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The camera zoomed onto the two teams that were gathering around their respective benches, preparing for the match. The video then cut to the prep talk of Kiyokawa High, on their strategies and how to start the match before the camera was switched to the team in red. The team had gathered all around in a circle, their right hands in a fist in the middle of the circle while their left hands were on their teammates’ backs.
“We are blood. Never stop flowing.” A familiar voice through the speaker made the toddler’s ears perked up. He sat up straighter, his eyes widen as he shifted unconsciously closer to the TV screen. “Keep moving. Keep bringing in the oxygen.” His eyes sparkled as his mouth formed a small circle.
His parents then noticed it. He was putting a fist out as well, his eyes glued to the screen as the man finished his speech.
“So that our ‘brain’ can operate at his best.” The toddler quickly turned back to his parents, seeing the smirk on the former captain. Though his companion wasn’t enjoying this much.
“Tetsu-papa! That was so cool!” He giggled, running over to the man. “Why did you say that before the match?”
“I always recite it before every match!” Tetsurou smirked, “it’s to help pump the team up!”
“Kenma-papa has to be the brain you were talking about, right?”
Tetsurou beamed even wider, picking his 5-year-old up with a huge grin. “That’s right! My son sure is smart, huh?” Kouichi giggled, the game long forgotten as all Kenma could hear was the two bedheads reciting the stupid speech over and over again.
If Kenma were to group the types of people reacting to Tetsurou’s cringy pre-game speech, he’d have two: you either find it weird or you’ll find it a good motivator to boost the team’s morale.
Or if you’re Yaku, you hate it because it’s just listening to Tetsurou confessing his love to Kenma before every game. Kenma remembered when he first heard it – he was trying hard to hide his blush after realizing the hidden meaning behind the speech. But after hearing it so much, the blush died down – but it didn’t mean it was less embarrassing. Even Yamamoto took the role of his vice-captain too seriously when he took it upon himself to memorize it and recite it before every game when Kenma was in his third year of High School as well.
And now, here Kenma was, thinking it was his last time listening to that sappy speech. But nope. Here he was, watching the two father and son in front of him chanting “We are blood” over and over again across the living room, the game on the TV long forgotten. But instead of being disappointed how the Kuroo gene had made his son a nerd, Kenma found himself smiling fondly at the two. To the giggles and laughter coming from his son echoing the room. To the wide smile, the loud laughter coming out from his husband. He decided to treasure this moment instead.
But Kenma was miserable after that. From then on, whenever they were watching their past games when they were in Nekoma, Kouichi would join either Tetsurou or Yamamoto in the video, reciting the speech word by word in perfect sync as if he was auditioning for Asia Got Talent. Tetsurou, of course, was encouraging him with his hideous cackle.
~~~
“I’m home…” Kouichi entered the house, taking off his shoes walked into the hallway.
“Welcome home, Kou.” Kenma looked up when he saw his son appearing by the living room’s doorway.
Kouichi spotted the streamer lying under the kotatsu before running in. “I have something to show you, papa!” He sat down beside his father, taking off his school bag to put it in front of him, rummaging through it.
Kenma hummed, sitting up as he set the phone onto the table of the kotatsu, watching Kouichi. “What is it?” He saw him pulling out a piece of paper, handing it over to the streamer.
“The teacher gave us a worksheet about the human body. She told us to write down the name of the body parts so I did!” He seemed weirdly confident as Kenma took the paper from him. But Kenma shouldn’t be surprised. Seeing how big of a nerd Tetsurou was, Kouichi should know these in his sleep.
But he was so wrong.
Tetsurou’s phone buzzed in his pocket silently and the JVA worker reached for it to glanced at the caller ID. He hummed in surprised, it was unusual for Kenma to call him, especially during his work hour but he guessed today was an exception. He stood up from his desk, excusing himself and walked out of the office and into an empty meeting room. “It’s unusual for you to call, Kenma. Is there something important?” Tetsurou picked up, applying his phone to his ear as he leaned onto the wall, looking out at the window.
“I swear you need to stop corrupting your son, Tetsurou.” Kenma hissed from the other line.
“Oh? What did poor Kou do this time?”
“I’m going to send you his answers from his homework. You better teach him correctly when you get home.” Suddenly, Kenma hung up and Tetsurou raised his eye. He pulled his phone back, opening his messaging app. An image then popped up and Tetsurou clicked on it, curious on what Kouichi did to make Kenma sounded so mad? Flustered? He sounded embarrassed actually and it intrigued the former Nekoma captain. But then he saw it and he could not help but to let out a loud cackle. Tetsurou will definitely be framing this and hang it in his office back at home.
There, written on the worksheet with a cartoon illustration of the human body for children, Kouichi had labeled the heart and brain with ‘Papa’.
Fortunately, Kouichi was taught the correct term – after Tetsurou had showered the first grader with compliments and kisses. Though explaining to him what metaphors were was a challenge.
Now a Middle Schooler, Kouichi had picked on wanting to become a Setter. He still often kept his family tradition of watching volleyball and still enjoyed watching his fathers’ games back when they were in the Spring Nationals. But his impression to Tetsurou’s pre-game speech has changed over time with age and with a better understanding of the world.
Kouichi wrinkled his nose as he listened to the speech, furrowing his brows when he finally understood the hidden meaning. Today, he had picked the game where it ended Tetsurou’s High School volleyball career and wanted to study the strategy Nekoma had used on trying to take down Karasuno.
“That is disgusting.” He grumbled, making his parents sitting on the couch to turn to him. Kouichi still kept his eyes on the screen but his expression didn’t change even after the camera had changed over to Karasuno, filming Sawamura talking to his team.
“What is?” Tetsurou eyed him.
“The pre-game speech. It’s embarrassing.” Kouichi sighed, leaning back to the backrest. “This is just your love speech for papa. Why do you have to be such a sap?”
“Glad to know your opinion on it has changed…” Kenma murmured.
“I want my innocence back… Now I can’t hear this the same way anymore.”
Tetsurou shook his head, a small pout on his face. “I miss it when you would agree with me on everything. Why do you have to be so much like Kenma now?” He pretended to sound hurt but earned a scoff from both his husband and son instead.
Kouichi went silent, his eyes still glued onto the screen. “It’s embarrassing but…” He murmured, a spark of fire in his eyes. “I want to be the ‘brain’ that everyone on my team can depend on and help lead to victory too… And maybe… When I get into High School, beat the final boss that you two couldn’t.”
The smiles on both of their faces were undeniable after Kouichi’s declaration. Tetsurou couldn’t help but to grin proudly while Kenma had a small smirk on his face.
“Work hard on levelling up and master the necessary skills then.”