Chapter 25 : meeting the crew

Now that he had three wonderful boyfriends, Kuroo adopted a new daily routine. Between dates, CATO meetings, and his classes, he hardly had time to stare at his bedroom ceiling anymore, and he certainly wasn't going to complain about it.

Their relationships were starting to find their rhythm. He was forming increasingly intimate bonds with his boyfriends.

He still fondly remembered the time he had taken Kenma to Ukai's place; it was often deserted at night, perfect for his favorite antisocial night owl. The yatai owner had taken advantage of a moment alone with Kuroo to lean towards him:

"Hey, kiddo, tell me. Isn't that your 'friend' you told me about last time?"

"No," the brunet had answered with a smile.

His reaction seemed to unsettle the bar owner.

Considering their last conversation, Kuroo hadn't hesitated to confide in him.

"You know what gramps, you're not that bad at giving romantic advice."

The man in front of him didn't seem to grasp what he meant.

"Remember when I told you this 'friend' had a mate?"

"Yeah."

"Well, turns out he has two."

"Oh."

"Well, he's one of them. And, by the way, he's also my childhood best friend. We lost contact when he moved away, but we met again a few months ago."

Ukai-oji seemed blown away by the news.

"Well, that's some coincidence."

"Hmm..."

Kuroo had glanced at his boyfriend, then returned his attention to Ukai-oji. He smiled, and the man finally understood what he meant.

"No... all three of them?"

Kuroo had simply nodded, not dropping his smile.

He had then burst into laughter. A laughter so loud that it made Kenma jump, nearly causing him to fall off the chair where he had just settled back in.

"Ah! Well played, kiddo! You'll never cease to amaze me. Here, another round on me!"

He had refilled their bowls and plunked two beers in front of them. Kenma had seemed surprised by the turn of events but hadn't had time to ask for more details, as Ukai-oji was already insisting on toasting with them.

He would have to introduce the rest of the gang to him somedays.

From time to time, he thought back to his conversation with Chris. Despite the fears he may have had before getting into this, or rather these, relationships, the rhythm had come to him rather naturally. Well, it wasn't as if everything had come instinctively to him, far from it. It took long roundtable discussions so that each one could establish what suited them best. Little by little, Kuroo was getting better at expressing and articulating his needs and feelings. Not everything had been fully clarified yet, but it would come in due time.

He now understood why Chris had explained to him that it wasn't "a" relationship, but multiple ones. Each relationship he maintained was distinct from the others. But he had also learned that in addition to interpersonal connections, there was also the "whole." He didn't have to "juggle" anything; their connections existed in an interconnected network that together formed an ecosystem.

Kuroo was a scientist, and he liked to dissect the elements composing a complex system.

He had the opportunity to do so when they were all together. They rarely went out as a group during the week, but he still spent most of his weekends with them. He then had the opportunity to indulge in a pastime, certainly, one he should probably be embarrassed about, but which coming from him wasn't that surprising: he liked to see them interact with each other. He liked to guess the nature of the bonds that united the people who were so dear to him. The familiar way they moved around each other, the way they acted around each other… All these small things unveiled the different facets of themselves.

He had never had the opportunity to experience this: one can never see from the outside how the other person loves, and how they can love in multiple ways. Something was fascinating and deeply moving about discovering it.

Bokuto and Akaashi had a very tender relationship. Bokuto looked at all his lovers as if they were the eighth wonder of the world (Kuroo included), but the gaze he reserved for Akaashi was the most endearing. He remembered stumbling upon them one evening, dancing a waltz to a music that only they could hear. They were looking at each other as if the world around them had fallen silent for a second.

They were not the last to argue either, complaining about trivialities at the slightest opportunity. But their arguments never really escalated, deflating on their own without any drama.

Akaashi and Kenma shared a special relationship marked by profound complicity, which was evident to anyone who observed them closely. They could spend hours in silence, cuddled up against each other, each engrossed in their activity. Their silences were gentle and soothing, and they had this wonderful ability to communicate without saying a word. However, when they decided to converse, they could debate for hours, constantly reshaping the world without ever running out of breath or growing tired of each other's words.

Kenma and Bokuto had a rather playful relationship. They would exchange verbal banter and burst into laughter, or fight like kids. It was astonishing to see Kenma like this, bursting into laughter with the same intensity as a child. He lost count of the number of times he had seen Bokuto dragging the blond by his feet across the apartment because Kenma denied him a kiss. Kenma, playing hard to catch, wouldn't stop laughing out loud, until he eventually gave in.

Rarely could he feel jealous of what they had. At least not for the moment. He was aware that the bonds between them were still new, and realizing this did not made him feel insecure at all. On the contrary, witnessing these moments filled Kuroo's heart with tenderness, and made his feelings for them grow a little more each day. He could sense that the feeling was mutual.

While the essence of his bond with each of his boyfriends remained unchanged, it had deepened and softened over time. Bokuto was already very tactile with him, which was not surprising coming from him. However, what surprised Kuroo was that Akaashi and Kenma were equally affectionate, even though they showed more restraint outside the walls of their home. It was not uncommon for Akaashi to embrace him unexpectedly as soon as he crossed paths with him in a hallway or while he was busy with something else. And Kenma had the wonderful habit of purring loudly as soon as he entered the room where he was, snuggling up to him like a big cat as soon as he sat down somewhere.

No matter what anyone might think or say, Kuroo was happy.

-/-

Life quickly lost its lightness: exams were back. Or rather, they would soon be back. His dates were now spent at the university library, which was bitter, but necessary. He had to hold on, to be brave, because exams meant something far greater : summer vacation was just over the corner.

He glanced at his watch: 6:40 PM. He smiled: he was done with his to-do list for the day. Looking up, he noticed that Bokuto decided to engage in a much more pleasant task: a nap. He chuckled. The young man looked peaceful, abandoned to sleep. His face was pressed against a thick economics book that seemed to make a quite comfortable pillow. He looked around. The library was far from empty at this hour, but they had settled in a secluded corner, and unless someone decided to study the life of African frogs, they were completely out of sight. Kuroo quietly got up from his chair and circled the table to sit next to his boyfriend.

"Bo," he murmured.

Only a muffled groan answered him. The brunet leaned in and kissed his temple before resting his forehead against his head. Bokuto eventually resurfaced, and without sitting up, he turned his face towards him and opened one eye.

"What time is it?" he mumbled.

"6:40," Kuroo replied.

Bokuto let out a deep sigh.

"Damn... I was so bored that I fell asleep."

"I noticed."

Bokuto looked up, staring intently.

"What?" the brunet asked.

"I need something to wake me up."

Kuroo knew exactly what he meant, but still pretended not to understand.

"Coffee?"

"No," he said in a dragging voice.

"Fine, fine," Kuroo said, giving in.

Without further ado, he leaned in to kiss him on the lips.

"Better?"

Bokuto just nodded. He finally sat up and stretched like a big cat.

"What should we do? Should we go somewhere else? Do you want to come over? We can study there if you want," he asked.

"Hmm, I'm done for the day. I think I'll go to CATO," Kuroo replied.

"Oh, okay."

They didn't move, and Bokuto continued to watch his boyfriend without saying a word.

"Do... do you want to come?" Kuroo asked.

"Can I?" Bokuto replied.

"Well, I'll ask, but I think so, wait."

He took out his phone and sent a message to Sugawara:

"Can I come with my boyfriend?" he asked.

The response came in just a few seconds:

"Which one?"

"Haha, does it make difference?"

"No, Tadashi just wants to know."

"Bokuto"

"Yeah, no problem."

"All good."

Bokuto grabbed his bag with a quick movement and exclaimed, "Yeah!"

"Shh!" the other students reprimanded him.

Bokuto didn't seem the least bit sorry and began to trot happily towards the exit.

Once outside, Kuroo finally asked him, "Are you going to be okay?"

The concerned party seemed puzzled by the question.

"Yes, why?"

"I don't know, there are a lot of alphas, I'm asking."

"Hmm, yes, I'm on suppressors, I'll be fine. And they seem cool anyway."

"Yeah."

Of the two, Kuroo was the more stressed about the meeting. He couldn't quite explain why, but it felt as though he were introducing his boyfriend to his parents. His anxiety finally eased when they arrived at CATO. Bokuto seemed confident and relaxed, as if he couldn't imagine anything going wrong. He was proven right when everyone greeted them warmly upon arrival, welcoming Bokuto as if he were already part of the family.

The tone shifted slightly when they got to Tsukishima, but Kuroo was delighted to see that same mischievous spark in Bokuto's eyes that he had during his first encounter with the blond. Kuroo discreetly rubbed his hands together. Oh, he was going to have so much fun tormenting Tsukishima now that he had an accomplice.

Kageyama and Hinata were the last to be introduced. As usual, Kageyama translated what Hinata was signing. Bokuto listened attentively, then turned to Hinata and replied in sign language. The attention delighted the young man, who bounced with excitement.

"I didn't know you could sign too," Kuroo remarked.

"Yeah, Keiji and Kenma too," his boyfriend replied naturally. "It's more convenient," he concluded.

Kuroo didn't quite understand why it was more convenient, but the rest of the gang seemed to agree with his boyfriend's statement. He chalked it up to his "clueless beta" side and didn't inquire further; he'd figure it out eventually. He scanned the room: someone was missing.

"Where's Oikawa?" he asked.

"He's coming, he's just running late," Sugawara replied.

"Oh."

At that moment, footsteps echoed on the stairs, and Oikawa finally appeared.

"Sorry I'm late, Kōshi, I swear if you..." Oikawa froze when he saw Bokuto.

"Bokuto-san," he said.

Kuroo almost forgot that the two had crossed paths enough times to recognize each other. Oikawa bowed to greet him. Kuroo saw him adjust his shirt, visibly uncomfortable. Ah, he understood where that discomfort might be coming from: caught up in studying, he hadn't had the chance to put on his elegant diva attire, and it was bothering him terribly.

As expected, Bokuto paid little attention to it and approached him with a smile.

"Oikawa-san, right?" he said.

Oikawa nodded, and Bokuto returned his greeting. They looked at each other for a few more seconds.

"Um... nice T-shirt," Bokuto commented.

Oikawa glanced down at his famous "I believe" T-shirt with Martian heads. He frowned. His counterpart quickly understood what was going on.

"No, but seriously. I mean, there are already billions of Earth-like planets in our galaxy, and about a hundred that are potentially habitable. On the scale of the universe, it's almost inevitable that life has appeared somewhere else."

Kuroo blinked several times. He was not expecting that kind of answer at all. Oikawa was fully charmed, his eyes almost shining with admiration. He finally leaned in enough to catch the brunet's gaze.

"Okay, I changed my mind, this one's my favorite. I should have voted for him."

Kuroo chuckled. Bokuto also turned, questioning him with his gaze.

"These little shits bet on who I'd end up with between you, Akaashi, and Kenma."

The news didn't seem to bother the concerned party too much. He even seemed rather amused to learn about it.

"So you all won, then, it's a tie, right?" he remarked.

"Unfortunately no, quite the opposite," Oikawa commented dramatically.

Bokuto frowned.

"Chris was the only one who bet on you three," Kuroo clarified.

The blond, sitting on the couch behind them, saluted them like an old marine.

"Well played. I wouldn't have bet on that either," he said.

"What?" exclaimed Kuroo.

"Well, it's true."

He didn't get a chance to ask more. Yamaguchi had just offered them a game of Daifugō, and Bokuto accepted without even taking the time to explain his reasoning. Kuroo sighed and eventually joined them.

At one point during the game, he took the time to look at everyone gathered around him. He couldn't help but smile, pleased to see how smoothly Bokuto had integrated the group.

"You're last, Kuroo, you suck," Oikawa taunted him.

Damn it.

-/-

They left CATO late in the evening. Card games had been played one after the other, finally ceasing when Oikawa, once again irritated by Chris's repeated victories, dramatically slammed his cards on the table. This was followed by an absurd debate, and gradually the conversation drifted. They all ended up around the couch, chatting about anything and everything while sipping beers. A typical evening for them really. Eventually, they decided to leave after Yamaguchi fell asleep sprawled on the floor. Once outside, they walked up the street together, and then each went their separate ways, warmly waving goodbye to Bokuto and Kuroo.

They were now walking side by side.

"Are we heading to the subway station?" the brunet asked.

"Hmm, no, Kenma is picking me up. Do you want us to drop you off on the way?"

"Sure."

If he could avoid the subway, he was game. Plus, it would give him a chance to see the blond, whom he hadn't been able to see yet that week.

They waited on the sidewalk, and Kenma arrived just a few minutes later. Kuroo got into the back and leaned over to kiss his boyfriend on the cheek, while Bokuto settled in the front.

"How was it?" the blond asked.

"Awesome!"

Without waiting another second, Bokuto launched into an ecstatic monologue, enthusiastically describing the course of his evening, sparing no detail. Kenma listened attentively, and Kuroo noticed the tender smile on the blond's face as he glanced in the rearview mirror.

"Oh, there was this guy, um... the redhead," he looked up in the rearview mirror to catch Kuroo's gaze.

"Hinata."

"Yes, Hinata! I'm sure you'd love him!"

"Hmm?"

"Definitely! Totally your type of pups."

"Pups?" Kuroo asked.

This time Bokuto turned to face him.

"Pups are categories of people Kenma wants to adopt," he explained with a knowledgeable air.

The blond beside him elbowed him. Unfortunately for him, not only did this attack confirm his words, but it also increased his mate's amusement.

"Good to know," the brunet commented. "And I have to admit I can see what you mean. He definitely has the potential."

"Ah! See!"

Kenma didn't respond and just rolled his eyes.

"Oh, and I didn't expect it, but there was a prima, and..."

"A prima?" Kenma interrupted with a hint of concern in his voice.

"Yeah, but with good vibes, super chill. Quite surprising actually."

"Yeah, surprising for a prima."

"Yeah, but I swear he's amazing!"

In a moment of latency, Kuroo finally asked, "What's a prima?"

"A prima is a very dominant alpha. In alpha hierarchies, they're the second in command of a pack. They're destined to take over leadership," explained the blond.

The definition did little to brighten the brunet's understanding. He couldn't figure out who Bokuto was talking about.

"Who?" he hurriedly asked.

"Um... Damn, his name... Um... You know, his boyfriend is cool too, a beta..."

"Oikawa?"

That could roughly make sense...

"No, the Sô-shi, um..."

"A Sô-shi!"

"Sugawara?"

"Yes! He's really cool!"

The brunet sank back into his seat. He was quite surprised to learn this. It didn't change his view of his friend, but... it was... surprising.

"Oh yeah, I can confirm, he's really cool. He's the one who introduced me to everyone... And he helped me buy soap when I arrived."

"What?"

"He saved me, I was about to buy 'pheromone booster plus'!"

Bokuto burst into laughter.

"Oh woah, good thing he was there."

Silence fell

"Oh, and there was also, um... Yamaguchi?"

"Hmm, and?"

What else was he going to find out?

"He's cool too... He has a quite unique aura for an alpha, really kind of... soothing."

"Keiji has a soothing aura," commented Kenma.

"Yeah, but I don't know... Not the same... He's nice."

"He's a pest though," remarked the brunette.

"I like pests," Bokuto commented, turning his gaze to the blond. The latter responded with a nudge.

They kept talking and finally arrived in front of Kuroo's apartment. After proper "goodbye kisses," he got out of the car. He waved to his boyfriends and watched the car drive away.

He smiled to himself. The introduction to the adoptive family had gone well. Now he needed to convince Akaashi and Kenma to take the plunge.

-/-

The life of a student was sometimes cruel. The closer the exams got, the less time Kuroo had to spend with his boyfriends. He tried to cheer himself up by thinking that the end was near and that he would find time to spend time with them during the summer. For now, he was able to meet with Akaashi and Bokuto on campus, and even though he couldn't see them for long, he was simply happy to spend some time with them.

On that day, Kenma, who had come to drop off Akaashi at the university, stayed for his lunch break with him. Kuroo was trying to stay composed, but God, it was frustrating. Kenma wasn't the kind of person to indulge in PDA, so Kuroo couldn't hope for a bit of tenderness. He would have killed for a hug, just a little one! Just to recharge his batteries... But their time was running out, they were already walking back up the campus to reach the parking lot.

Kenma eventually noticed it. He smiled at him tenderly.

"I know you have work to do, but if you can, come over this weekend. The goofballs are in full study mode too anyway, so..."

Kuroo nodded, feeling a bit sheepish.

They stopped near the exit.

"Well... See you I guess"

Kuroo didn't reply immediately. He quickly scanned the surroundings: there were few people around, and they were partially hidden behind a concrete wall. He had to seize his chance, it was now or never! Well, it was now or in three days, but whatever. Slowly, he opened his arms, imploring the blond with his Golden retriever-in-desperate-need-of-love eyes. Kenma noticed and let out a smile. Bingo!

But to his greatest misfortune, just as the blond was approaching him, he was cut off:

"Oi, Kuroo!"

Damn it!

Kuroo quickly lowered his arms, and Kenma turned in the direction of the voice. Yamaguchi trotted towards them, looking way too happy for someone who had just ruined his day. Kuroo tried his best not to appear too dismayed to avoid arousing suspicion.

"Yamaguchi."

"Here you are! I looked for you everywhere! I wanted to..."

The young man had just spotted Kenma. Kuroo held his breath: oh fuck. He wasn't entirely sure if Kenma was in the mood to deal with his fan club now. Yet, after the initial surprise, he saw a polite smile form on Yamaguchi's lips.

"I didn't realize you were with someone, hello," he bowed to greet the blond.

Kenma reciprocated the gesture but remained silent. He looked at Kuroo and said: "I'll be on my way then, see you."

And just like that, after another round of greetings to Yamaguchi, he left. Kuroo almost felt like bursting into tears, but he had to remain composed! The young man in front of him watched the blond walk away, and just as he was about to speak again, he stopped upon seeing the expression on the brunet's face. He turned, looked at the blond, then turned to him again. He eventually gasped and froze completely.

"Uh... are you okay?"

This was followed by an incomprehensible gibberish as if someone in his brain had just smashed the speech keyboard :

"jkqrgoqerkenkq"

"Yes?"

Yamaguchi caught his breath.

"That was Kenma, right?"

"Uh..."

"Damn it, Tadashi, don't just leave like that," intervened Tsukishima, who had just appeared, "You..."

He fell silent upon seeing his mate's facial expression.

"Uh... what's wrong with him?"

Yamaguchi grabbed the blond's sleeve and shook it frantically.

"I just saw ApplePie," Yamaguchi blurted out.

Now it was the blond's turn to play "red light, green light", and he was very good at it.

"What?"

"I swear ! It was Kenma, right?"

Kuroo didn't say anything. Could he still lie?

"Are you sure?" asked Tsukki.

"Based on Kuroo's face, it was one of his boyfriends. I've seen Bokuto-san before, and I know Akaashi-san doesn't look like that... so."

"Oh my fuck! You really saw him!"

Kuroo raised an eyebrow; the blond had lost all of his disdain, he had stars in his eyes and was smiling like a child who had just met his idol.

"How was he?" he eagerly asked.

"Amazing..."

They both burst into laughter, like two fangirls in full implosion. They even started hopping around like little fleas.

"Um..."

"Oh! Greatest day ever!" exclaimed Yamaguchi "Kuroo! You never told me he's an omega!"

"Really?" chimed in the blond.

"Does it matter?" Kuroo asked, feeling embarrassed.

His answer seemed to stun Yamaguchi. He blinked several times, looking a little bit like his favorite diva:

"Does it matter? .matter !?"

"Oh, Kuroo,you dumb dumb child." murmured Tsukishima.

"No, but you're right, it doesn't matter. It's not like the guy that came out of nowhere, won the tournament of 'Overlord Land Fantasy' by his god damn self against e-sport gods,"

"Who won the same tournament three years as a freelancer, while agencies across the country were trying to snatch him up."

"One of the biggest streamers in Japan, who started his own company on top of that, was also the first omega in the country, or even the planet, to do so! No, but you're right, it's nothing really."

It was indeed quite impressive. Kuroo couldn't help but smile proudly.

"Oh damn, I love him even more now," murmured Yamaguchi, on the verge of hyperventilating.

"Me too..." his mate replied.

"I really want to talk to him, I have to see him again!"

"Me too..."

Tsukishima turned toward Kuroo. Was he really pleading with his eyes?

We've seen it all.

The two comrades continued in their excitement, babbling without interruption. Kuroo detached himself from them. He looked into the distance. The blond had completely disappeared now. He felt a weight crush his chest.

"Are you okay?" Yamaguchi asked.

Kuroo shook his head negatively. Of course not, what an idiot!

"I didn't get my hug because of you..."

Yamaguchi chuckled.

"Ow, I'm sorry, come here! "

He opened his arms to hug him.

"Your hug sucks," the brunet pouted while hugging him back.

"Sorry..."

"Yeah, sure, you don't care at all."

"No I don't. I saw my idol, I would have done it a thousand times."

"So cruel."

"There, there," Yamaguchi replied, patting him on the back.

Kuroo chuckled.

What a jerk.

-/-

Although Bokuto had been really charmed by the CATO gang, the other two were still hesitant. They hadn't said anything specific yet, but Kuroo understood. Not that they were against it, but unlike Bokuto, they weren't going to jump at the opportunity. He understood that meeting all those people at once could be overwhelming. Kenma wasn't a big fan of crowds, and Kuroo had mentioned that some of them already knew about his 'secret' identity, which certainly didn't help. Akaashi didn't have any secret identity to hide, but let's be clear, his social skills were similar to Kenma's. He accepted the situation as it was. The time would come eventually.

-/-

Surprisingly, it was Yamaguchi who sparked the breakthrough.

The end of the semester was around the corner. Kuroo only had two more exams left, and then it would be vacation time! The pressure had slowly eased off. No grandiose study sessions scheduled for the weekend; he could finally spend time with his boyfriends!

Kuroo waited for them at the entrance of the campus. They had planned to meet up at the end of the day to leave together. Kenma was the first to arrive

"I'm beat... Do you know where I can get a coffee?" the blond asked.

"Hmm, there's a vending machine over there," the brunet pointed to the building on their left.

"Cool, got any change?"

"Are you mugging me?"

"No, I just don't have any change."

"And I do?"

Kenma frowned.

"Okay, here you go."

Kenma took the coins, muttered a vague thank you, and headed towards the coffee machine. Kuroo remained standing there, alone in the middle of the parking lot. Night was falling down, and the streetlights had just turned on, their orange glow mixing with the rosy blue of the twilight sky.

"Yo, Kuroo! What are you doing here all alone?"

He turned around and came across Yamaguchi, who greeted him cheerfully.

"I'm not alone."

Yamaguchi frowned, almost worriedly. "Uh, yeah, you are."

"No, I'm waiting."

"What are you waiting for?"

The answer spoke for himself:

"Here Ji, take your change."

He saw Yamaguchi freeze. Redness crept up his cheeks, and Kuroo almost wondered if he should worry about his friend's health.

"Oh, it's you," Kenma said simply upon noticing his presence.

Yamaguchi let out a strange sound, a mix of excitement and distress.

"Ap... Ke... Hello."

"Hello," the blond replied, a hint of tenderness in his voice.

"Yamaguchi Tadashi," the young man introduced himself solemnly.

"Kozume Kenma."

Kuroo turned around: Kenma seemed composed, and calm. Kuroo had talked to him about his fanboys, well, warned him rather. He had dreaded the blond's reaction. Apparently, he worried for nothing.

"Kozume-san, I'm a big fan," Yamaguchi confessed solemnly.

"So I heard," Kenma bowed. "Thanks for following me and supporting my work. You can call me Kenma."

"Kenma-san..."

"Kenma," the blond interrupted.

Yamaguchi finally relaxed. Kuroo let them chat, Kenma looking rather delighted to talk with him. After a few minutes, Yamaguchi had almost regained a normal attitude. Their conversation was interrupted when Kenma was lifted off the ground to the stunned gaze of his interlocutor.

"Kenma!" Bokuto babbled happily, rubbing his head against his mate's back.

"Kōtarō," the blond replied, mimicking the overly sweet tone Bokuto had taken.

"I missed you."

"We saw each other this morning."

"Hmm, I know."

"Okay, and nobody cares about me," Kuroo intervened.

Bokuto set Kenma down and trotted over to him. Once at his height, he took his face in his hands and replied tenderly:

"No, I missed you too."

Kuroo let out a smile and Bokuto kissed him.

"You're not alone, Kōtarō," a voice growled behind them. Akaashi had just arrived.

Bokuto finally became aware of his surroundings, and his gaze met Yamaguchi's, who waved at him.

"Oh! Yamaguchi! You're here! Hi!"

"Hi," the younger one replied, a hint of shyness in his voice.

"Sorry about that."

Yamaguchi turned towards the voice. He silently gasped, meeting the brunet for the first time.

"It's nothing, um, Akaashi-san, I presume."

The brunet nodded.

"Yamaguchi Tadashi," he introduced himself before bowing.

The brunet returned his greeting, but before he could add anything, Bokuto was already on him, trying to defend his case.

Yamaguchi took advantage of this moment to approach Kuroo.

"Damn, you've got taste."

Kuroo chuckled before letting out a proud smile.

"I know."

His friend smiled back at him.

"Well, I'll be on my way then, now that I know Kuroo's not standing alone in the dark like a crazy man. Nice to meet you guys. Drop by CATO soon, would be great to have you there! See you later!"

He waved to them and headed towards the subway.

"You were right, he has a good aura," Akaashi said.

"See, I told you!"

-/-

Yamaguchi's invitation had its effect, and it was with his three boyfriends that Kuroo arrived at CATO the following Thursday.

This time, Kuroo feared he would faint before reaching their destination. However, Bokuto's enthusiasm lifted his spirits, and he quickly regained his confidence. As they met the whole group, they were welcomed warmly, just like when they first met Bokuto.

Kenma barely had time to introduce himself before Yamaguchi and Tsukishima pounced on him. Kuroo chuckled seeing Tsukishima face his idol. The blond had abandoned his cold and superior attitude for a more juvenile demeanor, amazed and intimidated by Kenma's presence. He spoke to him with an uncertain voice, stuttering on each word, struggling terribly to construct a complete sentence.

Unfortunately for him, he lost Kenma's attention when Hinata arrived to greet him. The redhead thrown himself between Kenma and Tsukishima, addressing him with enthusiasm. At first, he received no response. Hinata slowly lowered his arms, confused. Kuroo approached to see what was happening. Kenma said nothing, but his pupils tripled in size. Just as Kuroo was about to intervene, Kenma began to purr loudly, still not taking his eyes off the redhead in front of him. Kageyama, who hadn't missed a single detail of the exchange, intervened, standing threateningly in front of his mate. However, a quick glance at the blond taught him that he harbored no ill will towards his virtue and stepped aside. Hinata asked the brunet what was going on, but before the latter could formulate a response, Kenma finally signed back. The redhead's face lit up with a huge smile before he began signing rapidly. After that, no one could tear Kenma's attention away from him, much to Yamaguchi and Tsukishima's dismay.

On the other hand, Akaashi had a little more difficulty adapting. He stayed close to Kuroo, speaking only when necessary, never once removing his austere mask. Fortunately, Chris eventually approached him and started talking to him in a language that Kuroo couldn't quite discern. The brunet's face gradually softened, regaining the ethereal sweetness that Kuroo knew so well. Everyone was taken aback, all of them collectively charmed by his boyfriend when a light and sparkling laugh escaped him. That was enough for Akaashi to finally open up and participate in conversations with more confidence.

Kuroo took a moment to step back, observing his surroundings. It was strange to see them all together as if two bubble universes had collided to form one. He smiled, feeling genuinely happy to be surrounded by all his loved ones.

At the end of the evening, as everyone was leaving, Sugawara approached him. He placed a hand on Kuroo's shoulder and smiled warmly. In that moment, Kuroo felt as if he had received a parent's blessing; even though it wasn't official, it warmed his heart.

-/-

Summer break was finally there. Just when he thought he could spend the first few weeks with his boyfriends, Kuroo's mother quickly reminded him otherwise. Well, she had called him about ten times, asking in a plaintive voice when he planned to come home to visit "his poor lonely mother" who apparently forgot the existence of her other two children. His mother's strategy had been effective; Kuroo's guilt got the best of him. He eventually gave in and booked a flight to leave the following week.

However, as the date of his departure approached, the idea of having to part with his boyfriends became increasingly difficult for him. He had to remind himself several times that he wasn't a child, and being apart from them for a week wouldn't kill him! Still, his heart painfully clenched at the mere thought of having to leave. So much had happened since he arrived in Tokyo… It was the first time since he arrived that he was going to leave the city. He remembered the dislike he had for this place when he first arrived. He couldn't believe how hard it was to leave now. The week passed, and now only a few hours remained before his departure...

He was lying in Kenma's bed, the blond slouched beside him, eyes fixed on his Nintendo. Akaashi and Bokuto had gone out to do some grocery shopping for dinner. The apartment was quiet, only their breathing and the music from the Nintendo disturbed the silence.

Kuroo looked up at Kenma. His face was illuminated by the faint glow of the fairy lights wrapped around his bed headboard and the screen of his console. The blond caught his gaze. He smiled at him and ran his hand through his hair, planting a kiss on his head before returning to his game. Kuroo didn't take his eyes off him; he moved a little closer. This time Kenma turned off the console and placed it on his bedside table.

"Come here," he murmured.

Kuroo complied, resting his head on the blond's chest and melting into his embrace. They stayed like that for several minutes, Kuroo listening to the beating of Kenma's heart as he stroked his hair.

"I don't want to leave," the brunet finally admitted, his voice taking on a childish tone.

"It's just for a week, it's not the end of the world."

"Yes it is!"

Kenma chuckled.

"We're not going to disappear into thin air. And besides, you'll get to spend time with your family."

Kuroo sighed, vaguely convinced. The blond placed his hand under his chin to make him look up. He got lost in Kenma's eyes and eventually leaned in to kiss him. He felt the blond smile, and he wrapped his arms around his neck, melting into the kiss. They eventually rolled onto their sides, moving without ever interrupting the exchange. Their legs intertwined, and Kuroo wrapped his arms around Kenma's back to hold him close. He felt his heart swell more and more with every passing second; the mere idea of having to part with him was painful. He wanted him closer, even closer, all to himself. The sensation eventually spread throughout his body, the burning heat descending to his lower abdomen. He felt his body responding to his silent command. Caught off guard, he jumped and broke the kiss.

Damn. He wasn't sure why it surprised him; it's not like he hadn't seen it coming. Of course, he had thought about it, he thought about it constantly… But the idea tasted bitter, and he hadn't delved much deeper into it. Now, confronted with the reality, everything he had tried to suppress came crashing down on him.

He lowered his gaze to Kenma. Before they separated, he felt the pressure the blond had exerted against his chest to push him away too. The blond looked at him, eyes wide, short of breath. A mute stupor was evident in his gaze, and he guessed it wasn't solely caused by his reaction. Once the surprise passed, he could see the concern in his eyes:

"Ji, I..."

The front door slammed shut, and they heard Bokuto and Akaashi's voices.

"Sorry," Kuroo shouted before leaping up, leaving the room hastily, leaving a completely disoriented Kenma behind.

He only reappeared several minutes later, entering the living room as if nothing had happened. They all dined together. While he did evade Kenma, the blond kept stealing glances at him, and he struggled to avoid meeting his gaze. Eventually, he made his escape, with the excuse that he needed to pack for his trip. He was determined to appear detached, hoping to avoid arousing any suspicion. The next day, he left without managing to clear things up with Kenma.

Damn, he hated himself for acting like that.

-end of the chapter-

Oops, angst loading.

Next chapter : "Back home"

"Hey, ugly face," Kasumi greeted him.

"Is it because you're fucking like rabbits that you've lost weight?" Natsume whispered, a smug smile on her lips.

Kuroo rolled his eyes. Great, he had just arrived, and she was already making that joke. Ironically, it was the complete opposite of the truth. That was actually what had ruined his night.

"Well, yeah, that's exactly it. You caught me," he replied, sarcasm dripping from his voice.

His younger sister beamed at him, fully aware of the nonsense she was spouting, and gave him a hearty slap on the back.

"I hope you missed seafood because that's all we're gonna eat," Kasumi warned.

He grimaced