————
V A L E N T I N E ' S D A Y
tetsurō kuroo
w a r n i n g s : none
c a t e g o r y : fluff
————
It was no secret; the boy's volleyball club had the most attractive captain of any sports club at school. Not a day went by that you didn't hear a group of girls giggling silly remarks about him or sharing their fantasies with a blush so heavy across their cheeks. Thus Valentine's Day at Nekoma wasn't just a holiday, it was an annual war-zone.
That morning, you arrived earlier than normal to beat the crowds with something that threatened to burn a hole right through your bag as you entered the gates. Never had you taken part in a day like today, but that made you all the more antsy as if you were armed with a single grenade in a sea of veteran snipers. You were terrified, but excited and overthinking just how you'd manage to find the perfect moment to catch him alone. Kuroo, Tesuro; he was someone you could speak to casually, but not someone to be enraptured by your charm, you thought.
A lost cause, as a stranger would describe your situation from the outside, but there were occasions you and Kuroo had crossed paths spontaneously. Situations that led to small conversation, then all of a sudden time would be thrown out the window and forgotten about; the two of you were immersed in topics that ranged from biology to ideal vacation spots, and more. It was easy to talk to Kuroo, and even easier to fall for him. That was the person you were fascinated by, not the impassioned sports captain, but the secretly goofy nerd who just wanted to escape to the ocean someday and relax for once.
Patiently waiting behind the shoe cubbies, arriving early didn't seem to give you an advantage; an entire swarm of girls were already crowding the scene. Like panthers, they attacked once the main target came into view.
"Kuroo, I made these for you!"
"For Valentine's Day Kuroo, please go out with me!"
"Promise me you necktie at graduation Kuroo!"
Lecherous with voices so shrill the girls screeched like nails being dragged along a chalkboard. It was a wonder just how Kuroo could keep a polite smile as he pushed his way through the crowd, expertly avoiding all their gifts. Beside him, absolutely having none of the excitement, Kenma appeared in physical pain as Kuroo casually said, "It's that day of the year again hmm?"
You couldn't handle much more and soon the crowd would suffocate you, you went back to your homeroom, gift in hand only to be tucked stealthily back into your bag where it would remain for an unknown amount of time. Perhaps another moment would present itself.
Today was the only day of the year when being in different homerooms felt like a blessing; there were no bubbling girls loitering about to dampen your mood and a notable lack of volleyball captains with copious amounts of chocolate.
"Hey, you okay? You're smiling at nothing."
Snapping you from your drifting thoughts, a hand waved in front of your face, your friend gazed at you cautiously. What an embarrassing time to be caught staring off into space with a grin plastered suspiciously on your face. Quickly, you tried to brush it off, "I'm great! Never better, just thinking how beautiful the weather is today and that we won't have to walk home in the cold!"
It was a drearily cloudy day outside with temperatures that felt colder than normal because of it.
Your friend stole a glance outside, then back to you even more unnerved and one comment away from sending you to the nurse for a check-in. She nodded and walked away without saying much else. A blessing that she didn't press further into your strange behavior. Now more than ever you were determined to get rid of the chocolates in your bag, you didn't care how or when, but just their presence messed with your ability to think straight.
The morning classes dragged abnormally slow and the lunch bell was like a reprieve sent from heaven. You wasted no time and grabbed the package from your bag for the second time that day and rushed out of the classroom so fast, heads turned. It was a race, against you and the other girls who would surely be heading in the same direction very soon.
The cafeteria would be too obvious, you avoided it. You would have to corner him as soon as he left his homeroom. The distance was short but fighting against the trickling streams of people slowed you down. It was just one more corner but the sounds of laughter and girlish cries in the distance told you that you were too late.
You poked only your head around to check. As you suspected, more than a head taller than the girls crowding him, Kuroo smiled but shook his head; the girls all appeared disappointed.
"It's only chocolates, why won't you accept them?!"
"You can throw it away after I give it to you, just take it!"
Distressed, the girls pleaded even more and Kuroo could only offer an apologetic smile as he looked over the crowd for a way to leave, "I'm really sorry. I do appreciate and acknowledge your efforts in wanting to give me chocolates. However, there's a girl I like and it wouldn't look good on my part if I accepted chocolates frivolously without receiving any from her."
He had someone he liked. The realization made your body go stiff, frozen in time and in place unable to move a single muscle from your spying angle around the corner.
The girls became furious, not with Kuroo.
"What a bitch! Why hasn't she given you chocolates yet?!"
"If she doesn't give you chocolates it's definitely her loss! She's an idiot."
Your body moved, but not of your own volition, it just became too heavy to stand. Against the wall, you sunk to the floor, cradling the package in your lap with your knees to your chest as you stared, fixated on a spot on the floor. The crowds had dispersed; the angry girls stomped past you and watched their feet go in every direction. Occasionally you heard snippets of their conversations, but you weren't processing much of the moment after that startling blow to your confidence.
"What are you doing here?"
You would never miss that voice. Immediately, your head snapped up and there you gazed into the very eyes you had been begging to meet all day. Kuroo gave you a puzzled look, crouched beside you with an arm resting against the wall above your head. The chocolates in your lap suddenly burned like a fire blazing out of control that threatened to consume you if you didn't do something about it.
You panicked, "Sorry, excuse me!" Never had you gotten so fast to your feet and ran down the hall. Kuroo didn't chase after you and didn't bother to look over your shoulder.
The only solace would be in your homeroom where you violently slammed the sliding door shut behind you, startling all inside and giving you nasty looks that followed you the entire way to your seat where you stuffed the chocolates deep down into your bag and you vowed that they would never see the light of day again.
The thought of Kuroo having a girl he liked wasn't anything astonishing, it was natural for someone as charismatic as him, you reasoned. But natural didn't make it any less painful, in fact it hurt more to have not considered such a normal possibility. When the final bell rang, it felt like a sigh of relief; the day was over. For someone excited to leave, you packed your bag dramatically slow and sloppy.
The sound of knocking against your desk made you look up, it was your friend with her bag already across her shoulder, "Sorry, I don't think we can walk home together today. My mom needs me really urgently and I've gotta run. I'll see you tomorrow."
She headed out and you flashed her a smile and wave. It was for the best, you thought, to walk home alone you could go at your pace, meander aimlessly until you felt the shock wear off completely and you could begin tomorrow anew. Your eyes flitted towards your bag on its hook beside your desk and carelessly tossed in books, most likely the chocolates would be broken at the bottom. Not that it mattered, the state of the chocolates, but at least it accurately reflected the day.
It was time to leave, the pity party could continue all the way home, it didn't have to be contained just to your homeroom. Tossing your bag over your shoulder, you trudged through the hallways slowly, effortlessly fighting against no one to leave. Unlike this morning, the squealing girls must have all gone home to throw themselves pity parties of their own, just like you would do. With all the time that's passed, Kuroo had most likely gone home by now too; it would be the best outcome.
You swapped your shoes at the entrance and slowly walked down the main road to exit the campus. There wasn't a need to pay attention to where your feet would take you, home or around town, it didn't matter. All you wanted was to leave this place.
"Oi!"
It sounded distant, someone yelling, but it happened again and they called your name. Once the voice registered in your mind, you froze immediately. Your eyes went wide and you didn't want to believe it, but at your side he had caught up to you with no issue.
"I was waiting for you," Kuroo said from beside you, "you sure take a long time to leave school. You must really love it here or something." He joked.
You looked up at him, he wore that friendly expression you found yourself staring at on occasion multiple times before, but now it felt disheartening. You swallowed, "On the contrary," you began stiffly, "I don't." It was clear from your tone that you were upset. You didn't hide it. "So did you ever get chocolates from the girl you like?"
It was so straightforward, Kuroo took a moment to think back as to why the conversation would take such a turn. Then he remembered finding you in the hallway. He chuckled, amused to see this is how you'd react, "Is that what this is about? Your little jealousy flare?" He teased playfully.
You bit the inner part of your cheek, the things you wanted to spit from, as Kuroo correctly guessed, jealousy were awful and unlike you. Kuroo's smile never left his lips as he took a step closer to you with a heaving sigh, "Well if that's what you're concerned about then the answer is unfortunately no. She hasn't given me chocolates yet, sadly."
You weren't sure why but that comment was the last straw of your self restraint; he seemed so dejected and he had the nerve to toy with you. You dug through your bag sending books falling to the ground in your haste to find the bane of your existence; the thoroughly crushed package of chocolates, wrinkled and unpresentable. You didn't hand it to Kuroo gracefully, like how you imagined you would that morning, you threw the package at him, beamed it at him more likely.
Kuroo caught the package and held it against his chest as you yelled, "Just throw those away for me! I don't care if you're not accepting chocolates and I'm not jealous!"
You dove to the ground to collect your scattered belongings. Even though you tried not to pay attention to him, it was impossible to not notice him crouch with you on the ground. He stilled your frantic grabbing with a hand over yours when you reached for a notebook with pages flapping in the breeze. It was a touch that forced your eyes to meet his, to see him looking at you so warmly, "But now I have."
You flicked his hand away, "What," you said with an irritated expression, fishing the notebook into your lap along with the rest of your scattered belongings.
Kuroo held up the crumpled package, "I just received chocolates from the girl I like so I'll actually be keeping these if you don't mind. Thank you."
The thought that Kuroo would be speaking those words in relation to you, you couldn't fathom it and thought this must've just been another one of his lighthearted jokes to considerately take the edge off an awkward moment. You weren't about to be fooled by his charitable kindness, "Don't mess with me like that Kuroo. I need to go home." It was a weak excuse but one that would allow for a quick exit.
As you were about to stand, Kuroo reached for your wrist and gently tugged you towards him. Off balance, you stumbled and spilled your carefully collected things back on the ground. That wasn't all, you found yourself on the ground too, but in Kuroo's lap of all places. His arms had snaked around your waist, steadying you against him as he put his chin on your shoulder from behind. Sweetly, in a voice warm and mellifluous as honey, he spoke quietly in a low tone by your ear, "I don't know how much clearer I can be, but I like you. And if you still don't understand after all of this there's always one more thing I can try."
Your entire face burned brightly as his words seemed to travel from your ear down your spine like an electric current, zealously finding every corner of your body to ignite into flames. You heard Kuroo snicker, surely he must be looking at your expression. Straight ahead was the only safe place you could look, "I like you too," you whispered to the air.
Kuroo held you tighter, sitting up straight, "Unlike you, I understood that much a long time ago. Let's go." He helped you to your feet and in collecting your belongings for a second time.
"Go where," you asked once everything had been put inside your bag.
"You said you needed to go home, I'll walk with you." He held out his hand for you to take, and you did so shyly.
The war had subsided and the sun had come out after all. It was indeed a beautiful day.