Imagine Nekoma losing in the nationals. Imagine them bowing and stepping from the court with as much dignity as they can muster even if it’s evident how upset everyone is. Imagine Kenma leaning his forehead against the lockers and saying that it’s frustrating, that it’s unfair, that they could have won this. Kuroo laughs and it sounds just a bit more bitter than his usual laugh, and he ruffles Kenma’s hair and says that it’s totally out of character for him to say things like that. He tells him that they didn’t win and that there’s nothing they can do about it now and that Kenma has to make sure to win next year and the whole team is reminded that it was the last official match for Kuroo, Yaku, Kai and the other third-years and that they will be retiring from the club soon. Tears are shed for a long time before everyone has calmed down and they leave the locker room. Only Kuroo, who hasn’t shed a single tear all this time and had offered encouraging words as the team’s captain, stays behind and the team lets him because they all know that he’s probably the one who’s the most upset from the team. Kenma stays behind too and listens from outside to Kuroo crying, sobbing, choking on his breath, punching and kicking the lockers, before it stays silent for a long time. When Kuroo comes out he’s surprised to see Kenma there but chuckles and says something like “I look really lame now, don’t I?” and they walk home together. Kenma never even once commented on Kuroo’s swollen eyes and read cheeks.