#ch: shirabu kenjiro

[kenjiro-s]

Complemetary Colours, a Yaku x Daishou story

Ch. 2

Green

 Apparently, having a pretty good high school volleyball career and teenage years did not mean making dough would be easy. Suguru tried not to frown at the sticky shapeless lump on the marble counter but it was difficult. Especially with his boss just kind of staring at him with an unreadable expression.

- I did everything you told me. Followed the insructions. – He didn’t mean to sound like he was looking for an excuse, it just came out that way, but still.

- It should’ve turned out round. – Like he didn’t know that ! Suguru knew dough was supposed to be round. And smooth. And not a mess that had ended up more on his fingers than on the ball. He knew, he just had no idea why it wasn’t working out. Just as he was about to apologise again, not so sincerely this time, since he knew he’d done everything right, the door opened with a thump. Almost jumping in the air, he turned so fast his neck popped.

 In the doorway, he saw Yamaguchi, who he actually liked, and a shorter young man with straight light brown hair, weirdly straight fringe and a really, really sour expression. And…was he in a suit ? He did look familiar, though.

- Kenjiro. – He could be wrong, but Suguru could swear Kawanishi’s face softened just a touch. – What a pleasant surprise. – In response he got slightly raised eyebrows and a glare. – Not that I don’t enjoy having you here, but it’s not even six in the morning. On Sunday. So…?

 The question hung in the air for a few seconds while the newcomer just stared back with his chin up and a challenge in his eyes. And then he snorted. It was a soft sound and ended with the tiniest smile Suguru had ever seen. It looked like just a shadow of a gloat and was kind of disturbing.

- I heard from a reliable source that you suck at explaining. And then I realised you’ll have to train these poor people. I took pity on the place, that’s all. And before you even try to blame your staff – Suguru had seen it, seen Kawanishi’s eyes dart to Yamaguchi but…Kenjiro had cut the action before it had happened. He was good. – it was Eita who told me.

- Did he, now ?

- Mhmm. – The hum was obviously dragged for dramatic effect while the man shook his fringe back in place. – So I am here to help.

- Do you even know…

- Yes. Now, I know you’re just as picky with the front as you are with the food so get out and make it all nice. I’m sure you have enough stock to get you through the morning so we’re not going to mess up any plans.

- Kenjiro…

- Go ! – Suguru dared to glance at Yamaguchi who appeared only slightly less confused than him. Good. He hadn’t missed anything this time. Kawanishi just stood there for a few seconds, smiled the creepiest little smirk Suguru had ever seen ( and he’d used to play against Kuroo and his setter who could be extremely disturbing in completely different ways if they wanted ) and then just left without a word. What had just happened ?

- Now. First…

- I’m not late, am I ? – Suguru tensed only a little from the loud greeting. Futakuchi didn’t mean it, he knew he didn’t, but he could talk, sometimes more and louder than necessary. Though why was he at the café on his day off was a mystery.

- You’re fine. – Yamaguchi, always the peacemaker, smiled a little. – Okay, is everyone here ? Perfect. Um… - And Suguru saw his confidence straight up drain from him. Trying not to be annoyed, he glanced at the only non-employee in the room who appeared to be calculating something in his head. – This is Shirabu. – Not “Kenjiro” ? Interesting. – He agreed to help us, well, he agreed to help me and then I kind of guilt-tripped him into getting up and coming on his day off, and I didn’t exactly mention it wouldn’t be just me so…

- I’m here to help with whatever Taichi sucks at explaining. – And he was “Taichi”. Huh. What about the smiling blond who stopped by sometimes ? – So, I am listening.

 In the following silence, Suguru heard Kawanishi move furniture around and get the place ready. While in the back, nobody was volunteering. Shirabu sighed, dragged a hand through his hair somehow managing not to mess it up, and looked around. He could point the exact moment the man saw the failed attempt at smooth dough that still lay sadly on the counter.

- How about we start with dough ?

   An hour and a half later, Suguru hurt in places he hadn’t felt pain since he’d started playing volleyball, and admiring his creation in the plastic bowl in front of him. It wasn’t perfect, not at all, but it had shape and was better in all ways than what he’d been doing for a week now. It was just a little flat on one side and long and kind of folded on the other, but overall looked good. And Shirabu had said it would find its own shape when it was done rising so he shouldn’t worry.

 It had been surprisingly easy and he was actually feeling proud. On his left, Futakuchi was poking his ball with some strange mix of morbid curiousity and reverence, nose only a couple of centimetres away from it. Suguru understood. All three of them were drenched in sweat ( because the room needs to be hot, it needs warmth to rise, this is biology ) and tired, and, judging by the clock on the wall, the café had been open for less than an hour. And while both Futakuchi and Yamaguchi could go home and rest at any time, he had a shift to do. Taking a deep breath, he turned to Shirabu.

 Who was buttoning up his cufflinks. Cufflinks. The last person Suguru had seen wearing those had been his father. Not a twenty-something-year-old man on a Sunday morning.

- Thank you. – Light eyes met his. – I really appreciate the help. I was getting worried for a moment there…

- Save it. – What ?

- I’m sorry ?

- Your breath. Save it. Or drop the act. – The other man shook his fringe back in place and buttoned his suit jacket. – You’ll do us both a favour.

- Excuse me ? – He’d been perfectly pleasant all morning and suddenly…

- You know what I mean. And, just a word of advice. Taichi reads minds better than me. You might want to reconsider your choices.

- Are you…threatening me ? Or, what was that ? – In response, he got a shrug and nothing more. – Hey, I asked you a question !

- Is everything okay here ? – Why did Kawanishi choose that exact moment to come in ? When he was almost shouting and Shirabu was looking down at him with his nose up in the air ? Collecting himself as fast as possible, Suguru smiled at his boss.

- Sure. I was just thanking Shirabu for his help. It was definitely a productive morning. – Judging by Kawanishi’s narrowed eyes, he didn’t exactly believe him but he didn’t say a word. Just pushed the backdoor and held it open. When nobody moved, he waved a little and Shirabu, apparently, got the hint because, without a glance, he followed, the heavy door closing with a bang.

 The day was starting just peachy. And since the only other person in the café had just gone outside, Suguru headed for the front. It was early but there was always the occasional early bird and he didn’t want to leave the place empty.

     The bride-to-be was back. Alone, this time. Morisuke moved from the box of ribbons he’d been digging through and stood up.

- First, I would like to apologise for my mother.

- There’s no need for that. It happens. And, - He shrugged. – weddings are big events, it’s normal for people to be emotional.

 She just sighed, running a hand through her sleek black hair.

- You said you have the onion flowers in purple ? – That was a change.

- Yes. Did you decide to mix the colours ? – The bell on the door jingled and he glanced up only to see one of the guys who usually delivered decorative grass come in. It was odd since it wasn’t delivery day but the man didn’t seem to be in a hurry so Morisuke focused his attention back to the woman in front of him.

- No. I am ditching the red. We’ll go with blue and purple. Decim said it will go better with his eyes but I’m pretty sure he was trying to make me feel better. Either way, we have enough time to change everything since the restaurant is flexible. I just needs the flowers arranged. So…?

 Morisuke pulled out the huge binder of photos he kept under the counter and spread it open.

- Here… - She leaned and he pointed to the arrangements she’d been looking at the first time.

- And you can make those with purple ? – The flowers in the photo were soft pearly white and the decorations were all in gold.

- Purple and… - He shuffled a little more through the pages. – Ah, here it is. Purple and blue. They come in both colours.

- Well… - She was obviously having trouble making a decision, so he tried to make it easier.

- Okay, how about I through something simple together and you come to see how it will match. If you like it, you can choose the actual arrangements ? – The relief on her face made his morning. She smiled softly, violet eyes twinkling, and reached to shake his hand. And seemed to rethink the action.

- Oh, do you happen to know a caterer who makes desserts ? The lady who was going to make my cake and desserts is a friend of my mom and when I told her I am not going to use the red and white colour scheme, she got…upset. – Another light shrug. – Apparently, she had this grant idea and I was messing it up. Even if there is more than enough time and we already paid a deposit.

- Will you be okay ?

- Yeah. My mom’s handling that. She was upset, too, but then she saw my dress with the violet elements instead of the red, and she changed her opinion. Now she’s just shouting at everyone who opposes the changes. – She seemed strangely okay with that.

-And you don’t mind ? – The client laughed softly.

- No, not really. She wants to get it done, she will. I simply gave her very specific instructions and it makes her feel good. It’s a win-win.

 - Sounds like you have her figured out. How about…you stop by on Wednesday and I will have a few small things ready for you to see and decide if you like them ?

- That would be perfect. What do I…? – And she looked around pointedly. It took Morisuke a second to understand what she meant.

- Oh, no. I can’t charge you for that. I won’t be doing anything permanent so I won’t lose any stock. It’s fine.

- Are you sure ?

- Definitely. – She gave him another blinding smile and shook his hand again. Waving at Fukunaga, who was…chatting with the delivery guy ?, she turned and left the shop with almost dance step.

 So he hadn’t lost the contract completely. Who would’ve thought. On the other hand, he had to put together a few examples of onion flower arrangements. Did they even have those right now ?

    Several hours later, Morisuke was flipping through one of the several sketchbooks they kept in the shop. When there was really nothing to do, Fukunaga tended to pull the nearest piece of usable paper and start doodling. Morisuke had reached the conclusion, really early in the other man’s employment, that it would be profitable for everyone to keep good paper and pencils handy everywhere where his friend might stop and rest. That way, all the ideas he had would be well-preserved and safe. Because he spent most of his time in the shop, Fukunaga usually drew flowers and some of the arrangements he created were currently proudly displayed on photos happy clients had brought after weddings, birthdays and graduations. It was simply good business. And now…Now his friend had outdone himself.

 The soft purple blooms, mixed with hydrangeas in blue, pink and lilac, and white ribbons looked both romantic and regal. Different shades of lavender and powder blue, mixed with white, created an almost cloud-like image that seemed pulled out of a pastel dream. It was gorgeous. Now he only had to find a way to recreate it. Fukunaga was more than talented. And Morisuke made sure to tell him as often as possible. The other man had been a real gift, and not only because of his drawing skills.

 Now, to the future bride’s second question… A royal purple and silver came to mind. Huh. Morisuke wondered if the place even offered catering. But the cake had been incredible and the tea had been perfect, and it wouldn’t hurt to go and ask. At least he’d know for future references.

- Fukunaga ? – His friend glanced up from the pile of paperwork on the desk. – You want tea ?

     The place was just as lovely as he remembered. And he’d managed to avoid the lunch crowd again, which was always nice. Though… There was only one customer at the counter but across from him a tall blond was folding boxes. Currently, the pile was taller than said man and he didn’t appear to be finishing soon. Was…was that for an order ? Was he sending food for a huge wedding or something ? Morisuke doubted the customer would be able to even carry everything.

- Hello there. Can I help you ? – He could almost hear the smirk in the greeting. Glancing at the end of the counter, Morisuke saw the same man as last time though he did appear much more exhausted a week later. The smile was still firmly in place, though, and it still looked just a touch forced. Still. Not his problem.

 Carefully walking around the brunet in the dark suit, he stopped to admire the glass shelves and all the lovely creations nested on them. Today the theme seemed to be green and the only reason he’d seen so many different shades of it was because he worked in a flower shop. Vibrant, neon greens mixed with muted olives and powdery pastels. From cold aqua through milky yellow-ish all the way to mossy brown, the shades flowed and clashed, creating the kind of elegant disorder only an artist at heart could build. It reminded him a lot of Fukunaga’s creations. It also made choosing much more difficult since he had no idea what half of the things were.

- Having trouble choosing ? – His eyes really were green. Dark, but when the bright lights hit his face the right way, Morisuke could see the subtle colour. Also, because the man was much closer now, almost leaning over the counter. Morisuke carefully stepped back. Personal space was something he was adamant about and while the guy didn’t seem to do it on purpose, it was bothering him.

- It’s tough. So, what do you have today that goes with London Fog ? – The smile slipped. This was the second time he’d mentioned the drink and, just as a week earlier, he got the “deer in headlight” look before the cashier got himself under control.

- Well… - The lopsided smirk made it sound flirtatious but Morisuke could bet it was because he had no idea. – We have those apple tarts right here. – He pointed at a glazed dessert with sugary leaves in vibrant pale green. – A bit on the sour side and they’ll go with the smooth tea. – He seemed proud with himself…Until he ruined the effect by glancing at the blond who was currently sorting sandwiches in some of the boxes on the counter and didn’t seem to be listening. When nothing happened after a couple of seconds of tense waiting, the cashier turned back to Morisuke and waved a little over the glass. – If your friend liked the combination last time…?

- He did. I’ll have that, thank you. And a… white mocha ? – The only other customer turned slightly at the mention of the drink. Morisuke thought he was trying to see who was ordering while still keeping his back to him. It didn’t make much sense but the other cashier just sighed loudly and abandoned whatever sorting he’d been doing and going to the huge shiny espresso machine instead.

- Taichi, what are you doing ? – He got a hum in response but nothing else, the man carefully ignoring him and turning to Morisuke.

- Would you like extra chocolate in that ? – Well, when he put it like that.

- Sure. – His cashier was following the exchange way too closely so whatever was happening was obviously important. Or interesting. Morisuke smiled a little.

- Taichi, I don’t want a drink ! – Whoa, someone hadn’t had their coffee for the day. In his own humble opinion, being given a white mocha was not a reason to shout but, to each their own, he guessed.

- It’s complementary.

- That’s not…

- Would you like a dessert with your coffee ? – The break sounded almost desperate.

- Something else with white chocolate ?

- Éclair…? – It was shaped as a question and he nodded a little in response. The cashier pulled out a box and picked a piece of paper to take the food out of the cooler when the other customer, apparently deciding that glaring at the blond was not achieving anything, turned to him.

- How did the dough end up this morning ? – Now that was an interesting haircut. Morisuke had never seen such straight fringe. It was kind of impressive. His cashier blinked at the customer a little and then tried to smile. And failed miserably.

- It was good ! Boss, – And he nodded towards the man at the espresso machine. – he said we have too much since all of us practiced so I am taking it home. I am not sure what I will do with it but it will be good experience.

- Glad to help. And I really, - He raised his voice. – really don’t want a drink, Taichi !

- Why ? – Morisuke didn’t hear the end of the conversation but the blond cashier placed his coffee in front of him and went back to the boxes without a second cup. People, Morisuke thought, were strange.

- You could fill it with jam. Or sugared fruit. – When the man in front of him turned his attention back, Morisuke shrugged a little. – The dough ? You were wondering what to do with it ?

- Oh. Yeah, we were just practicing this morning and…Jam ? – He looked like he was about to start taking notes.

- Mhm. Not the smooth one, the one with the large bits. Or just Run some fruit over heat with sugar and some water. Spice them, drain them and then back the whole thing. Might be good.

- Oh. I might do that. – Seeing his confusion, Morisuke decided to give him a way out.

- I wanted to ask, do you do catering ? – The cashier confirmed his own earlier words by glancing at the other man behind the counter.

- We do…Hey, Kawanishi ! – The man looked up. – This gentleman is inquiring about catering ?

  The blond rose from where he’d been leaning on the counter but didn’t move from his spot, still sorting through the sandwiches. Seriously, how many were there ?!?

- Yes ? – It was now or never, apparently.

- I do flower arrangements for events and was wondering if you offer catering ? It’s always good to know who I can contact. – He got a tiny smile for that.

- Yes. It all depends on the event, of course, but it is a thing I’ve done in the past. And am actually trying to promote. – His…friend snorted. – Not that I can do that right in this moment. When did the guys from the station say they were coming ? – The last one was directed at the customer in the suit who glanced at his phone. The station ?

- Should be here any moment now.

   His confusion must have been obvious because the owner waved at the pile of boxes and food.

- The staff from one of the police stations ended up being regulars. No idea why. And they make huge orders.

- Everyone knows why, Taichi. It’s because you keep bringing Eita food and the rest of them just drool all day because it’s so good. No need to act modest. – It was almost sharp but said man just smiled at his customer. It looked…smug. Morisuke really didn’t want to know.

- But, yes, I do that. – He shrugged.

- Can I give your details to this bride, then ?

- What is her theme ? Colours ? Time ? – Someone definitely knew what he was doing. His cashier had boxed everything up and was following the conversation with too much interest and Morisuke would bet he’d write it down word by word the moment he could get away from the counter.

- There is time and she is going with pastel blues and lavenders. I’ll let her know. – He got a nod in response. – And, I think it’s time for me to go. We don’t get crowds around this time of the day but you never know.

- In that case, can I have a card of yours ? – Clever man.

- Sure. Oh, and thank you for the recommendations !  - He was sure he saw his cashier narrow his eyes before the pleasant smile fell on his features once more. It was kind of entertaining. – Have a nice day !

   The customer had done it on purpose, Suguru just knew it. Tried to make him seem ignorant or something. But he’d been prepared. This time.

- You know you’re doing great, right ? – He tried not to jump, he really did, but Kawanishi had the nasty habit of slinking around like a cat and one never knew when he was behind them. Exhaling slowly to calm himself, Suguru turned to look at his boss. The man, as always, leaning on a counter and drying a cup while smiling at Suguru just a little.

- Thank you.

- You don’t believe me. – What, the…? – I will say it again. You’re learning fast, you’re quick when you think on your feet and you don’t let rude customers get to you. Also, you didn’t say anything to Kenjiro this morning.

- Why would I say anything to him ? He came to help…?

- And he was being unpleasant on purpose. Next time, tell him off.

- But he’s your…? – Suguru carefully didn’t finish. He didn’t have even the slightest idea what he could say there.

- Yes, but that doesn’t give him the right to be rude to you. Still. That dough looked good and Yamaguchi said you’re working hard to learn all there is to know about coffee, tea and our pastries. I just wanted you to know I appreciate the effort you’re putting into working here and value you as an employee. Oh, look, it’s time for you to go home.

 In a rare act of impulse, Suguru leaned and took a picture of the business card on the counter when Kawanishi wasn’t looking. He might go and check that place out. Just out of curiousity.

   Staring at the ingredients on his counter, Suguru considered calling his boss or his…whatever and asking for help. But no, he had to do it himself. He had to learn. He could…He could do this.

 The raspberries seems to be mocking him but he would allow a bright pink plastic bowl full of bright pink-ish fruit to win. Okay. Fruit that didn’t need too much work, sugar, butter. It was simple. He couldn’t get it wrong even if he wanted. Looking back at the recipe, he carefully turned the stove on. There went nothing.

 Three hours later, he sat on the floor in his kitchen and tried not to wrinkle his nose at the heavy smell of burns sugar that appeared to have seeped through the counters, floor and his hair. Across from him, in the oven, the tarts were slowly rising and all he could do was try to breathe. That had been exhausting. Still, he was sure he could use the pan again even if the non-stick layer was completely gone, and the dough had looked okay. All he had to do was wait. And hope the smell would get out of the wood in his kitchen with time. There was hope.

#haikyuu!! #fanfiction #haikyuu fanfiction #haikyuu rarepair #rarepair #Yaku Morisuke #haikyuu yaku #Daishou Suguru #suguyaku #rare pair hell #cafe au #flower shop au #different first meeting #aged up characters

[its-love-u-asshole]

Let My Love [Ch. 1]

Pairings: Kuroo Tetsurou/Tsukishima Kei

Summary: For Kuroo, finding love was all about patience. He had no problem with waiting for the right person to come along, no matter how many awkward dinners or weddings he had to endure as a single man until they did. Regardless, meeting Tsukishima was something he’d never been prepared for. The feelings were overwhelming and intoxicating, ones he was sure he’d do anything for. However, it seemed his endless waiting wasn’t over. 

Rating: T 

Warnings: none

Note: haha...I started another multichapter -sweats- I’m excited for this though, it’s a bit different from the stuff I usually write and will have some other storylines so it’s definitely a challenge for me! I like the idea a lot though, so I’ll try to update as much as possible before school starts <3 Enjoy! Thanks to @emeraldwaves​ and @amajikies for reading this over! 

AO3

Kuroo’s hands typed steadily, the words and phrases beginning to read more like gibberish in his mind instead of proper sentences. Not to mention he missed a letter every now and again due to his sleep deprived brain, resulting in atrocious typos he was in no mood to fix. His fingers stopped suddenly, eyes uselessly scanning over the blurry letters and science formulas. Obviously, writing this article was a little beyond his comprehension level right now.

That, and the fact he could barely focus on any of his older cousin’s words through the phone were probably good signs he needed caffeine. However, upon rolling out of bed, the energy to actually go to his kitchen and rectify the situation had been quickly drained out of him when he noticed his phone light up.

He couldn’t explain it exactly, but Kuroo felt he had a sixth sense at times when it came to reading the mood of a certain situation or day. This particular day, it was dread he sensed, like the universe was willing him to not pick up the phone. Kuroo thought he could just let it ring, as he did with most calls, but when Semi’s name and photo appeared clear as day on screen, he knew he had no choice but to answer.

It was far too early for this.

Kuroo rubbed the sleep out of his eyes, grimacing at the grainy bits of sand he caught on his fingers as he leaned back in his chair, defeated. “A lake house? You want to rent a lake house?”

Semi’s all too innocent voice drifted smoothly through the phone, the voice of someone who had probably been up for hours already. Jerk. “Yeah, Kenjiro thought—”

“Don’t implicate me in this,” a flat, much grumpier voice called from somewhere in the background, and Kuroo couldn’t help but laugh at Semi’s grunt of disapproval.

At least he could always count on Shirabu to keep things real with him, no matter how blunt he could be. How someone as considerate and polite as Semi managed to fall in love with the crown prince of callousness, Kuroo would never know.

Of course, he knew that was an exaggeration, but like hell was he going to point out how perfect the two were together when they were literally trying to drag him on some ridiculous adventure.

“Fine,” Semi continued, his sigh long and surrendering. “I thought it would be nice for all of us to get together for a week. It’s been a long time, and god knows a lot of us work too hard. A vacation seemed like a good idea.”

“All of us? Like…all of us?” At that, Kuroo found himself a bit more awake.

Semi had a point, Kuroo worked himself like a dog writing for the science magazine, though he wasn’t afraid to say he loved his job. It was the best, writing about the things and discoveries which fascinated him, and it even meant he could work from home. However, it could get to him, being all cooped up. The thought of going to a lake house with all his closest friends sounded like a dream. But while he could admit a vacation wasn’t a terrible idea, the well-mannered part of him couldn’t stand for Semi’s grandiose gesture of friendship.

“Yes Kuroo, all of us,” Semi said, his tone practically the vocal equivalent of an eye roll. “Stop trying to act like I’ll be feeding an army, it’s nine people.”

“That’s a lot of rooms too…”

“Only six rooms, married couples tend to sleep together you know,” Semi said, voice smug as if he’d already won the argument. Ah yes, the other problem…

“It’s still expensive Semi, and wait…nine people?” Kuroo grabbed a stray pen on his desk, wincing when some of the ink leaked through the pen cap and onto his hand. He needed new office supplies…

Without waiting for a response, he grabbed a random notepad and began to work it out in his head. There was him, and then there was Semi and Shirabu (duh Tetsurou), Oikawa, Yachi, Kyoutani, Yahaba, and finally Terushima. At the thought of his eccentric, fun loving cousin, Kuroo couldn’t help but smile. He, Semi, and Kuroo had grown up together, forced to attend family events and reunions where they would of course wander off and get into trouble. He looked down at the names, feeling a surge of nostalgia at how much he missed them. Seeing everyone again would be nice…

Still, he was seeing eight.

“I’m a professional athlete Kuroo, I…make more than enough money,” Semi informed softly, clearing his throat right after. Kuroo snorted to himself, of course Semi would feel bad about seemingly bragging about his income. Riches hadn’t changed him in the slightest, and it made Kuroo miss him all the more. “And oh yeah, Teru apparently has a new boyfriend, so he’ll be coming. Apparently our dear cousin really likes this one.”

Of course he does.

The news was enough to bring out a wry smile onto Kuroo’s face. Terushima had introduced them all to a handful of potential beaus and babes in the past, but none had ever made the final cut. He hoped this one was different. As picky and ridiculous as his younger cousin could be, he deserved to be happy.

But that didn’t mean Kuroo couldn’t make fun of him. In fact, he could make fun of a lot of the people he considered family too.

“Oikawa isn’t bringing his one true love? He sure talks about him enough,” Kuroo said, making a mental note to call the brunet at some point; it had been a while. In the background, he could hear Shirabu scoff and hum in agreement.

“Iwaizumi is still away at grad school abroad, otherwise I’m sure Oikawa would insist,” Semi said with barely concealed amusement. “But anyways, stop avoiding the question. Will you come? The house has Wi-Fi so don’t even think of using work as an excuse.”

Kuroo couldn’t hold back his wince, Semi sure did know him well. It wasn’t like Kuroo was actively trying to get out of going though, really, the whole idea sounded like a lot of fun. It was just—

Semi made an undignified squawk on the other end of the call, and before Kuroo knew it, Shirabu’s cutting voice was ringing through his ears. “Stop bullshitting him Kuroo, we all know you just don’t wanna go because you hate being the only single person there.”

The words were like ice, quickly traveling through his body and veins until he was frozen over completely, the pen dropping from his hand and clattering onto the desk. Kuroo clutched the phone tighter, knowing he’d been caught.

Well damn.

“K-Kenjiro! You don’t need to be so rude…” Semi sounded distant, voice fading in and out of clarity as if he was physically having to wrestle the phone away from his husband.

“Well it’s true!”

“Why would that matter to Kuroo? He’s not like that,” Semi said with a final strain to the end of his statement, his breath heavy from finally having won the phone back. “Um…right? Kuroo?”

Kuroo winced again, and that was all Shirabu needed to hum triumphantly. Bastard. How Kuroo had been friends with both of them since the baby daycare days perplexed him. Either way, it meant they knew him well enough, and someone with no tact like Shirabu was more than happy to point it out. Bless Semi, that poor soul.

It wasn’t like Kuroo was upset he was the only single person in their friend group (well, aside from Yachi, but no one gave her the same crap they gave Kuroo).  He wasn’t envious, not in the slightest. It was simply annoying. Every time he’d meet up with his friends or family, it always came back to who he was dating. Or well, who and why he wasn’t dating. Kuroo was pretty good looking, had a well-paying and steady job, and was all around a charismatic guy. As a college student, he’d go on dates all the time, hook-ups, blind dates, kissing booths, whatever. Girls and guys liked him, loved him even. He just hadn’t found someone he loved back.

After a while, he’d gotten tired of just sleeping around or breaking hearts when he knew he had no intention of making a life with any of the people he dated. What was the point in dating just for the sake of it? So, he’d stopped. Kuroo had promised himself he’d only get involved in relationships if he could see himself falling in love, if there was a real connection. So far, there hadn’t been, and he was more than content with that. Falling in love and getting married was definitely something he wanted sure, but he wanted it with the right person, and he had no problem waiting.

His friends disagreed.

“Well, see…you guys don’t exactly leave me alone about that stuff,” Kuroo admitted sheepishly, slumping when he heard Semi’s indignant gasp.

“That’s not true! When have we ever done that?”

At that, Kuroo couldn’t help but give a dry laugh.

Well, never. Directly.

But Kuroo could count how many odd looks he’d gotten at Semi and Shirabu’s wedding, and it had started a trend. An awful trend. It was always ‘Semi seems really happy as a married man’ from his mother, or ‘when are you gonna find that lucky someone, Tetsu?’ from his dad. Then there was Oikawa’s constant nagging, or Yachi’s well-meaning but awkward questioning.

And then it had gone further downhill, because all his friends started to settle down, which made his singleness seem amplified by fifty percent--it was like he was a walking pity party. Oikawa had a date every weekend it seemed, never short of suitors. Then Iwaizumi came into his life, and Oikawa had never been happier. Terushima was the same, albeit with a bit more drama and still no permanent relationship, but it seemed that was changing too. Hell, Kyoutani and Yahaba had basically been in love since middle school, and their wedding had been the previous year.

(Kuroo was specifically sat at the table nearest the bar at that wedding, right next to the singles table. Nothing was more depressing. So yeah, lots of fun.)

“You guys realize that everyone outside of our group sees me as the lonely troll under the relationship bridge right?” Kuroo deadpanned, trying to restrain his laughter when dead silence was heard on the other line. “Say, why doesn’t anyone get on Yachi’s case for this?”

Shirabu was quick to answer. “Because she’s a peppy independent woman, and you’re a loser.”

“Kenjiro.”

“Just consider coming Kuroo, it’s not a big deal,” Shirabu said finally, and the sudden softness actually made Kuroo perk up. “If you really think the attention will be a problem, bring someone. Or don’t. Whatever. You know we’ll all drag you there anyways…”

The last statement was said in a whisper, and Kuroo could practically tell Shirabu was glaring at the phone. Shirabu was actually trying to comfort him, and it was pissing him off. What a nerd.

Kuroo smiled, the implied ‘we miss you’ in Shirabu’s words having not gone undetected. His chest felt warmer than it had in weeks, and his only regret was that it was the feisty ex-setter who had delivered the final blow. Damn, what did he do to deserve these wonderful idiots?

“You know I’m waiting for the right person, but I’ll keep an eye out,” Kuroo said with a grin.

“You do that Kuroo,” Shirabu deadpanned, and shortly after, Semi cleared his throat.

“So…you’ll come? You have about a month to decide but…” Semi trailed off, and he was probably doing that thing where he bit his lip or stuck out his tongue from nervousness. Just like back when they were kids…

Kuroo laughed, the sleepiness from earlier having fully melted away. “Yeah, sure.”

After all, he couldn’t let his biggest fans down. What would they do for a whole week without his puns and knowledge of newly founded scientific theories?

Kuroo couldn’t help but smirk. This time, he’d have all the fun.

“Great,” Semi breathed out finally, texting Kuroo the details as if he’d been waiting to the whole time. He probably had been.

There was a comfortable silence that followed as Kuroo looked over dates of the vacation, and as he was about to hang up, Shirabu spoke up for the last time, voice smug and mocking.

“So…when are you gonna get married Kuroo, you’re getting kind of old don’t you think?”

Kuroo answered with the dial tone.

--

Hoping to be productive, Kuroo made plans to go to the library the next day. If he was going to go on this trip, he wanted to get a head start on next month’s article. It was better to have most of it done now than to spend most of the vacation worrying about it.

However, as he walked up the stone steps to the library’s revolving doors, he couldn’t help but feel out of place and jittery. It was stupid, considering all the other times he worked at the library, and how usually it provided him with a motivational and quiet environment. Today just wasn’t his day it seemed.

Kuroo would be up for a promotion soon—so these next two articles, one of which was finished, had to be perfect. That was stressful enough, but more than anything, he couldn’t help but find himself flustered over the phone call with Semi from the previous day. Maybe it was general excitement at the thought of seeing all his friends again, but the dread from before was still there.

Kuroo hated to admit it, but maybe the whole being single thing was getting to him more than he thought. He was twenty-seven, almost twenty-eight, and by no means old. Hell, with his looks and health, he was in the prime of his life. There was no need to worry about him finding a potential partner anytime soon, and it wasn’t something he wanted to rush.

Of course, that hadn’t stopped his brain from giving him nightmares about dying alone. What a good night he’d had.

Sighing, Kuroo happily stepped into the library, inhaling the comforting scent of books and printer ink which always brought him solace. After college, the library became his new most visited place after the volleyball court, a place he could sit in all day and get lost in his imagination and thirst for knowledge. It was perfect, and he couldn’t wait to get started on his research for the magazine’s article.

Luck was, apparently, not on his side.

The collection of computers usually provided by the library as databases were all turned off, with sheets of paper taped to each one. Already cursing the day, but never one to be negative, Kuroo walked over to them. The papers said what he’d expected, that the computers were out of order, and to go to a library attendant if people needed help finding the books. Glancing over to the main help desk, Kuroo saw two computers for the librarians to use as databases, and could already tell that a line would no doubt form once more people came in.

Thank god he’d come early.

Kuroo strides were brisk as he approached the counter, eyes trained on the desk. He’d have to find all his books now if he didn’t want to wait in line later…

Plopping his book bag on the desk, Kuroo began rifling through it in frustration, searching for the resource list he’d haphazardly stuffed into it that morning. He didn’t look up when he heard footsteps stop in front of him, too focused on making sure the rest of his day went off without a hitch.

As he rifled through his things, he came across Yahaba and Kyoutani’s old wedding invitation, which he’d never thrown out, souring his mood even further. Why the universe was bent on reminding him of his own romance predicament, he wasn’t sure.

Kuroo didn’t even bother holding back a groan as he resumed looking for his book list.

“Can I help you with something?” The person in front of him finally spoke, voice soft and velvety despite the irritation laced through it. It reminded Kuroo of a freezing gust of wind, refreshing and biting all at once. Kuroo was too involved in his own task to really linger on the sudden sensation though, or the source.

As a result, his tact had also seemed to fly right out of him. “Yeah, got any books on how to get my annoying friends off my back about being single?”

As soon as the words were out of his mouth, Kuroo felt like sucking them back in, his breath hitching with the power of a vacuum as he processed what he'd said. Ah damn. 

Oversharing had never been an issue for him, yet here he was, accidentally unleashing his frustrations out to an unsuspecting library worker. Kuroo pursed his lips, his hand freezing just as it gripped the sheet of paper he'd been looking for all along.

He waited for an awkward cough or scoff, maybe even a scolding for his rudeness. It definitely wasn't his day. Kuroo tapped his fingers against the tarnished wooden surface of the desk, stiffly pulling out his resource list and laying it flat in front of the employee. Kuroo didn’t dare look at the other’s face.

Instead of sounding irritated though, the person simply snorted, their body relaxing as they leaned against the counter. From their close proximity, Kuroo could smell the faint scent of sand and saltwater—his favorite.

“If such a book did exist, I’m sure people would be fighting over it as we speak," the voice answered, and yeah, Kuroo thought, velvety was the perfect way to describe it. He may have written scientific articles, but he knew his way around some adjectives.

Oh god, he was an idiot.

But actually yeah, the other had a point.

Kuroo laughed at the joke, tension leaving his muscles as he ran a hand through his hair. Finally, he looked up as he spoke, unaware of just how deadly of a blow it would be. "Yeah, you got a point ther—"

Kuroo choked on the end of his sentence, and the sensation returned tenfold. Like a cold, refreshing gust of wind, or an ocean breeze at night, golden lanterns lighting the way...

That was what looking at the other man in front of him felt like. Kuroo didn’t know it was possible, to have just one person practically embody such an image.

The young man's eyebrow arched in question, his plush lips pulled into a frown as his gaze slowly drifted to the paper on the desk. As his hand reached out, Kuroo noted how the sleeves of his black jumper were too long, easily sliding past his palms. The v-neckline of the jumper was skewed, as if the other had put it on in a bit of a rush. His blond hair was damp, and it pressed against his neck and forehead, and Kuroo could take a guess now about why the other smelled like he was born from the sea. So many questions…

Beautifully pale skin.

Piercing honey brown eyes which glowed behind black frames.

Long, delicate fingers.

Kuroo's eyes jumped from one feature to the other, his mind trying to drink in as much as he could before he was forced to step back into reality. He didn't know what had gotten into him, or why he'd never seen this man at the library before, but Kuroo couldn't take his eyes off him.

"Um, do you need me to look up all of these?" The blond's tone was hesitant, slow, alerting Kuroo to the fact he probably looked like a complete moron staring into oblivion. The blond's fingers crept over the crumpled paper, pulling it closer to him.

Kuroo cleared his throat, knocking on the desk with his knuckles as he begged himself to form coherent words. "Uh yeah, please! I need them for an--articles, magazine articles I mean. I write magazine articles."

Oh my god, what's wrong with you?

Kuroo was known to be quite the smooth talker, and this was just embarrassing.

The blond squinted warily before he moved to the computer, beginning to type in the authors Kuroo had listed. Every now and again, his gaze would flick back to Kuroo, his fingers slowing in their typing.

Kuroo wondered if he felt it too...whatever this weird moment was.

Kuroo couldn't have explained it if he'd tried, it was something he'd seldom experienced. It wasn't that Kuroo didn't believe love at first sight could happen, though it was rare. He didn't even know if this was it, but he knew his own emotions, and he trusted his instincts.

This person in front of him was special, and Kuroo wanted to find out why.

He leaned more of his weight on the desk, inching closer into the other's personal bubble as he watched the blond dutifully write down the call numbers from the computer.

Hell, his handwriting was even pretty.

"Hey," Kuroo began, his voice still feeling way too loud despite his whispering. "I haven't seen you around before. I mean, I come to the library often for work, I know most of the employees pretty well."

"Do you want a medal?" The other scoffed before his face twisted in regret, as if he'd forgotten he was at work. Kuroo lost it. He snickered into his hand as the blond pouted, his stunning eyes sending an impressive glare at his computer screen as he aggressively scribbled down another number.

"Actually yeah, I do. My one from last year isn't as shiny anymore, " Kuroo retorted, happy when the other relaxed upon realizing Kuroo wasn't actually angry at the comment.

The blond rolled his eyes, but Kuroo didn't miss the amusement hidden in them.

"Seriously though, how do I know you're not some impostor, trying to steal forbidden library secrets?"

At that, the other actually stopped typing, bringing a hand to his hip as his eyes stared up at the ceiling, as if trying to figure out how to answer Kuroo without calling him an outright nuisance.

"I already know where the hidden make out row is, thank you very much," he finally said with the ghost of a smirk, and fuck, Kuroo felt a shiver run down his back. "I'm a new volunteer, that's all."

"Volunteer?" Kuroo perked up, his head tilting to the side. "You a college student or something blondie?"

"It's Tsukishima. And I'm not, I'm a web designer." Tsukishima tensed after that, his eyes going wide like he'd said too much, and he regarded Kuroo curiously afterwards. It was pretty cute actually, as if Kuroo had performed some sort of witch craft.

Ah, so he's not normally a sharer?

For some reason, the realization ignited a fire in Kuroo. "Work from home?"

"....yeah."

"Me too!" Kuroo said, clapping his hands together. "What a small world. I also come here for fun of course."

At that, the blond crossed his arms, unbelievably unimpressed.

"So you write science articles, stay at home, and the idea of going to the library is what constitutes as fun?" Tsukishima clicked his tongue, his smile smug and practically begging Kuroo to snap a photo of him. "You sound like a nerd to me."

Oho, a decent jab. But Kuroo could return anything dished out.

"I'm pretty sure web design is nerdier than magazine writing."

"Science magazines. That makes a big difference. Have you seen the titles of these books?" Tsukishima waved the paper around, the wobbly sound echoing into the silence of the library.

Ugh, so cute. What the hell.

"Okay now, no need to get vicious."

"There's always a need to get vicious,” Tsukishima said with a huff, his eyes twinkling with mirth.

"Spare my poor chemistry books kind sir, I beg you." Kuroo couldn't help but smirk, his skin warm as their eyes locked, building a fire deep inside him. What is going on?

He was just having a normal conversation for fuck’s sake. Right?

The quick beating of his heart disagreed. The amusement faded from Tsukishima's eyes as their staring contest continued, those long, beautiful fingers clenching around the pen the blond was holding. It was then Kuroo realized Tsukishima had scrawled the last call number down long ago.

The chill was back, the connection was there.

Kuroo wondered how close he'd be standing if the desk wasn’t separating them, the pull between them too strong. It would've certainly been enough to lure him into the blond's waters, and he didn't have a clue why.

He didn't really have to know why either. Sometimes, he just knew when he'd met someone worth his time, and why miss out on it?

Kuroo licked his lips, not missing the way Tsukishima's gaze flicked to them quickly before returning to Kuroo's eyes. "Um...do you--"

There was a loud cough behind him, and everything seemed to unfreeze, the smell of the ocean and sounds of the sea disappearing into nothingness as the spell broke. The fog in his brain lifted, and he wasn’t sure he was thankful for it.

"Excuse me?" An aggravated voice spoke up behind him, way too loud for the preferred library volume. Kuroo glanced over his shoulder expecting to see one disgruntled patron, but was met with a line of seven or eight people.

Whoops.

Kuroo flushed, smiling sheepishly as he pulled his book bag back over his shoulder in a haste. As he did so, he caught sight of his watch, revealing he'd ended up staying at the counter for a good twenty minutes longer than intended.

Shit.

Tsukishima snapped out of his daze right after Kuroo, practically shoving the list of books into Kuroo's chest. The blond’s face returned to a more neutral expression, calm and almost uncaring despite the obvious complaints and mutters behind them.

"Here you are,” he said, defaulting back to a more professional tone. Then the blond leaned to the side, looking past Kuroo with evident annoyance in his eyes, luckily not directed at Kuroo. "I'll be with you in just a moment."

Kuroo heard the blond mutter a curse under his breath, and the man behind him in line huffed in displeasure. Kuroo felt guilty for holding up the line, but he was more in shock at the fact he hadn't noticed at all.

He was usually so much more observant than that, a people person, constantly aware of his surroundings. But in the moment, it had felt like nothing and no one else existed, and it made his palms sweat and his throat dry up.

"Uh thanks, sorry about that...well, bye," Kuroo stuttered out as he started to walk away, meeting Tsukishima's stare until the other was forced to tend to the next patron.

All the while, it was like something in Kuroo begged him to stay.

He shook his head profusely, willing himself to focus on finding the correct floor for the first book. He had work to do, whatever this was...he could sort it out later. His article was what mattered most.

Yet as he made his way to the second level of the library, not tearing his gaze away from the head of blond hair at the front desk until he absolutely had no choice, he knew this was far from over.

#kurotsuki #kurotsukki #adri writing #haikyuuwriters #ficsforvera

[kenjiro-s]

Sugar, spice and everything nice, ch. 2

Of pastries and late-night talks

Taichi was generally a calm and collected person. He liked his baking business, enjoyed the long and delicate process of decorating the pastries and the pleasant atmosphere in the café made him happy. He thought he was a good balance for his boyfriend who, while sometimes twitched from nerves, was usually a mature adult. Not today, apparently, because he was still fuming about the new trainee who was not even in his department.

- …and he dared to tell me, looking down on me, mind you, that my files were a mess ! I am an auditor, I know how to keep things in order ! Kid starts a week ago and already has half the station up on their toes. The officers love him, of course, since he is always so polite, but they haven’t seen his face. He completely ignored Kuroo when he was giving him instructions…

- You thought that was funny. – Eita looked up from his desk. Taichi was leaning on the door frame, smiling slightly, and drinking in the sight of the man currently trying to remove his tie and complain at the same time. Pale blond hair and dark eyes contrasted sharply, just like his personality – gentle and caring, and, at the same time, sarcastic to the point of venom. They evened each other nicely, if he was honest.

- It was hilarious. But that’s beside the point. He even wears his hair in some ridiculous sharp line that’s not even straight, I mean, who does that ? – Sharp line, huh ?

- So it’s not because he is pretty enough to be in a magazine ? – It was a wild guess but he’d always been good at those.

- That’s besides the po…Wait, how do you know ?

- He was at the café a few days ago. I am going to guess one of you sent him. That was mean, Eita. The new kid, and you already try to run him to the ground. – Taichi clicked his tongue. – He got under your skin fast. Must be a very interesting…colleague.

- You know it’s not like that. It’s just…

- It could be. I haven’t seen you that flustered since you were trying to ask me out for the first time.

- I thought we agreed to never mention that. Ever again. – Eita frowned slightly. They’d talked about that when they got together the first time, a long and tense, at least in the beginning, conversation, until they reached the conclusion they both agreed that if the time came, they would not mind a third. But that had been three years ago and Eita was not there yet. Taichi knew him, though, knew he was hot-blooded but people never left such a lasting mark on him. And, as far as he’d heard, the new kid knew exactly where to push to rile a group of otherwise emotional, but positive people. It only made him more curious about the slim caramel-eyed young man. – It’s not…I don’t know.

- You don’t have to make a decision now. Or ever. But if you think I would be that hurt, you are solely mistaken. We talked about that, Eita. I am not telling you to do anything. I am simply saying, don’t discard it.

- He’s annoying. And I know he does it on purpose. Damn it !

That was enough for the day, Taichi decided. Eita was predisposed towards heavy migraines and judging by his twitching eyelid, he was close to a burn out. He did not say anything, just reached and slid a finger up his arm and along his neck, ending with a fingertip gentry touching his forehead. Dark eyes met his and he smiled. Just a little, but Eita had always been clever. Strong fingers clasped his and he was pulled down on the couch.

Warm lips ran up and down his throat, tiny bites interrupting the smooth slide, and long fingers deftly loosened the buttons of his shirt. Before he knew it, Eita was kissing him like a starving man and his hands were definitely roaming, sliding and pulling on his clothes, and he felt the heat rise somewhere on his neck and spread down his chest. He smiled lightly, nibbling a little, and pushed his own hands under the other man’s clothes. Just, because he usually radiated controlled laziness, that did not mean he could not be energetic when…properly motivated. Yes, truly a motivation.

Eita woke up at some point, his back uncomfortably stiff and one arm asleep where Taichi was lying on it. The glowing numbers on the TV showed a little after midnight. He snorted. Not even thirty and already acting like old men. Though his partner had to be at the café at 5:30 every morning, so maybe going to bed early was not such a bad idea. And talking about beds…He carefully slid from under his boyfriend, although he tended to sleep so deeply he did not feel earthquakes, hear thunderstorms or knew when Eita came home when he had to stay until the middle of the night at the station. Eita poked him a little, just enough to get him in an uncoordinated half-asleep state and dragged him towards the bedroom. There was no point in both of them suffering on the next day. There, he pushed him down on the soft sheets and crawled after him. They were both asleep a minute later.

His back did hurt on the next day but the show currently happening in the office across from his was almost compensating for it. As far as he could understand, which was easy since Kuroo was shouting loudly enough for the whole station to hear, Shirabu had come bright and early, and had sorted the entire paperwork in several ways/ Seriously, what was with the kid and files ? They were, apparently, colour-coded. Colour-coded. Who did that in real life ? Someone who was about to get maimed by his supervisor, if Eita could guess. He decided to interfere since the investigation after a possible murder in the middle of the station, in front of witnesses and in broad daylight would be a hell to conduct. Also, he kind of wanted to see the young trainee’s face. Kuroo’s was easy to imagine, but the new wild card was interesting to observe. Eita looked around for his own trainee but he was nowhere to be seen, having gone with Ushijima to collect evidence on site on a simple case. The stoic officer would be a good mentor for the overenthusiastic young man.

Eita tiptoed. While gossip was one of the few ways they entertained themselves in the station, he did not want to look too invested. The volume still wasn’t going down so he guessed it was safe to use a more direct approach.

- I am simply saying that now it would only take seconds to find anything you might need. It’s by date, name and urgency. I don’t see the problem…

- You don’t see ? There was order ! I knew where everything was ! – Kuroo was doing a rather good impression of a conductor, his hands trying to help his mouth catch up with his mind, and Shirabu…Shirabu just stood there, looking down his nose on a man about 10 cm taller, wider and with several years more experience, not even mentioning the fact that he was the expert in the room, and his face was calm as a spring night but his eyes were burning. Eita wished he had time to go and get popcorn as this was about to get interesting. – You should not just move stuff around…

- It will take you a day to get used to it. – The room sunk in silence. Eita hadn’t even noticed Kuroo’s consultant who, for some reason, hung out at the station even when his services were not needed. Kenma was curled in one of the old stuffed chairs and seemed deeply engrossed in whatever was happening on his tablet. Eita suspected he was not even working half of the time. But, he was also the only one who could cut through Kuroo’s moods like a knife and leave him more collected than ever. And it worked every time. The IT expert opened his mouth once more and then decided against it. After a sharp glare at his assistant, he spun on his chair and focused on one of the monitors on the desk.

- Next time ask first, get it ? You are still my assistant. I need to know what you’re doing. Understood ?

The “Yes, sir” was the fakest one Eita had heard and that was considering that one time he and Taichi had tried spicing things up in the bedroom and ended up with him giggling on the floor and his partner deciding he was done with him for the night. Eita had convinced him otherwise, of course, he knew his weak spots and how to get him helpless in under two minutes, but the memory brought a smile to his lips. Which is when Shirabu looked at him. Busted. Warm light eyes narrowing dangerously, the young man turned on his heels and went to dig around one of the newly sorted cabinets. Eita was sure the other man did not need anything from there and, as far as he could see, his ears were red at the tips. So he reacted, he was simply too good at hiding it. After another small smile at himself, Eita went back to his office before someone else saw him. Only two more hours before his lunch arrived. He stretched his whole body before dropping in his chair. He could wait.

Kenjiro busied himself a little more with the folders, pretending to check if his tags were correct. After he was completely sure the auditor had left, he got up and walked to the table he was given for a desk until they got him some real furniture. Glancing at his boss with the corner of his eye, he saw he shouldn’t have worried. Kuroo was currently staring at his consultant ( Kenma, his name was Kenma, no honorifics, please ), while the latter’s attention was focused on his tablet. Kuroo tended to do that a lot, Kenjiro had noticed. Stare at Kenma, that was. It was cute. It would be even cuter if they gave him something to do and then left him to it instead of hanging over his shoulder through the entire process. He knew he was new, but Kuroo had spent three days showing his everything and testing him to make sure he knew how to operate the equipment. Well. It didn’t really matter. He shouldn’t have let the expert rile him up, especially when he knew he was right. The office had been a mess and after spending half an hour looking for a folder, Kenjio had given up and decided the project could wait. The project he had to currently focus on if he wanted to finish it on time. Sure, he knew he had more than enough time, but leaving everything for the last moment was simply not in his style. Now, where was his software…

Some time later, he was not sure how much, a laugh caught his attention. He peeled his eyes from the monitor, noting that two hours had passed and he’d done almost everything in his project. But that was not what was important now. The important thing was that Semi, the blond man from the office across the hall, who had witnessed the entire scene the morning, was laughing gently, his face all soft and warm and his eyes – twinkling. Kenjro felt his breath stop. He was…beautiful. Without his scowl and tension, he was lovely. Kenjiro moved a little closer, only half aware he was doing it. That’s when the other person moved in his field of vision. Kenjiro almost tripped, managing to stop in the last possible second. It was the man from the pastry shop. With the same lazy almost-smile and sleepy eyes. And, judging by the air of familiarity between them, Kenjiro’s chances with either of them had just gone up in flames. Not that he’d ever had a chance. He stopped. What was he thinking ? He did not even want a chance with the tall man from the other department or the pretty cashier who saw too much. He definitely did not.

Things were looking up. Taichi knew Eita too well and he’d seen the young assistant’s face when he’d caught sight of him. Definitely interesting.

- Make sure to walk around occasionally, would you ? Can’t have you complaining about your back like an old man when you’re trying to catch a younger lover. It will not work. – Seeing his boyfriend playfully sputter was worth the long trip from the shop. –Oh, and there is white chocolate muffin in there. Tell him it’s from me for my favourite police customer.

- I thought I was your favourite police customer. – Pouts looked too delicious on Eita’s face and Taichi smiled a little.

- You are my all time favourite customer. Now, I have to run. Be nice to your colleagues. – Eita was working so Taichi did not kiss him but he still slid his fingers along his palm and winked. He had croissants to bake, there was no time for playing. Not yet.

#haikyuu!! #haikyuu fanfiction #semi eita #shirabu kenjiro #kawanishi taichi #semi #Shirabu #kawanishi #ot3 #fanfic #aged up characters

[kenjiro-s]

A Day in Our Lives, IwaOi fluff ch. 8

Of telepathy and angry cats

- So, who’s the artist in the house ? – Tooru was not even trying to be snarky, the house in front of him was simply gorgeous. Pale blue with grey and navy touches, it looked unreal from the tip of the roof all the way down to the garden. He would feel jealous, except for the fact that even if they had something like that, neither he nor Hajime could keep anything more complicated than an orchid alive for more than a week. It was a sad fact they had accepted long time ago. Shifting the box with cupcakes in his arm, he pushed the doorbell and glanced at his husband. The days off had definitely paid off and in some amazing twist of fate the huge case they’d been handed over had ended up in the two departments in the back of the station. Hajime had mentioned a few times how much he pitied the poor souls in the offices who had to spend hours upon hours under piles of paper. Apparently, he considered it a terrible fate.

Tooru had another problem. Not a big one, but it bothered him a little. He’d never met Semi’s partner and wasn’t sure how the man would act. And while he was confident enough in himself there was always the nagging worry when meeting strangers who were important. He’d met Semi a few times when stopping by the station and he’d liked what he’d seen and Hajime spoke of him only with respect. And, of recently, with humour though Tooru wasn’t exactly sure why.

His thoughts were cut short when the door opened and a tall man smiled slightly at them. Tooru hoped the shock wasn’t too obvious on his face as he recognized, pretty easily, the cashier at the fancy café he’d started to love. A little more casual in a soft sweater and dark jeans, but it was definitely the same person. Huh. The world was small, indeed.

- What a small world, isn’t it ? – How, the…? – Come in, Eita is just finishing the table.

Toeing his shoes off, Tooru handed over his coat and waited until their host went somewhere to hand them.

- Hajime ! – His low hiss didn’t appear to surprise his husband. – He…

- He is the guy from the café ? Yeah.

- No, that’s not it. He knew what I was thinking ! – And the scariest thing was Hajime didn’t appear surprised. Rubbing his face, he just sighed.

- He does that. Try not to let it get to you. I’m not sure if it’s on purpose or something but the last thing I want is to offend.

- Not possible. – This time Hajime jumped. They both did. And the only reason Tooru didn’t shriek was because Éclair had trained him well not to react too hard to surprises. Hajime’s blond colleague was smiling lightly, leaning against the door. Seriously, what was with these two sneaking around like thieves ? – Taichi thinks it’s funny, no matter how many times everyone tells him the opposite.

- So he really can read minds ? – In response he got an actual snort.

- Close enough. He just understands people well. The fact that he stares at them with this weird blank face while doing it definitely does help, too.

- Must be interesting living with him, then ? – Tooru had regained some of his confidence and their host seemed in a good mood so teasing him a little appeared to be safe enough. And Hajime had been adamant that Semi was a relatively positive person. That proved to be true when the other man laughed, dipping his head a little. He really did have purple in his platinum blond hair. Huh. Not that Tooru wasn’t fussy with his hair, but for a man of such a serious profession to look that way ? His interest was piqued.

- I made peace with it long before we started living together. Running after someone who seemed to predict every move was a bit complicated. And, - Without even turning around, he reached back and up, carding his fingers through his partner’s darker hair since Kawanishi had chosen that exact moment to return. – it was definitely a long and difficult lesson in using one’s imagination. Trust me, it wasn’t easy.

- I thought you didn’t want to talk about that. Ever.

- I don’t. That’s as far as I’d go. Otherwise, I’d start getting nightmarish flashbacks. – Semi shuddered.

It was cute how much they reminded him of…him and Hajime, actually. True, they’d been together since children but the couple in front of them was flirting like they were still courting and dancing around each other.

- Well, if you’re done sharing your tragic backstory, we have guests to feed.

The food was delightful. Obviously, Taichi’s skills weren’t limited to desserts, though they were as good as always. But the company was been just as pleasant. Tooru learnt Taichi had started with the cooking much later than most people but still managed to get that good, and Eita was the opposite, deciding to become an auditor at the tender age of fourteen. That days off for both of them were a rare treat as the café was currently understaffed and the huge case they’d gotten had ruined everyone’s plans ( a collective snort had been the reaction to that ). Tooru, on the other hand, talked about the teams and how excited the children could be as opposed to their parents, and how coaching often felt more rewarding than being on the national team.

Eita smiled at that, poking at his partner who just rolled his eyes in response.

- We watched that live, you know. It was amazing.

- You like volleyball ? – Taichi smiled.

- Eita used to be a setter. A really good one, I’m sad I never got to play with him when he was in his prime.

- You played, too ? – So Tooru had been more than right. Not only everyone at the station, but also everyone around them, had been involved with volleyball.

- I was a middle blocker. We still play occasionally, but nothing too serious.

- So, I was thinking… - He glanced at Hajime who knew exactly what he was going to ask. – Would the two of you be willing to come for a few friendly games at the sport centre ? I think it will be good for the kids to watch. And, maybe, try.

They didn’t even look at each other. Taichi nibbled on a piece of carrot while Eita leaned back.

- If we manage to find a time when we are all free, we’d love to do it. – That was some next level telepathy. Obviously, the mind-reading rubbed off, just like gestures and expressions. – And I think…

- We can get Kenjiro as a setter, too. – The table lapsed in silence. Who was Kenjiro and why was Eita blinking is such a way ?

- He used to play ?

Taichi just hummed. After a few more seconds of wordless communicating, where Tooru was sure volumes upon volumes were said and discussed, Eita just smiled. Widely. The man definitely could show a lot of teeth when he put his mind to it. It was kind of impressive. His partner was a little more subtle, leaning back with a serene expression that still managed to look predatory. There was a whole story behind this and Tooru really wanted to dig around and poke at it, curiousity raising its head.

- Well, I think it’s time for us to head back home. – Hajime’s voice almost made him jump in his seat.

It was late, Tooru realised. Really late. True, he had the Tuesday off, but still. Time had passed way too quickly. The company had been pleasant and he hadn’t even noticed the clock.

- Thank you for inviting us. – Eita rose from his chair and led them to the hallway while Taichi disappeared, probably to get their coats.

- Thank you for coming. We haven’t been really social recently, what’s with all the work that piled up. Tooru laughed.

- I think it’s just what being an adult means. – Eita gave an overdramatic shake of his head and snorted again.

- I hope not. In a few days, maybe a week, it will all calm down, but until then – He scratched his nape. – Until then, it will be tough.

Taichi arrived with their coats and more pleasantries, and they waved while getting in the car. Tooru threw one last glance at the house, seeing Eita smiling lightly while his partner was leaning on his back. They appeared to be talking softly and it was such a cute picture Tooru almost pulled out his phone to save it for the generations. Aw, to be young again.

- Semi is as old as us and his partner is only a year younger.

- Is the mind reading rubbing off on you, too ?

Hajime just smiled while glancing at the rearview mirror.

- Nah, I’ve just known you forever. Can’t hide much from me. I admit it was nice, though.

- It was. – One thing had been bugging him and he just had to ask. – Okay, who, the hell, is…

- Kenjiro ? – Again with the telepathy. But Tooru just nodded. Curiousity was stronger than anything. – It’s Kuroo, you know Kuroo, right ? It’s his new assistant. Not his consultant, but this new kid who started recently. Straight out of school.

- So why is it such a big deal ? – Hajime chewed his lip, clearly debating what to say.

- I think they are courting him. It’s fun to watch but Semi’s concerned about rumours and what they can do to Shirabu’s reputation. – Wait, Shirabu ? That rung a bell.

- Isn’t that that newbie who managed to piss off Kuroo on his first day ? I met him, remember ? And here I thought teens were the most interesting age group. Apparently, nothing beats office drama.

At home, Éclair gave them a rather condescending look from where she was perched on one of the pillows they’d put for her on high places, this time from the fridge.

- I know it’s late, little fluffball, but we’re here. – Tooru reached up and she stood, backing away from his hand. – Here, kitty, kitty, let me hug you, let me adore you…

And she was so not in the mood, she jumped from the fridge and patted to the bedroom. The betrayal. The audacity. How dared she…Obviously, his feeling showed on his face since Hajime, who’d just left the bathroom, gave him a funny look. And then tried to pull up his pajama pants while still wearing his towel. It was too late for higher brain functions. The tiredness just hit him without a warning and he swayed on his feel towards the warm bathroom, not even stopping to do much more than to spare a look at Hajime’s glorious thighs. Why was he so tired ? Not really important.

What felt like hours later, he put some advanced logistics, mixed with theoretical physics and advanced calculus to slide in bed between Hajime and Éclair, who had stolen his side, without waking them up. Finding the best position, with his chest towards his husband, he moved a little more to settle down. Said husband didn’t even wake up, though he reacted to the pokes and jabs by sliding a warm hand down Tooru’s shoulder, by his fingers and all the way to the small of his back. And then pulled, hard, slotting them perfectly to each other like a puzzle.

A warm and sleepy man on his front. Life didn’t get much better than that.

#haikyuu!! #iwaizumi x oikawa #iwaoi #iwaoi fanfiction #tons of fluff #purefluff #domestic #iwaizumi hajime #oikawa tooru

[kenjiro-s]

A Day in Our Lives, IwaOi fluff ch.7

Of late nights and apologetic tarts

It was in the middle of a long, dragging report that Semi showed at Hajime’s desk. For some reason the seventeen witnesses of the car crash had all seen something different happen so he had to write all their statements down. It was exhausting. The only nice thing was the quiet. Daichi was diligently working on his part of the pile, Ushijima and Bokuto were deep in a report from one of the labs and everyone else was out patrolling. So when a shadow fell on his desk he blinked owlishly at the disturbance. It took him a second to recognise the platinum blond of the head auditor and he smiled. From all the guys in the back of the station, he got along best with Semi. The man had endless patience that, strangely, came with a really, really short fused temper, and, more importantly, knew how to keep his own new assistant in check. Otherwise, the kid would be bouncing off the walls and with Bokuto present that could turn into a nightmare. It was bad enough when said officer managed to end up in the same room as Kuroo, they didn’t need even more distractions. Though, Kuroo’s assistant was nice enough. Not Kenma, whose uncanny ability to just appear, hang around seemingly doing nothing, and leave in the middle of the day, and still do all the consultant work ahead of time and perfectly had the whole station slightly afraid of him, but the new one. Shirabu, who, unless he was mistaken, Semi and Kawanishi were in the middle of…courting. It was weird but who was he to judge ? He was married to Tooru.

- So, the files. I have good news…and bad news. – Hajime steeled himself.

- Hit me.

- Bad news first ? – He nodded. – It will be difficult to hold in court. It all looks legal. The numbers add up perfectly, with just the right amount of mistakes to make them real, the links are clear. Everything is as it should. – That was not good. True, they usually didn’t get fraud since it was not in their jurisdiction, but this case had started with a man going into the main office of the company he’d worked for for two decades and had attacked the people inside. After a surface look Daichi had insisted they dig a little more since something didn’t feel right. Semi had gotten his hands on the computers of the “victim” company and had disappeared in his office for three days.

- Well, that’s definitely bad. You mentioned good news, though ?

- Yes. Kuroo’s out, I guess he had to go and do something on a scene…? Anyway, I showed the results to Kenjiro and he promised to check them out from a different perspective. I think he was talking with Kenma when I passed their office now, they seem to be working together.

He was “Kenjiro” now, wasn’t he ? Hajime just shrugged mentally. They were all adults and it definitely wasn’t his business. Though the fact that Shirabu had managed to get Kenma to talk without prodding and actually engage in conversation had already spread through the station and was building the young programmer a reputation. It was still unclear if that reputation would be good or bad, but it was definitely expanding.

- So there’s hope ? – Semi nodded. – Good. That’s…good.

Hajime looked around. It was peaceful enough.

- Hey, how’s the…

- Would you and Tooru like to come to dinner ? I think I asked you before ?

Semi was leaning on Hajime’s desk, smiling lightly, and it was so not him, Hajime had to do a double take and check if it wasn’t actually Kawanishi at the station.

- Sure. Both of us have a day off together on both Monday and Tuesday next week, would that work for you ?

- Monday sounds perfect. – Semi turned to leave.

- Hey, can you check and tell Shirabu and Kenma that we need to know at least if there is a chance for something ? Procedures take forever and this one is enough of a mess already.

In response, all he got was a wide smile but it was more than enough. So, they were still going.

- After you finish dinner, save me a slice of dessert, would you ? – Daichi was leaning on the pile of finished papers.

- Really ? You ask me to bring you something from someone else’s table ? Where’s your dignity ?

His partner just shrugged.

- It’s food made by Kawanishi. There is no such thing as “dignity” when it’s involved. – Which was more than true. Before Shirabu had started working at the station, all they had tried from Semi’s boyfriend were mini cupcakes for the auditor’s birthday and whatever bite they managed to steal from his lunch. Now, first with the chocolates and then with the full meals from a couple of days ago, they were getting spoiled. The man was a god with a spoon and everyone knew it.

Hajime hated going home late. He knew Tooru would pretend he’d eaten which would be a lie, and then would pretend nothing interesting or stressful happened during his day because he thought Hajime would be exhausted. Which was wrong, he knew it was, because children sometimes were worse than aggressive drunks when it came to headaches. Half an hour before his shift had to end, Shirabu had practically ran in the main office with a stack of papers in his hand, his strange fringe in complete disorder. He and Kenma had found that numbers that should have been random actually followed a complex mathematical model that could be achieved in real life only by the biggest coincidence out there. After he and Daichi had been blinking at the young man for a few seconds, Shirabu had explained, a little impatiently, that it meant there was an almost 100% certainty the figures were fake. Which had lead to Daichi waving at him to keep going. The not-quite-annoyed-but-close-enough sigh he let out was quickly forgotten as he tried to explain the basics of double accounting and that he needed the original computers to be able to try and look for the real information. And Hajime and Daichi had ended spending two hours going through paperwork to find where the computers were and how they could get full access to them. It was late. Which is why he wanted to do something nice for his husband.

He glanced at his watch. Eight. An idea formed in his head. Would it be…? On one hand, it was a coffee shop…On the other, he remembered Tooru bringing Éclair home and how late it had been. And he had been carrying a bag with a logo he was getting familiar with. It was worth a try.

Hajime pulled out his phone to look for the address and realised it was only a block away. Now that was luck. A touch of fate. Destiny. And he must have been more tired than he thought if he was getting poetic. The best thing was the website made it clear the café should have been open for another hour. Good.

Navigating through a neighbourhood he remembered from a few days ago when he and Daichi had picked Shirabu up, Hajime found an empty spot and left the car. He took a moment to appreciate the exterior. Silver on dark purple. It looked way too fancy but since he knew firsthand how good everything inside was, the aesthetics didn’t bother him that much. A small bell jungled to announce his entrance and he was surprised to find the chef himself behind the counter.

Kawanishi’s messy blond hair looked worse than usual. He was getting close to Kuroo’s style and it made Hajime fear for the future. If that terrible hairstyle was spreading, he had to do his best to protect himself and Tooru. It was…unnatural in how many directions a short fringe could point at the same time. Unnatural, but strangely fascinating. Like the result of a terrible accident. Hajime counted three cowlicks before the owner of said cowlicks cleared his throat.

Whatever smooth grace Kawanishi usually exhibited, it was all gone. Hajime had only seem him collected, calm and in complete opposition of Semi, but this, this was new. He didn’t have circles under his eyes, though his darker complexion might have been simply hiding them better. The hair, on the other hand, mixed with his almost closed eyes and a strange slump against the marble made it obvious he was barely holding on his feet.

- What can I do for you, officer ?

- Do you happen to have something that says “Sorry I’m late, I know I said I’ll do my best to be home on time today but work went wrong, you shouldn’t have waited for me to eat, etc.” ? – In response, he got a tired smile that almost made the other man look like he usually did.

- You know this is not a flower shop and there are no secret meanings on different flavours of custard, right ?

- Oh, come on, really ? – Two tired men trying to joke. He was sure the picture they made was way funnier than the conversation itself. – Not even in the secret baker club ? Kawanishi tapped his lip with a fingertip and then ran his hand through his hair. Wow. Six cowlicks. Six. It would be impressive if it wasn’t so terrifying.

- I guess I can make an exception for an outsider. But just this time. If you promise not to share the secret. Does your better half prefer chocolate or fruit ?

- Can you mix them ? He’s had a long week.

- Sure. I guess we all are going to need some apologetic tarts. – Which brought another unpleasant thought.

- I don’t think you will. – The other man blinked at him in the middle of folding small boxes in deep maroon and gold. – Yeah, when I left, Semi, Shirabu and Kenma were still in the middle of it and it didn’t seem like they were going to finish soon. I heard Kenma looking for the take out menu of the 24 hour pizza place across from the station. Sorry.

“Sorry” was nowhere close to being enough but it was all he had.

- It’s fine. He already called. – Kawanishi shrugged. – I am just saving him a few things because he will be starving no matter what. It’s been a terribly long day, that’s all.

The box was tied up with a shiny golden ribbon, the other man’s hands completely steady while making a perfect bow, and he bent down to look for something under the counter.

- By the way, I’m not sure if Semi told you…

- You and your partner are coming for dinner on Monday ? – How ? This was the second time he had predicted what Hajime was going to say. The man was a menace and Hajime was starting to worry what would happen when they put him and Tooru within hearing distance of each other. Probably, the world would go in flames. – He mentioned it. Anything I need to be careful with ?

- No, not really. No allergies or intolerances. We’ll be fine. If, of course, we manage to survive until then.

This got him the first real laugh he’d ever heard from Kawanishi. He usually stuck to quiet smiles in various hues when at the station and Hajime thought it was just how he was. But what he heard now was a full snort, followed by giggles. Still quiet but definitely more out there. Also, there was more hair-messing. If it was anyone else, Hajime would already have his phone out to take a photo. It was habit he’d developed from living with Tooru. Not only did his husband tend to do it left and right, but also one needed a sneaky hand to catch Tooru himself in a compromising position. Which usually included food or strange attire choices. Kawanishi, though, he didn’t know him well enough. On the other hand…

The other man didn’t even notice Hajime sliding his phone back in his pocket, he was too busy almost laying down on the counter in a breathless laughter.

- Really long day ?

- I’ve been here since 5:30 this morning. And it has been the same in the last two days. I think it’s some modern version of hysteria.

Hajime’s jaw was hanging open but he couldn’t think about that now. He was too busy processing everything. Glancing at his watch, he confirmed it was twenty past eight. At night.

- Everything okay ? – It mostly courtesy to ask, but there was a part of him that was honestly curious.

- Some people quit because I told them they are not entitled to all the food they can eat during a shift for free. Go figure.

That explained the strange posture and air of extreme exhaustion around him. And, maybe the hair. Though Hajime was pretty sure nothing could excuse that.

- I’ll be going. Thanks for the advice and good luck with the staff.

All he got was a limp wave. When he was almost closing the door behind him, Hajime turned to glance back. The café was empty, the atmosphere was muted by dancing shadows and fairy lights, and Kawanishi stood in the middle of it all with a serene expression, like nothing could make him happier in life than this place. It suited him, this quiet joy. He could see how Semi had lost his head. Or how Shirabu was about to go down. The whole “reading you mind and not giving anything away” seemed too weird for him. Either way, he had his desserts, now all he had to do was wake Tooru up and tell him to free his Monday evening.

#haikyuu!! #iwaizumi x oikawa #iwaizumi hajime #oikawa tooru #purefluff #domestic #haikyuu fanfiction #aged up characters #fanfiction