"Y/N?" Azumane groggily rubs his eyes when he greets you at his front door. You notice his loose tie and sloppy dress shirt that covers his chest. The dark circles under his eyes are alarming. With the two of you busy with your own projects, you only cross paths in greetings at the office.
You decide to drop by to visit him after leaving Kuroo's place. Seeing Kozume and Kuroo together made you miss Azumane.
Extending your hand towards Azumane's face, you gently stroke under his eyes. "Have you been pulling all nighters?"
Azumane startles awake from your gentle touch. He blinks several times, clearing his throat. "N-No."
Narrowing your eyes on his face, Azumane falters a bit. He quickly dodges your stare, forcing his eyes down to the floor beneath his feet. You gently nudge yourself inside, slipping past him. Azumane silently closes the door behind you.
"What brings you here at this hour?" Azumane notices Y/N still in her formal attire. "Did you just get off work?"
Nodding your head, you raise the bag Azumane hasn't noticed yet. "I brought your favorite." You smile from ear to ear. Azumane's face brightens and he tugs you over to the dining table after you take your heels off, eager to eat. He's forgotten how hungry he is until Y/N's mentioned food.
You snicker when you see Azumane's bright eyed expression. He sits patiently while you take a hot container out of the bag. You lift the lid off of the container, revealing Azumane's favorite meal.
Tonkotsu ramen.
He claps his hands together and thanks you for the food, accepting the chopsticks you extend to him. He's too eager to eat and completely ignores the spoon you extend out to him. Shaking your head with a smile, you place the spoon in his bowl.
You prop your elbow on the table and rest your cheek in your palm. A feeling of peace comforts you when you watch Azumane happily enjoy his meal.
The silence from you catches his attention. He slows his chewing and notices that you're not eating. Swallowing what's in his mouth, he lowers his chopsticks to speak up. "Are you not eating?"
"I only bought the ramen for you, Asahi." A giggle escapes your lips when you watch his expression fall. He twirls some ramen into the spoon and extends it to you.
"Here, eat. I'm sure you're hungry too."
Shaking your head, you urge him to enjoy his food. Azumane purses his lips, unsure if she's being genuine about not wanting to eat the ramen. After the silent stare down, Azumane gives in and continues to eat.
"You still didn't answer my question. Is something on your mind? Your surprise visits usually happen if you're bothered." Azumane sips on the broth, his eyes focused on you.
Shyly lowering your eyes down to the table, you twirl the end of your hair around your finger.
"I just missed you. That's all." You speak in a hush whisper. You're unsure if Azumane even heard you with how soft you spoke.
But, it's Azumane that you're talking about. He easily notices the smallest changes in you.
The corners of his lips pull into a smile. His chest is warm and it's not from the ramen.
Azumane pushes his bowl away. He extends a hand towards Y/N and delicately strokes the side of her head. "It makes me happy to hear you say that. I missed you too Y/N."
You return Azumane's smile with your own. "Being around Kenma and Kuroo doesn't fill that empty space?" Azumane pulls his hand away, raising his eyebrows with a playful smile.
You groan at the thought of Kuroo. Scrunching your nose, you cross your arms and lean back in your seat. Azumane returns to his ramen with a soft chuckle from your irritation. "Tetsurō is trying his best to win me over. But I wish he approached it in a different manner." Murmuring under your breath, your words trail off.
"He also mentioned you." Your eyes slowly travel across the table to Azumane. He looks puzzled with a raised eyebrow and a mouth full of ramen. "Something about looking at him the same way I look at you?"
Azumane chokes and coughs the moment he hears you. You quickly get up to rush over to his fridge to grab anything for him to consume. Twisting the cap of a water bottle off, you hurry back to Azumane who's slapping his chest. He swigs the bottle of water in one go, red in the face. "H-He what?"
"Apparently I look at you in a way that makes him want the same attention." You explain Kuroo's words in simpler terms.
"I guess he doesn't like those cruel eyes you would shoot at him often?" Azumane thinks on the statement, his coughing fiasco now subsiding. You shrug in response.
Of course you wouldn't look at Kuroo with such kind eyes. Ten years have past and the damage he's left behind wouldn't be easily replaced in the course of a month.
Azumane presses a finger between your knit brows. Your face relaxes when you make eye contact. Azumane's dark brown eyes easily comforts you no matter what negative mood you are in.
"I'd like to be selfish and say that I want you to look at me that way and me alone." Azumane pauses before he let's out a dragged out exhale. "But, I know that's impossible..." Shrugging his shoulders, he ruffles your hair with one hand. "Didn't you say you would give Kuroo a chance? Your walls seem pretty blocked off for him still."
Pursing your lips, you shrug in response. "I'm just scared still. If I do let him back in, would the two of us pick up where we left off? Or is this just the honeymoon phase where it's exciting to rekindle lost time but he'll revert back to his past self. The past self that is afraid of commitment."
"Well...you wouldn't know the results unless you try Y/N." Azumane replies when he notices you've grown silent. A troubled expression paints on your face. "Are you also implying that you wouldn't mind dating Kuroo again too?"
You raise your eyes away from the table and flick them over to Azumane. He wears a small smile. One that's of sadness but still full of support.
"I..."
What do you plan to say?
You don't know the answer to Azumane's question.
"Sorry, I shouldn't have asked that." Azumane backtracks on his words. He pulls his hand back to his side and a silence looms over the conversation. It's been years since the two of you shared an awkward silence. You try to come up with anything to say but you come out empty-handed.
Azumane is someone who likes you.
He's confessed his feelings to you already. The two of you even made a pact to get married if the two of you are still single by the age of 30.
Your heart should flutter at something like this.
But why does it stay unwavering?
The thought brings out a deep sadness within you.
Azumane deserves the entire universe and then some. But you don't believe you're the person who can provide him that very thing.
Because in all honesty...you are just afraid to fall back in love with Tetsurō.
That man will easily have you wrapped around his finger if you do lower your guard for him.
Falling in love is just as scary as a heartbreak.