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If one would ask Kuroo Tetsurou if he has any regrets in particular, he would always answer none.
“What’s there to regret about?” Tetsurou asked in his usual grin. “I’ve got a wonderful job in which I’m passionate about; a partner that loves and supports me twenty-four-seven; and, well,” he relaxed into a comforting smile. “There may be struggles here and there, of course, but it’s not something regrettable, you know?”
Those who’d ask the winning question would always have more questions in mind, but they never ask. Tetsurou was too vague despite his confidence; a “mere shadow” as he once puts it, saying his life isn’t a topic worth the conversation. He’d rather work in the background—pulling the strings, lowering the net to create a masterpiece—than be known as the man behind it all. And he’d be proud of his work all the same, regardless if it meant the public failing to acknowledge his efforts.
After all, they came to watch the game that he had meticulously created; slowly collecting the chess pieces until both sides were complete. It’s no incredible feat, either; Tetsurou was just doing his job in promoting volleyball.
However, this game was particularly special.
His ringtone sprung to life a few times the moment he turned on his data connection, his phone showing a string of messages from one person specifically.
Tetsurou huffed happily, his thumbs moving on instinct to reply.
Another question people would ask Tetsurou is if he ever gets tired.
“Tiredness doesn’t exist when you’re passionate about what you do!” Tetsurou would always say, ignoring the deep bags surrounding his eyes and the pain behind his smile.
They always knew it was a lie, but what was wrong with being optimistic?
It was part of his morning to embrace the comforting silence of the shared apartment. It was a stark contrast to the bubbling energy of the office every day, so the peace and quiet was somewhat refreshing for the raven.
However, this morning, the two differences would be one, his partner had to go earlier than usual for a game; and two, the silence would be temporary, because he needs to head over to the venue and watch the game himself. He’d say it’s part of the job, after all.
Tetsurou heads for the kitchen, confirming that there was breakfast waiting for him at the kitchen counter. There was also an insulated tumbler that definitely had the raven’s usual caffeine mix. But breakfast will have to wait, Tetsurou figured, as he headed for the bedroom to change.
…but that also seemed to be sorted out, with how there’s a neatly folded stack of clothes on the bed.
“What will I ever do without you..” Tetsurou mumbled to himself, huffing out an endearing sigh. Upon approaching the pile of clothes, he chuckled to see it organized according to his schedule today—a pair of pajamas atop his work suit. As he picks up the pair of black cat pajamas, Tetsurou notices a note falling down.
Curious, he grasped it gently, reading it aloud. “..Get some rest today. It’s okay. Hah,” the raven exhaled. “When has it ever been okay..?”
He checks the time. It was 8:19. The game starts at 10:00. He could probably sleep for a full hour and prepare for the 30-minute ride by the time he wakes. Yeah, Tetsurou had thought, that’s a plan.
Setting aside the neatly pressed suit, Tetsurou changed into his pajamas and indulged the comfort of their mattress, his tiredness all the more evident.
Tetsurou woke up to the alarm ringing horribly loud in his ear. Startled, he jolted up and was quick to check his phone.
"Ah, shit.." the raven exasperated. It was one in the afternoon.
There were also a few missed calls, most of them from work. A few message threads, asking where he's been.
Fuck, was the game done? And he didn't get to see it?
"Ugh.. I fucked up.."
Tetsurou ran a hand through his already messed-up hair—the pressure and stress teaming up to overwhelm him. He couldn't help but sigh in a harsher manner, feeling shame all over him despite the comfort of his bed.
"No, you didn't."
"Yes, I di—" Tetsurou was quick to look at the open door in front of him. "Since when have you come home? Kei?"
Tsukishima Kei was leaning against the door frame, toned arms crossed, and greeted Tetsurou with the softest expression. "11:30."
"And you didn't wake me up!" Tetsurou exclaimed, feeling rather upset this time. He mumbled, "I didn't get to watch your game.."
"I wanted you to rest,” Kei answered. “Plus, when I asked your coworkers, they couldn’t seem to contact you as well. Figured you really needed the nap.”
Tetsurou frowned, unwilling to admit that he did enjoy the few hours of sleep. Instead, the irresponsibility gnawed at him; he’s bound to write a couple of apologies during the day. Though, he did have today on a vacation leave..
“Stop moping and come eat for lunch,” Kei’s voice echoed. He was already by the kitchen when Tetsurou looked up from the bedroom floor. “I’m starving.”
With a low groan, the raven complied. At this point, there was no use in crying over spilled milk.
“Really good at comforting, aren’t you..?” He yawned. He could hear Kei chuckle.
“Sorry, it’s the hungry talking.” The blonde mused, placing a bowl of their usual lunch. When really, Tetsurou eats whatever Kei chooses to eat. Today, it was oyakodon.
The raven hummed, interested in the blonde's food choice. "Oyakodon, hmm?"
“I noticed the chicken was about to expire,” Kei shrugged, sitting beside the raven with his own bowl of oyakodon. “It'd be a waste if I didn't cook it.”
“Well, did you cook it all?” Tetsurou had asked, but the blonde shook his head. “Okay. Let's have chicken soup for dinner.”
If he were to think about it now, then Tetsurou could add another reason why the silence seemed so comforting. It was never awkward whenever Kei’s around… or rather, his presence was Tetsurou’s home. He’d always find himself slowly relaxing, resting his head on the blonde’s shoulder; the weight that burdened his shoulders would be gone for just a moment.
And, for just a moment, Tetsurou would always realize how an opportunity such as this would be once in a blue moon.
The raven hummed, considering his words. “What’s on your schedule today?”
“Nothing much—the coach allowed us to take a break today.” Kei mumbled, as his hand reached for Tetsurou’s back. “Something wrong?”
“No, no..” The raven nuzzled into the blonde’s nape, smelling the faint scent of sweat and perfume. It didn’t matter at all, and he was too tired to tease Kei about it. “Just wonderin’... it’s been a while since we’ve taken a day off, you know.”
If Tetsurou were to remember correctly, their last week-long vacation was four months ago—around the start of the new League season. Even then, their vacation was more about gaining back hours and hours of sleep, lazily cooking whatever’s left inside the fridge, and cozily watching their favorite movies every now and then.
And he’ll admit it: Tetsurou misses it. A little too much, in fact, that he’d rather stay under Kei’s sweat in an uncomfortable position a while longer.
“That’s true—oi,” Kei’s grip was heavy on Tetsurou’s arm to prevent both of them from falling off the chairs. “What? Am I a pillow to you now?”
"You could.." Tetsurou breathed, using both arms to hug the other. "You're soft as one these days.. even softer than the neck pillow you gave me for my office—"
Kei laughed at that comparison, pushing the raven away for a bit so he could look at his face. "I get it, I get it.. can we please go back to bed first?"
"I demand a kiss first!" Tetsurou declared, and he grinned when the blonde exasperated a sigh. "What? No kiss? Not moving."
It’s not as if Kei could deny his partner a kiss, anyway. This wasn’t anything new either—Tetsurou would always ask for a kiss, no matter the circumstance, and Kei would oblige. Because, if he didn’t, then the raven would proceed to be stubborn until he’s kissed.
“Are you not even feeling any sort of discomfort?”
“Nope!”
“Seriously… stop being stubborn…”
“Well, if I were uncomfortable, I’d still ask for a kiss.”
Eventually, he gave up with an upset sigh, placing a soft kiss on Tetsurou’s forehead. “Such a baby.”
“I’m your bab—”
“I get it already. Now,” Kei smirked, muscled body now clinging against Tetsurou. “Bed.”
Tetsurou was stunned at the sudden shift of weight, but quickly recovered with a laugh he hadn’t heard from himself in a good while. It was lively, it felt refreshing to genuinely laugh again.
After a few minutes of sitting up and down with a heavy athlete in his arms to finally find his feet stuck to the ground, Tetsurou made their way back to the bedroom. Along the way, he kissed Kei's cheeks that only made the blonde giggle.
He proceeded to carefully lay the blonde on the bed, leaving a trail of kisses along his skin. Tetsurou missed how intimate they could get at times, since all they’ve done was sleep in the past few months. He missed the familiar touch of Kei’s athletic body against his fingers, seeming like a sin to let callous hands run over such silky skin. Missed how the blonde would run his fingers through Tetsurou’s hair. There’s just so many that he had missed.
“Kei,” Tetsurou whispered as he laid down beside the blonde. “I really missed you, love.”
Kei laughed, placing one hand on the raven’s cheek. He knew that even if he doesn’t express it out loud, Tetsurou was aware of how much he longed for this day, too.
If there was a topic that Tetsurou’s coworkers would love to avoid at every encounter, it’d be his partner.
It was no secret that the influential Kuroo Tetsurou was in a relationship with a known volleyball player. Almost anyone who had spoken with Tetsurou would see right away who he’s committed to, and almost everyone would know not to speak about it out loud. Though, perhaps it was due to the fact that Tetsurou gushes over him all the time that they’d choose not to do so.
“Their team finally got into the first division this season!” Tetsurou cheerily declared, grinning from ear to ear. “They’ve come so far, so I’m ecstatic to see where this season will take them!”
He’d always talk about how “golden his hair looks when the sun shines on it,” or how “hardworking he is for working at the museum and playing volleyball without fail.” Always, Tetsurou would never get tired of speaking the littlest of details, would never stop showcasing achievements for the nth time that year, and would never halt from expressing his love at every chance that he gets.
So, Tetsurou hugs Kei tight, legs wrapped around the other’s as they talk about their month so far.
“...Hikari-san really put me in a predicament last week.” The raven sighed, his head nuzzled into Kei’s neck. “Their reports kept getting rejected, so the manager had to make me write one on a whim. Aah, such a pain.”
“I get that,” Kei replied, his hands lovingly placed on the raven’s waist while he softly kissed Tetsurou’s scalp. He had hated such intimacy in the past, but now he learned to love it thanks to Tetsurou. “I once had to write a series of reports in a week because my co-workers were too incompetent to finish them.”
“Tough.”
Tetsurou pulled back to look at Kei. The blonde definitely seemed more tired recently, which was why he’d been crankiest. There were days where Kei would just be upset, unable to speak or else he’d say something horribly unnecessary—which the blonde wouldn’t want to happen. So, the silence that Tetsurou had always cherished could seldom be a trait that he’d also despise.
Silently, Kei watched how Tetsurou reached for his cheek—hazel eyes staring right through him. Then, another cold hand rubbed the other side of his face, the roughness of it was all Kei could feel. At the same time, he could sense his heart skip a beat in excitement, curious eyes focused at Tetsurou alone.
“What are you thinking in that great mind of yours?” Kei mused, albeit a quiet mumble. Tetsurou hummed in response, perhaps deliberately choosing his answer.
Slowly, Tetsurou moved closer, allowing his lips to lightly brush the blonde’s. Kei tightened his grip on the raven’s waist, anticipating Tetsurou's next move. The raven, however, had other plans—he went on to lightly kiss different parts of Kei’s face. The heavy bags under those amber eyes, his forehead that had been sporting light acne again, his chin—all that before truly claiming the blonde’s lips.
It was gentle, reassuring rather, and Kei found it within him to relax. He returned the kiss, finding solace in the warmth despite Tetsurou’s freezing touch. And Kei could hear the raven sigh in satisfaction, making the former smile in return. Soon, Tetsurou had pulled away, taking deep breaths; his eyes never strayed away.
“...I was just thinking about how beautiful you are. How I missed you, how I missed this.” Tetsurou spoke in a gentler manner, then chuckled a little when Kei squeezed his waist. “And, well.. how I’m still sorry for being unable to watch your match today.”
Kei hummed, observing the faint guilt in the raven’s features. He’s awfully aware of his partner’s stubbornness, but it never mattered for Kei, not when he’s also horribly stubborn.
The blonde kissed Tetsurou this time, swift and sweet. He whispered, “All that matters to me is that you’re able to rest, especially during the peak of the season.”
“Says you…” Tetsurou mumbled, his expression now concerned. “You’ve been working hard for this for months.. and when I got the free time to finally watch your match, I ended up sleeping in.”
As one of Kei’s hands moved to the back of Tetsurou’s head, reassuring the raven with gentle strokes, he sighed. “There’s always a rebroadcast.. or we can watch the team’s copy of the game tonight.”
“Oh, I know that..” Tetsurou frowned a little, so Kei listened. “But.. it’s just not the same. It’s different when you’re able to watch the love of your life play in person, you know? I—” he avoided Kei’s assuring gaze. “I just wanted to cheer you on, and I fucked that up.”
Kei knew how much this meant for Tetsurou, and could understand why he’s feeling upset about it. The man would beat himself up for being unable to attend to certain occasions, even after promising he’d go, due to things he can’t possibly control.
“You didn’t,” Kei repeated his words from earlier, tracing the raven’s jaw up to his chin so he could make the raven look at him again. “It’s not my final match yet; I’m not going anywhere. Plus, we still have a match in the finals. You can watch me shine there, no?”
Tetsurou chuckled at his choice of words, “Since when have you been this comforting, huh? Never heard you say that before.”
“Well, neither have I.” Kei smiled, feeling Tetsurou shift his body so they’d be in each other’s warmth a little more. “It’s worth the shot, though.”
“Mhm, it’s working.”
“Plus, I’ve been worried, you know..” The heat rose up to Kei’s cheeks, suddenly feeling bashful for voicing out his concerns. “With how little you’ve slept today, what if something would happen if you still went to watch the game? I-I wouldn’t be able to help you..”
Despite the embarrassment, the worry was also quite evident for Tetsurou. For the raven, perhaps that was the main reason why Kei had left the note. So, instead of arguing further, Tetsurou closed the gap with a tight hug, his head against Kei’s chest.
“I never thought it’d worry you so much..” Tetsurou’s voice was muffled, but Kei could hear him perfectly. “I’m sorry.”
Kei returned the hug, smelling Tetsurou’s hair to calm down. He mumbled, “You idiot. You’re my partner, of course I’d worry for your well-being.”
Surely, Kei could hear the raven chuckle against his chest. Somehow, he knew that his words had won Tetsurou over this time.
And, for some reason, he could tell they’d be too lazy to get up and have dinner later.
He’ll remember to throw out the expired chicken in the morning.
Kei woke up without Tetsurou by his side.
Instead, he could hear the low sizzle and smell the buttery aroma beyond their bedroom. Lazy to get up, Kei remained comfortable under the covers, pretending to be asleep until Tetsurou could wake him up. His eyes were closed until he could sense the raven gently lay down beside him.
“Kei-kei…” Tetsurou cooed, stroking the blonde's cheek with his thumb. “It's time to wake up.”
On the other hand, Kei pretended to stir in his sleep. He moved to one side, facing Tetsurou, and wrapped a leg around the latter. “Five minutes…”
Tetsurou chuckled. “Bummer, but I cooked your favorite, though. You sure you want that to go cold?”
“Mn…?” Kei opened his eyes to a squint in an attempt to look at Tetsurou. “...nuggets?”
“Not just nuggets,” Tetsurou proposed. “They're dinosaurs.”
“Pfft!”
The blonde let out a soft chuckle; he's definitely awake after that. He mumbled, “Winning me over with dinosaur nuggets, of all things.”
“Yes, and?” Tetsurou mused, sitting right back up confidently. He stared back at Kei when the latter held his hand. “Come on, now.” Tetsurou tugged on the blonde's hold slightly. “Let's eat breakfast while it's still hot.”
“Too lazy…”
“Seriously…”
Tetsurou, fortunate with his strength, pulled Kei up. “Such a spoiled brat,” Tetsurou teased, greeting the blonde with a morning kiss. “Maybe I should have the dino nuggets all to myself—”
“Noooo—” Kei howled, his voice still husky in the morning. Tetsurou had always found that attractive, but he never mentions it. “Leave me some…”
“I’ll eat it if you keep being a lazy poke,” Tetsurou teased, then groaned when Kei’s weight leaned on him. “Keeeeeei.”
“Fine, fine…” Kei huffs out a tired sigh, leeching off Tetsurou’s body. “Go on ahead. I just need to wash my face..”
“You better not lie back down,” Tetsurou warned, though his tone was a little teasing. The raven stood up and left Kei alone, letting the blonde do his thing. Kei had always preferred privacy, after all; even if it were as potentially intimate as changing clothes together. No, he would hide in their bathroom for that task.
As Tetsurou stepped out of their room and into their open kitchen, he heard the blonde call out. “I forgot to give you something last night. It’s in the box by the sofa.”
Box… box?
Tetsurou squinted at the darkness surrounding their living room, switching the lights open so he could navigate better.
What box… ah.
In front of the raven was a green, heavy-looking box. For some reason, the sight of it made Tetsurou anxious. “What’s in it?” He asked in a shout, assuming Kei was in the bathroom.
“Open it!” Kei shouted back, his voice distant. “And no, it’s not a bomb.”
Tetsurou chuckled nervously; how the hell would that ease his anxiety? “I never said it was one!”
“I know, but you also think of all sorts of things if it’s a damn box.”
Okay, fine, that convinced him. A little. But, hey, if it’s from Kei—what’s there to worry about?
Taking a deep breath, he held on to the box’s lid; the box, in itself, was of quality and actually heavy. The wonder within Tetsurou urged him to go on with it, questioning his hesitation when it was obviously a gift from Kei.
After a few sighs, Tetsurou finally pulled open the lid only to see a pair of Sendai Frogs jerseys. Its light shade of green complimented the dull green exterior of the box, shimmering under the living room light. However, Tetsurou still wondered why Kei would give him a jersey. Maybe they’re matching?
Tetsurou picks up one of the jerseys—the cloth smooth on his hand as he looks at the back. Kuroo, 01. “Huh,” he murmured. “That’s my number back in Nekoma.”
So, the other jersey must be for Kei, right? Tetsurou sets aside his jersey to pick up Kei’s, turning the jersey around so he’d see the back. Nothing seemed to change, except the number was 11.
Wait.
Tetsurou blinked once. Then, twice. Thrice, for good measure, just to read out the jersey name.
Kuroo, 11.
…
..Kuroo, 11. A jersey that has the Kuroo name, but in Kei’s Karasuno number.
Confused, his first instinct was to find Kei. “Kei, love, why do I have two jer—”
Kei was on one knee on their bedroom carpet with a smug expression on his face. He smiled, slightly tightening his hold on a small, red leather box. "Took you long enough."
"I… I was supposed to do this if you actually went to the game yesterday." Kei chuckled, a slight hint of anxiety in his voice. "And I-I guess.. asking you this in the comfort of our home.. it's better this way."
"I—" Tetsurou almost choked, his eyes beginning to shine. "Tell me you're serious."
"I am serious," Kei assured, unmoving but also shaking. "And I will seriously go down on one knee, seriously open this box with my two hands—" he sniffled. "..and I will seriously ask you if I can be Kuroo Kei."
"So, Kuroo Tetsurou," Kei was about to cry. "W-Will you marry me?"
Tetsurou clenched his fist on the jersey, tears running down his face as he slowly approached Kei with one knee as well. He was unsure of what to say despite the answer so clear in his head, as he witnessed Kei laugh out a few tears as well. Even then, Kei looked beautiful past the tears, slender hands holding the ring box with such care.
The raven then looked at the ring inside—a silver band that had a moon carved in its center. It looked so simple, yet so elegant; words began to form on his tongue, but he hesitated for a little. Having the opportunity to marry the love of his life seemed too surreal; years of watching the stars to almost doing every little thing together, months of petty arguments and temporary heart breaks, weeks of smothering one another with love they would never find in anyone else—
Now, they’ve reached this point in their lives where a moment of today can completely change what they were, what they are, and what they will become.
“You fucking idiot,” was what Tetsurou first said, his grin a little too wide that it hurt his cheeks. “Shouldn’t I be the one proposing if you want to be a Kuroo?”
“Does it matter?” Kei laughed. “Kuroo Kei has a nice ring to it, too.”
Tetsurou scoffed in a teasing manner, his once blurry vision soon becoming clear. He inhaled, searching for something he had already found a long time ago, as he used one hand to cup the blonde’s cheek. “It does sound great… so I’m approving your proposal.”
At first, Kei looked back at him in surprise, stunned even. It didn’t take long for him to scoff, tears escaping his pretty face once again.
“Seriously..” Kei cried, the box long forgotten as they hugged. “You really had to say yes that way?”
“A yes is a yes, don’t make me take it back.”
Kei chortled, leaning back to cup the raven’s cheeks. There was a certain air between them that Kei could easily identify—love and hope for a new chapter ahead.
The blonde grinned at Tetsurou's foolish smile, “I won't. After all, that's the answer I've been hoping for.”
If one would ask Kuroo Tetsurou if he had any regrets in life, he'd say there's one in particular.
“I wasn't the one who asked for my husband's hand in marriage.” He'd say dramatically, but with the widest smile on his face. “I could tell you all about it!”