[ despite being the first to rise, nisaka finds himself hesitating by the table, dragging his feet as they cross the short distance back towards the doorway. kuroo's hand is a light weight against his lower back, but he swears he could feel the palm of his band burn through the thin material of his shirt. he tries not to draw too much attention to the gesture, knowing it means to be polite and guiding at best, but he can't help the uncertain (perhaps even hopeful?) way his eyes flicker over towards the other before rooting directly in front of them. the bakery isn't far from where they are, though further from his home than the restaurant. normally it would bother him, to have to go so far out of his way, but as the evening drags on... he can't deny the warmth it brings him to know he can have kuroo all to himself for just that little bit longer.
once they're outside, he steps forward just enough that kuroo's hand would have to fall unless he truly means to keep it there, pretending to fuss with the hem of his shirt and shoving the sleeves up to nestle around his elbows. ]
When is your mom supposed to get back, anyway?
[ nisaka actually knows, but he pretends to have forgotten. the night air is somehow even quieter outside than in the little restaurant, and though he'd always been quite comfortable in silence, there is a nagging in the back of his mind now that prompts him to fill it however he can. ]
[ The sun is warm in the late evening, even as it dips lower into the burnt orange sky, and Kuroo breathes in a settling sigh through his nose, breathing the scent of home and of being where he belongs once again. He exhales in a hum of thought, mentally checking through dates to work out when his mother would be home from visiting his grandma. ]
Tomorrow afternoon. Probably just before it's time to eat. You know what she's like.
[ He misses his fingers on the concave of Nisaka's spine already. He doesn't have any reason to follow when he moves away, no excuse that comes to mind, but even that limited contact has him thinking back to when he'd seen Nisaka get changed and how badly he'd wanted to touch that bare skin.. He wants even more now, now that he knows how warm Nisaka's skin is under that shirt. He's only a little guilty to find that he's thinking changing into pajamas can't come soon enough, and that thought seems to encourage a yawn from him. ]
Woah, fuck-- [ He sounds surprised as he covers his mouth, which he really shouldn't be considering he's been up since the early hours so he and Bokuto could lay claim to the best spoils of the farewell breakfast, and has played two practice sets while waiting for the bus. ]
[ the yawn is definitely a surprise, though it certainly makes sense after some more thought. he's certain the camp has had them up before even the crack of dawn doing some form of warm up or something. the last day likely isn't any exception. ]
Mm. Your old age is getting to you. Are you sure you can make it on your own? Maybe we should get you a walker...
[ now it's his turn to rest a hand along kuroo's back. he isn't nearly as bold though, settling his fingertips instead along a shoulderblade, using that to gently guide the older boy along as he shifts up beside him. it doesn't often get brought up, but just like kuroo's height, nisaka isn't above using the year gap between them to his advantage when he can. skipping a grade had been a good idea, after all. ]
[ God, it feels good. It's such a simple touch and yet it feels better than any other half brush or accidental contact he's ever received, and Kuroo can't bring himself to feel guilty for thinking it. Nisaka's hands aren't as broad as his, nowhere near as heavy, but they're constant in their presence and it reminds Kuroo of their relationship, if he thinks about it enough; Nisaka isn't as intense as him, doesn't coo or wax poetic about their friendship, but he's always there.. reciprocating in his own way. ]
Ah-ha, but when I've got you, who needs a walker? You're just the right height to be a crutch.
[ The age difference between them used to bother Kuroo, when he was younger and wanted to be equals with his best friend, but now it's just more fuel for his fire. He loops an arm around Nisaka's neck again as they walk up to the bakery front. ]
[ he makes sure to make a disgruntled noise when that heavy arm is slung around his shoulders, drawing him closer than he had been before. he ducks his head, hoping it and his long fringe hides the way his cheeks flare up after nearly having his face crushed into kuroo's hard chest—
a delighted sound marks their entrance into the bakery. like iwata-san, tanabe-sana is just as pleased to see them both, though admittedly she gets to see them far less frequently, given kuroo's commitment to his fitness. nevertheless, she is a frequent gossiper with both of their mothers, so she winds up knowing far more about the boys than either of them would like...
case in point, she crows happily about kuroo's return, asking him all sorts of question. she doesn't seem at all perturbed about how they stumble into her store; if anything, there's a certain glint to her eyes as she looks between them both. ]
Hello, Tanabe-san... Do you have anything that'll knock this guy out?
[ she chortles happily, waving them towards the display case. ]
[ Kuroo is painfully reluctant to let Nisaka go now he's got him close again, because he knows full well that the walk home will feel twice as long when their hands are full of treat bags and Kuroo can't be as physical as he always wants to be.. but Tanabe-san has sharp eyes behind those little coin-shaped glasses and a mouth that runs away with her, and Kuroo can't help but worry about what she's capable of. So he releases his best friend once they enter the shop, politely answering all her questions with plenty of detail, hoping to get on her good side so she doesn't tease them both too much... Somehow they never get out of here without beet red faces. ]
He only wants to knock me out so he can get out of his promise to treat me to dessert, you know, Tana-san.
[ He presses his face against the glass, almost needing to bend in half to get down there. Those extra few inches really have made a difference. ]
Ah, I was going to go with something expensive since Nisaka is paying.. but I can't resist when they're sitting right there..
[ The tray of eclairs is winking at him, glistening in the light from the case, and they look as freshly made as ever. Kuroo sometimes has to wonder if she makes a fresh batch around this time just in case he comes in on his way home from school. ]
[ nisaka remains upright, which puts him in the unfortunate position of being directly in front of tanabe-san's light of sight. the "line of fire," so to speak, especially given how her keen eyes crinkle slightly at the corners, followed by the upturn of the corners of her lips. ]
Aa, [ she agrees, keeping her eyes on nisaka a moment longer before sliding her steely gaze towards kuroo. ] Temptation is a tricky thing, ne? Sometimes the best thing for you is right under your nose.
[ she pauses then, rather poignantly — during which nisaka feels the need to shift a little uncomfortably under the weight of that silence — and then she suddenly titters, sounding young. ]
Choose what you like, choose what you like! I'm feeling generous — two for one!
[ Now look, Kuroo isn't an idiot, and the double meaning of her comment doesn't go amiss because Kuroo knows full well that Tanabe-san isn't an idiot either; she didn't say it with any intention for him to misunderstand, similarly to Kuroo's sense of humour she said it to get a reaction out of him, so he's determined not to show one.
Tanabe-san has known about the feelings he has for Nisaka long before even Kuroo himself was willing to give them any serious consideration, which makes him worry that he's being obvious about it and also makes him.. kind of hungry for the recognition, because he never gets to talk about it at any other opportunity, but that's too dangerous to consider. Ignorance is safer, even if it's not easier. ]
I can't ignore your sound logic. [ Haha.. If only it were that simple. ] I'll have an eclair, please.
[ nisaka himself can be pretty perceptive... but only to an extent. there is a wall he always hits, a wall he built up himself, so that any time he even gets close to the idea that maybe... maybe...
he stops himself. reminds himself how ridiculous such fantasies are. puts a stop to it before the fantasy can take root. ]
...Get him the expensive one too, [ nisaka pipes up, meeting tanabe-san's look with a steady gaze. ] He deserves it.
[ he already starts fishing out his wallet, leaving no room for argument. ]
[ Kuroo turns at that. Tanabe-san's free suggestiveness has been something he's become so used to that he's no longer surprised by it even if it still manages to fluster him, but Nisaka giving in to complimenting him when they're around other people is frankly less likely than it suddenly starting to snow outside. Kuroo raises eyebrows at him, apparently so stunned by the sight of his best friend pulling out his money to pay the content little old woman behind the counter that he's rendered speechless, unable even to think of some teasing quip to poke back.
Tanabe-san boxes up an eclair and the fancy chocolate drizzled monstrosity Kuroo dazedly points to, and then manages to snap out of it enough to give Nisaka another look. ]
You're not getting anything? I'm not sharing, you know.
[ He's holding onto the box Tanabe-san passes to him like it's made of gold. ]
[ That breaks the tension a little, because Kuroo can't not laugh, and nudges Nisaka with an elbow. ]
You're two months early, but thanks.
[ He bows to Tanabe-san, still holding his precious box close to him, and then elbows his way out of the door, holding it open at the last for Nisaka to follow him. Tanabe-san tells them to behave and to keep her updated, and Kuroo is for a moment confused about what they could possibly keep her updated with... and then he flushes, and closes the door behind them. He wonders if maybe he should pay Tanabe-san a visit by himself.
The walk home is reasonably uneventful. Kuroo makes a show of sniffing at the folds of the box, commenting on how just the smell of sugar is enough to make him hungry again since the only sugar he got at camp came in the form of electrolyte drinks and fruit, and points out only when they're almost back to Nisaka's house that maybe he should have gotten something for Nisaka's mom and dad, to thank them for letting him stay over.
Once in the Nisaka home, he pads through the house like it's an extension of his own and shoves the chocolate monster in the fridge for later, dumping the eclair out onto a plate though he's entirely ready to just eat it with his bare hands. ]
I'm gonna regret this, [ He says proudly as he makes his way back upstairs. ] I'm looking forward to elastic waistbands already. [ He should probably wait to change into his pajamas, though, considering how that went last time. And the fact that he's probably going to get cream and chocolate all down himself. ]
You know you already wear elastic waistbands every day, right? [ it's an inconsequential comment, but one that nisaka felt necessary to point out regardless. he leads the way up to his room, despite how easily kuroo navigates his way around the house, which is pretty much the boy's second home at this point. (and thus why the mild worry over not bringing his parents any baked goods is brushed aside with a wave of his hand.) ]
Don't get any crumbs on my bed, [ is all he says once the door is quietly shut behind them. he's already begun to move towards his drawers, pulling out his own sleepwear to change into. he'd been getting way too hot in that long-sleeve, and he's eager to slip into something thinner and looser. he lingers by the dresser, folded clothes in his arms. not for the first time, he finds himself overthinking his next move. it would be better, he's certain, if he stepped out and changed in the bathroom. offer them both some privacy or something. it's courteous.
but they've known each other for so long that courtesy doesn't really factor in their day-to-day, so doing so would only be weird, wouldn't it? it's definitely not something they usually do, their level of familiarity with each other going so much more past regular boundaries between friends. and yet... after the day they'd just had... he chews on his lip, eventually turning back around to eye the other boy. he's mildly disappointed to find kuroo hadn't yet finished his treat. ]
Sure, but I'm not wearing an elastic waistband right now.
[ Better not to dwell on that right now, though, since doing so would mean Kuroo would have to shed light on the fact that he stupidly wore jeans on the uncomfortable ride home for one reason and one reason only.
Kuroo finds his spot again on the bottom of Nisaka's bed, though he refrains from flopping back for the moment as doing so would make it incredibly difficult to eat his eclair. Which he does. The first bite did exactly what he expected and got all over his face, but he hardly cares because it tastes so good, so when Nisaka chastises him for eating on the bed, his response is muffled by the pastry in his mouth. ]
I'm not gonna-- I wouldn't waste any.
[ Is Nisaka lingering for any reason, he half-wonders, distracted as he is by how good his sweet treat tastes. They've got changed in the same room before, albeit at the same time and facing away from each other. Right now it feels.. kind of like a show, the way Nisaka is standing before him with his clothes in his arms. Kuroo looks down at his eclair, only half eaten, and swallows. There's still cream on his lip, though. ]
What, want me to close my eyes? I know I put you to shame shirtless but you don't have to make a big deal out of it.
[ Ah yes, just diffuse it by being your asshole self, Kuroo. That definitely won't backfire. ]
[ he is struck, at first, by the sight of kuroo on his bed. sitting there so casually, like he belongs, despite being too handsome and extravagant to fit in with all of the plain, spartan decorations of his room. he traces the way his best friend's thighs seem to strain against those dark-wash jeans when he spreads his legs just so, how his shirt clings to the hard angles of his body like some kind of obscene pin up poster.
the messy way he eats such a simple treat shouldn't be as endearing or alluring as it winds up being, which really just adds to nisaka's overall frustration with himself. how he stands there now wishing he'd had the foresight to rub one off in the morning, so as to maybe avoid how dry his mouth suddenly gets at the sight of that bit of cream lingering along his lip...
for better or for worse, though, kuroo opens his big fat mouth again, and for a brief second nisaka's brow furrows in confusion. a thought he hadn't even considered.
and then he's scowling faintly, clutching the clothes a little closer to his chest. ]
I can see your food baby from here, [ he mutters, aggrieved. it's a total lie, kuroo is as fit and perfect as he had ever been, but it still makes nisaka feel a little better having said as much anyway. he turns in his spot, determined to just get it over with. like kuroo said — it's not a big deal.
first go his shirt, the dark material drawn up and over his head, mussing up his hair briefly. a light sheen of sweat clings to his back still, but the cool central air is working wonders on cooling him down from the summer heat. he's tugging on his sleep shirt after that, some oversized tee that the school had given away for participants of a charity clean up around the town. it's about a size and a half too big for him, and hangs just low enough over his hips that only a slight peek of his dark grey underwear can be seen even when he bends down slightly to finish removing his jeans. he slips on a pair of old gym shorts then, too warm to wear anything longer. ]
[ Kuroo feels a little vindicated when he sees Nisaka frown like that and clutch his clothes tighter, like he's defending himself against more of Kuroo's teasing, when both of them know that it's a hopeless effort. He does mock gasp at Nisaka's comment, though, putting a hand over his stomach like his words caused a wound.
And then... ah. He almost feels bad using Nisaka's jealousy against him so that Kuroo can ogle him like some kind of underhanded pervert, but as a drop of sweat runs down Nisaka's bare back, right down the perfectly sculpted line of his spine.. Kuroo feels his entire body go tight for just a few torturous seconds, and he can't gather up enough will to be too guilty about it. He wants to follow that trail back up with his tongue, and that seems to be the only thought his head has room for.
Moments like this are what fuels him, what makes pretending to only have platonic thoughts easier and so much harder all at the same time, because in his weakest moments he can at the very least recall back on the times he'd caught a glance he shouldn't have, or let his gaze linger when better men would have looked away. He feels dirty, but dirty feels good and so he watches as Nisaka dresses in an oversized shirt that hangs off his shoulders, concealing way too much of that porcelain skin that Kuroo loves, but in a way that's more appealing than he could have ever imagined. Nisaka looks soft, comfortable, appealing in the pure kind of way that just makes Kuroo want to ruin him all the more. It's bad, he knows it's bad, he knows that he needs to stop otherwise he's going to have a hard (no pun intended) time of changing in front of him in return, but he can't look away, because Nisaka's legs are this slender stretch under the cling of his shorts and it's practically making Kuroo drool to watch him bend to shuck his pants off of his legs.
This is like a fantasy he's had, his brain inconveniently reminds him, where Nisaka slowly stripped off his school clothes one by one, with the same flat expression and steady matter-of-factness he shows with most things.. only to then climb into Kuroo's lap as naked as the day he was born, lithe hands sliding up into his hair, balling into fists and pulling his head back so he could whisper dirty things into his mouth.
He wolfs the remainder of his eclair in his mouth to stop him doing something embarrassing like moaning, tearing his eyes away from his best friend's body now that he's dressed for bed. He's... pressing his thighs together too. Shit. ]
Mm, better than I remember.
[ He's definitely talking about the eclair, definitely talking about the eclair to distract from the fact he'd just been drooling over his best friend getting changed after literally just saying how big of a deal it wasn't. ]
[ he finishes gathering up his old clothing to toss into a nearby hamper by the time kuroo finishes up his treat, turning just in time to hear him mutter something his mind only makes filthy by noting how low and rough his friend's voice suddenly gets. his jaw works faintly, teeth gritting, but eventually he's able to swallow back the thoughts that start to stray towards what else kuroo could sound like. needless to say, these gym shorts aren't nearly enough defense should his body decide to betray him. ]
Don't cry to me if you wake up and discover you suddenly have love handles. [ in retrospect, he wishes he'd chosen a different turn of phrase, but what's done is done.
he moves back towards the bed but refrains from sitting just yet. somehow the idea of sitting at the same time kuroo is feels slightly... scandalous. but he recognizes it is again his mind taking him to places he really has no business being. instead he attempts to keep up the levity in the conversation, poking a finger at the corner of is friend's lips, pulling away with a bit of cream. ]
If Tanabe-san saw you eating her pastries this messily, she'll be scandalized.
[ Nisaka staying standing is possibly worse than having him sit would have been, because like this all Kuroo can think about is his inconvenient fantasy and how dangerous it is to have him close by considering the growing implications of his current situation. When Nisaka leans in and thumbs the cream off the corner of his lips Kuroo is sure his body almost has to resist the automatic urge to let his nose start bleeding.
The subtext is just too much at this point that if Nisaka wasn't so steadfastly disinterested and defensive to every pass made at him, Kuroo might have thought he was fucking with him on purpose. As it is, though, he's sure that his best friend is just doing what normal guys do, and it's Kuroo's shitty luck and stupid pervert brain that's making everything... more difficult. ]
Probably. Good thing she's not here.
[ Kuroo does his best to lick the cream off his lips. ]
[ he doesn't do a very good job. either he can't feel it, or he's too lazy to make the reach, but a little dollop stubbornly remains on the corner of his lips and nisaka finds himself unable to look away from it. before he can even think about it, his hand reaches forward again, thumb dragging lightly to wipe the stain away... if his hand lingers, it's nothing he notices.
when he does draw his hand away, he's struck by the sudden urge to bring it up to his mouth, lick the remaining cream off himself but — no no, that's stupid. at the last second, he reaches forward once more, wiping his finger clean on kuroo's sleeve. ]
You're a mess. [ he may as well be talking to himself, though. ] If you take too long to get cleaned up, I'm going to sleep without you.
[ If he's honest he probably did it badly on purpose without realising it; just another instance of his mind working against him to make this situation more messy - literally - than it needs to be. He watches with intense concentration as Nisaka draws his hand back because there's a moment that looks like he's about to lick it away and Kuroo feels something in his chest drop suddenly into his stomach at the mere thought of it, at the thought of him cleaning up the rest on Kuroo's lip with his mouth when he leans forward again--- but then he reaches for his sleeve, and Kuroo is visibly disappointed for a moment or two before he forces his expression back to neutral. ]
Sure, sure. I'll be quick.
[ Kuroo's brain is trying to come up with something funny to say about wanting to sleep with Nisaka but it's walking on such a fine line that he's almost afraid to actually say it. Instead, he stands and awkwardly side steps because, wow, Nisaka was standing a lot closer than he'd thought, and moves over to where he'd dumped his bag. After rooting around and tugging out a vest shirt and a comfortable pair of pants, he quickly decides to change there and then, turning away at the very last moment before he shoves his jeans down just in case his body's betrayal is overly visible. ]
[ he looks, because he forgets to catch himself, and immediately regrets it. it's a little unfair how quickly his eyes hone in on the dip in the other boy's lower back, the dimples that mark the slope of his spine into his underwear and—
nisaka forces himself to turn away, fussing with the covers on his bed. it's a light blanket due to the heat of this summer, but he musses with it anyway like it's giving him problems. leaning over, he props a knee onto the mattress and starts to shove up the window, trying to get more air circulating in the room that once again feels all too oppressive. ]
[ Kuroo doesn't really expect Nisaka to peek at him, so once he's got his pants situation sorted - opting for thicker sleepwear than his thinner ones in the hopes that it'll help hide what the guilty fantasy left behind, even if he'll have to sacrifice comfort in this clammy heat for the sake of it - he dawdles a little before pulling his shirt over his head. There are dark tan lines on his biceps where his practice shirt sleeves fall, and a similar one on his collar, but they're faded just slightly from where Kuroo eventually gave up wearing a shirt with sleeves or sometimes at all in the last few days of camp. It really has been unfairly hot for a guy who likes sports. ]
Edge.
[ Kuroo says, suddenly across the room and doofing Nisaka on one of his shoulder blades so that he goes tumbling down into the bed. Chuckling, Kuroo drops down beside him, lifting the leg closest to him up so that aforementioned issue isn't as prominent. ]
For when I inevitably need to pee. I don't wanna have to climb over you.
What, suddenly you worry about inconveniencing me?
[ he tuts and he grumbles, shifting around on the bed so he isn't face down (ass up) and instead settling onto his back with as much distance between them as possible. turns out, it isn't much.
the blanket is bunched up beneath them, but nisaka doesn't really bother to reach for it. he can already feel the warmth clinging to his skin, radiating off of kuroo's. his eyes absently trace lines on his ceiling, mapping out the faded tanlines on kuroo's taut skin.
his hands clench at the sheets. ]
With my luck, you've picked up a new annoying habit over summer. Like snoring.
I never inconvenience you on purpose. I always have your best interest in mind.
[ There is absolutely no room for Kuroo's stupid gangling limbs in this bed, which is probably why when they were kids they'd sprawl on laid out blankets on the floor of Nisaka's room, sleeping-bags ending up as nothing more than pillows as Kuroo strong armed them both into making a kind of nest out of every soft thing in Nisaka's room. Being much older, it'd probably be even more uncomfortable to try to relax on the floor, so Kuroo is willing to give this a shot.. for now. His other leg might be hanging off the bed, and there might not be a lot of room for him to shift his arms, the one closest to Nisaka in imminent danger of just pressing right up against him... but he's persevering.
Kuroo doesn't look at the ceiling; he looks aside at the floor of Nisaka's bedroom instead, remembering how they'd wait till Nisaka's parents had checked on them both before constructing their intricate pillow disaster. Kuroo can remember them both falling asleep like starfish amongst it, and can remember waking up to find his head on Nisaka's chest a few times, can remember watching him breathe slowly, expression a rare kind of soft Kuroo never saw during his waking hours which only made it more special.. The tumultuous feelings he feels for Nisaka felt so much easier then, simpler at the very least.. now there's a sexual element to them, clear attraction he can't ignore or write off as affection for a dear friend.. ]
No need to worry. My nasal cavity is clear. [ He yawns and then shifts his head again to look at Nisaka instead. ] I'll probably end up stealing your pillow, though.
[ sleepovers these days are fewer and further between; as they got older, it became less practical, less appropriate, even if most of what makes it inappropriate remains silent between them. like everything else they aren't saying right now, all the dreams nisaka has had starring the other boy on this very bed that wound up ruining more than just a few pairs of underwear in these last few years. if he were a better friend, he would have tried to opt for a sleeping bag, even though history shows it never worked. he isn't, but he hopes he can at least be a good enough friend to make it through the night without leading into some really embarrassing accidents.
he blows out a puff of air between his teeth, feeling his eyes begin to strain from how much he determinedly avoids meeting kuroo's glance. it'll be a long night... he'll be lucky if he can get even an hour's sleep, to be honest. ]
I wish I could say I'm surprised... How did you ever manage to make it through two months with just one pillow at camp?
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once they're outside, he steps forward just enough that kuroo's hand would have to fall unless he truly means to keep it there, pretending to fuss with the hem of his shirt and shoving the sleeves up to nestle around his elbows. ]
When is your mom supposed to get back, anyway?
[ nisaka actually knows, but he pretends to have forgotten. the night air is somehow even quieter outside than in the little restaurant, and though he'd always been quite comfortable in silence, there is a nagging in the back of his mind now that prompts him to fill it however he can. ]
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Tomorrow afternoon. Probably just before it's time to eat. You know what she's like.
[ He misses his fingers on the concave of Nisaka's spine already. He doesn't have any reason to follow when he moves away, no excuse that comes to mind, but even that limited contact has him thinking back to when he'd seen Nisaka get changed and how badly he'd wanted to touch that bare skin.. He wants even more now, now that he knows how warm Nisaka's skin is under that shirt. He's only a little guilty to find that he's thinking changing into pajamas can't come soon enough, and that thought seems to encourage a yawn from him. ]
Woah, fuck-- [ He sounds surprised as he covers his mouth, which he really shouldn't be considering he's been up since the early hours so he and Bokuto could lay claim to the best spoils of the farewell breakfast, and has played two practice sets while waiting for the bus. ]
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Mm. Your old age is getting to you. Are you sure you can make it on your own? Maybe we should get you a walker...
[ now it's his turn to rest a hand along kuroo's back. he isn't nearly as bold though, settling his fingertips instead along a shoulderblade, using that to gently guide the older boy along as he shifts up beside him. it doesn't often get brought up, but just like kuroo's height, nisaka isn't above using the year gap between them to his advantage when he can. skipping a grade had been a good idea, after all. ]
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Ah-ha, but when I've got you, who needs a walker? You're just the right height to be a crutch.
[ The age difference between them used to bother Kuroo, when he was younger and wanted to be equals with his best friend, but now it's just more fuel for his fire. He loops an arm around Nisaka's neck again as they walk up to the bakery front. ]
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a delighted sound marks their entrance into the bakery. like iwata-san, tanabe-sana is just as pleased to see them both, though admittedly she gets to see them far less frequently, given kuroo's commitment to his fitness. nevertheless, she is a frequent gossiper with both of their mothers, so she winds up knowing far more about the boys than either of them would like...
case in point, she crows happily about kuroo's return, asking him all sorts of question. she doesn't seem at all perturbed about how they stumble into her store; if anything, there's a certain glint to her eyes as she looks between them both. ]
Hello, Tanabe-san... Do you have anything that'll knock this guy out?
[ she chortles happily, waving them towards the display case. ]
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He only wants to knock me out so he can get out of his promise to treat me to dessert, you know, Tana-san.
[ He presses his face against the glass, almost needing to bend in half to get down there. Those extra few inches really have made a difference. ]
Ah, I was going to go with something expensive since Nisaka is paying.. but I can't resist when they're sitting right there..
[ The tray of eclairs is winking at him, glistening in the light from the case, and they look as freshly made as ever. Kuroo sometimes has to wonder if she makes a fresh batch around this time just in case he comes in on his way home from school. ]
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Aa, [ she agrees, keeping her eyes on nisaka a moment longer before sliding her steely gaze towards kuroo. ] Temptation is a tricky thing, ne? Sometimes the best thing for you is right under your nose.
[ she pauses then, rather poignantly — during which nisaka feels the need to shift a little uncomfortably under the weight of that silence — and then she suddenly titters, sounding young. ]
Choose what you like, choose what you like! I'm feeling generous — two for one!
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Tanabe-san has known about the feelings he has for Nisaka long before even Kuroo himself was willing to give them any serious consideration, which makes him worry that he's being obvious about it and also makes him.. kind of hungry for the recognition, because he never gets to talk about it at any other opportunity, but that's too dangerous to consider. Ignorance is safer, even if it's not easier. ]
I can't ignore your sound logic. [ Haha.. If only it were that simple. ] I'll have an eclair, please.
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he stops himself. reminds himself how ridiculous such fantasies are. puts a stop to it before the fantasy can take root. ]
...Get him the expensive one too, [ nisaka pipes up, meeting tanabe-san's look with a steady gaze. ] He deserves it.
[ he already starts fishing out his wallet, leaving no room for argument. ]
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Tanabe-san boxes up an eclair and the fancy chocolate drizzled monstrosity Kuroo dazedly points to, and then manages to snap out of it enough to give Nisaka another look. ]
You're not getting anything? I'm not sharing, you know.
[ He's holding onto the box Tanabe-san passes to him like it's made of gold. ]
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I'm still full from dinner. [ he thanks the woman when she hands him his change, bowing in part to avoid how she, too, keeps eyeing him curiously.
when he finally turns back to the other, he lifts his brows at the look. ]
What? It's your birthday present, obviously.
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You're two months early, but thanks.
[ He bows to Tanabe-san, still holding his precious box close to him, and then elbows his way out of the door, holding it open at the last for Nisaka to follow him. Tanabe-san tells them to behave and to keep her updated, and Kuroo is for a moment confused about what they could possibly keep her updated with... and then he flushes, and closes the door behind them. He wonders if maybe he should pay Tanabe-san a visit by himself.
The walk home is reasonably uneventful. Kuroo makes a show of sniffing at the folds of the box, commenting on how just the smell of sugar is enough to make him hungry again since the only sugar he got at camp came in the form of electrolyte drinks and fruit, and points out only when they're almost back to Nisaka's house that maybe he should have gotten something for Nisaka's mom and dad, to thank them for letting him stay over.
Once in the Nisaka home, he pads through the house like it's an extension of his own and shoves the chocolate monster in the fridge for later, dumping the eclair out onto a plate though he's entirely ready to just eat it with his bare hands. ]
I'm gonna regret this, [ He says proudly as he makes his way back upstairs. ] I'm looking forward to elastic waistbands already. [ He should probably wait to change into his pajamas, though, considering how that went last time. And the fact that he's probably going to get cream and chocolate all down himself. ]
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Don't get any crumbs on my bed, [ is all he says once the door is quietly shut behind them. he's already begun to move towards his drawers, pulling out his own sleepwear to change into. he'd been getting way too hot in that long-sleeve, and he's eager to slip into something thinner and looser. he lingers by the dresser, folded clothes in his arms. not for the first time, he finds himself overthinking his next move. it would be better, he's certain, if he stepped out and changed in the bathroom. offer them both some privacy or something. it's courteous.
but they've known each other for so long that courtesy doesn't really factor in their day-to-day, so doing so would only be weird, wouldn't it? it's definitely not something they usually do, their level of familiarity with each other going so much more past regular boundaries between friends. and yet... after the day they'd just had... he chews on his lip, eventually turning back around to eye the other boy. he's mildly disappointed to find kuroo hadn't yet finished his treat. ]
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[ Better not to dwell on that right now, though, since doing so would mean Kuroo would have to shed light on the fact that he stupidly wore jeans on the uncomfortable ride home for one reason and one reason only.
Kuroo finds his spot again on the bottom of Nisaka's bed, though he refrains from flopping back for the moment as doing so would make it incredibly difficult to eat his eclair. Which he does. The first bite did exactly what he expected and got all over his face, but he hardly cares because it tastes so good, so when Nisaka chastises him for eating on the bed, his response is muffled by the pastry in his mouth. ]
I'm not gonna-- I wouldn't waste any.
[ Is Nisaka lingering for any reason, he half-wonders, distracted as he is by how good his sweet treat tastes. They've got changed in the same room before, albeit at the same time and facing away from each other. Right now it feels.. kind of like a show, the way Nisaka is standing before him with his clothes in his arms. Kuroo looks down at his eclair, only half eaten, and swallows. There's still cream on his lip, though. ]
What, want me to close my eyes? I know I put you to shame shirtless but you don't have to make a big deal out of it.
[ Ah yes, just diffuse it by being your asshole self, Kuroo. That definitely won't backfire. ]
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the messy way he eats such a simple treat shouldn't be as endearing or alluring as it winds up being, which really just adds to nisaka's overall frustration with himself. how he stands there now wishing he'd had the foresight to rub one off in the morning, so as to maybe avoid how dry his mouth suddenly gets at the sight of that bit of cream lingering along his lip...
for better or for worse, though, kuroo opens his big fat mouth again, and for a brief second nisaka's brow furrows in confusion. a thought he hadn't even considered.
and then he's scowling faintly, clutching the clothes a little closer to his chest. ]
I can see your food baby from here, [ he mutters, aggrieved. it's a total lie, kuroo is as fit and perfect as he had ever been, but it still makes nisaka feel a little better having said as much anyway. he turns in his spot, determined to just get it over with. like kuroo said — it's not a big deal.
first go his shirt, the dark material drawn up and over his head, mussing up his hair briefly. a light sheen of sweat clings to his back still, but the cool central air is working wonders on cooling him down from the summer heat. he's tugging on his sleep shirt after that, some oversized tee that the school had given away for participants of a charity clean up around the town. it's about a size and a half too big for him, and hangs just low enough over his hips that only a slight peek of his dark grey underwear can be seen even when he bends down slightly to finish removing his jeans. he slips on a pair of old gym shorts then, too warm to wear anything longer. ]
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And then... ah. He almost feels bad using Nisaka's jealousy against him so that Kuroo can ogle him like some kind of underhanded pervert, but as a drop of sweat runs down Nisaka's bare back, right down the perfectly sculpted line of his spine.. Kuroo feels his entire body go tight for just a few torturous seconds, and he can't gather up enough will to be too guilty about it. He wants to follow that trail back up with his tongue, and that seems to be the only thought his head has room for.
Moments like this are what fuels him, what makes pretending to only have platonic thoughts easier and so much harder all at the same time, because in his weakest moments he can at the very least recall back on the times he'd caught a glance he shouldn't have, or let his gaze linger when better men would have looked away. He feels dirty, but dirty feels good and so he watches as Nisaka dresses in an oversized shirt that hangs off his shoulders, concealing way too much of that porcelain skin that Kuroo loves, but in a way that's more appealing than he could have ever imagined. Nisaka looks soft, comfortable, appealing in the pure kind of way that just makes Kuroo want to ruin him all the more. It's bad, he knows it's bad, he knows that he needs to stop otherwise he's going to have a hard (no pun intended) time of changing in front of him in return, but he can't look away, because Nisaka's legs are this slender stretch under the cling of his shorts and it's practically making Kuroo drool to watch him bend to shuck his pants off of his legs.
This is like a fantasy he's had, his brain inconveniently reminds him, where Nisaka slowly stripped off his school clothes one by one, with the same flat expression and steady matter-of-factness he shows with most things.. only to then climb into Kuroo's lap as naked as the day he was born, lithe hands sliding up into his hair, balling into fists and pulling his head back so he could whisper dirty things into his mouth.
He wolfs the remainder of his eclair in his mouth to stop him doing something embarrassing like moaning, tearing his eyes away from his best friend's body now that he's dressed for bed. He's... pressing his thighs together too. Shit. ]
Mm, better than I remember.
[ He's definitely talking about the eclair, definitely talking about the eclair to distract from the fact he'd just been drooling over his best friend getting changed after literally just saying how big of a deal it wasn't. ]
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Don't cry to me if you wake up and discover you suddenly have love handles. [ in retrospect, he wishes he'd chosen a different turn of phrase, but what's done is done.
he moves back towards the bed but refrains from sitting just yet. somehow the idea of sitting at the same time kuroo is feels slightly... scandalous. but he recognizes it is again his mind taking him to places he really has no business being. instead he attempts to keep up the levity in the conversation, poking a finger at the corner of is friend's lips, pulling away with a bit of cream. ]
If Tanabe-san saw you eating her pastries this messily, she'll be scandalized.
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The subtext is just too much at this point that if Nisaka wasn't so steadfastly disinterested and defensive to every pass made at him, Kuroo might have thought he was fucking with him on purpose. As it is, though, he's sure that his best friend is just doing what normal guys do, and it's Kuroo's shitty luck and stupid pervert brain that's making everything... more difficult. ]
Probably. Good thing she's not here.
[ Kuroo does his best to lick the cream off his lips. ]
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when he does draw his hand away, he's struck by the sudden urge to bring it up to his mouth, lick the remaining cream off himself but — no no, that's stupid. at the last second, he reaches forward once more, wiping his finger clean on kuroo's sleeve. ]
You're a mess. [ he may as well be talking to himself, though. ] If you take too long to get cleaned up, I'm going to sleep without you.
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Sure, sure. I'll be quick.
[ Kuroo's brain is trying to come up with something funny to say about wanting to sleep with Nisaka but it's walking on such a fine line that he's almost afraid to actually say it. Instead, he stands and awkwardly side steps because, wow, Nisaka was standing a lot closer than he'd thought, and moves over to where he'd dumped his bag. After rooting around and tugging out a vest shirt and a comfortable pair of pants, he quickly decides to change there and then, turning away at the very last moment before he shoves his jeans down just in case his body's betrayal is overly visible. ]
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nisaka forces himself to turn away, fussing with the covers on his bed. it's a light blanket due to the heat of this summer, but he musses with it anyway like it's giving him problems. leaning over, he props a knee onto the mattress and starts to shove up the window, trying to get more air circulating in the room that once again feels all too oppressive. ]
Do you want the wall or the edge?
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Edge.
[ Kuroo says, suddenly across the room and doofing Nisaka on one of his shoulder blades so that he goes tumbling down into the bed. Chuckling, Kuroo drops down beside him, lifting the leg closest to him up so that aforementioned issue isn't as prominent. ]
For when I inevitably need to pee. I don't wanna have to climb over you.
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[ he tuts and he grumbles, shifting around on the bed so he isn't face down (ass up) and instead settling onto his back with as much distance between them as possible. turns out, it isn't much.
the blanket is bunched up beneath them, but nisaka doesn't really bother to reach for it. he can already feel the warmth clinging to his skin, radiating off of kuroo's. his eyes absently trace lines on his ceiling, mapping out the faded tanlines on kuroo's taut skin.
his hands clench at the sheets. ]
With my luck, you've picked up a new annoying habit over summer. Like snoring.
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I never inconvenience you on purpose. I always have your best interest in mind.
[ There is absolutely no room for Kuroo's stupid gangling limbs in this bed, which is probably why when they were kids they'd sprawl on laid out blankets on the floor of Nisaka's room, sleeping-bags ending up as nothing more than pillows as Kuroo strong armed them both into making a kind of nest out of every soft thing in Nisaka's room. Being much older, it'd probably be even more uncomfortable to try to relax on the floor, so Kuroo is willing to give this a shot.. for now. His other leg might be hanging off the bed, and there might not be a lot of room for him to shift his arms, the one closest to Nisaka in imminent danger of just pressing right up against him... but he's persevering.
Kuroo doesn't look at the ceiling; he looks aside at the floor of Nisaka's bedroom instead, remembering how they'd wait till Nisaka's parents had checked on them both before constructing their intricate pillow disaster. Kuroo can remember them both falling asleep like starfish amongst it, and can remember waking up to find his head on Nisaka's chest a few times, can remember watching him breathe slowly, expression a rare kind of soft Kuroo never saw during his waking hours which only made it more special.. The tumultuous feelings he feels for Nisaka felt so much easier then, simpler at the very least.. now there's a sexual element to them, clear attraction he can't ignore or write off as affection for a dear friend.. ]
No need to worry. My nasal cavity is clear. [ He yawns and then shifts his head again to look at Nisaka instead. ] I'll probably end up stealing your pillow, though.
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he blows out a puff of air between his teeth, feeling his eyes begin to strain from how much he determinedly avoids meeting kuroo's glance. it'll be a long night... he'll be lucky if he can get even an hour's sleep, to be honest. ]
I wish I could say I'm surprised... How did you ever manage to make it through two months with just one pillow at camp?
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i see what you did there...
kuroos mom knows all
spoopy...
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1/3
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writes an essay
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