How We Began

The scent of coffee, and a shaft of light, infiltrated his senses and Tsuki slowly opened one eye. Kuroo was seated at the table, his laptop open, and he was sipping from a mug of steaming hot coffee. Tsuki opened his other eye, and just gazed at his lover, enjoying the way the light hit his messy dark hair, his warm honey-toned skin, and the way he was focused on whatever it was he was doing.

“Keep staring at me, and I’ll assume you’re issuing a challenge,” Kuroo said without looking over at him. But his lips tilted into a smile.
“Challenge, huh? And what sort of challenge would you assume I’m issuing?”

The coffee mug was slowly lowered to the table. The laptop was gently closed. Kuroo turned just enough to look at him fully, his head lowered just a bit, and the expression on his face was pure mischief. And desire.

“The challenge of whether I want to keep you in bed, or have you out of it,” he replied, his voice heavy with innuendo.

Tsuki slowly eased himself up so that he was propped up on one arm, his head in his hand, and draped the other across his hip. The quilt had slipped down while they slept, so it just barely covered his lower half. Especially since he had one leg sticking out already.

“Oh, yeah? Sounds like you have quite the decision to make.”
“At the moment, you’re kinda making it real easy.”
“Kinda?” He moved so that he was resting on his elbows. The quilt inched lower. “How ‘bout now?”
“We’ve gone from challenge to dare,” Kuroo said quietly, slowly rising to his feet, and prowling his way to the bed.

Tsuki stretched his foot out and tucked his toes under the leg elastic of Kuroo’s underwear, slowly inching them inward. Not once did he look away from Kuroo.

“I dare you to… show me everything you know,” he said, with a smirk and lifted eyebrow, his toes brushing against Kuroo’s hardness.

Kuroo didn’t need to be told twice.

He knelt on the bed, between Tsuki’s legs, and crawled up to kiss him deeply. Then, moved down to his neck, where he left another mark, next to the one from yesterday. And he moved down further, using his hands, mouth, and teeth, to drive Tsuki insane with need. By the time Kuroo reached his goal, Tsuki was equally demanding and pleading with him to hurry and put him out of his misery. Kuroo looked up at him, face flushed, eyes burning with his own need, and smiled.

Kuroo didn’t need to be told twice.

Later, they were both at the table, eating a late lunch delivered from the falafel place they liked. Kuroo used his laptop to cast an anime to the TV and they watched as many episodes as they could stand.

They finally used the hot tub, and Kuroo dared Tsuki to “show him everything” he knew. Which he did, renewing marks and giving new ones, and breathlessly laughing when Kuroo’s eyes rolled back in his head. When he focused on Tsuki again, he smirked and said something about returning the favor.

Deciding it’d be best if they shower separately, for now, Tsuki went first, and sat at the table while waiting for Kuroo to finish. He ordered dinner from an American-style restaurant, wanting something different for a change. They were both starving, and not just for each other. As he waited, he pulled out his phone and started scrolling through his gallery, smiling at all the pictures he’d taken. It was true that many of his pics of Kuroo were with funny faces and poses, but there were several more that were actually really good. He’d need to load these up on his laptop once he got home.

Home. Despite Aki’s advice, he did have to go back to the shop. There were several things he’d need before he left Tokyo.

Shit. He just had to think of that now. Now, when he was spending what was left of their vacation with the man he loved. The man he’d be leaving tomorrow. Suddenly, he wasn’t as hungry anymore. In fact, he thought he might get sick if he ate anything.

Resigned to the mood shift, he looked around and found his jacket. In the pocket, he dug out the envelope his brother had given him.

To anyone else, or anyone not looking properly, they wouldn’t see the tiny numbers in the lower right corner. Aki was right; it was in Mom’s handwriting, so the letter was from her. He wondered what she could be writing to him about, or what sort of information she was giving him. The last letter he got from her was a few years ago, and nothing really of note.

Shrugging, he carefully ripped open the left side of the envelope and took out the letter. It was written using a combination of two older codes; the three of them had come up with them about a year after moving to the compound, when they began to realize things weren’t what they seemed.

Deciphering the letter took a little time, due to the fact that years had passed since they’d used this particular code, but he adjusted quickly and read the letter.

He was almost finished when Kuroo stepped into the room, towel slung low on his waist, and another towel draped haphazardly over his head. Tsuki tried to put the letter away, but Kuroo reached down and slipped it from his fingers. Terrific. He waited while Kuroo looked over the letter. Waited for the questions that would come.

“This is what your brother gave you?”
“Yeah.”
“Is this some sort of code?”
“Yeah.”
“How come?”
“Mom wanted to send me some news, that’s all.”
“If she wanted to do that, then why put it in code?”

Tsuki knew at this point, he’d have to explain enough to try and staunch the flow of questions. Even as he thought that, he desperately wanted to tell Kuroo everything, too. If Kuroo knew what getting involved with him could mean for both of them, he might decide to break things off between them. And while that would hurt (it would hurt like hell), it would be for the best. For Kuroo, at least.

“My past caught up with me,” he muttered, reaching up to take the letter back. “She wrote it in an older code, but it’s one I remember.”

Tsuki felt it when Kuroo sat down beside him. Neither said anything, but Kuroo leaned forward to rest his head on Tsuki’s shoulder.

“I was wondering if you’d say anything, Moonshine,” Kuroo said quietly.
“I wasn’t planning on it, to be honest,” he admitted, smiling a bit at the use of his new nickname. “There’s way too much to try to explain, and even if I could, it’s a lot to take in.”
Kuroo sighed. “You don’t have to tell me…”
“I know,” Tsuki replied, chuckling a little when Kuroo’s head snapped up. He reached for Kuroo’s hand, weaving their fingers together. “I’ll explain what I can, okay?”
“Okay.”
“Like I said a minute ago, my past caught up with me. Akiteru showing up here was actually a good thing, as much as it galls me to say it.”
“How was it a good thing?”
“Just his being here is a warning to me that my grandmother has discovered my whereabouts.”
“Your… grandmother…”
“My grandmother, matriarch of the Tsukishima family, wants me dead.”

Kuroo stared at Tsuki, not even remotely sure what to say to that. He simply stared, looking at his love’s face, noting that Tsuki looked like this was something he’d lived with for a long time. He somehow looked both resigned and determined at the same time, too.

“She wants you… dead…”
“Yeah.”
“Okay. Why?”
“She disapproves of my… lifestyle. It brings shame to the Tsukishima name, according to her. Grandmother is of the opinion that I’m a disgrace, and that ‘my kind’ should not exist.”
“Moonshine…”
“I was allowed to at least graduate high school, but by then, it was obvious she no longer considered me part of the family,” Tsuki said. “After graduation, I was forced to leave my home, and told that I had to leave the prefecture or face the consequences.”
“But for her to want you dead…”
“That came later. She decided that living far away wasn’t enough. As long as I was alive, I could still bring shame to the family.”
Kuroo’s hold on his hand tightened. “So, how does your mom and brother fit in?”
“Aki is the heir apparent. My dad should be, but he’s been missing for longer than a decade, so Grandmother had him declared dead. A few years after Aki was made the heir, he started acting according to her wishes, and doing everything she told him to do. He didn’t even try to stop her when she banished me.”
“And your mom?”
“Grandmother doesn’t trust her. Not since she found out mom was tipping me off about the men Grandmother sent to kill me. Mom’s under constant surveillance.”

Kuroo took a deep breath, and let it out, trying to take it all in. He knew there was a lot more to this story than Tsuki was telling him, but that could wait til later. There was something bothering him that he needed to ask about, and he tried to gather his thoughts. Tugging gently on Tsuki’s hand, he pulled him into his arms.

“You said Akiteru being here was a warning that your grandmother knows where you are. Did he mean here?”
“No, Tokyo. Specifically, Nerima ward. She knows about my bookshop, too.”
“Did she also send…”
“Aki says she sent men after he left, so he lost them around Wakkanai. I have what’s left of today and tomorrow until they either come here, or wait for me back in Tokyo. And that’s assuming she didn’t send anyone else in the opposite direction.”
“Tsuki, I need you to answer truthfully,” Kuroo started, his voice firm.
“I’ve never once lied to you,” Tsuki replied, feeling a little offended. He started to lean forward, to turn around and look at him, but Kuroo held tighter.
“I didn’t mean it like that, Moonshine. Please, tell me something.”
“What?”
“Are you planning on leaving Tokyo? Leaving me?”

By his silence, Kuroo knew that leaving was exactly what Tsuki was going to do. He had to admit, it stung to know the man he loved was going to leave without saying anything. But he could understand why.

“I have to,” Tsuki almost whispered. “I can’t stay. I especially can’t let them find out about you.”
“Akiteru knows about me. If what you’ve told me about him is right, then they’ll know about me soon enough.”
“Damn it.”
“When will you come back?”
“I don’t know. I’ve never been able to go back anywhere a second time.”
“Why?”
“I’m not willing to take the chance that one of her goons would be left as permanent surveillance.”
“Tsuki, how long have you been doing this?”
“Ten years.”
“Dear god.”
“Yeah. And it’s getting harder to keep going. Not just because of funds, but because I’m just… tired of running,” he sounded defeated.

This time, Kuroo pushed Tsuki enough so that he could turn him around. With both hands, he gently cradled Tsuki’s face. The defeat he heard was echoed in his eyes, as well as pain and suffering. They might’ve only known each other for two and a half weeks, but he knew they loved each other, and he knew without a shadow of a doubt that he never wanted Tsuki looking like this again.

“Let me help you,” he said.
“No! I can’t!” Tsuki replied, now also looking frightened. “You’re already more involved than I wanted you to be. If you were hurt, or even killed…”
“Tsuki, listen to me. We can come up with something to keep us both safe and alive. I’m not suggesting going with you, although that idea is worth exploring if need be.”
Tsuki tried to pull Kuroo’s hands away, but ended up just grasping his wrists. “But Kuroo…”
“Okay, first, my name is Tetsuro. I think we’ve moved well past using last names, don’t you?”
Tsuki nodded. “Tetsuro,” He was diverted enough to say his name with a tiny smile attached. “May I call you Tetsu?”
“Of course! I’d actually like that, to be honest.”
“My name is Kei, but I’m using Tsuki, at least until this is all over. If it’s ever over.”
“May I call you Kei in private?”
“I’d like that.”
“Second, and now that we have names out of the way, since we’re leaving here tomorrow, we need some sort of plan.”
“But Tetsu…”
“No buts! I’m going to help you… somehow. And just so you know, I love hearing my name on your lips.”
Kei was finally starting to look hopeful. “I love saying it.”

This time, he managed to pull Tetsu’s hands away from his face. With his mind starting to work again, he turned toward the table and reached for Tetsu’s laptop. Just as he opened it up, there was a knock on the door. Kei froze for just a moment before he remembered it was their dinner being delivered.

“That’s dinner,” he told Tetsu. “Could you go answer it? I’m going to write something out for you.”
“No problem.”

A few minutes later, he returned with their dinner.

“What did you order? It smells hella good.”
“Also hella unhealthy, but cheeseburgers and french fries sounded really good earlier.”
Tetsu started unloading the goods. “So cheeseburgers, french fries, and what looks like a couple of fried pies. And soda to wash it all down.”
“Yup!”
“What are you working on?”
“Answer key for the code in the letter,” Kei mumbled. “We could use it until we come up with our own. You’ll need to memorize it, too, and delete this later.”
“Okay, we have a code. An older one, but it’ll do for now. Do we want to write letters like your mom, or…?
“That’s what I’m trying to work out. We could buy a couple cheap phones to use temporarily. Basic call and text only.”
“But would we need the code if we’re the only ones who know the phone numbers?”
“Yeah. Better safe than sorry. Same with email, if we go that route.”
“Right.”

Kei looked up at him and narrowed his eyes. “If you don’t want to do this, I understand. I can’t ask you to…”
“Kei?”
“Yeah?”
“Shut up. I’m not going to give up, and neither are you.”
“Right.”
“Disposable phones, at first. Email if necessary. We’ll change the code if we think it needs to be.”
“Right.”
“I think we should also tell Aunt Yui.”
“No.”
“Why not?”
“It’s not that I don’t trust her. And really, I think she’d have an unholy amount of fun with this. But, the entire reason I have to run is that there might be someone in the quilting club who knows who I am. I haven’t been able to confirm it, though. Because of that, no one besides the two of us can know anything about this.”
“She’s not going to like that.”
“I’m sorry, but tough.”
“You get to deal with her, then.”
“Okay.”

They spent the next couple hours hammering out a plan to keep in contact with each other after Kei left Tokyo. Once they decided on a plan that they felt good with, they finished their dinner, and settled down to watch a movie. They barely made it ten minutes before the movie was forgotten in favor of each other.

The next morning, they packed up their belongings, souvenirs, and everything else they came with. Kei turned in their keys, and they walked to the station hand in hand.