Work Text:
He already knew that Hajime was in town because his mom told him. It's just that he didn't expect to run into him in the middle of Tokyo during rush hour. There was no big dramatic reunion; no eyes meeting from across the way and definitely no swelling background music as they ran towards each other in slow motion. Just a simple nod and shy smile between old friends. They'd catch up later.
As the Nekoma team continued on their trek to the nearest city gym for a weekend practice match, Kuroo merely raised an eyebrow at him. "Someone you know?"
"Hn."
Kuroo shrugged and continued to lead the team through the throngs of people that inhabited downtown Tokyo at this time of day. "Your friend is coming over tomorrow, right?"
"Yeah."
"They cute?"
Kenma rolled his eyes, "Cute or not you're coming." It wasn't a request, or even a question. They had decided that Kuroo would come over to meet Hajime when Kenma first found out that he would be coming to visit, and Kuroo never went back on their plans.
With a snort, Kuroo draped a heavy arm around Kenma's shoulders and pulled him close as they neared the building. "Wow, demanding much?"
x
"Are you sure you'll be okay?"
The two cyclists walked along the quiet streets of a residential neighborhood, a neighborhood where the Kozume family resided. It was a half hour bus ride from the city where the rest of the Sohoku team was spending the one free day of their week long training camp, so Teshima couldn't help but feel a bit of anxiety, leaving his best friend and partner in an unfamiliar area.
Sensing the distress, Aoyagi sent a small smile towards Teshima, squeezing his arm gently before guiding them towards the Kozume family home.
Teshima sighed, stretching his arms before wrapping one around Aoyagi to pull him into a one armed hug. "Sorry, sorry, I know you've already told me but this place is pretty far away…" he paused, glancing at Aoyagi's slightly raised eyebrow. "You know I'm just worried about you, Hajime."
Aoyagi gripped the back of Teshima's shirt in response.
The Kozume household was the same as the rest, nondescript with a perfectly trimmed lawn but no car in the driveway. Aoyagi walked up the path to the door ringing the bell just once before waiting patiently in front of the door, unlike their younger teammates who would have definitely pressed the button repeatedly until it was finally answered.
The pair stood in comfortable silence before the door slowly slid open to reveal a boy about their age, clad in shorts and a plain black t-shirt with a white logo just like Aoyagi. Teshima almost laughed; even though Aoyagi told him that they definitely weren't blood relatives he couldn't ignore the resemblance between the two, with their matching blonde bobs and slanted golden eyes.
"Come in," the boy murmured, stepping aside to make room for the two of them.
"Sorry for the intrusion," Teshima said as he took off his shoes at the entryway, "Kozume-kun, right?"
The boy nodded, "You can call me Kenma…" With a pause, he looked towards the inside of the house, then to his feet, then to Aoyagi. "And it's nothing, my mom will be thrilled to see Hajime…so it's good that he came."
Teshima grinned, following the Kenma and Aoyagi as they made their way into the living room. He noted how quiet the house was, and couldn't help but feel slightly worried. Maybe he shouldn't have come… Maybe he was intruding on a reunion for the two childhood friends. But Aoyagi, blessed Aoyagi who could always tell just what he was thinking squeezed his hand just as Kenma stopped in front of them and rubbed the back of his head, holding up a controller. "I've got some games if you want to play."
And with that Teshima was sold.
The three boys played until lunchtime and it was time for Teshima to meet up with the rest of the team. He slapped a hand on Kenma's shoulder and grinned widely. "That was really great Kenma! I'll leave Hajime in your care, okay?"
Kenma nodded and smiled back, "Don't worry about him."
Teshima turned to Aoyagi and planted a quick kiss onto his forehead, "I'll be back tomorrow to pick you up, okay?"
With a nod and smile almost identical to Kenma's, Aoyagi waved goodbye as Teshima bounded out the door to catch his bus.
x
There's never any warning when Kuroo enters the Kozume home. Only the front door slamming open and a shouted greeting of "Hello auntie!" while Kuroo struggles to take off his shoes before bounding into whichever room Kenma has settled himself in for the day.
This day wasn't any different.
When the door slammed open Aoyagi couldn't help but jump at the noise. Kenma shot him a look saying only two words, good luck.
Kuroo flopped onto the couch, resting his head on Kenma's lap as pulled him down into a kiss. Kenma spluttered and pushed Kuroo away, wiping at his lips. "Gross," he muttered under his breath.
Aoyagi chuckled lightly at the two friends from his position on the floor sitting against the couch. Kuroo turned to face Aoyagi, as if noticing him for the first time. "Kenma your friend is cute!"
With a smack to Kuroo's head, Kenma gestured to Aoyagi, "You're being rude."
Kuroo rolled his eyes and slowly stood up in front of Aoyagi, bending down slightly as he proffered his hand with a charming grin. "Hi I'm Kuroo Tetsurou, what's your name cutie?"
Hesitantly, Aoyagi took the hand to shake it, but Kuroo suddenly pulled it to his lips, kissing the back of Aoyagi's hand.
"Tch, stop it idiot, he's taken."
"Aww you're no fun!" Kuroo pouted at his friend, before smiling back down at Aoyagi. "You're the friend that was supposed to come over today, right?"
The blonde boy nodded, "My name is Aoyagi Hajime."
Kuroo grinned, "Nice to meet you."
Kenma made another noise of discontent, and both boys turned to look at him. "Quit bothering him Kuroo."
"Are you jealous?" Kuroo hopped onto the couch beside Kenma, pulling him into his lap and nuzzling the back of his neck. "Hmm?"
"Quit bothering me Kuroo," Kenma muttered, tilting his head down to hide the slight flush on his face. He maneuvered slightly so he sat cornered by the armrest of the couch and Kuroo. As he settled himself in, Aoyagi moved to take up the rest of the space on the couch, leaning back against Kenma's legs as he continued his activities.
The three lapsed into a comfortable quiet filled by the sound of Kenma's game and Aoyagi's pencils against the paper of his sketchbook. Occasionally Kuroo interrupted them with his attempts at making conversation, but they all died off to revive the comfortable silence.
After one such half-conversation, Kuroo chuckled and buried his face in Kenma's neck, eliciting a grumble from Kenma and a curious glance from Aoyagi. "Sorry it's just really funny!"
"What is?" Kenma asked, turning to face Kuroo with a displeased frown. He didn't like being interrupted just as he began a level.
"Well you two look so similar, but you're like opposites!"
Kenma and Aoyagi locked eyes for a moment before turning to look at Kuroo, "What?" Aoyagi asked.
"Even though it's the first time we've met, I can tell that you're so much more passionate than this buzzkill!" he poked Kenma's cheek, not bothering to dodge the slap to his wrist before continuing, "If only he had the same drive as you did! Maybe we'd have an actual shot at winning nationals!"
Without taking his eyes off the game, Kenma snorted and elbowed Kuroo lightly, "First off, I do care about volleyball. I want to win nationals…" Kenma's thumbs stilled over the buttons on his handheld before continuing slowly, "And you met Hajime when we were still kids, you probably don't remember because it was only once over the summer."
"Wait- what?! I think I'd remember a cute guy like this!" Kuroo sniffed before winking slyly at Aoyagi.
Kenma elbowed him again, though not as softly as before. "It was the summer break during your first year of junior high so you were really busy with volleyball and you couldn't play for too long. But for the few hours that you were here you did manage to claim both of us as your brides."
Kuroo was quiet for a moment before letting out a dramatic sigh, draping himself over Kenma and tugging Aoyagi up into their embrace. "Aah I can't remember a thing about my beautiful brides! Care to refresh my memories?"
Kenma struggled under the combined weight of his laughing friends, trying to push them away so he could make a grab for his PSP which ended up buried somewhere in the covers when Kuroo surprised him. Unfortunately the struggle was futile, and Aoyagi set his sketchbook and pencils on the floor before joining the other two, effectively sandwiching Kenma between him and Kuroo.
x
After Kuroo kissed Kenma goodnight and left with a promise to return the next day, and after the lights went out and the house lay in silence, Aoyagi and Kenma bundled themselves under the covers like they used to when they were kids.
"He's good for you," Aoyagi whispered, locking eyes with Kenma.
"He's an idiot," Kenma replied.
"You're happy."
Kenma didn't reply, instead scooting closer to his friend. In return Aoyagi linked their fingers and tangled their legs together, also like they used to when they were kids.
"He was wrong though," Aoyagi said after a long moment of silence.
"He's wrong about a lot of things."
"He's wrong because you are passionate about volleyball."
Kenma raised an eyebrow in disbelief at his friend, resisting the urge to snort.
"You didn't deny it," Aoyagi said with a small smirk.
Rolling his eyes, Kenma kicked lightly at the back of Aoyagi's leg. "Shut up and go to sleep Hajime."
"You love him."
"Well you love that pretty-boy biker of yours."
"I do."
The two lapsed into silence once more as Kenma mulled over Aoyagi's words, and just what the word love meant. He'd never really thought about it. He and Kuroo were always together. Becoming a couple was such a natural transition that he never really thought about it. There was never any dramatic confession or loud declarations of love. It had never mattered to either of them. But then again, Kenma had never been good at understanding feelings and the reasoning behind those almost obnoxious public displays of romance, because he had always assumed that Kuroo already knew that Kenma loved him.
"Did you tell him?" Kenma asked hesitantly. Maybe Kuroo didn't know that he loved him. Maybe he thought that Kenma was just half in their relationship and half out. Maybe he would leave Kenma. Maybe he-
"Junta knows I love him."
"But-"
Aoyagi squeezed Kenma's fingers and leaned in to rest their foreheads together, "Don't worry, Kuroo knows."
"What if he doesn't? I'm not good at… words."
"Neither am I."
"So what do I do?"
"Just trust him Ken."
"I love him."
"So tell him."