this guy manage to be so... hot.
" 'Do you have a map? I got lost in your eyes'."
Kuroo remained silent for a few seconds, too surprised to bounce back. He finally burst into laughter.
"Seriously? That kind of bullshits really works?"
"Yes, Bro! Proof!" he exclaimed, raising his beer. "I can show you the ropes if you want," he finished with a wink.
" 'cause you have others tired pick-up lines like that?"
"Tons!"
"I'm listening," said Kuroo with a smirk.
"First, you need inspiration, you just need to use your imagination."
"Hm, imagination, huh... I just typed 'cheesy pickup line' and found exactly what you just told me."
Bokuto seemed somewhat undermined by the intervention but quickly regained his composure: "Who says it didn't come from me in the first place?"
Kuroo raised an amused eyebrow.
" Oh well really ," he brought his phone to his eyeline, "'Excuse me, do you have a bandage? I hurt myself falling in love with you,' is that also from you?"
Bokuto visibly held back laughter, trying hard to keep a straight face:
"Exactly, also me."
"Woah, what an honor to meet such an esteemed master of words..."
The so-called master bowed to him before gulping down the rest of his beer, under Kuroo's somewhat alarmed gaze, wondering how he would still be standing in ten minutes.
"It's your turn," commanded Mr. Mercury, handing him his empty glass. "I've taught you everything I know; the floor is yours now."
He hadn't done anything at all, let's be clear, but Kuroo still played along:
"Thanks for this lesson, sensei; I won't tarnish your name."
The brunet took the empty glass and headed to the bar. The young lady, previously approached by his accomplice, was still there. Without hesitation, he went to meet her.
He returned a few minutes later, two full pints in hand, under Bokuto's amazed gaze.
"Bro, how did you do that?" asked the latter, genuinely surprised.
A mischievous smile appeared on the brunet's lips:
"I told her : Hey angel, did it hurt when you fell from heaven? Now you should buy me a drink as compensation for the theft of my heart."
While expecting lots of laughter in response to this magnificent piece of humor, it was not the case. The young man in front of him simply stared at him with an air of profound bewilderment.
"And she didn't slap you?"
"Nope, proof," replied Kuroo, pointing to the full glasses in his hands.
Bokuto remained silent; he tried to speak or imitate a fish, depending on your perspective, but he couldn't utter a single word.
"Ok, no I didn't say that," Kuroo finally admitted, planting the cup in his hands, "I just asked her what you told her."
"And?"
"Treating your elders like that, Bro, are we sure about that one?"
Bokuto finally burst into laughter, somewhat reassured:
"As long as I have something to drink, I'm fine. Well, let's go back."
With that, he gulped down the entirety of his cup in one go (which was half a liter of alcoholic beverage), placed the cup on the nearest table, and grabbed Kuroo to lead them to the dance floor.
0:40
After four pints, Bokuto was still standing. Kuroo had started to hypothesize that the young man's muscle mass must absorb all the liquid like a sponge without it having time to pass into his bloodstream (he was still working on the robustness of his theory). As for himself, he had to admit that his consciousness was beginning to seriously crumble. But the euphoria accompanying the shipwreck of his mind was so intoxicating that he was starting to willingly drown in it.
"Bro!"
Kuroo turned around, surprised to realize that Bokuto had exited his field of vision without him really noticing. Their eyes met... Phew, after all, the muscles must have started to saturate because his gaze was beginning to get a little... glazed. Or was it the joy that shone so brightly in his eyes? Bokuto smiled and handed him a new filled cup. Kuroo considered the liquid for a moment, met Bokuto's eyes again, and finally, buoyed by his exuberance, took the drink. It was time for the ship to wreck.
1:35
The air outside is sweet, and everything smells of the night's humidity. How did they end up here again? Skipping stones on the pond? Kuroo doesn't really know, but he doesn't care. All he hears is their laughter bouncing off the water more than the pebbles they throw in it.
2:25, or maybe 3:14
"Come on! Get in, and I'll push you!"
Kuroo stuck his head above the dumpster. It looked clean, cozy even.
"Common, get in!"
"No! Come with me!"
"But no, then there's no one to push."
"Ah, yeah... Well, I'll do it, and then you do it."
Bokuto nodded frantically. Kuroo tried to climb into the dumpster but quickly had to forfeit; he had given everything to climb that cursed ladder earlier and was utterly powerless now.
" Help me! "
His comrade complied and wrapped his arms around his hips to lift him. After several futile attempts and some youthful laughter, the brunet finally managed to get into the container.
"Are you ready?"
"Yes!" Kuroo shouted.
And he felt propelled forward; the sensation elicited a euphoric scream, like the ones one might let out on a roller-coaster. However, the feeling did not last long because the dumpster stopped abruptly, propelling him backward before falling, which... propelled him forward again. There, on the asphalt, head muddled by the impact and alcohol, heart pounding, he suddenly felt very stupid. Bokuto laughed. Was his heart beating so fast because of the shock?
" Bro, are you okay?" Bokuto asked, still giggling.
"I'm okay, but how did you manage to knock me down? The road is straight."
Bokuto couldn't stop laughing; he was literally twisting and eventually fell on his butt, on the verge of tears.
Kuroo burst into laughter as well.
They looked beautiful like that, lying on the ground, laughing out loud in the middle of the night.
At some point during the night
The music vibrates and drums in his body. He completely surrenders, to the noise, to the intoxication, and to him. With half-closed eyes, he can't take his eyes off him. Bokuto is completely disheveled, bare-armed, and his skin glistens with sweat. His hair has fallen, strands sticking to his face and sliding down his neck. The colors of the spotlights dance on his hair, stroboscopic, distorted, giving the world around a taste of the unreal. The dance is absurd, but they're synchronized, their bodies move to the same rhythm and resonate. There is nothing else around, just them, the noise, and the vibrating floor. In the dim light, his golden gaze pierces through him. Kuroo shivers but doesn't look away. His pupils dilate, and his ears buzz, but he doesn't look away. He suffocates, suffocates from the noise, the heat, and him. Especially him. He is everything and everywhere, and yet so little. He still doesn't look away. He wants him closer, his flesh burning to feel him nearby. He brushes against him, breathes his scent in until he's dizzy. At this precise moment, seeing him vibrate to the musical drumming, feeling the noise infiltrate him and make him deaf to everything, Kuroo swears he has never felt so alive.
12:27 the next day
Let me paint you a picture: you're on a boat amid a raging storm. The tormented sea is violently tossing the ship's bow, and the water seems ready to devour you whole. Your body is trembling all over, and every movement makes you sick. Charming, isn't it? But it's not finished: you've got an iron pot on your head, and a gang of vigorous woodpeckers keeps knocking on it. The vibration echoes in your head until there is nothing but pain. On top of that, the sound of a 1950s locomotive is looping in your ear. If you can picture this, you can easily imagine the disastrous state Kuroo was in when he emerged from his post-party coma the next morning.
And that unbearable buzzing sound? Where the hell was it coming from?
It took Kuroo over a minute to realize this horrible music was emanating from his cell phone... He made a guttural grunt (after hearing them all day long, he was starting to mimic them), and after a few seconds of clumsy fumbling, managed to grab his phone. He picked up without bothering to speak.
"Kuroo?"
He frowned, not immediately recognizing the voice on the other end of the line.
"Suga?"
"Oh, he's alive!" exclaimed a voice in the background, Yamaguchi?
Indeed, he was alive... but he didn't understand why that was so surprising.
"Are you okay?" Sugawara asked gently.
"Uh, yes..."
"Dude, where were you?! Everyone was looking for you everywhere!" Yamaguchi intervened again.
"What do you mean everywhere?"
"Tadashi and Kei told me they lost sight of you at the party yesterday. Chris also looked for you, and Tooru tried to call you several times too... We were starting to worry..."
Kuroo tried to reconnect the few neurons that had survived his night of debauchery, in vain. Only a heavy sigh escaped him.
On the other end of the line, he heard Suga let out a mocking chuckle:
"Well, you're not dead, just a good old hangover..."
"I'm in so much pain." confessed the brunet.
Suga laughed again:
"Good, it's proof that you're very much alive."
"Right now, at this very moment, it's not necessarily great news."
"Wait, I want to see this!"
What, no!
Sugawara activated the video conversation, and Kuroo quickly turned off the camera before anyone could witness his sorry state. On his phone appeared the face of his silver-haired friend, with Yamaguchi in the background.
"Turn it on!" Sugawara ordered.
"No, I just woke up!"
"Come on!" he pleaded.
He was soon joined in his complaint by Yamaguchi.
"No!"
"We just want to make sure you're okay," Sugawara attempted.
"Yeah, right!"
It was only after many plaintive requests that Kuroo complied (and only because Sugawara's mournful mother tone annoyed him deeply, that's all, certainly not because it touched a sensitive nerve, not at all). When his face appeared on the screen, his two friends burst into laughter.
"Oh, quite something..." commented the silver-haired one.
"Oh, you're cute with your hair like that!" remarked Yamaguchi.
"Who's that?"
Tsukishima appeared on the screen:
"You look like shit," mocked the blond with his usual insolent tone that greatly irritated the brunet.
He made it clear by presenting him with his middle finger. A gesture that only amused the blond.
"How did you get home then?" Yamaguchi asked.
Good question... It took Kuroo a few seconds to collect the meager memories that remained in his mind.
"I think... I took the subway..."
The revelation seemed to flabbergast his audience:
"What?"
"What time did you get back?"
"Uh, I don't know... Around five, I think..."
Silence. Even Tsukishima seemed blown away by the news.
"Well yeah, we left way before that dude… When we couldn't find you, we thought you just went home, sorry about that" Yamaguchi said.
"Either that or you were still on the roof," added the blond.
His mate elbowed him before Suga turned around, alarmed:
"What do you mean on the roof?"
"Nothing, he's joking!" Yamaguchi answered, then tried to change the subject, "Well, anyway, where were you?"
"I was dancing... most of the time at least..."
"...You danced alone until five in the morning?"
"I didn't say I was alone!"
The statement made Suga and Yamaguchi raise their eyebrows:
"Oh... You weren't alone, hmm... I see." teased the silver-haired.
"Oh, I see, you were 'dancing'," Yamaguchi added knowingly.
Kuroo chuckled:
"No, no, with a friend..."
"Sure..."
The brunet rolled his eyes, unable to suppress a smile.
"Well, if it's just to say nonsense, I'm going to hang up…"
"Pff, don't be so touchy. Well, rest well, and don't forget to drink a lot of water," Sugawara advised.
"Ok, bye." Kuroo greeted.
He quickly hung up when Yamaguchi started to make kissing noises.
Silence settled in again. The sea had calmed, and it seemed to him that his boat was no longer rocking. He let himself fall back onto his pillow and remained still for a long time, staring at the ceiling. He now remembered that they had waited together for the first subway... Dawn was beginning to spread its light, revealing them to each other, undone by the night, breathless from so much laughter, from having lived so much. Kuroo closed his eyes, euphoric and a little embarrassed at the memory of what he had felt back then... Hercule Mercury... He didn't even know if he would see him again... He shook his head: no, it wouldn't be the last time he heard about this Bokuto, that's for sure.
-end of the chapter-
Thanks for reading!
Next chapter "Fucking T.O.P"
"And indeed, it was not the last time that his path crossed that of Hercules Mercury."
See ya