Archive of Our Own

Hitoka gravitated towards volleyball.

It hadn’t always been that way, of course. Not before she’d fallen into being Karasuno’s manager in high school, for sure. She hadn’t even really given the game a second thought before then, and was always nervous when she was picked last for teams in gym. 

She thought–well, she didn’t really know what she thought, but when she heard that her university’s team was having an open practice, she found herself there to watch. At first, she dawdled at the doors, in a place where she could really only see the volleyballs in the air. The sound of the shoes squeaking on the court, shouts between the team, and the sound of the volleyballs themselves as they bounced or smacked against the floor...it was a cacophony that Hitoka found strangely comforting. It was something familiar in her new environment.

After a few minutes, watching a few more students and members of the community trickle in for the open practice before the first official practice match, Hitoka worked up the courage to slip forward. Out of habit, maybe, she made her way straight to the railing and grasped the metal in her hands, taking a deep breath and letting her eyes rove over the court.

This feels like home , she thought, then shook her head. 

She should focus on her team, even if it wasn’t the team she was holding close to her heart. 

Hitoka looked back to the faces of the players, some vaguely familiar from previous tournaments. She was sure she’d seen some of them on opposing teams at some point or another, but all she remembered were the names and not the faces.

“Oya oya, what’s this?” a voice, almost directly beneath her, made her jump and let go of the rail. “Isn’t that one of the little crows?”

She blinked, and then looked down. None of her team was here, she was sure of it, so who–

Messy black hair, a carefree grin, and sharp eyes directed at her. Hitoka’s heart stuttered in her chest and then, after a moment, she grasped the rail, gasped, and leaned forward.

“Eh?! Kuroo-san?”

“‘Sup?” he grinned, a hand on his hip and a towel draped around his neck. “It’s...Yacchan, right?”

Oh, yeah. He’d started calling her by Shouyou’s nickname, last time they ran into each other when he’d come to support Nekoma at last year’s battle of the garbage dump. He’d stayed and then continued to support Karasuno with the rest of his former team and Kenma, and then both teams and the present ex-members ended up going to dinner together afterwards.

It had been an interesting experience, all things considered.

She nodded in answer, her face slowly cooling from the sudden flush of embarrassment. Kuroo’s grin widened, and he looked like he was about to say something more, but the team was called to attention and he just grinned to show teeth and waved.

“Ah, catch ya later, Yacchan!” he called, then one side of his mouth quirked up and he called, “Make sure to watch me, okay?” with an exaggerated wink.

“Kuroo-san!” Hitoka protested, but he just laughed and ran to join the team.

She tried desperately to ignore a couple of girls looking at her in surprise a few seats down the row. She didn’t want to know why–were they surprised that someone like her was at a volleyball match? That she was raising her voice indoors? Were they angry at her for that? Or maybe– oh, no , Hitoka thought, did they think she was trying to flirt with players? 

A few shouts from the court, calling the teams to line up for practicing spikes, pulled Hitoka out of her thoughts and she clutched the strap of her bag tighter as she turned to find a seat. Maybe not the first row, but...there. The second. That would be better, and maybe the girls wouldn’t think that Hitoka was trying to seduce anyone.

She didn’t even think she could seduce anyone. Not that she’d ever bothered to try.

Hitoka did end up watching Kuroo.

Well, not at first. To start with, she watched the rest of her university’s team. She thought she had picked out strengths and weaknesses pretty well, thought she’d picked out who the ace was, and even realized, with a start, that one of the benched players for this match was Haiba Lev, also formerly of Nekoma. She noticed him when Kuroo spoke with him, and he shot his gaze up excitedly to find her, waving enthusiastically with his monstrous limbs. With a glance around her, Hitoka had shyly waved back, and Lev had beamed before another teammate had laughed and slapped the back of his head. She thought she heard him tell Lev to pay attention to the court, but there was a lot of noise.

And then her eyes had followed Kuroo back to the line, where they prepared to start their practice match with one of the other Tokyo universities. The benched players ended up on one end of the stands, far enough from her that Lev couldn’t come over and distract her or draw attention to her, and the rest of the team took up their positions on the court.

Kuroo was still a middle blocker. Of course he was, it was hard to change habits or positions when you’d been trained for one for at least three years, but it was easy to see from the first play. And, as Hitoka watched, leaning forward in her seat as he slammed the opposing team’s first spike into the ground on their side of the net, she noted that he hadn’t lost his touch in the least.

She wasn’t sure how she’d missed that he was still playing volleyball. She was sure that Shouyou and probably Tsukki had been keeping tabs on their old frenemies, or that Shouyou would have heard through Kenma at the very least, but how had she missed it? The energetic decoy had never been one to keep things quiet, after all. Or was Hitoka really that oblivious? Whatever it was, it was in the past, and she shook her head to snap out of it as the whistle blew again. A net touch, and the other team was awarded a point.

The match progressed, and Hitoka stayed glued to the edge of her seat. During one particularly intense rally, she even got lightheaded before she realized that she was holding her breath. She released it quickly, in unison with a perfectly timed block point scored by Kuroo. She glanced quickly around to see if anyone was giving her an odd look but she was safe, and she cheered with the rest of the crowd.

Kuroo glanced up her way and grinned, showing all of his teeth, and even though it could’ve been directed at any of the screaming girls in the front row, Hitoka squeaked and leaned back in her seat from the weight of his glance. 

His teammates told him to stop flirting with the girls, in shouts loud enough for Hitoka to hear, and he laughed as the players all settled into positions again. She did her best to keep herself from jumping up at the edge of her seat, but after a few more plays she found herself gripping the hard plastic as she perched precariously, following another rally just as intense as the one before.

Hitoka had forgotten how tiring it was to watch a volleyball match.

It was silly, since it had only been a few months since she’d been a manager at Karasuno, but it was still true. It hadn't even been an official match, but she felt drained, all of her energy leeched away by the energy on the court and all around her. It was just like some kind of party or social situation where she’d have to meet and talk to people she didn’t know, but somehow even more exhausting.

And Kuroo .

Make sure to watch me, okay?

If he hadn’t said that, it probably would have been easier to keep her eyes off of him. Hitoka wasn’t exactly sure how she was supposed to feel about it all. Should she be mortified that she’d basically ended up watching him almost the whole time? He had told her to, but what if he’d been joking? Would he be uncomfortable that she’d actually watched him? And had anyone else noticed that she was doing it? Should she be worried about the fans coming to track her down and threaten her? She stiffened at the thought and glanced around quickly, but thankfully no one seemed to be paying her any attention as they all walked away from the gym. She decided it was better to be safe than sorry and tucked her head down to continue towards the station. She was ready to be anywhere but here and readier still to be at home so she could scream into her pillow in her little studio apartment, without any prying eyes around.

When she arrived at the station, the platform wasn’t too overcrowded yet and she managed to find a spot to stand. Hitoka was close enough that she shouldn’t miss the train even if other people pushed in front of her, but far enough that she didn’t run the risk of being squished. A quick look showed that there was about three more minutes until the scheduled arrival, and she shifted her weight anxiously, glancing around as others entered the station, and sighed softly. She’d missed the train a time or two because it was too crowded for her to force her way on, and if too many more people showed up she was afraid it would happen again.

Her heart sank, little by little, as more people started crowding onto the platform. At this rate, she really would have to wait for the next one, and maybe even the one after that. It had happened before, too, where she’d ended up waiting a full forty-five minutes just because she was too small to force her way onto a crowded train, or maybe because she was a little too shy to press that close to strangers. After all, what if she smelled bad? What if they smelled bad? What if it was a creepy person that liked to harass girls on trains? 

Hitoka shook her head and glanced up again. About a minute left.

The telltale sounds of the train coming up the tunnel reached them, and everyone started pushing towards the lines. Hitoka, for her part, tried to join the throng. She was jostled a bit, but she thought she just might make it if she stuck it out.

When the doors opened with a whoosh and current passengers flooded out, she found herself bumped out of the way by someone else and stumbled. She cursed to herself and was resigned, right then and there, to wait for the next train in fifteen minutes. That was before a hand caught her by the shoulder and steaded her, and then guided her in front of its owner. She squeaked and for a second froze up, a hundred terrible scenarios flashing before her eyes, but at the warm chuckle that sounded almost familiar, Hitoka glanced up. She earned an amused grin in return.

“Fancy seeing you here, little crow!” Kuroo Tetsurou laughed, propelling her forward and onto the train. 

“K-Kuroo-san!” she managed, allowing him to guide her until they were wedged into the train and the doors were sliding shut. She searched in vain for a rail or handle to grab, but she and Kuroo were near the doors and all the handles and rails felt like they were miles above her head.

“You can hold onto me, Yacchan,” she heard, and after a moment’s hesitation, she curled her fingers in his volleyball jacket just moments before the train shifted into motion once more. She still stumbled, but managed to catch herself by grabbing his arm with her other hand.

“S-sorry!” she squeaked again, and Kuroo chuckled.

“You’re fine. Just don’t let yourself get jostled by the crowd.”

She blinked up at him, almost surprised, and caught a smile that was more kind than teasing before it inched back up into a smirk. Hitoka wasn’t too sure whether she was supposed to let go of him now or not, but she felt the presence of someone else at her back and instinctively held his arm tighter. Kuroo didn’t ask her to move, and she resolved to make it up to him at some point.

“Thanks,” she managed to utter, softly.

“My pleasure, Yacchan. Which station is your stop?” his tone was warm and he didn’t sound like he was teasing her, so she answered him easily. He thought for a moment, then said, “I can get off there, too. My place is about halfway between that one and the next, anyway, so it doesn’t really matter which one I go to.”

“Y-you don’t have to get off at my stop!” she protested weakly, but he laughed a little.

“It’s no trouble, Yacchan. It saves me money in the end, since I don’t pass the Family Mart that sells my favorite beer and I get off one station sooner. Actually, it’s probably better if I get off at the same station as you. Coach wouldn’t like me drinking too much...and my wallet wouldn’t like it too much either. Unless me saving money bothers you?”

That was teasing, she was sure. But she ended up stammering a response anyway. “N-no, of course n-not! Which station you use is your choice!”

“I thought you’d see it my way,” he declared, boldly, and she glanced up to see him looking rather smug. She wanted to take it back, but an elbow dug into her side and she yelped, leaning further into his side. His tone was instantly more concerned when he asked, “Are you alright, Yacchan?”

“F-fine,” she shook her head. “It’s just a little crowded.”

“Here, let go for a sec,” he shook his arm and she did, almost as though burned, and started apologizing until his arm dropped around her shoulders and pulled her against his side. “Any better?”

Hitoka couldn’t think straight. She hadn’t been this close to a guy since she was hugging everyone goodbye tearfully after graduation, and even then it was only really Shouyou and Tadashi that had been super receptive. She’d given Tobio and Tsukki hugs too, but they were a little more stiff about it. But this was different. This was Kuroo Tetsurou, with whom her previous interactions had been limited to training camps and a few team dinners, and that was an entirely different experience. 

He prompted her again, calling her name in concern once more, and she nodded quickly and told him she was fine. Her voice may have been a little strained, but the proximity was helping keep her from the knobby elbows of the stocky businessman that had been next to her. She couldn’t deny that much, at least.

At least Kuroo was someone she knew, instead of some stranger pressed that close. It calmed her racing heart, at least a little. And as the train slowed for the first stop since they’d boarded, Kuroo carefully shifted so that he would be between her and most of the boarding traffic, so she couldn’t complain. He was being incredibly thoughtful, and she knew she was probably blushing. Hitoka really wasn’t used to this kind of attention from men, even if they were guys she knew from volleyball.

Kuroo widened his stance a little as passengers began to board again, so it would give them a little more space, and Hitoka shyly pressed closer to his side when she smelled liquor in the air. The way Kuroo crinkled his nose tipped her off to the fact that he’d noticed, too, and his hand tightened on her shoulder.

I’m here , she interpreted, and she’d never felt more comfortable on an evening train in her life.

She really had to make this up to Kuroo, sometime. Breakfast sometime this week? Maybe a bento? Hitoka made a mental note to ask when they got off the train, somewhere outside the station where she wouldn’t have to raise her voice to be heard or risk being overheard. But would he take it the wrong way? She had to be careful how she worded it, or maybe it would sound like–like she was hitting on him?!

Kuroo was nice, though. And, if she let herself think about it, she’d definitely say he was good-looking and maybe even that he was her type , whatever that meant. But Hitoka didn’t have the confidence to be that bold, and wasn’t even sure if she was ready for whatever hitting on someone entailed, so she quickly dashed the thought, her cheeks burning.

Really, she’d gotten much better at reigning in her wild thoughts, but she thought this took the cake. It was the first time they’d gotten quite so out of control since the end of high school.

“Two more stops,” Kuroo’s voice calmly informed her as the doors slide closed again, and she nodded.

“Thank you,” she offered again, and she felt his arm shift with his shrug as he told her it was no big deal. The car was more packed than before, however, and she was glad that she was already close to Kuroo. She’d already had her moment of silent embarrassment, and now she was just relieved that she didn’t currently have to be jostled around by the rest of the train’s passengers.

She’d probably been lucky so far, in her few short weeks in Tokyo, that she hadn't seen too much trouble on her way home. Hitoka heard a lot of those stories about stalkers and drunks and whatever else. One of her classmates, upon learning where Hitoka lived, had warned her of the same thing. 

Maybe, she thought in hindsight, that was why Kuroo was planning on getting off at the same stop. He could keep her from getting knocked over in the rush to disembark, too, which would save her the trouble of having to wait for the first train back if she had to wait for the next station.

Did he even know those rumors, though?

Another thing she might have to ask him, once they both disembarked. If he happened to be walking in the same direction that she was, or something. She hadn’t thought that far ahead, but the thought of him walking her home had cropped up in the back of her head and she flushed again, carefully looking down at his shoes instead of up at him.

“I didn’t know you’d decided to come to Tokyo,” Kuroo’s voice caught her attention after a moment, and it sounded like genuine curiosity. 

“This was the same university my mom went to,” she admitted, risking a glance up at him. “It has a good design program, so I wanted to try.”

“That’s cool!” he grinned. “I came mostly because of the volleyball team, but they also had the biochemistry major I wanted.”

“Biochemistry?!” Hitoka was sure she sounded more shocked than intended, but Kuroo was infallible as ever and laughed it off.

“Yup! Let me tell you what, though, Yacchan. It’s already getting harder to balance my biochem classes and volleyball. It’s a real pain, but I’m not really willing to give up either one. Especially since I’m the vice captain, now.”

“Are you?” her fingers, which were curled up in his jacket again, tightened in surprise. “Congratulations, Kuroo-san!”

“Aww, shucks,” he drawled, feigning embarrassment. He did have a wide grin, though, and she knew he was actually a little embarrassed. “Thanks, Yacchan. It’s not that impressive, though. I’m just the one that still puts in more work in volleyball than in my major.”

“Your grades are good though, aren’t they?” she asked, recalling a conversation between Kuroo and Shouyou from the dinner they had after nationals. Kuroo had joked about Shouyou and Tobio failing too many classes in university that they’d get kicked off the volleyball team, and then he had bragged about his own stellar grades. Ignoring the fact that those two made about one decent student if you put their brains together , she remembered being impressed that Kuroo was still doing so well in both university and volleyball. “You told us that after nationals.”

He blinked, and then grinned. “Surprised you remember that. Everyone was so tired I almost thought you were all sleeping!”

Hitoka puffed her cheeks out a little and frowned. “It was a long day! But you know Shouyou was listening, you were teasing him!”

He laughed then, loudly. “Ha, you’re right! I forgot!”

She was pretty sure he hadn’t forgotten at all and was just using the chance to tease her, so she huffed and looked back down, spying the university logo on his jacket. It was impressive, to keep doing well in both schoolwork and extracurricular activities, but even her stint as the club manager in high school had been difficult. She frowned a little and then looked back up at him to ask, softly, “You’re not...overworking yourself though, are you? With classes and volleyball, I mean.”

He blinked, and his expression turned surprised as the train shifted for another stop. The next one would be their station. His surprise morphed again, into something almost smug, and she could tell by the lilt in his tone that he was teasing her again.

“Oya, what’s this? The littlest crow is worried about me, huh?”

“That’s not–that’s–well, of course I am!” Hitoka gave up her halfhearted denial rather quickly. “It’s hard enough in high school, but university classes are more in depth and deadlines are even more strict! And not just that. Are you eating properly? You don’t live on campus, right? You’re not doing something crazy, like working a part-time job too, are you?!”

His hand tightened on her shoulder again as he pulled her across the aisle, getting closer to the door they’d need to exit from and still keeping her close so she didn’t get pushed around by anyone else. Kuroo was chuckling, though, and after he’d once more grabbed one of the dangling handles, he glanced back down at her. “You really are worried, Yacchan!”

“Kuroo-san!” she complained, but he just laughed again. She elbowed him lightly like she would have done to Shouyou or Tadashi, and then realized what she’d done and prepared to apologize, but he snorted.

“Hey, now, I thought you were worried!”

“Not anymore!” Hitoka declared, though it was probably a little bit of a fib. She tried to be haughty and look away, like the second year manager at Karasuno had taught her in her attempts to help Hitoka be a little more assertive, and was actually kind of proud of her attempt. 

Kuroo opened his mouth to respond, but then someone bumped into him from behind when the train started moving again. He swayed forward a little with a grunt, his arm tightening a little on her shoulder out of reflex. He straightened and then loosened his grip. “Ah, sorry, Yacchan,” he looked a little sheepish, but then he grinned again. This one was less feral than the others. “I’m really doing fine, though. It’s a lot of work, but I’ve just gotta plan accordingly and it all pans out.”

She’d heard from a girl in the audience at the practice match that he was taking an intensive course list this semester, but she held her tongue. 

After thinking about it for a few moments, she made a decision. She looked back up at him and told him, seriously, “Well, if you can think of anything that someone like me can do to help, just ask, okay?”

Genuine surprise, she thought, lit up his entire face, and his smile was warm. “Thanks.”

She didn’t quite believe him, so Hitoka pressed her elbow lightly against his side again. “I mean it, Kuroo-san. Promise me!”

“Hey, hey, I get it!” he leaned a little away from her, amused. “Fine, Yacchan, you win! If I can think of something that a cute little crow can help me with, I’ll let you know. Is that good enough?”

Cute little crow ? She thought, cheeks heating up again. 

Hitoka had to make sure he kept his word, though, so she made another quick decision, even though it made her palms sweat a little. “We’ll exchange emails when we get out of the station, then, and I’ll expect you to keep your word.”

That was good , she mused, my tone had plenty of authority! But what if it was too much? What if he thinks I’m being pushy? What if–

Her train of thought was broken by a hearty laugh that earned the two of them a few looks on the train and made her duck her head. She shushed Kuroo quickly, slightly appalled and flushing darker at the eyes on them–what did they think of the two of them? She wasn’t sure she wanted to know–and he tried, but a few chuckles still escaped.

“S-sorry, Yacchan, I just–ha, you just r-really move quick, don’tcha?” he ended his statement with an exaggerated wink, raising his eyebrows even though he was struggling to hold back his laughter, and she gasped.

“Kuroo-san!”

He started laughing again and she groaned, but thankfully the train was slowing down and they’d soon be able to flee– disembark –and continue the conversation away from all these curious stares.

She couldn’t wait .

When it did slow to a stop and the doors opened with the swoosh of hydraulics, Kuroo quickly and efficiently guided the two of them onto the platform, asked which exit she needed, and teased her relentlessly with just his expressions and the tone of his voice. When they finally reached the street, she took a deep breath of the crisp night air and then fished around in her purse until she found her phone.

When she’d navigated to the New Contact screen, she grabbed his free hand, placed the phone in his palm, and held her hands out expectantly for his. 

“Your email,” she gestured at her phone in his rather large hand. She hadn’t really noticed before, but when he relented and passed her his phone, she could tell that his hands would completely dwarf her own.

She totally didn’t think about holding them. Not at all. Not like she’d once held Shouyou’s when they went on a date–which were a lot bigger than she’d thought, actually–or even like she’d held Tsukki’s when he’d injured it in training camp during their second year, and his hands had seemed like they would swallow hers whole. She thought that Kuroo’s were even bigger than that, though, and when their fingers brushed in the exchanging of phones, Hitoka couldn’t help wondering how their hands would fit together.

He shifted, and she jerked out of her thoughts to watch him inputting his information into her phone, and she managed to shake her head and shift her focus back to his phone in her hands. When it had been in his grasp it had looked so much smaller, so Hitoka carefully held it in both hands as she input her own information.

Just two years ago, giving her contact details to a boy like this would have been terrifying, but somehow it was easy when it was Kuroo. Maybe it was because she knew Tsukki had his number, and even Shouyou, or maybe it was because she’d met him several times over the last few years and the people she trusted also trusted him. Hitoka trusted him, even. So the actions that would have terrified her before just felt...casual. Natural.

She finished and glanced up to find him already waiting, looking down at her fondly. She flushed a little and offered his phone back.

“There you go!”

“And here’s yours back, Yacchan,” he grinned, slipping her own phone in her outstretched hand. His calloused fingertips brushed her palm and she swallowed, trying her hardest not to snatch her hand back too fast.

“Tell me if you need help with something, Kuroo-san, I mean it!” she demanded, frowning at him. “As long as I can help, I’ll do my best!”

“Yes, yes, I know,” he sighed, but he was still grinning. “That must be the manager in you, eh? Anyway, I’ve got to take a left down this street. Which way are you headed?”

Hitoka flushed a little at his heckling, but then blinked, surprised, as she made to stow her phone away and the rest of his words sank in. “I have to turn left here, too.”

“Then let’s walk together for a while!” he dropped his arm casually around her shoulder and she bit back a squeak, unsuccessfully, and had to feel his arm shake as he chuckled. “Let’s catch up a little more. Tell me how you chose this university, in all of Tokyo!”

“Kuroo-san!” she protested weakly, but then started, “Well…”

Kuroo ended up walking her all the way to her apartment complex, and when she panicked about having him walk too far he laughed and brushed it off. He said he lived farther, and insisted she go up before he left, so she thanked him and nearly ran to her apartment and to the small balcony. She searched for a moment and found him after a few seconds of searching, walking further from the station. So he at least was telling the truth when he said he lived further than she did, and wasn’t just saying it to make her feel better. 

Unless he suspected her of watching him to make sure. How likely was that?

Hitoka shook her head, but then smiled.

Even if he was fibbing so she didn’t feel bad, and taking a longer route home just so he could walk her back, it was a nice gesture. It made her warm in the face, and she pressed both hands to her cheeks, still smiling. The warmth spreading in her chest wasn’t something she’d expected after running into Kuroo Tetsurou, but it was...nice. He was nice, and he was more attractive than she’d ever really given him credit for.

She fell face-first into her pillow, giggling a little, before she got up and around to make dinner.

Maybe it wasn’t just volleyball she gravitated towards, after all.

The next morning, Hitoka was greeted with a good morning message from Kuroo’s address, ended by an adorable cat emoji.

Rise and shine, Little Crow!

She responded simply and with a cute kaomoji, but the damage was done. The words he’d sent her echoed in her head, in his voice , while she got around and made herself a quick breakfast. It continued all the way to campus, and even into her first class, until the professor called on a dozing student and scolded him thoroughly for not paying attention. Her tone roused Hitoka from her distracted thoughts and the echo of Kuroo’s warm tone, and she was able to pay attention throughout the rest of her morning classes.

When she checked her phone on her way to the coffee shop she liked getting lunch at, she was reminded of the morning message. Her cheeks warmed it and she found herself almost disappointed that she didn’t have another message from him. When she realized that, she gasped audibly and then quickly looked around to make sure no one had noticed before shoving her phone back into her purse and turning her eyes to the ground. She quickened her step and beelined for the coffee shop, ready for a sandwich and a latte to set her straight.

The bell chimed above her as she stepped into the familiar room. Finally, she raised her head and glanced quickly towards her usual table–vacant still, thankfully–and joined the short line.

While waiting, she reached for her phone again, noting three texts from Shouyou and one text from Tobio that simply told her to ignore whatever the dumbass says , and she smiled softly to herself, typing out a quick reply to Shouyou’s messages. He was trying to have her settle the latest dispute between the two of them, about something as trivial as which pen brand was superior, and she just casually mentioned her favorite brand of art pens. It wasn’t siding with either of them, and it was her honest opinion.

Shouyou ^^: awww cmon hitokaaaa!!! thts nt wat i ment!

Shouyou ^^: u gotta liek 1 of them bettr!

Hitoka put off answering when the cashier called for the next person, and she quickly ordered her usual. She only stammered twice and counted it as a personal best and then she paid and took her sandwich with her to her usual small table, in the corner where the wall met the windows that spanned the front of the shop. She liked it because she could see into the shop but also out into the campus quad, and it was like being in both places at once.

She settled in more fully when she retrieved her drink, fetching out a textbook to review the chapter that the professor would be lecturing on later in the afternoon and occasionally texting Shouyou back.

As she took a drink of her latte, her phone buzzed again. She swallowed her drink and put the cup back down, reaching for the phone. She expected to see Shouyou ^^ across her screen, as usual, but instead, the name Kuroo Tetsurou popped up in her notifications. Hitoka fumbled for a moment and dropped the phone back onto the table in surprise, then glanced at the tables near her and hurriedly picked it back up. Satisfied that she hadn’t disturbed her neighbors, she turned her full attention to the phone and opened his message after only a moment’s hesitation. Hitoka read it once, then re-read the message again, and then jerked her head back up to look around in surprise once she had finally processed the words.

If you keep studying so much, your coffee will get cold, Yacchan!

In the line at the front stood Kuroo Tetsurou, failing to hide an amused grin as he raised one eyebrow and shook his phone at her. Hitoka wanted to slide under her table and live there until he forgot about her dropping her phone. Or for the rest of her life. Whichever one came first. Instead she groaned and buried her face in her hands to hide her burning cheeks.

She heard him laughing, and peeked through her fingers to find the people around him looking at him in confusion. He quickly turned to his phone, and hers next to her elbow buzzed only moments later. She glanced at the notification, and skimmed the message preview. It was short enough that she could see it all, anyway, so she didn’t have to drop her hands completely to read the message.

Look, now everyone thinks I’m crazy.

Hitoka’s instant response was you are crazy , but she didn’t move to pick up her phone and reply, and she pressed her hands against her warm cheeks even more firmly, hiding the dimmed screen from her view.

What must Kuroo think of her now? Probably that she was even more of a klutz than he remembered, or that she was a lot like a little kid, or maybe he thought she was being rude for not answering? She didn’t want to be rude, after all, so her fingers itched to pick the phone back up. Hitoka didn’t, though, because she also didn’t want him to see her messaging him back in a panic to make sure she hadn’t offended him.

He was probably just going to grab a coffee and head off to his next class, since it was already almost one. Her class wasn’t until two, so she’d stay and he’d slip on through and then she could scramble to text him back. Great plan.

Except a moment later she felt the air shift, and then his amused tone washed over her senses.

“Can I sit with you, Yacchan?”

She yelped a little, cursed herself, and then stammered out an agreement. So much for her personal best earlier.

“I’m not going to keep you from heading to class, am I?” he asked, dropping his bag on the floor between the chair and the windowed storefront, glancing out across the quad before he turned back and took a seat. “I don’t want to make you late, or make you miss.”

She could use that as an excuse to run, but instead she just shook her head quickly.

“No, no, you’re fine! I don’t have class until two!”

So much for a possible escape route. Probably just another sign that Hitoka didn’t really want to escape from the situation, no matter how mortified she felt from the start of it. The thought made her face burn again and she turned to look across the quad in the hopes that Kuroo wouldn’t see it.

“Oh, that’s when mine’s at, too!” Kuroo laughed a little, unwrapping the sandwich he’d just purchased. “Do you mind if I eat here?”

“Of course not!” she waved her hands, almost incredulously, as she turned her attention back to him completely. “I’d be more upset if you didn’t eat because I was here!” 

Her words preceded her thoughts, and then she ducked her head in embarrassment.

His chuckle wasn’t unkind and didn’t seem as if it was to make fun of her, and he followed it with, “Thanks, Yacchan.”

Before he could really dig in, they called his name for his drink and Kuroo excused himself momentarily to go retrieve it, returning to the table and starting with a slow sip of his drink and then a sigh of contentment. Hitoka understood that feeling well, especially on nights she stayed up late to work on deadlines, or compiling notes for the volleyball club.

“What’s your next class?” she found herself asking out of genuine curiosity. He was on the biochemistry track, she remembered, so it could be a lab or something. Unless he hadn’t finished basic coursework, then it could be something like literature or language.

She waited for him to chew and swallow the bite he’d just taken and felt a little bad for asking him while he was eating, but he grinned and answered, “Calc two! We’re barely into the semester and I’m already sick of it, though. You should see how much homework the professor gives us every class!”

Hitoka frowned softly. “Are you alright? With your coursework and volleyball, I mean. Don’t you have a lot of lab work, too?”

Kuroo chuckled and reached over to flick her lightly in the middle of the forehead. She frowned and reached up to cover the spot with her hand, and then flushed when he spoke. “Of course I’m fine! I’ve got the cutest little crow worrying about me, and she made me promise to let her help out if she can!”

“Kuroo-san!” she whined, burying her face in her hands again. Kuroo laughed again, reaching for his drink while she tried to sink into the table.

After a few moments, he asked her what her next class was, and Hitoka pulled herself back to the present enough to answer that it was a literature class. Kuroo smoothly pulled her back out of the comfort of burying her face in her hands, and they chatted past when Kuroo had finished eating, until they both needed to pack up and head off to class.

Hitoka was a little disappointed that their buildings were in opposite directions, because she really wished she could walk with him and talk for a little while longer.

“I meant it,” she finally said, shifting her weight as they stood out front together before heading to their separate classes. Hitoka felt a little shy about how forcefully she’d given him her contact information and acquired his in return, so she studied her feet for a moment as she ordered her thoughts. She took a steadying breath and then elaborated, “I really, really meant it when I told you to let me help if I can, Kuroo-san.”

There was a moment of silence and she very nearly bolted, but then a warm hand dropped on her shoulder and surprised her momentarily. Kuroo squeezed and said, in a tone much too soft and gentle for her heart, “I know you meant it.” She heard him take a slow breath, and then he repeated, quieter, “I know.”

“I’m serious,” she added weakly, and he just squeezed her shoulder again before letting go.

“I know,” he repeated, and when she finally dared to look up at him it was to see his features softened in a smile, not his game face smirk or his teasing, shiteating grin. Her chest burned, and she ducked her head again before the feeling could spread to her skin. With a sigh that sounded as regretful as she felt, Kuroo stepped back. “I’ll see you later, Yacchan.”

“Y-yeah.”

He waved and she managed to do the same, glancing back up as he turned to head towards his class.

They parted ways there, and Hitoka tried not to think about the tightness in her chest too much. She still had to be able to focus on her class, after all, and thoughts of Kuroo had already proven to be too distracting for her own good.

Hitoka had just managed to scramble off the train at her station after almost getting jostled back into it by those boarding, heart racing and a sigh on her lips. So far she hadn’t been forced past her station, but she didn’t consider it an impossibility. There were the few times she’d simply waited until a slightly emptier train came along as examples, after all, and she wouldn’t have expected to do that before she moved here for school.

It was just one of the many ways that Tokyo differed from Miyagi.

She breathed in a few times and made her way through the turnstiles to the stairs, head down. It was a little chilly, and she wasn’t wearing her scarf today, so she grumbled to herself a little as she slipped out onto the street. Her bag weighed heavy on her shoulders, and suddenly felt like she might be missing something. Had she forgotten an assignment? Did she forget a class or meeting? Was she just really tired?

Hitoka felt a little bit of anxiety welling in her stomach, and she tried to sort out her thoughts.

“I have to do...my reading,” she ticked off on her fingers, “the small math assignment, and then the drawing I was doing for Shouyou. That’s not too bad!” 

She shifted her bag on her shoulder and took a shaky breath in. It was fine. She wasn’t forgetting anything big, and staying to watch another short practice match–and dealing with a little of Kuroo’s teasing from the sidelines–hadn’t put her too far behind.

She shivered a little and then squared her shoulders to head down the street. Before she'd gone more than two or three steps, she heard, "–chan! Yacchan, wait up!"

Hitoka stiffened and turned to the voice, and saw Kuroo waving at her. He was earning some disapproving looks for his volume and general exuberance, which came as no surprise. He jogged over to her and paused to catch his breath.

“I thought you’d never stop!” he wheezed. 

“A-are you okay, Kuroo-san?” she asked, concerned, as he sucked in another breath. He was flushed–probably from exertion, since practice had ended not too long ago and he’d been running to keep up with her. She was still worried, though. “You’re not getting sick or anything, are you? Do you need some water? Is there anything I can help you with?”

“Ha, calm down, Yacchan!” he waved his hand, dismissively. His breathing steadied, gradually. “I’m fine. I just wanted to know if you wanted to grab some meat buns or something and study together for a while?”

Hitoka blinked, thought of all the things she had to do, however small they were, and looked at the wolfish grin of the man in front of her.

She thought of how she didn’t really feel like making food tonight, either, and her plan to stop at the Family Mart on her way back from the station. It would probably be less lonely if she was with him, and maybe she wouldn’t be so scared of the really big guy that was always at the register or sweeping the store.

Nervously, she also thought about the fact that her place was closest, and the easiest option, and probably the least noisy since she was pretty sure Kuroo had roommates and the other alternatives were the local cafes, and that environment would be more conducive for studying. And, glancing back at Kuroo, she realized that she was actually fine with inviting him over.

“S-sure!” her voice was weaker than she’d intended. “W-would you like to study at m-my place?”

“Are you inviting me over, Yacchan?” Kuroo laughed, dropping an arm playfully around her shoulders. 

“I-it’s quieter than studying in a cafe, or something like that!” she exclaimed, this time more loudly than she’d planned. She controlled her tone and added, “But we can always find somewhere else to study if you’d like! I just thought maybe some place quieter would be better, but if you’d like to study in a cafe, there’s a little coffee shop nearby–”

“Your place is fine,” he said easily, cutting her off gently. “Let’s grab some bentos and meat buns or something on the way. There’s that Family Mart near here, right?”

“Yes!” Hitoka nodded. “It’s just around the corner!”

“Awesome. I’m starving .”

She stifled a giggle, and he grinned, pulling his arm from her shoulders and leading the way.

Hitoka found that a night of convenience store food and working on projects in the companionship of someone else, even when they weren’t talking, was nice sometimes, too. She’d forgotten what it was like, since the end of highschool and the way all her crows had scattered to the winds.

“I didn’t think math could get worse,” she groused, working through yet another tedious equation. Kuroo snorted from across the table, and she looked back up at him. She was probably pouting about it, but she couldn’t bring herself to care. “Hey!”

“Sorry, Yacchan, it’s just so rare to see you struggle or get impatient at things,” he laughed, pressing his cheek to his hand and watching her. She flushed.

“I’m not struggling –well, maybe just a little, but it’s not because I don’t understand it, it’s just–”

“You don’t have to explain yourself to me, Yacchan!” he grinned, wolfishly, and she groaned and pressed her hands to her face.

“Don’t laugh at me, Kuroo-san,” she whined.

“I’m not, I promise!” he answered, but she heard the way he chuckled. Kuroo wasn’t being mean-spirited and she knew it, but it still embarrassed her.

“Kuroo!” 

He started laughing, then, and after a moment, Hitoka couldn’t help but start to giggle along, slightly embarrassed.

“Anyway, I took that class a few semesters ago, Yacchan. Let me know if you’re actually struggling with it and I’ll help you out, like any good senpai would.”

She laughed, almost snorted, and covered her mouth shyly before she answered, “Are you sure you should be offering me help? You’re the one who has the busier schedule, with all your classes and your volleyball and your practices and those tournaments coming up–speaking of, are you eating right? Do you need anything?”

He blinked, then smiled warmly at her. “I’m fine, Yacchan.”

“You said you’d tell me if you needed help, remember.”

“I remember,” he huffed a short laugh, reaching over flick the end of her pencil before she could put it back to the paper. 

Hitoka shifted awkwardly from foot to foot, glancing from her phone to the door in front of her. She shifted the 7-Eleven bag on her arm and made sure the number in the text matched one more time before she nervously raised her hand to knock.

After a few timid raps and a wait, when she didn’t hear any more sound beyond the door, Hitoka reached up and knocked again, a little harder. 

She’d learned from being friends with Shouyou and Tobio that sometimes when she was nervous, she wouldn’t knock loud enough. Whenever she went over to Tobio’s with Shouyou, she’d knock gently and Shouyou would laugh and tell her not to be so shy, then pound on the door. She was always aghast and fluttered nervously around and telling him that he shouldn’t be so rough, but his methods always worked.

And sure enough, she heard shuffling and a muffled, “‘m coming!”

A few moments later, she heard the lock slide, and a head of messy black hair peered out. Kuroo squinted at her, then sagged against the doorway in relief.

“Yacchan,” he tried to say her name in a familiar, playful sing-song tone, but his voice cracked and he had to turn his head to cough into his elbow. “My savior,” he whined after, almost a wheeze.

“I told you to take care of yourself,” she said, and then stepped forward to push against his side and nudge him back into his apartment. “Why did you wait until you were dying , Kuroo-san?! Go sit down or something, I’ll find the kitchen and make you some soup and some tea or something and please just don’t hurt yourself –”

“You’re an angel ,” he stepped forward and toddled towards what looked like the living room as Hitoka stuttered denials, flushed, and closed the door behind her. She slid her shoes off and found a moment to panic over forcing herself into a guy’s apartment before shifting the 7-Eleven bag on her arm again and feeling the cup noodles and cans of soup shifting. Somewhere in the bag, she had some tissues and cold medicine, too.

After Kuroo’s scrambled text about my romat’s gon and im d y i n yacchhan save me frm this cold , she’d actually called him and got a slightly less garbled explanation. Kuroo was sick and had been hiding it until he couldn’t get out of bed with his fever and his roommate was visiting his parents for the weekend. 

She was annoyed he’d waited so long, but at least he’d called her for help instead of trying to go get something for himself. Hitoka shuddered at the thought of him collapsing on the street somewhere, trying to get a cup noodle or something.

There was a fwump from behind her that startled her, and when she spun around from the door in an almost panic after finally lining her shoes up, she saw that Kuroo had flopped face-first onto the sofa. She took a moment to watch him settle, cough into his elbow again, and then made her way into the apartment and glanced around until she spotted the kitchen. 

“Pardon the intrusion,” she murmured softly, tiptoeing in and placing the bag on the counter. She took a quick glance around the room and started to slowly open cabinets to find what she’d need to make tea and soup. “Forgive me for being nosey,” she added for good measure.

Kuroo murmured something unintelligible, muffled by the couch, and she pulled down a pot in order to make the soup and carefully filled the kettle near the stove with water for some tea.

A week later, Kuroo hailed her as a ‘lifesaver’, loudly in the campus coffee shop she liked, and she thought she might never go back, as embarrassed as she was. She was happy to see him feeling better, though. Even if it meant she wouldn’t get to tend to him as he slept and run her hands through his messy black hair that was a lot softer than she expected it to be.

“Hey, Yacchan,” Kuroo leaned back, stretching, as they studied at the table in her living room again.

“Hm?” she asked, glancing up from her design project. Her feet were tucked under her on the couch, warm and cozy to contrast with the chill trying to seep in from outside, and Kuroo looked thoughtful.

“Why don’t we go do something this weekend? A late lunch after my practice on Sunday, maybe?”

“Oh, for your birthday?” she blinked, then smiled. “We should definitely celebrate it!”

Hitoka was already planning on making him a birthday cake of some sort, so if they came back to her apartment after so she could give it to him, it would work out. If she had to, she could take it to him as well, though she was worried she’d drop it or crush it or ruin it or something between leaving the apartment in the morning and giving it to him.

Kuroo’s eyes widened a little, then he asked incredulously, “Wait, how’d you know it was my birthday this weekend?” and then, after another moment, he winked exaggeratedly at her, “Ah, I see, the little crow’s still being all concerned about me, eh?”

“Kuroo!” she laughed, nudging him with her elbow. At some point recently, she’d mostly dropped the honorifics at his request. It felt natural, almost, but she still wondered if she shouldn’t be more respectful, since he was technically her senior.

“I’m kidding, Yacchan, kidding!” he held his hands up, placating, with a wide grin. “But I’ll swing by and get you at like...one? For a late lunch? Or do you want to meet up?”

“Whichever works for you!” Hitoka said, beaming. “It’s your birthday, after all!”

He laughed and reached over to ruffle her hair, and Hitoka protested halfheartedly, trying to hide her giggles. It didn’t really work, and she stole a glance at the smile on his face as he turned back to his physics assignment. 

Handsome , she thought to herself, then felt her face start to burn and quickly turned back to her assignment.

Please don’t notice , she pleaded internally. She didn’t need to have to fumble through an explanation of why she was a tomato. Or why she couldn’t keep her eyes off of him when she watched him on the court, leaping up for the ball over the net, all long limbs and tense muscles and clever read-blocks.

“I’ll come pick you up, then,” he answered easily, flipping a page.

If he did notice her flush, he didn’t say anything. She still couldn’t breathe easily about it until after he left later that night, when the loss of his presence next to her made her feel a bit lonely.

On his birthday, he showed up a few minutes before one, grinning. He was dressed slightly less casual than his sporty sweatpants and baggy sweaters from when they studied together, and Hitoka tried not to stare too long at the way his jeans hugged his calves. She beamed back at him.

“Happy birthday, Kuroo!” she wished him, then glanced over his shoulder. “I made you a cake, if you want it! I don’t know if you want it now, or if you want it later tonight–”

“Later’s fine, if you’ll let me walk you home,” he interjected before she could start rambling, and she laughed a little sheepishly.

“Okay! It’ll be waiting for you, then!”

Kuroo’s grin made her flush a little, and she averted her gaze slightly. “Thanks, Yacchan. You shouldn’t have!”

“I wanted to.” Hitoka’s answer was simple, and she hid her grin in her scarf.

“Well...thanks again, then,” his tone was soft, and it made her feel warm from her head to her toes, even in the chill of her doorway. Then Kuroo held out his arm and quirked a half grin as he asked, “Shall we?”

She stifled a giggle and linked her arm with his. “We shall!”

It was kind of nice, walking like that with Kuroo. They kept up a steady conversation about class and volleyball and everything else as they made their way to the place Kuroo wanted to eat at, and talked a little about Kuroo’s plans for the rest of the day. Over their dinner in the small hole-in-the-wall place Kuroo liked for their mackerel, they made the decision to head over to the nearby shopping mall. 

“I killed my best highlighter, studying for my calculus exam,” he groaned, gesticulating wildly. She was getting used to making friends that were exuberant, even though she never thought that was possible. “I could probably stand to get some reference books for my biochem lab, too.”

“I need to pick up a reference book for one of my design classes too, actually,” she tapped her chin. Then, slowly, she asked, “Are you sure you want to buy school things when you’re out celebrating your birthday?”

He blinked at her, then he laughed. It was a little loud, as usual, and she tried her best to ignore the glance he got from the couple at the table behind him. “Yeah, it’s fine. I would just forget to get it if I didn’t do it while I’m there, or put it off.”

Hitoka hummed in acknowledgement, reaching to take a sip of her tea. “We could do something else while we’re there, too, if you want. Look around at other stores, see a movie, or go to the arcade there?” she ticked a few things off on her fingers once she’d put her drink down, then smiled at him. “It’s your birthday, so you should do something for you!”

“We could go to the arcade,” he mused, glancing out across the street. Their food was almost gone. “I haven’t been to one in a while, not since the last time I spent time with Kenma.”

“It could be fun!” she laughed, then added, “I’ve never actually been to an arcade, though.”

After she admitted as much, Kuroo stared at her for long enough that Hitoka laughed nervously and shrank in on herself. In a small, questioning tone, she said, “Kuroo…?”

“You’ve gotta go to an arcade at least once , Yacchan!” he burst out, and she jumped at how sudden it was. “C’mon, Yacchan, what have you done with your youth ? You have to do these things while you’re still young, and not old and grey like me!”

“K-Kuroo!” the laugh bubbled up before she could stop it, then she slapped a hand over her mouth and contained herself before arguing, “You’re not old and grey!”

“Don’t sweat the small things, Yacchan,” he waved his hand dismissively. “Why don’t we head to the arcade first, then do some shopping?”

Hitoka snorted and agreed, and made a mental note not to lose him at the mall. She was small and easily lost, after all. At least he was tall and had a distinctive messy bedhead, so if she did lose him somehow it wouldn’t be hard to find him again.

And...she had fun. 

“Here, try this one,” Kuroo pulled her to some sort of arcade game where they had to kill slimes. He showed her how to hold the gun and how to fire and put in the coins for them both to play. “The art style is really cute, I think you’ll like it.”

“It looks cute!” she agreed, looking at one of the six characters she could play as. It was a girl in a white raincoat with pink hearts, black leggings, pink boots with white hearts, a cute curly bob, pink heart-shaped earrings, big blue eyes and even bigger round glasses. She picked her, and Kuroo picked a boy with his blue hat on backwards, messy hair, a baggy black hoodie, and jeans.

The game being cute didn’t really make her any better at it, but it was easier for her to look at than some of the other shooting games, and it was still fun with Kuroo at her side. And he seemed like he was enjoying it, too, so that’s all that counted.

They tried a few more games, including a dancing game that it took a lot of pleading from Kuroo and one last, “For my birthday?” for her to try it in front of all the other people in the arcade. Neither one of them were very good at it–in fact, Kuroo stumbled over his own feet a time or two. 

By the time they left the arcade, she was surprised to find that two and a half hours had already passed.

“We spent so long in there!” she gasped.

“I’ve spent longer on a trip with Kenma,” he assured her, laughing and stretching. “Wanna look around for a while, maybe grab something to drink and a snack, then stop by the bookstore and the office store for our school stuff?”

“Sure!” Hitoka agreed easily, and they first stopped at a small stand to get bubble tea. She got a simple milk tea, but Kuroo decided to try the taro flavor. They window shopped for a while while they sipped at their drinks, and Kuroo teased her about one of the games they played, reaching over to tug at her ponytail.

“You didn’t need to flinch away, Yacchan, it wasn’t going to come through the screen at you!”

“W-well, at least I didn’t trip over my own feet playing the dancing game!” she protested, lightly shoving at him. It was a close thing, granted, but Hitoka had managed to keep both of her feet untangled and in their own areas on the dance pad. 

Kuroo snorted. “There she goes, showing those little crow talons of hers!” he laughed, and she protested again with another light shove. Her pushes didn’t move him from his path at all, and they weren’t really intended to since she was afraid of shoving him into someone else in the mall, and he laughed them off easily.

They slipped into the bookstore first, just after Kuroo tossed his empty cup away. Hitoka trailed in behind him, holding the rest of her drink close and trying to ignore the ingrained fear of spilling it on accident. She hadn’t ever done anything like that, thank goodness, but her slightly nervous nature would never let her overlook the possibility.

“Oh, Yacchan, didn’t you say you needed a book for design?” Kuroo asked, reaching down to clasp her shoulder for attention. Once she looked to him, he gestured to a nearby aisle, and when she read the sign, Art & Design , she let out a soft laugh and nodded quickly.

“Yeah, it’ll probably be here!” she veered towards the aisle. “If you want to get the books you need, we can meet up at the front of the store or at the door in a few minutes?”

He laughed and shook his head. “Nah, I’ll stick with you. Unless you’d rather I left you alone for a while?” 

His mouth was quirked, teasing, and she just smiled back at him and shook her head. “No, that’s fine! If that’s what you want, it’s fine!”

Kuroo’s fingers squeezed her shoulder lightly and she heard him chuckle and say, “Then I’ll do just that!” And then his large hand splayed across her upper back, almost a ghost of a touch, and slowly fell away. As soon as his palm dropped away, she found herself missing it, even with the slight warmth that lingered. Hitoka shook her head a little and wandered down the aisle in front of him, ducking to hide the way her cheeks were burning.

I can’t believe I’m thinking about Kuroo Tetsurou like this! Was the first thought that went through her mind, followed by, Stop it, Hitoka!

She nearly completely passed the section on graphic design until Kuroo piped up, “Yacchan, on your left–”

Hitoka gasped and glanced over, then said, “Oh, I’m sorry, thank you, Kuroo! I wasn’t paying attention and got lost in thought and–”

“It’s fine, it’s fine!” he laughed, loud enough that she was worried other customers might give them disapproving looks or something, and she snapped her mouth closed in embarrassment. “Don’t sweat the small things so much, Yacchan! Which type of book did you need? I’ll help you look for it, if you want.”

“Sorry,” her voice was small, and she held her drink close. “I just need a book on graphic trends. Or, well, I don’t need it, but I think it’ll help me out more than just having the standard textbook for the class. If I don’t find one pretty quickly, we can move on!”

“Don’t sweat it, I said,” he playfully scolded, leaning over to look at the books in front of her. Hitoka was running her fingers along the spines to help her focus on the books themselves and not the tall man leaning over her shoulder. “I don’t mind taking some time to find your book, Yacchan.”

“Okay,” she said, even softer than before but with a slight smile this time, and she felt Kuroo pat her on the back, gently, before running his finger along the spines of the books on the shelf above her head.

Conversationally, and after a few moments of doing so, he announced, “I don’t really know what I’m looking for, but I can try to help out. Somehow I don’t think you’re looking for this book on 3D Modeling, though.”

She glanced at the book his hand had stilled on as he tilted it from its spot to look at the cover. Hitoka stifled a giggle, and then shook her head. “No, definitely not! I might take that class next year, though, as an elective. I’ve read that it’s good to have experience in 3D design nowadays, in order to help with some graphics.”

“Ever thought about just making video games?” he asked, curiously. “That’s what Kenma’s going into, just the programming side instead of the art side.”

“Never!” she laughed, pausing her search and glancing up at him. “Kuroo, you saw how bad I am at video games yourself, just a little bit ago.”

“Being bad at games doesn’t mean you can’t design for them,” he shot back, pulling out a book to look at the covers. “And you’re not bad at games, Yacchan, you’re just new to them! I’m sure you’d be a great gamer if you tried.”

“Flattery won’t get you anywhere,” Hitoka snorted, then lowered her head a little in embarrassment. Her eyes trailed up to where he was sliding his book back onto the shelf and she reached up to touch his arm. “Would you be able to grab the book...three books to the right of that?”

She would reach for the book herself, but based on her inner turmoil lately she was a little too nervous to invade his space too much. And about spilling the drink still in her hands.

“Sure thing, Yacchan. This one?” he pointed at the book just to the left of the one she wanted, and she shook her head. “No? Then it’s this one?” She nodded, and he pulled it down, holding it in his hands and flipping it over to see it. She started to reach her hand out, but Kuroo flipped it back over to read what little text was on the back, and held it closer so she could see it.

With a side glance at him, she slowly turned her attention back to the book in his hands. It looked small in his grasp, and she just knew it would look much larger in hers. Hitoka had to try very hard to stop thinking about it, and she still failed. 

“I don’t know what I’m reading,” Kuroo announced, which made Hitoka jump a little. “Is this anything like what you’re looking for?”

She scrambled to take in the information on the back, leaning over Kuroo’s arm to see better, then pulled her lower lip between her teeth. “Can you open to the first few pages, so I can see an introduction or a table of contents? I can’t really tell if it’s what I want just from what’s on the cover.”

“Oh, sure thing!” he obliged easily, and leaned over more so Hitoka had better visibility.

She watched him flip a few pages, then nudged him, “Go back one, I want to see what it said.”

Kuroo obliged easily and she made a noise of gratitude, leaning a little closer to read the small box titled ‘ After you go through this guide, you should be able to… ’ and then nodded to herself a little, starting to skim the table of contents that began on the facing page. He must have noticed her tiny nod, because Kuroo asked, “Look good?”

“Mhm,” she hummed agreement, then realized she should say something more. “It definitely sounds like one of the books my professor recommended. She gave us a long list, after all, but this one looks good.” 

Hitoka also remembered seeing the price on the back, and it was fairly reasonable for a design reference book.

“Want to keep looking?” 

She blinked and glanced up at him, and saw that he was being completely sincere. He wasn’t trying to rush her to go to the next section for his books, or to finish up so they could go to the office supplies store for his highlighters or the white out tape Hitoka had realized she was out of. 

With a slight grin, she shook her head. "No, I think this one will be a good place to start. Thanks, though."

"No problem," he beamed, then flipped the book closed and held it at his side. "I'll hold onto it for you for now. Where to next?"

"I can carry it–" she protested weakly, but he just chuckled.

"I know you can, Yacchan. I just wanted to lend a hand."

"Aren't I supposed to be the one helping you?" Hitoka pouted, looking back at him.

"You already have! You're a lifesaver , Yacchan, and don't let anyone ever tell you otherwise!" He laughed again, that same boisterous laugh that always made her question if they'd get kicked out. She glanced around a little nervously, but no one seemed to pay any mind. "Really, though. You've helped me a ton and you don't even realize it, so let me just do this for you for a little while, okay?"

She wasn't sure she'd ever heard Kuroo Tetsurou sound so imploring, and she was a little weak. Hitoka didn't know how to tell him that she thought he'd already helped her out more than enough without delving into how his company might be her favorite thing, so she just sighed. 

"Only for a little while," she relented. "I'll take it back when you find the book you want!"

He grinned. "Okay, I can deal with that."

They continued down the aisle, Hitoka occasionally stopping to glance at another text here or there, and Kuroo made no move to hurry them. In fact, he spotted a guide on game design a d asked, "Are you sure you wouldn't want to give it  a try?" 

"Not right now," she laughed, lightly pushing his hand, and the new book, away. "I wouldn't be able to do anything justice!" 

"I'm sure you could, Yacchan," Kuroo shot back, grinning  but sliding the book back into place. "You can do anything!"

She flushed and shot back, "Y-you're exaggerating!"

He huffed and disagreed, all with a slight upwards quirk on his lips, and they proceeded through the store. When it came down to it and Kuroo found a reference book for himself, she had to demand he hand her book over. He had made his decision with much deliberation–which Hitoka found incredibly endearing when she caught the look of concentration on his face as he compared two–and then he'd tried to keep going with both his book and hers tucked under his arm. Hitoka put her foot down, taking a few quick steps to stand in front of him, arms crossed. 

She was glad she'd already finished her drink and disposed of the cup. She felt like it would have made her seem less intimidating. Somehow.

"My book, Kuroo!" She held out her hand, shifting her other to her hip. "We made a deal!"

"Aw, I'd hoped you'd forget," he chuckled, shifting to hold his book in one hand and hers in the other. "You mean I can't just be nice?"

Her cheeks were warm, but she tried to scowl at him. "We made a deal!" she repeated, determined.

"Fine, fine," he sighed, but then he chuckled. "You're right, we did."

When he offered it to her, Hitoka took it before he could change his mind. "Thank you, Kuroo!"

"No problem, little crow," he chuckled, hand falling to pat her on the shoulder. "Need anything else in here?"

Hitoka shook her head.

"Then I guess we should pay and head for the next stop!" 

She wasn't looking at him, but she could hear the smile in his voice. She smiled to herself, too, ducking her head and taking a step ahead in the hopes that he wouldn't see.

"I could get yours for you, for your birthday," she offered, daring a glance over her shoulder to watch his face slacken in surprise.

"Yacchan, no !" Kuroo protested after a brief pause. "You made me a cake , don't think I've forgotten! That's more than enough!"

I'm definitely buying him some highlighters, she thought to herself, amused. I wonder what face he'll make?

She shook her head to pull herself back, flushing and looking towards the counter. "Well, then, don't say I didn't offer!" 

Hitoka stepped up to the available cashier as he groaned behind her.

" Yacchan , I can't believe you're teasing me! Put those talons away, little crow!"

She giggled a little and valiantly tried to ignore the way her cheeks started to burn. Hitoka didn't answer him but instead spoke with the cashier a moment– yes, a bag please, no, nothing else, thank you, you too –and stepped to the side to wait for him to finish with another cashier. He did so quickly, then stepped up next to her and pouted at her again.

“I can’t believe you’d wound me like this, Yacchan, really,” he said, and she snorted as they turned to leave the bookstore. “What did I do to deserve this? I’m supposed to be doing all the teasing here, and yet you come in and one-up me at my own game.”

Hitoka ducked her head and told him, “You can’t just tease me all the time,” almost indignantly, and he paused, then started that loud laugh of his. A few people glanced over, and Kuroo patted her on the shoulder, probably a tiny bit more forcefully than he meant to. It made her stumble a little, but she caught herself as he was trying to apologize mid-laugh.

“S-sorry, Yacchan, I just. Didn’t expect that from you?” he raised his tone in question, and she huffed a little.

“Sorry to disappoint,” she strode ahead, towards the office supplies store they’d discussed earlier.

“Wait, no, I’m not disappointed!” he yelped, and she heard a few quick steps as he worked on catching up to her. She was too focused on listening to him that she didn’t notice the spill in front of her, and Kuroo tried to warn her a bit late. Her foot slipped and she yelped and flailed her arms a bit. She started to fall forward and she put one hand out to maybe help stop her fall, prayed that she wouldn’t hurt her wrist, and closed her eyes to accept her fate.

Except her fall halted unexpectedly even though it had barely begun and she flailed a little bit more and elbowed someone, hard, before she spun into them. She panicked a little and then heard Kuroo’s familiar voice, “ Ouch , Yacchan, calm down, I’ve got you!” and her eyes snapped open.

“S-sorry!” she yelped again, and took a moment to take stock of the situation.

Kuroo had grabbed her hand when she started to fall, and tugged her back. She’d stumbled, flailed, elbowed him– oh no, I hope it doesn’t hurt –and then slumped against him a little bit. When she realized that, she straightened and started to pull away again.

“Oh! S-sorry again, Kuroo, thank you, I’m sorry–” she started rambling, and once she had her balance back, she went to pull her hand away. “Th-thanks again, I didn’t mean to–”

“Yacchan, calm down, it’s fine,” he soothed, but he didn’t release her hand. “Are you okay? You’re not hurt, are you?”

“N-no,” she shook her head. Hitoka was afraid to look up at him because of it. “I’m fine, but I hit you, I’m so sorry,” she said it in a rush. “A-are you okay?”

He chuckled, but she could tell it wasn’t a mean laugh even though she wasn’t looking directly at him. Her face was burning and she tried tugging her hand away again, but was unsuccessful. It was then that Kuroo spoke up, gently, “I’m fine , Yacchan, don’t worry. Are you sure you’re okay?”

Hitoka didn’t trust herself to speak so she nodded.

“Good. Do you want to sit down for a minute or head on to the shop?”

“T-to the shop!” she squeaked out. “You had some things you wanted to get, and I-I’m fine now!” 

Kuroo lifted her hand up and tugged a little, “Please look at me, Yacchan. I just want to make sure you’re really okay.”

She gasped and looked up, more quickly than intended, and saw a slightly worried look morph into a relieved smile when she insisted, “I’m really fine! Really!”

“Good, I thought I might have made you cry, and then what would I do? Everyone here would think I’m a terrible person for making the cutest little crow sad, and I wouldn’t even be able to tell them they were wrong!”

Hitoka sensed the flow of a joke, but she still flushed at being called cute by Kuroo. It wasn’t the first time, but she’d probably never get used to it.

“I’m not crying!” she shook her head. “I’m really, really fine,” she lowered her tone a little, taking a deep breath. She realized she’d been getting a little loud, but people weren’t paying them much attention at the moment.

For the time being, she let her hand rest in Kuroo’s larger one and flushed a little. It wasn’t what she was used to, but...it was nice. Even if it was only because he was worried about her. She figured she should probably try pulling away again, so she did, and then Kuroo squeezed her hand, lightly, and cleared his throat a little bit. She glanced up at him, curiously, and he looked thoughtful.

“Hey, Yacchan…” he started, then trailed off.

“Y-yes?” 

Kuroo shifted his weight a little, almost nervously, and then squeezed her hand a little more tightly and asked slowly, “Would you be okay...if I considered today a date?”

A moment passed, and then another, as Kuroo’s words slowly sank in. She felt her face, her neck, her ears, her everything start burning with a flush and she gasped. “W-wait. A d-d-date?!” she managed, surprised. “W-with me?”

With a gentle, teasing smile, Kuroo asked, “Is there anyone else here called Yacchan?”

She glanced around quickly and when no one else was around them, she looked back up to find him grinning at her. His hair was a little messier than she thought it had been earlier and wondered if she’d managed to hit him in the face in her flailing too, somehow, but then realized that he was waiting rather patiently for an answer. 

“A-are you okay with that?” she asked in a small voice, feeling butterflies rising nervously in her throat. She liked the way her hands felt in his–small and delicate, but still it made her feel safe , somehow–and she bit her lip nervously. “With being on a d-date with me, I mean?”

She averted her gaze shyly for a moment, but then brought her attention back up to him. He smiled at her again, a lot more tender than she thought she’d ever seen on him. 

“I want to be on a date with you.”

Hitoka felt her throat tighten while warmth filled her. This was definitely more than she’d felt that time that she’d been on a date with Hinata back in early second year. So she swallowed the lump in her throat and decided to go out on a limb and just say it.

“O-okay.”

Not the most convincing, maybe, but she heard Kuroo suck in a short breath.

“Okay?” he asked to confirm, turning his hand so that their fingers intertwined.

And Hitoka nodded, ducking her head shyly once again and squeezing his fingers in her own. “Y-yeah. I’d...I’d like that, too.”