Haikyuu Mafia AU: Alone (FINISHED)

Chapter V: A Crack in an Impenetrable Wall

"And when at last you find someone to whom you can feel you can pour out your soul, you stop in shock at the words you utter -- they are so rusty, so ugly, so meaningless and feeble from being kept in the small cramped dark inside you so long." (Sylvia Plath, The Unabridged Journals)

The following day, Y/N returned to her apartment after a long day of classes and was surprised to see a familiar figure sitting on her front steps, waiting for her.

"Took ya long enough, Chibi-chan." Kuroo remarked sarcastically as he made his way over to where Y/N stood.

"Chibi-chan? Are you calling me short? I'm sorry not everyone is a giant like you."

"Aweee you don't like it? I thought it was an endearing nickname, kinda cute if you ask me."

Y/N's gaze met his to find his eyes sparkling in mischief with a determined look in his eye-- a gaze that said Today, I'm not gonna lose. She pushed past Kuroo, unlocking the door and headed inside before he had the chance to see her become slightly flustered at his compliment. He held a new aura about him today, one that made Y/N subconsciously tighten her walls. 

"Not gonna invite me in? I see how it is." Kuroo followed Y/N into her apartment before shutting the door behind him. Looking around he saw a modestly furnished apartment with what seemed to be a full kitchen, a living room, and a few more rooms down the hall.

"You live here by yourself? Must be expensive to have a place like this so close to the university. I gotta say I'm jealous, sharing a small box with Yaku isn't the best living situation."

Kuroo sat down on the nearest couch while Y/N went into the kitchen to get some drinks. 

"Yaku?" she questioned as she handed Kuroo a beer and sat down on the couch next to him, taking a swig of her own beer.

"Ah, he's my roommate and one of my closest friends, though living in a small space like that gives us no privacy."

"Awe, you upset you can't bring any girls over with him being around? I'm sure that must be hard for a player like you."

Kuroo laughed and met Y'N's challenging gaze with his own playful one. "Oh is someone jealous? Don't worry, I don't have eyes for anyone other than you, Chibi-chan."

Y/N's cheeks flared up quickly at his use of her new apparent nickname. There was something about the way Kuroo's voice lowered in an octave when he said it that made her squirm no matter how hard she tried to ignore it.

"Tsk, you're so annoying. So any reason why you stopped by? If not, I got some homework to do so you could leave."

"Awe, don't be like that. I was so excited when you gave me your address last night, I just had to come and see you. I just wanna get to know you more.."

Something about the honesty in Kuroo's voice made her lower her guard a bit. His eyes were still locked onto hers, almost as if he was pleading with her...but for what exactly, she doesn't know. Y/N turned to face him as she changed her position so she was sitting cross legged on the couch.

"Well, what do you want to know?"

Kuroo mirrored her actions as he also sat cross legged and faced her. He pondered for a second before asking his first question.

"I'm curious how I've never seen a girl as beautiful as you around this town before. Where did you go to high school?"

Y/N shifted uncomfortably as he asked the question. She had never talked about herself to anyone, especially about her past, but there was something in Kuroo's eyes that made her feel comfortable.