Chapter Text
Kyoutani’s mind was reeling. Who would have thought that Yahaba would be okay with kissing him? He thought it was weird that they were suddenly getting along really well, and barely bickered, but it was not unwelcomed. Did this mean that he had a chance? That he could actually possibly take Yahaba out on a date? Did this mean that Yahaba actually liked him?
Now that Kyoutani thought about it… this kiss wasn’t all that spectacular. Yahaba probably engaged in better kisses, and Kyoutani’s technique probably screamed novice. Sure, he did something with his hands, but what else were you supposed to do with your lips? Wasn’t there supposed to be tongue involved? Or was that reserved for private encounters? The senpais made it seem easy earlier, but holy shit, kissing seemed a lot more complex at the moment.
Kyoutani pulled away from the kiss, if Yahaba would even allow him to call it that, turning his head away from Yahaba to hide his red cheeks. Yahaba cleared his throat and looked around, observing the other attendees at the party. Oikawa’s mouth was still open, and Iwaizumi was trying hard to prevent him from gaping so openly. Others were trying hard not to look surprised, and Kyoutani felt like an animal on exhibit again. Would this become a reoccurring feeling around this group?
“Wow, so…it’s Yahaba’s turn now.” Kyoutani watched from the corner of his eye as Yahaba hesitantly picked up the bottle, giving it a spin. The bottle turned rapidly, everyone watching in excitement on who would be picked. The neck of the bottle faced Bokuto, who hooted loudly, while Yahaba scratched the nape of his neck, nervous. Kyoutani’s eyes narrowed slightly at Bokuto, a little…jealous that he might get Yahaba to kiss him too.
“If you don’t want to kiss him, you can just say so.” Akaashi reminded Yahaba.
“You won’t be missing out on anything, trust me.” Kuroo teased and Bokuto playfully threatened to hit him.
“I-I…” Yahaba stuttered out, and Kyoutani’s interest was peaked. Did Yahaba want to kiss Bokuto? If he did, then that means the kiss he shared with Kyoutani meant nothing. But if he rejected the kiss, then Kyoutani’s previous thoughts were probably correct…right? “I think I would rather have a staring contest.” Kyoutani felt a wave of relief wash over him, but he hid it well. Bokuto smiled widely.
“You’re going down, mini-Oikawa!” Bokuto ignored all the protest he received from calling Yahaba that nickname, and got into position in the center of the circle.
As Bokuto and Yahaba stared at each other, waiting for the other to blink, Kyoutani felt another slight wave of jealousy. All these conflicting emotions were really starting to piss him off. First he didn’t want Bokuto to kiss Yahaba, and now he didn’t even want the older boy to look Yahaba in the eyes. Especially since Kyoutani had a hard time doing such a simple task himself. If this what it was like to crush on someone, Kyoutani wasn’t sure he was ready for that.
Bokuto ended up winning the contest after Yahaba blinked when Bokuto ‘accidentally’ blew air into his eyes. It was Kai’s turn to spin the bottle, and Yahaba returned to his seat next to Kyoutani. “Uh…nice try.” Kyoutani muttered to Yahaba as the bottle landed on Akaashi.
“T-thank you.” Yahaba replied and Kyoutani refused to make any sort of eye contact.
After another staring contest that seemed to go on for an extremely long amount of time between Kai and Akaashi, it was Kuroo’s spin. He landed on Sawamura with a smug smirk gracing his lips. “Did you cheat like Oikawa?” Sawamura accused as Kuroo crawled over to collect his kiss.
“I’m hurt that you would even think that of me.” Kuroo feigned a pout, “Now, come on. We can teach Kyoutani and Yahaba a little something.” Kyoutani almost choked on air, quickly turning to hide his embarrassment while Yahaba just went wide eyed.
“Kuroo! Don’t embarrass my kouhais like that! It’s not their fault that they’re such newbies on smooching.” Oikawa defended, but it only embarrassed the two more. How could they even tell? Kyoutani wondered to himself.
“Can Yaku just spin so we can end this game?” Sawamura advised as Kuroo peppered his face with kisses, just to be a little shit. “You both are embarrassing them.”
Yaku, by some weird fate, ended up landing on Asahi. This time they were able to kiss properly due to Yaku grabbing Asahi’s face, forcing him to stay still until the deed was done. After, everyone went about their business, talking, drinking, and finishing up whatever food was left. Yahaba must have went over to Oikawa, and relayed that he was ready to go, because Oikawa had a huge grin when he said “Well, we wouldn’t want you to walk home alone at night… Kyoutani! Why don’t you go along with him?” Kyoutani just grunted in response, both thankful and resentful for Oikawa’s suggestion. They shared goodbyes with everyone else, making their way back to the dorms.
The walk was awkward really. Kyoutani was so focused on their earlier kiss and the fact that he was actually alone with Yahaba, that he didn’t bother to make conversation. Should he say something? What would he say though? Was he supposed to ask about the party? Ask if Yahaba had a good time? He wasn’t the host though, so why should he care if Yahaba had a good time. Maybe it was thought that counted. Whatever.
Both he and Yahaba must have currently been on the same wavelength, because they both asked “Did you have fun?” at the same time. Kyoutani began to nibble on his bottom lip as he insisted that Yahaba talk first. “Yeah, I had fun.”
“I had fun too.” He muttered back, so much for conversation. What else should he say?
“I… I had fun all day really. Hanging out with the tigers was a great experience. I can’t believe that this is what you want to do for a living.”
“Animals don’t talk back so…”
“You really picked a profession just so you won’t have to socialize with people?” Yahaba’s eyebrow raised and it reminded Kyoutani of how he was so wary of the boy back in high school.
“I’ve always been passionate for animals, not socializing with so many people is just a plus.”
“Hey, what’s the deal with that anyway? You socialized just fine tonight with all the senpais. That’s the most I’ve ever seen you interact with others since I’ve known you.”
“Not true, when we were third years, I interacted with all the then first years just fine.”
“Yelling at them to get their shit together at volleyball practice doesn’t exactly count as socializing. You not only talk to these guys at work, but you talked to them outside of work too.”
“I respect a lot of them, and Iwaizumi-san seems to really enjoy their company.”
“Is that all it takes for you to talk to someone? For you to respect them?”
“If I respect them, its because they respect me back. I’m not going to waste energy talking to someone who doesn’t respect me because they then aren’t interested in actually getting to know me. Everyone is usually afraid of me at first sight because I have these dark circles, and a permanent scowl. I can’t help that, my dad and my granddad both have that same scowl.”
“Is that why you’re more comfortable around me? Do you finally respect me?” Yahaba questioned and it threw Kyoutani off a bit. Since they graduated high school two years ago, and he had to transfer his energy towards something else besides volleyball, he had been more comfortable around Yahaba. He didn’t mind so much when the boy would text him, or make conversation.
“I guess.” Kyoutani muttered, looking away from the smug look on Yahaba’s face. “Anyway, isn’t this you?” He titled his head towards the dorm building they stopped in front of, shoving his hands in his pockets.
“Yeah, it’s me… thanks for walking me home.”
“Whatever. I was ready to go home too anyway.”
“I’ll see you at work tomorrow?”
“Yeah.” Kyoutani answered, watching Yahaba shuffle his feet nervously. What was up with him?
“So, goodnight.” Yahaba stated, leaning forward and placing a rushed kiss on Kyoutani’s cheek before practically running towards the building entrance. Kyoutani stuttered out a goodnight, and ended up glued into that spot for at least ten minutes before running to his own dorm building.
--
Kyoutani was smarter than he looked, and he knew a sign when given to him. There was no possible way he could be wrong about the goodnight kiss Yahaba gave to him. No possible way that it didn’t mean that Yahaba liked him too. He was going to do something about it today. He would not let a crush conquer him.
He just had no idea how to ask someone out without making a fool of yourself.
Kyoutani knew he needed help, that he needed advice, it just wasn’t in his character to actually ask for it. Maybe it was time to humble himself just this once, and get over his pride, for Yahaba.
When he arrived at work and entered the locker room, Iwaizumi and Kuroo were there discussing something. Kyoutani was going to ask for help from Iwaizumi anyway, and since Kuroo was here, maybe he could help too. Just when he was about to open his mouth, Iwaizumi beat him to it, “Kyoutani! Since you’re here, do you mind helping Kuroo and I move some reptile eggs to an incubator?”
“U-uh, sure.” Kyoutani agreed, quickly stuffing his backpack into his locker and fixing his uniform.
Iwaizumi led them to the reptile exhibit and through a special door that led to a large hallway with a bunch of doors. Kuroo had handed Kyoutani a box lined with a bunch of blankets, and he was instructed to just hold it still. “Each door leads to a certain animal’s exhibit.” Iwaizumi explained, opening a door. “Watch your step, and don’t be afraid. I’ll take care of Azuki.” If Kyoutani had remembered the zoo itinerary correctly, Azuki was a crocodile.
“W-we’re collecting crocodile eggs?”
“Yep, they’re expected to hatch in a few days, so we’re going to move them to an incubator until we can move Azuki to a separate exhibit.”
“Why move Azuki?”
“I know I do hand-raise quite a few animals, but sometimes its best to allow the mother to do what she would do in the wild for her young. Plus, we’re renovating this exhibit in the meantime.” Kuroo explained and Kyoutani took the time to look around.
The reptile ‘room’ was always a lot bigger than a room. It had very spacious exhibits for the bigger reptiles. This crocodile exhibit was probably the biggest. “Okay! Go on and collect the eggs!” Iwaizumi called out from a distance. Kuroo led Kyoutani to a nest and carefully placed the eggs in the box.
“I know I told you to hold still earlier, but now you really need to hold that box still.” Kuroo instructed once all the eggs were inside. He then pulled out his own container and collected the sand the eggs were buried in. “Done!” Kuroo called out and Iwaizumi agreed to meet them back at the nursery in a bit. Kuroo led Kyoutani out, closing the door to the exhibit and leading the way to the nursery.
When Kuroo was working on the incubation, Iwaizumi joined them to check up on the eggs. “How did you distract Azuki?”
“Easy, with food.” Iwaizumi said shrugging his shoulders, “The fear is gone by now. I’ve been working around all of those creatures long enough that I’m not afraid to handle them.”
“Wow…that’s so cool.”
“Yeah, it’s awesome.” Kyoutani was so wrapped up into the task of delivering eggs, that he forgot his original purpose. Was now a good time?
“C-can I ask you both something non-work related?”
“Ooh, my favorite type of questions.” Kuroo teased, making Iwaizumi chuckle.
“Sure, go for it.”
“H-how did you two go about asking Sawamura-san and Oikawa out?”
“Interesting question…” Kuroo started as he finished up and put away some things before washing his hands. “It started off with a simple invitation for coffee, and the rest is history.”
“Well surprisingly, Shittykawa confessed first when we graduated. He left it at that, because we were going to different schools, but the idiot didn’t realize we were both going to different schools here in Tokyo. It just ended up happening during dinner together.”
“Is this about Yahaba?” Kuroo questioned and Kyoutani swore he had never turned red so fast in his life.
“Wow, Oikawa is going to owe me money. Just ask him for a meal, Kyoutani. That’s your most basic date, and it usually works when courting someone.”
“Yeah, you can’t go wrong, and even if you do somehow mess up, you both work together so you’ll be forced to keep an acquaintanceship.”
“How is that going to help him?”
“We’re looking at all the possibilities, Iwa-chan.”
“Don’t call me that.”
“I’m going to go to work now…” Kyoutani announced, washing his hands and leaving. He felt like he should be mad that Oikawa and Iwaizumi were betting on his relationship, but it did make him feel good that Iwaizumi (and Kuroo) believed in him to start a romantic relationship with Yahaba. They had a point, he would just ask Yahaba out for a meal, and go from there.
Turns out it is not easy to ask someone out, and this crush was slowly kicking Kyoutani’s ass. Kyoutani had an opportunity during his lunch break to ask the golden question, but that quickly went down south. He chickened out and couldn’t do it. He was starting to feel a little pathetic, actually. Kyoutani was usually the type to get what he wants through hard work and determination, but apparently when it came to crushes, that hard work and determination disappeared.
Maybe he could write a note? Was Yahaba into that?
Into it or not, Kyoutani went for it, and wrote out a little confession on a slip of paper, aiming to place it in Yahaba’s locker before leaving the zoo. As Kyoutani folded up the paper and attempted to slip it in, a question stopped him in his place, “What are you doing to Oikawa’s locker?” Fuck, was all Kyoutani could think. Not only did Yahaba catch him red-handed, but he was also about to place the note in the wrong locker. He grabbed the slip of paper before he could lose it and turned towards his crush.
“I-I was trying to put this in your locker.” He admitted, looking away as he cheeks warmed. It was slightly satisfying when Yahaba’s cheeks turned the same tint.
“O-oh… well, what is it?” Kyoutani handed over the paper without a word. Yahaba slowly opened it, and Kyoutani really wanted someone to knock him out so he wouldn’t have to witness this…maybe he could sneak back into the crocodile exhibit— “I like you. Would you go out to dinner with me?” Yahaba read aloud, and Kyoutani had to try really hard to not beeline it to the reptile room. Maybe the blunt to the point words weren’t so ideal for confessing, but then again it’s not like Kyoutani was a sap. “You didn’t even leave your name, how was I supposed to know if it was you or not?”
“Look closer.” Yahaba did as he was told and re-examined the note. There was a drawing of a paw print in the bottom right corner, and it caused Yahaba to smile.
“Oh…that’s how.”
“So… if that’s it… I’ll be going now.” Kyoutani said, trying to escape the situation with a little bit of dignity in tact. Yahaba quickly grabbed him by the sleeve, pulling him back.
“I’d love to go out to dinner with you.”
“You would?”
“Yes, I like you too…” Yahaba chuckled.
“Oh, wow. I kind of knew that, but its different actually hearing it.” Kyoutani rambled, “Shall we have chicken…or chicken?”
“How about ikura don?”
“Chicken it is, then.” Kyoutani concluded making Yahaba laugh as they headed out.