Work Text:
“You!”
Kyoutani’d been minding his own business, moving through the restaurant to start his break. Being a waiter wasn’t fun, and most people were wary of his appearance, but he hadn’t had anyone take such offense to attack him yet, so this was a first.
“The hell—“
“Finally! You took forever!” The man across form him smiled pleasantly, but his eyes were wild. “I thought you stood me up!” There was a little chuckle, the smile growing fond—how did he do that?—and he braced his elbow on the table, chin in hand.
Kyoutani was now sitting in a booth, across from this man. “What…” he clicked his mouth shut, narrowing his eyes. He eyed the fluffy brunet, the man’s eyes wide and smile so obviously fake. “Sorry, traffic.” The smile eased, a small sigh escaping. Brown eyes shifted to take in the restaurant around them, tilting his head slightly.
“Sorry, sorry, I am so sorry,” he murmured quickly. “But please, please please please, for the love of God, just hang out with me for ten minutes, I swear I will make it up to you!” Kyoutani raised a brow. “Okay, okay, look, please, I’m being serious, okay, there’s this guy and he’s a total nut job and he just won’t leave me alone and I told him I was late for a dinner, but he still followed me and honestly I don’t want to have to file a restraining order!”
“…you what now?” Kyoutani stared at him, golden eyes narrowed.
“Yes, I know, I’m so pretty I have a stalker. Thank you. Not like he listens to me, I could totally call the cops on him, but I really don’t like making scenes.” The man huffed, crossing his arms lightly and pouting.
“You honestly have someone stalking you? So your idea was to fake date some random guy?” Kyoutani was just trying to understand this logic.
“He knows all my friends and my coworkers. Had to be someone he didn’t know.”
Kyoutani blinked. “Well shit. Wow, okay. That kinda sucks. You think ten minutes are really gonna make him leave?” he crossed his arms on the table, watching him. The man shrugged.
“I’m hoping? Ohmygod, I’m sorry, you’re working. Am I going to get you in trouble?” The panic in his eyes made Kyoutani question his priorities. He looked around and met the eyes of Yachi, the little blonde hurrying over when he raised a hand.
“Kyou-Kyoutani-kun! What’s up?”
“Yachi-chan, can you go back and make sure my break’s set? Ah, just water for me.” She pulled out her little pad, looking expectantly at the man across form him.
“O-oh, water, please, thank you.” She beamed, padding back into the kitchen to do as her coworker asked. “You’re gonna help me?” Kyoutani shrugged. The man let out a soft sigh. “Thanks. Really, thanks.”
“It’s whatever.”
“I’m Yahaba, Yahaba Shigeru.”
“Kyoutani Kentarou.” Yahaba smiled brilliantly at him and Kyoutani briefly understood how he could get a stalker.
“Here we go! Kyoutani-kun, Daichi-san said you have half an hour, okay?” Kyoutani gave a nod. “So! What can I get ya?” Yahaba fumbled for the menu, quickly flipping through pages while Kyoutani tilted his head lightly back and forth. “Chicken?”
“Yeah, sounds good.”
“Fried?”
“Yup.”
“Spicy?”
“Nah.”
“Got it!” She looked to Yahaba. “And, for you?”
“Ah—ah—um, oh! This sounds good, your ikura don?” Yachi nodded, writing it down before snatching the menus up and skipping away. “Shit, he’s still here,” the brunet muttered under his breath, eyes focused on the bar across the room.
“I can talk to hi—“
“No! No no no! God, no, he can’t know you know!” Kyoutani’s nose scrunched up in a scowl. “Don’t—just…” Yahaba took a breath. “Thanks, but it’ll be fine. Just means I’m gonna have to call Oikawa and tell him I’m gonna be late… Give me a sec,” he pulled hi phone out and Kyoutani watched blankly as he unlocked it, tapping briefly at the screen before hitting send. “Mmm, this is not gonna be good…” He set the phone face down and propped his chin up with a hand. “So. Kyoutani. How old are you?”
About six beeps in a row brought the bottle blond’s attention to the phone now chirping. “Twenty-four.”
“Wow. Same.” Four more beeps, but Yahaba didn’t look at it. “You work here full-time?”
“Part.”
“You go to school?” Three more beeps and Yahaba poked it a little closer to the wall.
“Veterinary school. You gonna get that?” Kyoutani eyed the glowing device warily.
“A vet, huh? Wow… Good for you!” Another beep. “Ah, excuse me.” He smiled prettily, turning over the phone and bypassing the thirteen messages from someone with a lot of stars after his name, going instead for a single one. “Okay. Well, Kyoutani-kun, if he’s not gone in the next fifteen minutes, you will be freed from my company.” The man looked tired, much more than a twenty-four year old should. But, the blond supposed, if you were being stalked, you’d likely be more tired.
“Yeah?”
“Yeah. Oikawa called Iwaizumi. It’ll take him fifteen minutes to get here.” The brunet shrugged. “Well, I suppose I should have seen that… Oh, sorry, Oikawa’s my friend and Iwaizumi is his boyfriend. Also a police officer.” His smile was tired. “I’m honestly sorry about pulling you into this. I probably should’ve just went home and barred the door.”
“’S fine.”
“Well, I still feel bad.” He dropped his head, sighing heavily. Kyoutani saw movement from a rather broad man at the bar, eyes zeroed intently in on Yahaba. “Really. Shit, now he’ll probably—“
“Give me your hand.”
“—harass—what?” Kyoutani raised his hand, resting it on the table. Yahaba placed his own in his, confusion in his eyes. “And, why, are we—“
“Tall guy at the bar? Dark hair, broad?” Yahaba’s smile grew soft and Kyoutani ignored the fluttering. “Got real intent looking when you got all sad. This is a date, yeah?”
“Well—“
“Yeah?” Yahaba smiled, nodding. “What’s your favorite color?”
“Teal. Maybe mint. Still undecided.” Kyoutani’s nose scrunched up and Yahaba snorted. “Ohmygod, okay okay, yours?”
“Green. Got any pets?”
“Cat. Spawn of the devil. Named him Marshmellow before I realized he was evil incarnate. Dumb cat even likes Ushiwaka, that traitor… You?”
“Dogs. Three.” Yahaba blinked. “Natsu, Yuki, and Haru.”
“I like dogs more than cats, but my apartment doesn’t allow them. And how long have you been working here, Kyoutani?”
“Ahh~ Yahaba-chan~!” The brunet was pushed to the side, another fluffier brunet slipping in next to him. “How rude! Not responding to me!” Yahaba didn’t seem alarmed, so Kyoutani watching on blankly. “Oh? And who are you?”
“Kyoutani.”
“Oikawa-san, don’t harass him,” Yahaba answered, rolling his eyes. “He was kind enough to keep me company until you got here. Speaking of, where’s—oh, Iwaizumi-san, hi,” Kyoutani looked up at the spiky haired man now reaching their table, his green eyes hard. “This is Kyoutani.” The man’s eyes glinted as he looked the blond up and down before raising a hand.
“Iwaizumi Hajime. Thanks for watching him.” Kyutani took his hand, despite Yahaba’s protests of needing to be watched.
“Kyoutani Kentarou.”
“Honestly, Yahaba-chan,” Oikawa mused, proper up chin letting him gaze at his seat buddy and Kyoutani scooted down to make room for Iwaizumi. “You said you hadn’t seen him in a few days.” Yahaba determinedly avoided eye-contact. “Yahaba-chan, did you… lie about not seeing Ushiwaka?” Yahaba kept quiet. “Yahaba. This is serious. And what were you gonna do if he tried something again, hm?” Both Oikawa, the frivolous looking guy he was, and Iwaizumi looked incredibly serious.
“Not open the door, obviously.”
“Your last apartment is testament to what he can do when you say no,” Iwaizumi scowled. Dark green eyes slid over to Kyoutani. “Do you know what’s going on?”
“Yes?” Iwaizumi’s lip twitched.
“Damn near knocked down the door last time, thought Yahaba was ignoring him—he was down the hall returning the neighbor’s cat instead.” Kyoutani looked across the table at the brunet. “And you haven’t reported him yet because?”
“Because you can’t do anything, you know that,” Yahaba huffed, looking away. “Technically, he hasn’t done anything yet, so you can’t do anything. Until he attacks me, you can’t touch him.”
“This got serious really fast,” Kyoutani muttered. “Look, I have to get back to work. Are you gonna be alright?” Yahaba gave him a tense smile.
“I’m really sorry for bothering you.” Oikawa wrapped an arm around his shoulders, beaming.
“Don’t you worry, Kyoutani-kun, we shall make sure Yahaba-chan gets home safely!”
A week later, Kyoutani is called out to the front, Suga stealing his apron before he goes and chirping he’s on break. Just as he’s wondering whose complaining about his less than stellar communication skills, Yachi’s pushing him towards a table and he’s seated before a familiar brunet. Yahaba smiles lightly. “Fancy meeting you here.”
“Back again?”
“What can I saw? The company’s pleasant.” Yachi giggles and Kyoutani sends her a glare, but there’s no heat behind it. “Yachi-san, I’ll just have a water, thank you.”
“Sure thing, Yahaba-kun!” and she’s off. Through the window to the kitchen, he can see her bounce towards Suga, his superior patting her head and praising her.
“So.” Kyoutani begins, but doesn’t know where to go from there.
“So. Why am I back?” Kyoutani nods. “Ushiwaka isn’t following me, if you’re worried about that. This is me making it up to you~ I called ahead and told Sugawara-san what happened last week and he agreed to give you some time for this.” Kyoutani raised a brow, glancing back towards the kitchen. Suga, Yachi, and Nishinoya are peeking through the window now.
“So a date.”
“A real one.” Kyoutani tilts his head, arms crossed. “I-if that’s okay.” Yahaba looks down briefly before looking up through his bangs.
“Alright.” Yahaba presses his lips together, trying not to smile. “One condition.”
“S-sure!” Kyoutani jerks his chin behind the brunet, towards the couple in a booth. Yahaba raises a brow.
“You wanna get rid of Oikawa?” Yahaba whirls around so fast Kyoutani surprised he doesn’t hear something crack.
“Oikawa.”
“Y-yahaba-chan! M-my! What a surprise! Di-didn’t expect to see you here, ahahaah—Ow! Iwa-chan!” Yahaba’s near ready to start snarling when Iwaizumi drags the brunet out, nodding to Kyoutani before they disappear out of the front.
“And now that no one’s watching us, I accept.” Yahaba’s smile is breathtaking once more and Kyoutani swallows down the flutterings, willing his cheeks not to burn red. Not only would that be super embarrassing because he’s only seen the guy twice, but his co-workers are watching through the winow and he can just imagine the teasing he’s gonna get later tonight.