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They had moved in today, into an apartment across the street from Bokuto, which means that Bokuto has to do the neighbourly thing and go over to say hi. Besides, he knows Kuroo and Sawamura, after all their years of volleyballing together so it is not as if things will be weird and awkward. Bokuto is certain that he doesn't even need to throw out a message in their group chat to let them know that he is coming over. They are that friendly.
Still, he thinks he should bring something over to commemorate their moving in. Akaashi had recommended a gift of some sort, particularly something useful for a pair of young bachelors who had just settled into their new apartment. So Bokuto had settled on a basket of fruit he had found in the supermarket because, hey, those have vitamins and other useful stuff in them, don't they? Plus, he knows Kuroo and Sawamura's eating habits. They definitely need that extra vitamin boost.
It is late evening by the time Bokuto flounces out of the supermarket and down the street across to Kuroo and Sawamura's apartment block. He takes the stairs up two at a time before coming to a stop right before the very door to their apartment.
Bokuto raises a hand to knock, the fruit basket held safely in his other hand, but before he even touches the door, a resounding bang! comes from somewhere inside the apartment. Bokuto jumps, steadying the basket of fruit as he eyes the door warily. Another crash! sounds from within and Bokuto flinches, now nervous. Then a moan pierces through the door, long and low, before it gets cut off abruptly.
Now, Bokuto remembers their days of volleyballing and how it had all started off strong with a rivalry between Kuroo and Sawamura, birthed from a long-standing history between Nekoma and Karasuno they had termed the Battle of the Trash Heap. He had been immensely envious of their rivalry because it gave their on-court battles a certain depth, legitimised by long forgotten years of history played out between those of the cats and crows who came before them. It was cool as heck.
The rivalry had carried on to the generation Bokuto had played alongside and he got to see their promise fulfilled on the Nationals stage, his heart pounding with excitement for both teams, but it had been especially strong between their captains. Bokuto had sat through years of bickering and bantering between Kuroo and Sawamura, with Kuroo provoking and Sawamura playing defence or Sawamura attacking and Kuroo refusing to back down. It was like a comedy between them but when they weren't being rivals, they were friends.
Until now, apparently.
Kuroo and Sawamura had been on good enough terms to move out into an apartment together and Bokuto has always been a great supporter of their legendary rivalry but he never expected it to come down to an actual fight between the both of them. Maybe it was the moving in stress or Sawamura suddenly discovered and decided he couldn't stand Kuroo's taste in cat memorabilia but Bokuto can't stand by and let them ruin all those years of friendship.
Bokuto slings his fruit basket over an arm decisively and pounds on the door like his life, or his friends' friendship, depends on it. Silence echoes back at him, an abrupt change from the banging, moaning and rustling that had been coming from within the apartment. Not one to be daunted, Bokuto lays into the door with a heavy fist.
"Guys, open up! It's me—" The door swings open and Bokuto catches himself before he topples forward into the doorway, looking up into a blessedly familiar face.
Kuroo looks back at him with the most constipated expression Bokuto has ever seen him wear, his eyebrows pinched and mouth drawn in a tight line instead of his usual easy smirk. He is breathing hard, his face flushed a healthy red and his hair more mussed up than usual. His pants are on backwards. His shirt is nowhere in sight.
Bokuto stares at Kuroo blankly. Then he looks over Kuroo's shoulder, past the genkan and into the living room where there are a pair of pants decorating the floor of their new home. If Bokuto leans over a bit more, he sees a pair of bare, muscled legs on the sofa, which the pair of pants seem to belong to.
Bokuto returns back to his original position and looks Kuroo in the face. There are no words for how he feels at the moment so he just sticks out the basket of fruit at Kuroo like an apology. Kuroo takes it, his movements slow and deliberate, like a very angry panther ready to pounce. The look in his eyes is deadly and if looks could kill, Bokuto would probably be eviscerated on the spot.
"I'll just, uh, come by later. Or tomorrow. I'll message you guys," Bokuto says brightly and beats a hasty retreat, sprinting for the stairs and taking them two at a time down.
The door slams shut behind him as Bokuto clears the landing and Bokuto doesn't stop running until he has reached the safety of his own apartment block. As he leans against the door of his own apartment, wheezing for breath in between fits of laughter, Bokuto pulls out his phone and calls the first person in his call history.
"Oh my god, Akaashi—"