Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

Kenma was viewing a small two bedroom house with a realtor. It was an old building that had been empty for a couple of years. Many other people had viewed it, but no one had ever made an offer. It was listed for very cheap because of that—so cheap that twenty-year-old Kenma could consider using his savings from working through high school to buy it. 

As they walked into the house, there was a distinct chill in the air. And the woman showing the place to Kenma wrung her hands nervously as she looked around. When a door slammed close all the sudden, she jumped and squeaked in fear. 

However, Kenma wasn’t bothered by a haunted house—especially since the place was so inexpensive that he wouldn’t have to use his entire savings on it. He could probably even offer way lower than the asking price, considering the fearful state of the realtor. And he decided to leave her in the living room as he walked through the rest of the house alone. 

It was in good condition for it’s age. He liked it.

When he came back to the living room, a cold burst of air rushed over the realtor, blowing through her hair. She screamed in terror. It was clear that she had been through this experience before. She nervously glanced at Kenma and covered her mouth, obviously embarrassed over yelling. 

But he wasn’t looking at her. Rather, he was looking at a spot next to her, where a ghost stood. 

Kenma was calm as he stared at the ghost. After a moment, he glanced around the room, speaking casually. “I’ll give you half of the asking price.”

“That’s… that’s fine!” The realtor was trembling. “The people who inherited this house are very motivated to sell!”

Kenma suppressed a grin. He figured it was more likely that the realtor was motivated to avoid having to show it again. No one wanted to walk through a haunted house—especially those who couldn’t see ghosts, and therefore wouldn’t know what was causing strange noises and cold air spots. 

But Kenma could see ghosts. He had always been able to see them, and he wasn’t concerned about this ghost. He could tell that it wasn’t malicious. It was just playful, and maybe a little overzealous with pranks. That was worth putting up with for such a low-priced house.

Kenma was able to move into the house in the middle of May. He spent the day carrying boxes by himself, since he didn’t have friends to help out. His parents both had to work—and they didn’t have interest in assisting him anyway. That’s how it had always been, so it didn’t bother him.

At least, he told himself it didn’t bother him.

Since his parents were too busy for him, and he didn’t have any friends while growing up, he found refuge in video games. He became so good at them that he started playing as a twitch streamer and youtuber when he started middle school. That’s how he managed to save enough money to buy a house and live on his own at such a young age.

After setting his last box down on the living room floor, he sat on top of it and looked around the mostly empty space. It felt good to have his own home. Being alone wasn’t a new experience, and having a place where he wouldn’t have to pretend he was part of a family that didn’t want him was a relief. And he was paying a moving company to deliver furniture later on that day. Since he wanted a fresh start, he purchased it all new. Then there would be less to remind him of the lonely childhood he was leaving behind. 

When his stomach growled, he pulled his phone out to order a pizza online. He didn’t have any kitchen supplies—nor did he know how to cook. His parents had never involved him in those types of things. 

While he waited for the pizza, he set up his TV and playstation on the floor. He also carefully unpacked his gaming computer. By the time he had it all out of the boxes and sorted through, the doorbell rang. So he retrieved his pizza from the delivery man and sat on the floor of his living room to eat it right out of the box. It was his favorite kind: pepperoni and olives. 

As he started on his second slice, he heard a voice. It was the first time that the ghost had actually spoken to him—though it had been watching him since he arrived earlier that day.

“Been a long time since I’ve had pizza... and that’s my favorite kind.”

It wasn’t the first time Kenma heard a ghost talk to him, so he wasn’t surprised. He actually saw and heard them quite frequently. And he had gotten good at telling the difference between a ghost and a person that was alive. Ghosts had a slight shimmer to them. But the skill of noticing that difference took him years to develop. He often mistook ghosts for actual living people when he was younger, which led to some awkward situations.

Kenma slowly looked up at the ghost, who had messy black hair and was wearing a red track suit—which he must have died in. The ghost sat on one of the moving boxes, resting his elbows on his knees and his chin on his hands, looking at the pizza enviously. He was one of the younger ghosts Kenma had seen recently, probably right around his own age. He studied its face silently. 

The ghost stared back at Kenma curiously. “Can you see me? ‘Cause it sure seems like you can.”

Kenma hummed in acknowledgement, then went back to eating. He didn’t often waste time talking to ghosts. They could be mean, or scary, or bitter. He learned that the hard way when he was younger. 

“Did you just respond to my question, or are you humming ‘cause you can sense my ghostly aura?” the ghost asked, as if he didn’t expect an answer. “I’ve scared off every buyer who wanted this house, and I’ve put that realtor through a bit of hell. You’re the first one who didn’t run away when I scared her. And it sure seemed like you could see me that day. I’m suspicious of you, guy.”

Kenma looked back up at the ghost, making eye contact with him. “You talk a lot for a ghost.”

“So you can hear me!” The ghost stood up excitedly. “Wow, it’s been like... two years since I’ve talked to anyone! That’s how long I’ve been dead. My name’s Kuroo Tetsurou, by the way. What’s yours?”

As he chewed on pizza, Kenma stared at Kuroo and contemplated the situation. He supposed exchanging names wouldn’t hurt. “Kenma.”

Kuroo squatted in front of Kenma, giving a friendly smile. “What’s your family name?”

“Just use my given name,” Kenma replied. “I don’t care for my family.”

“Family issues, huh?” Kuroo nodded in understanding. “Alright then. Nice to meet you, Kenma! I guess we’re gonna be roommates now, ‘cause I can’t leave this house, and you insisted on buying it even though you could see I didn’t want anyone doing that... I take it you actually did notice me when the realtor was showing you the house?”

“Yeah. But if I knew how chatty you were, I might have reconsidered buying it,” Kenma deadpanned. “It was a steal, though. You must’ve scared off a lot of people.”

With a crooked grin, Kuroo chuckled. “Well, yeah. It’s all I’ve had for entertainment. Once I even managed to possess the realtor for a few minutes, so I made her scream at a couple who were actually gonna put an offer on the house.”

As he finished the last piece of the small pizza, Kenma narrowed his eyes and frowned warily. 

“Don’t worry... I won’t possess you,” Kuroo said with a wink. “It felt pretty gross to do, honestly. I got a taste of all her thoughts and feelings. If I could’ve, I would’ve taken a hot shower after to rinse all that emotional gunk off me, y’know?”

Kenma didn’t respond. 

Instead he closed the empty pizza box, set it on the counter, put a comfy pillow on the floor in front of the TV, then took his PS4 controller and headphones out before he sat down. He slipped on the headphones and glanced at Kuroo afterwards. “I’m gonna work for a bit, so don’t bother me.”

Kuroo tilted his head, looking at the TV as Kenma booted up a game and started to stream. He ended up sitting on the floor next to Kenma so that he could watch him play. 

After a few hours, the doorbell rang. The furniture delivery had come. Kenma logged out of his game and went to the door, then let in the two delivery men and gave directions on where the furniture went. There was a couch, desk, entertainment center, and coffee table for the living room. And in one bedroom, there would be a bed and a dresser. That was all the furniture he felt was needed.

When the delivery men left, Kenma went to move his TV onto the entertainment center. 

“So, you said you had to work... but then you played games.” Kuroo was still on the floor beside the pillow Kenma had been sitting on. “Do you actually get paid for it?”

Kenma glanced at Kuroo briefly, then started to set his PS4 up on the entertainment center’s shelf. “I wouldn’t have called it work if I didn’t get paid for it.”

“Fair enough, Mr. Sassy,” Kuroo said with a chuckle. “It’s kinda cool that you make money for it. I wanted to get paid for something I love doing, too. I played volleyball all the way up into college—and my dream was to go pro.”

“Until you died,” Kenma pointed out bluntly. 

“Yeah,” Kuroo agreed in a soft voice. “I was in a car accident. Me, my mom, and my dad were driving home together. They came to pick me up from my college dorm so I could be home for the holidays. But a deer jumped onto the road, my dad swerved hard, and the car flipped. Next thing I knew, I was dead and stuck here in my parents house.”

Kenma shifted uncomfortably. It was never easy to hear a ghost talk about how they had died, because the stories were always sad. “That sucks. Your parents died too, I guess? Since they don’t live here anymore.”

“Yeah, I think so. They never came home,” Kuroo mumbled. “I was actually mad at first… that they died, but didn’t get stuck here as ghosts with me.” After letting out a sigh, he glanced at Kenma with a weak smile. “Some relatives eventually cleared the house out and put it up for sale. So I scared away anyone who tried to buy it. Eventually, that just became something I did for fun.”

While listening, Kenma was setting his computer up on his desk in the corner of the room, right next to the couch. 

Kuroo stood up and leaned against the wall so that he could see Kenma’s face, then smirked playfully. “So, have you always been able to see ghosts, or am I your first?”

“I’ve been able to ever since I can remember,” Kenma replied dryly.

“Wow,” Kuroo said, putting his hands behind his head. “You must’ve been popular. Being ‘that kid who can see ghosts’ or whatever.” 

“That’s not really how it was for me,” Kenma grumbled. His face went blank as he tried not to think about unpleasant memories. Kids had been cruel to him when he was younger and still getting ghosts confused with living people. He would often respond to a ghost that no one else could see or hear, thinking it was just another person. Everyone thought he was talking to himself. 

“Oh... I’m sorry.” Kuroo examined Kenma’s expression, noticing the pain that was hidden behind indifference. “Did it freak your parents out that you can see ghosts?”

Kenma’s hands froze momentarily, then went back to hooking up the computer cords. “They thought something was wrong with me. So they got a nanny for me until I was old enough to go to school, then pretended they didn’t have a kid. They fed me and gave me an allowance to buy myself clothes and stuff. That’s the extent of our relationship.”

While frowning, Kenma grew silent and leaned both hands on his desk. He never talked about his parents—and they certainly didn’t want to hear about how their behavior impacted him. There also hadn’t been anyone his own age to confide in while growing up, because he began ignoring people and ghosts alike when he was too young to tell them apart. It was better to ignore everyone than to accidentally talk to a ghost in front of other kids. That had been a painful lesson to learn.

Kuroo suddenly wrapped his arms around Kenma from behind.

Kenma shivered and got goosebumps, because the touch of a ghost felt like cold pressure.

“Ah, sorry.” Kuroo let go and scratched the back of his head sheepishly. “You looked sad, like you needed a hug.”

“Did you go around hugging people you just met when you were still alive, too?” Kenma asked quietly as he rubbed his hands up and down his arms to warm himself back up. 

“Yeah, I was always a hugger,” Kuroo admitted with a chuckle. “And my best bro, Bokuto, was a big cry-baby as a kid. He always needed comfort. So I’d hug him all the time, even into high school. That is... until he met his boyfriend.... Man, I’m glad he had Akaashi when I died. I’m sure he helped him get over losing me.”

“It sucks that you can’t go check on him,” Kenma remarked, glancing at Kuroo. “Must be hard not knowing how he’s doing.”

Kuroo lifted himself onto the desk and brought a knee up to rest his arm on. “He was close with my parents, too, so I’m sure he felt that loss. And he came to the house really often at first. He’d just stand in the front yard, looking all sad and dejected. Akaashi was usually with him. He was like part of the family, and it was hard to see him so upset.”

“He’s probably fine now,” Kenma said in an attempt to be reassuring. “I’ve never had friends, so I’m not sure—but it seems like he’d move on with his life after two years.”  

“You’ve never had any friends?” Kuroo tilted his head as he stared at Kenma. “Not even at school?”

Kenma made a sour face. “Especially not at school. I just didn’t fit in... I don’t have whatever it is that makes people want to be your friend.”

“That’s not true,” Kuroo said softly, reaching for Kenma as if to pat his shoulder. But then he dropped his hand back down to his side. “I wanted to be your friend right away when I first saw you. Whatever it is, you’ve got it.” 

Kenma grinned slightly. “That’s not really a compliment, since you’ve been deprived of human contact for years.”

With a burst of confidence, Kuroo reached out to squeeze Kenma’s hand. “Nah. I’m a great judge of character.”

Kenma could definitely feel the touch—it was like cold air wrapping around his hand. And he looked at Kuroo without moving.

“I’ll be your friend,” Kuroo said, smiling genuinely. “Your first and only friend, which makes me your best friend!”

“Whatever.” Kenma rolled his eyes, though he didn’t pull his hand away. “It’s not like I can make you go away, so we have to learn to live together anyway.”

Kuroo chuckled and jumped off the desk, pulling Kenma into his cold embrace. “I’m looking forward to a beautiful friendship, bestie.”

Kenma didn’t return the hug. But he did let Kuroo hold him for a minute, since he figured ghosts must get just as lonely as people. And Kuroo had been alone for a long time. 

But when it came down to it, Kenma also needed that hug. 

When Kenma had first come to the house with the realtor, Kuroo almost didn’t go about his usual antics of scaring the poor woman, because he froze when he saw Kenma walk in behind her. Something about Kenma made him really want to talk to him. He hadn’t felt that way towards anyone else who had come to see the house, and he couldn’t remember feeling such a strong pull towards anyone in general—even when he was alive. So he felt sad that he couldn’t talk to him. 

With a frustrated sigh, he used the air pressure from swinging his arms at the bedroom door to slam it closed. The realtor squeaked in fear. She was so easy to scare, which always made him chuckle.

But Kenma didn’t seem frightened. He just walked further into the house, looking around in a calm manner. 

Kuroo followed behind Kenma, watching closely without making noise. It seemed like Kenma looked right at him a few times. But it had been so long since he had really been seen, so he wasn’t sure.

When Kenma came back into the living room, Kuroo walked over to the realtor and stood close enough that she would be able to feel the cool pressure of his spirit. Then he brushed at her hair with his hands until she screamed. He laughed and turned to see Kenma’s reaction, but there was none. 

Once again, it seemed like Kenma was staring right at him. Then he turned and looked around the room before telling the realtor that he would take the house. 

Kuroo was shocked. 

He was even more surprised a month later, when he found out that Kenma could see and hear him, but still bought the house anyway. And as he watched Kenma play games, he felt really hopeful. Maybe they could be friends. 

However, Kenma seemed pretty standoffish. It might be like trying to befriend a stray cat.

Kuroo was even more convinced of that theory when he learned more about Kenma’s isolated childhood. It seemed like Kenma never had anyone who genuinely wanted to be around him, both while growing up and at present. So he found himself with a strong desire to protect Kenma and show him what friendship was like.  

He watched Kenma stream games for the rest of the afternoon, and his resolve to be a good friend got even stronger. Just being near Kenma was making him happy. If possible, he wanted Kenma to feel the same way someday. 

Kenma was actually really skilled at video games. Kuroo had never been that good at them—he preferred physical games, and volleyball was his number one love. It was something he had done with Bokuto and Akaashi in high school. He really missed playing with them, just as much as he missed being alive.

It was late at night when Kenma was ready for sleep. And while he took a shower, Kuroo waited on the bed. 

When Kenma came into the room wrapped in a towel, he looked at Kuroo with a frown. “I need to get dressed.”

Kuroo grinned and pulled his knees up to his chest. “No one’s stopping you.”

“Get out so I can have privacy,” Kenma grumbled.

“You’re kinda shy, huh?” Kuroo stood up, chuckling softly. “When I played volleyball, we all changed in front of each other, bathed together, whatever. It was no big deal.”

As he walked out of the room, he caught Kenma blushing. But he decided not to comment on it. He wanted to be a good friend to Kenma—the best he could be. And it made him sad to think that Kenma had been friendless before he came to the house. Sure, he had been alone for a couple of years. But Kenma had been alone for a lot longer than that. 

Kuroo thought, in a twisted kind of way, that he was glad he died and got trapped in his old house as a ghost. Because maybe Kenma needed someone. And he wanted to be that someone. 

After Kenma got dressed, he told Kuroo to sleep on the couch for the night. 

But Kuroo didn’t sleep. He hadn’t since he died, and he assumed that no ghosts actually slept. It’s not like they actually needed to—they didn’t have actual bodies. So he ended up wandering over to Kenma’s room to check on him in the middle of the night. He leaned against the doorframe, just listening to Kenma’s steady breathing. It had been so long since he had been around anyone. Because of that, he found Kenma’s presence incredibly soothing. 

He laid on the floor in Kenma’s room while staring up at the ceiling, telling himself that he was watching over his new friend. But he really just wanted to stay close to him and feel the comfort of being around another person.

Kenma made Kuroo crave life in a way he hadn’t for a very long time. He wished he could do normal things with Kenma, like take him to do the stuff that he missed out on—since he grew up without anyone to show him what fun he could be experiencing. And he smiled at the thought of trying to get Kenma to play volleyball. 

When morning came, Kuroo stood near the bed and looked down at Kenma, putting his hands behind his head while smiling softly. There was an openness and vulnerability to Kenma while he slept. 

Of course, Kenma buried that part of himself well when he was awake. Kuroo could already tell that he worked hard to hide himself from others. He frowned, wondering what kind of childhood experiences must have made Kenma so detached from wanting to be known. 

Thinking back on his own childhood was bittersweet. He had a great time with Bokuto, and they met Akaashi when they started high school. The three of them remained close all the way up until he died.

Kuroo sighed deeply, feeling a heaviness wash over him from his longing for the past. 

The sound woke Kenma up. He peeked an eye open, then rolled over to face the wall. “Go away. I’m sleeping.”

Kuroo chuckled quietly and turned to walk out of the room. Kenma really did remind him of a stray cat—he was distant and guarded, kind of shy, and only open to being approached on specific terms. But he was willing to bet that Kenma had the playfulness of a kitten hidden somewhere in him. 

He smiled to himself, solidifying his resolve. Kenma was going to be his kitten-like friend from then on. And he was going to be there for him, no matter what.

Chapter Text

It was a couple of months after Kenma moved into the house. The suffocating summer heat of July had come around, so he began to let Kuroo lay on his lap or sit right behind him to keep him cool as he was playing games. And he had just asked Kuroo to lay across his lap to keep the heat of the room at bay. The air conditioner broke the day before, so the house was especially hot. And there was a repairman on the roof who was hopefully fixing the problem.

“It’s so hot,” Kenma grumbled. “I hate it.”

“Sorry, kitten,” Kuroo said, trying to be playful. “Move forward a bit and I’ll sit behind you.”

With a groan, Kenma scooted forward and let Kuroo slide in between him and the couch. The cold pressure felt wonderful. So he sighed in relief.

Kuroo smirked as he wrapped his arms around Kenma’s waist. “Aren’t you glad I’m here?”

“You’re a good ice pack,” Kenma replied dryly. 

“I’ll be whatever you need me to be,” Kuroo promised, chuckling softly. “But am I the hottest ice pack you’ve ever seen?”

Kenma rolled his eyes. “Your jokes get worse every day.”

With a content hum, Kuroo put his chin down on Kenma’s shoulder and leaned his cheek against him. 

Kenma was grinning slightly. He had gotten used to Kuroo, and he was even enjoying having him around—though he didn’t openly say so. But it seemed like Kuroo understood that without needing to hear it. 

They heard stomping on the roof, so Kuroo glanced up at the ceiling. “That repairman gives me the creeps.”

“Yeah, he gave me weird vibes,” Kenma agreed as he played a game on his phone. “I’ll call a different company next time.”

The repairman came into the house an hour later. “It’s all fixed, but I may need to replace the whole thing soon. It’s an old machine,” he said, looking around. “Are your parents home? I need to talk to them about the bill.”

Kenma gave the repairman an irritated glance from where he sat on the couch. “I’m the homeowner, so I’ll take the bill.”

“You seem really young.” The repairman studied Kenma with an intense stare. “Do you live here alone?”

“Lie to him,” Kuroo said, glaring at the repairman suspiciously. “Tell him someone else lives here.”

“I have roommates, and they’ll be home any time now,” Kenma mumbled as his stomach started twisting up nervously. 

The repairman stood quietly for a moment, then smirked in a disgusting way. “You have pretty hair. It’s long for a boy, but I like that.”

Kenma felt his discomfort growing as the repairman’s stare bore into him. His heart was racing, and he shifted nervously. “Can I just get the bill?”

“Maybe we can find a way for you to pay me that won’t cost any money,” the repairman suggested, stepping towards the couch. “You’re so young. I’m sure things are tight for you, financially and… otherwise.”

Kenma was about to run for the door. But before he could, Kuroo sprang up from behind him and lunged towards the repairman. He punched him in the face—though it didn’t do much. That probably felt similar to being blasted with a strong gust of particularly cold wind. 

Kuroo was clearly pissed off. 

Kenma stared at him in shock. He hadn’t expected his friend to come to his defence, mostly because it wouldn’t help. But it was also because no one had ever protected him before.

The repairman looked confused as Kuroo continued to punch him, since it was doing little more than giving him a chill. And he couldn’t see Kuroo—who was visibly enraged, both from his ineffective attack and his desire to hurt the person who wanted to hurt Kenma.

“Seems like the air is working a little too well.” The repairman took another step towards Kenma.  “Let’s warm each other up.”

Kenma was unable to move as he stared at the repairman. Then he nervously glanced at Kuroo’s face, which was absolutely wrathful.

A quick look at Kenma was enough to show Kuroo how afraid he was—and it fueled his protective instincts even more. He bared his teeth before forcing himself into the repairman’s body, taking control of the situation by possessing him. 

With Kuroo controlling him, the repairman walked up to the doorframe and smashed his forehead against it several times, until blood was running down his face. Then he pulled open the front door, crushing his hand between it and the doorframe repeatedly. 

Finally, Kuroo slipped out of the man’s body right after making the man jump outside. 

Kenma rushed over to slam the door closed, then locked it with trembling fingers.

“Are you okay?” Kuroo asked, putting his arms around Kenma.

Kenma nodded as he tried to get a look at Kuroo’s forehead. “Does it hurt you, when the body you possess gets hurt?”

“A little. But don’t worry, I’m fine,” Kuroo assured, pressing his face into Kenma’s neck as he hugged him.

But he wasn’t really fine. At least, not emotionally. While possessing the man, he felt all his feelings and read his thoughts, which made him furious. As if he would ever let that creep do anything to Kenma. His Kenma, who he would die all over again to protect. 

Kenma pulled back to meet Kuroo’s gaze. He could see the anger and protectiveness in his eyes, like a fire burning bright. “Thanks for helping me.”

“No prob.” Kuroo tried to give an easygoing grin, speaking nonchalantly. “That’s what friends are for, y’know.”

Kenma smiled slightly. “I’m glad you’re my friend, Kuro.”

It was October, which was five months after Kenma moved into the house that Kuroo haunted. The two had grown to be close friends. 

Kenma had gotten used to having someone around all the time. And since he worked from home, Kuroo was rarely alone anymore. They were both pretty happy with the arrangement. They didn’t even get tired of each other—though they did find things to argue about, in a mostly playful way. 

It was Kenma’s birthday, but he hadn’t mentioned it to Kuroo yet—nor did he plan on doing so. Birthdays had never been a special thing for him, and he couldn’t remember the last time he had received the words ‘happy birthday’ from someone.

Kuroo was sitting next to Kenma on the couch that morning, and Kenma was playing a game just for fun instead of streaming it. Buying himself a new game was his way of subtly celebrating his own birthday. But he also didn’t feel like working, mostly because he was really tired. 

When Kenma’s phone pinged, he picked it up and looked at the screen. It was just Facebook wishing him a happy birthday. He groaned and set it back down, not wanting to be acknowledged in that way. And he thought he had deleted that app. 

“It’s your birthday?!” Kuroo had read the notification, being his nosy self. “That’s one of those things you’re supposed to tell your best friend about! What do you wanna do to celebrate?”

Kenma glanced at Kuroo sassily, then looked back at the TV. “I’m already doing it.”

Kuroo smirked and put his arms around Kenma, causing goosebumps from the cold pressure of his touch. “Aw, you just wanna hang out with me for your birthday? That’s so sweet!”

Kenma rolled his eyes, then frowned at the TV screen. He had died again for the fifth time in a row. For some reason, it was hard to focus. “I meant playing this game. I just bought it a couple days ago.”

With a hum, Kuroo let go of Kenma and stared at his face. “You’re blushing right now. Y’know, you don’t have to be embarrassed just ‘cause you like hanging out with me.”

“I’m not embarrassed,” Kenma grumbled as he turned off his game and put the controller on the coffee table. “But I am really tired, so I think I’m gonna nap for a bit.”

Kuroo frowned. Kenma actually looked exhausted as he curled up on the couch and reached for a blanket, even though he had just woken up an hour ago. And he had gone to bed early the previous night. 

Upon closer inspection, Kuroo noticed that Kenma’s breathing seemed kind of quick—and while he did have a red flush on his cheeks, he was pale at the same time. And his eyes were glossy.

Kuroo reached to feel Kenma’s forehead. But it didn’t tell him anything, since all things felt the same temperature to him. “Are you feeling alright?”

“Bit of a headache. Just need to rest.” Kenma replied sleepily. Right after he finished speaking, he closed his eyes as if he couldn’t keep them open anymore. Then he immediately fell asleep, staying that way for several hours. He definitely seemed sick.

Kuroo sat unmoving and watched Kenma the whole time. And as the day passed by, he grew restless. So he moved to the floor in front of the couch with his face right by Kenma’s and put a hand on him—not that it was that helpful in waking him. “Hey. You should drink something… you’re sweating a lot.”

Kenma didn’t respond. 

Kuroo stood up, then laid on top of Kenma to give him a chill, earning a frustrated groan from his feverish friend. 

“Kuro… stop... I’m cold,” Kenma grumbled in a weak voice, trying to pull the blanket over his head. 

“I’ll only get off if you agree to get a drink,” Kuroo said, his voice serious and full of anxiety. He wished he could bring water over himself.

Hearing how concerned Kuroo was made Kenma open his eyes. Then he cleared his throat, which made him cough a few times. “Don’t get all stressed out, Kuro. I’ll get some water and sleep this off. It’s fine.”

“I can’t help worrying. I feel really useless right now,” Kuroo admitted as he got off of Kenma, moving to sit on the coffee table. “I wanna do something for you, and it sucks not being able to do anything.”

“You being here is a big something.” Kenma struggled to stand, then started slowly shuffling towards the kitchen. “You’re taking care of my heart, or whatever.”

Kuroo smirked as playfully as he could through his worry. “Wow... your fever must be pretty high for you to be talking like that.”

After he finished drinking a glass of water, Kenma rolled his eyes at Kuroo while dragging his feet as he walked to the bedroom. Then he flopped down on the bed and pulled the covers up to his chin. 

Kuroo came in and sat beside Kenma, putting a cold hand on his forehead. “Don’t bundle up too much. You’ll overheat.”

Kenma lifted the covers and patted the spot beside himself. “Keep me from overheating, then.”

Kuroo hesitated, since he had never been allowed in the bed before. Then he carefully climbed under the covers and wrapped his arms around Kenma’s body.

The cool pressure of Kuroo’s touch made Kenma shiver. So he pulled the blanket up over them, then quickly fell back asleep. 

Kuroo laid beside Kenma, watching him sleep for the rest of the day and into the night. His rapid breathing continued as he fought the fever. But when morning light came into the room, he could see that Kenma wasn’t as pale. And by midmorning, his breathing became normal and the blush from the fever was gone.

With a sigh of relief, Kuroo held Kenma close. And Kenma murmured sleepily as he felt the chill of Kuroo’s embrace.

It was an early morning in November, and Kenma was sleeping in. He had been up late streaming. 

Kuroo was in bed beside Kenma. He liked staying there while he slept, just listening to his unconscious rambling. And he had been regularly sharing the bed with Kenma ever since that day of sickness.

At first Kenma told Kuroo that he was a weirdo for watching him sleep. Kuroo complained that he didn’t get to sleep anymore, so watching someone else sleep was the next best thing. But then Kenma told him that just made it even more creepy. 

Kenma didn’t actually mind. But he did have to bundle up in more clothes, since Kuroo made the bed cold. He preferred it that way though. It felt good to be buried under lots of blankets with Kuroo beside him.

At the moment, Kuroo was waiting impatiently for Kenma to wake up, because today was November seventeenth. His birthday. And he wanted to celebrate it in some way. He missed birthday celebrations, and he was looking forward to this first one with Kenma.

Once noon arrived, Kuroo couldn’t wait anymore. So he laid right on top of Kenma to give him a chill. 

Kenma shivered and groaned, then tried to roll away. “Stop. You’re freezing.”

“C’mon, wake up.” Kuroo let Kenma escape, grinning as he spoke. “Today’s a special day.”

“What’s so special about today?” Kenma mumbled sleepily. 

“It’s my birthday. I told you about it yesterday!”

“Does that even apply anymore?” Kenma peeked an eye open. “You’re not getting any older. You’ll always be twenty.”

Kuroo sighed dramatically. “It’s the first time since I died that I’ve had someone around to acknowledge my special day. I wanna celebrate with my bestie!”

“We’ll celebrate later.” Kenma closed his eyes, pulling the blanket up higher. “Let me sleep more first.”

With a whine, Kuroo nudged his face against Kenma’s neck, making goosebumps prickle all over him.

“You’re being a brat,” Kenma complained as he wiggled away.

Kuroo smirked, nuzzling his face against Kenma’s neck again. “But I’m your brat, and you love me.”

Realizing what he had said, Kuroo blushed—or he would have, if he had a living body. Then he leaned back and sat on the edge of the bed. He stared at Kenma, feeling awkward. 

Kenma’s body had become stiff after hearing Kuroo’s words. 

While rubbing the back of his neck, Kuroo nervously grinned and was about to apologize for making things weird. But then Kenma turned towards him with an expression he hadn’t seen before. It looked surprised and affectionate at the same time. 

Kenma stared at Kuroo for a minute before he spoke. “I think… I might actually love you.”

Kuroo didn’t know what to say. No words would come. He met Kenma’s gaze and saw sincerity in his eyes. And as he studied Kenma’s vulnerable expression, his eyes drifted down to his lips. He felt the urge to kiss him. 

So he did. He leaned towards Kenma slowly, giving plenty of opportunity for him to pull back. Then he pressed their lips together. 

Kenma felt cold pressure from Kuroo’s lips. It wasn’t what he thought his first kiss would be like, but it sent a rush of excitement through him nonetheless. And they moved their lips together for a long time.

Finally, Kuroo pulled back and smiled. “I actually love you more than I’ve ever loved anyone.”

Kenma blushed, glancing away. “We’re a weird couple, aren’t we?”

“Yeah, you’re right. I guess there’s a lot we can’t do,” Kuroo mumbled as he looked down at himself. “Maybe... I’m holding you back.”

“You’re not holding me back,” Kenma said with confidence. “I felt completely alone before I met you, and that was holding me back. But I’m happy now.”

Kuroo smiled, then laid down next to Kenma, putting an arm over him. “I’m happy too, Kenma. And this is the best birthday I’ve ever had.”

Kenma closed his eyes, shivering slightly at the cold feeling of Kuroo’s arm on his body. He wished he could actually experience Kuroo’s touch—not just the cold pressure. But he wouldn’t trade Kuroo’s presence in his life for anything.

The two men laid together for another hour, quietly enjoying each other’s company and sharing an occasional kiss. And the doorbell is what finally prompted them to get up. They ignored it at first, but someone kept ringing it over and over. 

“Who the hell just shows up at someone’s house?” Kenma groaned, forcing himself out of bed and pulling a hoodie over his pajama shirt. “I’m not expecting any packages today. Maybe I’ll get murdered… then we can be ghosts together.”

Kuroo got off the bed and followed Kenma out of the bedroom, hovering close to him protectively. “I’d never let that happen. You’ve got a long life ahead of you, and I wouldn’t let anyone take that away. Or take you from me. Besides... I don’t think everyone gets to be a ghost. Otherwise, my parents would be here.”

“I was only joking,” Kenma said in a soft voice. “Don’t worry, I won’t even open it. I’ll just peek out the window and see who’s there.”

When they reached the front door, Kenma carefully peeked through one of the blinds on the window by the entryway. “Well, that’s odd. There’s two guys there. And one of them has really weird hair.”

Kuroo leaned his head close to Kenma’s, trying to look out the small space between the blinds. “Weird hair, how?”

As Kuroo looked out the small crack between the blinds, he saw his friend Bokuto at the doorstep. Akaashi was beside him. After a few seconds, Bokuto reached out and rang the doorbell again.

Chapter Text

Kuroo looked at Kenma with a mix of excitement and surprise. “It’s my friend! Bokuto’s here, and so is Akaashi! Wow… I can’t believe it.”

Kenma stood back from the window and looked at Kuroo thoughtfully. “Hmm. I wonder why they’re here.”

Kuroo shrugged his shoulders, giving a crooked grin. “There’s only one way to find out.”

Kenma moved to open the door, then peeked out at the two men. He made eye contact with Akaashi, receiving a polite nod and slight smile from him. And then he looked at Bokuto, who gave a nervous grin while fidgeting with a small photograph, which he held in one hand. 

As Bokuto ran his fingers through his black and white streaked hair, he looked at Kenma and started speaking hesitantly. “Uh... hey there. This is a little weird, but my best friend used to live here. This is him,” he said, holding up the photo. It was of himself and Kuroo as kids in the backyard of the house. “Uh… so, he was in a bad accident almost three years ago. And I just… it’s his birthday today. And I miss him. We used to hang out here a lot when we were growing up. And I thought maybe we could just come in for a minute and look around, to help bring back some memories. Y’know?”

“We wouldn’t stay long,” Akaashi added. “Just a few minutes.”

Kenma pulled the door open wider and stepped aside. “Sure, that’s fine.”

Akaashi and Bokuto looked slightly surprised at how easily Kenma had agreed. Then they both nodded gratefully as they stepped inside, slipping off their shoes to be polite. 

Kuroo stood right beside Kenma, wishing he could talk to his friends. He really wanted to hug them—especially Bokuto. But feeling a sudden pressure of cold air would probably freak him out. 

So Kuroo reached down to squeeze Kenma’s hand, seeking comfort. 

Kenma gave Kuroo a subtle smile of encouragement. 

Bokuto and Akaashi walked into the living room as Kenma shut the front door. 

“It looks different here now. I mean, of course it would.” With a sigh, Bokuto glanced around.   “But… things just change so much... don’t they, Keiji?”

“Yes, they do,” Akaashi agreed softly while holding Bokuto’s hand. He had also spent many summers and weekends at the house during high school, so it felt bittersweet to be there.

Bokuto glanced at Kenma and gestured towards the hallway. “Can we go into the room that used to be my friend’s bedroom?”

Kenma nodded silently, then watched as Kuroo followed the two men into the room that used to hold all of his things.

Bokuto and Akaashi looked around in the second bedroom, totally unaware of Kuroo beside them. And Kenma had kept that room empty. He briefly considered making it a gaming room, but hadn’t gotten around to it.

Meanwhile, Kenma stayed in the living room. He would have felt awkward if he had followed along, since it felt like a private moment between friends. Then he looked up at Kuroo when he walked back into the living room. 

While appearing uncharacteristically solemn, Kuroo slipped an arm around Kenma’s shoulders. 

“How are you doing?” Kenma asked quietly, so as not to draw attention.

“I’m really glad they came over,” Kuroo replied in a whisper—though it wasn’t necessary for him to do so. “But… they can’t see me, and that actually hurts pretty bad.”

Kenma hummed thoughtfully. “Want me to tell them something for you?”

“You’d do that for me?” Kuroo glanced at Kenma and smiled gratefully. 

“They might not believe me, but I’ll try,” Kenma mumbled, feeling nervous. “Call it my birthday gift to you.”

With a soft look in his eyes, Kuroo leaned over to kiss Kenma’s forehead. “Thanks. Can you just tell Bokuto… that I miss him, and I hope he’s doing well.”

Bokuto and Akaashi came back into the room just then, so Kenma didn’t reply to Kuroo.

“Thank you for letting us look around,” Akaashi said in a sincere voice.

“Yeah, thank you. It was really nice to get to be here again.” Bokuto looked sad as he glanced around the room. “I really miss this place, and the family that used to live here.”

Kenma took a deep breath. He was worried that he might be called crazy or get yelled at—which he had experienced when trying to communicate on behalf of ghosts as a child. But for Kuroo, he would risk it. 

“He misses you,” Kenma said. “Kuroo does, I mean. And he hopes you’re doing well.”

Bokuto stared at Kenma with a confused expression. 

Akaashi also stared at him, looking both surprised and suspicious. “We never told you his name.”

“How do you know him?” Bokuto stepped closer to Kenma, leaning towards him curiously. “I don’t remember ever seeing you before. When did you guys meet? Did you go to his college?”

Kenma cringed uncomfortably under the weight of Bokuto’s intense gaze. “I met him… after his accident. About six months ago. He’s a ghost, and he lives here with me.”

Bokuto frowned and backed away defensively, as though he had been threatened. “What do you mean, ‘he’s a ghost?’ Kuroo isn’t… he isn’t… he’s just in a coma. He isn’t dead! He isn’t gone!”

Bokuto started crying, so Akaashi came closer and hugged him, murmuring a few comforting words. 

Meanwhile, Kuroo and Kenma were both staring at them in disbelief. 

And then Kuroo glanced at Kenma with a hopeful expression. “Ask him what he means… am I… am I really not dead?”

Kenma turned to meet Kuroo’s gaze. 

Akaashi followed Kenma’s eyes, staring at the seemingly empty space beside him. He looked like he was trying to figure something out.

Kenma turned back to Bokuto and Akaashi. “Do you mean to say… Kuroo isn’t actually dead?”

Bokuto cried harder and squatted down on the floor, burying his face in his arms. 

“Kuroo’s been in a coma for almost three years, but we haven’t given up hope that he’ll wake up someday.” Akaashi remained standing and spoke with a frown, sounding a little cross. “You said Kuroo lives here with you… as a ghost. It’s a little hard to believe you, honestly. Would you mind if I ask something that only Kuroo would know?”

Kenma sighed, feeling the sting of being doubted. But it was something that he had been expecting. “What would you like to ask him?”

Kuroo squeezed Kenma’s shoulders, since his arm was still draped around him as he waited to hear Akaashi’s question. The cool pressure of Kuroo’s touch calmed Kenma’s nerves. 

Akaashi thought for a moment. “Ask him where he, myself and Bokuto went for Kuroo’s eighteenth birthday... and what we did there.”

Kenma didn’t speak. Instead, he turned to look beside himself and waited for Kuroo to answer. 

Akaashi followed Kenma’s eyes again and looked at where Kuroo’s face was. But he saw no one there, and he didn’t hear Kuroo’s response.

“We went on a road trip to the ocean.” Kuroo’s smile trembled as he spoke. “We buried Bokuto in sand, up to his waist. Then we built a sandcastle around him.”

Kenma looked back at Akaashi, who was now staring at him with a very thoughtful expression. “Kuroo says you went to the ocean, buried Bokuto in sand, and then built a sandcastle around him.”

Bokuto stood up while wiping tears from his eyes. “Is he actually here?”

Kenma and Kuroo both stared at Bokuto, nodding affirmatively. 

This situation was difficult for Kenma—it reminded him of similar experiences. No one had ever believed him when he was a kid. So he spoke softly, in a defensive way. “He’s really here.”

Kuroo couldn’t keep himself from hugging Bokuto any longer. He stepped forward and wrapped his arms around him, making him shiver. 

“It just got really cold in here,” Bokuto complained, tilting his head back to check if there was a ceiling fan above him. 

“That’s because Kuroo’s hugging you,” Kenma said as he nervously pulled at the strings of his hoodie. 

Akaashi glanced between Bokuto and Kenma with a raised eyebrow, then suddenly felt a chill surrounding his chest. Kuroo had let go of Bokuto and moved to embrace him. 

Akaashi spoke in a cautious whisper. “Are you... hugging me now, Kuroo?”

“Yeah, he’s hugging you,” Kenma said quietly. He looked at Akaashi’s eyes and saw tears welling up in them.

“Bro, why are you here?” Bokuto started crying again. “Your body’s fine! Go get back into it!”

Kenma looked at the three men as his mind raced. If Kuroo’s body was fine, then why was he here? Why did his soul slip out of his body? More importantly, how could they get him back into his body if he wasn’t able to leave the house?

Akaashi seemed to be thinking the same thing. “How can we get him back into his body… sorry, what was your name?”

“You can call me Kenma, and I’m not sure. I thought he was dead this whole time,” Kenma said, twisting the strings of his hoodie around his thumbs. “I’ve never met a soul that still had a body. So I don’t know what would make him leave his body and come here. And he said he can’t leave.”

“You know, he always loved this house.” Bokuto sniffled and wiped his eyes. “Said it would always be his home, even when he moved out.”

“He was badly hurt after the accident... we didn’t know if he would pull through.” Akaashi was fiddling with his fingers as he spoke. “Maybe he came here because he was afraid.”

Kenma was thinking hard. If Kuroo came here because his life was in danger, he should be fine to leave now that his body was better. So he glanced at Kuroo. “What would happen when you tried to leave?”

“I got a really bad feeling,” Kuroo replied with a frown. “I was terrified whenever I tried to step outside the door. So after the first couple days, I stopped trying.”

Kenma hummed as he considered Kuroo’s words. He was thinking Kuroo should try to leave the house again, just to see what happened.

Akaashi had come to the same conclusion without having heard Kuroo’s words. “We should try taking Kuroo to where his body is. Would you mind coming with us to the hospital, Kenma? Just so we can still communicate with Kuroo.”

“Of course he’s gonna come along!” Kuroo walked over to Kenma and wrapped his arms around him, frowning at Akaashi. “We really care about each other!”

Kenma let out a quiet chuckle and patted where Kuroo’s arm was resting over his chest. “They don’t know that, Kuro.”

Akaashi tilted his head at Kenma, and Bokuto was also looking at him curiously. They wanted to be told whatever it was they didn’t know. 

However, Kenma just shrugged at them. “Yeah, I’ll come along. Let’s get going.”

The four men started leaving the house together. But as Kuroo approached the doorstep, he got nervous and reached for Kenma’s hand. 

Kenma looked at Kuroo and gave a reassuring smile. 

After working up the courage, Kuroo stepped out of the house. And the fear he had felt the first few times he tried to leave was no longer there. So he smiled, sighing in relief. Kenma glanced at him and gave him a small nod. 

Then they all drove to the hospital in Bokuto’s car. Kuroo’s face was pressed against the window as he looked at everything around him. It had been years since he saw anything outside of the house, and he had deeply missed being in town. 

Kenma was quietly observing Kuroo’s excitementment from the seat beside him.

While they drove along, Akaashi glanced back and saw Kenma smiling at the window seat that seemed empty. Both men really hoped Kuroo could get back into his body. 

When they got to the hospital, everyone followed Bokuto’s lead. He walked very quickly due to his anxiousness to get to his friend’s room. The others were close behind him, forming a line. 

Once they reached the door to the correct room, Kuroo paused to intertwine his and Kenma’s fingers. The coolness of his hand met the warmth of Kenma’s. And then they were both ready. 

Bokuto and Akaashi went in first. But as Kenma and Kuroo walked into the room, the cold pressure in Kenma’s hand unexpectedly disappeared. So he looked around—but Kuroo wasn’t there anymore. Then he felt worry stab his stomach, so he rushed over to Kuroo’s bedside and looked at him closely. 

It was the first time Kenma had seen Kuroo’s real body, which was much thinner than his soul. His muscles had worn away from years of rest. But his face was the same one that Kenma had come to know and love, despite the tubes in his mouth and nose.

Bokuto and Akaashi stayed near the end of the bed. Akaashi realized that Kenma was having some kind of moment, so he put a finger over Bokuto’s lips, signaling that he should be quiet. 

Meanwhile, Kenma reached out and brushed his fingertips over Kuroo’s hand. But he almost pulled back in surprise. His hand was warm—it was a stark contrast to his cold ghostly touch. This Kuroo felt real, and it made Kenma’s eyes tear up. There had been so many times that he longed to really be able to feel him when they were touching. 

Suddenly, the hand Kenma’s fingers were resting on turned over. 

Kuroo grabbed Kenma’s hand and gave a gentle squeeze. Then his eyes fluttered open, and he looked towards Kenma with a soft expression as he studied his face. 

Kenma met Kuroo’s gaze while thinking about how full of life he seemed to be. There was even redness rising on his cheeks, and he had never seen Kuroo blush before. Ghosts couldn’t do that.

When Kuroo tried to talk, he gagged on the tube in his throat. 

Bokuto came up to the side of the bed and stared at Kuroo as he reached for him, looking both relieved that he was awake and worried about the choking. 

Meanwhile, Akaashi rushed out of the room to get a nurse, returning with one quickly. She removed the tubes and checked Kuroo’s vitals. 

That whole time, Kuroo kept his grip on Kenma’s hand. 

“What a miraculous recovery,” the nurse murmured as she took off her gloves and headed towards the door. “I'll let the doctor know. He’ll be in soon to talk to you.”

After the nurse left, Akaashi and Bokuto came closer. Bokuto grabbed Kuroo’s free hand and gave him an excited squeeze. As he spoke, his eyes became bright. “I’m so glad you’re awake!” 

Kuroo gave them both a weak grin before turning back to look at Kenma. He tried to speak, but his voice was scratchy and quiet from not being used for so long. So Kenma had to lean closer to hear him as he repeated himself.

“I can kiss you for real now,” Kuroo whispered. “This birthday couldn’t get any better.”

Kenma laughed softly, wiping away tears. And he was so happy about Kuroo being okay that he didn’t even think about how they weren’t alone in the room. He crawled up onto the hospital bed, leaned close while putting a hand on Kuroo’s chest, then kissed him gently. 

The kiss was firm, and warm, and wonderful—completely different from the cold and air-like ones they had shared that morning. Kenma felt a similar rush of excitement as he did for their first kiss, but with much greater intensity. He could feel Kuroo smile against his lips. He could feel Kuroo’s heart beating in his chest, where his hand was resting. And he could feel Kuroo’s fingers tangling into his hair.

After a moment, Kenma broke the kiss and smiled shyly. Then he reached to play with Kuroo’s messy black hair—which he had been wanting to do since back when they first met. But it was much longer in person than it was in his ghost form, because he needed a trim. 

“Happy birthday,” Kenma said.

Kuroo slowly lifted both arms up and put his hands on Kenma’s shoulders. Then he tried to pull him against his chest, but the strength his arms once had was lost to years of inactivity. So he frowned. 

However, Kenma understood what Kuroo wanted, so he gently laid on his chest and pressed his face against his neck. He was warm. His heart was beating. He was alive. 

“I’ve wanted to hold you like this for so long,” Kuroo whispered raspily. “I’m never gonna let you go.”

Bokuto was looking between the two of them. “Is… are... is this your boyfriend?”

Kuroo winked at Bokuto as a playful smirk bloomed on his lips. 

After seeing what just happened, Akaashi wrapped an arm around Bokuto’s waist and smiled. Things made a lot more sense now.

When a doctor walked into the room, Kenma got down off the bed. He blushed deeply as he realized there had been an audience for his (should have been private) moment with Kuroo. But he took hold of one of Kuroo’s hands, since he wanted to feel the warmth of them. Then Kuroo gave him a weak squeeze. 

The doctor checked Kuroo, then looked through his notes. “We’ll need to run some tests, and you’ll need a lot of physical therapy to regain your strength. So you’ll be in a wheelchair for a while. Do you have someone who can help care for you at home, or should I refer you to a home healthcare aid?”

“I can take care of him,” Bokuto offered with a grin. “He can stay with me and Keiji.”

Kenma frowned while looking at Kuroo, not wanting him to live somewhere else. Kuroo stared back at Kenma and gave him a nod. He felt the same way.

“Actually, I’d like to care for him. At our house,” Kenma said as he glanced at Bokuto.

“Oh. Well, okay. Yeah.” Bokuto pouted, shifting his gaze from Kenma to Kuroo. “Can I come help out sometimes?”

Kuroo smiled at Bokuto and whispered to him in a playful voice. “You can come give me baths, bro. I’ll need your strong arms to lift me. Besides, Kenma might not be able to handle the glory of my naked body yet, ‘cause he’s a little shy.”

Bokuto laughed heartily. It was good to hear Kuroo make a joke again. 

But Kenma was blushing as he looked at Kuroo, who was staring back at him with a teasing grin.

“I’m glad that Kuroo has you in his life,” Akaashi said, giving Kenma a slight smile. “We’ll help in whatever ways you need, and maybe we could come by once a week just to hang out.”

Kenma glanced at Akaashi and nodded. 

Bokuto was still smiling. And when he noticed the way Kuroo was looking at Kenma with such tenderness, his smile grew even wider. “How’d you manage to fall in love with someone while you were in a coma, dude?”

Kuroo chuckled weakly. “I just got lucky.”

The doctor wrote some things down in Kuroo’s chart, then started to leave the room. “If the tests all come back normal, you can go home tomorrow morning. And physical therapy will be at least three days a week. I’ll be back to check on you before the end of my shift.”

After the doctor left, Kuroo tugged on Kenma’s hand. “I don’t wanna sleep alone. Will you stay here with me tonight, please?”

Kenma looked at Kuroo and saw him holding his other hand out, beckoning him to come lay down. But then he glanced at Bokuto and Akaashi while blushing. Public displays of affection were a little much for him now that he was thinking clearly. He didn’t know them at all yet, so it felt too intimate.

Akaashi read the room, so he tapped on Bokuto’s shoulder. “Let’s leave these two alone for now. We’ll give our phone numbers to Kenma so he can call us for a ride when Kuroo gets discharged.”

Kenma met Akaashi’s gaze and smiled gratefully. 

Bokuto leaned over to give Kuroo a big hug, which was tight enough to make him gasp for air. Then phone numbers were exchanged before the two men left.

Once they were finally alone, Kenma laid next to Kuroo while resting his head on his chest. Kuroo put both arms around him and kissed the top of his head. Then they cuddled each other silently for a long time. Kenma closed his eyes and took in the feeling of being held by Kuroo, for both the first time and the hundredth time. 

After a while, Kuroo started brushing his fingers through Kenma’s hair. “Wanna know something?”

Kenma hummed in response, glancing up at Kuroo to meet his gaze. 

Kuroo leaned down and pressed his lips against Kenma’s for just a moment. And after he laid his head back down, he cleared his throat and spoke softly. “I love you, Kenma.”

Kenma smiled and put his hand on Kuroo’s cheek. “I love you, too.”

Chapter Text

May had come once again. 

Kenma and Kuroo had lived together for a whole year. And over the past six months, Kuroo had regained a lot of the strength he had lost while in the coma. The doctors even said that he could start playing volleyball again soon. 

It was a Sunday, which meant Kuroo and Bokuto were out jogging together while Kenma and Akaashi had tea at the house. They sat on the floor in front of the coffee table and were catching up on what was happening in each other’s lives. They had become good friends since their first meeting—especially since they had seen each other multiple times a week when Kuroo first came home. Bokuto and Akaashi had brought meals, helped with cleaning, and drove Kuroo to physical therapy appointments.

Akaashi and Kenma found that they had a lot of similarities—the biggest one being that they both were in love with a huge dork. And they were reminded of that when Kuroo and Bokuto came into the house from their run. 

Bokuto already had his shirt off, and it was hanging over his shoulders. Kuroo peeled out of his own as soon as they came into the house. Both men had earbuds in, and they were listening to the same playlist. They were currently singing along with their favorite song while pointing at each other and gesturing dramatically. Then Kuroo pretended he had a microphone in one hand as he seductively danced around Bokuto. In response, Bokuto was pretending to be flustered. 

After that, Bokuto put his hands over his head and swung his hips back and forth as Kuroo continued to serenade him. Then they started to dance together in the doorway, moving their bodies to the beat of the song.

Kenma and Akaashi glanced at each other and rolled their eyes, then looked back over at the two goofy men.

“Our boyfriends are gay,” Kenma deadpanned.

Akaashi nodded, speaking calmly. “But are they gay for us, or are they gay for each other?”

“Hard to say for sure,” Kenma replied with a grin as he watched Kuroo dance with Bokuto.

Akaashi took a drink of his tea, then asked a sarcastic question. “Should we join them?” 

“I’m sure they’d love that,” Kenma said dryly.

But their joke was going to become reality, because the next song that came on Kuroo and Bokuto’s shared playlist was an upbeat romantic one. So the two sweaty men nodded to each other and ran over to Kenma and Akaashi, each pulling their boyfriend up by the hand. 

Kuroo switched his phone to play music out loud and set it on the coffee table, along with his earbuds. Then he pulled Kenma against himself and started swaying them together while singing along to the lyrics. 

Kenma let himself be led around in Kuroo’s enthusiastic dance. “You’re sweaty, Kuro. And you stink. You’re getting me all gross,” he grumbled. Despite that, he was smiling.  

Kuroo chuckled as he lifted Kenma up so that he could dip him back and kiss him. It was a tender kiss at first, but Kuroo ended up gliding his tongue along Kenma’s lower lip and giving it a small bite afterwards. 

Kenma’s face was flushed as the kiss ended, though not from embarrassment. He didn’t mind affection in front of Akaashi and Bokuto anymore. 

Besides, Akaashi and Bokuto were practically making out as they danced together. They had no idea what was going on outside of their little world.

The song changed while Kuroo and Kenma spun around. Let Me Love The Lonely by James Arthur started playing, and Kuroo pulled Kenma closer so they could slow dance together. 

Kenma gave a teasing smile. “You run to this song?”

Kuroo didn’t answer. Instead he quietly whispered in Kenma’s ear, singing along to the song. 

You laugh at all the jokes

Even the ones you know

Funny I’m doing that, too

Alone in a crowded room

The one string that’s out of tune

Trust me, I feel like that, too

Let me love the lonely out of you

Let me love the pain you’re going through

I think I’ll save myself by saving you

Let me love the lonely out of you

Lighthouse without the lights

You smile without your eyes

I know, ‘cause I do that too

Your own worst enemy

You think that no one sees

I do, ‘cause I’m like that too

Let me love the lonely out of you

Let me love the pain you’re going through

I think I’ll save myself by saving you

Let me love the lonely out of you.

Kenma found himself tearing up, so he pressed his face against Kuroo’s chest as they continued to slowly dance together. Bokuto and Akaashi were also quietly swaying in each other’s arms while listening to the music.

Kuroo held Kenma close as he sang to him. He would never regret those two years he spent by himself, because they led him to Kenma. And he couldn’t imagine his life without the sassy man he now called his boyfriend.