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Gripping onto the gaming console, Kenma lets out a sigh as he fiddles in his seat, itching to be back in bed but here he is, in a train full of people who do not know where they are headed.
No, he is being dramatic. He is going back to his hometown and he assumes the others are too but he wishes he was back in his bed, wait- Kenma thinks to himself, I already said this before.
He heaves a sigh and inches close to the window, placing his bag on the seat next to him, a bold message in the open that he would like to be alone.
Taking out his earphones, he inserts them in his ears, not bothering to put on music because all he wants is silence and a little bit of peace. He wants people to be afraid of him though frankly, he is the one who is afraid of humans.
“Hey.. I am sorry but can I sit here?”
Kenma opens his eyes, staring at the taller boy who grips a large backpack in his arms, another one on his shoulders. He struggles to stand straight and every ounce of Kenma wants to say no yet he pulls away his bag, giving the stranger a place to sit.
“Thank you, you saved me really,” The boy thanks him, unloading his baggage, “Do you know how long it takes for us to reach Tokyo?”
“8 hours,”
“Ahh, that is enough for me to sleep, I guess.” He hums to himself, closing his eyes as he leans against the seat.
From the corner of his eye, Kenma peaks a look at him. He is intrigued by how tired this boy looks, it is almost as if time is sucking the life out of him and he isn’t talking about looks because this boy is beautiful, he could pass for a greek god but damn, does he look exhausted, on the brink of collapsing.
And Kenma knows it well because he has been there before. He won’t say that he pities this boy or feels bad for him, no, he just admires his will to stay strong despite every current that pushes him back.
He does not know him but he admires him.
“Stop looking at me like that,” The boy mumbles as he lazily opens his eye, glancing at Kenma.
“Like what?”
“Like you pity me,”
“But I don’t know you.”
Kenma raises his eyebrow, enjoying the exchange.
“Is that stopping you from formulating opinions about me?”
“Big words, you use big words,” He changes the subject, a smile forming on his face.
“Kuroo,” The boy contemplates before he inches forward his hand, “That is my name.”
Kenma shakes his hand for a few seconds before he lets go and settles for the silence between them.
“What?” He asks defensively, noticing Kuroo’s gaze on him.
“What?”
“Stop looking at me like that!”
“Like what?”
The black-haired boy grins.
“Like you want to know me,”
“Why not? We have 8 hours ahead of us.”
“I thought you wanted to sleep..” Kenma tells him, plugging his earphones.
Kuroo leans in closer, trying to guess what this mysterious boy was listening to before he gives up, “Is the music even on?”
“It is,” Kenma bites back a smile as he lends the device to him, “It is the sound of silence, quite beautiful, right?”
“You are weird and I still don’t know your name,”
“What's in a name? That which we call a rose-”
“Not the Shakespeare reference,” Kuroo groans as the younger boy laughs at him, “Stop messing with me, it is not fun.”
“It is fun for me,” He smiles again, before he continues, “Kenma.”
“That is not my name,”
Kuroo shakes his head.
“Yeah, but it is mine.”
The black-haired boy lets out a genuine laugh, “Kenma, Kenma, Kenma- that is a lovely name.”
“Hmm, well I didn’t choose it,”
Kuroo rolls his eyes, enjoying this playful banter and though he won’t admit it, for the first time, he is thrilled to be in someone’s company.
For the first time, someone is accepting him as he is (or is messing with him but oh well), for the first time, he feels normal and quite humane.
“So, where are you going?” Kenma initiates the conversation, hating how they still have over 7 hours till they reach their destination.
“Let me see,” Kuroo rubs his chin, “Perhaps, Tokyo? Unless this train takes me elsewhere-”
“Okay,”
“Okay,”
“Quit copying me!”
Kenma glares at him.
“Okay,”
He heaves a sigh and turns his face the other way. Kenma hides his smile as he stares out the window, looking at the bleak and desolate mountains, everything shrouded in darkness.
I wish the sun rises soon
“What is your greatest fear?” Kuroo asks him suddenly, explaining himself as the other boy keeps quiet, “It’s a great conversation starter, isn’t it?”
“Umm no.. unless you plan to use it against me later. I don’t trust you yet.”
“Okay well, I fear that I will be always running around, trying to catch a train that never waits for me. It scares me, that I am the only one standing here while everyone else is just far, far away- at the top of the mountain.”
Kenma blinks, understanding the gravity of the situation and how Kuroo is pouring his heart out to him.
“I was going to say losing my psp but that sounds lame now,” He offers, feeling a bit better when the boy smiles slightly, “But you know, stop chasing the train. Maybe you aren’t meant to climb the same mountain the people you know climbed, just admire the view here and eventually go your own way.”
Kuroo lets out a deep breath, one he does not know he was holding, “That makes sense, in a way. I used to think life was nothing but a struggle but maybe it can be more than that.”
“In it for the ride,”
“Huh?”
“Imagine it as a ride, no matter how tough it gets, it is bound to end one day.” Kenma offers him what he imagines is consolation.
“What if it doesn’t end?”
“Well..” He turns quiet, cheeks reddening as he continues softly, “You will still have me, a friend.”
Kuroo smiles again, grateful he came on this journey, grateful that somehow he is getting the answers he always yearned to ask, all in the form of this precious, insolent, cheeky stranger.
He dozes off after that, falling into a peaceful slumber and perhaps it is the first time in a long while, sleep came to him like a friend.
-------
“Hey, wake up,” Kenma nudges him, “We are gonna be there in ten minutes..”
Kuroo opens his eyes, blinking around, adjusting to brightness as a new day begins and the sun rises through the window.
“Hey, ask me where I am going..” He mumbles, glancing at Kenma.
“No,”
“Please?”
Kenma sighs before he looks at him, “Where are you going, Kuroo?”
“Climbing my way… into your heart,”
His eyes widen as Kenma processes the words,
“Stop looking at me like that!”
“Like what?”
“Like you want me to stay.”
“What if that is what I want?”
Kuroo challenges him.
“I might say… okay.”
“Okay,”
Kuroo smiles at him as Kenma stares at the boy through his lashes,
In for the ride, let’s go all the way to the end.
-------
Four years later
“Kenma, c’mon,” He tugs at his boyfriend’s sleeve, “You promised you would ride the train with me.”
“I did but,” The younger boy holds up a finger, “Not right now… I need to call Shoyo about his sponsorship and before you sulk, it’s entirely professional and not as friends.”
“It will be fun, you know?” Kuroo attempts again, “A trip down memory lane, for old time’s sake?”
“You’re lucky you’re cute,” Kenma shakes his head, a smile forming on his face, “I will be unprofessional and reschedule my meeting, all for you.”
“Lovely kitten,” The older boy purrs as he winks, “I will let you have the window seat.”
“For old time’s sake.”
They both smile, thinking back to that eventful day where their fates collide.
-------
“Hey, can I sit here?” Kenma opens his eyes, to find his boyfriend staring at him, blinking innocently.
“No,” He rolls his eyes, “This seat is reserved for my boyfriend.”
“Hey!” Kuroo glares at him playfully before he settles next to him, intertwining his fingers with the younger boy’s, “I adore you.”
“Me too,”
“You adore yourself?”
“Definitely, I’m my most prized possession,” Kenma sticks his tongue out, letting out a chuckle.
“Kenma, what’s my full name?” He asks the boy, after a moment of silence.
“Kuroo,” He smiles, calling out the name softly, “Tetsorou Kuroo,”
“I don’t like it,”
“What?”
“Let me take yours..”
“Wait what?”
Kenma stares at him, blinking his lashes.
“Say yes, marry me!” Kuroo leans forward, whispering in his ear, “You already told me you're with ‘for the whole ride’ and you won’t find anyone as sexy yet adorable as me-”
“Are you serious right now?” Kenma looks at him, his eyes bright and clear, “Are you really proposing to me, in a train?”
“I am,”
“Why?”
“Ask me where I’m going,”
Kuroo’s eyes glint as he pleads.
“Where are you going, Kuroo?”
“In your heart, I’m going to make my home there,”
Kenma lets out a chuckle, before he leans closer towards him, “Did you, perhaps, ask the owner for permission?”
“I vividly remember it, yeah.”
“I never allowed you to steal my heart.. or my peace,” Kenme chides at him.
“You never stopped me either,” he contradicts the younger boy, “So, are you in for the ride?”
“For life,”
Kenma extends his pinkie and links it with Kuroo’s, a huge smile on their faces.
“Kuroo,” He leans on his shoulder, closing his eyes, “Thank you for always being by my side.”
“Thank you for letting me,”
The older boy smiles, finally having a home to return to, having a soul to love and living a life which he enjoys.
In for the ride, till the end.