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“I can’t believe your name is going to be on my body for the rest of my life,” Kuroo huffed in annoyance, trying to rub the inky black letters from his forearm.
Bokuto snorted as he tossed the volleyball up in the air and tried to catch it. He failed, the ball landing on top of his head, bouncing off and rolling in the grass. It was the end of summer vacation for the two first years, and they were trying to get every last moment out of it before they had to part ways. Although they both lived in the Tokyo area, the place was too large for the two to visit every single day with each other.
Currently, the duo had decided to spend the week over with Bokuto and his family, mostly because Bokuto had a bigger area in his neighborhood to play volleyball. Unfortunately, Kuroo couldn’t keep his mind on the ball. With a heavy sigh, Kuroo flopped back into the grass, staring at his arm, tan in comparison to the white clouds in the azure blue sky. In big, bold, black lettering read ‘Please tell Bokuto-san that he’s going to get himself hurt,’ and Kuroo thought that could probably be anyone who had been around Bokuto for more than five minutes.
“I don’t know what you’re complaining about,” Bokuto said, bending over to pick up the volleyball again, “whoever it is seems to respect your best friend, I would be happy if my soulmate would respect you.”
“It’s not that,” Kuroo sighed, relaxing his arm so it draped over his eyes, “they just sound…very not cute. Or at least not fun.”
“Maybe it’s a really shy and careful girl, have you thought of that?” Bokuto started to bump the ball into the air with his forearms, receiving by himself.
“Yeah…maybe she’ll have long hair that she would tuck behind her ear whenever she sees me,” Kuroo fantasied, a faint smile across his lips.
“See? Not that bad,” Bokuto told him, bumping the ball up a little too high so he had to take a few steps forward.
“I guess,” mumbled Kuroo, lifting his arm one last time to see the blocky lettering. With a huff, Kuroo placed his hands onto the ground, pushing himself up to face his best friend. “Alright, now let’s see that amazing spike you were telling me about earlier. Something tells you might be exaggerating just a little bit.”
“No way! It’s everything I said it would be!” Bokuto ruffled, straightening up his back. Kuroo just laughed and brushed himself off before walking over to the fiery first year.
That was not the last time Kuroo had thought about his markings.
When he was younger, the words didn’t mean anything to him. However, that didn’t stop other from asking questions. Who was Bokuto? Why did it matter that his name was on his arm? After a highly frustrating day at his elementary school, Kuroo’s mother sat him down at the kitchen table and told him how the words were very special. Those were going to be the first words his soulmate would ever say to him. At the time, Kuroo scrunched up his nose and looked at his arm before mumbling “Lame.” His mother had laughed and rubbed his back, kissing his forehead as she went to go back to focus on dinner.
“Tetsurou,” she had said, “words are important, you can’t take for granted what they give you.”
“And what do they give me?” He looked down at his arm, tracing the dark letters.
“Insight,” she had said with a sly smile.
Kuroo took her words to heart. After that, he was sure to use words to his advantage, and he was usually careful with them. In games, he used them to get the team worked up. In conversation, he did about the same, but he was a little more considerate. He had no idea who is soulmate might be, but he knew that the words written over their body would be polite. If they were nice enough to use an honorific with Bokuto, then they must have been a special person.
But that still didn’t stop Kuroo from thinking that the whole thing was annoying. A soulmate? How could he fall in love with someone based on the fact they had certain words written on their body? He had seen it happen before, of course. In class, someone would walk up to another person, and then their eyes would get huge, and smiles would appear on their faces. They would embrace and everyone would cheer, but Kuroo still didn’t understand how someone could feel such an instant connection. Trying to change the stars would be too cliché, but just because he had a soulmate didn’t mean he had to be alone until they met. Kuroo liked people, and if he happened to find them romantically appealing, then no one could stop him from attempting to do something about it.
The day Nekoma went to Fukurodani happened to be one of those days.
It was hot, even for Tokyo, but Kuroo knew that the nights would get cooler, they always did. As he stepped off the bus, trying to stuff his sports jacket into his bag, Kuroo heard his welcoming party before actually seeing him.
“Kuroo!” He heard as Bokuto approached, drawing out the 'oo’ until he finally connected the space between them by throwing his arm across his shoulders, almost knocking the both of them over. Luckily for Bokuto, Kuroo was able to keep the both of them up, even if it was just barely. However, Bokuto didn’t seem to notice their near death experience, letting go of him from the front only to put his arm over across his shoulders from the back. “You’re finally here! I have to tell you about these classes I’m taking. They’re so hard! I would have tried to ask you questions about it, but I know you’re Mr. College-Prep-Class, so I didn’t bother you. But now you’re here, so you know what we’re going to be all night.” Kuroo saw the sly grin creep onto Bokuto’s lips and he knew there was no way out of it.
“Bokuto, don’t stay up all night,” Konoha warned.
“Yeah, you don’t want Akaashi to get angry again,” Komi snickered, earning an elbow jab from Konoha.
Akaashi? That wasn’t a name Kuroo had heard before, but it seemed to be enough to make Bokuto tense up. “Wait, who’s Akaashi? Someone special I should know about?” Bokuto was easy to tease since he would always get riled up, but this 'Akaashi’ seemed to have the opposite affect.
“I’ve never told you about Akaashi?” Bokuto seemed honestly surprised. “Well, he’s a first year setter and,” he craned his neck around to see if anyone was listening, “and Kuroo he’s so pretty. Like, really pretty. Magazine pretty.”
Kuroo snorted, giving his friend a quizzical look. “Bo, do you have a crush on your setter?”
“What? No, it’s not like that. He’s just…really pretty. When you see him, you’ll understand what I mean. Now come on, we’re starting warm ups.” Bokuto dragged Kuroo forward towards the gym, leaving no room for any other introductions. He looked over his shoulder for Kenma and saw that Yaku had gone next to him in Kuroo’s absence. He’d have to remember to thank him later.
Or maybe not. It was Yaku, after all.
The gym was higher than the one they had at Nekoma, but not by too much. Other than the higher ceiling, the rest of the area was just your standard gym. Teams were separated into different courts, all of them getting ready to face off. Fukurodani was up against Shinzen while Nekoma looked like they were going with Ubugawa. No game today would be considered easy.
After being pried away from each other by their teams, Kuroo and Bokuto ended up on different sides of the court. Fukurodani was in the back right while Nekoma was in the front left court. Usually, Kuroo would leave the rivaling team be, but something on the court caught his eye.
'Magazine Pretty’ Akaashi really did live up to his name.
Standing by Bokuto, there was a lean, dark haired individual who made Kuroo freeze. This had to be the Akaashi Bokuto had told him about. With one volleyball under his arm, Akaashi was paying attention to Bokuto as he rambled on about something Kuroo couldn’t hear. Every now and then he would nod to show he was listening, his soft curls bouncing ever so slightly. Although he kept a neutral, relaxed expression, it was clear that he was engaged in whatever Bokuto was saying. Then, without warning, Bokuto pointed directly at Kuroo, causing Akaashi to look over.
The air from Kuroo’s lungs left him once he and Akaashi locked eyes. The color was just like the boy; soft yet striking. There wasn’t just one color to describe them, they were a mixture of blues and grays and undertones of green, and Kuroo wanted to be able to look and identify every single shade and hue. While he was distracted, his body reacted by raising his hand in a wave, which Akaashi returned, a smile tugging at the corners of his lips.
Kuroo’s soul could have left his body and he wouldn’t have cared one bit.
“Oi, Kuroo, stop staring at the other team and start stretching,” Yaku commented from behind him, moving his arm so he could stretch his muscles.
Kuroo, of course, retaliated by smirking and twisting around to face him. “Do you really want me to stretch any more? I think you are the one who could use the extra inches, hey, Yakkun?”
As soon as the words were out of his his mouth, Kuroo knew that there was no saving him. With one swift movement, Yaku kicked the back of his knees, sending him stumbling forward. It was well deserved, Kuroo could admit that, but as he looked up to make another comment, the shaking form of Akaashi from across the gym caught his eye instead.
His hand was over his mouth, Akaashi was laughing softly while he tried to give Kuroo the privacy to look like an idiot in peace. Bokuto, along with the rest of the team, was standing agape as they looked at their underclassman. “Yaku,” Kuroo started, staring just as the whole Fukurodani team was, “I would like to thank you for gifting me today.”
Yaku squinted at him, his expression a cross between disgust and confusion. “Stop being weird and go warm up, seriously, you’re starting to freak me out.”
“Ah, Yakkun, so young.”
“I’m literally older than you.”
“You’re too young to understand the matters of the heart.”
“By almost four months, actually.”
“I think I’m in love,” Kuroo breathed, picking himself up and watching as Akaashi tried to sneak another glance over. When he saw that he had been caught, his pale cheeks lit up in color before turning away again. Kuroo grinned triumphantly before turning back to an exasperated Yaku. “What?”
“You do this every single time, Kuroo. You fall for someone you know isn’t your soulmate, and then someone gets hurt. And that someone is usually you,” Yaku stated bluntly, not bothering to spare Kuroo’s feelings.
“Soulmates mean nothing, Yaku,” Kuroo waved him off, walking over to the rest of the team. Although he could have sworn he had heard Yaku mutter something about how they DO matter, Kuroo chose to ignore him. Of course soulmates meant something to some people, but how could people just lie down and wait for someone to come along when there were beautiful people like Akaashi out in the world? Kuroo had provoked enough people to know that people fall into temptation easily.
Kuroo turned out to be one of these people, and Akaashi was definitely the source of his temptation.
He tried to focus during the game, he honestly did, but Kuroo’s eyes kept wandering over to the pretty setter in blue. Although he didn’t appear to be a constant regular, Akaashi was switched in every now and then when things got tough. Correction: when Bokuto got tough. But, when he was on the side, Kuroo made it his mission to catch his eye. Whether it was blocking a particularly hard spike, or receiving a low ball, Kuroo felt light whenever Akaashi would look over and give him some sort of reaction.
When Kenma was pulled in for one rotation, Kuroo caught movement from the corner of his eye, causing him to look over to Fukurodani’s team. Bokuto had just slammed down a spike, finally being dragged out of his slump by the first year setter. Everyone ran up and hugged the spiker, but Akaashi celebrated silently, watching the others’ displays of affection. When the setter looked up, they locked eyes once again. After a beat, Kuroo grinned and him a thumbs up, but he didn’t get to see what his response was. Just as he thought he saw Akaashi smile, Kuroo felt the ball smack into the back of his head, whipping his head forward.
“Sorry,” Kuroo heard Kenma say from the serving line, sounding very not sorry, “I didn’t mean to. But your head is starting to become a large target that’s hard to miss.” From the corner, Kuroo heard his teammates snicker at Kenma’s comment, even those who weren’t too fond of the setter. Kuroo wanted to scowl, but firstly, it was Kenma. Kuroo couldn’t ever scowl at Kenma. Secondly, he heard a snort coming from the other court followed by an 'Akaashi! Are you okay?’ from an overly energized Bokuto.
So Akaashi liked it when he made a fool out of himself, that was good to know.
Kuroo had a crush on a sadist.
After miraculously winning the first match, Nekoma went onto the second team, which was unfortunately not Fukurodani. After a long and hard fight, the teams took a break to cool down and get lunch. Well, most of the people did, Bokuto and Kuroo stayed back for some final clean up. But Bokuto seemed to have some additional intentions in mind.
“Stop doing whatever you’re doing to Akaashi!” Bokuto exclaimed once they were alone in the gymnasium.
“I’m not doing anything,” he shrugged. “well, except making him laugh. What? Are you jealous, Bo?” Kuroo teased, leaning over and placing a ball in the basket.
“Of course! I’ve never heard Akaashi laugh before.”
Kuroo wasn’t expecting an honest response; he was left with no come back. Instead, he simply made a gruff huffing sound. “I don’t know what to tell you, I’m just a funny guy.”
“Yeah, funny looking,” Bokuto mumbled, making them both freeze. Slowly, Kuroo lifted his head and looked over at the spiker.
“Excuse me?”
“Kuroo, my man, my bro, you know I didn’t mean that,” Bokuto backed up carefully as Kuroo took steps towards him. Before another word was uttered, the two of them were running through the gym, Bokuto screaming about how he didn’t want to die just yet. Eventually, Bokuto got one side of the net unhooked and started to roll himself up in it, claiming that he should at least have extra padding if Kuroo planned to punch him.
Just as Bokuto was fully wrapped up, and Kuroo was on the prowl, the door to outside slid open. The duo looked at the doorway, which revealed Akaashi, looking between the two. He sighed, sounding very tired, and walked closer. “Bokuto-san-”
“Akaashi! You have to get me away from this cat fucker!” Bokuto whined, winding himself tighter into the net.
As much as Kuroo did not want make himself appear insane, he was willing to give up his pride if it meant getting back at Bokuto. As Kuroo took another step forward, and Bokuto let out a quiet yelp, Akaashi let out another sigh and looked over to Kuroo. “Please tell Bokuto-san that he’s going to get himself hurt.”
Time seemed to stand still. Everything was frozen as Kuroo took in the words he had just heard; the words that had been written on his arm for as long as he could remember. Both him and Bokuto were stiff, neither one daring to move. Unfortunately, Akaashi didn’t understand at all. Kuroo could see his lips moving, but he couldn’t register any words that fell from his mouth. If Akaashi really was his soulmate, he would have to think of something good to say. But what if he said the wrong thing? Would fate change? Would the world explode? Implode? What- “What the actual the fuck.”
That could work too.
Akaashi’s words died on his lips as he looked over at Kuroo. Suddenly, the playful look in his eyes from earlier had disappeared from his eyes. Now he looked at Kuroo with a steady gaze, nearing frustration. With one hand, the setter started to lift the bottom of his shirt, causing Bokuto to gasp. “Akaashi! Indecent!”
“Are you seriously the reason I have this across my skin?” Akaashi revealed his hipbone, and in large, swooping letters, read the phrase 'what the actual fuck.’
Kuroo really should have listened to his mother more.
“Do you have any idea how many people say that? At least ten everyday.”
“Well,” Kuroo defended, “do you know how strange it is to have your best friend’s name on your arm for the rest of your life?” He stretched out his arm, exposing the thick lettering to Akaashi.
The younger boy looked over the letters, reaching his hand out before tracing each line. The connection sparked Kuroo’s skin as if he had been electrocuted. He wondered if Akaashi felt it too, but somehow, he knew he had. After his agile fingers left the last letter, Akaashi put his hand in Kuroo’s wrapping around him firmly. “Akaashi Keiji,” he grinned, Kuroo catching something mischievous behind his relaxed demeanor.
Instead of calling him out, Kuroo returned his smile, his hand holding Akaashi’s in place. “Kuroo Tetsurou. It’s nice to finally meet you, soulmate.”
“Likewise. Although, I didn’t imagine you would be this…”
“Handsome?” Kuroo leaned forward, a ravenous grin spreading across his face.
“More like troublesome,” Akaashi said playfully, his fingers moving affectionately over the back of Kuroo’s hand. “But yes, handsome could work too.”
Kuroo was about to continue their teasing when a stiff cough interrupted their conversation. “While I’m glad you two found each other,” Bokuto started, a bit awkward, “I seem to have gotten myself in a situation where I cannot get out. I think I might have tangled something.”
Kuroo snorted as Akaashi let go of his hand, sighing softly. “Bokuto-san, you can’t keep relying on the nets as a place for safety,” he chided, starting forward to help take off the net.
“Don’t be silly, Akaashi. That’s why they’re called safety nets.”
“Damn, he does got you there, Akaashi,” Kuroo smirked, looking over to his newly found soulmate as Akaashi threw his gaze over.
“Not helping.”
“Oh, I wasn’t aware you needed my help. I think you look just fine.”
“Ew, stop flirting while I’m here.” Bokuto wrinkled his nose, making Kuroo laugh.
Kuroo had laughed thousands of times before today, but as the noise filled the gym, he couldn’t help but feel weightless. He knew that suddenly having Akaashi in his life wouldn’t change everything automatically, but there was something that felt like everything fell into place. There had been a missing piece in his life that made the picture incomplete, and although there were still missing pieces to his puzzle, Kuroo couldn’t wait to find them all while he had Akaashi by his side.