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Maybe it was the fact that Kuroo Tetsurou is a year older. Or maybe because he's Nekoma's team captain. Dare he say even an experienced blocker who kept giving him effective tips during the training camp. All these led Tsukishima to think that Kuroo might actually be a reliable person. He can't quite say if he was right, and yet he let his guard down because what harm could exchanging numbers with the so-called scheming captain do, right?
Nothing, it appears. But Kuroo did use it to contact him for reasons that vary from volleyball to non-volleyball-related queries literally everyday.
And those days went on for Tsukishima until he didn't mind. He didn't mind going to bed by 9pm only to always get a call from Kuroo, and he'd even listen to the older talk endlessly until it's late. He didn't mind when Kuroo texts him in the middle of the day to eat more and to eat well, and he'd even send him a short reply before taking a bite of his lunch. He didn't mind agreeing to spend the weekend walking aimlessly around with Kuroo when it's sunny outside, and he'd even forgetten to bring his headphones with him for the first time in his life.
He always thought he didn't mind-- not until Hinata, the nosy and loud kid that he is, basically told everyone that he saw Tsukki hanging out with Kuroo that weekend, and even had the guts to ask him if he's dating Nekoma's captain.
He isn't. They just went out. As friends.
And so the issue seemed to be over before practice that afternoon started, but the question is still running in his head up until now that he's frowning at his room's ceiling.
He and Kuroo are friends.
Tsukishima's face scrunches at such a vague label now that he thought about it. He's not dense to not feel like there seems to be something more in there somewhere. They can't call it being best friends though, since he has Yamaguchi and Kuroo has Kenma, so that's ruled out too.
Then maybe they are special friends?
Alright, Tsukishima doesn't really know what they are and it's getting really bothersome to think, all while ignoring his phone ring.
And it was Kuroo.
"Thought I would have to wait until this evening before you pick up." Tsukishima automatically snorts at the remark while Kuroo just chuckles. The blonde realizes just how often they do the same things when they talk, yet somehow he feels new every time.
It is odd to get a call from Kuroo at this hour, so it must be important. "What do you need?"
"Yeah, so, do you wanna go out?"
The line went silent as Tsukishima tried to weigh all things on his mind at once but ended up weighing nothing at all.
"Tsukki?"
"Uhm. Go out, you mean like, on a date or just outside?"
The line went silent again. Tsukishima held his breath because what the fuck did he just ask?
"Uh, I was actually meaning to ask you to go outside."
"Oh shit. I'm sorry I wasn't thinking when I--"
"Hey, Tsukki, let me finish?" Kuroo says, and Tsukishima can imagine the grin on Kuroo's face right now as the latter spoke. "I had to ask freckles to map the way. And, well, now I'm outside your house."
"... What?"
"So that's why you need to go outside-- or maybe you could let me in-- because I wanted to ask you out."
"Ask me out," Tsukishima repeats, because he wanted to make it clear once more, just to be sure. (Though his logic screams it's fucking unnecessary at this point.) "On a date."
Kuroo laughs this time, but still reaffirms. "Yes, Tsukki-chan. On a date."
Tsukishima lets out a deep sigh of relief before anything else, and then a big smile that probably only the four corners of his room has ever seen. "What makes you think I'll say yes?"
"Huh, you think I didn't see the dinosaur print on your shirt peeking under your jacket the last time we went out?"
"Are you seriously," he stands up anyway, making his way to the front door. "Blackmailing me right now?"
"I would if you don't open the door any time soon."
He purses his lips to fight the smile forming on his lips, before turning the knob. Kuroo Tetsurou is outside all the way from Tokyo, phone against his ear, hair still the jetblack mess he remembers. "What made you think I won't?"
Turns out he's going out this weekend without his headphones again.