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The children haven’t noticed them yet, and with the way they are huddled over Chiasa’s desk as they talked very animatedly, it might take a while before they realize that they already have company. They are kids being kids, wonder and delight in their eyes still, and Kuroko loves to sometimes just watch them like this. He stops and leans by door. Akashi pauses right beside him with a curious glance but gets to ask nothing as a shrill voice immediately snatches his attention away.
“He likes him!” Sakura screeches, making Chiasa and Kurose flinch. Whatever the beta child tells them doesn’t seem convincing though, with the way the two’s eyebrows scrunch together.
“He pulled his ear.” Chiasa points out and Kurose nods his head before adding, “I saw Kirito-kun take Satoshi-kun’s onigiri!”
“Exactly! It’s because he likes him!” Sakura “That’s what people do when they like someone! See,” Her voice dips and it automatically draws the other two children closer to her, eager to hear the supposed words of wisdom Sakura is about to share. “it’s what they do in movies and in manga. When someone likes someone, they do everything to get that someone’s attention.”
“Like pull their ear?” Chiasa asks and Sakura nods, looking very sure of herself.
From where he stands, Kuroko pulls on Akashi’s ear. It’s a gentle tug but it startles the alpha a bit, eyes growing wide at the implication of what Kuroko just did, following the children’s passionate discussion.
He pulls on Kuroko’s ear and smirks triumphantly at the red that immediately dusts the omega’s cheeks. Kuroko then pointedly ignores him.
“Ah, so does that mean that Kurose-kun likes me?”
The silence that fills the room after is deafening. Chiasa’s face is completely blank and unreadable that the rest of the people in the room, her parents included, just could not make anything out of it.
“Wh-what—” Kurose stutters and Chiasa shrugs.
“Because Kurose-kun is always trying to annoy me.”
“That’s!” The boy struggles before a resolute look paints his face. “Well, I don’t pull your ears!”
“Ah, so does Kurose-kun not like me?”
Kuroko stifles a laugh at the conflicted look on the poor boy’s face. The seconds feel like hours as they pass. Everyone’s much too eager to hear what Kurose’s answer will be. The child gapes like a goldfish that jumped out of its fish tank.
“I like Kuroko-san!” is what he blurts out in the end, and all of the people in the room know full well that it isn’t Kuroko Chiasa who Kurose is referring to. Not that he doesn't like Chiasa, of course! Because he does. Kuroko Tetsuya knows he does and even Akashi Seijurou knows that this boy-stupid boy that he is at least in his eyes right now-likes his daughter in a very different way from how he likes Tetsuya. Oh please. Akashi’s been there, done that. Kurose’s crush is obvious in his eyes but in any case, now he has to think about how he's going to react after processing this newfound information.
This young alpha lad has a crush on his daughter and has claimed that he likes his mate. No matter how shallow or childish those feelings are, even coming from a six-year-old boy, it kind of ticks Akashi in an off way.
He rolls his eyes when he catches Kuroko looking at him with unconcealed amusement. That’s not going to stop him though.
“We might have a bit of a problem with that.” Akashi begins and his approach wipes the grin off Kuroko's face as it is quickly replaced by surprise and disbelief. “Really?” He hears the omega say at the same time Chiasa and Sakura bound over towards them. Akashi bends down to kiss his daughter’s cheeks while Sakura got a pat on the head. She reminds him of Momoi.
Kurose on the other hand hasn't moved an inch from his spot and Akashi realizes that this is the first time he’s face to face with the boy. As the two girls cling on Kuroko’s legs, Akashi strides over to where Kurose’s glued by Chiasa’s desk.
“Hello.” He begins, extending a hand and he does not miss Kurose straightening his back and tilting his chin slightly up in an effort to look unfazed. He’s not exactly fooling anyone though, but it’s good that he knows how to at least stand his ground instead of cowering behind the stool.
“I’ve heard a lot about you.” Akashi crouches so that they’re eye level. It also isn’t that satisfying to literally look down at a child. “Chiasa and Sakura told me you’re good friends.”
“Y-yes sir!” Kurose nods with vigor. His lips are trembling slightly in an effort to keep them at a straight line. His brows are a scrunched together to make him look tough.
Akashi’s smile sharpens. “I see. What was that about earlier then?”
“Earlier?”
“You don’t seem to like my daughter very much?”
“T-that’s not—”
“So you do like her?”
“Y-yes?”
“You’re not sure?”
“I do like her, sir!”
If Kurose says it out of fear, even if it's the truth, Akashi doesn't think he like what he’s heard. The smile on his face, sharp and edgy as it already is, falters dangerously that Kurose’s almost lost his composure.
“You do?” The redhead asks and Kurose, thinking that the rightest answer is yes, nods like he’s head banging to rock music. Apparently, it’s still not what Akashi wants to hear (but really, what does Akashi want to hear?). “What are your intentions with my daugh—"
The harsh tug at the back of his collar causes Akashi to choke on his words. He’s forced to stand up again, if only to relieve the pressure on his neck.
“Alright, that’s enough.” Kuroko says as he lets Akashi go. His tone is that of a teacher trying to break fights between kids and Akashi would have been offended if not for Kurose looking utterly relieved at the omega’s interference. The kid is looking at Kuroko with sparkles in his eyes, awe and admiration and gratitude like the omega’s a god.
Well, in many ways, Akashi agrees and he understands that anyone would gladly kiss the soles of Kuroko’s feet if given the chance but that does not mean he is pleased by the idea of it.
“You also like Tetsuya—”
“I said, that’s enough.” Kuroko flicks a finger against his forehead. He’s most definitely being treated like a child now and the way the smaller male shrugs his shoulders at him translates to “you are acting like a brat right now how do you think I’d treat you?”
“Kuroko-san!” The brat, Kurose, exclaims. There’s a determined look on his face and his fists are clenched against his chest. “I don’t—I like—”
He’s back at it again with the gaping goldfish look and Kuroko takes pity on the child. He knows what Kurose’s trying to say, crystal clear in his understanding despite Kurose not knowing how to say it exactly.
With a sigh, he crouches and motions for Kurose to step nearer until he can touch the boy’s shoulders. He also gestures for the two girls to stand by Kurose’s side.
Kuroko gives Akashi a warning look before the alpha can say anything, not that he has any plans on running his mouth. He really just wants to go home right now.
“Listen, kids.” Kuroko tries to meet their eyes as he speaks. “It’s okay to say you like someone. Kurose-kun likes Chiasa-chan,” Akashi scoffs but they all ignore him. “Chiasa-chan likes Sakura-chan, and Sakura-chan likes Kurose-kun. You all like each other and that is why you three are friends, yes?”
They all nod their heads with varying faces of understanding.
“But Kuroko-san! What if you like someone as a crush? That is different, right?”
“Yes, and it is okay to have a crush.”
Akashi almost opened his mouth to say say ‘no it’s not and you kids are a hundred years too young for that. Another not so subtle glance from Kuroko shuts him up before he could even start.
Kuroko continues, “Everybody crushes on someone at some point. It’s natural and it is okay. But do you know what is not okay about having a crush?” The kids exchange looks as if waiting and relying on the other to give an answer. They slowly shake their heads when it is clear that no one knows it. “Well, what’s wrong is you pulling their ears!”
“But how will they know you like them?” Sakura asks.
“Then you tell them.”
“But what if you don't want to tell them?” Surprisingly, or maybe not really, it is Kurose who asks. In a meek voice and with red cheeks, he adds, “not because you're a coward. What if you're just… shy?”
Kuroko smiles wider and pats the kid on the head, secretly enjoying Akashi’s displeased face. He hasn't turned around to look but he doesn't need to actually look at Akashi to know that the alpha is making that face.
"Then you give them nice things.” Is Kuroko’s answer, plain and simple. He elaborates when the kids look back at him with scrunched brows. “Give them what they love most, or their favorite somethings. Ah, for example,” Kuroko points at his daughter, “Chiasa-chan here loves cupcakes and Sakura-chan likes lollipops.”
“So instead of pulling our ears, they should give us our favorite food?” Sakura asks with sparkles in her eyes, clearly pleased about the idea of receiving candies than someone crushing on her.
The questions keep coming in after that and they all mostly come from Sakura because the other two kids just cannot even find an opening to ask their own questions. Kurose is able to throw in a few of his from time to time and Sakura’s already pitching in a new query even before Kuroko gets to finish answering Kurose.
Akashi is not going to deny that he enjoys the sight of Kuroko handling these kids, answering childish questions that sometimes doesn't even make sense. This is where Kuroko belongs— to be in the presence of innocent minds instead of being surrounded by hormonal high school teenagers. Perhaps one day, he will be able to convince the omega to finally follow his dreams because hey, he is here now.
Step by step, he reminds himself. The fact that Kuroko doesn't want to quit his current job says a lot about how he thinks Akashi could still disappear anytime.
It weighs heavily in his chest.
“Don’t hurt them.” The words leave his mouth, unintentionally voicing his thoughts.
The conversation between the kids immediately dies. They are looking at him expectantly now, wide eyes shining with curiosity. Even Kuroko’s looking up at him slightly surprised.
Akashi sighs and crouches down. He might as well continue.
“If you like someone, then you shouldn't hurt them. It makes perfect sense, doesn't it?” He says it like it is the most obvious thing to know, and he feels quite pleased with how the kids slowly nod their heads. Kuroko quirks a brow and Akashi merely shrugs in reponse before turning his eyes back at the alpha child.
“If you really like someone, you shouldn't do things that would hurt them, like pulling their ears.” Akashi adds with his finger pointing close at Kurose’s ears. The boy’s shoulders tense, almost flinching but Kuroko is not a second late at swatting Akashi’s hand away. When once again subjected to the omega’s stern gaze, Akashi takes it as a sign that he’s said enough. He straightens up and pockets his hand while the other reaches out for Chiasa, which she automatically takes. . “We should get going now.”
Kuroko stands up too, smiling and giving a nod of agreement. He turns once more to address the kids. “Remember what we said, okay?”
“Yes, Kuroko-san!” They both answer at the same time. He pats their head one last time before he and Chiasa bid them goodbye, hand waving up until the moment they're out of the room.
Once they’re all buckled up in the car, Akashi finally acknowledges the weird glances Kuroko’s giving him.
“What?” He asks but fixes his eyes on the road, hand turning the keys.
“Nothing.” Kuroko replies but doesn't dare hide the minuscule smile on his face. His blue eyes are obviously glowing with the promise of teasing remarks Akashi’s sure to hear when he least expects it.
He drops the topic, but not without pulling Kuroko’s ear gently when Chiasa’s not looking. Whatever the other has in mind, behind that knowing smile, he’ll eventually know anyway.
“Let’s go.”
Extra:
Not even a week has passed when Akashi finds himself looking—no, glaring at a stupid cupcake with sky blue frosting and rainbow sprinkles.
“Kurose-kun gave it to me.” Chiasa explains. “He said it’s leftovers.”
Akashi looks at the cupcake again and then at the box where it was previously caged in. It’s a simple white thing that someone's obviously attempted to transform into something special if the poorly drawn rainbows on the box are any indication. The ribbon looked neatly tied though, and it's made with shimmering material too fancy for Akashi’s liking.
“Leftovers you say?”
“Yes.”
This definitely doesn't look like leftovers. This cupcake looks like a gift. A courting gift. A—
“Can I eat it now?” Chiasa asks, peering up from where she’s seated on the other side of the table. Akashi flicks his eyes to her, then the cupcake, then back at her.
“No.” He finally says as he grabs the pastry and makes haste for the trash bin in their kitchen. He passes by Kuroko, who's been silently watching their exchange and now who’s looking at him with utter disbelief as Akashi throws the abomination of a cupcake in the trash.
“What—”
“It’s expired.” Akashi says before Kuroko gets to say anything. Chiasa looks disheartened for a second, but then her expression morphs into that of concern.
“Expired?” She repeats and Akashi nods his head like he is more than two hundred percent sure. Kuroko still looks pissed but he’ll deal with that later.
“Yes, it's expired. Soiled. Inedible.” Akashi moves to grab his wallet and his keys from the table. “Come. I’ll buy you new ones from Atsushi and you can get as many as you want.”
When Chiasa beams and runs back to their bedroom to change clothes, Akashi looks back at Kuroko smugly, only to be hit on his forehead.