♡

To say Kuroo had had a long day would be an understatement.

His morning had started off terribly enough with the absence of Kenma because he'd actually dragged himself out into public for once for something other than classes - in this case, to get them breakfast. Which Kuroo wasn't even able to eat because their schedules didn't line up and he had to get to classes early. Then almost immediately after he was nearly late to his morning classes, he was forcibly dragged to a rather unsatisfying lunch with Bokuto. Don't get me wrong, Kuroo liked hanging out with his friend, but he wanted to swing by his and Kenma's apartment and have lunch with his boyfriend. Instead, though, he got to have Bokuto lamenting into his ear for an hour about being in love with Akaashi.

Look, Kuroo was all for helping out a friend in need, especially when that friend was in need of romantic advice (a specialty of Kuroo's), but he didn't even get to see or so much as talk to his boyfriend before he was forced to run off to his next two classes which were promptly followed by an annoying-as-fuck volleyball practice. It was mainly horrible because their setter - Senjou - kept insisting that their wing spiker - Kennie (exchange student from the states. Poor kid barely understood a word of Japanese) - wasn't doing his job correctly. And argument which Kuroo, of course, had to resolve - It was a whole mess that Kuroo had not been in the mood to deal with, to say the least.

When he finally arrived at his and Kenma's shared apartment, Kuroo looked like the walking incarnation of death. Dark rings encircled his eyes from a sleepless night spent studying for a test he'd forgotten he was having, his muscles ached from practice and sweat kept his clothes plastered to him like a second skin, and everything in his body begged him to just flop down and sleep right then and there. But he also wanted to take a shower because he felt gross and sticky. But he also really really wanted to spend time with Kenma. Other than the one year gap between them in Kuroo's first year of college - which had been hell, by the way - they hadn't spent a day apart since they'd met. And Kuroo was feeling his absence.

"Someone looks like the walking dead," Kenma didn't unstick his eyes from the game playing out in front of him, fingers still dexterously tapping away at the controller like it was a keyboard. Kuroo had always imagined that streamers needed to practice their craft as much as anyone, but it still brought a frown to his face at the lack of attention. He really hoped Kenma wasn't mad at him for missing breakfast - and lunch, and for not calling him about either of those things. They didn't get into a lot of arguments, but when they did, it was always Kuroo saying stupid shit and Kenma being right.

When Kuroo just sighed, sadder than he'd intended, Kenma stopped. There was something wrong. Kuroo was supposed to sass him back but there was just silence occasionally punctured by the sound of him removing his shoes and setting down his backpack. The streamer turned, skeptical golden eyes narrowed as he paused his game and turned to face his boyfriend, who was moving at the speed of a zombie as he surveyed their apartment, wondering what very necessary activity to engage in first.

"Long day?" Kenma's voice was more prying, less gentle than he'd intended, but Kuroo didn't often come home like this and Kenma didn't like it. It just felt off, like he was living with a shell of his boyfriend. Usually, with a good night's sleep and some proper TLC, his mood was evened back out by morning, but Kenma hated going to bed with a distant Kuroo. It was all cold and anxiety-inducing and he felt like he was sleeping next to a stranger. It was best to jump on the issue before it got out of hand.

When Kuroo didn't respond, Kenma actually got worried. Worried enough to get to his feet an approach the taller man who looked at him with tired eyes. The former setter frowned slightly, tugging so lightly on Kuroo's wrist, a silent request for attention he knew Kuroo would give him. The middle blocker's gaze softened, seemingly seeing the warmth Kenma was trying to project radiating through those honey-golden eyes of his. Kenma was never the best at verbally expressing his emotions, so he relied on Kuroo to be able to see them when he couldn't say them.

"Shower?" It was less of a question and more of a command, and Kuroo followed it willingly, letting himself be led to the bathroom, pliant under Kenma's soft gasp on his hand. Kenma released Kuroo momentarily to get the water in the shower running as his boyfriend leaned against the edge of the sink, strained eyes blinking in the harsh light of the bathroom. There weren't any verbal cues needed for Kenma to dim the lights in the bathroom before placing soft kitten kisses to each of Kuroo's eyelids as if that would heal the fatigue. It did somewhat, in a sweet sort of way.

Once the water he ran his hand under was just on the tipping point of warm and hot, Kenma stripped of his shirt first, a silent cue that Kuroo could do the same if he so pleased. By now, they'd overcome the initial shyness of undressing in front of each other, but the fact that he was fully exposed in Kuroo's presence still made the smaller boy flush a pretty pink color. Kuroo adored it. He thought there was truly no hue more perfect. And Kuroo followed his lead clothing-wise, stripping from his sweaty volleyball practice clothes as Kenma traveled to their bedroom to retrieve fresh clothes for them.

Kuroo didn't get in the shower until Kenma got back, letting the smaller man lead him everywhere by the hands, soft and willing, collapsing to Kenma's will. It was a warm feeling, letting go of his tightly held control to Kenma, something he did far more often than he was willing to admit out loud.

He let Kenma guide him under the warm spray of the shower, instantly relaxing his muscles with some perfect combination of Kenma's hands exploring the musculature of his arms and the heat of the water washing away the sweat that had gathered on his skin. A sigh escaped the taller man's lips as Kenma poured some strawberry body wash into his hands and began to rub in small, easy circles along the swollen muscles of Kuroo's arms, messaging lightly, easing the painful knots that had formed, melting them into pure warmth.

Kuroo was suddenly weak, body succumbing to the fatigue that had gripped him all day, eliciting a panicked reaction from his boyfriend who melted at his side."Kuroo!" An arm was stilled wrapped around his broad shoulders as Kenma eased his boyfriend back against his chest, positioning Kuroo between his legs as he felt the taller man finally relax. Kuroo could hear a sigh reverberate through Kenma's chest, one of relief when his boyfriend muttered, "I'm okay, jus' tired." Because he was, really tired - well, it was more like sleepy now. A pleasant sort of relaxation that seeped into his every muscle fiber as Kenma continued to gently massage his shoulder and arms, fingers skilled from years of setting for Kuroo traveling to his chest and collarbones.

"Hmm, you feeling me up now?" Kuroo hummed, an effort to show Kenma he was still there fully, lost in the sensation of his boyfriend's steadily beating heart against his skin and Kenma's warm hands, burning trails of stardust in their wake where ever they touched him. Goddamn, he loved Kenma Kozume. He loved the soft vibrations of his sighs against Kuroo's ear, the way he tilted his head ever so slightly to the side to make room for Kuroo's head to dip into the crook of his neck. Kuroo loved how much care Kenma took in each slight movement of his fingertips. "Get your own muscles."

"But yours are so much more fun to touch," Kenma whispered against his temple, placing the softest kiss to the corner of Kuroo's eye. It was true, Kenma liked - no loved - touching Kuroo's muscles, his abs, his pecs, his biceps, his delts. Not even in a sexual way - I mean yes, absolutely in a sexual way - but at this current moment, he just loved feeling the slight flex beneath smooth skin where ever he touched or glanced with his fingertips, the kind of magic he could affect with just the softest graze to his skin.

"Baby, I'm sorry I missed breakfast," Kuroo's voice was so soft and almost watery like he was on the verge of crying, and for a moment, Kenma panicked a little because Kuroo never cried. His hands stopped moving, staying stationary in their place on his shoulders. Kenma didn't understand Kuroo sometimes - well, he always understood, but at this current moment he didn't understand why he was crying over something as trivial as missing breakfast. If Kenma was mad at him, Kuroo would probably know by now. "And lunch...And I'm sorry I forgot to call you. Please don't be mad at me..."

"Tetsu...I'm not mad at you. I understand. You have a schedule," Kenma wrapped his arms around Kuroo's neck and ducked his head against his jawline, pressing small kitten kisses to the shell of his ear, to his cheekbone. And that's when he felt Kuroo's chest shake and tasted salty tears against his lips, something that had Kenma's heart dropping in his chest, too many words trying to claw their way from his mouth at once. "Tetsu, you're crying...What's wrong?" Kenma's words were almost inaudible, and Kuroo wouldn't have been able to hear them if it weren't for their proximity.

"I'm sorry...I'm not a good enough boyfriend for you," The only thing that really gave away the fact that Kuroo was crying was the uneven bob of his Adam's apple and the watery quality to his tone, but it pained Kenma all the same. There weren't a lot of things that could reduce someone as strong as Kuroo to tears, which made him feel sucky enough to let his hurt physically manifest. And the harsh feeling of inadequacy was about the only thing Kenma could think of. Stress and adrenaline couldn't break him no matter what situation he was in, but Kenma knew Kuroo was scared of not being enough. It had been a struggle ever since he'd met the boy.

"You think that, because you missed breakfast, you're a bad boyfriend?" Kenma's voice was somewhere in between a laugh and a sincere whisper. It sounded stupid now that Kuroo thought about it, but Kuroo was always the one who was late, who was apologizing for missing dates they'd planned days in advance. And he tried to be a good boyfriend, he really did, but it was hard being the busy one in the relationship. Not that Kenma ever complained, angel that he was. "Tetsu, you'll always be more than enough for me, okay?"

"I love you, Kitten," Kuroo's voice was still laced with tears, but Kenma could see the sweet smile on his face and that was enough to spread a feeling of almost euphoric warmth through the smaller boy's chest.

"I love you too, Tetsu."

Kenma decided they were down showering when he could feel Kuroo getting fidgety. The middle-blocker wasn't used to taking long showers, wasn't used to not speeding through the process of cleaning himself t avoid using up all the hot water in a locker room shower stall. And though he, from time to time, appreciated the way the hot water relaxed his muscles and soothed his worries, he also started to get restless after too long spent still. Even when sleepy.

Kenma threw a towel over his boyfriend's head, ruffling his hair dry and causing it to become perfectly messy in a way that made Kuroo look absolutely beautiful. The middle blocker grinned sleepily, adorably, leaning his forehead against Kenma's as the smaller boy picked up the hoodie he'd brought from the bedroom. 

"Arms up," Kenma stood on his tiptoes to slip Kuroo's hoodie over his head, relishing the contented sigh his boyfriend gave at the warm cozy feeling consuming him. God, Kuroo could be so fucking cute when he wanted to be. Kenma suppressed a face-splitting grin at the sweet smile blooming across Kuroo's lips, choosing instead to focus on slipping one of Kuroo's t-shirts over his head. He would've worn his own, but Kuroo's were so much more comfy and plus, Kenma liked how they smelled like him.

"That's my shirt," Kuroo hummed helpfully, too content to do much more than wrap his arms around his boyfriend's shoulders, resting his chin on Kenma's head, burying his face in his soft hair.

"Well, it's mine now." 

Once they'd slipped on the rest of their clothing, Kenma led him gently by the hands into the bedroom, keeping their fingers laced the entire time. He knew Kuroo liked to be in constant contact with him. He liked the safe, grounding feeling it brought him - it had been that way every since they were kids. Even when they were still in middle school, Kuroo always had an arm around Kenma's shoulders or their fingers laced, and when he'd had his first growth spurt, he absolutely adored resting his head on Kenma's.

And Kenma was happy to oblige. He would never admit just how much he loved it, but he loved touching Kuroo, even if it was just their hands brushing, blushing touches of shoulders or the soft contact of Kuroo's knuckles against his cheek. Kuroo was just much more adamant about verbally expressing his desire for touch, while Kenma liked to speak through actions. They fell into bed softly, limbs entangled, Kuroo's head fitting into the crook of Kenma's neck as he breathed out a contented sigh. 

"Thank you for taking care of me, Kitten," Kuroo whispered, soft and subdued, syrupy sleepiness dragging out his words and filling them with more adoration than they could handle. How did he get so lucky to have a life this perfect? With Kenma carding his fingers through Kuroo's hair, with the gentle beating of Kenma's heart like music to his ears, with Kenma placing soft kitten kisses to the crown of Kuroo's head. If Kuroo had known that this was the future waiting for him after he confessed to his best friend, he wouldn't have waited until their senior year of high school to do it. 

"Shut up, it's just my job you sap."

"I know I already said this, but I love you a whole lot. Like a lot a lot," Kuroo reminded him despite the fact that Kenma already knew. Kuroo was always the one who said 'I love you' more, but Kenma never hesitated to say it back, always with a kind of love that made the stars shine brighter. They always shone brighter with Kenma. 

"I love you a whole lot too, Tetsu."

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