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Tokyo is loud. Kei knows this, but it does always seem to take him by surprise, no matter how many times he visits. The train station is crowded and busy, but he has an easy enough time carving his way through to the exit, and out onto the slightly less crowded street.
This is Kei’s first time in Tokyo alone, and he’s more relaxed than he thought he’d be. Before, he’s had all of Karasuno, or Akiteru, or the one time he visited Akaashi- but now, he’s here in peaceful solitude. His mother hadn’t had the time to accompany him this weekend, and it took Kei a while to convince her that he would be alright going alone. He’s pretty sure she still feels guilty, but it’s not as if he’s here for no reason.
Today is Thursday- two days before he necessarily needed to be here, but you couldn’t force Kei to travel through Tokyo on a Friday for all the money in the world. And on Saturday morning, he’s touring Tokyo University with a whole swarm of other potential-future-students, then he’s taking the bullet train back to Sendai on Sunday night.
Kei is only a second-year, so he’s perhaps a bit premature in his university-scouting- and he’s not even really in love with Tokyo University- but he’s a bit… meticulous with his ideas for the future. He always has been.
Volleyball has kind of thrown a wrench in that- but he has long since admitted that he wants to keep playing out of highschool. So, Kei is sort of scrambling to find a new plan that fits both halves of his aspirations.
Now he’s booking college tours, and working with Yachi to have plenty of footage and photos of his best plays available for scouts, and he turns down extra practice less often. It’s annoying, but he won’t lie to himself and say he doesn’t have a fondness for it.
He got into town just after the afternoon rush, so there’s plenty of day left, and nothing to do with it. He was planning on just making his way to his hotel, but his grumbling stomach tells him he’ll be making a pit-stop.
He ducks off the main street and makes a quick search for places near him, chooses the first one that doesn’t look super busy, and makes his way toward the little café.
It’s a bigger place than it looked to be online, when he gets there, and it’s kind of full. How annoying. Though, it’s mostly college students here to study, if the sea of backpacks and textbooks is anything to judge by.
Kei’s eyes wash over them all half-heartedly, but they suddenly catch. And, somehow, they land on a painfully familiar shape in the back of the room- an awful hairstyle attached to an even worse laugh. Kuroo.
Despite how much he hates it, there are butterflies swarming all-too familiar in the pit of his stomach.
Kuroo looks happy. He’s sitting like he used to be studying, but his new friends have distracted him, and he’s laughing. He looks good, and it only kind of hurts to acknowledge it. Kei’s missed him.
He should just order his food and go. He should go to his hotel room and turn off his phone, but Kei is going to Kuroo like he’s helpless to do anything else.
This damn crush… he’s supposed to be getting over Kuroo. Not finding him in noisy cafés in the middle of Tokyo on a random Thursday. It isn’t supposed to feel ‘meant to be’. He’s supposed to let go.
But… the way Kuroo freezes when he sees him, just for a moment, like he can’t believe it. Then there’s a smile that isn’t teasing at all. And Kei knows he made the right choice when he hears Kuroo say that awful nickname, and he doesn’t even hate it.
“Tsukki? Wha- huh? What are you doing here?” Kuroo asks him, completely abandoning his conversation to make his way over to Kei.
“Stalking you, clearly,” Kei bites, thankful to keep his composure.
“I’m flattered. But why are you really here? Would I be keeping you from something if you sat down with me for a while?” Kuroo asks.
Clear, direct, unashamed. Kuroo is as he’s always been.
“I’ve got a university tour this weekend. You wouldn’t be keeping me,” Kei tells him. He’s perhaps a bit too surprised to have all his walls up, or at least, that’s what he’s telling himself to explain why he sits so easily with Kuroo, and lets him introduce him to his friends.
“This is Tsukki-”
“Tsukishima,” Kei corrects, eyes cutting to the side just in time to catch a grin that tells him Kuroo is teasing him on purpose.
“Aww, Tsukki, so prickly. Anyways, this is Tsukishima. We played volleyball together and I taught him everything he knows,” Kuroo jokingly introduces.
“Tch,” Kei scoffs, rolling his eyes, but it’s kind of true, and they both know that. Kuroo helped Kei become the player he is today- even if it did backfire on him at last year’s nationals.
God, this is weird. This whole day is weird. And Kei is used to weird- all of his teammates (read: friends) are weird. But sitting in a café with his crush- who he wasn’t sure he’d ever see much of again- is probably one of the weirder things Kei’s done.
He doesn’t really know what else to do, so Kei sits quietly through introductions, and through Kuroo ordering food for him, and even through Kuroo pestering him to eat more because ‘you’ll never have the energy for volleyball if you eat that little, Tsukki!’
Maybe he’s dreaming. Maybe his brain is just revolting against the ‘get over Kuroo’ plan so much that now he’s invading Kei’s subconscious. But when Kuroo laughs at something Kei says, and knocks into his shoulder just to touch him, it feels pretty damn real.
It feels like two minutes, but also like two years when they eventually walk out into the cool evening air. The actual clock says it’s been about an hour and a half. Something- maybe the wind on his face, or the atmosphere of the café, or maybe just the fact that seeing Kuroo here feels like fate- but something about right now makes Kei feel brave.
Braver than last year, too scared to tell Kuroo he liked him after the training camp. And braver than a few months ago, when a group came up to watch Kuroo graduate, when Kei was too scared to tell Kuroo that he’s pretty sure he’s in love with him, and has been for a while.
“Do you have plans this weekend, Kuroo?” Kei asks, refusing to shake with it, or show any sign of uncertainty.
“None that I won’t cancel, if this is an invitation to spend it with you,” Kuroo grins. He always knows exactly what Kei is getting at, and he’s always so fearless. Kei wants to learn more from him.
“It is,” Kei says. He hesitates- he’s never been one for new things, after all- but then he gets over it, and reaches for Kuroo’s hand.
Kuroo twines their fingers together, and squeezes, and Kei feels warm all over and so, so relieved. Kei can read this for what it is- Kuroo wouldn’t lead him on if there weren't any feelings returned. Kuroo wouldn’t hold his hand if he didn’t feel at least a little bit the same.
“Where we goin’, Tsukki?”
“You’re the local, Kuroo. If I choose, we’re just going back to my hotel room,” Kei poses.
Kuroo whistles, “Damn, Tsukki, so forward. And here I was scared you didn’t even like me that much.”
Kei turns bright red, torn between defending his (pure!) intentions, and telling Kuroo he’s blind and an idiot for ever thinking Kei didn’t love him.
He settles on both.
“I knew you’d be the most annoying man I’d ever meet since the first time you opened your mouth, and I haven’t been able to stop thinking about you since. Dumbass,” Kei spits, and he says it like he’s pissed, but he doesn’t really know how else to say it. Not yet.
He’s too in his own head to see it coming, so he’s surprised when Kuroo kisses him. Warm lips, strong hands cradling his face, and Kei melts into him.
Kuroo kisses soft, and different from the ways Kei might have imagined it. He has no bravado here, just all his feelings laid bare. Kuroo holds him close, and Kei feels like maybe it really was fate that brought him to this café on a random Thursday. Or maybe he’s just never been kissed before.
When Kuroo finally pulls away, Kei remembers to breathe. He knows he probably looks lovestruck, and he’ll be embarrassed about it in a few hours, but he is . He’s wanted to do that for a long, long time. This whole day feels too good to be true.
“Where’s your hotel, Tsukki?” Kuroo asks. “Let’s go somewhere we can talk.”
Kei gulps. He’s not so good at talking, but Kuroo is worth it, so he pulls up the GPS to his hotel, anyway, and they start walking.
Kuroo holds his hand the whole way, rubbing his thumb in circles. Kei could get addicted to this. To having Kuroo touching him, having all of his attention to himself.
After checking in, they crowd into Kei’s room and settle, sitting beside each other on the bed. The air isn’t tense or awkward by any means, but Kei doesn’t really know what to say, either.
“So, you really like me, huh?” Kuroo asks, breaking the ice for him.
“I really do,” Kei admits. It’s easier here, for some reason. Maybe because it’s so far from Kei’s typical reality. “It’s safe to say you like me, too, I’m assuming?”
“Oh, Tsukki, I’m crazy about you. There’s always been something about you, from the very first time I saw you. Ask anyone who knows me, man. I like you so much,” Kuroo rambles.
Kei is blushing. Violently blushing, and trying his damndest to commit those words to memory.
Trust is hard for Kei, but he’s learning. And Kuroo has never disappointed him before. He’s scared, but he wants this, so he’s going to trust it.
“So is this, uh… Are we a ‘thing’ now? The two of us, together,” Kei bumbles through asking, ears burning and fighting the urge to hide his face. He feels ridiculous, like a little kid, but he makes himself steady.
“If you want to be,” Kuroo offers. It’s the first time he looks a little shy himself. “I want you more than anything, but Tokyo’s pretty far away from Sendai, and we’re both pretty busy… I don’t want you to feel like you have to, and I don’t want you to regret me.”
Nothing Kuroo says is hurtful, but it’s hard to hear regardless. How feasible is a two-hour bullet train each way? How many weekends will be free from volleyball? Weighing the pros and cons, Kei still wants to try, though.
“I don’t feel like I have to,” Kei starts. “But I want to. I think you’re worth it. And if it doesn’t work out, for whatever reason, at least we tried.”
“I was hoping you’d say that,” Kuroo says, his smile betraying the blip of anxiety in the question. Kei is pretty good at reading him these days. “Can I tell people? Our friends, and stuff.”
“Not embarrassed of me?” Kei asks, trying to play it off like it wasn’t one of his biggest fears- having to be secret.
“Tsukki, I would wear a shirt of your face with ‘MY BOYFRIEND’ written in big text literally every fucking day if you’d let me,” Kuroo emphasizes, and god, Kei believes him.
“You’re a dumbass. I can’t believe I’m dating you,” Kei bites, trying not to smile.
“Say it again, Tsukki,” Kuroo drawls, creeping closer to Kei.
“What? That you’re a dumbass? No problem,” Kei teases, but makes room for Kuroo in his space regardless.
“No,” Kuroo grins, pretty much on top of him now. “That you’re dating me.”
Kei hums like he’s considering it, and leans back, and lets Kuroo fully crawl over him, straddling each side of his waist. Kei decides to be brave again “Well, I am dating you, so I guess I can repeat it. Do you like hearing that you’re my boyfriend, Tetsurou?”
Kei doesn’t get a response, just lips crashing into his, and hands finding his face once again. Kei gives as much as he can to him, tilting his head and deepening the kiss.
He… doesn’t really know what he’s doing, but he’s good at following Kuroo’s lead. And he’s willing to do whatever Kuroo wants.
A tug on the end of his sweater. “Can I?” Kuroo asks, and Kei nods, drunk on his touch already and craving more.
His shirt gets flung somewhere, and he isn’t shy about pulling Kuroo’s off, either, and his breath catches in his throat. God, his chest , what the fuck.
“Can I… touch?” Kei asks between kisses.
“Please do,” Kuroo tells him, so Kei does.
He runs his hands over every inch of Kuroo he can reach- groping, rubbing, feeling to his heart’s content. He can feel every muscle moving and twitching and tensing beneath his hands. Kei can’t believe he gets to have this.
Kuroo moves to press wet kisses to Kei’s neck, and it’s the best thing he’s ever felt.
They lay there for hours , just kissing, feeling, exploring. Kei memorizes the feeling of Kuroo’s back, his lips, all of him, for when he’s back in Sendai, hours away.
At some point, Kei steps away to chug a full bottle of water, and when he comes back to the bed, Kuroo has his phone in hand and a shit-eating grin on his face.
“You look like you’re about to start something,” Kei muses as he sits back down, much too close to Kuroo to be subtle.
Kuroo humors him with a kiss. “When is too early to tell people about us?”
“You can spill whenever, Tetsurou. I know you’re a gossip,” Kei bites.
He may be taking advantage of using Kuroo’s first name… every time Kei says it, he smothers him in kisses, and this time is no different. Kuroo pulls him close and kisses wherever he can reach.
“So… you wouldn’t be mad if I FaceTimed the groupchat right now?”
Kei looks at Kuroo- clearly shirtless, hair even messier than usual, kiss-bruised lips, and a pretty smattering of hickies on his neck. Kei probably looks no better. Everyone would know exactly what they’ve been up to together, and he assumes that’s kind of the point.
“Go ahead,” Kei acquiesces, and leans in close enough to be in frame.
Bokuto answers first, and promptly goes slack-jawed. Silent. The most un-Bokuto like he’s ever been.
Then Akaashi filters in, then Yaku and Kai in one frame, then Terushima Yuuji of all people, before Kenma and Fukunaga.
Everyone kind of just stares for a second, before Kenma says, “Does this mean you’ll stop pining about Tsukishima to all of us?” and it’s like a dam opening.
Apparently, all of Kuroo’s friends have known Kuroo liked him for a long, long time, and have all been on the receiving end of Kuroo’s exaggerated moaning and groaning about how he missed his shot with Kei, and how he’ll always be his one regret, and how much he misses him.
“He was miserable. This was an unexpected outcome, but is by-far the most pleasant,” Akaashi says. “Congratulations to the both of you.”
“Our Tsukki… all grown up,” Bokuto says between tearful moans.
All in all, Kei is embarrassed and also thoroughly moved by Kuroo’s (also embarrassing) pining. Everyone is… happy for them. Seemingly approval. Even Kenma, which Kei was secretly very worried about.
“You’re a sap,” Kei says when Kuroo hangs up the phone.
“I’m sure you’re so much better,” Kuroo says sarcastically. “Should I call Yamaguchi now, or??”
Kei’s face flames. Yikes. Kuroo laughs, but Kei does fetch his phone to call Tadashi.
“If your friends got to embarrass you, this is only fair.”
Tadashi picks up on the first ring.
“Tsuk- ahhh????? Kuroo????” Tadashi gasps, looking moderately scandalized, but mostly confused.
“Hi, Yamaguchi. I have a question,” Kuroo drawls.
“I have hundreds, but go on,” Tadashi answers. Kei can’t help but laugh.
“Does Tsukki talk about me a lot?” Kuroo asks.
Tadashi, like a good best friend, looks to Kei for approval to talk about it. Kei nods his allowance.
“Oh, so this is really happening. Okay. Yeah, he never shuts up about you. He tried to confess to you twice before, but was scared you didn’t like him, so we just left. After the last time, he was so sad, he almost missed a whole practice,” Tadashi spills as soon as he has permission. “I don’t think he’s ever liked anyone but you.”
It’s quiet after Tadashi finishes, and of course Kei is embarrassed, but it’s not so bad. Tadashi puts things into words better than Kei, and it’s good that Kuroo knows.
“Kei…” Kuroo says, watery and wobbly like he’s about to cry.
Kei can hardly react to being called by his name because he’s so bewildered by the tears. He whips around to face Kuroo just to be smothered in a hug so tight you’d like someone just told Kuroo someone died. Not that his boyfriend likes him.
“You are ridiculous,” Kei says into Kuroo’s neck, digging his phone out from between them and rescuing Tadashi, who is trying really hard not to laugh.
“Do you see what you’ve done, Tadashi?” Kei jokingly asks, and that breaks him for a moment, laughing into his hand.
“You seem happy, Tsukki,” Tadashi tells him after he regains his composure.
“I am happy,” he confirms, and Tadashi looks so proud he could cry himself.
“I’ll let you go… handle him, then. See you Monday, Tsukki,” Tadashi says, and hangs up.
Kei drops his phone and wraps his arms around Kuroo, who is still clinging to him like he’s scared he’ll disappear. It’s sweet, and Kei understands how overwhelming it all is. So Kei is content to just hold him, as long as he needs it.
“After this weekend,” Kuroo eventually starts, “we should try to see each other at least once a month, even if it’s just for a little while.”
“That sounds feasible,” Kei agrees after thinking it over. “It might mean that we’re seeing each other after one of our volleyball games.”
Kuroo dryly chuckles. “Tsukki, I was convinced I’d never see you again outside of volleyball. I’ll take seeing you at all any day.”
And that- that is what almost makes Kei teary.
Kuroo has been just as helpless as he has, pining and yearning and trying to get over a crush that was never going to go away.
And now they’re here, in a hotel room in Tokyo on a Thursday afternoon, tangled up and kiss-bruised and holding each other.
“Maybe… I can come back to Tokyo on school breaks. If you’d be okay with me staying with you, that is,” Kei offers, and Kuroo squeezes him.
“I’d love that. I’ll come up to Sendai when you can’t make it down here. Oh, and Coach Nekomata invited me to come help with the summer training camp this year, so I’ll be there,” Kuroo tells him.
“Hmm… probably lots of places to sneak away at the training camp,” Kei poses.
Kuroo pulls away just to grin at him, kiss him, and say, “Great minds think alike. It’s being held at Nekoma this year, so I know all the good places to sneak away.”
“Looking forward to it,” Kei smirks, and he’s whisked away into another world-changing kiss.
This is how life is now , he reminds himself. This is the new normal .
God, Kei got so lucky. All the pining and failed-confessions and bittersweet conversations are all so, so worth it if this is where they led him.
Now he just needs to find a million reasons to come to Tokyo alone.