Work Text:
If there was anything that truly irritated Kenma to no end, it was a weak Wi-Fi signal.
The teetering balance between uselessness to just barely working made his usual stoic expression sour, his eyebrows furrowing while his bottom lip caught between his teeth. It was even more bothersome when he was abroad for volleyball tournaments and conferences--he was currently attending the latter in America with his university's team. International services came with a hefty fee, so he relied on messaging apps like LINE to keep connected with his loved ones.
Kenma wondered if his mere desire to reach out to you before today's match was too much to ask.
When he woke up that morning, he--with his eyes groggy and his expression perturbed while Lev noisily prepared to head down to breakfast--instinctively reached for his phone to check for the time and any notifications. While wondering how his former Nekoma teammate ended up both at the same college and on the same volleyball team as him once more, he noticed that you had sent a couple messages. Rather than being shown a preview of what you said, the notifications just mentioned that you 'sent a new message,' something which he attributed to the hotel's shoddy Wi-Fi, as when he attempted to check his LINE app, your messages failed to load.
Kenma could already feel a deep sense of disdain well within him, the sluggish Wi-Fi inciting a frustration similar to when a server crashed during an online match. Though you two had been high school sweethearts and you were more than familiar with him leaving for volleyball-related reasons, it didn't mean that separation was any easier. You wanted to run your hands through his hair while being soothed by the gentle noise of his fingers tapping away at his Vita. He wanted to rest his head on your lap with his game in hand, quietly explaining the premise of whichever title he was playing.
After many attempts at either restarting his phone and switching the Wi-Fi on and off, Kenma felt the heat of determination flicker within him, akin to that of Hinata.
At the same time, Lev, having finally and successfully pulled up his uniform pants, turned to the door of his and Kenma's suite at the sound of knocking. After tripping and nearly crashing into the door, he twisted the knob to reveal Kuroo standing in the doorway.
Both their former and current captain, he lifted an eyebrow in greeting, having heard Lev's apparent struggle, "...And good morning to you too. Be more careful, would you?"
"No problem, captain!" Lev chirped while offering a salute.
Kuroo peeked around Lev, humming out, "Are you two done? We'll be heading out almost as soon as we finish breakfast."
"Oh, Kenma's still in his pajamas. He's in that mood," Lev laughed with amusement, standing aside to reveal the shortest of the three wandering aimlessly around the room, holding up his phone in a valiant attempt to connect.
Snickering at the sight, Kuroo was tempted to take a picture of this--a quick snap couldn't hurt--though being mindful of time, he remarked, "Oi Kenma, you millennial types sure are addicted to your phones, huh? This is why you're considered to be such a selfish generation."
He wasn't fazed by the pillow thrown his way, nor how the same pillow somehow smacked against Lev. Instead, he just chuckled at Kenma's subtle but notable annoyance. Of all people, he especially didn't need an explanation over the cause of his friend's mood. Though a smirk remained fixed on his face, his expression was more understanding, "You can talk to your precious darling, later~ Go shower and get ready to go. I'll be sure to save you a plate, though don't be mad if it's not all nice and hot." His eyes trailed over to Lev. "And no, you can't eat it on Kenma's behalf."
"Aww, but captain!" Lev whined while Kuroo took his leave, immediately trailing after, his complaints still audible even as the door closed behind them.
At last, Kenma's initial annoyance was released, even if it was just a little thanks to Kuroo. He glanced back at his phone and checked over his app once again.
Still nothing.
He sighed and reluctantly set his phone down. Ideally, he would've wanted to talk to you before the match. Regardless of time zones, it was more of a pleasant comfort to message you beforehand, something that could ease whatever worries he had before the conference.
There was no more time to spare however--he needed to prepare to leave soon. With his mind focusing on getting ready, he set his phone down, forgetting to shut it off as he gathered his uniform and other necessities.
As he stepped into the bathroom and began to shower, Kenma thought of you and of the upcoming match--how nice it would be to have you there to watch. It made him wonder how much different it would have been if you were with him right now, if he got to share the room with you instead of Lev. On that train of thought, his mind wandered to more idealized, tender situations between you both, though that was moreso out of how much he missed you.
Soon enough however, after keeping track of time, he finished his shower and stepped out of the bathroom. In the middle of drying his hair, his instincts had him look for and grab his phone. It was then that he realized that he had forgotten to switch the device off and that, at long last, your messages loaded.
His eyes widened while he felt a sense of relief wash over him that was far more satisfying than the shower he just exited.
Your messages were simple yet everything he could want. A cute picture of yourself just before you went to bed, paired with your words of "Time zones are horrible, but I just wanted to wish you good luck! You can do this Kenma!"
His face felt warm as did his chest. Knowing that your encouragement was just for him felt so good. Though you were dating, he couldn't help but wonder how such a simple message could give him so much pleasure--how he was so lucky to have you to always cheer him on, even with the distance currently separating the two of you.
While volleyball was fun and all, his passion for the game wasn't as fiery or intense as Hinata's. Winning and losing wasn't balanced on the extremes of joyous bliss and heart-wrenching disappointment. Still, he would do his best, as expected of his team mates, himself, and you.
As he found taking a picture of himself, with his hair was still wet and uncombed, to be too risqué, a small smile made its way to his face as he typed in response,
"I'll be sure to have something nice for you to wake up to."