Chapter Text
"Sa-chin.”
Momoi looked up from her clipboard at the unfamiliar embarrassed-sounding voice behind her. Much to her surprise, she found Murasakibara leaning against the bleachers, arms folded loosely over his chest and a small pout in place of his usual bored expression.
Momoi became concerned immediately.
Murasakibara did a lot of things, but if there was one thing Momoi was sure of, he didn’t do embarrassed or awkward, either. But that was exactly how he looked as he continued to lean against the bleachers.
“Yes, what’s wrong Mu-kun?” she asked as she set down the clipboard and walked over to stand in front of Murasakibara, who seemed unable to look up from the recently polished floor.
“You know things about…love and stuff, right?” he asked hesitantly.
Momoi smiled encouragingly up at him, holding back a giggle that would result in her getting crushed courtesy of Teiko’s center. But Murasakibara was actually kind of cute when he looked uncomfortable about something.
“I suppose so Mu-kun, why?” she says with a smile.
Murasakibara looked like he was seriously debating whether or not to say anything; this mental battle played out over his face in such a flurry that Momoi was almost certain his face was going to fall off. After a few minutes, Murasakibara sighed to himself with a grim determination and finally looked up from the floor. “You can’t tell anyone what I’m about to tell you, alright?”
She nodded.
“I mean it, Sa-chin. You can’t tell anyone.” Murasakibara said seriously.
Momoi nodded again. “I promise, I won’t say a word.”
“If I find out that you said anything, I’ll crush you,” he threatened.
“Mu-kun! Are you going to tell me or not!” Momoi shouted.
He uncrossed his arms, looking a bit more sure of himself. “I’ve…been feeling weird lately.”
“Weird?” she repeatedly curiously.
“Yeah,” he confirmed with a nod.
“Weird, how?”
At that particular moment, a shade of red tinted his cheeks. “.. You know…” he started, his face growing redder with each passing second. “Weird.”
Momoi gasped. “Mu-kun, are you trying to tell me that you have a crush on someone?”
Murasakibara made an oddly strangled noise as he pointedly refused to look at her.
“Who is it?”
He scratched at his cheek. “A person,” he said quietly. She leaned forward with her interest officially piqued. “Tell me who it is?” she cooed.
Murasakibara shifted nervously on his feet. “Uh…you know, no one, really…just…Kuro-chin…”
Another gasp. “You’ve a crush on Tetsu-kun? That’s so cute, Mu-kun!” Momoi giggled.
Within three seconds, a large hand was pressed against her mouth. Thankfully, there wasn’t anyone else present in the gym other than the two of them, so no one was around to hear her. “Okay, okay, I’m sorry,” she apologized from behind the hand, sighing in relief when it was removed from her mouth.
Murasakibara growled in annoyance but relented, letting his hand fall back to his side. He resumed leaning back against the bleachers, as he once again crossed his arms over across his chest with a rather childish pout snaking its way onto his face.
“Okay, so tell me when you started feeling this way about Tetsu-kun,” Momoi said, trying to be as serious as she could, not only for Murasakibara’s sake, but for her own sake as well.
“Well,” Murasakibara started apprehensively. “Recently, I guess? Lately, I just can’t stop thinking about him. Among other things.”
“Other things? Like what?”
“Whenever Kuro-chin is around, I get really anxious and for some reason, my stomach starts to hurt. I can’t stand it, Sa-chin!”
Momoi smiles knowingly at her troubled friend. “It certainly does sound like you have a crush on Tetsu-kun.”
“But you like Kuro-chin too. Aren’t you mad at me?” Murasakibara asks apprehensively, afraid of what she may say.
Now it’s Momoi’s turn in the hot seat as a lovely shade of pink tints her cheeks. “Much like you, I’ve found myself thinking about someone who isn’t Tetsu-kun. So, I’m willing to help you out.”
Murasakibara clears his throat awkwardly. “How are we going to do this?”
“Simple. You’ve known Tetsu-kun for a while now, all that means is that you start small and work your way up.”
He looks at her oddly. “Huh?”
“You know, baby steps. Start with small things.”
“Like?”
“Compliment him, and during practice today try to convince Akashi-kun to let you be on the same team as him.”
Murasakibara stared blankly at her, which caused Momoi to sigh glumly. “Right, okay scratch that. Try talking to him when Aomine-kun and Kise-kun aren’t around him.”
At that moment, who other than Akashi with Kuroko in tow, the very topic of discussion, wandered into the gym. “Mu-kun! This is your chance! Say something nice!” Momoi whispered heatedly to him. Murasakibara who’d been staring intently at Kuroko was snapped out of his daze by her.
“Like what?” he whispered back, just low enough for the duo not to hear him.
“Anything! Just make an observation and comment on it. Make him feel good about himself,” Momoi said quietly before bending over to pick up her clipboard. She whispered a quick good luck to him then walked over to Akashi and began to engage him in conversation.
“Tetsu-kun~! Mu-kun has something to tell you~!” Momoi said cheerfully pointedly ignoring the seething glare being sent her way via Murasakibara as she followed Akashi out of the gym.
Kuroko wandered over to his seething teammate. “Yes? What is it Murasakibara-kun?” he began nonchalantly.
“I...” But before Murasakibara was able to form a coherent sentence, Kuroko spoke again.
“Murasakibara-kun may I ask you something? It has something to do with things I’ve noticed about you lately.”
He nodded and Kuroko continued. “Is any reason as to why you’ve been staring at me so much recently? If I’ve done anything to offend you, I’d rather you just come out and say it or is it because you like me.”
“…Maybe…” Murasakibara admitted half-heartedly.
Kuroko smiled, standing on the tip of his toes, placing a quick kiss on his cheek.
“I like you too.”