Kuroo's desk. Kuroo's desk. Kuroo's desk.
You have to get back to Kuroo's desk before he notices the bingo board filled in with the things he does to supposedly flirt with you during meetings.
You didn't mean to leave it there. You rushed out and now you're trying to subtly rush back. It's only been a minute, you've got a chance right?
Kuroo's holding it when you get there, sitting like a statue in his silent cubicle.
You freeze, a cold guilt washing over you. "Kuroo-san?" you whisper.
He looks up guardedly. "Is this from the meeting?"
"Y-yeah," you mumble unsure what to do with your hands. "It's--It's just a silly little game to pass the time! It doesn't mean anything..."
"Yeah, no, I...I totally get it." He laughs, a weak echo of the usual jubilant sound and your heart sinks.
He's trying to play off the hurt.
"If you, uh, play against someone just let me...let me know what your board says and I can help you win next time." He clears his throat and hands back the board unable to meet your eye.
"Do you...Do you still want help with Suna's contract?" you ask as he stands up and tries to quickly, nonchalantly unroll his sleeves.
He answers "oh. No thanks, not right now. I forgot I have to be on the other side of the city for a meeting."
"Okay then." You're lingering awkwardly as he puts on his jacket obviously getting ready to leave.
"Did you need anything else?" he asks, unnaturally formal.
"Just..." You don't know what to say. Everything feels so wrong; you hate yourself for making this mistake among so many others. "...My binder."
After he stiffly offers it, you slink back to your cubicle numb from head to toe.
He has to walk past your work space to get to the elevator so you see his hard expression and hear his terse greeting to someone else.
"Geez, what bee is in his bonnet," says your best friend at work sourly as she comes back into your shared space.
She's the last person you want to talk to right now.
"He saw the bingo board," you growl through gritted teeth.
She sinks into her chair, exhaling "oh....shit."
Thankfully she stays quiet sensing your delicate state and you feel like screaming.
The look on Kuroo's face...his brave trying-not-to-be-hurt expression...will haunt you forever.
That you're the one who put it there.
The DING of the elevator breaks you from your painful thoughts and you move without thinking.
You jump out of your seat and sprint for the elevator, dashing in between the closing doors so quickly they don't bounce back open.
Kuroo stares at you with defensive shock.
"Okay, look--" you start talking before he can press anymore buttons and the elevator starts to move; if you're going to do this you want to do it while it's just the two of you.
Not stopping to think you explain "--it's not what you think. I mean it is, kind of, but not like you're taking it. It is a bingo board of all the things you do during meetings but it's not to make fun of your or to pass the time it's a game my desk mate makes me play because she thinks you're doing those things on purpose only during the meetings I'm in."
"Why would she think that?" he asks unreadably.
"Because," you look anywhere but at him embarrassment rising like the sun inside of you, "she found out I have a crush on you and she's convinced you feel some kind of way about me even though I've told her repeatedly that you don't. So she made up this stupid game as if it would prove something and I only play it so she won't meddle but I hate playing it because it doesn't prove anything, there's no way you would be doing these things to flirt with me in a room full of people and it's just been encouraging her crazy theories. I'm sorry I went along with it at all and I'm sorry you found out. I didn't want you to know I had feelings for you because I didn't want to make things weird but they got weird anyway and I would much rather make a fool of myself than have you thinking you're being made fun of when really you've just been driving me crazy--"
You cut yourself off with a sharp inhale.
You're terrified someone else is about to get on and might have overheard but the doors stay closed.
Kuroo's leaning over you, long fingers pulling away from the control panel as the elevator stops moving.
When you look up his eyes drop to you, cautiously...watching for any sign of your protest or objection.
"What...are you..." your unfinished question comes out breathlessly as he rests a hand above you.
Still searching your expression intently he admits "I...was doing those things to flirt with you..."
You frown incredulously. "In a room full of people...? ...but...why?"
"I was nervous...I didn't want my crush to make things weird, either.
His cologne dazes the edges of your mind and you look up shocked at what you just heard. "Yo-Your crush?"
--His eyes flick down to your lips as he nods, adorable bed head rustling--
He nods and gives you a smirk that electrifies your heart--you think this is how he should always look.
"Yeah." He lets out a low chuckle in the space between you that's slowly disappearing. "On you."
Your heart's pounding as he lowers his head, heat rolling off of him he's so close and his eyes flick to your lips once more before you both let your eyes fall closed with a flutter and whrrrummm
You gasp, grabbing Kuroo to steady yourself as the elevator starts moving again and he scowls at the display of numbers.
A moment later the elevator stops and he pulls you away from the door.
You try to act natural as other people get on hoping your expression is casual, relaxed, unlike the storm of feelings brewing within you.
Kuroo, however, does nothing to hide his radiating satisfaction and delight.