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“We are really worried about him.” The small blonde first year confessed with a hardy sigh. All the stress of keeping a secret for his teammate, that he still refused to call his friend despite the oodles of evidence to the contrary.
“Yaku is right,” the other first year nodded. “We know that you gave him permission for extra practice but—“
Before Kai could finish his sentence, an aged hand being raised directly in his line of sight cut him off. “And when exactly did I give permission for extra practice?” Nekomata, the elderly coach for the Nekoma boy’s volleyball team asked. “Since you seem to be so in the know and I am left without a clue of this event, I feel the need to ask.”
The man was met with two pairs of blinking eyes, stunned to learn the truth of the matter. “I’m going to kill that bastard.” Yaku seethed, his fists clenching tight.
“Language,” Nekomata scolded. Thankfully, the small boy had the sense to blush and duck his head while asking for forgiveness. “Quite alright my boy,” the man smiled and reached out to ruffle Yaku’s light locks. “I know it came from a place of concern for your friend, and don’t give me that look mister. I know the two of you are friends despite all the hissing at each other you two insist on.” The two of them acted like they were polar opposites but they were brought together by the same goal, so it was impossible for them to truly be at odds.
No, they were just a pair of fussy kittens still trying to feel each other out in this new litter. Nekomata had faith though, especially since the ever present kind and serine nature of Kai was just behind those two fireballs.
“Thank you for bringing this matter to my attention boys.” Nekomata nodded to them as slapped his thighs, beginning the process of his aged joints moving into a standing position. “I’ll take care of everything from here. You are both very good friends.”
…
Kuroo had been at the park for about an hour now. Practice had ended just before, brought to a close with the typical Nekomata congratulatory speech. He was a kind old man, always trying to build up his players and their confidence. Tetsurou didn’t want standard praise though. He wanted something more.
Two years before, his father had surprised him for a week-long sleep away volleyball camp. It had come as a bit of a pick-me-up following the sixth anniversary of his mom walking out. His dad had just wanted to put a smile on his son’s face and had ended up giving him a gift that to this day was the best he had ever received. Tetsurou had always been an athletic kid and he had always enjoyed volleyball, but this camp was when Tetsurou learned that he had found the thing he had wanted to dedicate his life to.
It had come just after he had made his first clean receive, traveling in a perfect arch right to the setter, and an old man sat on a metal chair gave a hard chuckle and clapped his hands.
”That’s the stuff! Now you’re cooking with fire!”
At the time, the words were some weird code that only old people could understand the exact meaning of, but Tetsurou had understood the essence and his heart had never been the same. From that moment on, he was in love with the sport and determined to make someone bark with pride once again.
He would do it. That is why he came to Nekoma. Sure, his father had been happy with the choice because the school boasted a rather distinguished educational program and offered the advanced science courses that would intellectually challenge and stimulate his son, but more importantly, it had the exact volleyball team that Tetsurou wanted to play for.
It had the team he was going to take to Nationals.
Come hell or high water.
“And what exactly do you think you are doing, young man?”
Tetsurou felt his gut clench. The volleyball he had been bumping against the brick wall of the refreshing station fell to the ground, bouncing in place a few times on the concrete until eventually rolling to the side in a patch of grass next to a stray candy bar wrapper. Kuroo had told himself when he was finished he would pick up the abandoned garbage, refusing to be one of those people complacent with environmental degradation.
However, now he couldn’t drum up even the slightest bit of concern for the shiny piece of trash being illuminated by the overhead lamp of the park. Captain Planet would be disappointed, but that was something the cartoon character was going to have to work through on his own because there was something far more concerning standing just 10 feet behind him, and it wasn’t a monster constructed from pollutants and materials dumped in landfills. Rather, it was a graying man standing 169 centimeters high and suffering from the beginnings of arthritis that was planted right in Tetsurou’s blindspot.
“Ummmmmm,” the teen slowly turned to face his coach, trying his best to pivot at such a rate that gave his brain the necessary time to come up with an excuse. Unfortunately, there wasn’t really enough time in the world to pluck the perfect string of words together and at some point his front was going to be paralleled with the old man. “Taking the long way home?”
“The long way?” Nekomata hummed. The old man’s hands were clasped behind his back, eyes only partially open in what Tetsurou knew was a judgmental stare, and his lips were drawn together in a flat line. Overall, this was not promising for the teenager. He had seen his coach make faces like this before, and it almost always led to the team doing a lap of falling receives or a run around the school gym. “Wouldn’t that imply an attempt to actually be heading home?” He asked. “It looks to me you were rather occupied here, not on your way to somewhere in particular.”
Once again, Tetsurou was left without an answer. While the first year was a natural charmer, he didn’t excel in lying. Especially not to someone he cared about. Nekomata may not know just how much he meant to Tetsurou, but that didn’t mean that the place occupied in his heart was any less important. Ever since that sleep away camp, Nekomata had been more of a constant in his life than many others.
Kuroo was being pulled in different directions right now. Part of him wanted to make the attempt at a lie. He wasn’t the best at it but at least, it might succeed in tricking the older man. If that happened, then maybe he wouldn’t be so disappointed. The last thing that Tetsurou wanted was for Nekomata to be disappointed in him, because disappointed people leave.
“Well…” Tetsu gulped.
On the other hand, if he got caught in a lie, which was likely since he was a pretty shit liar, Nekomata might just be even more disappointed in him.
Either way, there was a chance that Tetsurou’s actions were going to push someone away that he cared about. The knowledge of such a possibility was enough to bring a few stinging tears to his gold eyes.
Nekomata didn’t move. He just continued to stand there in the same position with the same look on his face, as if he were one of those people pretending to be statues on the streets of Tokyo in the hopes that some tourists would be impressed enough to give them some pocket change. His father hated those people. They would frequently stop posing and start walking behind the tall man in a gangly impersonation that always made the general public laugh but his introverted father felt seen when all he wanted was to fade into the background while walking to a Starbucks for a coffee. Tetsurou always tried his best not to laugh, because it would just make his dad flush with further embarrassment.
This was not funny though. This was serious and Kuroo needed to decide what exactly he was going to do.
“My dad is teaching a night class tonight for some non-traditional students and Gran had cards with her friends.” Tetsurou offered. That was the truth at the very least, even if it didn’t answer the actual question asked of him.
Another hum and a slow nod came from the older man. “I see,” he said. “And does your father know you are here right now? Unsupervised and in the dark.”
“I’m not a little kid.” Tetsurou felt his shoulders tense as a defensive feeling overtook him.
“I don’t believe I said anything to the contrary.” Nekomata replied. “Although, the tone you just took would indicate otherwise. Don’t you think?”
“No,” Tetsurou moved a foot forward, almost as if he felt the need to physically defend himself from the accusation. After such a brazen response, Nekomata raised an eyebrow, leaning his body a bit closer to the teenager in a clear indication that he should elaborate. However, the only thing that Kuroo could really come up with was a pathetic muttering of, “I’m in high school now.” In his mind, this made sense. What high schooler needed permission from their parents to be at a park? It wasn’t like he was engaging in some degenerate behavior like graffiti or drugs!
Honestly, the old man should cut him some slack.
“That’s true,” Nekomata agreed. His head nodded along but that didn’t give the first year any comfort. “You are in high school now. A fact that, if anything, should mean that you are old enough to know that over practicing is just as unacceptable as it is to be walking alone at night in such a busy city. I would have hoped that a boy as smart as yourself would have thought through his decisions a bit more.”
Tetsurou’s shoulders sagged at the older man’s words. The knowledge that he had been a disappointment after all weighed heavily on him, making him want to just collapse onto the ground without a care at the piece of dried gum that had been cooked earlier in the afternoon sun. The only thing stopping Tetsurou from doing so was the fact that if he did, more than likely he would be compared to a toddler in a store having a public meltdown.
“Alright,” Nekomata sighed. “Let’s go.”
“Go?” Tetsurou asked.
The man hummed, hands placed behind his back once again as he turned and began walking in the direction of the park’s exit. “Yes, I’m taking you home.”
“Wha–”
“Get your things together Tetsurou.” Commanded the coach. “ I would like to get you back to your home before any of your family members return and find out about your late night strolling.” Without another word, Nekomata’s feet shuffled along the sidewalk to the gate. Kuroo wasn’t far behind, quickly picking up his backpack and the volleyball that had managed to find itself rested next to the side of a recycling bin designated for the aluminum cans sold at this refreshment station.
Before fully catching up to the old man, Kuroo bent over and picked up the stray wrapper and threw it into the appropriate bin. He still wanted to stay in the good graces of his childhood hero, even if they weren’t technically real.
The two of them walked together in silence, Nekomata allowing the teen to take the lead as they navigated the Tokyo streets with one another. At one point, they managed to get caught up in a bit of a crowd and Tetsurou had worried for a moment that they would end up getting separated and the old man would wind up lost. Luckily, an arm ended up hooking into his own, forming a hearty link between the two bodies so that they could manage to resist any shoving or accidental pushing done in the heavily populated crosswalk.
Ever the person to be aware of his surroundings, after so many years spent looking after a best friend that had a problem with wandering, Kuroo’s ears were quick to perk up whenever he heard two women giggling and exchanging whispers about how adorable he was to walk his grandfather across the street in such a protective and supportive manner.
“My building is coming up,” Tetsurou reported, still trying to fight off a blush. With such a tall frame, it was rather easy to contort himself in a way to reach his bag and fetch his keys without ever breaking the hold he had with Nekomata. “I’m on the 4th floor but we have an elevator.”
“Oh?” The old man looked over with a teasing smile. “Think my old knees can’t handle a couple of flights of stairs?”
“I think my legs can’t after that practice today.” Tetsurou shot back. Honestly, his legs were fine. A bit sore, but nothing that would actually prevent him from using the stairs on a normal day. However, he wasn’t about to make a man he admired so much traverse the winding staircase of his apartment building whenever there was a perfectly good elevator in place.
They managed to get past the night guard with minimal conversation, which was pretty good considering the man was a known gabber to all of the residents in the building. Though, Tetsurou was grateful to learn that neither his grandmother nor father had come back, so he wouldn’t have to explain to either of them how he had ended up getting escorted home by his volleyball coach well after dinner hours (when he was supposed to be home).
“I’m home!” Kuroo called out despite knowing that no one else was there to call back with the standard welcoming. Stepping in, he opened the door wide enough to welcome his guest in and then removed his shoes, transferring into his house slippers and hanging up his bag. “We don’t have any guest slippers. I apologize.”
“It’s quite alright son.” Nekomata said as he took off his own shoes. “How about we have some tea and talk about your practice schedule?”
“Su-sure,” Tetsurou fumbled at the mention of a talk. His grandma hadn’t returned yet but there was no guarantee that she wouldn’t come back to hear all about his misdeed. “We have sencha, is that alright?” he asked.
“Sounds delicious.” Nekomata smiled.
Tetsurou led them both to the kitchen and offered for Nekomata to take a seat at the table while he prepared the tea. The task was normally calming, something methodical and mindless to do whenever his nerves were overtaking him. However, having his coach sitting there waiting for him to return had him feeling more than a little on edge as he pulled out all the necessities for their nighttime drink.
The teaset his family owned wasn’t anything special. The cups were a bit worn from years of washing and one of them had a noticeable chip in it, which Tetsurou found himself setting aside for use whenever he didn’t have company. He had already let down his coach by being at the park at such a late hour, he didn’t want to make any more negative impressions.
After bringing the water to a boil, Tetsurou steeped the leaves for two and a half minutes, taking a second to taste the drink before loading both of the cups on a tray and taking them back to the table. “Here you are Nekomata-san.” Tetsurou gently handed over the cup. “I hope it’s okay.”
Nekomata brought the glass up to his lips and sighed happily all before Tetsurou had managed to take a seat across from the old man. “It’s lovely son, thank you.” The praise was enough to reignite the blush from earlier, causing Tetsurou to look down as he fiddled with his teacup. “You make a very good cup of tea. Have you considered opening up a shop of your own after graduation?”
“No sir.” Tetsurou replied. “I am going to go to my dad’s University after I graduate from Nekoma. Since I’m a Professor’s son, I’ll get free tuition.”
“My my, that is definitely nice!” The man smiled wide as he took another sip of tea. “And what do you plan on studying?”
“My dad and grandmother want me to get a chemistry degree. I’ve always excelled in science and the job market for that is rather broad and relatively safe to enter into.” Security was something that would always be important to Tetsurou. He wanted to know that no matter what, he would always be able to take care of himself, no matter who was in or out of his life. “But I…”
“You don’t know if that is what you want.” Nekomata finished.
Kuroo nodded, placing his teacup down onto the table and tracing the rim with his pointer finger. “I think I could find a way to be happy in that field if I end up walking down that path. I just,” Tetsurou looked up at the man he had grown to idolize, “I love volleyball.”
“I can tell.” Nekomata smiled. “It shows in your unbridled dedication. I must admit, I haven’t seen a work ethic like the one you and your fellow first years have displayed in a long while.”
“You almost sound proud.” Kuroo said.
“That’s because I am.”
Tetsurou’s eyes widened at the man’s confession. “But I thought you were upset I was training after practice?”
“I am.” Nekomata agreed. “Those two things are not mutually exclusive, young man. I am very proud of the players you and your teammates are becoming. By your third year, I am positive that you three will be a force to be reckoned with. But,” the old man set down his cup and crossed his arms, “I do not appreciate you trying to speed the process along by over exerting yourself. You might think that what you are doing is going to give you an edge, but all that is happening is that you are putting yourself at risk for an injury. Even if all you are doing is practicing your receives against a wall, you are using muscles when they are already tired which will make it harder for them to recover by your next practice. And then what?”
Tetsurou hadn’t thought about that before.
“You come to morning practice feeling sluggish and sore. Your movements aren’t as coordinated and then during a scrimmage you either make an incorrect step, collide with another player, or hurt yourself in some other manner. All because you didn’t follow the regiment that was laid out for you.” At that moment, Nekomata was staring directly into the teenager’s soul. “I know this might sound like the paranoid words of a worried old man but I need you to trust me, Tetsurou. I have seen things like this happen before and I do not want to see it happen to you as well. It would break my heart if you were unable to play the sport you love because you allowed yourself to get carried away.”
“I–” Tetsurou’s throat felt tight at his coach’s words. “I didn’t think of that,” he admitted. “I’m sorry. I won’t…I won’t over practice again.” The teenager pushed his cup forward across the table, making room for himself so he could bow in time with his apology.
“That makes me happy to hear.” Nekomata sighed in relief. “You’re far too special to end your career so early. There is a fire in you that I am looking forward to seeing burn.”
Tetsurou’s head rose from the dark wood of the family table, looking up to see the unwavering gaze of his coach. “You aren’t–” the teen pushed the tremble in his voice down into the chasms of his throat. “You aren’t disappointed?”
“With you?” The old man asked.
Kuroo nodded, a piece of his soul fearing the answer he was about to receive.
“I’m certainly not thrilled with you, young man.” Nekomata said. A rock sank into the pit of Tetsurou’s stomach causing his cheek to once again rest against the cool wood of the table below him. “But I wouldn’t say I’m disappointed in you. Not enough to toss you aside like you seem to be so afraid of me doing.” That prompted the boy to perk up. “Is that what you were afraid of? That I would kick you off the team?”
Tetsurou hadn’t even considered the possibility of losing his spot on the team! Now there was a terrifyingly new thought plaguing his mind, running around like a monster in the forest, chasing the last bits of his sanity Scooby-Doo style. “Well I’m afraid of that now.” Hopefully, this too would end in a comical unmasking.
A boisterous laugh bellowed from the old gentleman’s chest, filling the room with a calming aura that had Tetsurou feeling a bit more relaxed and at ease. “That is hardly something you need to fret over, my boy. I wouldn’t dismiss a player just because they have adopted a misguided practice schedule.”
“Well that’s a relief.” Tetsurou sighed. He closed his golden eyes to the room, allowing himself to be enveloped for a moment in a peaceful darkness. He knew he should speak openly with his mentor, be honest about the anxieties that were bouncing back and forth in his brain like an intense volley taking place in the fifth set of the finals at the Spring Tournament. “But what if I screwed up…bad? Maybe not bad enough that the school kicks me off the team but bad enough that you are disappointed? What happens then?”
Nekomata quirked a curious brow. “What do you mean?” he asked.
“Would you ignore me?” Tetsurou mumbled. “Or stop coaching at Nekoma?”
Was he being a bit dramatic? Possibly, but that didn’t stop the gangly teen from wanting answers.
“Who left?” Nekomata asked instead of answering the questions posed to him.
“What?” Tetsurou rose from his spot, face displaying all of the shock he had been feeling. “What do you mean?”
“I’m assuming it was your mother, since you only mentioned living with your father and grandmother.” The old man said. “Am I correct?”
“I’m home!”
Tetsurou’s heart froze when he heard the feminine song of his grandmother’s voice. What the hell was he supposed to do now? “Shit!” he hissed, fumbling his way into standing up from the table. “Welcome home!” The dark-haired boy maneuvered himself until he was on the edge of the kitchen, waiting like a good child for his grandma to leave the entryway and enter the apartment. “How was your evening?”
“It was delightful, thank you for asking Tetsu.” She said, walking towards him so she could greet him with a standard kiss on the cheek, only to pull back at the last second when she saw a man in a red tracksuit sitting at their kitchen table just out of the corner of her eye. “Tetsu?” She asked. “Who is your friend?”
“Oh, well you see…this is…well umm…” Tetsurou sputtered, grasping at straws or any other utensils that might help him summon up an answer.
“My name is Nekomata Yasufumi,” the old man chuckled. “I am Kuroo’s volleyball coach. I walked him home this evening after I saw him in the park after practice. He kindly offered me some tea when we arrived so I could rest these old bones.”
This was bad. Very, very bad. Monumentally bad. Tetsurou could see the wheels turning behind his grandma’s umber eyes and he knew in only a matter of seconds, he was going to be without hope. “The park?” Her lips pursed into a frown. “After practice?”
“Gran,” Tetsurou pleaded. It was embarrassing enough to be escorted home and lectured by his coach but if he had his grandma join in, that would pretty much spell out the end of the world. An Old Persons Alliance could only mean his doom. “It wasn’t a big deal.”
“Not a big deal?” She shot back. “I’m sure your father would disagree. I know I do! You have a curfew Kuroo Tetsurou and for good reason. Walking around the city by yourself is dangerous. You could get hurt!”
“But I didn’t!” Tetsurou groaned. “You and dad are always being so overprotective! All I did was go to the park after practice. It’s not like I was passed out in an alleyway or something.”
Her small thin hand slipped into Tetsurou’s own and squeezed. “That’s hardly the point and you know it. I think it best if you take a moment to think about your decisions tonight while I speak with your coach.” Tetsurou’s gut twisted at her words. He knew what ‘take a moment to think’ meant. He had been on the receiving end of those words before and it was impossible for his cheeks not to heat up with embarrassment at the implication. “Go on now.”
“Gran!” Tetsurou protested. “Not in front of Coach Nekomata! Please!” Despite his objections, he felt himself being led to the corner of the room just next to the table that Nekomata was still placed at, “I’ll go to my room. Please.”
The salt and pepper hair that his grandmother pulled back into a loose braid swayed back and forth as she shook her head dismissively. “You proved tonight that when left unsupervised, I cannot trust you to be in the place I need you to be. So, that means you will stay in this corner right here while I speak with your coach.” Her logic pulled a whine out of Tetsurou’s mouth and his face was now the same shade as his Nekoma track pants. There was absolutely no way to navigate this situation without walking straight into utter humiliation.
Before Tetsurou could even begin whining and negotiating with his grandmother, he felt a slight pat against the seat of his pants, acting as a warning of what would come if he continued pushing. His entire body started to droop, his muscles caving in with self-pity as he was walked over to a corner. He quietly thanked any deity out there that made it so his gran didn’t tell him to stand up straight and have his nose resting directly in the corner.
“Now you just stay there for a bit.” Gran said before taking the seat that Tetsurou himself had previously occupied. “I want to apologize for my grandson’s behavior tonight. He is a very well meaning boy, he just sometimes allows his passions to cloud his judgment. Thank you for bringing him home safely. I promise that when his father gets home, the two of them will have a long talk about everything. Tetsurou is a quick learner, so I’m sure this won’t happen again.”
“Oh please don’t apologize,” Nekomata waved the woman off. “I am aware of just how good of a child Tetsurou is. When I found him, I knew it was simply a misguided way of trying his best. What matters is that he got home safely and he already promised me that he would never do something so foolish again.”
It felt strange to be a fly on the wall for a conversation entirely about himself. There were people out there who would actually like to learn how others spoke of them as if they were not there, but Kuroo absolutely hated it. The fact that he was in the room but being treated like a decorative house plant was humiliating.
The two bats just continued to talk all about him amongst themselves, everything from his performance in school to adjusting to a high school team on the court, for another ten minutes or so before Nekomata made a statement that had Kuroo’s knees feeling like they would give out, “If it is alright with you, I would like your permission to punish Tetsuoru myself.”
“WHAT?!?”
“Kuroo Tetsurou, you turn back around right now, young man.” His grandmother scolded. It took every ounce of strength in his veins to listen to the command. Every instinct was telling him to run to the nearest phone and call someone to come and pick these two geezers up so they could be committed. “Sorry about that.” Once again apologizing on her grandson’s behalf. “Now what is it that you are proposing?”
“You had mentioned that when your son returns home, he and Tetsurou would have a long talk.” Nekomata said. “However, I feel it is safe to assume that a bit more than just talking would be present given the way you patted the boy’s bottom earlier to get him to behave in the corner.”
He had caught that?!
Kuroo’s head banged against the wall, an act he heard a reprimand for but didn’t care much about. This was the worst day of his life.
“I understand if you would be more comfortable waiting but it is getting rather late, and the team has practice in the morning. If I could be of assistance in getting the punishment seen to, so Tetsurou can get some meaningful rest, well I would be more than happy to oblige.” Nekomata’s words were both fear inducing and touching. Kuroo hadn’t expected to feel so cared for in a moment when someone was volunteering to discipline him.
“And how exactly would you plan on punishing him?” His grandmother asked the most important question.
“I would defer to your judgment.” Nekomata replied. “It is your family after all.”
‘Please say no. Please say no. Please for the love of all that is holy say no!’ Kuroo screamed in his head. He had no idea how he had gotten here but whatever joke the universe was playing on him was distinctly unfunny.
The silence that settled in the room had Tetsurou’s stomach in a death grip, he was aching for an answer but also wanting nothing more than to remain in limbo where he was still safe from whatever punishment that Nekomata had in store for him.
“This family uses corporal punishment.” His grandmother reported. “Would that be something that made you uncomfortable?”
Tetsurou’s stomach dropped to the floor.
“No,” the old man smiled. “It would be quite alright.”
Forget about the floor, Tetsurou’s stomach crashed straight down into the pits of hell. “This can’t be happening,” he groaned against the plaster of the kitchen walls.
“It wouldn’t be happening if you had decided to act like the responsible boy we all know you are capable of being.” Gran said as she stood from her place at the table. “I am going to clean up here, you take Nekomata-san to the living room and get started. Your father will be home in an hour or so and I want you in bed by then. Understood?”
Tetsurou turned from his place in the corner, hoping that the order meant that he was allowed to face both of the adults in the room. “Please no.” He tried again. “This is so embarrassing!”
“If it really upsets you that much, then you can wait for your father, Tetsurou.” Nekomata stood up and walked over to the teen, gently slipping his hand into Kuroo’s own. “I just wanted to offer an opportunity to settle this faster and to show you that I have no intention of leaving you behind, no matter what kind of trouble you get yourself into.”
Kuroo felt his bottom lip bobble at his coach’s statement. The appearance of his grandmother had all but stopped their earlier conversation centering around the teenager’s abandonment issues, but apparently the old man’s memory hadn’t faded to the point of forgetting it.
“I–” the boy swallowed his words, not really knowing where he was going with his answer. There was a part of him that still wanted to refuse Nekomata and wait for his father to return. At this point, his dad was still the only adult to engage in a full punishment with Tetsurou. His grandma had certainly swatted him a number of times and whacked him with a spoon on occasion, but it was never a full spanking. There was a comfort in the knowledge that his dad was the only one who had done it and could be the only one who continued to do it.
But–
Nekomata was promising to show Kuroo first hand that he wouldn’t leave his student behind, that he was worth punishing and staying for. And if it all got to be too much, Tetsurou did trust that Nekomata would stop if he was asked.
Plus, Kuroo’s father had been working so hard lately…he deserved to come home and rest for the night. He shouldn’t have to be pulled up to Tetsurou’s room to discipline his son.
“Okay,” Tetsurou sighed. His gaze drifted down to the floor as he exited the kitchen and drifted into their living room. He didn’t really lead Nekomata like he had been instructed but he knew the older man would follow. He couldn’t believe that he was agreeing to this but at the same time he saw this as his best option. Not only was it a labor of love for his father but it was also a selfish reassurance that the old man he had come to idolize loved him back.
The teen stood like an awkward beanpole while he waited for his mentor to enter the room and get in his general vicinity. “How do you want me?”
“How does your father normally do it?” Nekomata asked a question of his own. “I want to make sure you are as comfortable as possible.”
“Yeah,” Kuroo scoffed in return, “while making sure my ass is as uncomfortable as possible.”
The gentle smile gracing Nekomata’s aged features turned down in disappointment. “Watch your language, young man.” He warned. “You have already gotten yourself into enough trouble. The last thing I want to do is wash your mouth out.”
Tetsurou felt his intestines squeezing like a python constricting its freshly caught prey. He hadn’t considered anything more than a spanking being in his future but even the thought of a bar of soap on his tongue was enough to have him mentally gagging. If the real thing were to happen, there would be no telling what would happen.
“That won’t be necessary.” Kuroo wheezed.
“Good,” Nekomata returned to his natural smile. “Then we can get back to you answering my question. How does your father do things typically? Do you lean over the couch with him behind you or do you lie across his lap?”
Tetsurou felt his cheeks flushing a darker red at the man’s question. His first instinct was to lie, to choose a position that would be the least embarrassing and just roll with it, but in the end he knew that his gran had sharper hearing than she liked to let on. If he did end up lying and she heard him, not only would she rat him out, she would also probably bring out her wooden spoon for his coach to use as an extra punishment.
“He sits down usually.” Tetsurou answered, eyes to the floor and ears hot. “I’m too tall for just a chair or anything, so it’s always the bed or the couch, that way my chest can be supported.”
“That’s very practical.” Nekomata nodded. “Well then, that’s what we shall do as well.” The man carefully pushed the table back away from the sitting area so he could make room for the teenager’s long legs, should any movement become necessary.
That was a bad sign. Kuroo knew that meant Nekomata was expecting him to either just be a natural kicker, which was humiliating, or he thought that the level of discipline would be enough to induce the gesticulation.
When the old man sat down he patted both of his thighs. The sound to anyone else would have been minimal but to Tetsurou they might as well have been thunder claps. “Alright my boy,” Nekomata said. “Take down your pants and get over.”
“Take down!” Kuroo shouted. His normally covered eye was probably bulging so big that it could actually be seen through the dark curtain of hair covering it. “But, but, but you can’t be serious. No. Please no.” Tetsurou took a step back and moved his hands down to cover his bottom. “Nooooo,” he whined.
Nekomata sighed and rose from his seat. “Tetsurou, please son. Calm down.” Two hands grasped Kuroo’s arms that were firmly planted to his side so he could offer his hands the best angle for protection purposes. “Your gran said she wanted you in bed within the hour, that doesn’t lend us a lot of time to take care of things. I promise that I will not bare you. I can tell that would do more harm than good here and I want to make sure this is as positive of an experience for you as possible. However, I do still need to make sure you understand the seriousness of your actions and that you are dealt with accordingly.”
Burning tears of humiliation were already welling up behind Tetsurou’s eyes and he felt his nose starting to run a little. A small sniff was enough to get him back in line but he absolutely hated this. He was grateful that Nekomata was up front about being willing to only spank him while he was covered by at least some layer of clothing but he was still heartbroken to learn that he was going to lose his pants.
“I can’t do it.” Kuroo finally whispered, letting his hands fall down to his hips instead of flushed back in defense of his butt.
“That’s okay.” Nekomata said, grabbing one of Kuroo’s hands and leading the kid back towards the couch. “I can help.”
The man’s words were anything but mocking. There was a genuine kindness behind their meaning, like Nekomata actually appreciated Kuroo’s honesty and understood his hesitancy. He didn’t think less of the teenager for being unable to physically take down his thickest layer of protection. If anything, Nekomata seemed proud. It was infuriatingly comforting and had Kuroo not fighting the pull of fabric sliding down his legs and to his ankles.
The situation still sucked but at the same time, things were okay.
Kuroo wasn’t afraid.
“Here,” Nekomata instructed as he gently tugged on Tetsurou’s arm to guide the boy down and across his lap, “Just like that.” The man took a second to help adjust his student so that his chest was completely supported and even pulled the smallest of the decorative pillows over and handed it to Kuroo to hold and rest himself on.
A soft weight rested on the small of Tetsurou’s back and began moving in small soothing circles for nearly a full minute. The ministrations pulled the tension out of the teenager’s back and helped rest naturally into the new position. “There you go. I know it is hard but try your best to keep your body relaxed. Your muscles have been worked enough today as it is.”
“Yes sir.” Kuroo nodded into the pillow. “There’s still a chance that we can all just decide I’ve learned my lesson and let my muscles rest by sending me to bed early. I think that’s pretty fitting…”
“Unfortunately,” Nekomata sighed as he pulled the hand soothing his student away from the teen’s back and lifted it into the air, “I would have to disagree.”
Kuroo winced as the first few spanks descended onto his bottom. They were not particularly hard but they symbolically speaking, they may as well have branded him like cattle. He had never in his life expected for a coach to punish him in this way. Falling receives and laps were to be expected but to have his pants slid down to his ankles and have his boxer clad behind smacked was not something he had seen coming. What irked him the most though was the initial instinct to swing his legs around after the impact.
The fabric secured around his ankles were enough of a reminder to keep himself in place but just the immediate desire to kick and squirm alone was embarrassing. Nekomata had pegged him for a wiggler and Tetsurou wanted to curse because the stupid old man was right.
“The last thing I want to do is wash your mouth out.”
Nope, cursing was definitely off the menu for tonight.
A few more claps of Nekomata’s hand was enough to bring Kuroo’s attention back to reality. “Ow,” he seethed into the pillow, wiggling his hips a bit as he adjusted to the building sting. “Ouch, alright I get it.”
“Get what?” Nekomata asked, landing five solid spanks right on top of another on the center of Kuroo’s right cheek. “Please enlighten me, young man?” He said while giving the left cheek a similarly painful treatment.
“No more over practicing!” Testurou growled into the pillow. The teen felt his toes curling as he fought with his own body to stay in place. “You are the coach, I need to follow your schedule. You know best, okay!”
Nekomata chuckled at the answer, a response that Tetsurou wasn’t expecting nor appreciated very much.
“You think this is funny, old man?” The boy turned his torso so he could look up at the man with a newly ignited anger in his eyes. This entire situation was mortifying for him, he had to significantly humble himself to even allow for him to be in this position and now he was being laughed at. He had trusted Nekomata with his very fragile ego and was coming to regret it. “This isn’t–”
Kuroo’s boiling rage was simmered rather quickly when his hips were lifted slightly off of Nekomata’s lap and the more sensitive undercurve of his bottom was exposed to several biting smacks. “I assure you that I don’t find your position funny nor how you got here, young man.” Nekomata replied after finally lowering Kuroo back down flat. “I simply found the phrasing of your answer amusing. I did not mean any offense to you and I apologize if you thought for some reason I was making fun of you. However,” the aged hand crashed down hard enough to have the teenager wincing on impact, “I will not tolerate you taking a tone with me. Is that understood?”
The question was echoed with a series of spanks, indicating an actual answer was desired.
“Yes!” Tetsurou’s yell was muffled by the fabric of the pillow. He was doing his best not to bite down on it at this point, knowing it would only upset his gran and dad if they later realized that a chunk of the decorative tuft was destroyed.
“Yes what?” Nekomata asked to the tune of four more quick flicks of his wrist.
“Yes sir!”
The old man hummed in appreciation, meaning Kuroo had gotten the right answer at the very least. It wasn’t difficult to show respect to his coach. After all, he idolized the man.
“There is another reason that you are getting this spanking.” Nekomata continued on, creating no discernable pattern with his hand other than the distinct and predictable discomfort associated with this kind of punishment. “Can you tell me what it is?”
Tetsurou’s mind flickered back to their walk to the apartment. The feeling of Nekomata’s arm linked with his own and the comforting weight that it held. To the knowledge that he wasn’t alone and there was someone that was looking out for him. To the fact that he may have been the one leading the way but he was still the one actually being guided.
“I was alone.” Tetsurou gulped. “I broke curfew.”
“Being alone wasn’t the problem dear boy.” Nekomata patted the bottom below his hand. “If you were alone in this apartment where you were supposed to be, you wouldn’t be across my lap right now, would you?”
Kuroo shook his head, shoving his face further into the pillow and squeezing the cushion as tight as he could between his hands.
The return of a stinging sensation had Kuroo unexpectedly kicking the edge of the couch. “A verbal answer, please.”
“No sir,” Tetsurou muttered. “I wouldn’t.”
“Exactly,” the old man’s hand started up again, delivering swat after swat until it covered all of Tetsurou’s bottom and the tops of his thighs. “So, that means the issue was you breaking the curfew your father and grandmother put in place for you by being somewhere you were not supposed to be. Is that right?”
“Yes sir.” The teen agreed. At this point he would agree with anything his coach was saying if it meant this experience would come to an end. His legs were locked tight to stop them from kicking any further but the level of tension in his body was starting to cause an ache. He remembered the warning to relax that was delivered to him earlier but he found the advice difficult to take at the moment.
Nekomata stopped the spanking for a moment, bringing his hand up to Tetsurou’s head and running his finger’s through the teen’s hair. “I know that you are not a small child anymore and you are ready to start taking on the world. You have a determination about you that is truly inspiring, Tetsurou. But no amount of determination is going to change the fact that you are only fifteen years old. Legally speaking, that means you are still a child and you need to mind those that are in charge of you.”
The comforting scratches came to a halt and the teenager found himself mourning the loss of the contact. He had a feeling he knew what was about to start again and he would definitely prefer to have his hair pet than his ass beat. Kuroo heard his coach sigh once more, this one more labored than the others and he found himself wondering if Nekomata was even physically okay enough to continue. A gentle tap on Kuroo’s hip grabbed a hold of his attention and followed the unspoken order to shimmy off of the couch and stand up.
“Am…am I done?” The young man asked, his voice just above a hopeful whisper.
“No.” The answer brought the simmering anxiety in the teen’s stomach to a boil. The atmosphere of the usually warm family room had turned eerie. “We are very close though.” Nekomata’s voice was still stern but it was also tired, like he was also left with nothing but anticipation for the eventual end to this punishment. “Please look at me.”
The request had Kuroo’s eyes shooting up from his socked feet standing in a pool of his sweats to the thin eyes of the older man.
“Tetsurou,” Nekomata crossed his arms and his shoulders sagged. “I need you to understand that there are several people in this world that love you. They genuinely care about what happens to you and would be absolutely devastated if you were to get hurt or if something were to happen to you. Your father and your grandmother are doing everything in their power to shower you with enough love to fill the void that was left behind by your mother. Your friends and teammates that watch you like a hawk during practice because they are convinced you are one careless move away from an injury.”
Tetsurou’s mind was racing as he listened to Nekomata’s words. He had planned on letting the lecture slide off of him as he nodded along and focused on the picture frame hanging up just beyond his coach’s head in the distance. He didn’t want to cry in front of the man. He wanted to accept his punishment and stay strong so that way he could at least maintain the slightest bit of dignity and respect in this humiliating situation.
But he was finding that to be very difficult right now. Each sentence was like a knife to the gut and Kuroo just wanted to keel over at this point and cry his eyes out. Just the act of maintaining eye contact had him biting down on his lips and pushing down the urge to let his tears escape.
“I care about you too.” Nekomata admitted, reaching out to grab one of Tetsurou’s hands in his own. “A soul like yours, that is both curious and kind, doesn’t come around very often. You are just so very special, my boy, and I feel the need to take care of you. To guide you and shelter you long enough you have the ability to grow into whatever it is you are destined to be.”
The burning build up of tears was far too hard to resist and Kuroo felt his legs buckling under Nekomata’s words. The teenager collapsed down onto the floor, right at his coach’s feet, as a sob wracked through his entire body. There was no fighting the cries off any longer, his stomach was shaking and pushing the water up and out of his eyes until they fell down his cheeks in rushing streams. Kuroo felt himself being pulled forward until his head was resting on the very lap he had just been lying across.
“Shh,” the old man cooed. Nekomata’s hands were placed so Kuroo was perfectly secured, one in the teen’s hair and the other between his shoulder blades. “Let it out, son. Let it all out. You can fall to pieces, it’s safe. I’ll help put them back together when you’re ready.”
Tetsurou continued crying for another few minutes. Part of him was surprised that his grandmother hadn’t come storming in to figure out what all the commotion was about, but he was also grateful. If she could see him right now, she would probably fall down right next to him and start calling him by some embarrassing childhood nickname and just take the vulnerability of the entire scene up from a 10 to a 15.
Hopefully, she had made some more tea. He would like some after this was over and before he went to bed. It would just be nice to have a warm sensation somewhere that wasn’t his own butt.
Eventually, his sobs had turned into the occasional small hiccup and the tears had for the most part dried on his cheeks, leaving behind an unmistakable red track. “There,” Nekomata’s hand gently grabbed hold of Kuroo’s chin and pushed up his gaze. “Do you feel a bit better now?”
Tetsurou couldn’t help the immediate nod in response. At this point, he was just acting on instinct. He was far too emotionally exhausted to think before acting.
“Good.” Nekomata said, running his hand once more through Kuroo’s thick dark locks. “Then let’s finish up and move on.”
The first year’s eyes widened in panic. “Finish up? But I thought–didn’t we–aren’t we done? You–lectured and we cuddled…” A flash of terror ran through the teen and his stomach dropped. “You promised not to bare me!”
“Hey, hey,” Nekomata assaged. The man held up both hands in a gesture to show that he wasn’t meaning any harm and that he wanted his student to try and calm down. “I did promise not to bare your bottom and I have every intention of keeping that promise.” The assurance, though embarrassing in its wording, did have Kuroo’s heart falling back to a less concerning rate. “But you still made some serious mistakes tonight and I need to respond to that appropriately, that way we never have to repeat this lesson again. A hand spanking alone over your underwear is simply not enough. A smart boy like yourself knows that, surely.”
In all actuality, this punishment had been a cakewalk in comparison to some of the spankings that his father had given in the past. He almost never got away with his underwear up for the entire time at home, so he shouldn’t be surprised that if his boxers were going to stay in place then he was going to get more than just Nekomata’s hand.
Still, he couldn’t bring himself to agree. All he could manage was the submissive fall of his head.
“Now, please give me one of the slippers you were sporting earlier. I think that will do for tonight.”
Kuroo had trouble swallowing as his throat tightened but gulped down his fear anyway as he bent over and fetched one of his house slippers from the floor. He had been smacked with them before and the solid impact of the soles were never pleasant. Any thoughts of getting off easy tonight quickly vanished as he handed over the dreaded piece of footwear.
“Good boy,” Nekomata praised. “Alright, get back over.”
When Tetsurou was back over his coach’s lap, Nekomata didn’t hesitate to start back up the spanking. It was already rather late and the old man had a home of his own to return to. At least Kuroo didn’t have another journey ahead of him, well he did but it was to the comfy embrace of his own bed rather than the solid and unforgiving feeling of a subway seat.
The slipper fell in three hollering wallops along Kuroo’s sit spots and all hope of not kicking was thrown out the window. His legs thrashed at the impact and his body was suddenly maneuvered so that his feet were now resting on the floor in the space created earlier when Nekomata pushed back their table.
Tetsurou felt like his backside was on fire. The slipper just kept falling, one unrelenting blow after another. He was certain that his bottom looked like a cherry at this point under his boxers. “Please!” he yipped at another wallop. “No more! Please! I’m sorry!” Tears that he thought had been all dried up started falling once again completely unencumbered.
Kuroo’s cries were nothing if not heartbreaking but Nekomata knew he had to shield himself from the endearing pleas and continue on. He was not a monster for doing this, no matter how much he felt like one at the end of the spanking. He didn’t know when exactly it happened, but he did know that he loved this boy. Him and his fellow first years just had some quality about them that made them more than just intriguing. Nekomata didn’t want to just train them, he wanted to protect them. He wanted to watch them grow and be able to proudly say “those are my boys” in the future when they were taking on the world.
“Ten more, my boy.” Nekomata patted the boy’s hair. “Just ten more and then we are done, okay?” The boy met his words with a fast nod and sorrowful sob. Normally, Nekomata would enforce the rule of a verbal answer but he decided to let it go since he was about to have Kuroo using his voice anyway. “I want you to count them for me please.”
“Yes sir.” Kuroo whimpered.
When the first slap of the slipper fell, Kuroo felt his feet kicking against the living room floor. “One sir.” He diligently reported through his teeth clenched almost as tight as his eyes. The second and third spank fell down and were quickly counted off, just like the fourth and fifth.
Nekomata steeled himself as he prepared to deliver the last five spanks, once again pulling Tetsurou’s body up ever so slightly so his sit spots were conveniently exposed.
“Nooooo,” the teenager whined once he realized what was happening.
“None of that, little boy.” Nekomata scolded. “We are almost done here. Just five more.”
Tetsurou pouted but at least had the sense to stop trying to dissuade his coach from finishing things up. Sure he whimpered his way through the count but he managed to count each and every one, crying out the number ‘TEN sir’ with an accompaniment of pitiful sniffles into the small pillow he had been given at the start. It would certainly need to be washed after this. Nekomata could make out the small tear stains but also a few more snotty leftovers on the poor decorative piece.
Hopefully the matriarch of the Kuroo household wouldn’t be too displeased.
Nekomata happily let the slipper fall from his hand and helped reposition the boy so he was now laying face up and curled between the older man’s arms. “Shhh, sweet boy,” he said as he slowly rocked the teen. “You did very well. You were so good. It’s all over now. It’s okay.”
Tetsurou remained in the embrace, clutching one of his hands around the man’s track jacket only occasionally letting go to play with the zipper. He laid there, content to just exist in the comforting hold until he felt his eyes starting to get heavy and his mind drifting off. “Your gran had the right idea about an early bedtime.” He heard the disembodied voice of his coach mutter behind the fog of his own exhaustion. “Unfortunately, I’m not young enough to be able to carry you up to bed, so I’m going to need you to wake up just enough so we can get you upstairs kiddo.”
Groaning at the other’s words, Tetsurou just dug his face further into the chest that was supporting him. He felt his body being moved slightly up and down at the chuckle of the belly below him but he didn’t mind it. “That is the exact opposite of what I said.”
“Tetsu has always been a bit of a clingy child when he is tired.”
The entrance of his gran’s voice had the same effect now as it did when she had unexpectedly returned home earlier that evening. Kuroo’s eyes shot open and he pulled himself away from Nekomata until he was standing up and in the center of the room.
“Gran!” The child shouted as he scrambled to get his pants back up.
“Oh don’t bother with that dear.” She said as she walked further into the room. “You will need to take them off anyway to change into your pajamas.” Despite the logic behind sound, Tetsurou still righted himself so he would be fully clothed once again. “Stubborn boy, just like your father.”
“Yeah well you raised him,” Kuroo quipped. “So what does that say about you?”
His grandmother’s face broke out into a devilish smile as she ran over to his side and started to chase him a little circle, hand trying to reach around and jokingly smack him further. “You are a little brat! You know that?!”
The two of them eventually stopped their little game when the giggle of their audience member reminded them that they were not alone.
“Oh sorry Nekomata-san,” his grandmother smiled. “Thank you again for bringing our Tetsu home safely. I really do appreciate it.”
Seeing his grandma bow to another person in respect almost had Kuroo scoffing but the ache in his bottom was enough of a reminder to keep him from doing it. She might have been playful before but he didn’t want to actually push the woman into thinking that a second lesson was necessary before bed.
“It was not a problem.” The old man responded. “I am always happy to look out for him.”
“You will have to come back another time when my son is home.” Gran offered with a warm smile. “ I’m sure he would love to meet someone that cares about Tetsu so much.” The prospect of Nekomata coming back to home was far less frightening then he would have imagined. His father and Nekomata would likely get along very well and it already seemed that his grandmother was smitten. Kuroo himself already adored the man, so having him around more often was a nice thought.
“Yeah,” Tetsurou said in a low, but still happy tone. “Dad would like you a lot.”
“I have an idea!” His grandma’s golden eyes lit up, a familiar and foreboding mischief glowing behind them. “How about you bring Tetsu home again after your next practice. My son and I will be home and you can join us for dinner! And this way, we know that Tetsu won’t have any more unnecessary detours.”
“Gran!” Tetsurou squawked in disbelief. “That’s basically just grounding me!”
“Sweetheart when your father hears about what happened, you most certainly will be grounded anyway.” She said with a smile, like it wasn’t a horribly embarrassing blow already. “And at least if Nekomata-san is bringing you home that means it won’t be your father or I that is coming to pick you up. So look on the bright side!”
Tetsurou grumbled and crossed his arms at the woman’s words but didn’t fight her on it any more. He knew what that would earn and he wasn’t interested in it since he was already going to be sleeping on his stomach tonight.
“Okay, now Tetsu, sweetie, thank your coach and walk him out.” His gran ordered. “Then straight to bed.”
“Yes ma’am,” Kuroo groaned as he started walking back to the entryway of the apartment.
He could hear Nekomata’s shuffling steps behind him after the old people decided to exchange a few more hushed words between themselves. He was a bit curious about what they might be plotting, forgetting how he had mentally lemented earlier when he was in the corner and listening to them, but he opted not to press it. The only thing he wanted to press was his body against his memory foam mattress.
When both of them were at the door, Kuroo felt his cheeks burning once again. “Thank you,” he muttered, down to his coach’s shoes. “Thank you for caring and bringing me home.”
Kuroo felt himself being pulled down until he realized he was being encapsulated in a hug. Quickly, he wrapped his own arms around the man and allowed himself to enjoy another short embrace.
“You’re welcome, my boy.” Nekomata returned. “I’ll always be here for you. Always.”
Tetsurou pressed his face into the old man’s shoulders and blinked away the small tears building up on his eye lashes. “Thank you.” he said again, before finally pulling away and opening up the door so the man could take his leave. “I’ll see you at practice tomorrow, coach.”
“Yes you will.” Nekomata agreed. “Oh! And I spoke with your gran, I will be bringing you home from practice each night until your grounding is over. That way, you don’t need to be picked up in front of the others.”
The gesture was heartwarming and Kuroo couldn’t fight off the genuine smile over taking his face.
“Goodnight, my boy!” Nekomata called as he walked off in the direction of the elevator.
“Night, coach.” Kuroo whispered back, feeling more loved than ever before.