Thread by @IDtsuKei

Thinking thinking thinking #krtsk #kurotsuki yakuza/mafia but like with superpowers (think bsd) au thoughts:

Tw : mafia related violence, blood, guns, etc.

Tsukishima Kei took one look at the grey, barren four walls of what was to be his new home and sighed.

He had been

Doing that a lot lately, looking around and sighing. Since he had gotten out of the nondescript car in the slums of Tokyo sighing had become second nature. He was allowed, he told himself, a few days to mourn the loss of his life before pulling himself together and committing to

A life of monotony. A life of a, he checked the folder on his desk, non aspirational desk clerk at a local art museum.

At least they had gotten him a somewhat tolerable job, he thinks somewhat bitterly to himself. A museum was better than fast food or retail. He wasn’t sure he

Would be able to last long if they would have told him he was going to be a McDonald’s worker for the rest of his sad life.

He sighs again, wrapping himself in a blanket and flopping onto the lumpy mattress, hearing the sirens wail in the background. His new neighborhood was

For lack of better words, shitty. Not unlike the ones he grew up in, but not where Kei would think of when trying to hide someone from the Yakuza. Hidden in plain sight, he assumes.

He hears his neighbor slamming pots and pans around, talking loudly on the phone in a language

Kei can’t quite place, and he slips his headphones over his ears. His dreams that night are filled with the life he was forced to leave. Late nights in smoky bars, flashes of green hair and freckles, orange hair and a smile brighter than the sun, the sense of family for once in

His life, and the thrill of violence lurking in the background. The silhouette of his kumicho telling him the danger he was in. He startles awake.

A glance at the clock shows the early hour of the morning. He doesn’t start his new job until tomorrow, so he decides to go stock

Up on groceries before the crowds become unbearable. He pulls on a hoodie and a face mask, grabs his keys and heads out. As he’s turning around to lock his door, the neighbor walks outside as well. He’s tall, taller than Kei which is rare, and shockingly awake for someone who was

Clearly no where close to sleeping when Kei heard him the night before.

‘Oh! You must be the new neighbor! I’m Lev!’ The man grins, shuffling his bag to extend his hand towards Kei. Kei looks at it, before raising his eyes back to Lev’s face. He makes no move to shake it.

‘Okay,’ he replies, pointedly glancing behind the giant silver haired man, trying to convey his desire to leave.

‘Okay? That’s a weird name.’ He moves his hand back, not phased by Kei’s rejection. ‘Are you new to Tokyo or just the area?’

Of course, Kei scowls. Of course his

New neighbor couldn’t be an introverted old lady who refused to make eye contact. If Tadashi could see him now, he’d be rolling on the filthy stairwell, laughing.

‘Lev, bud. I don’t think his name is okay.’ A figure appears behind Lev, causing Kei to pause. He hadn’t heard

Anyone approaching. The strangers face pops into view. He’s shorter than Lev but his mess of a hairstyle makes him appear taller than he is. Kei frowns behind his mask, the man, while attractive, has a shit eating grin on his face that rubs him the wrong way.

‘What! No way,

What’s your name then?’ Lev turns his attention back to Kei, grimacing in the corner of their walkway.

‘My name is please get out of my way so I can leave.’ He adds the please on automatically, years of lecturing from Suga on being polite only half doing their job. It causes

The darker haired man to laugh, cackle really, and Lev to pout.

‘Man, I was really hoping to finally get a nice neighbor,’ Lev pouts, but steps back to allow Kei past him.

‘Sorry to disappoint.’ He walks by, ignoring the grin and the stare by the unnamed man. Next time, he

Makes a mental note to himself, figure out the neighborhoods schedules before leaving. He does his shopping as fast as possible and is glad to be met with an empty landing on his return home.

Something about the encounter this morning had thrown him. Out of everyone he knew, he

Was always the hardest to sneak up on. Whether it was from his innate awareness of his surroundings or his ability, he could sense someone coming before they had made a noise most times. Had he allowed himself to drop his guard so easily? Or was he just being extra paranoid from

The situation he had found himself in? Either way, he didn’t want it to happen again. He would spend the rest of his day in his apartment, morosely staring at his ceiling until the sounds of his neighbor once again clanking around lulled him to sleep.

He successfully avoided

Said neighbor for the next few weeks, settling into a routine which involved leaving extra early for work to take an incredibly convoluted way there, working his shift taking admission fees for the museum and making as little small talk as possible with his coworkers, before

Taking a different but no less unnecessary path home, and retiring to his bed before 9 pm.

Tonight had started no differently. He had just finished cooking a small meal, and was sitting down to eat it when there was a knock on his door. He froze in his seat. Whoever was

Knocking would leave if he didn’t move, he reasoned with himself. He could ignore it.

‘Hey! Blondie! I know you’re in there.’ Kei rolled his eyes, shoulders relaxing slightly as he recognized the neighbors voice. ‘It’s Lev, your neighbor. I heard you cooking and realized when I

Started my dinner I was out of salt. Can I borrow some?’

Lev was yelling loud enough Kei was sure the whole block could hear so he walked over to open the door just enough he could see Lev’s grinning face.

‘You need salt? Are we living in a sitcom where this is an acceptable

Thing to do?’ He questioned, raising his eyebrow.

‘C’mon, it’s the neighborly thing to do!’ Lev grasped his hands together, bowing slightly.

‘I don’t recall ever asking to be neighborly.’

‘I’m very persistent. If you say no, I’ll stand here all night asking.’

Kei clicked

His tongue, shutting his door, and went to the kitchen to grab the requested item. He opened the door just enough to pass it through.

‘Here. You can keep it.’ He moves to slam the door, but it crunches on Lev’s foot who shouts in pain for a second, before recovering quickly.

‘Hey, I know you already made dinner, but I have a chocolate cake I got from the store! Come over for dessert,’ he hissed, clutching his foot while trying to maintain a friendly tone.

Kei just leveled a stare at him before slamming his door again. He heard Lev cuss, but

Thankfully move back to his own apartment. He could feel Tadashi’s frown even from this far away, but ultimately he was not banished to Tokyo to make friends. Especially not loud mouthed chatterboxes.

He ate his small meal, and after doing dishes settled into bed. Despite

His decline of Lev’s invite for company, as he lays there tonight he is blanketed by an extra layer of loneliness. He knew the second his kumicho told him that he needed to leave, leave now and don’t look back, that he would miss his friends. He knew he would struggle with the

Loss of Tadashi and Hitoka, no matter how much he tried to downplay them. He didn’t realize that the generally loud background of Tokyo wouldn’t compare to not hearing the idiot duo arguing in the background.

He fell asleep, loneliness carved into his bones.

His mood remained

Foul the following day. So foul, he decided to deviate from the norm and stop at what appeared to be an unobtrusive izakaya not too far from his place. As he settled in a seat in the corner, removed from the few people chatting around the place, he let the familiar sounds wash

Over him. It wasn’t quite the Crows Nest back home, but it would do for the night. He ordered his drink, kahlua with milk, and sent a silent curse to his former friends for making him the type of person who craved the familiarity of a crowd.

Nursing his drink, he closed his

Eyes and took in the room using his ability. His ability, the reason he was sent off to Tokyo. Your power is too strong for Shiratorizawa to get their hands on, they had argued, we can’t afford to lose you to them. He scoffed, but his musings were interrupted when he sensed

Someone moving closer to him. He opened his eyes just in time to see the stranger from the other day with Lev taking the seat right next to him, smug grin still on his face.

‘Ah, Lev’s mysterious new neighbor, out and about. What brings you to this lovely establishment megane?’

He all but croons, waving as the bartender sets a glass in front of him. Tsukishima narrows his eyes.

‘That’s also not my name. And trust me, if I would’ve have known you would be here, I wouldn’t have stopped in.’ He downs his drink, ready to leave but the other man stops

Him.

‘You’re very prickly for this part of town.’ He laughs, waving down the bartender to request a refill of Kei’s drink. ‘It’s nice. I’m Tetsu.’

Kei once again looks at the hand offered to him, wills the buzzed part of his brain to not focus on how nice the fingers look

Adorned with rings, and once again ignores it in favor of raising his eyebrows at the man in front of him.

‘I didn’t ask.’ He smiles, sweetly but with an edge, downs the drink that Tetsu had bought for him and grabs his coat. ‘If you’ll excuse me.’

‘Now, now, don’t be so

Hasty.’ Tetsu stands to follow him out. ‘At least let a man walk you back to your apartment, it’s dangerous out here for someone as pretty as you, moonshine.’

Kei stops so quickly Tetsu bumps into the back of him with a quiet oof. He whips his head around, eyes narrowing.

‘What did you just call me?’

‘Well you won’t tell me your name so I just have to make something up.’ He grins, pressing his hand to the small of Kei’s back to start them walking again. Kei contemplates smacking his hand away, but settles for increasing his pace to distance

Himself from the black haired menace.

‘Or, here’s a suggestion, you could take a hint and leave me alone.’

‘C’mon, you can’t be so grumpy you don’t want a few friends in the city. I’m biased but I’d say Lev and I are the best you can find this side of town.’

‘Who’s to say I

Don’t already have friends here?’ Kei scowls.

‘Me. It’s slight, but you’ve got a bit of an accent that doesn’t quite scream Tokyo.’ Kei can feel himself stiffen at that, and Tetsu moves to correct himself. ‘Don’t worry, I don’t think many would notice. I’m just especially

Interested in you.’

‘As if that’s supposed to make me feel better.’ The apartments are in view and Kei cannot wait until he is free from this conversation.

‘It should. My intentions are totally pure, promise.’ There’s a teasing lilt to Tetsu’s voice that infuriates Kei.

He knows, under different circumstances, this man would be exactly his type. How he would love to pin him to his bed and shut him up. He shakes his head to clear the thoughts from it.

‘Funny, I also don’t remember asking about your intentions. Do you mean to follow me into my

House like a stray cat or can you leave now?’ Something about the statement has Tetsu laughing, loud enough it alerts his neighbor who opens his door with no hesitation.

‘Woah hey! You’re not allowed to party with my neighbor without me!’ He pouts.

‘It’s not a party, it’s a

Cruel and unusual punishment from the gods.’ Kei deadpans.

‘You should come over,’ Tetsu prompts, nodding his head to Lev’s door. ‘Lev has some imported Russian vodka, it’s good shit. Better than whatever the hell that was you were drinking.’

‘I’ll pass.’ Kei opens his door

And slips inside to a chorus of boos from the other two. He hears them begin to talk and walks further inside, dropping his stuff on the couch as he heads to the bathroom to shower.

Russian, that must have been what Lev was speaking on the phone the other day. Those two were

Annoying, he would have to cross that izakaya off of his lists of potential places to go. It’s a shame really, the place had been nice. Clean for the part of town they were in.

Getting out of the shower, he heads to his bed. Without the presence of Tetsu’s unwanted conversation

The ache in Kei’s chest is back. He wonders how Karasuno is doing now, if Shiratorizawa has made any moves. He thinks, not for the first time, that he should’ve ignored his kumicho’s demands and stayed behind to help. What good was this stupid ability if when push came to shove,

He couldn’t even use it.

The next morning he’s woken up by his cheap burner phone ringing, a sound he hasn’t heard since he packed his stuff and left. He fumbles for it, frowning. Maybe it’s someone back home telling him they changed their mind, a small part of his brain

Whispered.

It’s not, he realizes looking at the number. It’s the museum. Hopes once again crushed, he answers. They had a call off and need someone to come in, and since his future is completely devoid of plans, he agrees to help out. A quick shower to snap away the remaining

Haziness from the alcohol he had consumed the night before and he was on his way.

His path was even more convoluted today, Tetsu’s words from last night ringing in his ears. One conversation, if you could even call it that, and he knew Kei wasn’t from Tokyo.

He waved off his

Bosses thanks, slipped on his name tag and slid into his spot behind the desk. The museum had opened a special exhibit last night and they were busier than they had been since Kei started. He worked through his lunch break, a steady stream of customers coming in. A glance at his

Watch showed he only had a few more hours until they closed. He took a few seconds to check his emails while the lady he had just rang out passed out the tickets to her children and put her money away. He recognized a new customer was walking up but before he could look up he was

Greeted with an unfortunately familiar voice.

‘Ho-ta-ru. I think I like moonshine better.’

He looks up, scowl immediately plastered on his face.

‘Are you stalking me? Should I call the authorities?’ Tetsu’s smile only grows at the ice in Kei’s voice.

‘Do you believe in

Coincidences?’

‘No.’

‘Me either.’ His grin cuts across his face, as he ignores the line slowly forming behind him. ‘Me and you, we’re meant to be friends Ho-ta-ru.’

He drags out Kei’s cover name again.

‘Highly unlikely. How many tickets did you need, sir?’ Kei saw the

Flash of desire in Tetsu’s eyes at the name, but he blinked it away before either one of them could react.

‘Two please. I’m not so obnoxious I’ll hit on you while you’re working, love, but maybe warn a guy before you hit him with the sir.’ He hands over the cash for them, and

Kei purposefully sets his change and tickets down on the counter. He calls out next and ignores the lingering stare as Tetsu grabs his stuff. As Tetsu walks away, his eyes flicker over to his retreating form briefly. He frowns when he finds him placing his hand on the small of

Some woman’s back.

The person in front of him asks a question that snaps his attention back into place. By the time they’re done letting people in, he goes to help them start closing down but is waved off by the boss as a thanks for helping them out. He leaves and on his way

Home his thoughts wander towards the messy black haired man.

He feels almost disappointed that Tetsu appeared to be there on some kind of date, which is absurd as he’s specifically made plans to not grow attachments to anyone here, no matter if he has to spend the rest of his

Life in Tokyo or not.

It’s okay to be curious, part of his brain that has started to sound suspiciously like Tadashi argues. The man has shown up to where he is two days in a row now, that’s suspicious enough on its own. It’s only fair that he does some investigating of his

Own.

At least, that’s what he tells himself when Lev, like clockwork, pops his head out to ask him to join him for a drink. He’ll say yes this once, grill a drunken Lev for information, and then never talk to them again. Lev’s face is so shocked when he says yes he almost

Changes his mind, but he’s pulled inside the apartment before he can.

Their layout is exactly the same. One big room, a half wall separating the kitchen from the rest, but otherwise the bathroom is the only part of the apartment with its own room. The difference between the two

Places though is Lev’s is clearly lived in. He drops his bag at the door and allows himself to be ushered in to the threadbare but comfy sofa. Lev insists he’s breaking out the good stuff, and one drink in and Kei’s plan goes flying out of his head.

He blames the alcohol for

His inability to dig answers out of Lev besides the information freely given. He also blames it for the way he starts to enjoy Lev’s company. One on one, Lev’s energy slows down a bit and Kei learns that the half Russian is a good story teller. Before he knows it, he’s blinking

And flopping back onto his own bed fully clothed.

He has never been happier in the morning to have the next day off. Even when Hinata had challenged them all to a drinking contest that had Kageyama barfing in the bushes and Tadashi unconscious at the bar. He manages to slide

His clothes from the previous day off, and drags himself into the shower. Clean, he allows himself to collapse back into his bed, grateful for the soft blankets he purchased with his last check. As he fell back asleep, he swore he would never drink whatever poison Lev had given

Him again.

His suspicions of Tetsu following him are quelled when he doesn’t see an inch of him the following week. It’s a nice, mundane week. He waves off Lev’s requests to hang out, gets back into his self enforced routine of work and home. Any notions that he might miss

Tetsu’s attention are overruled by an almost crippling homesickness.

He had never thought back when it was him and Akiteru bouncing from foster home to foster home, that he would grow so attached to a place. He hadn’t thought, after Akiteru’s lies, he could grow so attached to

Other people again. Now he had neither place nor people, just a shitty apartment in shitty Tokyo.

Most nights this week, he had found himself burying his head under his pillow as he counted backwards from 100 to stop himself from doing something he would regret, like

Hot wiring a car and heading back to Sendai. He was supposed to be the rational one, the one who helped make plans, not ruin them because he didn’t know how to live alone anymore. Pathetic, he had become pathetic.

It was during one of these self loathing sessions that Tetsu

Reappeared. Knocking on Kei’s door, repeatedly.

‘I know you’re in there! I’m very upset with you.’

Kei scowled, stomping over to the door.

‘What do you want?’ He hisses as he throws the door open.

‘You drank with Lev and not me?’ Tetsu starts off pouting, but he pauses

As he takes in Kei’s face. ‘Oh. You look like crap, are you sick?’

Kei feels himself creep closer and closer to the edge, and takes a deep breath to calm himself down.

‘Yes. I’m sick of you lot bugging me, and trying to alert the whole neighborhood whenever you want to talk

To me.’

‘You could always give me your number? So if we wanted you to come over we could text like modern civilization.’

‘I don’t have a cell phone.’ Kei lies.

‘You’re so funny. C’mon, you hung out with Lev, you owe me.’ Tetsu pleads, attempting puppy dog eyes but he just

Looks bizarre.

‘Don’t make that face. It’s not my fault you didn’t show up then. Besides, I’m not drinking that poison he calls vodka ever again.’

‘No need to! I went out and bought you your own bottle of kahlua to entice you to coming over.’

‘So I can drink from a bottle

/you’ve/ poisoned instead?’

‘Moonshine, I would never. Pinky swear.’ He holds his hand up, crooked pinky sticking out. Kei takes a second to contemplate his options, before once again claiming temporary insanity.

‘Fine.’ He hooks his pinky through Tetsu’s, missing the dazed

Look he gives him at the contact as he reaches to grab a hoodie off of his coat rack. ‘But if you poison me, I’ll call the cops.’

‘With what phone?’ Tetsu bounces back quick, moving aside to let Kei lock his door.

‘Shut up or I’ll change my mind.’

‘Too late, you pinky

Promised. There’s no take backs on those.’ Tetsu slings his arm over Kei’s shoulder while they walk the few steps to Lev’s door. Kei tries to suppress the shudder at the contact, he was annoying but he was warm and firm against Kei’s side, and it had been about a month and a half

Since he had last had someone casually touch him like this. He pushed the thoughts of his friends down before he could spiral and go lay back in his bed. Tetsu opens Lev’s door and at Kei’s raised eyebrow he chuckles.

‘I know, I tell the kid all the time to not leave it

Unlocked.’

‘It was locked until a minute ago!’ Lev yells from his spot on the couch, not phased by the two men waking in to his apartment. ‘Miss Muffles told me you guys were coming over!’

‘Miss Muffles?’ Kei asks. He looks around the apartment but only sees a scraggly

Looking cat lazing on Lev’s windowsill.

‘Yeah! She also says she doesn’t like you cause you don’t leave food out for her,’ he nods towards the cat.

‘Can you speak cat suddenly?’ Kei continues, sliding his shoes off.

‘Yeah, it’s my like ability. I’ve been able to talk to

Cats my whole life.’

Kei stalls at this, shocked to hear someone so clearly admitting their ability. He looks up at Lev who’s paying no attention to them, instead making weird meow-like sounds at the supposed ‘Miss Muffles’. He glances at Tetsu, hoping his shock is written off

As being unaware about abilities, but Tetsu is groaning, face buried in his hands as he shakes his head.

‘I’ve /also/ been telling him to not share that information so freely.’ He chastises Lev, before clapping Kei on the back. ‘The youth, am I right?’

‘I’m fairly certain me

And him are closer in age than me and you.’

‘Ouch, wounded.’

‘Hey, he’s not just anyone! It’s not like I told a complete stranger,’ Lev pouts.

‘That’s besides the point.’ Tetsu looks like he’s about to start lecturing Lev but Kei didn’t come here to listen to it. He scoots

Around the two of them to plant himself in the single chair.

‘I was told there would be better drinks tonight? Can we get to that part please?’

Tetsu pauses, stopped in his tracks with one finger already raised and poised to wag disappointedly in Lev’s face. Instead, a grin

Cracks open.

‘Of course, moonshine. Allow me to woo you with my bartending skills.’ He makes Kei his drink of choice, and he has to admit that the mix is spot on. Tetsu waits patiently for Kei’s judgement, grin widening when Kei tells him it’s ‘barely tolerable.’

‘Glowing

Review from you, I’ll take it.’

It takes a few more drinks for Kei to relax, loneliness from earlier washing away as his tolerance for the duo’s antics grows along with his inebriation. It’s when Tetsu goes to make him his fourth—fifth?—drink but bungles the bottle flip he was

Attempting, letting the dregs of alcohol splash directly on Lev’s couch as he shrieks, that Kei finds himself unable to hold back the laughter. He’s wheezing, arm around his stomach, as a stunned Tetsu and Lev stare at him, bottle still upturned. He calms down enough to look up

And see the two of them continuing to hold the bottle upside down before he’s off again. He hasn’t laughed this hard in ages, not since he was back home.

The second round of laughter spurs them into action though, and as Lev attempts to mop up his couch with a discarded shirt,

Tetsu tries to raid the kitchen for another bottle of Kahlua.

‘I’m not sure he needs another drink,’ Lev calls out as Tetsu whines at the choices.

Kei snorts, stealing the rest of Lev’s shot of the vodka. ‘Shut up, I could drink you under the table if you didn’t insist on

Poisoning yourself every day with this crap.’

‘I’m pretty sure-‘ Tetsu clambers over Lev who’s still cleaning ‘-that his blood is straight vodka at this point.’

‘I wouldn’t be surprised.’

Eventually, Kei relents and agrees to nurse a glass of whatever whiskey Tetsu is

Drinking. His worries from earlier long forgotten as he finds himself enjoying their company. He’s almost disappointed when he looks at the clock and notices the time. Lev swears that it’s totally fine if he crashes there, that he can flip the cushion over and let him take the

Couch, but Kei waves him off. Tetsu insists on walking him back to his door.

‘So. You took the whole ability thing pretty well,’ Tetsu starts off slowly as Lev’s door clicks behind them. His tone is cautious, but years of training has Kei recognizing the probing behind the

Caution. He shrugs, nonchalantly.

‘I had a friend back home who could make his lemon tree sprout whenever he wanted,’ he said, hoping that his drunkenness didn’t betray his own attempt at a casual tone as he severely under explained Tadashi’s own green thumb ability. He knew

Layering in a bit of the truth would sell the story to the toughest of interrogators, not knowing what exactly Tetsu’s motivations were.

‘Oh. So it doesn’t freak you out?’

‘No. I guess I just never realized how..’ he trailed off, looking over the walkways ledge, contemplating

His word choice. ‘Useless? Abilities were.’

‘Useless, huh. Don’t let Lev hear you say that.’ He snorted, looking relieved at Kei’s words. Kei waved him off, wishing him a goodnight as he returned to his apartment. He did up his locks, and stripped down to his boxers, flopping

Down onto his mattress.

Despite the alcohol slowly working it’s way through his veins, his brain was working double time. He didn’t remember anything about someone with an animal talking ability in any of his studies of Tokyo gangs, so he figured it was a one off situation.

Someone who had such an overlooked ability no one had capitalized on it. He was almost jealous, his own ability fresh on his mind. Lev was lucky, so far, but Tetsu was right that someone could end up using that information against him.

He wondered briefly if Lev’s ability was

On the government’s pathetic attempt at a registry or if, given his current standings, he was forgotten about. Slipped through the cracks like Kei had. Like Akiteru had made sure Kei had, the one good thing his brother had done for him, he thought. Refusing to go down that rocky

Path while still intoxicated, he shook his head, rolling over.

What would it be like, he thought instead, to have some run of the mill ability? Or, even better, no ability? He wouldn’t have been sent to Tokyo that’s for sure. But, without it, would he have met Karasuno at all?

If he did meet them, would they have found him useful?

Yes, part of his brain argued. He barely used his ability to it’s full potential anyways, Daichi-sama always wanting to keep it a secret. No, another part argued, he was worth nothing without it. Would never having met

Tadashi and Yachi, hell even the tangerine and his king, be worth it over the pain of not seeing them again?

What good was his stupid ability anyways? He never liked the sight of blood to start, the power to control it was wasted on him. He was suddenly brought back to the

Crow’s Nest, Tadashi making him watch that silly show about the boy and the elements. When the concept of blood bending, controlling people by using the very essence of what kept their hearts pumping, was introduced, Tadashi had yelled, telling Kei how cool it was that they

Basically had the same power as him. How he had fake gagged, telling Tadashi that he wasn’t allowed to pick the shows anymore. He finally relaxes, allowing himself to indulge in memories of times spent huddled around the tiny tv in their tiny clubhouse, surrounded by people he

Cared about.

It becomes part of his routine somehow. Once a week, Kei finds himself at Lev’s, with or without Tetsu there, sometimes drinking, sometimes just eating a crappy dinner and watching whatever trashy show Lev had started now. He didn’t mean to let it happen, and he

Keeps telling himself that he’s going to start keeping his distance, but so far all it takes is a pout from either Tetsu or Lev and he caves.

It is the only time he sees the other two though, he’s had no more surprise visits from Tetsu at his job. Despite slowly allowing

Himself to grow closer to the two of them, he doesn’t forget why he was shipped off to Tokyo in the first place, and he makes no additional efforts to integrate himself into society. He works, sleeps, grocery shops, and sits on Lev’s single chair.

That’s why, when he leaves

Work one Friday to see his giant Russian neighbor waving at him from across the road, it comes as a bit of a shock.

‘Do I want to know?’ Kei asks, crossing earlier than normal to meet up with Lev.

‘I’m here to walk you home!’

‘No thanks?’

Lev frowns at Kei’s bewildered

Rejection before he looks around them, and leans down closer to Kei. His next words are quieter, meant just for the two of them.

‘Look, Tetsu heard it through the grapevine that there was some real serious stuff going down with Nekoma today. They’re a local gang, and he thought

It was best that we played the buddy game.’

Kei knows who Nekoma is, but he plays along. ‘And why would you escort me and not him if he’s so worried?’

‘He uh,’ Lev falters. ‘He couldn’t get out of a prior engagement. We should be fine but let’s not risk it, yeah? Home and

Straight to bed for us tonight.’ He shrugs, motioning for Kei to follow him.

Kei does, but his thoughts are a jumbled mess on the way back. He knows he can’t do his normal extra complicated route back and it flusters him. He pays more attention to the people surrounding them

Than whatever Lev is rambling about, and sooner than he would have liked it, they are parting to go into their own apartments. Kei eats his dinner in silence, deciding that he might as well head to bed early. He has no intention of crossing paths with someone from Nekoma

Tonight.

Nekoma is pretty similar to Karasuno. They were both big gangs a few years back, but had fallen into some hard times. Nekoma bounced back quicker, but not much was known about the members of the new family. He knows that their old kumicho Nekomata had stepped down,

Handing the reins of power over to his nephew, Kuroo-sama. He had even less information on this Kuroo figure, seeing as the man was never photographed in public. The rumor was he had a particularly nasty ability of his own, the art of persuasion. It was said that all it took was

One sentence, imbued with his ability, and you would find yourself doing anything he told you to. Kei shuddered in bed, momentarily glad that he was not here to deal with Nekoma head on.

As he was just about to fall asleep, he hears Lev’s door crack open before the apartment

Falls silent. He writes it off the next morning as himself simply dreaming. If Nekoma was working last night, a supposed huge operation, there was no reason for his neighbor to have left.

He gets ready slowly, not ready to face the day. He thinks about calling off, before

Realizing if he did, he would spend all day in bed and he forces himself to pull on his work clothes. Slipping his shoes on to leave, he opens his door to find Tetsu leaning against the rail, smoking a cigarette. He once again ignored the flash of heat at how attractive the

Other man made the most mundane things look.

‘Smoking kills.’ He deadpans.

‘Moonshine. We all have our vices.’

‘And here I thought yours were being incredibly annoying.’

‘No, unfortunately not. My vices are smoking and staring at your beautiful face.’ Tetsu winked.

‘Yuck.’ Kei made a fake barf motion, walking around Tetsu to head down the stairs. He raised his eyebrows as Tetsu followed. ‘Can I help you?’

‘I was just so jealous that Lev got to escort you home, so I decided to do the opposite for you today.’

‘You can’t honestly think

If there was,’ Kei’s voice trailed to an almost whisper, ‘suspected gang activity last night, that I would be in danger this morning.’

‘Love, you’re in danger every time I see you. In danger of stealing my heart.’ Tetsu winked again, but kept pace next to Kei.

‘Disgusting.’

‘Not one of my best pick up lines, but it’s early. You can’t blame a man for trying, ho-ta-ru.’

Kei can tell by the way he continues to say his cover name that Tetsu doesn’t seem to believe it. He narrows his eyes.

‘Stop saying my name like that. And no one told you to be

Here right now.’

‘I’m just saying it normally.’

‘You’re not. Everything about you is abnormal.’

Tetsu whined at Kei’s words, and before Kei could blink they were in front of his work.

‘Toodle-loo,’ Tetsu called, waving as he left Kei at the entrance. Kei rolled his eyes,

Heading inside to work.

Kei tries to convince himself that he isn’t disappointed when he leaves work that evening and Tetsu isn’t outside waiting for him. It almost works, until he finds himself knocking on Lev’s door, trying to check if the older man was over tonight.

All

Thoughts of Tetsu leave his head when Lev opens the door, right eye black, blue, and swollen shut.

‘Christ, are you okay?’ He asks, aware that genuine concern is leaking into his voice.

‘Oh this?’ Lev points at his eye. ‘Yeah, I’m good. You should see the other guy.’

‘Do

I even want to know?’

‘It was nothing serious, just a misunderstanding.’ Lev’s answers are mysteriously cagey, for someone who has never held back on a story ever. Kei narrows his eyes in suspicion.

‘Right.’

‘Well, what uh. What can I do for you?’ Lev asks, rocking back

And forth on his feet. He makes no move to invite Kei in, like normal.

‘You know what? Nevermind.’ Kei turns, heading to his own apartment. He frowns, and spends most of the night looking for answers in Lev’s body language. All he gets is a headache, so he forced himself to go

To bed ridiculously early again.

The next few days are almost suspiciously Lev and Tetsu free. Kei bounces between acceptance, this was bound to happen anyways, let them make the distance, and sadness at losing the only real human connection he had in this city. When the two

Of them finally make their reappearance, they both act as if nothing had happened the other night.

Kei’s instincts are screaming at him to dig further into it, but he ignores them to favor ignorance. He’s decided that if he’s supposed to just live out the rest of his days in

Tokyo, he has no obligation to solve other peoples problems. He lets them sweep their strange behavior under the rug with a blind eye.

They settle back in to the routine, but Kei finds his time at Lev’s apartment is increasing. On top of that, if Lev is busy, on more than one

Occasion he has found himself letting Tetsu into his bare apartment. The two of them will nurse a few drinks together, spending their time talking since Kei had yet to find it in him to buy a television. He tried to not think about his friendship with the two of them, especially

Not his friendship with Tetsu. Over time he thought that the curtain would drop, one of them would grow to annoy him like most people did, but it hadn’t happened yet. If anything, he found himself growing more and more attracted to Tetsu. He refused to acknowledge it though, not

Wanting to deal with the complications. He had meant to live the rest of his life as a loner, a hermit with no friends, but the two of them seemed to weasel their way in.

Tonight was one of those nights. Lev had left an hour or so ago, giddy about the prospect of a first date

With someone who was a mutual friend of Tetsu’s. Tetsu had laughed when he left, joking that he wasn’t sure the other participant knew it was a date. Kei frowned.

‘Isn’t that just setting Lev up for embarrassment?’

‘Nah. The other dude is into him too, just too stubborn to

Admit it yet. Why? Worried about our dear friends feelings?’ He smirked at Kei.

‘No,’ Kei tried to backtrack. ‘You guys aren’t my friends, you’re more like a fungus I can’t get rid of.’ Tetsu laughed but let the subject drop.

Kei would like to say he wasn’t sure how they got

To this point, but he wasn’t completely unaware. He knew that Tetsu was flirting with him, more often than not. He knew that despite his prickly demeanor, back home he was always down for a good time with a pretty face, and he knew the second Tetsu was able to match his banter

Line for line that he was screwed. So when, both of them a few drinks in, sitting closer and closer together on his lumpy couch, Kei found himself staring more and more at Tetsu’s lips, he wasn’t surprised.

Tetsu was not as full body animated as Lev when he told a story, but

His face was, expression changing constantly. He also kept darting his tongue out to lick his lips, and Kei was overcome with the urge to be the one wetting Tetsu’s mouth. He shifts on the couch, tucking one of his legs underneath himself to face Tetsu. Tetsu, bless him, only

Falters slightly in the story at the new proximity. He barrels ahead like nothing has changed and when Kei brings his hand to rest on Tetsu’s thigh, the only thing that betrays him is the blush spreading high on his ears.

‘Can you shut up for a minute?’ Kei interrupts and when

Tetsu frowns, pausing mid sentence, Kei makes his move. The kiss is brief, too brief for what Kei really wants. When he pulls back, Tetsu has his eyes closed and when he slowly blinks them back open, an almost pained expression takes over his face.

‘Did I overstep?’

‘No, moonshine. Trust me, I want this very very much but..’ he trails off, hand coming to tangle his fingers with Kei’s.

‘But what? You want it, I want it, what more is there?’

‘You’re drunk. I don’t want to take advantage of you.’ Tetsu looks so sincere Kei almost feels bad

For laughing in his face.

‘Drunk? I’m barely buzzed. Even if I was, you wouldn’t be the first person I hooked up with under the influence.’ He shifts his hand higher on Tetsu’s thigh, making his intentions clear. Tetsu’s eyes flash, almost dangerously, before he’s flipping them

Suddenly, pressing Kei into the couch with his body weight.

‘Talking about men who you fucked before me is a dangerous game, love.’ His eyes were dark, filled with lust and something else that made the hairs on the back of Kei’s neck stand up. His ingrained sense of danger from

Spending his life in the shady side of the city was flaring, telling him to withdraw, but it was overruled by the thrill of having Tetsu’s attention on him like this, the thrill of his warm, solid body pressing down on Kei’s.

‘Before you? Big talk for someone who was acting too

Scared to kiss me a second ago,’ he teases, tilting his head in a challenge. Tetsu takes the challenge, leaning down to ghost his lips over Kei’s.

‘Dangerous words, love.’

As much as Kei is enjoying the back and forth, he was buzzed and his patience was too thin for this, so

He rolls his eyes, relishing in the look Tetsu gives him again(danger danger danger his heart pounds) as he slides his hand to the back of Tetsu’s neck and pulls him down. This kiss is messy, their teeth clack together as Kei openly moans into Tetsu’s mouth, rolling his hips

Upwards. He raises his fingers up until they’re tangled in the back of Tetsu’s hair and yanks, huffing out a laugh as Tetsu practically growls against him. It’s been a while since he had kissed someone, even longer since it had felt like this.

Tetsu is just as affected as Kei

Is, as felt by the bulge in his pants rocking against Kei’s. It feels good, almost good enough Kei would be content getting off just like this, but his body is begging for more.

‘We can move to the bed,’ he manages to gasp as he turns his head away from Tetsu’s mouth. ‘Or you

Can fuck me here, your choice.’

Tetsu takes advantage of Kei’s momentary distraction to lick a solid stripe directly up and along the line of Kei’s jaw, ending with a sharp nip to his earlobe. Kei sucks in a breath, seconds away from demanding they do it here to save him the 10

Seconds it would take for them to walk to the bed.

‘Oh, sweetheart. I’m not fucking you tonight.’

‘You want me to-‘ Kei is cut off as Tetsu stands, dragging him across the room. ‘You want me to fuck you instead?’

‘Nope!’ Tetsu says, entirely too happy for someone who just

Turned Kei down. He lays back on Kei’s bed, thankfully not commenting on the sad state of the mattress.

‘Did you think I said we could move to the bed to chit chat?’ Kei hisses, pulling his shirt off as he moves to straddle Tetsu. ‘Or do you think I want to rut against you like

A horny teenager?’

‘Neither, though you didn’t seem to mind the rutting a minute ago,’ he cocks his head as Kei scowls.

‘You’re so annoying.’ He clicks his tongue, before sliding their lips back together. Tetsu’s hands come to brush along his sides, encouraging Kei’s hips

To continue to roll against his.

‘You keep saying that but I think you secretly like it.’

‘Incorrect, it’s infuriating. If you’re not going to fuck me, or let me fuck you, what are we doing here?’

‘I thought we were here to discuss our book recommendations?’ Tetsu’s voice

Is starting to strain, the only sign besides the bulge in his pants that he’s as affected as Kei is.

‘God, would you shut up?’ Kei groans. His head drops to Tetsu’s shoulder, and he lets his hands slide under his shirt and up his chest.

‘Make me?’

Kei makes eye contact for

A second before nodding, shuffling forward so he’s straddling Tetsu’s chest. Tetsu reaches up and around him to pull Kei’s zipper down, tugging at the waistband until his cock finally springs free, flushed with need. Kei hisses as the cool air makes contact, and when he looks

Down and sees Tetsu licking his lips in anticipation, his resolve finally cracks. He shuffles forward enough that Tetsu drops his mouth open, after whispering that he could take it. He uses one hand to guide his throbbing cock into Tetsu’s ready mouth. His other hand comes to

Rest against the wall as he shallowly thrusts, testing the waters.

Tetsu wraps his hands around Kei’s thighs, urging him deeper and before long Kei has set a brutal pace. He thinks, offhandedly, that it’s a good thing Lev is out. His pace has the bed creaking, the frame hitting

Off the wall, and when you pair that with the obscene sounds Tetsu is making around his cock, it’s clear what the two of them are up to. He drops from his hand to his elbow as Tetsu’s throat constricts, gagging around him. Tetsu’s eyes are bright even as they leak tears from how

Kei is fucking his face, and if Kei had to guess what Tetsu was thinking right now it would probably be a taunt. He’s overcome with the urge to put Tetsu in his place, even though he’s the one fucking his face, and one of his hands slowly drops down to wrap gently around Tetsu’s

Throat. He waits, giving the other man time to push the hand away or pinch his thigh that it’s too much, but instead Tetsu’s eyes blow brighter, a moan slipping out. The vibrations paired with how Tetsu’s throat feels under his hand and around his cock are enough to bring him to

The edge, and he pulls out. He ignores the whine Tetsu makes as he slips back past his lips, the hand against the wall coming to twist once, twice around the head of his cock, gliding so smoothly with the spit from Tetsu’s mouth, until he crests over the edge completely. He

Shoots string after string of his load onto Tetsu’s face, hand never leaving his throat.

When he comes back to himself, he slides back down the bed, rolling off of Tetsu and pulling his pants off fully. He glances back up to see Tetsu using his thumb to slide a bit of Kei’s

Release into his mouth, pulling it back out with a pop.

‘Gross.’ He goes to stand and grab a towel for cleanup when Tetsu whines, grabbing at his legs.

‘Moonshineee, where are you going?’

‘To get a towel? Unless you want that to dry on your face while I blow you?’ He shakes

His leg, trying to detach him.

‘Oh. Okay deal.’

Kei wets a rag and then tosses it at Tetsu’s face, laughing as he sputters. Once he’s cleaned up, the towel is discarded along with Tetsu’s clothes. Kei isn’t ashamed to admit that he can feel his mouth start to water at the

Sight.

He’s got tattoos, which should set off alarm bells in his head, but the practice is so common now he doesn’t think twice. He’s also a lot more muscular than you could tell from the baggy shirts he always seemed to be wearing. The prize though, that catches his eyes, is

His dick. It’s not the longest he’s ever had, but it’s thick. Kei knows it’s going to feel like he’s pulling at the sides of his lips putting it inside of his mouth and he mourns the loss of the chance to have it inside of him.

‘Are you sure you don’t wanna fuck me?’ He double

Checks, already imagining the stretch he craves.

‘Want to, love. Not going to.’ Tetsu’s still laid on his back, slowly stroking himself as Kei stares.

‘Why?’ He can feel himself pouting, and Tetsu laughs, pulling him down for another kiss.

‘You’re not drunk, I know, but

You’re going to be fully sober the first time I’m inside of you.’ Kei’s hand bats Tetsu’s away, taking over the pace.

‘Does my mouth not count as inside of me?’

‘Don’t be a brat or I won’t let you suck me off either. I’ll just let you sit nice and pretty for me as I jerk off

On you.’

Kei feels another thrill at Tetsu’s tone, at the thought of being made to look but not touch. He breaks away from the mark he was slowly sucking into Tetsu’s collarbone to dip his head down and lave his tongue over Tetsu’s nipple, before giving a sharp but short bite

To the nub.

‘Sorry, sir.’ He grins up at Tetsu who only groans in response, heavy hand coming to rest on Kei’s head as he slides down his body. ‘I’ll be good for you.’

‘Shit-‘ Tetsu curses as Kei licks a path up his dick, swirling his tongue around the head before beginning

To bob his head up and down. ‘In the guise of transparency I feel like I need to tell you I’m not going to last long.’ His voice is strained even further, raspy still from Kei’s cock.

‘Aw, is this your first blowjob?’

‘No, just been a minute.’ His breathing grows heavier

As Kei works him in and out of his mouth. ‘And fuck, you’re good at this. A natural huh?’

‘I’ve had a lot of practice.’ Kei’s eyes shimmer with mischief as Tetsu’s darken again.

‘You are not allowed to talk about other men when my dick is in your mouth,’ he practically

Growls, hand tightening it’s hold on Kei’s head.

‘Oops, forgot.’

‘Brat,’ Tetsu holds him in place as he starts his own thrusts. Kei swallows his gag reflex, allowing Tetsu to go as deep as he wants. ‘Such a smart mouth for a slut,’ he gasps, eyes rolling back in his head as

He spills his seed directly down Kei’s throat. Kei moans, letting Tetsu soften in his mouth before pulling back. He allows Tetsu to pull him up for a sloppy kiss, and allows him to grab the single blanket Kei owns and cover the both of them up. Kei finally settles his head on

Tetsu’s chest, his heartbeat lulling him to a half awake state.

‘You staying?’ He manages to get out between yawns, curling in closer.

‘I can for a bit. Gotta work early though, so I may be gone when you get up.’ Tetsu kisses the top of his head.

‘Kay. Lock the door on your

Way out.’

Tetsu replies but Kei is too far gone to hear his response, letting the warmth of their bodies pull him under.

Tetsu doesn’t lie, and is gone when Kei wakes up. He ignores the pang in his chest, blaming it again on homesickness, and not missing the older man. He

Rolls over to see a note from the man in question, a phone number scrawled messily on the back of an envelope with a silly cat doodle that looks surprisingly similar to the man who drew it. He scoffs, remembering that he doesn’t have anything besides a burner that he uses for

Work. He saves the envelope in his drawer still.

The next time at Lev’s, they both pretend that nothing happens until Lev runs to the bathroom. Tetsu leans in, arms on his thighs as he smirks at Kei.

‘You didn’t call?’

‘No phone, dummy. I told you.’

Tetsu’s mouth drops

Into an O of understanding. ‘Damn, I thought you were ghosting me. What do you say we ditch Lev and head back to yours?’

‘So you can fuck me finally?’ Kei questions, raising his eyebrows. Tetsu just grins, shaking the empty alcohol bottle.

‘Not quite.’

‘Then I’ll pass. Lev

Is better company anyways.’ Tetsu’s eyes flash again like he’s about to say something, but before he can open his mouth Lev walks back in.

‘I grabbed snacks!’

‘From the bathroom?’

(Kei is not quite ashamed to admit that he did let Tetsu into his place before he leaves, and

They end the evening with Tetsu’s hand wrapped around both of them, spilling between his fingers.)

Kei is a little ashamed to admit that most nights at Levs now end in a somewhat similar fashion. What had started as a chance for a quick hookup to get Tetsu out of his system is

Quickly spiraling out of control. They hadn’t even had penetrative sex yet. In fact, the last time Tetsu had came over to Kei’s apartment because Lev was on a real first date this time, Kei purposely abstained from drinking, swearing to himself this would be the night. Instead,

Tetsu had shown up with his arms full of cheap take out and they had curled up on his couch, eating and talking, and afterwards, Tetsu had massaged Kei’s feet as he talked about his day at work. The domesticity of it should have made him sick to his stomach, it did every other

Time he grew close to someone, but something was different this time. When they finally made it to his bed, they had merely kissed, slowly and unhurriedly, until Kei drifted to sleep. This time he woke as Tetsu crawled over him to leave for work, and despite his grumbling, he

Rolled over to kiss him goodbye before falling back asleep. It wasn’t until the second time he woke up he realized he had failed on his plan.

‘Where is your lump of a friend again?’ Kei asked Lev, another day sprawled in his chair while the Russian rambled on.

‘He’s at work.’

‘Doesn’t he work the morning shift?’

‘No idea!’ Lev answers earnestly.

‘Don’t you know him from work? How do you not know his shift?’

‘He uh, switches a lot. He’s a workaholic secretly.’

‘Sure.’ Kei narrows his eyes, but allows Lev to change the subject.

Something is

Bothering him today. He isn’t sure if it’s Tetsu’s absence(the second time in a row) or something else, but he almost wants it to be something else. Lev seems unbothered but Kei can’t shake the feeling that something is /off/. He lets his mind wander while Lev tries to remember

A story from his childhood. He takes stock of his day. Woke up at his normal time. Worked his normal shift. No one incredibly out of the ordinary there, no one who stuck out. He did his back track walk home so no one could’ve followed him. Lev was already here when he got home,

And he didn’t see any unusual cars or people outside. As loathe as he is to admit it, maybe it is Tetsu’s disappearance that’s bothering him. He starts to tune back in to Levs ramblings, tuning back out when he realizes he’s not even halfway through the story. It couldn’t hurt,

He reasons with himself, to use his ability. Just a quick check of the nearby area. That can help him narrow down this feeling. Along with being able to control blood, if he focused hard enough he could sense it, tell when people were near. He used it often his first few nights

In the apartments, trying to get a sense of who was where. He lets his eyes close as he focuses, feeling the downstairs neighbor shuffling around his room, the other apartment empty after the single mother had moved out last week. He could sense Lev clearly, and that his own

Apartment was blissfully empty. He could sense two people coming up the stairs—his eyes blinked open.

‘Lev. Do you have people coming over?’ He interrupts Lev mid sentence, and he stops and thinks.

‘No? The only one who would be coming would be Tetsu and he would’ve texted.’

Kei feels his blood run cold. He zones back out, trying to ignore Lev’s questions, hoping that the people in question realize their mistake and turn around. They can’t be here for him, can they? He had been careful, there were no ties between him and Karasuno for Shiratorizawa to

Track him to his apartment. He almost sighs in relief when he can sense the men pause in front of Lev’s door, before his brain catches back up. He has seconds to launch himself across the living room, grabbing Lev and throwing them both to the floor as the chaos starts. Bullets

Tear through the walls, shattering Lev’s picture frames and raining glass and wooden debris down on them. Kei has one hand over Lev’s mouth and one covering the back of his head. They lay there as the bullets stop, and Kei glares as Lev goes to move. He keeps his hand over Lev’s

Mouth, straining to hear what the men are saying.

‘There’s no reason to check, there’s no way he didn’t get blown to pieces!’ One of them states, cocky and arrogant.

‘I’m still going to check. Just give me a second to see if I can pick up a pulse.’

Kei’s eyes widen, there’s

No way either of them are equipped or ready to fight these men off if they notice they’re alive. He makes a split second decision, pressing his hand in harder on Lev’s panicked mouth, whispering ‘shut up and trust me,’ before focusing all of his attention on slowing down both of

Their heart rates, hoping that his training holds out and he can keep them low long enough that the men leave. He holds out for as long as he can, vision blurring when he finally makes out the second man stating that the only pulse was low, too low to be considered as making a

Recovery.

‘Light it up then.’

Kei mentally swears at that, releasing his hold on Lev’s and letting his heart rate rise again, ignoring the curses and Russian words spilling out of Lev’s mouth. The fire is spreading fast, but Kei knows they have to time it right to avoid the

Two from outside. He pulls his shirt up over his mouth, motioning for Lev to do the same thing before crawling over to the window. It’s not a huge drop down, but enough that it could do some damage if not done properly. He checks the surroundings, no sign of the men from before,

And shimmies the window open.

‘Jump after me, I’ll break your fall.’ He yells to Lev as the fire roars behind them. Lev nods, and Kei carefully lowers himself out of the window. He tries to tuck and roll, but misjudges it and he’s pretty sure he hears his ankle snap. Hissing in

Pain, he turns around signaling for Lev to come down. It ends less gracefully than either of them could hope for, both of them sprawled on the dirty alleyway floor, Kei possibly nursing a concussion along with the broken ankle now. The alley is a dead end, and they pick

Themselves up and Lev helps Kei limp to the end. To his surprise, the front of their apartment is surrounded by cars, and standing at the head of the cars is an incredibly distraught looking Tetsu.

There’s a shorter man there, who Kei can only assume is the man Lev is dating

From the descriptions Lev’s given of him, who’s holding Tetsu back from running into the burning building.

‘You’ll die, idiot! If they were in there, there’s no helping them at this point!’ He’s yelling as Tetsu is screaming Lev’s name, and Kei’s fake name.

He hears Lev try

To call out besides him, but it ends with Lev coughing, the smoke inhalation messing with his lungs.

‘C’mon,’ Kei rasps out, motioning for Lev to keep walking them. Their advances must catch someone’s eye because not even a minute later, half of the men from the cars have

Guns pointed in their faces. Lev tries to call out in shock but just ends up coughing again, dropping his hold on Kei who curses as his body weight is suddenly thrown back on his swelling ankle. He can feel himself starting to fall, unable to catch his balance when suddenly Tetsu

Has his arms around him, cradling his head to his chest as he murmurs ‘thank god’ over and over. The shorter man waves off the guns, coming over to check on Lev. Tetsu goes to pull back, but it once again shifts Kei’s weight wrong and he can’t stop the whimper of pain. Tetsu

Freezes, glancing down to assess the situation.

‘His ankle snapped,’ Kei hears Lev whisper, trying to soothe his sore throat. ‘Hit his head on the ground pretty hard too. Had to jump out the window.’

‘Kuroo, we have to move. The cops will be here soon. They can be looked at

Back at home.’ The shorter one yanks Lev to his feet. Kuroo, Kei’s head is pounding, why does that sound familiar. He tries to place it but once he feels Tetsu dip down to position his arms low enough to bridal carry Kei to the car, he stops trying to think.

‘Moonshine? Love,

I know your head hurts but you gotta stay awake until the doctor looks at you, okay?’

He hears Tetsu talking to him but the words aren’t registering, and despite the frantic tone in Tetsu’s voice blissful silence finally envelops him.

The next thing he knows is silence. He

Opens his eyes, the events from the night before flooding back in. He freezes when he realizes he has no idea where he is, but that it’s definitely not a hospital room. That’s when it hits him. Lev’s boyfriend didn’t call Tetsu by the name Kei called him. He had called him Kuroo.

As in the head of Nekoma Kuroo? He felt the back of his head gingerly, expecting to feel bandages or a tender spot but felt nothing. He gave his ankle an experimental twist but it was also fine. There’s no way he was out long enough that he was fully healed, meaning Nekoma must

Have someone who can heal on their payroll.

Deep breathes, Kei. They don’t know who you are. Nekoma has no reason to side with Shiratorizawa, they have no ducks in the fight in Miyagi.

Tetsu-no, Kuroo, he corrected himself, probably still thinks you’re Lev’s clueless

Neighbor. God, only you, he accused himself. Only you would get sent to Tokyo to avoid the yakuza and end up almost fucking the head of one.

All he had to do was convince Kuroo that he was just shaken up by the events of other night and he could find a cheap motel. He would

Have to leave Tokyo. Maybe he would just head back to Karasuno, tell Daichi that it was a nice try but his plan ended up worse than if he had stayed. He stood, moving to the doorknob and twisting it, but it didn’t open. He gave the door another rattle and nothing. It was locked

Shut.

Fuck. Fuck! What now? What could he have possibly done to warrant this? He tried to think about the events of the previous night when he realized that he had used his ability on Lev. Had Lev sold him out? Well, he guesses he can’t blame him if he was secretly working for

Nekoma this whole time. He would’ve told Daichi if a supposed normal neighbor had turned out to have an ability too.

This could be bad. He needs to find a way to get out of this. He searches the room but comes up empty handed. There’s no window to climb out of or anything he

Could use as a makeshift weapon. He’s going to have to play dumb and look for an opening. See if he can fool whoever comes to look for him. He sits back on the bed, placing his head in his hands as he tries to steady his breathing.

Before he can completely calm down, the door

Opens. His head snaps up to see Kuroo walk in, shutting the door behind him. Gone are the baggy clothes he would wear to Lev’s, the oversized shirts and jeans he would toss on Kei’s floor. In its place are clothes fit for the youngest kumicho of Nekoma, slacks and a button up

That clearly costs more than one month of rent at Kei’s now burnt down apartment. He leans casually on the closed door, eyes cool.

‘You’re awake.’

Kei’s plans of playing dumb are temporarily forgotten as anger surges through him. ‘Why am I locked in this room?’ He snaps.

‘You had a shattered ankle and a pretty severe concussion, we didn’t want you getting up disoriented and getting lost—‘

‘Bullshit.’ Kei cuts him off. His plan is slowly flying out of the nonexistent window, anger building more and more as this man who pretended to be someone

Else, this man who had spent more nights than he would like to admit simply holding him in bed, regarded him with a detached casualness.

‘Always so feisty.’ Kuroo grins but a halfhearted one. ‘You want to cut straight to the chase?’

‘I want to know why it appears that I’m

Being held hostage after being dragged into the middle of /your/ bullshit.’

‘You know, I really believed you when you said your friend had a useless ability. I didn’t think for one second that you did as well.’

‘Who says I do?’

‘Lev. He said you heard those men walking up

The stairs and that you did something to him, something that made him feel like he was dying.’

‘Lev’s imagining things. I heard them coming because I have these things called ears, and he felt like he was dying because of the panic of his apartment being blown to smithereens.’

‘Tsukki, cut the shit. What’s your ability?’ This time Kuroo’s grin is stronger, and Kei would be comparing it to the grin of a cat who had just got the canary if his blood hadn’t run cold.

‘What did you just call me?’ He spits out, willing his body to relax. He knows he’s

Given himself away. He knows Kuroo knows who he is.

‘Tsukki, I think it’s a cute nickname, no? You see-‘ he moves to sit backwards on the desk chair, facing Kei on the bed ‘-after Lev’s revelation about your ability, we did some digging. Your accent and your standoffish

Attitude was enough to tell you were running from Sendai but from what? My secondhand man, Kenma, he’s pretty good at computer stuff. It wasn’t hard to hack into a bunch of bigger Yakuza’s files. And imagine my surprise when Shiratorizawa has a giant memo with your face on it,

Telling the family to bring you in alive. What could they possibly want with you?’ His grin grows as he explains it and Kei fights the sick feeling to try and remain calm.

‘I think that you inhaled too much smoke at the apartments. I think you’re delusional.’

‘I think you have

A highly sought after ability if their memos refuse to mention it. What’s your ability, Tsukishima?’

‘I don’t know what you’re talking about.’

‘The dumb act doesn’t work with you, sorry I’m not buying it. What’s your ability?’

‘Do you think asking the same question over and

Over is going to get a new answer? I already told you, I don’t know what you’re talking about.’

‘Yaku thinks I’m pretty stupid for not immediately handing you over to Shiratorizawa for the highest price they’ll pay for you, and trust me love it’s a high price. Just work with

Me on this.’

‘I’m not working with you on anything. What, do you get off on pretending to be a low life criminal? Is that why you kept putting off sleeping with me? I was fun for a good time but once it came to commitment you didn’t want to dirty yourself!’

‘Do not-‘ Kuroo’s

Anger finally hits its boiling point as he seethes ‘-accuse me of some dumb bullshit like that. You’re the one who was pretending to be someone else! You’re the one who was what, trying to weasel your way into Nekoma?’

‘When the fuck did I ever mention Nekoma? I cannot believe

You’re going to drag me in the middle of /your/ shit and then accuse me of this crap. If I have an ability, it is none of your business!’

‘It became my business last night, when one of my men almost died!’

‘Those men were after Lev, not me. They came to Lev’s door, not mine.

They shot up his apartment, not mine!’

‘Do you even understand how much pressure I am under?’ Kuroo stands finally, shoving the chair to the side to walk closer to Kei. ‘Half of my inner circle wants me to hand you over to Shiratorizawa. I’m trying to find a way to not have to

Do that! Just tell me what your ability is!’

‘I do not give a single fuck about the pressure you are under. You’re the boss right! Youngest kumicho of Nekoma? You don’t want to hand me over? Then don’t! Someone has a problem with it then you remind them who’s in charge! It’s

Not my fault you’re a coward!’

If Suga could see him now, he would be disappointed. All the lessons on controlling emotions gone as the two of them yell in each others face. He only hopes the room is soundproof.

‘Oh I’m a coward? I’m not the one who won’t just tell me what

Your ability is!’

‘I won’t say it again. It is /none/ of your business. Why would I tell you? So you can find out and sell the information to the highest bidder? Auction me off, see if you can get more than Shiratorizawa is offering?’

‘Oh for fucks safe, Tsukishima. Enough,

/tell me what your ability is and why Shiratorizawa wants it./‘

To the untrained ear, the second half of the sentence would sound no different than the first half. Not to Kei, who has spent his life with ability users. He knows what it sounds like when someone is using it, what

It feels like. He feels the words come bubbling out of his throat, unable to stop them no matter how hard he tries. Kuroo, youngest kumicho of Nekoma, able to command people to obey him with a single sentence.

‘It’s blood, I can control blood. I can sense it, use it to control

People. The kumicho of Shiratorizawa can take abilities away, give them to others. His partner Tendo wants it, my power. They’ll use it to bring down every other yakuza in Sendai.’

The second the words are out, he slaps his hands over his mouth. The fire, the passion from the

Argument is gone, replaced with an awfully cold feeling of betrayal. The room is silent, the air which was sparking a moment ago now weighing down around him.

‘Tsukishima, I’m-‘

‘How dare you.’ He chokes out, cutting Kuroo’s apology off. ‘How /dare/ you.’

‘There was no

Other way,’ Kuroo argues. He goes to touch Kei’s chin, to pull Kei’s face up to make eye contact with him but Kei slaps his hand away.

‘Don’t. You do not get to touch me. There is always another way.’ He refuses to look at Kuroo, refuses to let the other man see the hurt in his

Eyes. He sits back on the bed, folding his legs under himself and looking away.

Kuroo must realize that Kei is done talking, because he heads to the door. Before he can open it, Kei calls out.

‘I could’ve used it on you. From the first second you opened the door, even now

When you open it. You know the difference between us?’

‘What?’ Kuroo says, voice cracking.

‘I wouldn’t do that to someone I cared about.’

Kuroo leaves without another word, and Kei is glad to be left alone. He isn’t sure if the room is under surveillance so he pulls the

Blanket up over his head, shielding his tears from sight. Early on, when it was just him and Akiteru, his brother had drilled in him the belief that good people, decent people, didn’t use their abilities on people they loved. He was old enough now to know that wasn’t the only

Marker of a decent person, that everything came with shades of grey, but the feeling of disappointment would not leave him. In all of his years at Karasuno, none of his family there would have done that. Even the king and tangerine wouldn’t have used their ability on him.

Call him naïve for assuming Kuroo had cared about him enough to award him that level of respect.

If Shiratorizawa got their hands on him, it would spell not only his own death but the death of his family. He would find his way out of this, with or without anyones help, he vowed

To himself.

He was left alone for what he assumed was most of the day. It gave him time to wallow in misery and time to try and screw his head back on. The coldness from before hadn’t left, he knew it would take him a while before he was able to think about Kuroo without

Thinking of Tetsu, without thinking about the two of them laying face to face in his bed. He needed distance, he needed Tadashi(though he would never tell him that.)

Eventually, his door creaks open again. He’s moved to sitting at the desk now, staring at the wall. He tilts his

Head to see who’s walking in, ready to ignore them when he sees it’s Lev. He’s holding food, and is refusing to meet Kei’s eyes.

‘Nice to see you too,’ Kei drawls, turning back to face the wall. It breaks the dam that Lev was hiding behind and he slams the food on the desk,

Dropping to his knees in front of Kei.

‘I’m so sorry. I’m so sorry, if I would’ve known it was going to end like this I wouldn’t have told them, I swear.’ He’s bowing over as if to apologize, and Kei clicks his tongue.

‘Get up, you oaf. I would’ve done the same thing in your

Position, stop apologizing. It’s not you I’m mad at.’

‘You’re not?’ Lev peeks up at him.

‘No. I should be, seeing as you failed to inform me the literal head of Nekoma was drinking with us.’

Lev moves to sit on the edge of the bed. ‘You know, Kuroo-sama is pretty livid

Right now. I’ve never seen him so angry.’

‘What, did Shiratorizawa drop the price on my head or something?’ Kei laughs dully.

‘No!’ Lev all but gasps, shaking his head. ‘You have to know he would never hand you over to them. It was someone else, he won’t tell who, who

Suggested it. Now there’s push back against him, which Yaku says lowers the overall morale.’

‘Should you be telling me this? Aren’t you going to get in trouble for conversing with the enemy?’

‘No. Well, maybe. Either way Kuroo made it perfectly clear that anyone who acted

Against you would be dealt with. Immediately. I’m probably okay.’ He shrugs.

‘I’m sure he did. He wants to be the one to make the deal.’

‘Stop! He doesn’t want to sell you to anyone.’

‘Can we not talk about him right now?’ Kei asks, mad to feel the tears coming back.

‘Ok.

Fine. Sooo. Your real name is Tsukishima? Can I call you Tsukki?’

‘Absolutely not.’

‘Aww.’

Lev is his only company the next few days, so when the door opens one night to a man he’s never seen before, he’s taken aback. He’s shorter with incredibly grown out bleach blonde

Hair, and he shuffles in the room, quietly shutting the door behind him. Kei turns from his spot at the desk, raising an eyebrow in question. The man stares at him, almost unnervingly so.

‘Can I help you?’ Kei asks after a moment of silence.

‘No.’

‘Okay?’

‘Kuro doesn’t

Know I’m here.’

‘Again, okay? If I can’t help you I can only imagine you’re here to determine if I’m worth it to go behind his back for the reward, in which case I’m not here to humor you.’

‘You’re awfully pessimistic.’

‘I’ve been trapped in a room for at least three days,

I wouldn’t say the situation calls for blind optimism.’

‘Are you really trapped? You can’t just make me open the door for you?’

‘And head into an unknown house, with an unknown number of people with unknown abilities? Sounds like a bad plan.’

The shorter man hums in

Agreement, settling in cross legged on the bed. ‘That’s what I told Kuro. He doesn’t want to sell you to Shiratorizawa, you know.’

‘Doesn’t want to isn’t the same as isn’t going to,’ Kei shrugs.

‘I know. There was an older executive who was never happy that Kuro took over who

Started the idea of selling you to make an alliance with Shiratorizawa. He’s trying to figure out a way to turn it in his favor.’

‘You lot sure seem to like telling me insider secrets.’

‘My first intention on coming here was determining if you were worth it. All the extra

Work.’ The strangers voice is monotonous but Kei can’t help but be affronted by the words.

‘And have you found me to your liking?’ He said, lacing his words with sarcasm.

‘You’re tolerable enough. Worth the work, I’d say no but Kuro and a mutual friend would disagree.’

‘Thanks?’

‘What would you do? If you were in Kuro’s position?’

‘I don’t know? Figure out who was stirring up shit and get rid of him.’ Kei decides to humor them, glad to be using his brain for something other than replaying the last conversation with Kuroo.

‘The problem

With that is it’s spread. We’re in a bit of a tussle with a smaller gang here, and whoever is pushing for your hand-off has spread the idea that Shiratorizawa will help us.’

‘Shiratorizawa only looks out for themselves. There isn’t a single gang that has allied theirselves

With them and not ended up being completely overran. Giving me to them will ensure that they have enough to take over my entire prefecture and they wouldn’t stop there. Is that who attacked the other night? At Lev’s?’

‘Mhmm. They’re actually originally from Sendai, they call

Themselves Dateko.’

Kei can’t stop a laugh at that. ‘Date tech trying to move to Tokyo huh?’

‘You’re familiar?’

‘Yeah. They tried to take over a small section of Karasuno once, didn’t succeed. What you need to do is somehow align Date with Shiratorizawa, then whoever is

Trying to partner with Shiratorizawa can be considered a traitor.’ He muses.

‘Do you think they could be working together?’

‘Not a chance in hell. If you eliminate everyone from Date though, who’s going to say any differently.’

‘I’m Kenma. I take it back.’

‘Take what

Back?’ Kei asks. So this is the secondhand man to Kuroo? He didn’t look like much to start, but it’s clear now that he’s got a plan in motion why he would be Kuroo’s go to guy.

‘You might actually be worth the trouble. No one else should come in here, but don’t talk to anyone

But me, Lev, or Kuro.’ Kenma stands, walking back towards the door.

‘I don’t have anything to say to your boss, but noted.’

When Lev comes by later with dinner, he doesn’t mention anything out of the ordinary. It takes another few days before his conversation with Kenma

Bears fruit.

The door all but slams open, a harried looking Kuroo hurrying inside. He’s still in the midst of buttoning up his shirt, and Kei has to drag his eyes away from the flash of skin, cursing his lower half for looking. He frowns, going to turn away when Kuroo shoots

Him a pleading glance.

‘Look. I know you can’t stand me right now. I know, and I deserve it, but will you please play along with me. Just once and then we can go from there?’

‘Play along with you?’ He questions, unable to stick to his plan of giving the man the cold shoulder.

‘Yes. Kenma said that you guys talked and we’ve got it, but I need you to back me up to sell it.’

‘And why would I want to do that?’ He argues.

‘Because if you play nicely for one hour, I can get you in front of Karasuno’s kumicho. We can talk about getting you back home.’

Kuroo says, and despite everything that’s happened, Kei believes him.

‘Fine. What do you need from me.’ He caves, ignoring the sad look Kuroo gives him.

‘Kenma set a trap, hinted that the reward for you had doubled and the executive took the bait, called a number Kenma

Planted to try and make a deal behind our backs. I don’t have time to run through it all because our meeting is supposed to have already started and I’m trying to pull off late on purpose, not late because I fucking overslept like an idiot. You’ll get it as we go, I promise.’

Kei stands, walking up to Kuroo and reaches out to pluck the tie he has retied twice now. As he deftly pulls the tie into a perfect knot, tightening it just too tight, he holds Kuroo in place with it.

‘A promise from you means nothing to me anymore.’ He smiles, and drops the

Knot, leaning back and watching Kuroo loosen the tie. Kuroo purses his lips but says nothing, opening the door and gesturing for Kei to follow. Kei follows him, taking note as they walk of the doorways and potential exits. It’s not until they both step into an elevator that he

Turns to look at Kuroo, eyebrows raised.

‘An elevator, how fancy.’

Kuroo at least has the decency to look sheepish, until the elevator dings, announcing their arrival. Then he clears his throat, slipping into the demeanor of a boss. From this, he can see how Kuroo is a

Feared and respected kumicho. He falls into step behind him, sending a small apology to Daichi for appearing to be a subordinate to another head, and a small thanks to Suga for always making sure their family knew what was considered etiquette for a yakuza family.

They enter

A conference room, filled with a wide range of people. He sees Kenma and Lev’s boyfriend Yaku, along with some pleasant older faces, and some older faces who look ready to murder him for existing. He keeps his head held steady, nodding as Kuroo gestures for him to sit on the

Other side of Kenma. He slides into his seat, waiting for Kuroo to start. Kuroo takes a look around the room, clapping his hands before taking his seat.

‘So. I’m sure you’re all wondering why I called you here so early today.’ He grins, the sharp cutting grin he tried to use

During the argument with Kei back in full effect. Kei can practically feel Yaku vibrating with the need to call Kuroo out for being late to his own meeting, but he refrains.

‘No takers? Well, I’ll still tell you anyways. I’ve brought our guest with me, Tsukishima, say hello.’

Before Kei can even react, the grumpiest looking man interrupts.

‘Is it wise? Bringing him here? Now he knows where we meet! Might as well give him the keys to building while we’re at it.’ There’s a small murmur of agreement that withers out with a pointed glare from Yaku.

‘Oya? Yakkun, no need to quiet them down. You guys aren’t my advisors because I don’t value your opinion. Wait, what’s that? Advisors? Kenma, correct me if I’m wrong. Is that what they are?’ His grin has surpassed arrogant and gone straight to deadly. Kei wishes he could say he

Wasn’t affected but his brain unhelpfully supplies him with their first night together, how it felt to be on the receiving side.

‘Yes, Kuro. Advisors.’ Kenma replies, barely holding back from rolling their eyes. Instead, their gaze is just as deadly, eyes glancing around the

Room like a lion stalking it’s prey.

‘Yes! Advisors! Isn’t that funny? You’re the advisors, and /I’m/ the boss. Wow, what a concept. Seems pretty simple to grasp right?’

Their are a few people shifting in their seats now, wondering where this is going.

‘So I wonder why,

Even after me directly telling you that our guest Tsukishima here was just that, a guest, someone decided to not follow that simple instruction?’

‘A guest who could be used as a bargaining tool to get us on Shiratorizawa’s good side!’ The grumpy man from before burst out again,

This time to silence. ‘Forgive me for having Nekoma’s best interests in mind!’

‘Please tell me how aligning ourselves with the very group who has been a thorn in our side this entire time is having Nekoma’s best interests in mind? You admit then, that you tried to single

Handedly arrange a trade between yourself and Shiratorizawa?’

‘I was doing what you couldn’t grow a pair and do!’

‘You were cutting a deal to line your own pockets at the cost of your families lives!’ Kuroo yells, effectively shutting the other man up. ‘You would have let

Shiratorizawa in here to get him, into our headquarters, when their direct support is what has led Dateko to attacking so many of our bases. I am the kumicho of this family, not you. I make those decisions because I am the only one who has the knowledge and the power to do so.

Your actions would have undermined months of underground workings that you are not privy to for a good fucking reason.’ The entire room is silent, and the man who had argued had gone deathly still. ‘We had a deal with Karasuno this whole time, and guess who is no longer a problem

Of ours because of it? Dateko.’

Kuroo throws a handful of pictures on the table that show the ruins of Dateko’s hideout.

‘How…how could I be expected to know that if you never mentioned it?’ The man is scrambling, feeling the room turn against him.

‘And why would I share

That information with you? So you could use it to buy yourself another vacation house? My word, when given, is final. I reminded you once, because I’m just a kind person. You will not get my kindness again.’ At Kuroo’s words, the man is dragged out of the room, and his screams

Are heard as he is led down the hall. ‘Let this serve as a reminder to you all, I will not hesitate when it comes to the safety of this family. I do not deal with traitors to our blood. Shiratorizawa is not, and will not, be our ally.’

He stands, turning to leave. Kenma stands

as well, silently signaling for Kei to follow them. They leave without another word, leaving Yaku behind to debrief the rest of the executives. Kei assumes they are heading back to his room, but instead they turn into another conference room, where he’s met with a much needed

Sight. Sitting at one of the tables is Daichi and next to him, instead of his usual Suga, is Tadashi. Tadashi who, upon seeing Kei, shrieks and forgoes all decorum, throwing himself at Kei.

‘Oh my god, I’m so glad you aren’t dead! I told all of them that if you didn’t poison

Yourself with food poisoning you would surely find another way and look, I was right!’

‘Shut up, Tadashi.’ He says with no real heat behind it. He sees Kuroo and Daichi shaking hands out of the corner of his eye, before they both sit at the table. Daichi looks up at them,

Sighing and shaking his head.

‘Yamaguchi, please. You said you would behave.’

‘Sorry Daichi-sama!’ He says, releasing his death grip on Kei and leading them to sit at the same table.

‘Woah, you should see what they’re doing to that old dude,’ comes from the doorway and Kei

Can’t suppress his groan.

‘Why is he here?’

‘Jerkishima, I came to help!’ Hinata sticks out his tongue, bounding into the room. ‘Hi Kenma!’

‘Shoyou.’ Kenma smiles.

‘Please tell me this isn’t the mutual friend you mentioned. If so, I want a new judge of character.’

‘Tsukishima.’ Daichi admonishes. Kei stops talking, ignoring the look Hinata shoots him. ‘Kuroo-sama, thank you again for coming to us with this. I don’t know if words alone can express our gratitude at you not handing Tsukishima over to Shiratorizawa.’ Kei can feel himself

Start to blush at Daichi’s words, and he wills himself to calm down. There’s no way Daichi knows what him and Kuroo had gotten up to before all of this.

‘Ah, it was no problem. He was a pleasure to have around,’ Kuroo stumbles over his words, his ears also tinting red. Kei

Can tell from the side glance he gets from Tadashi that the freckled man has an idea of their relationship. Well, previous relationship. Kuroo had made sure to blow that up.

‘Now I know you’re being too kind,’ Daichi smiles. ‘I’m afraid I have to ask another kindness of you.’

‘Oh?’ Kuroo turns back to Daichi, questioning.

‘Ushijima has probably heard by now that we have made friends in Tokyo, but I do not think this alone will discourage him from going after Tsukishima. I worry if we bring him back home now, it will be too early and we will arrive

At the exact same outcome we are working to avoid.’

‘You cannot possibly mean you want me to stay here,’ Kei interjects. He feels Tadashi stiffen besides him and knows this is news to everyone in the room.

‘Tsukishima, as I mentioned before your safety is our priority.’ His

Tone leaves no room for arguments. ‘If it is too much of an ask, I ask you give us a week until we can find other arrangements for him since our original apartments seem to have disappeared.’

Kei feels sick again. He thought this was over, he doesn’t want to spend the rest of

His life hiding in Tokyo.

‘Ah. It’s not too much, of course. Although I worry Tsukishima-kun might find it awkward, after everything. If he prefers, I can always see if our close friends Fukurodani would have any housing available. Bokuto would love him.’ Kuroo’s voice is

Strained again, and Kei can’t believe this is happening. He tries to send vibes to Daichi that no, he does not want to stay at Nekoma, but only Tadashi seems pick up on them as he fidgets in his seat.

‘I’m sure he won’t, I would personally feel more comfortable with him staying

With someone I’ve met before.’

‘He can stay at our place, instead of headquarters.’ Kenma chimes in, head tilted and a smirk on his face. Kei can tell that Kuroo is holding back from yelling at Kenma, smiling thinly. ‘It’s just as protected as headquarters, probably more since

So few of us know where it is.’

‘That might be for the best,’ Daichi nods. Kei is beginning to think this is Daichi’s version of punishment for something, and racks his memory to think of what he could have done.

‘Wait, if he’s not pretending to be someone else, does that mean

We can come see him?’ Hinata asks.

‘I don’t know how I feel about giving my home address to the entirety of Karasuno.’ Kuroo cuts in.

‘It’s my home, not yours. Shoyou already knows the address anyways.’ Kenma shrugs, leaning back in their chair.

‘Score!’

‘Well, that’s

Settled then I guess. You four can use the office for as long as you like, just ring for someone to get Kenma when you’re ready to leave.’ Kuroo shakes Daichi’s hand and leaves without looking at Kei. Once the door is shut, Tadashi rounds on him.

‘Okay, what is going on with

You and the head of Nekoma?’

‘I don’t know what you’re talking about. Actually, after the week I’ve had and now finding out I have to stay here, I don’t think I have anything to say to any of you.’

‘They aren’t harming you, are they?’ Daichi asks, suddenly serious.

‘No,

Of course not.’

‘Then what is it?’

‘Oh my god, I know what it is.’ Tadashi exclaims.

‘No, you do not,’ Kei hisses, whipping in his chair to face his friend. ‘Shut up Yamaguchi.’

‘Sorry, Tsukki! So have you already fucked him or are you just working up to it?’ He smiles,

His innocent smile that hasn’t fooled Kei in years. Kei groans, ignoring the shouts from Hinata and how Daichi politely covers his mouth as he laughs.

‘Neither! We may have been. Involved. But that was before I knew he was the fucking head of Nekoma. Now I am content to never

Talk to him again, thank you.’

‘Why? His mattress at his house is probably nicer than the one at your apartment.’

‘You don’t know what my apartment is like!’

Even with the heckling, Kei has to admit to himself that he missed the presence of everyone in the room. They chat

For a while, filling Kei in on things he’s missed, and Kei talking about how awful Tokyo is compared to back home.

‘We should probably head back soon. We left Suga in charge and I’m almost scared to see what he’s done to the place in our absence,’ Daichi smiles sadly. ‘Do you

Have anything we need to help you move?’

‘No,’ Kei laughs dryly. ‘The few things I had burnt up with the apartment.’

‘We’ll send you some clothes and necessities then.’

‘No need, we’ll get them,’ Kenma says, popping back into the room.

‘Thank you, Kenma-san but I couldn’t

Ask that of you,’ Kei declines. Now that the formal meeting is over, Hinata bounds up to Kenma, bouncing on his toes waiting for Kenma’s attention to shift. They shudder, frowning at Kei.

‘Drop the san, and consider it a gift from me.’

Kei nods, zipping his lips. He’s not

Happy about it, but he knows better than to refuse a gift.

‘Tsukishima! We’ll come visit soon!’ Hinata yells before latching on to Kenma.

‘No thanks.’

Tadashi pulls Kei to the side. ‘Tsukki. You’d tell me if things weren’t okay, right?’

‘Yes, mother. Things are fine, I’m

Just being me.’ Things are maybe not fine, but he will not have his best friend having a heart attack from stress. Tadashi nods, pulling Kei into another hug. Hinata detaches from Kenma long enough to join, urging Daichi to join as well. He shoos them off, shaking Kei’s hand

Instead.

Kenma and Kei stand and watch as Lev leads the rest of Karasuno out, listening to Lev and Hinata bicker about the height difference between the two. Kei’s heart hurts again, and now when he thinks of who he is going to be spending most of his time around, his heart

Feels worse. As if they can sense Kei’s mood plummeting, Kenma gestures for Kei to follow. They both head the opposite way, to an elevator that requires Kenma’s fingerprint to open.

‘This takes us to the garage. I’m heading home now anyways, I’ll drive you. Kuro probably won’t

Be back until dinner.’

‘You have your license?’ Kei asks, purposefully ignoring any comment about Kuroo. Kenma only grins in response.

It’s nice, their house. For starters, Kei was simply glad to be on solid ground after the travesty that was Kenma’s driving. He makes a

Mental note to look for a new chauffeur. But even without his newfound appreciation for not moving, the house is beautiful. It’s not as gaudy as Kei was expecting, with the two highest ranking members of Nekoma living there, but Kei is sure that is thanks to Kenma’s influence.

Kenma gives him a quick tour, pointing out rooms as he leads him to the guest room he will be occupying. They pass two guest rooms before landing on Kei’s, conveniently directly next to Kuroo’s room.

‘The other rooms weren’t available, I take it?’

‘Nope. Someone will be

Here shortly with things for you. If you need something, check Kuro’s room first.’

Kei walks into his new room, suddenly sure he will never need anything again. It’s definitely nicer than the shithole apartment from before, and it’s even nicer than the holding cell of a room

He was in at the headquarters. He tests the doorknob and is relieved to see it doesn’t appear to lock. Not long after he starts to look around the room someone knocks on his door, delivering bags and bags of clothes and toiletries. He blinks, stunned as the man starts unloading

The bags and hanging up a massive amount of clothes.

‘Um, excuse me. This seems to be a mistake, I don’t believe I need quite so much.’

‘Kenma-sama said it was his gift to you for putting up with the boss, their words, not mine of course. Sometimes it’s best to just go along

With what he asks.’

Kei nods blankly, and as soon as the man leaves he decides to drown his sorrows in the en suite bath. Kenma included a bunch of smelly bath things he had imagined only old ladies used, but he dumped a bunch of them in the tub and crawled in. It was nice,

Relaxing. He could see what people got out of this. It was so relaxing, he started to drift. He isn’t sure how long he’s laying in the tub before his ability kicks back in and he can sense someone in his room. They move to hover outside of the bathroom door, and Kei waits for

The knock. When it doesn’t come, he scoffs.

‘If you’re planning on killing me, can you wait until I get out of the bath? I’d prefer no one find my dead body naked.’

‘Shit! I forgot you can tell someone’s here.’ Kuroo’s voice calls through the door. Kei ignores the blip in

His heart at Kuroo’s voice.

‘What do you want.’

‘I was uh. Just checking to see if you had settled in okay.’ Kei could picture him nervously scratching the back of his head, a boyish move that got him exert time. He sighs, getting out of the tub and wrapping a towel around

Himself.

‘I was fine until I heard you,’ he admits as he walks out of the room in just a towel, ignoring the way Kuroo’s eyes travel up and down him.

‘Right. Right okay. Sorry.’

‘If you were sorry you would leave, I would like to put clothes on at some point today.’

‘Ah yeah okay. Dinner will be ready soon, did Kenma show you the kitchen?’

‘Yes. I’ll pass on dinner.’

‘You didn’t eat breakfast though, aren’t you hungry?’

‘Not if it means sitting near you,’ he smiles, grabbing his clothes and moving back to the bathroom, pulling the door

Shut behind him again. ‘Please be gone by the time I come back out.’

He senses more than hears Kuroo shuffle out, and thunks his head against the door. He’s still upset at him, but it’s so easy to forget when Kuroo’s right in front of him. He wants to fall back into their

Banter like nothing had happened.

He pulls the clothes on, grateful that Kenma managed to get the right sizes in such a hurry, and curls up in the bed. Tadashi was right, the mattress was much nicer than his back home. He wonders how long dinner will take, when he’ll be able

To sneak downstairs and raid the kitchen for something to tide him over. He never had much of an appetite but Kuroo wasn’t wrong when he reminded him he hadn’t eaten yet. He supposes he’ll have to wait for Kuroo to walk back past his door.

Instead, not long after, there’s

Another knock at the door. Kenma opens it when Kei calls out, and he’s holding a container of food with utensils and a bottle of water.

‘I told him you wouldn’t want to eat with him,’ he shakes his head, setting the food down on the desk.

‘Oh. Thank you.’

Kenma waves Kei’s

Thanks away.

‘It’s fine. I know you’re mad at him, but he is sorry.’

‘Forgive me if I find that hard to believe.’

Kenma simply nods, leaving Kei to stew in his thoughts. He eats the food and goes to lay down, expecting to pass out quickly after the long day. Instead, he

Finds himself wide awake. After rolling back and forth more than he would like to admit, he flings the covers off of him and creeps to the door. He’s half expecting it to be locked even after testing it earlier, but it still swings open. After a glance down the hall towards

Kuroo’s room, he turns and goes the opposite way.

He’s wandering aimlessly, just being glad for the opportunity to stretch his legs when he stumbles upon a door that isn’t fully shut, the sounds of a video game blaring out from it. He only hesitates when he hears a familiar

Whine.

‘He hates me Kyanma, I don’t know what to do.’

He shouldn’t stop and listen, but he can’t bring his feet to move.

‘I told you from the start pretending to be someone else was going to come back and bite you.’

‘Shh, no I told you so’s allowed. I just don’t know how

To come back from it. I don’t even think it’s the lying, it’s the ability, I know it is. You didn’t see his face.’

‘I told you to tell him it was my idea.’

‘I’m not lying to him! I was the one who panicked and used my ability.’

Kei frowns. He feels like this is a

Conversation Kuroo should be having with him.

‘Have you told him this?’ Kenma states, almost as if they read Kei’s thoughts.

‘I was going to today but he basically kicked me out of his room. He was just in a towel, I couldn’t string two thoughts together to stop him.’

‘Ew.’

‘What if he won’t ever talk to me again?’

Kei hears a thud that he imagines is Kenma pushing Kuroo off of the couch, and his suspicions are confirmed when Kuroo yelps.

‘I didn’t realize I would still be subject to your drama when I joined Nekoma with you. If he won’t talk to

You again, then you have to suck it up and move on.’

‘I’d rather die,’ Kuroo gasps, causing Kenma to groan. Deciding he’s heard enough, Kei walks away. The opposite side of the house leads him to a doorway to what appears to be a backyard, and Kei decides to test his limits by

Sliding the door open and slipping outside. He finds a porch swing and curls up in it, breathing in the humid air. Not long after, he hears the door slide open.

‘Come to chase me back inside?’ He calls out. He has his eyes closed and his head resting on the back of the swing so

He isn’t sure if it’s Kenma or Kuroo.

‘No, you can stay out here if you want,’ Kuroo stumbles over his words. Kei cocks an eye open, watching him as he takes a step forward and then hesitates. ‘The door’s alarmed and I was just double checking it was you going out and not

Someone coming in.’

‘Hmm. Okay.’ He closes his eyes again, waiting for Kuroo to make the next move.

‘I uh, suppose I’ll just go. Back inside. Alone.’

‘For someone who everyone claims is sorry for what you did, I sure haven’t heard the words from you.’ Kei mentally rolls his

Eyes. He feels Kuroo stop halfway to the doorway and turn back to face him.

‘I didn’t figure you wanted to hear my apology.’

‘You figured right, doesn’t mean you shouldn’t have still apologized.’

‘Tsukishima, I would apologize to you a hundred times a day if it would

Make you forgive me.’ Kei’s eyes fly open at the sincerity in Kuroo’s voice. ‘I have spent the last week racking my brain trying to think of ways to make it up to you.’

‘What if you can’t?’ Kei’s voice comes out smaller than he wants, and Kuroo finally steps closer, dropping

To his knees on the ground in front of Kei.

‘I’d still try. And if you really can’t forgive me, I would accept it.’

‘Liar.’

‘You’re right, I am a liar,’ he chuckles. ‘I don’t know if I could accept it, I might spend the rest of my life groveling if you asked.’

‘When I was

Younger, my brother used to tell me to never trust anyone who used their ability on me. That there was never a situation where that was okay.’ Kei sees Kuroo’s eyes widen slightly as he talks. It’s been years since he mentioned Akiteru to anyone, unwilling to deal with the grief

That came from losing him. ‘He practically engrained it into my head. Our father was a shit person, had an ability and abused it before he died, and the foster families we had weren’t much better. I know now, obviously, that sometimes it’s unavoidable but part of me can’t shake

That. And I know, I get why you did it but that didn’t make it hurt any less.’

He’s not sure who’s more surprised when he finds himself unable to blink back the tears. Kuroo’s hand comes up to cup his cheek, his thumb brushing the tear away. Kei leans into the touch.

‘I’m

Sorry. I was panicking at the thought of losing you, and I’m sorry. It’s hard sometimes, for me to not rely on my ability. All I can do is promise that I will try to be better. For you.’

Kei nods, allowing Kuroo to pull him closer, resting their foreheads together.

‘I need

Time. I don’t want to just brush everything aside. If I don’t let myself come to terms with it, I’ll start to resent you, I know it.’

‘Okay. You can take as long as you need. I like you, Tsukishima. In case I haven’t made my intentions clear. I don’t want this to be a one and

Done kind of thing.’

‘Don’t tell anyone, but I think I like you too. I don’t know if I can get used to calling you Kuroo though.’ He tugs on Kuroo’s arms, pulling him to sit next to him on the swing. He allows Kuroo to shift them until they’re sitting with Kei’s back pressed to

Kuroo’s chest.

‘You can still call me Tetsu if you want, that really is just a nickname for my first name.’

‘Okay, Tetsu.’

‘Does this mean I can call you Tsukki?’ Kuroo asks, voice hopeful.

‘Don’t push it.’

Kuroo mimes zipping his lips, and they both sit on the swing

Until Kei feels his eyelids finally drooping shut. He tries to stay awake but he’s out within minutes. When he wakes up in bed, he realizes Kuroo must have carried him back upstairs.

He warms up to Kuroo over the next week again. Kuroo doesn’t pressure him and they slowly start

To spend more time together, just as friends while Kei works through his feelings. At the end of the week, he’s eating breakfast in the kitchen while a shirtless Kuroo is cooking, ranting about an annoying interaction from the day before when Kenma walks in to pour themselves a

Bowl of cereal.

‘Good morning, Kyanma!’ Kuroo wiggles his fingers in a greeting as Kenma scrunches their nose.

‘Gross. Put a shirt on.’

‘Tsukki wasn’t complaining,’ he pouts.

‘That’s not my name.’ Kuroo has been pressing the last few days, slipping the nickname in every

Few conversations. Kuroo just grins at the defeated tone Kei used, turning back to the stove.

‘Shoyou and your other friend are in Tokyo today, they’re going to come over for dinner.’

‘Does Hinata have to come?’ Kei groans, even though he knows Kenma can see through him.

‘Yes. When you’re done with him, send him my way.’

‘Disgusting. You better keep it pg,’ Kuroo gasps. Kenma flicks a spoonful of dry cereal at him as he leaves. Kei laughs at Kuroo’s scandalized look.

Dinner is awkward to start, Kuroo insisted that he be there to meet Kei’s

Friends and Kenma’s whatever he is. Tadashi and Shoyou are both quiet until Kei chastises Kuroo for trying to act like a big bad yakuza boss when earlier today he was singing along to Abba as he washed dishes. The formal mood dropped when Kuroo choked on his drink in his haste to

Call Kei a traitor. After that, the conversation flows more freely, though they’re all careful to leave out any extraneous details about either Karasuno or Nekoma.

When dinner is done, Kuroo whines that he’ll go spend his night alone in his room as Kenma shoos him away. Hinata

Waves goodbye to his fellow Karasuno members, following behind Kenma. Kei turns to Tadashi, raising an eyebrow.

‘When did that start?’

‘No idea. I tried asking him after the last time we were here but he was surprisingly tight lipped.’

‘Probably because he knows you’re a

Gossip,’ Kei teases. He dodges Tadashi’s hand as he tries to swat him, and they head outside to the porch swing.

‘You don’t wanna show me your fancy room yet?’ Tadashi grins, burrowing into a borrowed blanket.

‘It’s right down the hall from Kuroo’s room and I’m not sure how

Soundproof they are.’

‘Hm. Speaking of Kuroo..’ he trails off, waiting for Kei to fill him in. Kei rolls his eyes, but caves. He catches Tadashi completely up to speed, including Kuroo’s use of his ability on Kei and his apology. Tadashi nods along, keeping his questions to

A minimum.

‘I see. Well let me rephrase that. I don’t see what the problem is besides you being stubborn.’ He nods again, ignoring Kei’s noise of affront. ‘Listen I’ve known you long enough to know when you’re still upset about something. The fact that you were even able to

Tell me about it without me having to pry it from you means you’ve already forgiven him. Don’t give me that look! You’ve already forgiven him but you just want someone else to tell you it’s okay to do so!’

Kei frowns, contemplating. He knew Tadashi was probably right, he always

Is. This is why he had come to him about it, knowing that Tadashi was no longer afraid to offend Kei. That he would tell him his opinion without mincing his words.

‘How do I know he won’t do it again though?’ Kei asks, finally voicing a fear he’s been trying to ignore.

‘Hmm.

You don’t.’

‘Reassuring, thanks,’ Kei scoffs.

‘Shut up, I’m serious. You don’t know, but you just have to trust that he won’t. People make mistakes, they’re going to fuck up. You just have to know where you draw your line. Remember when we were fighting and I made the tree

Branch trip you? You forgave me for that!’

‘That’s different. I expressed a boundary and he ignored it. I shouldn’t forgive him.’

‘But you do?’ Tadashi asks.

‘Yeah, I do. I think Tokyo has killed my brain cells,’ he groans.

‘Sorry Tsukki. I say go for it, and if I come

Back to find out you haven’t taken him to bed, I’ll never forgive you.’

‘You’re a menace. Taken him to bed, what are we, in the 1920s?’ Kei grumbled. The subject changed to lighter things then, discussing their friends back home until they were both ready for bed. Kenma had

Given the Karasuno members their own guest rooms, but Kei dragged Tadashi up to his room instead. They had shared smaller beds when they had first joined Karasuno, neither one of them batted an eye at the gigantic mattress Kei called his.

Kei was awoken the next morning by a

Knock at his door, which when he yelled out to open it already, revealed a shocked looking Kuroo. He schooled his expression quickly, but Kei caught a flash of jealousy before he smoothed it out. He wondered why, until Tadashi snored next to him, rolling a bit and kicking Kei

In the stomach. Somehow during the night, his friend had turned completely sideways and had his feet resting on Kei’s side and his head hanging over the edge of the bed.

‘The orange one was looking for him.’ Kuroo states from the doorway, eyes disant. ‘Said they had to leave

Soon. He’ll be in the main room.’

Kuroo leaves and Kei rolls his eyes, already sure what he was thinking. He rolls off of the bed, shoving at Tadashi until he is awake and moving. After he says his goodbyes to them, he stalks through the house looking for Kuroo.

He finds him

In the doorway, pulling on his shoes.

‘You leaving?’ He startles Kuroo, and smiles as the older man jumps.

‘Jesus, warn a man would you.’ He blinks a few times before looking away again. ‘I need to go check on something today, I don’t know when I’ll be back.’

‘Me and

Tadashi aren’t fucking just to be clear.’

‘You don’t mince your words do you? It’s fine either way, I don’t care.’ Kuroo tries to brush him off but Kei steps in front of him.

‘Liar,’ he narrows his eyes. ‘You better care after that crap about liking me.’ He prods Kuroo in

The chest with his finger. ‘I would care if you were fucking someone else while claiming to want something more with me.’

‘Okay! I give,’ he grabs Kei’s finger, stopping his assault. ‘I did care. I’m glad you’re not involved with him.’

‘Good.’ Kei steps closer, crowding Kuroo

Against the wall. He leans in, tilting his head and watching as Kuroo’s eyes flutter shut. He pauses, a hairs length away from kissing him and waits for Kuroo to blink his eyes back open. ‘Is this okay?’

Kuroo answers by closing the distance between them, finally connecting

Their lips. It had been a while, since before the attack on Lev’s apartment, since they had kissed. Kuroo tried to step forward, to push Kei against the opposite wall but Kei stood his ground. He gave Kuroo’s shoulders a small shove, until they were pressed against the wall

Again.

‘I’m trying to assure you of my intentions, please stop trying to take over,’ he huffs, ducking his head to mouth along Kuroo’s neck.

‘Ah shit Tsukki, I’m plenty assured. Fuck baby, you’re going to leave a mark,’ Kuroo gasped as Kei bit down, soothing the bite mark

With his tongue.

‘Did you want me to stop?’ He asked against Kuroo’s skin.

‘I do.’

Kei froze, stepping back as Kenma stood in the doorway frowning.

‘Kuro, this is a communal area. Don’t be gross.’

‘He started it!’ Kuroo pointed at Kei.

‘What kind of boss doesn’t

Accept responsibility for his own actions, tsk tsk.’ Kei reached out to straighten Kuroo’s jacket which had become skewed during their tryst. He ignored Kuroo’s arguments, stepping back to let Kenma walk past them.

‘You’ll be hearing from me tonight,’ Kuroo mock threatened,

Pouting at Kei. Kei just grinned, stepping back in.

‘Good. Maybe then I can assure you of my intentions with my mouth, like I had planned before we were interrupted.’

Kuroo’s eyes widened and he turned to look out of the door towards where Kenma was walking to the car.

‘Uh there’s an emergency and I can’t leave,’ he shouted. Kenma glared but before they could open their mouth, Kei pushed Kuroo out of the door.

‘Bye, have a good day at work.’ He waved at the two of them, laughing as Kuroo whined, before going back inside. Now that the worry

About what to do with Kuroo had subsided, he spent the day pacing from spot to spot in the house. While it was better than the room in their headquarters, he still felt trapped, useless. At least when he was pretending to be someone else he had a task to do during the day. He

Hated feeling like he was just stuck in a room, useless to everyone. He couldn’t wait until this business with Shiratorizawa was over, even if that meant leaving Tokyo. He had flipped through all of the books in their main room, nothing catching his eyes. He had debated snooping

Through Kuroo’s room but decided against it. He decided to take a card out of Yachi’s books, and started to stress bake in their kitchen. His attempts at muffins turned out hard as stones, and he remembered why he always sat and kept her company as she baked.

He sighed, tossing

The rocks in the trash and started to clean up. When they were back, he was going to demand something to do. Whether it was research or grunt work, he couldn’t just sit here all day.

By the time they arrived back home, it was dark outside. Kei had ended up falling asleep on

The couch, sleeping straight through dinner. He heard noises in the kitchen and trudged over to see Kuroo hovering over the stove, still wearing his suit, but looking even more disheveled than when Kei had been teasing him this morning. He made sure to walk heavy, not wanting

To scare Kuroo when he was cutting vegetables. Kuroo glanced back to see who it was, smiling tiredly at him.

‘Hey.’

‘Hey. Long day?’

Kuroo hummed a reply, continuing to cook. ‘Did you eat?’

‘No.’ Kei walked next to Kuroo, assessing the ingredients laid out. ‘Sit,’ he

Demanded, taking the utensils out of Kuroo’s hands. Kuroo protested until Kei glared at him, and then he wilted into a seat at the island countertop, groaning.

‘I shouldn’t make you cook for me,’ he said, yawning.

‘You’re not. I’m offering and you’re accepting. I’m only

Doing this cause you did most of the prep work.’ He explained, moving the carefully cut vegetables to the pan. They sizzled, and Kei could feel his stomach growl.

‘Well, good thing I was making enough for two.’

‘Kenma not joining us?’

‘No, they’re still at the office. There

Was an attack at one of our ports and we think it might actually have been Shiratorizawa this time so they’re running the security footage.’

Kei continued cooking in a comfortable silence, only speaking up to yell when Kuroo tried to stand for plates.

‘Please, I spent all day

Losing my mind of boredom here, let me get some exercise in today.’ Kuroo winced at Kei’s words but allowed him to grab the dishes and serve them both a portion of the food. He waited until they had both started eating to reply.

‘Sorry. I don’t want you to think we’re trying

To hold you hostage here.’

‘Not my point. It will be my point tomorrow morning, but I’m not so heartless to bombard you with that now.’ While the food was good, and Kei was starving, he never had a huge appetite so he finished long before Kuroo. He sat quietly, watching the

Other man shovel the second serving in his mouth.

‘I know I did most of the starting work, but food always tastes so much better when someone else makes it for you.’

‘Tell that to the atrocity that can’t be called muffins in your trash I made earlier today.’

Kuroo laughed,

Wiping off his mouth as he finished.

‘Now that I would’ve loved to see. You baking in my kitchen? Did you wear a cute little apron?’ He smirked.

‘No, but I was wearing half of the batter. C’mon, let me clear your plate.’ Kei tried to grab the plate to move it to the sink to

Wash, but Kuroo grabbed his hand instead.

‘Leave them. Would it be incredibly selfish of me to ask if you want to sleep in my bed tonight? Just sleep, promise.’ He pressed a kiss to Kei’s arm as he wrapped his own around him.

‘Selfish to ask for just sleep,’ Kei teased,

Running his fingers through Kuroo’s hair. The darker haired man groaned at the sensation, dropping his forehead against Kei’s stomach.

‘I want to give you more, baby, but I’m dead on my feet over here.’

‘I’ll take a rain check. Let’s go.’

Kei pulled him upstairs, laughing

As Kuroo stumbled behind him, more concerned with pressing kisses to Kei’s shoulders than watching where he was walking. They made it to Kuroo’s room unharmed, and after a brief glance around, Kei shoved him towards what he assumed was the bathroom. He assumed correctly and

Pushed Kuroo to sit on the counter as he started drawing him a bath. While it ran, he dropped to his knees in front of Kuroo, ignoring the look on his face and moving to untie the shoes he was still wearing. He pulled them off and stood to continue helping him undress.

‘If you

Tell anyone how domestic I’m being right now, I’ll never do it again,’ he quips when Kuroo’s down to just his boxers.

‘I promise I won’t tell if you get in with me?’

‘’Thought you were too tired, old man.’

‘Not too tired to cuddle. Lemme wash your hair or something

Disgustingly domestic so you have something on me?’ Kuroo offers, slipping out of his boxers and turning off the water.

‘Tempting but no. I’ll get in but you’re not touching my hair. Scoot forward,’ he directs Kuroo where to sit and starts to take off his own clothes, feeling

Kuroo’s eyes on him. He slides in behind Kuroo and after shuffling around, lets him rest his back against Kei’s chest. They both savor the moment, letting the warm water and intimacy of the bath wash over them. When Kuroo’s head starts to nod, showcasing how the man himself is

Barely awake, Kei chuckles and grabs the wash cloth. He lathers it up and starts scrubbing Kuroo’s back, his shoulders.

‘Want me to wash your hair while you do the rest?’ He murmurs into Kuroo’s ear, grabbing the shampoo when he nods. Kei had been in relationships before, but

None of them lasted long with his position in the yakuza. He had done the sex, the casual flings, but this is a new ballpark for him. It comes almost scarily naturally to him, a man who has always been more comfortable with a six foot pole between him and anyone else, an almost

Nurturing side he didn’t know he had. He wanted this, he realized. He wanted to come home to this, to decompress with a partner, help them work out the kinks of their day. He wanted it with Kuroo. Kuroo, who was groaning and standing, pulling the drain on the tub before grabbing

A towel for both of them, holding his hand out to help Kei up.

‘Coming?’

Kei pushed the thoughts to the back of his head, choosing for once to live in the moment, to save the overthinking for another time. He allowed Kuroo to dry him off, sliding back into the shorts he was

Wearing as Kuroo padded bare back to his room. He grabbed a pair of underwear from his dresser before asking Kei if he wanted a shirt or pants to sleep in. Kei shrugged him off, crawling into bed just in the shorts. Kuroo followed suit, and before Kei could continue to baby him,

Kuroo had his arms wrapped around him, rolling until Kei was the small spoon. He felt Kuroo’s lips brush against his back as he settled down.

‘Night, Tsukki.’

‘Not my name.’ He reminded him.

‘Tsukishima’s too long and I’m too tired for that many syllables.’ He could feel

The pout on Kuroo’s face against his skin.

‘Kei, then.’ He pressed a kiss to Kuroo’s knuckles which were gripping the blankets in front of him. ‘Goodnight, Tetsu.’

If Kuroo replied, Kei didn’t hear it, the warmth from the bath lingering on Kuroo’s skin against his had him

asleep in minutes.

He wakes up after Kuroo the following morning, rubbing the sleep from his eyes as Kuroo smiles at him.

‘Morning, love.’

‘Ugh. Creepy,’ comes Kei’s slurred response as he burrows his face into Kuroo’s chest. He had rolled over during the night to face him.

Kuroo just laughed, pressing a kiss to the top of Kei’s head. ‘I should get up and get ready. I have a feeling today is going to be just as long as yesterday.’

‘I want to help,’ Kei states, pulling back. ‘I can’t be here all day not working, I’m not built like that. Even if

It’s busy work like research or something, if I’m going to stay here, let me help.’

‘Okay. We’ll figure something out. You are supposed to be our link to Karasuno, it’ll probably be good to show your face around more.’ Kuroo moves to kiss Kei on the mouth now that he can reach,

But he rolls away faster. ‘Keiii, no morning kiss?’

‘No, don’t tempt me to stay in bed all day. And it’s going to be Tsukishima to you around other people.’

‘Can it be Tsukki?’

‘I don’t need that wretched nickname spreading any more, no.’ He frowns, raiding Kuroo’s drawer

For a shirt to wear back to his room.
He glances back to see Kuroo pouting in bed, and he sighs. ‘You can call me Tsukki if it’s just like us and Kenma, or Lev. That’s it.’

‘Deal,’ Kuroo grinned his conman grin, standing up and shaking Kei’s hand.

Kei went back to his room

To change, pleasantly surprised that Kenma included more practical clothes for him. They met Kenma in the hallway, and he simply looks at Kei for a few seconds before shrugging and heading out.

‘Kitty cat, Tsukki’s gunna tag along today. He feels cooped up and I figured it

Wouldn’t hurt to have him around while we looked into Shiratorizawa.’

‘Didn’t ask.’

‘You let him call you kitty cat?’

‘Lesser of two evils, it’s like making a deal with the devil.’ Kenma opened the driver’s door, sliding behind the wheel. Kei said a silent prayer before

Climbing into the backseat. He figured back here it was easier to close his eyes and pretend he didn’t see the objects Kenma was about to hit.

‘He can sit in on the debrief this morning, it’s all on the attack yesterday. And then he can go with Lev to check out the area again,

For the second sweep.’ Kenma said as he merged almost into another car.

‘I don’t know about sending him with Lev,’ Kuroo started, bracing his hand against the window as Kenma veered sharply to the left.

‘Why not?’ Kei bit out from the backseat, glad he had chosen the seat in

The middle to avoid another concussion.

‘They’ll be fine, it’s a second sweep.’

‘It could be dangerous!’

‘We handled ourselves just fine at his apartment,’ Kei replied, eyes closed to not have to witness the horror that was this car ride anymore.

‘You literally broke your

Ankle and your head??’

‘I’ve also been shot like three times in my life back home, still here! I’m not a child who’s new to this!’

‘I still don’t like it.’

‘Kuro.’

‘What! It’s dangerous!’

‘No more dangerous than your friends driving!’ Kei shouts, but the argument is cut

Off as Kenma slides into a spot.

‘What’s wrong with my driving?’ They ask, looking confused.

‘It’s not a video game, the car is not supposed to move like that.’ Kei hisses. Kenma and Kuroo just look at each other and shrug, before getting out of the car.

The meeting in the

Morning is quick, Yaku shoots off facts about the attack yesterday while Lev waves at Kei from across the room. Kenma shares a few suspicious people they saw on the security cameras but no one looks familiar to Kei. Kei gives them a run down of Shiratorizawa’s big hitters, and

They part.

Lev is talking to Kei, giving him a recap of one of the shows he used to watch while they were drinking while Kuroo and Yaku talk in the corner. Yaku finally gives Lev the file they were waiting for.

‘Don’t fuck it up,’ he says as he hands it over, causing Kei to

Raise his eyebrows.

‘Of course not Yakkun!’ Lev replies, somehow missing the look that crosses the shorter man’s face.

‘What did you call me?’ He looks ready to blow a lid and Lev must finally sense it because he starts stammering out a flurry of unrelated statements.

‘Not

To interrupt but can I get some sort of weapon for this or am I supposed to rely solely on hand to hand combat if we run into something?’ Kei asks, cutting them off before they could get going. Yaku gives Kei a look up and down.

‘Do you even know how to shoot a gun?’

‘Tsukki

Can use one of mine,’ Kuroo cuts in, likely sensing the offense on Kei’s face. ‘C’mon, I’ll let you pick.’ He leads Kei out of the conference room with a hand on the small of his back. Kei’s verbal lashing for Yaku dies in his throat when he sees the shorter man pull Lev down for

A kiss as they leave the room.

‘Don’t let him get to you, he gets testy when we send Lev somewhere that could be dangerous.’

‘Sounds like a Nekoma problem.’

‘We care about our loved ones, sue us.’ Kuroo opens the door to his office, dropping his hand off of Kei’s back to

Start opening cabinets.

‘I don’t like the allusion that we don’t care about each other in Karasuno. You can care about your loved ones without hovering.’ He snaps, maybe harsher than he means to from the way Kuroo holds his hands up.

‘Sorry, Kei. I really didn’t mean it like

That.’

‘No, I know. Sorry,’ Kei sighs. ‘Maybe that’s a sore subject.’

Kuroo mimes zipping his lips, standing back and showing off his array of guns and knives. ‘Take your pick.’

‘You can choose. I just want a gun and maybe a few knives, I don’t think any of us plan on me

Needing more.’ He lets Kuroo pick a few things out, and he even lets Kuroo help him hide the weapons on his body, a bad choice in hindsight when Lev barged in on them with their tongues down each others throats a few minutes later. Kei pushed Kuroo off of him, promising to keep

In contact as he dragged Lev out of the room.

The drive to the port that was attacked was much calmer than the drive to the office, seeing as they had a random Nekoma man driving them. Kei didn’t talk much on the way there, just letting Lev fill the silence. It was a pretty

Cut and dry mission, just running a second sweep over the area to see if new eyes could pick up anything missed, and to ensure no one had came back to loot the aftermath. They had already split up the search at the meeting when they were given the layout of the place and after

Securing the outside, they headed into the warehouse together.

‘I’ll go high, you stay low.’ Lev suggests, pointing at the metal stairs leading to the overlook. Kei nodded in agreement and they parted again. He was almost done with the sweep when he sensed it. Someone was

Coming towards the building. Kei quietly climbed the stairs, turning a corner almost directly into Lev.

‘Someone’s coming,’ they both said at the same time.

‘Oh, you can like sense them?’ Lev asked.

‘Yeah. How’d you know?’

‘I ran into Miss Muffles upstairs! She saw them

Through the window.’

‘Do you bring that damn cat with you everywhere?’ Kei asks incredulously.

‘No!’ Lev goes to explain but the warehouse door creaks open and they both fall silent. It’s just one person, and while Kei can’t recall a name, he knows this is a grunt from

Shiratorizawa. He nods to Lev, quietly shuffling along the overpass. The man starts poking around downstairs and Kei tells Lev his plan.

The ambush is almost too quick, a few blows and Kei has his gun pointed at the now bleeding man, who’s kneeling in front of him.

‘What are

You doing here?’ He asks, cocking the gun. The man remains silent, refusing to look up at him. ‘Listen. There’s two of us and one of you, I’m really not looking to draw this out.’

‘I don’t see anything here?’ Lev yells, ruffling through the papers that had caught the man’s

Attention.

‘Was there something in the papers? Something one of your men left behind?’ Kei prompted to no reply. He pressed the gun in harder. ‘You’re testing my patience.’

‘Fuck you,’ the man finally answered causing Kei to sigh again. He moved his gun long enough to fire a

Shot through the man’s hand, snapping it back into place against his forehead as he shouted. Lev whistled behind them.

‘Nice shot, Tsukki!’

‘Not my name. Don’t worry,’ he told the man who was kneeling. ‘That’s not enough to kill you. I’m giving you a chance to answer before

Nekoma tortures it out of you. Does that mean nothing to you?’

The man looked up at Kei like he was reconsidering, before jerking back and spitting at Kei. Kei moved fast enough it missed his face, but it hit his shirt. Before he could grimace in disgust, a shot rang out and

The man in front of him was dead. He blinked, knowing he didn’t shoot, only to look up and see Kuroo strolling in with Yaku.

‘Oh good job, how do we interrogate him now?’ Yaku was yelling as Kuroo’s cold eyes swept over the man’s body.

‘Bring him in, see if Kai can heal him.’

‘His heads been blown off, I’m not putting that into my car!’

‘Excuse me, what the fuck?’ Kei asked as they got closer. ‘Just happen to be in the area?’ He accused Kuroo.

‘No. Your driver lost touch, figured we’d check it out. Whoever that was knocked him out.’ Kuroo gently

Grasped Kei’s face, turning it from side to side until Kei slapped him away.

‘Knock it off, I’m fine. We literally had it under control.’

‘I’m happy to see both of you!’ Lev shouts from where he’s dragging the body out as Yaku directs him.

‘Thanks, Lev. I knew I liked you,’

Kuroo grinned.

‘You’re so annoying. What kind of boss takes out the man who could provide answers before even talking to him,’ Kei frowns.

‘The kind who just watched that man spit on you,’ Kuroo says.

‘If you’re going to murder everyone who’s ever spit on me, you’re going

To have to go after a lot of my exes.’

‘What did I tell you-‘ Kuroo’s grip tightens on Kei’s chin, sending a flash of arousal through his veins ‘-about mentioning other men in front of me. Who would spit on you,’ Kuroo frowned slightly.

‘Because I can ask pretty nicely if

Properly motivated,’ Kei grins.

‘Oh. So you like that, huh?’ Kuroo steps in impossibly closer.

‘Sometimes. Not this time though, I’m afraid we might have to burn this shirt when we get back to yours.’

‘We can burn the whole outfit, let’s go.’

‘Don’t you have other things

To do today? Don’t I have other things to do?’ Kei asks as Kuroo links their hands together and starts walking out.

‘Probably but I’m the boss and if I want to play hooky, I’ll play hooky.’ He stops in front of Yaku’s car, parked next to the one Kei and Lev had arrived in,

Where Lev was currently trying to shove the body into the trunk.

‘Yaku, I need to use your car.’

‘No.’

‘I’m not taking that one,’ Kuroo points.

‘You can wait for me then,’ Yaku argues.

‘I really can’t. Either you let me borrow it to drive home or I’m going to end up

Blowing Tsukki in the backseat waiting on you.’

‘Jesus Christ, I cannot stand you,’ Yaku shivers, tossing the keys to Kuroo. ‘No fooling around in my car, I mean it.’

‘Scouts honor!’ Kuroo singsongs, getting in the drivers seat. Kei just rolls his eyes before getting in. The

Two of them make it back to the house in record time, and Kuroo twirls the keys on his finger as they walk inside.

‘So are you actually—‘ Kei’s question is cut off as the door shuts and Kuroo shoves him against it, instantly pressing their lips together. Kuroo licks along the

Seam of his lips and Kei moans, opening his mouth to grant him access.

‘Do you know how crazy you make me?’ Kuroo pants into Kei’s ear as he wedges his thigh between Kei’s, making the blonde whimper at the contact on his rapidly growing cock. Kuroo’s moved to paying attention

To Kei’s neck, sucking in a mark and then sealing it with a nip, licking a path from his collarbone to his earlobe, sucking that between his teeth as well. Kei moans, trying to work up the brain cells to make a smart comment, but the friction between them is almost too much.

‘Kuroo, Tetsu, your bed,’ he manages to get out before Kuroo moves back to his lips.

‘Part of me wants to fuck you against this door.’ He emphasizes his statement with a roll of his hips that has Kei choking back a moan.

‘Kenma would kill you.’

‘They’d live,’ Kuroo argues

But he pulls Kei with him, sliding his hands down until they’re resting on the backs of his thighs. Kei rolls his eyes, but takes the hint.

‘If you drop me on the stairs, I’ll kill you.’ He gives a little jump as Kuroo lifts him, wrapping his legs around Kuroo’s waist.

‘If you don’t want me to drop you, love, don’t talk like that,’ Kuroo grins.

‘Me threatening to murder you gets you going?’

‘Everything about you gets me going baby.’

Kei hums, accepting his answer. As Kuroo starts to walk, he starts his own attack on Kuroo’s neck, biting

Down hard enough Kuroo stumbles, hissing, as he slams Kei into the wall of the stairwell as he moans. Kei just laughs, and bites down again. They make it up the stairs without any real accidents and Kuroo drops Kei back to the ground just outside of his bedroom door.

‘Calling

It quits?’ Kei asks, confused.

‘Take off that shirt before we go in,’ Kuroo tugs at the hem of the shirt. Kei nods in understanding, unbuttoning it and letting it fall to the ground.

‘You didn’t want to swing by your living room and toss it in the fire?’ He jokes.

‘Maybe

Later.’ Kuroo crowds Kei against the wall again, hands trailing up his bare sides. He brushes his hand across Kei’s chest, swallowing his whimpers as his thumb circles Kei’s nipple. He lifts Kei up again, until he can duck his head and suck the sensitive nub into his mouth.

‘Tetsu,’ Kei whines, one hand holding Kuroo’s neck as he marks up his chest the same way he did Kei’s neck. His other hand fumbles along the wall next to him, fingers just able to pop the door open. He shoves Kuroo back by the shoulders, shivering when Kuroo’s heated gaze

Stares at his body. ‘I want to be in your bed already,’ he demands. He pulls Kuroo by the shirt into the bedroom, tugging to free it from his waistband. Kuroo laughs at his impatience, helping him pull it off.

They tumble into the bed together, continuing their antics. Nothing

More is said until they are both finally bare, with Kuroo’s hands around Kei’s thighs, pressing them upwards towards his head. Kei’s flushed from their foreplay but not in embarrassment as Kuroo takes the time to look him over, completely exposed in this position. His cock is

Solid, red and weeping at the tip, and his mouth is once again almost drooling from the sight of Kuroo’s erection.

‘Do you know how many times I pictured you here, just like this?’ Kuroo asks, voice low as he slides his hands up and down Kei’s thighs. ‘Do you know how many

Times I would leave your place and have to come home and fuck my fist, thinking about the day I would finally have you spread out and naked on my bed? Mine for the taking.’ He presses a kiss to Kei’s leg, slowly working down the calf, kissing and licking until he bites down on

The sensitive skin of Kei’s thigh.

Kei whines, half delirious with want. ‘If you don’t fuck me this time, I’ll actually die,’ he gasps out as Kuroo moves to give the other leg the same treatment.

‘I’ve got you baby, I’ll split you open on my cock before I’m done with you,’

Kuroo chuckles.

‘Get a move on it then,’ Kei tugs sharply on Kuroo’s hair. He moans at the unexpected pain before pulling back.

‘Don’t be greedy. I want to take my time with you, you brat.’ His teeth sink into another sensitive spot on Kei’s leg.

‘You took your time, months

Of time to get me here.’

Kuroo just hums again, but he finally drops down, flattening his tongue and licking a solid path from Kei’s hole upwards, smirking as the blonde’s head fell back with a curse.

‘If I make you come with my tongue, can you still take my cock?’ Kuroo

Asks.

‘Yes, please Tetsu.’ Kuroo’s grin sharpens, and Kei’s stomach rolls with arousal at the fact that one of the most dangerous men in Tokyo is between his thighs right now. The novelty of it is quickly forgotten when Kuroo dives in with no preamble. He eats Kei out like a

Man who’s starved, alternating between sloppy, long licks, and firm presses of his tongue inside of Kei. Kei feels like he’s losing his mind, rocking his hips back as much as possible, trying to get Kuroo’s tongue deeper in him. He’s almost desperate for some friction on his cock

But he holds off, tossing one arm over his eyes and burying the other hand in the thick locks of Kuroo’s hair.

‘Tetsu, please,’ he babbles, as Kuroo’s tongue presses in even deeper. ‘Please, ‘s good but more,’ he manages to get out.

‘Need my fingers to come?’ Kuroo rubs the

Pad of his thumb along Kei’s sloppy rim, testing the muscle, sliding it in as Kei nods. He teases him for a bit, slowly sliding his thumb in and out before he relents and grabs the lube, switching from his thumb to his middle and ring finger. They meet little resistance, already

Pliant from the ministrations of Kuroo’s tongue and thumb. Kei groans, savoring the stretch of the longer fingers, whimpering as Kuroo brushes closer and closer to his prostate. It doesn’t take much longer after that, the dual sensations of Kuroo fingering him open paired with

His tongue, wet and hot, sliding between his fingers, to push Kei over the edge. Kuroo works him through it, pulling out only when Kei starts to wince. He pulls back, his face a mess of spit and lube. He wipes the majority of it off with the back of his hand, ignoring Kei’s

Demands to be kissed to dip down and slide his tongue through the mess Kei made on his stomach.

Kei’s dick twitches at the sight, and he decides he’s had enough. He threads his fingers through Kuroo’s hair as Kuroo laps up the mess, nipping along Kei’s stomach as he goes, and

He yanks. Kuroo’s moan stutters out of him as he has no choice but to follow Kei’s guidance until he’s close enough Kei can pull him into a kiss. The kiss is sloppy, Kei can taste himself on Kuroo’s tongue.

‘Lemme blow you,’ he asks, wandering his hands down Kuroo’s body to

Wrap a hand around him.

‘Not tonight.’

‘Why not,’ Kei frowns. He keeps slowly stroking Kuroo, enjoying the way his eyes fall shut and his mouth parts on a silent moan. Kuroo lets him for a few seconds, before he moves his hand to Kei’s wrist.

‘Wanna make it good for you,’

He explains, pulling Kei’s arm up to kiss the wrist.

‘Was the last orgasm not good enough? I want it to be good for you too.’

‘No, Kei. I mean if you put your mouth around me right now, I’m going to come almost instantly. Gotta cool down so I can fuck you properly, like you

Deserve.’ Kuroo’s cheeks are tinted and Kei holds back his laugh.

‘Oh. You like eating me out that much?’ His lips twitch upwards, betraying his attempts to hide his mirth. Kuroo just groans, burying his face on Kei’s shoulder.

‘Yes,’ comes his muffled reply.

‘Cute.’

‘Don’t bully me,’ Kuroo pouts.

‘Or what, you’ll come?’ Kei can’t hold back his laughter this time, giggling as Kuroo whines.

‘Shh let me think of boner killing things for a minute.’

‘I don’t think you want it killed, I would still like for you to fuck me with it.’ Kei rolls

Them over, straddling Kuroo. He lets his semi-soft cock rest directly on Kuroo’s, grinning as he moans. Slowly, he trails his palms, fingers spread, up Kuroo’s chest. ‘You’ve wanted this for just as long as I have, right?’ Kei’s voice is deceptively sweet as he looks down at

Kuroo. Kuroo manages to drag his eyes away from where their lengths are brushing to look up at Kei and nods.

‘Good. Then be a good boy and hold it in,’ Kei’s voice sharpens as he rises onto his knees, reaching back to line Kuroo’s cock up with his hole. Kuroo gasps, hips

Twitching involuntary at the contact.

‘Kei, wait, baby-‘ he protests, hands coming to grip Kei’s hips firmly. ‘You need more lube.’

‘You have five seconds to grab it or I’m going without it,’ he grits out, head thrown back as the blunt tip of Kuroo’s cock breaches him. It’s

Good, the stretch. Just on the line of too much, and Kei trembles with the effort of not immediately fucking himself down, letting Kuroo’s thick cock carve its way inside of him.

‘That’s it, fuck, that’s it,’ Kuroo babbles as he quickly pours some lube in his hand and coats

The rest of his shaft. ‘Fuck Kei you feel good.’

‘Mmm. You know what else is good?’

‘Hmm?’

Kei answers when Kuroo’s hand pulls back out of the way by slamming his hips down, forceful enough to push Kuroo almost completely inside of him. They both moan, Kei bringing his hands

To rest on Kuroo’s chest as he slowly rocks his hips. Kuroo’s eyes are wide, unable to tear them off of the sight of the blonde fucking himself open on his cock.

‘Next time,’ Kei pants. ‘Next time if you can hold it together for long enough, you can fuck me. For now, just lay

There and take it.’ He finally bottoms out, eyes fluttering closed as he finally feels full.

‘What if I wanna fuck you this time?’ Kuroo tries to flex his hips, but stills as Kei glares down at him.

‘No.’ His tone is sharp and Kuroo can only whimper, tossing his head back

While Kei keeps rocking his hips. Once the sting of the stretch has dulled down, Kei gets to work. He sets a self indulgent pace, rolling and bouncing in the perfect way to keep constant pressure on his nerves, gasping at how wide Kuroo’s cock is, how it presses against his walls

Even after all of the lube and stretching.

‘Wanna, fuck, wanna call you a slut-’ Kuroo stutters out, barely hanging on, ‘-for how good you ride dick.’ His statement is broken up by moans, trying to not fuck up into Kei’s tight wet heat.

‘Fucked plenty of men who didn’t know

How to handle me. Gotta take what I want,’ Kei smirks as Kuroo groans.

‘I can handle you, fuck let me prove it.’

‘Can you, baby?’ His tone is condescending, and it causes tears to spring to Kuroo’s eyes as he whines, fingers curling in the sheets to stave off his orgasm. ‘I

Bet you can’t even handle me getting myself off before you come.’

‘I can, fuck I can.’ He whimpers, biting his lip as he shakes.

‘Fuck,’ Kei hisses, composure slipping. ‘That’s right, you can. Touch me, Tetsu.’ Kuroo’s eyes snap open and his hand flies to Kei’s cock, fully

Hard and leaking again. He wraps his hand around it, moaning, and starts to twist his hand around the tip. Kei keens, and slams his mouth into Kuroo’s. He opens his lips, letting Kei lick inside of his mouth as his second orgasm of the night hits him, spilling over Kuroo’s

Fingers. He barely holds back his own release, working Kei through his completely. Finally, the shivers stop and the blonde collapses on top of him. He leans in, pressing a chaste kiss to Kuroo’s neck right under his ear.

‘Good boy, you can come now.’

Kuroo only manages two

Thrusts upwards until he finally gets his release, hips twitching as he fills Kei up, fucking his cum deeper with each twitch.

‘You’re going to be the death of me,’ Kuroo groans as Kei rolls off of him.

‘Maybe that’s the plan.’

Kuroo just chuckles, blindly feeling around

Until he can find Kei to pull him into a kiss. ‘Bath?’

‘Shower. I’ll fall asleep in the bath.’ Kuroo nods, forcing himself upwards and dragging Kei to the bathroom. They shower, what would be a quick shower if there wasn’t a ten minute interlude to make out against the shower

Wall, before they both stumble back to Kuroo’s bed. Kei wastes no time looking for clothes, sliding under the comforter immediately. Kuroo follows and wraps his arms around Kei. He laughs as Kei’s eyes keep closing.

‘Baby, it’s like 2 pm.’

‘Your fault, made me do all the

Work. Let me take a nap,’ comes Kei’s sleepy reply.

‘Fine, but just for a bit.’ Kuroo kisses the tip of his nose, with every intention of rolling over to grab his phone and set a timer.

He doesn’t, and when they wake up, the sun has already set. Kei groans at his ruined

Sleep schedule, scowling at Kuroo.

‘I’ll just have to tire you out before it gets too late,’ Kuroo winks, dodging his pillow as Kei throws it. ‘Shh, let’s get food and then we can go back to bed.’

‘Fine. But I’m not cooking.’ They throw on some of Kuroo’s clothes and on the

Way downstairs, they run into a frowning Kenma.

‘I ordered take out. Yaku’s pissed you left him with clean up.’ They say, eyes darting between the two of them.

‘Thanks, kitty cat.’

‘No,’ Kenma swats Kuroo’s hand away as he tries to pat him on the head. ‘Don’t fuck in the

Kitchen, I don’t wanna hear it.’

Kuroo cackles and Kenma leaves. They find the food Kenma mentioned and eat it around the table, before popping the rest in the fridge and heading back upstairs. Kei insists that Kuroo leaves him alone while he catches up on the news, and it

Works for a maximum of ten minutes before they become entangled again, with Kuroo murmuring promises about wearing Kei out so he can sleep. He does just that, with Kei face down in his pillows as he fucks him from behind.

This time, Kei allows him a bath and then finally they

Fall into bed with the intention of sleeping until morning.

Kei isn’t sure what wakes him up, but he blinks awake a few hours later. He slowly sits up, taking in the surroundings. Kuroo’s still asleep next to him, but he stirs when Kei sits.

‘What’s wrong?’ Kuroo asks, wiping

The sleep from his eyes.

‘I think,’ Kei starts slowly, trying to double check. ‘I think someone’s in the house.’

‘It’s probably Kenma,’ Kuroo reasons but then it happens again, the weird sensation. Now that he’s awake he can pinpoint what it is.

‘No, it’s someone else.’ He

Throw the covers off of them. ‘They’re like bouncing around, room to room.’ He can feel their presence disappear before reappearing directly in another room. Kuroo jumps out of the bed, cursing.

‘Get in the bathroom or something, I can handle it.’

‘I’m not incapable of

Protecting myself,’ Kei hisses, refusing to move. Kuroo looks like he’s about to argue when suddenly the room has two extra people in it, one of which is holding a gun to Kuroo’s head. They both freeze as the other men grin.

‘Got you!’ The one without a gun says, laughing. ‘Now

Mr. Nekoma. This isn’t about you, we just want your friend here. Our boss would like a word with him.’ Kuroo goes to open his mouth to hurl a command at them but the man pulls a gun on Kei.

‘Ah ah, we know all about your ability. You can only use it on one person at a time

Right? You open your mouth and then one of us will shoot blondie. Don’t fret though, I’m sure once our boss is done with him you can get him back. The whole ability stealing thing doesn’t always break the person, maybe he’s strong enough to withhold it. If not well, you’re better

Off.’

Kei simply rolls his eyes in response, sighing like he’s waiting in line at the store. ‘Are you done? We were busy.’

‘You know, boss did tell me to kill whoever got in my way. I don’t have to spare the cat’s life,’ the unnamed man angers at Kei’s nonchalance.

‘You

Know his ability, yeah? Did you not learn mine?’ Before the other man can reply, Kei throws his concentration on the man holding the gun to Kuroo’s head. It’s jerky, being so out of practice with the actual application of it, but the man jerks to the side, muscles moving against

His will as he fires the gun, directly at his partner. Kei watches as the first man drops to the ground, and then uses his power to make the other man shoot himself in the legs, stopping his ability to run away. He starts to scream, but Kei clamps his mouth shut.

‘That, that is

How you keep the person alive for questioning,’ he rubs it in a shocked Kuroo’s face. ‘What? Did you think they wanted my power for the novelty of it?’

Kuroo clicks his jaw shut from where it had dropped open. ‘I got it from here. /Don’t speak unless we ask you a question./‘

The man on the floor stops shouting, unable to make a sound as Kuroo’s ability washes over him. Kei drops his, knowing the man won’t be going anywhere.

‘Do I need to add something about not popping around like a damn fly?’ Kuroo grumbles, looking at the blood spreading on his

Floor from the first man.

‘No, that one was too cocky to not be the one who could teleport them.’ Kuroo nods in agreement to Kei’s statement, cracking his neck and then dropping to crouch in front of the second man.

‘/How did you find us?/‘ He laces his voice with his power,

Forcing the other man to talk.

‘At the warehouse, the man who we sent was a trap. We just needed something of his to be on you and someone back home could track it.’

‘Well that explains the spit,’ Kei muses.

‘We should’ve burned that fucking shirt.’

Kei goes to agree but

Is interrupted by Kenma opening the door.

‘I heard gunshots.’

‘Kyanma! I need you to call Yakkun for me, I need him to come get his car. And a body. And a prisoner.’

Kenma glances around the room, frowning. ‘Why can’t you?’

‘Kenma, there’s no way it took you that long to

Run up the stairs after the gunshots.’ Kuroo presses, pretending to be disappointed.

‘I was in the middle of a match,’ Kenma grumbles, pulling out their phone.

‘Thanks, kitty cat.’ Kuroo starts rifling through his drawer, tossing clothes at Kei who slides them on. He listens

As Kenma tells Yaku what Kuroo said, and as he can hear Yaku’s yelling from across the room.

‘Oof he sounds mad.’ Kuroo smiles, buttoning up his shirt. ‘Be sure to tell him I’m so sorry for the inconvenience.’

‘Tell him yourself.’ Kenma says, hanging up the call as Yaku

Continues to complain.

‘Can’t. Enough is enough, I’m cashing in my favor with Fukurodani. Ushijima will be dead before the week is out.’ Kei shivers at Kuroo’s tone, but the head of Nekoma simply holds out his hand for Kei to grab. ‘You’re going to love Akaashi. And Bo is

Going to love you.’

‘Joy.’ Kei frowns, but he allows Kuroo to pull him along with him. He shoots Kenma an apologetic look, but they just wave him off.

The ride to Fukurodani is quiet. Kuroo hasn’t let go of Kei’s hand since they got in the car, and he brushes his thumb over

Kei’s knuckles as he drives.

‘If Fukurodani owed you a favor from the start, why didn’t you cash it in when you first found out who I am and who was after me?’ Kei breaks the silence. It takes Kuroo a few moments to answer, and Kei traces his eyes over Kuroo’s jaw as he thinks.

‘I want to say because it’s a really big favor to cash in, but I don’t think that’s the only reason,’ he admits. ‘I think part of me knew that once Shiratorizawa was no longer a threat, you’d leave.’

Kei’s stomach drops at that thought. He wants to be happy at the prospect, he

Has missed Karasuno fiercely the last few weeks, but the thought of leaving Kuroo makes him feel terrible.

‘Oh,’ is all he manages to say. Kuroo smiles, a sad smile.

‘I know, that was probably fucked up of me.’

‘No. I can’t say I wouldn’t have done the same thing this

Time.’

They both tighten their grip. It’s quiet for a few more minutes until Kuroo clears his throat.

‘Will you leave once this is all over?’

Now it’s Kei’s turn to think. He knows, logically, that of course he will. He swore an oath to Karasuno that he can’t just abandon

For a good fuck. But, he argues with himself, Kuroo is more than that. He feels incredibly cliche, but no one has made him feel the way Kuroo has. But, he continues arguing, he can’t exactly ask the head of one of the biggest yakuza in Tokyo to do long distance with a nobody

From Sendai. He realizes he’s taken too long to answer when Kuroo starts to frown.

‘Can we cross that bridge when we get to it?’ He hates how his voice sounds, wobbly and uncertain. ‘Besides, launching something this big can’t be a quick operation. It’ll be weeks before we see

Results.’

‘You haven’t met Akaashi,’ Kuroo chuckles. He drops the subject though, content to hold Kei’s hand and hum along to the music for the rest of the drive. Kei isn’t ashamed to admit that he falls asleep and only wakes up after they’ve parked.

Kuroo has already gotten

Out of the car and is hovering over Kei from the passenger door.

‘Boo, I was going to carry you in the house.’ Kuroo pouts, stepping back so Kei has room to get out of the car. He hears a loud booming voice in the background and silently groans at what he’s sure is going to be

A long night.

‘You would’ve dropped me and then I would’ve sued.’

‘You have no faith in me, Tsukki. I carried you up the steps didn’t I?’

‘Barely,’ he replies, rolling his shoulders as he stands.

‘Oh shit. He’s really pretty.’ The loud booming voice from before is

Suddenly right next to him. ‘Isn’t he super pretty Akaashi??’

‘He is, Bokuto-san.’

‘Can we keep him?’

‘Haah?’ Kei whips his head to the side to take in the two characters. One, presumably Bokuto-san, is huge. He’s not as tall as Kei or Kuroo but he’s wide. He looks like he

Could snap Kei in half with his bare hands. His eyes are piercing and Kei can’t help but think of an owl, fitting for the name of their gang. The other man is hands down one of the prettiest men Kei had ever seen, black hair that looks soft to the touch, and piercing blue eyes.

His internal gay musings are interrupted by Kuroo, yanking him behind him and scowling.

‘Oi, eyes off my Tsukki.’

‘Hey, Tsukki! You know if you want we could get rid of him for you!’ Bokuto offers, grinning.

‘Tsukishima. My name is Tsukishima, not Tsukki.’ Kei’s bewildered.

‘Aw, I wanna call him a cute nickname too,’ Bokuto visibly wilts. He thinks for a second and then perks back up. ‘I can think of a different name! Kuroo move, let me talk to him.’

‘Piss off, I changed my mind, we’re leaving.’

The two of them immediately start play wrestling

As Kei backs away. He stands to the side, blinking as they fight.

‘Don’t worry, they’ll stop soon enough.’ Akaashi says from where he’s appeared next to Kei. ‘They just need to tire themselves out.’ He laughs quietly, hiding his mouth behind his hand.

‘Is this a regular thing

For them then?’

‘Unfortunately,’ Akaashi says, but his eyes are twinkling. ‘He wasn’t joking, though he would be sad to be on bad terms with Kuroo-san. You are very pretty.’

Kei can feel his face heat up as Akaashi makes eye contact, but Kuroo notices before he has to think of

A reply.

‘Tsukki no, don’t let him seduce you!’ Kuroo yells from the ground, head locked between Bokuto’s arms.

‘Well I’m not feeling very seduced by you,’ he admits, mouth turning up as Kuroo shrieks.

‘Alright, Bokuto-san. Let’s stop teasing them. I’m sure Tsukishima-kun

Has had a long night and would like to be inside right now.’

Bokuto springs to his feet at Akaashi’s words, bounding over to Kei and offering his hand. Kei blanks and takes it, allowing the excited man to pull him inside. He glances back once, locking eyes with Kuroo. Kuroo

Offers a small smile, a comfort Kei didn’t know he needed, but his stomach settles all the same.

Once inside, Bokuto leads the four of them to a small living room, leading Kei to sit on the floor next to him. Kei was grateful for the kotatsu as he curled up under it, relaxing

As much as he can for the situation. Kuroo sits on his other side, leaving Akaashi to sit across from him. They immediately begin talking about what’s happening, but Kei can’t find it in him to focus. He answers questions when asked but ultimately finds himself drifting off. He

Thinks, after the display on their lawn, that the two members of Fukurodani won’t be too upset with him if he falls asleep but he still tries to stay upright. He must be failing worse than he thought though because Akaashi clears his throat as Bokuto is asking a question about

Shiratorizawa.

‘Why don’t we call it a night. We can figure out a plan of action in the morning.’ Bokuto opens his mouth like he’s going to argue, but Akaashi just looks at him and he closes it. ‘Tsukishima-kun, we can give you a guest room close to ours if you would prefer. I

Do promise you you will remain safe while here no matter where you are in the house.’

‘Don’t kick a man while he’s down, Akaashi.’ Kuroo grumbles.

‘Kuroo-san, you’re welcome to sleep in your car.’

Bokuto laughs as Kuroo pouts again. Kei smiles but decides to give Kuroo a

Break.

‘We can share a room, if that’s not too much trouble for you.’

‘You mean with us?’ Bokuto winks.

‘I mean with Kuroo, unfortunately.’

‘If you insist. Come, let me show you to a room.’ Akaashi stands and leads them to a guest room, wishing them a good night. Kuroo

Flops into the bed, groaning as he stretches. Kei climbs in next to him, pulling on the blankets until Kuroo shuffles enough that they’re both under them. He knows the second he closes his eyes he’s about to be out for the night, so Kei rolls in to press a quick kiss to Kuroo’s

Jaw.

‘They’re quite the characters. Handsome too.’ He presses another kiss, soothing the frown back off of Kuroo’s face. ‘Too bad I like you too much to take them up on the offer.’

Kuroo’s face finally relaxes and he pulls Kei in closer. ‘Night, Kei.’

‘Goodnight Tetsurou.’

He finds out quickly what kind of relationship Bokuto and Akaashi have. They’ve been discussing options for a few hours now, and Akaashi has reeled Bokuto back in quite a few times from something outlandish. Finally rested after the night before, Kei is more active in these

Talks. He points out potential problems that has even the highly logical Akaashi smiling at him. The pair has toned down the flirting, much to Kuroo’s joy, but Bokuto doesn’t stop lamenting Kei’s rejection whenever he has a particularly good idea. Eventually, their stomachs

Begin to growl and Bokuto insists that Kuroo and him figure out food. They’re arguing over Bokuto’s phone now, both of them wanting take out from different places.

‘They act as if they don’t have enough money to just order from both places,’ Kei scoffs.

‘Logic sometimes

Escapes them. Forgive me for asking, Tsukishima-kun, but I noticed last night you don’t use honorifics with Kuroo-san?’ Akaashi turns his intense eyes onto Kei, who pauses.

‘No. I think it’s because when I first met him, I didn’t really know who he was,’ he muses. ‘By the time

I was made aware of his status, we weren’t really on friendly terms. Why do you ask?’

‘While we are in different organizations, Kuroo-san is a close friend. If him bringing you to us after the attack wasn’t sign enough that he was infatuated with you, him not admonishing you

For the display of your closeness was.’ The two of them sit in silence for a moment, letting Akaashi’s statement sink in.

‘I think,’ Kei starts slowly. ‘That while I will admit that our…relationship if you will, has had some rocky moments, I think the feeling goes both ways.’

‘And when all is said and done? Will you leave Tokyo behind?’ Akaashi does not have to say ‘will you leave Kuroo behind too’ out loud for Kei to know it’s implied. Kei watches Kuroo argue with Bokuto over the better food item for a few moments before answering.

‘I swore an oath

To Karasuno. They have my loyalty.’ He admits, watching as the corner of Akaashi’s mouth turn downwards, not quite frowning but on the way to it. ‘That being said, I would look for something. A loophole or an opportunity. I won’t turn my back on my family but I’m not willing to

Give up on Kuroo quite yet.’

The addition must appease Akaashi, who after a few more moments of eye contact, smiles, and then turns to the other two. ‘Tsukishima-kun and myself vote ramen.’

Bokuto gasps in betrayal as Kuroo pumps his fist in the air. ‘Victory, thy name is

Kuroo!’

‘Bokuto-san, we can order yours separately.’ Akaashi tells him, and his face lights back up.

‘We can! Akaashi, you’re so smart.’

After dinner, Kenma shows up and he disappears with Akaashi to work on the technical side of things. Bokuto offers to entertain Kei and

Kuroo, but the pair of them turn him down in favor of going to bed early. Unwilling to look through Bokuto’s things for lube, Kei insists they actually sleep.

Kei ends up waking up early, and untangles himself from Kuroo to head downstairs. He’s making himself a cup of tea when

Akaashi walks back inside, hanging up his phone.

‘Oh, Akaashi-san. I was just making tea, would you like some?’

‘No, thank you. I do have good news, depending on how you look at it though.’ Kei stops, turning to fully face Akaashi. ‘Shiratorizawa won’t be a problem anymore.’

Kei blanches. ‘What? How?’

‘Akaashi’s an overachiever,’ Bokuto says, rounding the corner from the hallway, yawning. ‘Didn’t even let me have any fun.’

‘You brought down an entire organization in one night? While we slept?’ Kei’s mind is running a mile a minute. ‘Do I even

Want to know how?’

‘I was properly motivated,’ comes his vague reply. ‘I’ll let you tell Kuroo-san when he wakes. Feel free to stay as late as you want before heading back though. And do not leave without telling us goodbye, I mean it.’ Kei just nods, blankly watching Akaashi

Pull Bokuto back towards their room. He gives up on his tea, dumping the water down the drain, and heads back to bed. He crawls back under the covers, heart still racing. He debates waking Kuroo up, but decides not to, wanting to panic on his own. Kuroo though, wakes up from him

Climbing back into bed. He must take in Kei’s pounding heart because he rolls over immediately.

‘Kei? What is it baby?’

‘Akaashi-san took out Shiratorizawa.’

‘Oh. That’s a good thing though? I mean, Christ, I never want to be on his bad side, but why are you panicking?’ He

Slides his palms up to cup Kei’s face, thumbs brushing reassuring circles into his skin. Kei squeezes his eyes shut, taking a deep breath.

‘Cause that means they’re not after me anymore.’

‘Yes? And?’

‘And I have no reason to be in Tokyo,’ he blurts out.

‘Oh. Right.’

Realization blooms on Kuroo’s face as they lock eyes. ‘You can go home,’ he clarifies weakly.

‘I don’t want to leave you yet,’ Kei whispers, afraid to speak too loudly for the fear of his voice giving out.

‘You could stay?’

‘I can’t do that to Karasuno, Tetsu. I can’t

Abandon them,’ his breaths are coming quicker, edging closer and closer to breaking down. Kuroo soothes him, pulling him in as close as possible.

‘Hey, hey, it’s okay. You’re not getting rid of me that easily, love. We’ll work something out.’

‘You’ll get sick of me. I’m no

Good at long distances.’

‘Impossible.’

‘What if Daichi-san wants me to cut ties with you?’

‘Then he’d be breaking an alliance, and I wouldn’t let him. Kei, I swear it, it’ll be okay.’

Kei finally nods, letting Kuroo’s words of comfort wash over him.

‘We’ll call Daichi

Later today. Tell him you want to wait a day or two to be sure, and then we’ll go from there. You have to have days off at some point yes? My door is always open for you.’

‘What if I only come to see you once a month and you’re busy?’

‘I’ll cancel whatever was planned, easy.

I’m the boss right?’

Kei laughs wetly, sniffing as Kuroo threads his fingers through his hair.

‘Akaashi says we have to say goodbye before we leave,’ he remembers to relay before allowing Kuroo’s mouth to claim his own.

They spend the morning in bed, and then after a

Prolonged goodbye where Bokuto tried once more to convince Kei to join them, they head back to Nekoma headquarters for Kuroo to get some actual work done. Kei calls Daichi, and they agree on a day for him to come back home.

A day which, according to Kuroo and Kei comes far too

Quickly. Lev has volunteered to drive Kei home, and he waits in the car as Kei kisses Kuroo goodbye.

‘Say the word and I’ll send someone to get you,’ Kuroo reminds him.

‘I know.’

They break apart, and Kei has to force himself to get in the car. Lev understands his sour mood

On the way down and keeps his chatter to a minimum. A few short hours later, he’s pulling up in front of a smiling and waving Tadashi.

‘He means it when he says say the word and we’ll come get you,’ Lev says, leaning over the console and hugging Kei goodbye. Kei nods, blinking

Back tears and gets out. If anyone from Karasuno notices, they thankfully don’t mention it.

The next week of Kei’s life reminds him of the first week in Tokyo. It’s a bit better this time, having his friends around him, but even talking to Kuroo on the phone doesn’t stop the

Longing. It takes Tadashi pulling him to the side to make up his mind.

‘Kei. You’re not happy here. You miss him, you don’t have to hide it.’

‘You’re my family, there’s nothing I can do about it.’ He tries to brush him off but Tadashi doesn’t budge.

‘Bull. Don’t give me

Excuses. We’re your family and we love you, and we want what’s best for you! This isn’t some movie-esque gang where you only leave by dying! Tell Daichi that you want to be the go between us and Nekoma. You can split your time between both of us then, if they’re both committed

To the alliance.’

Kei blinks, realizing Tadashi is right. When he goes to meet Daichi, Daichi only laughs.

‘I knew this was coming when I was in Tokyo. I’m surprised it took you so long to ask.’

‘I’m emotionally constipated,’ Kei jokes. ‘I didn’t think of it until Tadashi

Suggested it.’

Daichi just laughs louder, telling Kei to go. He packs his bag that next hour and jumps on the train. He thinks about messaging Kuroo but decides on surprising him. He does text Kenma though who replies ‘thank god 🙃’ and agrees to send a car for him at the train

Station. The car picks him up and brings him directly to Kuroo’s house, where Kenma lets him in.

‘He’s moping in the living room.’

Kei nods, dropping his bag by the door and making his way across the house. He walks into the living room to see Kuroo laying face down on the

Sofa.

‘Kenmaaaa, I miss him so much,’ Kuroo whines when he hears Kei, assuming it’s Kenma coming back.

‘Who do you miss?’ He asks, biting back the smile as Kuroo jumps up.

‘Kei!’ Kuroo shouts, coming around the couch to gather him into his arms. ‘Please tell me you’re back

For a few days at least?’

‘I’m back for as long as you’ll have me, I guess.’

Kuroo pulls back, a questioning look on his face. ‘Is everything okay?’

‘Yeah. I couldn’t do it. I told Daichi-san I wanted to come back to Tokyo. He said that as long as I come back for the

Meetings every other month or emergency situations then I can stay as like a liaison or whatever.’

‘I’ll take it,’ Kuroo nods, pulling Kei into a kiss.

‘I’m not sleeping in a room where we killed a man though,’ he gets out between kisses.

‘Your room then, until we get our

Own place.’

‘Good riddance,’ comes Kenma’s yell as they walk past their door.

‘Deal, but our place has to be close to Bokuto and Akaashi’s. Actually, we should just go there now,’ Kei teases, laughing as Kuroo whines.

They do get their own place, a month later, and it is

Closer to Bokuto and Akaashi’s than before. Kei stays on as a middleman between the two gangs until five years later, when Daichi-san releases him from his ties to Karasuno so he can marry the head of Nekoma.

The end!!