The Cat and the Crow

“The house is yours for the night. We’ll see you late tomorrow morning. Dinner is warming in the kitchen. Congratulations, you two! Love you both!”

“Did you…” Kei started to ask, but when he looked at Tetsu, he knew it was a surprise for him as well. “Guess not.”

“I can’t say that the idea didn’t cross my mind, but I never thought…” he gently took the paper from Kei. “You think maybe it was…?”

“Well, that is mom’s handwriting, so yeah. Probably her idea.”

Once Kei opened the door, they headed for the kitchen. Neither of them had eaten much after breakfast, although that might have also been by design. Kei went directly to the little oven, turned it off, and opened it. Inside, on a large serving platter covered in foil, was a pile of fried chicken. Tetsu found a second note, and went to get the rest of dinner from the fridge. There was shrimp gratin, and a tiramisu cake, too. But mom had also made a salad of pickled veggies to go with, and Kei was starting up the rice cooker.

“It’s almost too much,” Kei said quietly as he took in the sight of all the food, once everything was set out on the table.

“I mean, whatever’s leftover can be part of breakfast, right?”

Kei looked up at Tetsu. The expression on his face, and the heated look in his eyes, said that food was not high on his list of priorities. In fact, it looked as if food wasn’t what he intended to devour at all. Kei felt himself flush, and Tetsu’s eyes and smile looked damned near predatory.

And then, the mood was rudely interrupted by a growling stomach.

“We gotta eat something,” Kei said, laughing. “We haven’t eaten since breakfast.”

“Right. Food first,” Tetsu replied slowly. His voice was practically a growl.

It turned out that they were hungrier than they thought, eating most of what was on the table. Yet, interspersed throughout the meal, they teased each other mercilessly with kisses and caresses. It was a wonder they didn’t create a mess. Not that they would have cared, because Tetsu’s next kiss, just under Kei’s ear, with a little nibble on the lobe, sent a shiver so violently through him that he declared dinner over, grabbed Tetsu’s hand, and nearly dragged him to their bedroom.

“I win,” Tetsu growled against the back of Kei’s neck, running his hands up under his shirt as he was taking it off. The cool metal of Tetsu’s ring against his heated skin felt like ice.

“You think so, huh?” Kei replied, flipping the script and taking control. Tetsu lost all ability to think straight as Kei used his hands, mouth, and body to drive him insane. Kei then delivered the ‘killing blow’: he kissed just under Tetsu’s ear, and nibbled on the lobe, which is what started everything in the first place.

They toppled over onto the bed, Kei landing on top of Tetsu. He moved so that their faces were but a breath apart, and he was straddling his hips.

“I win,” Kei panted.

“You win,” Tetsu repeated, caressing Kei’s back, making him arch like a cat. “You’ve won my heart, my body, and my soul, and all you had to do was walk into the gym that day.” He wrapped his arms tightly around Kei and turned so that he was on top. “I love being yours.”

Kei was speechless, but before he could formulate any sort of reply, Tetsu claimed his mouth. Kei reached up and gently laid his left hand on Tetsu’s face, letting the cool metal work its magic. Tetsu shivered as he trailed his hand back, over his ear, and tangled his fingers through his messy dark hair.

“You don’t have to say anything,” he whispered to Kei when they came up for air. “Everything is in your eyes. Did you know that? You speak with your eyes. I’m the one who talks. Sometimes incessantly.”

“I love your voice,” Kei said softly. “It was your voice that captured my attention, you know. I’m happy just listening to you talk, and you don’t even have to be in the same room.”

Tetsu looked amazed. And then, he blushed, his expression turning sheepish. “And when you say things like that, I’m just putty in your hands.”

“Putty, huh?” Kei smirked. “So if I did this…” and he proceeded to run his hands along Tetsu’s body, acting like a sculptor would with a piece of clay.

Tetsu practically purred, and then he growled. “If you’re trying to make me…”

“Who said I was trying?”

“I love you.”

“I love you, too.”

From that point forward, neither one had the ability to speak.

Several hours later, Kei woke up alone, and wondered where Tetsu had gone off to. He sat up slowly, rubbing the sleep from his eyes, when he heard a clinking noise, and a muffled swear. Tetsu was in the kitchen, apparently. Grabbing a pair of shorts, he quickly put them on and then made his way to the kitchen. He found Tetsu similarly dressed, in the midst of clearing up what was left of their dinner, and washing the dishes. He stood leaning in the doorway, just watching his fiance (his heart sped up just thinking they were newly engaged) move.

“Shall I dance, too?” the deep, rough voice, suddenly said into the silence.

Kei laughed. “Can you?” he asked, genuinely curious. He’d seen Bokuto dance, albeit rather ridiculously. Akaashi claimed he had two left feet when it came to dancing; skating was easier. As far as himself, well, he could at least keep the beat, so there was that.

Tetsuro shrugged. “I’ve been told I’m pretty good.” He finished washing a dish and put it on the rack to dry. Then, he turned and smirked at Kei. “I move better with music,” he said seductively, with a slow wink.

Kei perked an eyebrow. “Do you now? Maybe we should put that to the test.”

They stared heatedly at each other for a few minutes before Kei broke contact. He moved to sit at the table, eyeing what was left of the chicken and tiramisu cake. Tetsu turned back around to finish the dishes, and Kei’s eyes drifted over the marks he’d left on Tetsu’s back. They hadn’t exactly been gentle with each other. Dragging his eyes away, he picked up a chicken leg and started picking off pieces and popping them in his mouth. An idea started in his head about shredding the chicken meat, adding a sauce, and then making onigiri with it, when Tetsu spoke up.

“I’ve been thinking.”

“That could be dangerous,” Kei said automatically.

Tetsu snorted and laughed. “Depends on the thoughts, really.” He finished the dishes, reached for a towel to dry his hands, and then sat down next to Kei. He didn’t say anything at first, but then he reached for Kei’s hand and held it. “I’m graduating in March, and thought about moving here. What do you think?”

“Well, I can’t deny that I love that idea,” Kei answered carefully.

“I can hear the ‘but…’ there,” Tetsu said a bit teasingly.

“But what about college? And didn’t you once say you wanted to work for the JVA?”

“I can transfer up to a school in Sendai, so that wouldn’t be an issue. I just need to find out if the JVA has ancillary offices.” There was a long pause, and Tetsu weaved his fingers through Kei’s. “There’s another option, but I’m not sure you’d like it.”

“What? Why not?”

“It would require you to move to Tokyo.”

“Oh.” Kei turned so that he could look Tetsu in the eye. “I have to admit that Tokyo is too big, too intimidating, for my tastes. But, being anywhere without you is much worse. If that means I have to move to Tokyo, then I’ll do it. I mean, it’s only fair. You’re willing to give up living there to move here, and Ogawara isn't that big a deal.”

Tetsu leaned forward and kissed him heatedly. “Ogawara is where you are, and that’s where I want to be.”

Kei smiled. “Okay, so where we’ll live is up in the air, for the moment.”

“Chance ball,” Tetsu said with a grin.

“Chance ball.” Kei chuckled. “What’s this other option?”

“Taking over as head coach for Nekoma when Coach Nekomata retires.”

“What will you do until then?”

“Assistant Coach. Learning the ropes, and helping with recruiting. He said the job is mine, I just have to accept it.”

“Well, why haven’t you?”

Tetsuro looked pained. Kei knew what he was going to say.

“Kenma,” they said at the same time.

After a short silence, Tetsu spoke quietly. “We have until after Nationals to see if he actually makes good on retiring from the team. If he does, I can accept the position.”

“And if he doesn’t?”

“I don’t know,” Tetsu replied. “Coach knows the situation with Kenma, and said he’d hold the job open until after he graduates, or transfers to another school.”

“Sounds like Coach Nekomata really wants you to be Nekoma’s next coach badly enough that he’s willing to wait.”

“It also sounds like you agree with him.”

“It would be a better fit for you, to be honest,” Kei told him with a little shrug. “You love volleyball, you’re a decent strategist, and you’re really good at mentoring. You’d be doing all that, and more, as a coach.” He leaned back and reached over to cut a slice of the tiramisu cake. “Ultimately, though, it’s your decision to make. Head Coach for Nekoma High, or working for the JVA.”

Tetsu looked thoughtful, even as his smoldering gaze watched as Kei took a bite of the cake. Suddenly, he was moving, picking up the plate of cake and grabbing Kei’s hand. They were back in the bedroom before Kei could even think straight, and Tetsu smirked as he started a playlist, and proceeded to prove he did indeed move better with music.