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Kuroo gently drummed his fingers atop the old wooden counter. The quiet thudding seemed much louder than it should in the near-silent shop, accompanied only by the gentle tinkling of chimes swaying in the breeze beside the open windows. The spellbook Master Nekomata had brought for him to review lay open and ignored on the counter before him. Instead of reading, he watched dazzling rainbows and colored flashes flick throughout the room as the countless shards of glass and crystal suspended from the rafters caught and scattered sunlight streaming through the windows.
He considered walking over to stand in the doorway in hopes that someone might pass by for him to talk to. Bokuto was apprenticing with the blacksmith down the road and Yaku worked in the bookstore next door, so it wasn’t out of the question that one of his friends might walk by and have a spare moment to talk to him.
Unfortunately, lunch had just passed so most of the town was quiet now as everyone settled down for their afternoon naps. The odds someone would pass by were low.
Kuroo supposed he could nap too, but he was more bored than tired. Besides, he was supposed to be studying whenever the shop was empty.
He let out a deep sigh and turned his attention to the dusty old book in front of him. The pages were interesting to look at and the spells looked pretty fun in theory, but it was all new material for him and he couldn’t bring himself to focus on the complicated concepts.
A soft shuffling from the front of the shop caught his attention.
“Welcome to Nekomata’s Magic Supply, please let me know if you need assistance!” he called out of habit before glancing up to see who’d stopped in.
A young man about his age tossed him a little wave of acknowledgment as he shuffled toward the big supply shelves lining the walls. He had longish hair, dyed blond at some point but with a significant amount of black regrowth. His clothes were ill-fitting, far too large for his obviously thin frame. His complexion was fair and his features delicate. He wore a calm and thoughtful expression as he skimmed slender fingers over jars of assorted rodent bones and dried bird wings.
Kuroo was transfixed.
He watched the young man collect all the supplies he needed from around the store, doing his best to be surreptitious about it so he wouldn’t get called out. Finally, the pretty stranger shuffled up to the counter and placed his basket where Kuroo could take stock of what he’d selected and tell him the total he owed.
“Is there anything else you need that I can help you find?” Kuroo asked, sifting through the basket to make sure he hadn’t missed anything for his tally. The man simply shook his head, pulling out a coin purse.
Kuroo gave him his total and quickly made change. Their fingers brushed when Kuroo dropped the coins into the small, outstretched hand. The stranger’s palm was soft, and a bolt of warmth shot up Kuroo’s arm.
Kuroo put on his most charming smile, leaning over the counter and propping his chin up on his arm. “I haven’t seen you come into the shop before,” he said, voice a few ticks lower than normal. “Are you new in town?”
The stranger simply nodded as he put his coins away and straightened out the items in his basket so they wouldn’t jostle around too much.
Kuroo’s grin faltered a bit. Had this guy noticed Kuroo watching him while he shopped? He didn’t look upset, but then again he didn’t really look particularly emotional at all. Why wouldn’t he speak?
Kuroo gestured to the basket, the supplies arranged neatly and tucked under a cloth to keep them safe. “Those are some interesting ingredients, do you mind me asking what you’re planning on making?”
The corner of the stranger’s mouth twitched up a hair, amused. He simply shrugged as he picked up his basket to leave.
Kuroo chuckled, a little off-put by the guy’s silence. “What’s the matter, cat got your tongue?” His eyes flashed with excitement as a thought popped into his head. “Oh! Or perhaps you’re cursed? Please, please tell me you are! I really need to practice breaking bodily curses. Just come back tomorrow and I’ll have something ready for you!”
The stranger still said nothing, but his eyes wrinkled with a hint of laughter.
“So, you’ll stop by then?” Kuroo asked, just to be sure.
The man gave him a tiny nod, then turned to leave.
Kuroo’s heart fluttered as he watched the man go. Once the shop was empty again he allowed himself a moment to pump his fists in excitement before running to the back room to grab the spellbook he would need, boredom cured.
❇❇❇
The next day, the pretty stranger showed up just about the same time he had the day before. Kuroo decided he’d try the most straightforward route, and had brewed up a quick potion before the store opened so it would have time to reduce for maximum efficiency.
“Here, drink this!” He’d said, handing the young man a small cup filled with bright orange tea. “I’m not sure what it tastes like, but it smells pretty good I think. Fair warning just in case.”
He’d watched intently as small, pink lips wrapped around the edge of the mug. The stranger took a few sips before setting the cup back down in front of Kuroo.
“Well?” He’d asked, “Was it any good?”
The man nodded.
“Good to know,” Kuroo said with a grin. “But, did it break the curse?”
The man shook his head.
Kuroo had huffed, disappointed. “Ah well, can’t be too upset about it. It was just the first try! Don’t worry, I’ll have you fixed up in no time! Will you come back tomorrow?”
The man nodded, a silent promise that he would return.
And so, Kuroo kept trying. Each day, just after lunch, the stranger would enter the shop and Kuroo would tell him what he’d decided to try after reviewing his spellbook. Kuroo always got excited as the young man patiently took whatever he was given, sure he’d been clever enough to guess which curse brought on the stranger’s silence. But, each time he asked, “Did it break the curse?” the man shook his head.
After his fourth consecutive failure, Kuroo was getting a little stumped.
“I’ve tried all the more common remedies for simple muting curses, but if they aren’t working I guess you’ve been hit with one of the more complicated ones.” He laughed, slapping his hands down on the counter. “Boy, I can’t wait to find out what happened. You must have really pissed someone off!”
The stranger seemed to think that was funny, because for the first time since Kuroo met him, he gave him a real, amused smile. He’d been caught completely off guard, floundering for a few horribly awkward moments to try and regain his cool.
“You know, it feels kind of weird that I’ve been talking to you every day and I still don’t know your name,” Kuroo admitted once he was sure he’d collected himself. “I think I’ll give you a nickname until you can tell me your real one!”
He tapped his finger over his lips, pretending to mull it over for a few moments.
“I know!” He said, raising his finger toward the ceiling in feigned realization, “I’ll call you Kitten! Your smile is like a little cat’s, and you’re always so quiet when you walk in, I almost don’t know you’re here. What do you think?”
Kitten shrugged and wrinkled his nose a bit, but his smile didn’t falter.
“Well then, Kitten it is!”
A few more days passed like that, Kitten coming in to try whatever Kuroo had concocted while the rest of the town napped. None of the cures seemed to work, Kitten shaking his head no every time Kuroo asked if the curse had been lifted. Kuroo became very apologetic, upset that he couldn’t help the stranger he’d become so intrigued by.
“I understand if you’re getting fed up with me,” Kuroo said after his eighth failure, feeling especially dejected. “I know of some other more powerful and experienced spellcasters that might be able to help you. If you want, I could point you in their direction, or I could even ask my Master to have a go.”
At Kuroo’s suggestion, Kitten reached across the counter and placed his hand gently over the back of Kuroo’s. He gave him a tiny smile, and shook his head no. He looked almost amused.
Kuroo felt his face heating up at the contact and the openness of Kitten’s expression. He prayed his gay panic wasn’t obvious as he cleared his throat.
“So, you’re not upset? You’ll let me keep trying?”
Kitten nodded, eyes soft. He squeezed Kuroo’s hand before turning to leave.
Kuroo pulled out one of Nekomata’s more advanced spellbooks that night, determined not to let his Kitten down.
❇❇❇
The next afternoon, Kuroo carried the dustpan out into the alley behind the shop to toss it in the trash. He was exhausted from staying up late, having spent hours trying to understand the more advanced spells and potions for curse breaking. So, he almost missed the smooth, quiet voice drifting through the air as he pulled open the trash bin.
When he noticed and turned to see who could possibly be hanging around in the back alley, he was stunned into silence.
Crouched mere feet away from the supply shop’s back door was none other than Kitten, scratching underneath the chin of a very content looking calico cat. And he was talking.
“You’re so beautiful, little lady,” Kitten murmured, his voice a sweet, crooning purr. “Have you been fed recently? I might have a little snack for you in my–”
“You’re not cursed?!” Kuroo cried, dropping the dustpan to the ground. It clattered aggressively against the step, sending the cat running. Kitten jumped up and whirled around, frightened by the noise. When he saw Kuroo standing before him, shocked, he immediately calmed and smiled.
“I never said I was,” he pointed out with a shrug.
“Kitten! That’s the whole point that’s why I thought you were cursed .” Kuroo was utterly baffled, annoyed that this stranger had been lying to him for so long. When Kitten laughed at his irritation, it was so adorable and sweet and lovely that it only made Kuroo angrier that he hadn’t gotten to hear it sooner.
“I should absolutely curse you for this. I could actually make you mute, you know.” Kuroo crossed his arms over his chest and glared down at the boy before him. He looked for the slightest hint of remorse on his face, but found none. The audacity.
“You won’t.”
“Oh, I won’t, won’t I?” Kuroo shifted his hands to his hips. He tried so hard to keep the scowl on his face, but it was crumbling fast.
“No.”
“Will too.”
“Will not.”
“Will too.”
Kitten paused, and for a moment Kuroo thought he had won and the boy would cede, admit his error, apologize, and beg not to be cursed by the most handsome and intelligent spellcaster he’d ever met.
“Will not.”
Then, with a smug grin plastered on his face, Kitten turned to leave the alley, heading the same direction the little calico had fled.
Kuroo stood, shocked, for exactly five moments. Then, he realized Kitten was absolutely correct. He was one hundred percent head over heels in love with the sound of that boy’s voice. He vowed to do whatever he needed to, whatever it would take, to make sure he would get to talk to him every single day, to hear his laugh and see his smile.
Then, realization slammed into him like a runaway horse. He peeled out into the alley, running toward the beautiful stranger who’d managed to prank him for over a week.
“Wait! You still haven’t told me your name!”