Chapter Text
January finds Kenma back at his home, and while it’s a comfort, it also feels somehow foreign, like something fundamental has changed in the four months he’s been away at school.
His mother fusses at him less, and he finds himself doing chores he would have previously balked at with little thought.
It’s strange.
Even now, standing under the shower spray, he feels off. He wiggles his toes against the rubber bath mat, his lack of shower shoes glaringly obvious. The soap he uses at home is nicer, more expensive than the cheap bottles he buys at school and he breathes in the sweet scent as he rinses his hair.
His hair.
Even that’s different now.
He rubs at shaved bits. He’s not really sure why he’d gotten it cut. Truthfully, it really isn’t all that different from his old style. It still hangs in front of his face to hide his eyes, but it’s a shorter now, and the undercut had been a spur of the moment decision a week after he’d returned home.
He likes it, strangely enough.
His phone dings from the counter, and Kenma basks under the warm water for a few moments longer before shutting it off. He drys himself in quick motions, then rubs the towel vigorously through his hair before pulling on a pair of sweatpants.
He uses one hand to drag a comb through his hair, and the other to check his messages.
Bo:
Guuuuuuyss my parents left
now im all alone help
Tetsu:
come to me
Bo:
I WISH
I MISS YOUR FACE BRO
Tetsu:
Well we cant gave that
*have
Image attached
Bo:
GASP
GLASSES
KUROO WEHN
Tetsu:
LITERALLY YESTERDAY
local disaster:
they look nice, kuro
Tetsu:
KENMMMAAA
AHHHH
FJDKLA
Kenma huffs a laugh, then winces as he snags on a particularly large knot. It takes both hands for him to work through it, but when he finally gets it, the comb runs through without trouble.
He blinks at the hairdryer, contemplating.
His phone dings.
His hair doesn’t really need dried, he decides. He throws his used towel in the hamper, and takes his phone to his room. He flops onto his bed, and opens the chat again.
Bo:
:o
You broke him kenma
local disaster:
rip
Akaashi:
They suit you, Tetsurou.
Tetsu:
!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
double kill no fair
Image attached
look how red my face is
its all your fault
all of youe
you
ahhh
Bo:
Now I reallhy wanna see you guys!!!!!!
Can we meet up again after break
Its been MONTHS
local disaster:
Hm but do you deserveit
Bo:
I DO
IVE BEEN REALLY GOOD KENMA
Akaashi:
Im kinkshaming
Kenma’s face flushes and he stutters a laugh. He turns and buries his face in his pillow to muffle the sound. It always takes him by surprise when Akaashi says things like that, because he doesn’t do it often. Coupled with his deadpan tone of voice, and…well, Kenma thinks Akaashi does it on purpose.
Tetsu:
Akaashi said kink
What is the world coming to
Akaashi:
I could say worse things, if you’d like.
Tetsu:
I’d rather you do it in person ;3
Akaashi:
;3
Tetsu:
AN EMOJI
AKAASHI YOU DO LOVE ME
local disaster:
hm debatable
Tetsu:
kitten why do you hate me
The nickname has Kenma tossing his phone aside and hiding his face once more. He breathes deeply to calm his thundering heart. His phone chimes repeatedly, a single low note followed by a high one, but Kenma can’t find the strength to pick it back up. He doesn’t know why the name makes his feel this way, because he knows if anyone else called him that, he’d shy away, uncomfortable.
He groans and mutes the chat, opting to play a game instead.
A week later, he’s heaving his suitcase down the hall of his dorm while simultaneously trying to dig his key from the side pocket of his book bag. He manages, barely. He stops in front of his door, eyeing the shitty white board that’s adhered to the wood.
It’s got both his and roommate’s name scrawled across the top, except…that’s not his roommate’s name.
Kenma frowns.
He reads the name again.
Yamamoto Taketora.
He blinks and pulls out his phone.
local disaster:
Picture attached
I think I got a new roommate
and no one bothered to tell me
Save me
There’s no immediate response, so he draws a breath and opens the door.
It’s true. His old roommate’s things are gone, and there’s a guy he doesn’t recognize sitting at the desk on the far side of the room. He turns as Kenma enters.
“Yo,” he says.
“Um, hi.” Kenma heaves his suitcase onto his bed. He stands awkwardly for a moment, then decides now’s as good a time as any to unpack.
Silence fills the room.
Kenma’s putting his jeans away when someone knocks on the door.
He and Yamamoto spare a glance.
Kenma nudges his drawer closed as he rises.
The knocking starts again, then stops abruptly as Kenma opens the door.
There, standing on the other side, is Kuroo.
Kenma’s heart clenches at the sight of him.
"Your white knight is here to save you.”
Kenma breathes a sigh of relief.
Saturday afternoon finds Bokuto laying in bed, hair down and headphones on, trying to calm his racing heart. Akaashi has sent a photo to the group chat, and Bokuto had taken one look at it and immediately saved it.
He stares at it now.
Akaashi looks a little tired, but he’s still beautiful.
Beautiful. Is that a weird word to use for men?
Bokuto hums and decides it’s not.
And Akaashi is. Beautiful, that is. His hair curls effortlessly across his forehead, which is a wonder in itself, but he’s also shirtless and that flusters Bokuto in a new way.
He doesn’t think he’s ever felt sexual attraction before, and wonders if this is it. He contemplates it and he’s not entirely sure, but he thinks no.
Asexuality is a term he’s familiar with, and slowly come to apply to himself. With this revelation, it feels even more right.
He’s more flustered that Akaashi would trust them with a photo like this, and it sounds more scandalous than it is, but it’s important to him.
There’s intimacy in trust and that’s what has Bokuto’s heart twisting this way.
Bo:
Fjdkla;;jdkaf
YOU KILLED ME
Im dead
local disaster:
we’ll hold a nice funeral
Lots of owl references in your eulogy
Just for you
Bo:
Yes please
That’s all I could ever ask for
Tetsu:
A double funeral
Bc akaashi’s photo ruined me
Akaashi:
I aim to please
Tetsu:
oh you do more than please
KENMA JUST MADE THE ICK FACE
ABORT ABORT
Bo:
REST IN PIECES
Tetsu:
WAIT
IN A STARTLING TWIST
I HAVE THIS
fdjkashfjk
local disaster:
DON’T
Bo:
GASP
CAPS FROM KENMA
THE WORLD IS ENDING
Tetsu:
Photo attached
I shall share the blessing
i received on this day
Bokuto opens the photo and draws a sharp breath. Kuroo and Kenma are laying side by side on Kuroo’s bed, though Kuroo’s body is turned towards Kenma. Kenma’s hair has fallen away from his face, his eyes scrunched closed. He’s got a wide smile on his face, like he’s in the middle of laughing. Kuroo’s face is pressed into Kenma’s neck.
He saves it just like he saved Akaashi’s.
Bokuto wants to be with them. He wants to make Kenma smile like that. He wants Akaashi to join in, and laugh that small, breathless laugh of his.
For now, though, he’ll settle for this.
Bo:
ARE YOU KISSING HIM
I WANTED TO BE FIRST
Tetsu:
YOU SNOOZE YOU LOSE SCRUB
Bo:
Kenmmmaaa
Kiss me instead
Akaashi:
I actually kissed him first.
Tetsu:
YOU LIE
local disaster:
He’s not.
Akaashi:
I’ve kissed Koutarou, as well.
You snooze you lose, scrub.
Tetsu:
AKAASDSJKSHAJLHI
Akaashi is having a shitty day. He’d somehow missed his alarm this morning, was late to his first class, and stepped into a giant puddle that left his entire foot soaking wet with no time to go change.
His coffee hadn’t been made with almond milk, so his stomach has been cramping all morning, and he wants nothing more than to crawl back into bed and pretend the day had never happened.
His phone chimes.
You have been added to the chat: we’re gonna do a thing
Bo:
Good morning, Akaashi!
We have devised a plan™
local disaster:
A very good plan
It was Bo’s idea
Bo:
IT WAS
But it all banks on whether
you’re free this weekend
He’s not. Not really. He has a bunch of homework to do, his mother has mentioned him visiting for two weeks now and there’s a floor meeting in his dorm on Saturday.
Akaashi:
Hm.
For you, I’ll cancel everything else.
Bo:
Dfjkalfd AKAAASHII
Akaashi huffs a small laugh, ignores the squishiness of his wet sock, swerves out of the way of a guy on a bike and makes a note to call his mother.
local disaster:
You two
Are going to make a trip here
To surprise Kuro
Akaashi:
Ah.
A sound plan.
I agree.
Let me know what train you’re taking, Koutarou.
Bo:
YES
AKAASHIIII IM SO HAPPY
local disaster:
Me too.
Kuroo is starting to get worried. Kenma’s ignored the last three of his texts, which, on it’s own isn’t surprising, but he always answers his phone calls.
He shakes his head and shoves his key into the lock on his door. Yaku is out visiting his parents this weekend, so the apartment is going to be empty.
He’s trying to ask Kenma if he wants to stay, but Kenma obviously isn’t responding.
Kuroo sighs, pushes his glasses into his head to rub at his nose, and tosses his bag onto the couch.
His phone chimes.
local disaster:
Sorry.
We were taking a nap.
¯\_(ツ)_/¯
Tetsu:
We?
Kenma did you get involved with
weird people again
Akaashi:
Do you think we’re weird, Tetsurou?
Bo:
Image attached
Kuro drops his phone on the couch seconds after he sees the photo. He crosses his apartment in long strides, then flings open the door to his bedroom.
There, laying in his bed, are Kenma, Akaashi and Bokuto.
“Yo,” Kenma says. He’s squished between Akaashi and Bokuto’s larger bodies, fingers tapping diligently at his PSP.
“You guys are…”
“Here,” Akaashi says.
“We’ve been waiting all day for you, actually.” Bokuto shifts to make room between himself and Kenma, then pats the space invitingly.
Kuroo wastes no time sliding between them.