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Kuroo Tetsurou was clearly and utterly screwed. Living with your best bro? Awesome, they were gonna have so much fun and antics together.
But having feelings for him? Not cool, Tetsurou. Not. Cool.
One would say that after all the time they spent -spend- together, he corrected himself, any possibility of catching the so feared feelings was out of the question. They would meet almost every weekend to play volley, catch the latest Marvel movie or just get their ass kicked by Kenma at Mario Kart. They had fallen into routine, texting each other cat memes or just talking about their future. After a while Kuroo realized that he was waiting for Bokuto’s daily anecdote, and called him if he was in one of his bad moods.
“Kuro, you are checking the phone more times than usual, is everything okay?” Kenma lifted his eyes from the psp, concern evident in his face.
“I’m fine, just wondering if Bo passed his lit exam.”
“You sure are invested in his grades.” Kenma mused while returning his attention to the game.
“Yeah, he’s a close friend. I care about you as well, don’t I?” Kuroo could feel his tone got defensive, and scratched his neck. “Sorry, that sounded a bit harsh, didn’t it?”
“Just want to know that you’ll be okay sharing an apartment with him at university. Don’t want you doing anything stupid. Well, more than normal anyways.” Kenma gave him a knowing look, and without further notice took Kuroo’s favorite game and another joystick.
Kenma’s word resonated in his mind late at night. He didn’t find his behaviour any different from the way he treated Kenma or dealt with Lev, and he was sure he shared a huge amount of memes with the third years as well. Then why did he feel a heartwarming feeling whenever Bokuto sent him a message saying that he saw a stray cat and thought of him, or just wanted to share his shitty day?
The realization hit him, but fear did as well. He didn’t want to ruin their friendship, he valued it way more than anything they could have. Besides, they never talked about those kind of things. Bokuto could not be interested at all in boys, let alone himself. Even Akaashi had more chances with the other captain, who was he kidding? Feeling a new type of sadness, he curled up in bed and decided that he had until university to get rid of whatever he was feeling.
But months later his heart betrayed him once again after Bokuto grinned at him.
“On the count of three?”, Bokuto threw him a challenging look.
He glanced at their outfit, swim trunks and goggles. He knew he should set some boundaries when it came to their flat, but just one beaming smile from Bokuto and he was smitten. What a sucker he was, uh.
“Not chickening out, but I’m just gonna remind you the rules.” Kuroo tried to look serious, but the bewildered look from the owl was making it hard. “This is a one month thing. Loser cleans everything. Don’t you dare skip it when I’m done with you.”
“Kubro, you know we split chores and I clean every mess I make!” Bokuto whined, but stopped all at once and looked at the floor.
“Yup, just like that time you were craving barbaqued beef and decided to almost set fire to our kitchen.”
“I knew you were going to bring that up! Oh well, let’s talk about how you abandon your socks everywhere. And I mean, EVERYWHERE.”
“I guess we are even,” Kuroo snickered, while holding up his water (was still water if it had none of it?) gun up.
He took one last glimpse at their apartment. Each piece of furniture was covered with plastic, a measure he took after Bokuto’s latest idea. Hey bro, why don’t we do a ketchup fight?
Why was he so easily convinced when it came to the other captain? Well, he knew the answer to that question, even though he tried to bury it at the back of his mind. He remembered how Bo’s eyes were gleaming with excitement, like his idea was going to end world hunger (which was kind of ironic) and couldn't refuse his proposal. Weak. He was so weak.
Bokuto was by now vibrating with anticipation, and as soon as they counted to three, each took refuge behind the nearest sofa or table they found.
Hours later, worn out from exhaustion and with ketchup covering every part of their body, they were lying down while watching tv through the plastic they put before. Kuroo turned to talk to Bokuto, to find him snoring peacefully.
He felt his pulse getting faster and got up to remove the plastic from the least aimed chairs. First he’d tell Bokuto to go shower, and then he could panic by himself.
“Hey Bo, wake up. The floor is not the best place to pass out, and we stink.”
The other captain slowly opened his eyes and nodded in agreement. They stood up and just as Bokuto was about to enter the bathroom, he turned around and hugged Kuroo.
“Thanks for always taggin’ along.” He whispered, and looked down before going back to the bathroom.
Kuroo was so screwed.
The moment the door closed, he ran and dialed Kenma’s number from memory, praying to every deity that his friend wasn’t recording any videogame walkthrough, as he did lately. After two rings and way too many panicking thoughts, Kenma answered.
“Hey Kenma, remember how you told me not to do something stupid while I was at uni? Guess I already screwed that one up.”
“Nothing new, but I’m going to need some context.” Kuroo could faintly hear a videogame on the other side of the line.
“Well, I may or may not have beyond-friendship feelings for my roommate,” he whispered, double checking that he could still hear the water running. “And I may or may not tried to avoid them, but failed.”
“Is this about your crush with Bokuto?”
“Kenma don’t you dare give it a name, I’m panicking over here!” Tetsurou sighed and sat on the couch, getting more ketchup in his clothes, and grimacing at the cold sensation.
“I knew you would eventually figure it out, but it took you way too long. Did he say any disrespectful comment, or hurt you anyway?”
“No! Bo would never do that!”
“Then I don’t see the problem.”
“Well, mister know-it-all, the problem is I don’t even know if he swings that way! Or if he’d ever like me! Or if I wanna risk our friendship over something this stupid!” By now Kuroo was rambling but he didn’t care. He just needed to get it out of his system.
“It isn’t stupid if this is about your feelings Kuro,” Kenma answered with a serious tone, all background noise muted. “And the fact that after all this time you are still thinking about him is enough prove that how you see him is not going to change any time soon. So if I were you I’d try to get closer to him, to see if he reciprocates any way, and if he doesn’t-” he paused for an instant, and his voice got lower. “You can come next week and stay over. Exams are far away for both of us, and I’m sure that you have been studying and have someone to send you pics of what they see at class.”
“Thank you. I really needed this conversation.” Honesty poured through Kuroo’s words, and he felt a wave of affection for his best friend. “You know, classes without you have been hell.” He chuckled, and could feel the ‘you are being dramatic again’ look Kenma was surely making right now.
“We didn’t even go to classes together, and I don’t miss you a bit.”
“Aww, I knew it- what? Did you say you don’t-”
“Bye Kuro, text me if something happens.”
And with that the line went off.
“Shower’s all yours!” Bokuto just went out of the bathroom wearing pyjamas and with his hair down.
Kuroo averted his gaze from the water running down his face, and told Bokuto good night.
He was a man with a mission now, of that he was sure.
_________________
“Bro I’m telling you, ketchup should be a vegetable!”
“We are totally not starting that argument again, Bo.”
They were sitting at their university cantine, eating before what presumably was going to be a long afternoon, since they had volleyball practice. Even though Kuroo was a chem major, he didn’t want to give up on volleyball, not yet, when he had a chance to be on the same side of the court as Bokuto.
“It should be considered healthy food, I’m just saying.” Bokuto lowered his voice.”I just miss eating whatever I want, coach is so strict.”
“Hey cheer up, he just wants us to eat more veggies. Nothing to get worked up about. Besides, we can check the new take-out place for tonight’s dinner, sounds good?”
“Hell yeah! Let’s watch some film as well, we should make the most of our friday!”
Kuroo smirked. First stage of his plan: successfully completed.
After they took the food back to their place, they sat on the couch and took the food out of the containers. They put some action film both had already seen, and started commenting on which character would they be.
Then Tetsurou stood up to prepare some popcorn, and when he got back he made sure he sat closer to Bokuto.
“You know, there are some people who ship Steve and Bucky?” He was the king of subtlety, he thought sarcastically, as he laid his head back and looked at Bokuto’s reaction.
“Uh, really? I thought they were like best bros or something.” The other said, with a perplexed look.
“Well, obviously, but fans say that they would make a nice couple. You know, since they already have such a strong bond.”
“Well, that sure sounds like something plausible.”
Kuroo snorted, “did Akaashi teach you that word?”
“It’s that obvious huh?”
“Yep. By the way, how’s he doing?” He said casually.
“He’s stressed about his gpa, but he's clearly going to get good grades.”
“I’m sure you miss his sets, I hope I can make up for it with my amazing blocks tho.”
“It’s weird not having him around, but I’m so glad you are with me, Kuroo.”
The fondness in Bokuto’s words made Kuroo winced, and he wondered if those words would sound as sweet as they did if he didn’t like Bo. They resumed watching the film, and after a while, Kuroo put his hand on the pillow between them, getting dangerously close to the other’s hand. He heard the other’s sharp breath, and was about to ask him what he thought of the fight scene that was happening in the film when the other got up.
“Bathroom! I need! I’ll be right back!” He said as he walked fast to the opposite side of their flat.
Not a good sign. Definitely a bad sign. Kuroo took his phone and messaged Kenma as fast as I could.
‘I was so close to his hand and he run off, I definitely destroyed our friendship. Why the heck couldn’t I be happy with just our friendship sos’
‘Did he do something to indicate you that he just needed to use the bathroom?’
‘Well he was stuttering and he RAN towards there duh’
‘Have you ever thought that he may be panicking as well?’
‘Well, no. I mean, that would mean that he likes me somehow, and he didn’t take any hints of my subtle flirting this week’
‘pls tell me you didn’t “charm his pants off” using your little knowledge of owl facts’
‘...maybe?’
‘Kuro, if you are really doing this let him know how you feel. He can be a bit dense, and if he doesn’t feel the same way you know he wouldn’t let this disolve your friendship’
‘oooookay, I guess this is it. Wish me luck’
Kuroo put his phone down and looked up. Bokuto sure was taking his time. He then heard a grunt, and couldn’t help to try to catch the muffled words he heard.
“... yes I know, but I just can’t deal with this.”
Did Bokuto feel uncomfortable because of Kuroo? Had he in fact catch on Kuroo’s attempts to get closer to him?
“... I know Agaaaaashee. Should I do something? I already know. Huh gotta go back out there. Bye.”
Kuroo had never run faster to his spot on the couch than at that moment. He didn’t know what to do with the information he got, so he just ate more popcorn.
“Hey Bo, you okay? If you need to go for number two I can use that time to finish my three assignments.” Kuroo was officialy stupid, why did he have to say that in such a critical moment.
Bokuto looked flustered, and sat a little bit further from Kuroo, to the latter disappointment.
“Nah, just needed some fresh water so I don’t fall asleep while watching the film.”
“Woah, are you tired already? It’s okay, we can finish it some other time.”
“No no, I’m fine.”
“Hi fine, I’m Kuroo.”
Bokuto started laughing, and all tension disappeared. “Why do you have such a horrible sense of humor?”
Kuroo couldn’t help smiling at Bokuto. They stared at each other, silence falling between them. He was getting lost in Bokuto’s eyes, and reached out to touch his face. Bokuto stood still, as if he was scared to move, but leaned a bit at the touch. Kuroo gulped.
“Hey, Bo?”
“Hm?”
“Have you ever thought of us like Captain America and Bucky?”
Bokuto’s eyes sharply lowered to the floor, but fast enough they held Kuroo’s, with so much tenderness it left no doubt he understood the double meaning of Kuroo’s words.
“I… may have. But was a bit afraid that Bucky wouldn’t want anything to do with the captain, more than friendship ya know.”
“What makes you think I’d be Bucky?” Said Kuroo while holding back from laughing.
“C’mon, I’d make a better captain!”
“Well just so you know, Bucky was having the same doubts. But decided that it was worth it.”
“You sure can be a smooth talker sometimes you know?” Bokuto snickered, and held the hand that was caressing his face.
“I’m not sure how long it’s gonna last, so better make the best of it.”
Kuroo leaned closer to Bokuto, as if he was waiting for a response. The owl took the chance and cut the distance between them, and kissed him softly as if he still didn't believe it. They both melted into it, and leaned on each other, taking in the comfortable silence as they cuddled.
“So, I guess we took bromance to a whole new level.” Kuroo laughed while kissing Bokuto’s cheek.
“Not just that, we got the best of both worlds!” Bokuto said while pressing his face against Kuroo’s neck.
They stayed like that, savouring their newly acquired proximity until late, the film long forgotten.
Next morning, Kuroo was woken up with Kenma’s text, sending him a screenshot from his conversation with Akaashi.
“Took them longer than I thought, but they figured it out. Although I owe you a game.”
Kuroo smiled and looked down to Bokuto, still asleep. He may be a sucker, but he could get used to it.