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Kozume Kenma doesn’t want to be here.
Now, that statement isn’t new. It’s been thought and said hundreds of times by others and by Kenma himself and it definitely will be thousands of times more.
But this particular place really takes the cake for somewhere Kenma does not want to be.
It’s loud, packed with people, and hot.
Kenma feels a bead of sweat run down the back of his neck and curses himself for wearing a sweatshirt, though he had no idea where they were bringing him in the first place.
‘They’ are Sugawara Koushi and Akaashi Keiji who are also known as Kenma’s roommates and best friends, for a lack of better terms.
And where they are is at a concert, jammed into a VIP spot, surrounded by guys, girls, and some in between. Everyone is jumping up and down while screaming the lyrics to a song that Kenma is only mildly familiar with.
This song in particular, ‘Calling Stars‘, happens to be written by Koushi’s and Keiji’s boyfriends, who also happen to be performing on stage at this very moment.
Kenma didn’t think much of this when the three of them arrived, glad to support the people that his friends are absolutely smitten with, but he’s starting to regret every decision he’s ever made. The ones that led him to going to college and getting roomed with the two of them.
They had stuck with each other all four years, even after the mandatory dorm situation ended, and despite all being graduated, they still live together in a newer apartment that’s far, far away from all of the drunken mistakes and poor grades that happened on the college campus.
But it’s been worth it in the long run, he never suspected that he’d feel a little happy thrill spread across his chest as he watches the two, who passive aggressively argued like crazy for the entirety of the first few years they knew the other, mouth the lyrics to the love song that was written with them in mind. They’re happy, Kenma can tell from Koushi’s wide smile and Keiji’s prouder posture.
It’s sweet and also slightly disgusting to Kenma, who turns his attention back to the stage.
Oikawa Tooru, lead singer and guitarist, winks at the fans in the front row and Kenma watches as one of them pretends to faint. Or literally faints. Oh god, Oikawa looks worried but he continues on anyway.
Next to him, Sawamura Daichi, another vocalist and rhythm guitarist who’s better known to Kenma as the guy Koushi never stops talking about, frowns at the small commotion that’s occurring near the front of the stage but relief flashes across his face as the girl gets back up.
Bokuto Koutarou, drummer and Keiji’s boyfriend, is completely oblivious to whatever the hell just happened and is grinning at Keiji. They haven’t really stopped looking at eachother the whole set, which both impresses and scares Kenma.
And, last but not least, Kuroo Tetsurou. Kenma’s knows the name, only because of his slight interest in the bass guitarist because of the first song he heard from Nocturnal Sunlight Inc., questioning Koushi about who was playing the bass because, fuck, it was brilliant.
His talent is no less tonight. In fact, Kenma thinks he’s doing even better than the recordings.
He’s smirking, kind of obnoxiously in Kenma’s opinion, as he’s putting out unbelievable riffs and tying the whole song together.
Kenma can’t but smile a little as he let’s the vibrations of sound take over his body.
-
The band announces that it’s the halfway point of the show, calling for a fifteen minute break before the second set, which is met with disappointed groans and cheers from the audience.
They walk off the stage, already looking a little tired, waving at the packed stadium.
Kenma feels Keiji’s hand wrap around his wrist and begin to tug him towards the exit. Kenma knows that he wouldn’t be able to be heard over the noise of thousands of people talking at the same time so he casts Keiji a confused look, but finds Koushi flashing backstage passes at him before weaving his way through the crowd.
They manage to make it out unscathed and walk in the eerily quiet hallway. It has a few people littered throughout it, a stark contrast from where they were moments ago.
“Damn, they’re doing so amazing, I’m so proud.” Koushi hasn’t stopped rambling since they started their journey towards the back of the stage.
Keiji and Kenma exchange a look that is fond and used to Koushi’s antics, but Kenma adds a little eyebrow raise because Keiji is the exact same way.
The ‘Jellybean Incident’ from a few years ago is still fresh in all of their minds, the biggest war Keiji and Koushi had ever gotten into. Which is saying a lot because Kenma has been Switzerland in their battles about laundry detergent and the proper way to fold a sweater, that have gotten more intense than any of them want to admit.
But the ‘Great Jellybean Incident’, also known as the ‘Best Boyfriend War’, will always stand true as the best and worst thing that’s ever occurred in the hallowed halls of their shared apartment.
Kenma lets out a small huff of amusement at the memory, that quickly gives way to the anxiety that forms in the pit of his stomach as they stand in front of the security guards that block the entrance to the backroom.
Kenma stops himself from hunching into himself as he gets a onceover from both of them, and quickly shuffles past after they approve the passes Koushi shows them.
A loud ‘Daichi’ echoes across the backroom as Koushi launches himself at his partner and kisses him.
This is followed by an even louder ‘Keiji’ that ends up with Kenma’s other friend wrapped in the arms of Bokuto.
This leaves Kenma to awkwardly shift his weight from side to side as he watches the four of them laugh and banter. He sees Oikawa in the corner of the room, head resting on a shoulder that belongs to who Kenma believes is Iwaizumi Hajime, the manager, if he recalls anything Koushi or Keiji has said about the other members of the team.
It’s cute, they all are, but Kenma feels distinctly out of place and his hands twitch, wanting to grab his phone so he had something to do other than stare at his friends and their lovers.
He gives a strained smile when Keiji looks over, his mind screaming at him to go home and to eat an alarming amount of salt and vinegar chips before planning upcoming streams.
But Kenma can always do that after the concert because he knows that if he did leave, some of Keiji’s and Koushi’s excitement and pride will be overtaken by a little worry and guilt for Kenma. And that’s the last thing that Kenma wants to happen.
So he gives a thumbs up to Koushi when he checks up on him as well and his lips twitch at the beam he receives.
-
The second set starts of with a bang, literally. A firework gets sets off and triggers the excited screaming from the audience when they began one of their most popular songs.
It’s a completely different experience, watching them perform from the back. It’s strangely more intimate, even with the crew members rushing around them, frantically whispering into their headsets.
Kuroo had suddenly appeared from nowhere a few minutes before they were on, giving a wave to the three newcomers and strutting off to who knows where.
Kenma hates people who strut.
But he can’t say he really hates Kuroo as he watches the perpetual smirk fade into something a little more real as his eyes look at the adoring fans.
It’s brilliant, it’s invigorating and Kenma once again lets himself become one with the music, enjoying it is as much as he can, especially because he’s not being squished and jostled around by hundreds of people now.
Koushi had insisted, and Keiji supported, that they had to have the ‘real’ experience before they started cheering from behind and who’s Kenma to say no when Koushi promised a weeks’ supply of apple fritter bites from the local bakery.
Kenma begins to feel more overwhelmed as songs pass and time drags on, exhaustion falling over him like a blanket and thank god, Oikawa announces the final song.
The whole stadium, packed with people goes quiet as a quiet melody plays from Oikawa’s guitar and Kenma loses his breath while watching thousands of lights flash like stars as Daichi begins to sing.
It’s chilling, the soft singing of so many people. Lyrics that were written by Kuroo, apparently, about broken trust and the reluctance that comes with rebuilding it.
It hits Kenma harder than he wants to admit, and he doesn’t realize it’s over until a roar of applause and screaming knocks him back into reality. Keiji’s on the verge of tears, looking even more proud than before, and Koushi’s already crying, jumping up and down.
Kenma backs up and presses his back up against a metal support beam, letting it ground him, while inspecting the sound and light equipment hanging from above. He can hear excited chattering and congratulations, and he gives his ‘it was great’ and ‘yeah, maybe, I’ll come to the next one, too’ to Daichi and Bokuto when the time comes, before giving a nod to Keiji and Koushi, signaling that he’s going to head out.
They come close to him, concern evident, but, luckily, the joy they feel over the adrenaline-causing performance still shines through.
“Stay. I’m gonna head home. Have fun.”
“Kenma, are you sure?” Koushi sets a hand on his shoulder.
“Yes, use protection.” The splutters he hears make him smile and he nudges Keiji’s shoulder before stepping back. “How do I get out of here?”
-
Kenma makes it out alive.
He sighs while leaning against the wall next to the alleyway exit and presses his palms to his eyes, mentally preparing for the long walk home when he senses someone near him, watching.
Kenma’s guard raises immediately but when he looks up, he’s met with the hazel eyes of Kuroo Tetsurou.
Well, shit.
Flight beats fight and Kenma takes step towards the exit, nodding in the general direction of the fucking bassist who’s loved by the whole goddamn nation.
“Kenma, right?”
He knows Kenma’s name? Hell no.
Kenma nods again and continues to scoot his way towards the street, hoping that this guy will get the hint.
But he doesn’t.
Or deliberately chooses to ignore it, since his infamous smirk stretches across his face as he bends at the waist so he’s face to face with Kenma. “Like the show?”
Kenma’s getting tired of nodding, but continues to do so because this man’s face is way too close for Kenma to get his vocal cords to work.
His skin prickles with discomfort and he’s pretty sure that Kuroo finally understands that Kenma doesn’t want to be there because he backs off and his expression softens into one similar to the one Kenma saw on the stage.
“Ah, sorry. Still got the high from the cheers, y’know? You’re ‘Kaashi’s and Suga’s roommate, yeah?”
“Yeah.”
Kuroo’s smile widens, “You speak.”
“Shocker.”
“You’re different than what I expected, I saw you in the audience. Didn’t want to be there?”
Perceptive one. How annoying.
“Too many people,” Kenma kicks at a non-existent pebble on the ground, “But it was good.”
“Good.”
They stand in silence, the only sounds are by the cars driving past.
“How about a deal?” Kuroo has a slightly terrifying look on his face, and Kenma tells him such.
This causes the loudest, strangest laugh that Kenma’s ever heard, but it’s so genuine that Kenma’s apprehension quickly fades.
“Deal?”
“Yeah, if you come to another show and say ‘it’s great’ instead of just good, you owe me a coffee.”
“And if I don’t?”
“Well, I didn’t think that far ahead.”
Kenma squints his eyes at Kuroo, who’s transformed into a completely different person.
Who would have thought that the Kuroo Tetsurou was a dork.
“I’ll think about it.”
“Good.”
Kuroo’s smile hasn’t faded in the slightest and Kenma decides that he should probably leave now, before he embarasses himself.
“I’m gonna,” Kenma looks behind him, “go. Sorry.”
“Sorry for keeping you. I’ll see you again, yeah?”
“It’s fine. Bye.”
“Later, Kenma.”
And it’s only when Kenma’s through the door of the empty apartment that he realizes that the anxiety he felt at the show had long since faded.
-
Kenma likes a lot of things about his job.
He likes that he can make a bit too much money by just playing videogames. He likes that it’s never really face to face, he’s got the protection of a screen when he streams and posts videos.
He likes reading comments that think he’s hacking because he’s ‘too good’.
It’s a pleasurable feeling and Kenma feels gratified whether he gets 10,000 or 10,000,000 views.
There is one thing that he doesn’t like doing, not at all.
He completely despises editing VODS for his streams. It’s a pain in the ass.
Videos are fine, it’s usally just an hour long recording to be shaved down but when it comes to his four, five, sometimes six hour streams, he hates it.
Now, he doesn’t have to do it, but his subscribers put up with so much of his shit, between extremely irregular posting and minimal commentary and the fact that his last tweet is from two months ago, that it’s the least he could do.
So that’s where he is currently, three hours into the latest stream and four coffees down.
Keiji had just left some takeout on the table when Kenma’s phone buzzes.
Unknown Number:
holy shit i didnt realize you were t h e world famous kodzuken oh my god
what the fuck how did i not put that together
what the fuck
this is kuroo tetsurou by the way
hi
Kenma’s slightly entertained and also wondering how the fuck his number got to Kuroo, but it all clicks into place when he remembers Koushi’s knowing look and pat on the head from this morning.
Motherfucker.
Might as well make sure.
world famous kodzuken
howd you get my number
kuroo fucking tetsurou
well you see
Oh god.
kuroo fucking tetsurou
i was like hmm that guy looks familiar and so i went back inside and interrupted your pretty friend from his makeout with bo (tell him i said sorry bout that it was important) and i asked who you were and he was like kozume kenma so i went as in kodzuken kozume kenma and he said yes and then went back to what he was doing and my head was in my hands at that point cause holy fuck i just talked with the world famous kodzuken and no one t o l d me so then i went over to your other friend whos dating daichi and got your number and this is the longest message ever holy shit
world famous kodzuken
cool
please tell me im not world famous kodzuken in your phone
kuroo fucking tetsurou
…
world famous kodzuken
right
Kenma looks at the ceiling, desperately trying not to smile because this ass doesn’t deserve it. It gets harder as Kuroo frantically tries to convince him to continue talking and that he’ll change it and to ‘for the love of god, please don’t leave him on read’ but Kenma is nothing if not a little bit of an ass himself, and goes back to work with his phone on silent.
Eventually, the buzzes slow to a stop, only for Keiji to stand in the doorway and tell him to text Kuroo back because he’s the one being harassed now.
world famous kodzuken
why are you like this
kuroo fucking tetsurou
HE HAS RETURNED
wiat
wait
no come back
world famous kodzuken im sorry
kenmaaaaaaaaaa
world famous kodzuken
what
kuroo fucking tetsurou
i have a proposition
world famous kodzuken
hell no
kuroo fucking tetsurou
you havent even heard it yet
world famous kodzuken
i dont trust you
kuroo fucking tetsurou
i mean fair but hey
anyway
how about even before the next time you come to a nsi concert
we go out for coffee anyway
i wanna get to know you yknow
as kenma and not world famous kodzuken
world famous kodzuken
stop calling me that
kuroo fucking tetsurou
maybe i will if you meet me at the cat themed coffee shop near that weirdass anemone looking statue :3
world famous kodzuken
youre paying
kuroo fucking tetsurou
oh of course
im free wednesday at 2
world famous kodzuken
fine
whatever
kuroo fucking tetsurou
:3
-
“Hey, Keiji?”
“Yes?”
“I think I have a date with Kuroo Tetsurou.”
-
Kenma shows up five minutes late to the coffeeshop and looks around to see if he can find the mess of bedhead belonging to Kuroo. Almost instantly, he spots him talking to the owner, Yaku Morisuke.
Morisuke and Kenma have known each other for a while, Kenma had ducked into the shop to escape the rain when he first moved to this part of town and has been a regular ever since.
“Kenma, it’s nice to see you again.” Morisuke greets him with a smile, happily jabbing Kuroo in the side so he stops leaning against the counter.
“Hi.” Kenma nods towards Kuroo, “I’ll have the usual, he’s paying.”
Yaku laughs at that, “I’ll get right on that. Don’t piss him off, Kuroo, think of your future children.”
“You two know each other?” Kuroo’s looking back and forth between the two, “How-”
“Close your mouth, you’ll catch flies.” Yaku’s back is still turned while making Kenma’s obnoxiously sweet and caffeine filled drink. “Kenma’s a regular.”
“Damn, I wanted to bring him somewhere he’s never been, and as much as I hate to admit it, you make some fucking great drinks.”
“Don’t swear in my establishment, I won’t hesitate to kick you out on your ass.”
“You’re so cruel,” Kuroo wipes fake tears while giving Kenma a look that he thinks is supposed to be pleading. “Don’t treat me like him, Kenma, I won’t be able to take it. My poor heart.”
Kenma covers up a snort with his sleeve and grabs the drink that Yaku holds out to him. “Well, rest assured, I won’t treat you like that right now, but once you’ve paid for my drink all bets are off.”
Kuroo smile is so bright that Kenma looks down at his coffee instead.
“Yaku, how mad would you be-”
“You’re paying for the damn drinks, Kuroo, I know where you live.”
“No, you don’t.”
“I can.”
The threat looms so heavily that Kuroo does end up paying and they head to the nearby park to escape Morisuke. After Kenma immediately threatened to kick Kuroo in the shins if he tries to do anything stupid after he payed, Kuroo announced that he never wants to be in the same room as the two of them ever again and dramatically flings open the door to leave.
He held the door open for Kenma when he followed after bidding goodbye to Morisuke, but he insisted that he was still upset.
They arrive at the park and sit on a bench that’s shaded by a tree.
“I don’t understand how you managed to capture Satan and put him in a to go cup.”
Kenma scrunches his nose at the insult to his drink, “It’s good.”
“It could kill a bear.”
“Just how I like it.”
Kuroo smiles again, and Kenma doesn’t really understand how one guy can have so many different ones.
Kenma’s already seen a wide array, ranging from the mischievous and all-knowing smirk to the thrilled, energized grin. And who knows how many more there are.
He’s decided that this dorky, amused one is his favorite.
Why does he even have a favorite in the first place?
The question of fuck, do I like this guy to the realization of shit, I think I do hits him like a truck when Kuroo begins to talk about all of the stray cats he feeds.
Fuck.
-
Kenma shuts the door behind him and tips forward to lie on the ground.
This is how Koushi finds him and it takes a second for him to realize what’s happening.
“We’ve been there, young Padawan, don’t you worry.”
“I hate you.”
“I know, I’m aware, continue your pining on the couch, it’s better for your back.”
Kenma suppresses the urge to hiss, and sits up a little bit just to flop back down with more conviction. Koushi grabs his hands and begins to drag him towards the couch.
This is how Keiji finds them and he sighs, the scene more familiar than he’d ever like to admit. Then he begins to help Koushi.
“Is this the Kuroo-san thing?”
Koushi’s ‘yes’ and Kenma’s intelligible grumble mix.
“I’ve been there.”
After ten minutes of dragging and resisting and pouting, the three of them are in a heap on the couch.
“I hate you.”
“Well, we can give you advice, Kenma. We’ve both been through this ‘oh fuck I just realized I’m in love with a hot guy from a famous band, oh no, oh no, what do I do, he has a motorcycle’ phase.”
“He has a motorcycle?” Kenma’s voice does not crack.
Apparently this broke the last piece of whatever was holding his roommates back and Koushi begins to crack up, Keiji following in his own way soon after.
Kenma stares at them, unimpressed, for the duration of their laughing but they keep on getting set off again just looking at Kenma, so he buries himself under a blanket to try to block out the noise.
“Kenma, we’re sorry, let us in.”
“No, you’re not.”
“No, we’re not, let us in anyway.”
Kenma hears a countdown and the blanket is torn away from him.
“It’s serious time now,” but Keiji’s small smile that suggests the opposite.
Kenma raises an eyebrow and Koushi worms his arms around the two of them.
“We’re gonna make you look hot as hell for your next date.”
-
world famous kodzuken :3
kuroo
kuro fucking tetsurou
kodzuken
world famous kodzuken :3
nevermind
kuro fucking tetsurou
no im sorry
i just cant get my head around it
world famous kodzuken :3
shocker with all that ego and all that hair i thought itd be easy
kuro fucking tetsurou
how dare you
in my own home
on my own phone
in my own bed
how dare you
world famous kodzuken :3
whatever
kuro fucking tetsurou
so what brings you knocking on my door
world famous kodzuken :3
i hate it here
kuro fucking tetsurou
:3
world famous kodzuken :3
…
are you free sunday
kuro fucking tetsurou
are you asking me out on a date kenma
im flattered
yes yes i am
i am free
yes
world famous kodzuken :3
go to the anemone statue again
ill be there at one
kuro fucking tetsurou
its a date :3
-
Kenma stands off to the side of the sidewalk, scrolling through his phone when he feels arms wrap around his waist and a head on his shoulder.
“What the fuck?”
“Hello to you, too.” Kuroo grins before giving him a once over, “You look good. Like really good.”
And he did. Koushi and Keiji apparently broke into Yahaba’s apartment to steal some of his clothes as well as Shirabu’s, Semi’s, and Atsumu’s, much to the dismay of Sakusa. But he’s wearing a hella good outfit that includes ripped skinny jeans and a leather jacket, so what’s not to like.
“Well, you don’t look half bad, I guess.”
Lie, Kuroo can pull off a casual button down with the sleeves rolled up and jeans any day of the week but Kenma does not want to try to vocalize that train of thought before it crashes into the point of no return and sets on fire.
Luckily, Kuroo doesn’t look offended, already being able to see right through Kenma’s bullshit, “Gee, what a charmer you are. So where’re we going?”
“C’mon.”
Kenma walks in the opposite direction of Morisuke’s cafe and Kuroo follows, looking around as if there would be clues for their destination in the air.
Five minutes later, they stop in front of an arcade and Kuroo turns towards Kenma, excitement lacing his features, “Ready to get your ass kicked?”
“Do you know who you’re talking to?”
“A professional at getting his ass kicked?”
“Whatever. You’re annoying.”
“Am not.”
“Are too.”
“Am not.”
“Are too, let’s go.”
Kuroo laughs and goes to the counter to pay but Kenma stops him. Kenma nods at the worker behind the counter, who nods back while handing them both a cup full of coins and says, “You’re all good, Kenma. You better give me back that jacket-”
“And what if I don’t, Eita?”
“Bitch.”
“Bastard.”
They have a stare off before Semi’s eyes flicker to Kuroo and he concedes, going into the breakroom with a wave of the hand.
“Friend of yours?”
“You could say so. I want to play Tetris.”
“I’m the best at Tetris.”
“Sure.”
“It’s like you don’t believe me.”
“What could’ve given you that thought?”
“Mean.”
“Thanks.”
-
Kenma proceeds to kick Kuroo’s ass in every game that they play. It’s quite tragic, Tendou Satori, the owner, even comes to heckle Kuroo for a little while before disappearing to who knows where.
Kenma would say he feels bad. But he doesn’t so he won’t.
Of course, now he’s looking at a broken, broken man who’s just lost 27 different games multiple times over the past few hours. Kenma planned for this though.
Before that an ‘I told you so’ was in order, so while Kuroo listlessly walks next to Kenma, Kenma does in fact tell him that he told him so, which causes Kuroo to flop onto Kenma in revenge.
“Get offa' me.”
“No, Kodzuken, you brought this unto yourself. Couldn’t even hold back just the tiniest bit. My poor pride is in shambles. Look, it’s taken its broken pieces and riding off into the sunset.”
“Good riddance.”
Kuroo stifles a laugh in Kenma’s shoulder where he’s buried his head, “God damnit, Kenma, you’re gonna be the death of me.”
Kenma has to try very hard not to blush, but it’s futile so he shakes some of his hair in front of his ears and eyes to hide it. “I have a place that might help you superglue your ego back together, don’t worry.”
“‘Don’t worry,’ he says. ‘I know a place,’ he says. When he says he knows a place and it’s a mother's basement gamer cave with RGB lighting and anime girl body pillows.”
“Oh my god.”
“God can’t help you now.”
Kenma shakes his head again and acknowledges at Eita, who was dragged back into doing his job by Kenjirou when he arrived for his shift, before exiting the arcade, shielding his face from the sun. Kuroo stumbles out after him, trying to control his laughing.
“You’re such an idiot.”
“Aw, are you flirting with me?”
Kenma doesn’t give him an answer and goes to stand in front of the store next to the arcade.
Kuroo looks to see where they are and slings an arm around Kenma’s shoulders, “I think I want you to marry me.”
“Buy me dinner first.”
“Yes, sir.”
And with that, they enter an old music and record store.
-
They’re having a lot of fun. Kuroo hasn’t stopped talking since they set foot inside, but Kenma doesn’t mind. He follows the other around the store, listening to the rants and rambles about different types of music and mixes that really capture the feel of where and what era it’s from.
Kenma can’t look away from the shine in Kuroo’s eyes as he talks about what he’s passionate about. His heart feels like it’s a flickering candle whenever the eyes glance over to him time to time and light up once again when Kuroo realizes that Kenma never stopped listening.
Kenma’s hasn’t felt like this before. He’s been on a few dates, one’s planned and orchestrated by Koushi and/or Keiji, but they’ve all ended up being better as friends or as strangers.
Kenma’s absolutely had fun on a few of them and has come to love the one’s who’ve stuck.
He’s watched them all go on and fall in love with the one for them. Shigeru found Kyoutani in a mess of anger and passion, apparently, and they’ve been happy ever since. A similar situation with Atsumu and Sakusa.
Kenma has never been an optimist and definitely won’t say that Kuroo is the one for him, it feels restrictive, but as he watches the man in question tells more stories of his cats and showing Kenma the albums after which they were named, Kenma can’t help but wonder.
Eventually, they’ve weaved their way through the whole store and Kuroo offers to pay for dinner.
“Can’t believe it’s already 6pm, Jesus Christ. Time really does fly when you’re having fun.” Kuroo winks at Kenma as they walk down the street, he’s holding a bag with a few CDs and records that he said he’s wanted but could never find. “I’m paying for dinner, I mean, you may have kicked my ass for three hours straight, but you also showed me my new home. I’m gonna live in the floorboards of that place, holy shit.”
“Glad to be of service. Where do you want to-” A drop of rain hitting Kenma’s nose interrupts him and he has enough time to look at the sky to see a downpour begin to hit.
He feels Kuroo grab his hand and shout ‘run’ while cackling, and he does.
Because at this point, if Kuroo jumped off of a cliff, he’d follow with no hesitation.
-
“I hate everything.”
Kenma is currently sitting, soaking wet, in a McDonald’s booth. He’s got a half eaten box of chicken nuggets and fries in front of him, but he’s too busy not pouting to continue eating.
“You have to admit that was kind of fun.”
“Whatever.” Kenma’s scared, not of the rain or of Kuroo or of the suspicious matter that McDonald’s food is made of, but he’s scared of the way that his guard has dropped without his consent. He doesn’t like that he has to think about keeping his emotions in check, when it always was second nature.
He’s really not used to smiling so easily.
But he can’t really help it because when he feels his own lips twitch in amusement, he can see Kuroo’s spread even wider than before. Because he notices. He always does.
It’s different from the way that Keiji or Koushi read him, they look at his body language and the little signs they’ve come up with after years of awkward public outings. It’s like Kuroo can see every little twitch of his face and shift in demeanor with just one look.
They didn’t meet too long ago, but it feels like they could’ve clicked into place in the others life years and years ago.
Kuroo has long finished his burger, so Kenma begins to wrap up the rest of his food so they can get out of close proximity to so many screaming children.
“Hey, my place is pretty close by. If you don’t mind, you can come over and hide out until the rain dies down. Apparently it’ll be hitting for a few hours.”
“Will I get to meet your cats?”
“Probably, they’re probably all there cause of the rain.”
Kenma stands, “I’d like you to know that it’s the only reason I’m going.”
“I believe you.” The smug smile that Kuroo has tells Kenma that he’s not believed, and he supposes that it’s fair since it’s definitely not the only reason he’s going over.
-
“So that’s Escape, and there’s Blurryface.”
Kenma’s sitting on the floor with around 15 different cats surrounding him. It’s safe to say he feels pretty content.
“Wanna watch a movie? I can show you the real way to make popcorn. None of your microwavable shit.”
Kenma is not paying attention in the slightest because how could you when there’s 5 cats on your lap and 2 in your arms. “Uh huh, yeah.”
“The apartment’s on fire.”
“Whatever.”
“I’m gonna strip down to my underwear and dance to Shakira.”
“Okay.”
Kuroo cackles, scaring a few of the cats, and retreats into the kitchen.
The cats get bored of Kenma soon after and he goes to see what Kuroo is doing.
He’s humming a song and swirling melted butter around a measuring cup. Kuroo smiles mischievously, “Ready to get your mind blown?”
“Sure.” Kenma hops up onto an empty counter and watches as Kuroo moves around the kitchen, grabbing a bowl and a spoon, as well as some salt from a cupboard.
“Well, you see, most people enjoy that overly butter microwavable stuff you get in the packages in the bags or at the movies but it’s horrible. My mom always used to make it like this, though, in a pot on the stove. It’s much less healthy but who fucking cares, y’know?”
“I can officially say I’m interested, I think.”
“Good, good.” A pop from the stove startles Kenma, but Kuroo calmly walks over to it and gives it a shake, looking inside. “Alrighty, here we go. I put some oil at the bottom and since I put a kernel in, we know that it’s hot enough for the rest of them.” He shakes a half-filled cup of kernels into the pot and covers it. “Now we wait. I usually hang around so it won’t burn, yeah? Do you mind?”
Kenma shakes his head, more distracted by the sparse decorations around the kitchen. His own has always been covered in knickknacks and too many papers on the fridge. A huge calendar is color coded for each one of the roommates and hangs on the wall.
It’s homely, warm. It’s so different from the emptiness of Kuroo’s kitchen.
He looks over and sees Kuroo watching him. They stare at eachother, a moment stretching into many as they try to get at least a small glimpse through the window, wanting answers to everything they’ll never ask, wanting to know everything, anything.
It breaks when the continuous popping begins, shaking them out of the minutes of vulnerability they shared.
Kuroo clears his throat and goes to shake the pot again, sighing as he looks down at it.
“Kenma-”
“Kuroo-”
They both smile a little and Kuroo gestures for Kenma to go first as he shakes the pot once again.
“I, um,” Kenma doesn’t know where this confidence came from, but he thinks it comes from the way that Kuroo’s eyes crinkle and sparkle on the sides when he does his horrible laugh. “Let’s do this again.”
Kuroo’s not the only one who notices things and Kenma knows that Kuroo’s eyes change color in different lighting, and now they shift from a warm gray back to golden hazel as he grins wider than ever while looking towards the ceiling, “Yeah, definitely.”
-
It’s Kenma’s favorite time of the week, which is saying quite a lot. He doesn’t ever really say he has favorites, only thinking of one instance that is waved out of his mind quickly. It’s always so hard to choose.
But his Sunday streams make his week go from bad to better or good to great. It makes him excited to share everything he’s worked so hard for. A game has been in his hands or close by since he first played Pokémon at five but now, he won’t be ridiculed for preferring it to most human interaction. For being different from everyone else.
It’s nice.
So he’s content while double checking audio quality and the video feed and the inevitable editing to come. It’s ten minutes until go time, Keiji already left some water and snacks for the however-many hours long stream.
Sunday’s are Kenma’s favorite day of the week and he relishes in it while sinking into his chair.
His eyes are closed, preparing for the strain of talking for a long time but his pre-stream ritual is interrupted by his phone buzzing.
kuro
almost time for one of your streams right
kodzuken-san
world famous kodzuken <3
maybe
kuro
i think its only fair that since you got to be backstage at one of my things i should be there at one of yours
world famous kodzuken <3
why of course why didnt i think of that
im so rude
by all means invite bokuto, daichi, and oikawa too
make it a party
dont actually
whatever
do whatever you want
kuro
maybe i will
world famous kodzuken <3
fine
kuro
have a good stream world famous kodzuken
world famous kodzuken <3
thanks
kuro
:3
-
It’s half an hour from being exactly a week later, and Kenma is filled with dread as Koushi fawns over Kuroo, saying things like ‘oh, you’re a lucky one, Keiji and I aren’t even allowed in there when he streams’ and ‘so you’re the one who makes our Kenma smile at his phone’ that make Kuroo preen and Kenma want to throw himself into the sea.
“I’m going to set up.”
Kenma walks away and he hears Kuroo tell Koushi goodbye before feeling his presence next to him.
“I’m so excited to watch the Koduken, in action, live .”
“It’s always live, I’m a livestreamer, Kuro.”
“Fine, fine. The world famous Kodzuken, in person. ”
“Stop calling me that, do you have any sense of originality?”
“Pudding head.”
“Dickhead.”
“Dang,” Kenma can’t tell if he’s imagining the fond tone, “I’m wounded.”
Kenma ticks his tongue and pushes the door open to his office. Kuroo inspects it and overdramatizes every little thing he sees, causing a snort or two from Kenma as he’s preparing everything.
Kuroo plants himself on the loveseat next to Kenma’s desk so he’s out of shot and has a perfect view of Kenma. Which also means Kenma has a perfect view of him.
“Okay, you good? You can provide your banter,” Kenma says it in a way that implies airquotes, “or whatever, just try to be a little entertaining.”
“Oh ye of little faith.”
-
It’s a really good stream.
Kenma has the more fun with the stream than he’s had in a while, Kuroo and Kenma bicker like they usually do but now there’s the element of the live chat included. Kenma’s viewers also skyrocket once Kuroo pokes his head into frame to prove that he’s really there.
There’d been a point where Kuroo scooted his way next to Kenma and asked to play the game, promising that if he loses that he’ll grant Kenma a wish. Kenma, of course, took up the offer because, fuck yeah, it’s a free wish.
Kuroo lost, devastatingly, and he probably expected something flirtatious as he winks towards Kenma.
Kenma, in turn, forced him to go to the bakery because he wished for a box of apple fritter bites and he could see Kuroo’s face turn from smugness to shock to amusement, in a way that caused Kenma to have to suppress too many smiles in the when Kuroo’s on his bakery run because he can’t stop thinking about it.
Afterward, there was a whole wall of a ‘kuroken’ chant and Kenma prayed that Kuroo can’t see it.
It’s around 10 and Kenma decides to ends the stream.
“Well, this has been,” Kenma takes a breath, “a stream.”
“How observant,” Kuroo teases.
“Whatever, thanks for tuning in. It’s been kinda fun, I guess. I think Futakuchi-san is live, so we’ll raid him. I’ll see you next Sunday and the VOD for this will be up Wednesday, and a new video on Friday. Any words, Kuroo?”
“Stay sexy and-”
“Okay, bye.”
Kenma lets the viewers transfer over to Futakuchi’s stream and sits back, exhaustion setting in.
“Hey, Kenma.
”Hm?”
”Thank you.”
“Yeah.”
-
kuroken kuroken kuroken
@chickennoodlesoup
may i ask: what the actual fuck did we all just watch
dying vibes
@rooftopbagel
did that really just happen
its the crossover we never knew we needed
okay then
@bokutostonguepiercing
not the way that kuroo and kodzuken look at each other holy fucking shit theyre in love your honor
-
Kuroo’s asleep on his couch and Kenma is having a mental breakdown.
Because what the fuck?
There are a lot of places that Kenma expected to be in life at this age. If not dead or hiding out in Scotland, he thought he’d be working a 9 to 5 or hiding in his parents basement.
He never thought he’d be an almost millionaire with the potential love of his life on the couch, shirtless.
Apparently, Kuroo had underestimated the power of trying to be entertaining for multiple hours straight and he passed out once he sat down.
It was cute.
But that’s beside the point.
Kenma’s in the kitchen, staring at the bottle of popcorn kernels he bought and tucked into the back of a kitchen cupboard once he got home. What is Kuroo doing to him?
He feels a hand on his shoulders and turns to see Keiji standing by him.
“Keiji, I don’t-”
“Know.” Keiji finishes it, soft smiling while drawing closer, “That’s okay. It’s weird, Koushi and I both know it, we really do, even if we were joking about it to tease you. And it’s not just because it’s with members of the same band, but it’s because that’s how falling in love is.”
“I’m not in love with him.”
“No, not yet. I don’t doubt that. But you’re going to have to let yourself trust him. Kenma, he’s a great guy. So are you. Don’t let him slip away.”
“But what if he-”
Keiji gives Kenma a look that holds everything that Kenma wanted to and not want to hear, “Then he doesn’t. Life goes on. But I’ve seen the way he looks at you. I’ve heard about the way he never stops talking about you to the rest of his band. He’s head over heels for you because you’re you .”
Kenma humorously laughs but it slips into something a little more genuine, “Cheesy.”
“Ah, well, someone had to do it otherwise you’d spiral.”
“Thanks.”
“Of course. At least Koutarou won’t fill our conversation with complaints about Kuroo complaining about how ‘your eyes are the prettiest fucking things he’s ever seen’ and-”
“Got it, got it. Go to bed.”
“You too.”
Keiji strays towards the door but looks back. “He likes you.”
“Thanks for everything, Keiji, but if you start referencing any sort of romcom musical or movie, I will kick you out.”
His light laugh echoes through the hallway as he returns to his bedroom, presumably going to confirm to Koushi that Kenma’s getting somewhere.
And he will.
But for now, he’ll tuck the popcorn back behind the oatmeal, eat the last baked treat from earlier, and go to bed.
Tomorrow, something will happen.
-
Tomorrow, nothing happens. Nor the day after.
Of course, there’s still a steady stream of texts from Kuroo fucking Tetsurou, but nothing out of the ordinary.
Kenma’s panicking though because just how is this supposed to happen.
He can’t just ask out the best bassist in the nation. He has a motorcycle and names his cats stupid things and wears rings and has piercings and owns five different pairs of black skinny jeans that are artfully ripped in different places.
He’s a complete dork who’s absolutely brilliant when it comes to both music and science, which Kenma learns aren’t that different after all.
Kuroo Tetsurou is the final touch to Kenma’s life. His life before was amazing, good job and even better friends, and no one could tell him that anything was missing. But this little accent, extra shadow or highlight, made it all come together.
And Kenma doesn’t know what to do about it.
But the universe is apparently feeling gracious today because when Kuroo texts him, he's asking Kenma to go to the beach on Saturday, if he’s free.
It’s mid-September and the ocean is freezing, but apparently Kuroo remembered the one-off comment Kenma made about never having been and made it his job to bring him there.
So Kenma replies with a half-assed yes despite feeling a growing fuzzy feeling in his stomach that’s so alike to the anxiety he’s never been without but completely different too.
Maybe this is love.
Or Kenma’s gone insane.
Or both, Kenma muses as he stares at the ceiling, they don’t have to be completely separate.
-
Kenma’s so fucked.
He was so prepared to get off of his high horse and ask Kuroo to be his boyfriend, but he can’t .
Not when he’s looking so perfect in a semi-horrible disguise as they sit in the back of a crowded bus on the way to the nearby beach. He manages to effortlessly look amazing constantly , even in shitty sunglasses and a baseball cap, and it does things to Kenma.
Especially since it’s combined with a kindness that no one would expect. Kenma’s tucked in the corner, the only person remotely close to him is Kuroo because he’s a thoughtful guys and Kenma hates it.
God damnit.
And even as he stands on the beach, watching Kuroo sprint around in the freezing water, he doesn’t know how to put what he wants to say into words.
Because how can you capture all of the fluttering from one’s head to his toes and the feeling from the smile that Kuroo has when he looks at him, like Kenma’s the only thing that matters.
Kenma feels the same, because if the world was ending around them, he would only be able to continue looking at the man who makes him feel like he can run 50 miles without truly exhausting because he wants nothing more than to stay by Kuroo's side.
-
There’s a lot to be said about Kozume Kenma, and one of the main, unchanging things is that he doesn’t do what he doesn’t want to do. He may figuratively, sometimes literally, kick and scream to keep up appearance, but at the end of the day, he does what he wants to.
This is why Koushi pinched himself when he saw Kenma ready to go on the night of the Nocturnal Sunlight Inc. concert. This was their last one before taking a break from shows and tours to work on a new album.
“And you’re sure you-”
It’s the fourth time Koushi has ‘double-checked’ Kenma’s decision.
“Koushi, I promise you, I’m sure.”
Keiji chimes in, “Yes, yes, he a has a promise to keep, after all.”
Koushi’s eyebrows raise, clearly intrigued, “Oh?”
“How do you even know about that?”
“It’s common knowledge that Koutarou can’t exactly keep a secret and you know that he tells me all about Kuroo’s pining and rambles about you, Kenma. So you’re here to see if this show is in fact not just-”
“Shut up.”
Keiji smiles and draws closer to his two friends, “Of course.”
-
Kenma can see Kuroo’s eyes skim the crowd, like they did the last show, but this time they stop and he grins. At Kenma.
It’s weird, that he has to hide his blush in his sleeves as he once again stands in the VIP section of the stadium where all of this began. It’s such a contrast from where he was weeks ago, watching them perform.
Now he can see what songs Kuroo is more confident on, the ones he has the most fun with, and the ones that cause him to hold back tears. He can see how the audience’s cheers give him more energy and just how much he loves his bandmates.
Kenma hasn’t seen Kuroo as happy anywhere else, his entire body screams it as he cheers on Bokuto’s drum solo and Oikawa’s high note and Daichi’s new flourishes that make the song that much better.
Kenma finally, finally understands.
What it means to love someone wholeheartedly, to give up a part of yourself to the other because you just have to trust that they won’t break it. And accept theirs too, and protect it with your life.
And there’s nothing that will stop Kenma from standing by and with Kuroo for the rest of their days.
It’s terrifying, it’s thrilling, it’s love and Kenma lets all of the feelings wash over him as he feels Kuroo’s bass add a secondary beat to his heart. He can feel it in his mind and soul, just like he could feel Kuroo stabilizing his life and make it stronger than before.
Kenma’s feelings overwhelm him, and he grabs onto Keiji to steady himself, and it hits him all over again when he sees Kuroo looking directly at him with a small pinch between his brows.
But Kenma nods and gives a look apology to Keiji and goes back to enjoying the show, reveling in waves that he’s running with, rather than letting them knock him down.
He knows that he was scared, that if he let the dam fall open the emotions won’t stop coming and he’ll end up drowning in the whirlpool he created, but he’s here watching the man he loves doing what he loves in front of ten thousand people.
He never saw it coming, the sheer force of the feeling of being in love, but he’s willing to learn about it.
And he wants to do it with Kuroo.
Oikawa steps back to the microphone that he had backed away from to let the last bit of instrumental sound out from the song they just played and calls for the last song of the first half. It’s a new one, written by Kuroo for their new album, and it’s the first time it’s being heard outside of their band.
“Alrighty, this is ‘Worldwide.‘”
The air gets sucked out of Kenma’s lungs as the song begins with a soft bass rhythm and he can feel the stares he’s getting from his friends, but he doesn’t do anything about it as his eyes are glued to Kuroo, who’s about to sing.
Kuroo’s eyes meet his and there’s a smile he’s never seen before, never let himself see before.
He begins to sing, and it’s only them.
It’ll always be them.
Because Kenma is in love with Kuroo.
And Kuroo loves him back, written plain as day in the lyrics and in the look in his eyes.
Kenma doesn’t know how he ever doubted that they weren’t meant to be because even if it’s cheesy, even if it’s grossly optimistic, he’s happy, god damnit, and he wants to be with Kuroo for the rest of his life.
And Kuroo feels the same, Kenma knows he does as a soft ‘I love you’ echoes throughout the otherwise silent stadium.
-
Kenma’s running.
Koushi and Keiji are following close behind but Kenma can’t hear anything other than a repeat of ‘I love you’ and the look on Kuroo’s face when he saw Kenma’s reaction.
The bouncers quickly look at Kenma’s backstage pass, most likely recognizing him and seeing the frantic look on his face.
“Kuroo-” Kenma’s field of vision suddenly goes dark as he’s pressed into Kuroo’s chest, the scent of sweat and his faint cologne overwhelming Kenma’s senses.
Kenma’s hands come to grab the back of Kuroo’s shirt to pull him away a bit, so they can see each others faces.
Then Kenma kisses Kuroo and it just feels right.
Kenma can hear three different wolf whistles as Kuroo moves to deepen the kiss and he can’t help but smile as Kuroo leans towards his ear to whisper a much more intimate ‘I love you’.
And the only thing that’s in his mind, coursing through his veins and taking over his entire being is an ‘I love you too’.
-
“So it really was great, wasn’t it?”
Kenma and Kuroo are sitting in a McDonalds booth, this time dry and with only a little less pining, shoulder to shoulder while picking at the french fries and black coffee that lay in front of them.
“For the last time, yes, it was great. Now, shut up and eat.” Kenma can’t hide his loving expression, though, and Kuroo knows it as he leans in to press a kiss against Kenma’s temple.
“Anything for my-”
“Don’t you dare.”
“World famous Kodzuken.”
And the world is only the two of them as they continue to bicker and shove, laughing louder than is most likely polite but it doesn’t matter because Kozume Kenma knows where he wants to be.
And it'll always, always be where Kuroo fucking Tetsurou is.