The Cat and the Crow

After leaving the train, they all walked out of the station as a group. It had been decided that they’d part ways here, instead of at Kuroo’s place, because they knew no one would want to go home. It was tough enough just to say goodbye now, at least on Kei’s part.

“It was great seeing you again, Tsuki,” Akaashi said as Bokuto went to hail a cab. “I hope you enjoyed your birthday surprises.”

“I did, thank you,” he replied quietly.

“AKAASHI!!” Bokuto yelled from where a cab had pulled over to him. “WE GOTTA GO!”

“Well, guess I’ve been summoned,” he said with a little smile. “Thanks for letting us tag along these last couple days. We’ll see you next weekend.” He bowed, and then turned to go.

“W-wait!” Kei said, reaching out to stop him. “I have something for you and Bokuto.”

He opened the bag from the Inari shrine, and pulled out a smaller cloth bag. Loosening the drawstring, he upended it, and four little charms tumbled into his hand. There were two tiny torii gates, and two tiny pagodas. He smiled shyly and held out his hand.

“Pick one for each of you. Thank you for celebrating my birthday with me.”

“Tsuki…” Akaashi carefully picked out a torii gate and pagoda. “You didn’t have to.”

Kei shrugged a little. “I wanted to. A little memento, I guess. Besides, a proper charm necklace needs more charms, don’t you think?”

“AKAASHI!!”

“Sorry. He hates saying goodbye, so… We’ll see you both next weekend. Thanks again!” Akaashi smiled at them both, and turned to run to Bokuto. Kei waved at them as they got in the cab and left.

“They really like you, you know,” Kuroo said.

Kei turned around and looked at him. They’d had a long, fun day, and he could tell his love was tired. It was in the way he stood: body slackened, hands in pockets, and his hair had fallen a bit. But his eyes… those dark honey eyes were heated, almost like molten gold. Kei was thoroughly captivated.

Kuroo started to take a step toward him, but Kei was already moving. He watched how those dark honey eyes widened and the flush that tinged his face. Kei smiled, biting his lower lip to keep from laughing. He took a deep breath and let it go.

“Don’t say it,” Kuroo warned.

Kei tried to look innocent. “Say what? I was only going to say I really like them, too.”

“Yeah. Right. Sure,” Kuroo replied, reaching out and grabbing his waist, pulling him closer. “You weren’t going to say I look bamboozled.”

Kei finally broke, his laughter gaining the attention of several passers-by. “I wasn’t! Truly! But thanks for confirming it.”

Kuroo retaliated by kissing him. So much so that Kei forgot where they were, and that they weren’t the only ones around.

“PDA much?”

“Get a room, already!”

Kei nearly leapt out of his skin, and broke the kiss. But Kuroo held on to him, glaring at the ones who’d yelled at them.

“Let’s just go home, okay?” he suggested quietly.

“No. They scared you, and interrupted a damn good kiss,” Kuroo growled. He was going to say something else, when it finally occurred to him what Kei had said.

“Home? To my place?”

“Where did you think I meant?”

“I just… I didn’t think you meant…”

“Be kinda rude of me to just pack up and leave for Ogawara now, don’t ya think?” he said playfully. “Oh, by the way…” he wriggled out of Kuroo’s grasp. “You’re looking quite…” he backed up as he spoke. “Bamboozled!”

“Tsuki! You little…”

They took off running in the direction of the nearest bus stop, laughing the entire way.

[Kuroo’s Surprise]

“Hey Kuroo!” Tsuki called from the kitchen. Kuroo had gone to the bedroom to get changed. “We forgot a few things! Can you go pick them up?”

Kuroo came back out, half-dressed. “I thought you said we had everything you needed.”

“Y-you’re out of mirin,” Kei stuttered, “And w-we forgot the mochi.”

Kuroo narrowed his eyes, and smiled wolfishly. “Are you sure you want me to go out? Right now?” His hands were on his hips, right above the waistline of the red boxers he wore.

Kei nodded frantically. As much as he wanted Kuroo to stay, there was something he had to do first, and that meant getting Kuroo out of the house.

“Please? I need mirin, ginger, and green onions for the dipping sauce. We forgot the mochi, and anything you might want for dessert.”

“I can think of one thing I want for dessert,” Kuroo replied, his eyes flashing. “Also breakfast, lunch, and dinner…”

“Kuroo?”

“Yeah?”

“Shut up.”

Kuroo chuckled, and he raised an eyebrow. “Payback for earlier,” he said with a wink. As he turned back, he called over his shoulder, “write down what you want me to get and I’ll go. After a quick, very cold, shower.”

Once Kuroo had left to go shopping, and Kei had most of their dinner prepped, he went to dig out the box of rings his mother gave him. Then, he retrieved the two gold necklaces he’d purchased at Gion, which he’d hidden in the bag he’d bought at the Inari shrine. He took the moonstone pendants off the necklaces, and replaced them with the rings. It didn’t take long, and he put the newly made necklaces back into the larger bag. The plan was to give Kuroo his necklace tomorrow before he had to leave. He just wasn’t sure when the right time would be.

Twenty minutes later, Kuroo came home with the stuff he’d been sent for, plus additional items for “dessert,” as he called it, wagging his eyebrows. Kei set the bag down on the counter and left it there.

“Incorrigible,” Kei said, shaking his head and smiling.

“No lies detected,” Kuroo responded with a wink. “Now, let’s get dinner ready and everything. I’m starving. In more ways than one.”

“Yeah, well, food first, okay?” Kei said quietly, turning back to grab something, anything to try and control his nerves. He expected an immediate response, but instead, the only sound was of the water boiling for their shabu-shabu.

Ready to turn around again, he took hold of a plate of vegetables and a plate of meat. But suddenly, two hands slid down his arms and guided his hands away from the plates. Kuroo had quietly come up behind him, and was now too close… and yet, not close enough. He gently turned Kei to face him, and his hands came up to frame his face.

“Are you sure?” he asked, his heated gaze capturing Kei.

Kei nodded, and then found his voice. “Yes,” he answered shakily.

“Because if you don’t want to… if you’re even the tiniest bit unsure…”

“Kuroo, stop, please.” Kei reached up and put his finger over Kuroo’s lips just long enough to stop him. “I want to. I’m nervous as hell, and shaking like a leaf, but I’m not unsure about anything. You can try to talk us out of it, but my answer will still be yes.”

Kuroo exhaled and put his forehead against Kei’s. “I don’t know what I did to deserve you, Tsuki.”

“It’s Kei, and probably the same thing I did to deserve you, Tetsuro.”

“Say it again,” Tetsuro said after a shaky sigh.

“Tetsuro.”

“I love you so much, Kei.”

“I love you, too.”

The kiss started tame, but grew more heated and passionate as it continued. Kei began to think that they might just skip dinner after all, but Tetsuro’ stomach had protested. Loudly. They dissolved into laughter.

“Food first,” Kei repeated, picking up the plates of veggies and meat, and putting them on the table.

“Food first,” Tetsuro agreed, helping him get it all set up.

They fed each other dinner, eating almost everything Kei had prepared. Then, they ate the dessert Tetsuro had brought home, surprising Kei for remembering how much he liked dango. Afterward, they cleaned up, and then Tetsuro took Kei's hand and led him to the bedroom.

Neither of them noticed the cloth bag that had fallen to the kitchen floor.

Neither of them emerged from the bedroom for the rest of the night.