kuroo's new favorite flavor of ice cream is strawberry. this comes as a surprise to his friends since in the past, he famously professed his distaste for fruity flavors, usually opting for chocolate or even cookie dough. when they ask him what made him change his mind, he chuckles knowingly and blames this recent development on acquiring a bigger sweet tooth as he's gotten older.
what his friends don't know is how the strawberry ice cream reminds kuroo of your everyday lip gloss. the pinkish sheen on your lips as you smile at him is forever engraved in his mind. he vividly remembers the stickiness of your lip gloss when you kissed him this morning and the ringing of your laughter when the product transferred onto his mouth. swiping his tongue across his lips, kuroo swears he can still taste the lingering sweetness of strawberries.
it's quite an addictive feeling; he can never seem to get enough of you. what's more is you've figured out that kuroo has taken quite a liking to your lip gloss, and you've made it your goal to be the death of him. every time you whisper in his ear or peck him on the cheek, the tantalizing scent of strawberries wafts into kuroo's nose, tempting him to close the gap that you purposefully kept small but not touching. eventually with his mouth pressed against yours, as he's too weak to resist your schemes, he's intent on memorizing a sensation that is so uniquely you.
in the end, kuroo isn't completely lying when he says his sweet tooth has grown. but rather than indulging in the ice cream, it's you that he craves.
you place your son on the playmat in the middle of the living room, pushing his messy black hair that imitates his father’s back from his forehead. he’s fussy, as he usually is, but he’s in a particularly bad mood today. he’s whiny, finds everything a reason to cry, and refuses to calm down. this is you and your husband’s last resort.
“i heard this one youtube channel like, unites all babies or something. helps calm them down like that,” kuroo says, snapping his fingers on cue as he scrolls through videos on the tv.
“i have nothing left in me anyways,” you sigh, utterly exhausted, your legs collapsing to the carpeted floor beneath you as you lean your back against the sofa.
“this better work,” kuroo mumbles, just as frustrated at your annoying bundle of joy as you are, hitting play on a video. as soon as he does so, it's like a flip switches inside of your son. his sniffles stop, his pout relaxes, and his tears stop their cascade down his chubby cheeks. he’s absolutely engrossed in the content right from the intro. cartoon rainbows and flowers decorated with colorful butterflies and buzzing bees fill the screen, capturing his attention. his mouth hangs open in awe at the pictures.
“is this really all it took?” you mutter breathlessly.
“he really stopped crying. after hours. over a stupid video.” the remote falls out of kuroo’s hand as his whole body relaxes and falls slack against the sofa’s cushions.
“we’ve failed as parents, haven’t we?” you say, running an exhausted hand down your face.
“look at him,” kuroo gestures to your son, “he’s even happy now. how long was he crying before this again?”
“2 hours straight,” you reply lifelessly. you bang your head on the back of the sofa. “it’s finally quiet. for a moment i really thought my headache was gonna kill me.”
“we made him,” he teases, his fingers soothingly massaging your scalp from his place on the sofa above you.
“i didn’t ask for this,” you groan.
he smiles. “i know. good thing he’s cute though. makes it a bit better, don’t you think?”
a little bit, if you ignore the part where the two of you feel as though you’re going to collapse from exhaustion.
“i don’t know about that,” you tell him, but you’re lying to yourself. it’s impossible to contain your smile when you watch him clapping along to the music on the tv, and when you look up to see kuroo grinning, you can tell he feels the same way.
“that boy is gonna cause us all kinds of trouble.”
“where do you think he got that trouble making nature from, hm?” you ask him, looking up at him with a teasing glint in your eye.
Summary: Kuroo is disgustingly, painfully, stupidly, and disastrously in love with you.
Warnings: fluff, f!reader, Kuroo in love and lots of fluff.
Characters: Kuroo Tetsurō.
A/N: Thank you for the request love <33.
Kuroo Tetsurō is not subtle about being in love with you.
At all.
Never has been. Never will be.
It starts with the way his attention gravitates toward you like a magnet with zero self-control. You’ll be in a room full of people—loud, busy, chaotic—and somehow Kuroo’s eyes will always find you first. He doesn’t even try to play it cool. If you catch him staring, he doesn’t look away. He just smirks, lazy and pleased, like yeah, I was looking. What about it?
“God,” he mutters once, chin propped on his hand, eyes following you as you laugh at something Kenma said. “You see that?”
Kenma doesn’t even look up from his phone. “If you’re talking about her breathing, blinking, or existing—yes. You’re being weird again.”
Kuroo beams. “I know.”
He is down horrendous.
Everyone knows it. Nekoma knows it. Bokuto knows it (and announces it loudly). Even strangers know it, because Kuroo has the self-restraint of a man who has already decided you are it for him.
He leans in too close when he talks to you, fingers absentmindedly brushing your wrist like it’s second nature. When you sit beside him, his body automatically angles toward yours, knee fucking4 yours on purpose. If you yawn, he’s already offering his shoulder. If you shiver, his jacket is halfway off before you can protest.
“Baby,” he says easily, casually, like the word belongs there. Like it’s always belonged there.
Someone once asks him, half-joking, “You ever get tired of flirting?”
Kuroo blinks. “Flirting? Oh—no, that’s just me being in love.”
You nearly choke on your drink.
He’s disgusting.
Hopeless.
Perfect.
What really gets people is how soft he is about it. Kuroo Tetsurō—sarcastic, teasing, sharp-tongued—is suddenly all warm hands and quieter smiles when it comes to you. He listens to you like every word matters.
Remembers everything. The way you take your drink. The song you mentioned once, months ago. The offhand comment about liking cats more than dogs (he sends you cat videos at 2 a.m. with no shame).
When you’re tired, he notices before you say anything.
When you’re upset, he goes uncharacteristically still, focused, gentle.
And when you tease him about it—because of course you do—he doesn’t even deny it.
“You’re so whipped,” you laugh one evening, poking his cheek.
He catches your finger, presses a kiss to your knuckle, eyes fond and unguarded. “Yeah. Completely. Ruined for anyone else. Tragic, really.”
There is no embarrassment in him. None.
Just devotion.
The worst (best) part? He adores showing you off.
Not in a possessive way—never that—but in the way someone shows off their favorite thing in the world because how could they not?
“That’s her,” he says proudly to anyone who’ll listen. “Isn’t she incredible?”
You’ll try to shush him, cheeks warm, but he only laughs and pulls you closer, arm draped around your shoulders like it belongs there.
“You think I’m gonna shut up about you?” he murmurs into your hair. “Absolutely not.”
At night, when it’s just the two of you, the bravado softens even more. He traces slow patterns on your back, thumb warm and steady, like he’s grounding himself through you.
“You know I’m serious, right?” he says quietly once, voice lower, real. “About you. About us.”
You look at him, at the man who has never once pretended he didn’t care, whose love is loud and obvious and unwavering.
“I know,” you say.
He smiles—soft, crooked, entirely yours—and presses his forehead to yours.
“Good,” he whispers. “Because I’m not going anywhere. Ever.”
Kuroo Tetsurō is many things.
Clever. Annoying. Charismatic.
But above all?
He is so, so, devastatingly in love with you—and he wears it like a badge of honor.
Hope you liked it.LIKES AND REBLOGS ARE APPRECIATED!
Don't steal,copy,edit or use my works in any form without my permission.
Kuroo being the biggest nerd on earth was quite the shocker to you when you first transferred to Nekoma. He looked more like he would leave you with a baby than actually study. But that stayed an after thought unti—
“You’re going to need tutoring.” Your eyes basically shot out of your skull after she said that.
A short scoff escaped your lips. “Tutoring? Hell no.”
Mrs.Kim, your biology teacher, raised an eyebrow. “Im not having you fail this class. Monday you’re starting tutoring in the library with Kuroo after school.”
“This has to be optional right?” Your question was answered with a blank stare. Oh brother.
-
Tutoring was, eh.
Your tutor tho? You’d 100% let him hit if he asked nicely. Only downside was that he seemed mad shy, like barely holding eye contact and being awkward throughout the whole session.
It was cute tho.
The more sessions you had, the more comfortable he got. Still awkward but less than before. He’s even started dropping jokes and teasing you a bit.
There obviously was some tension between you two, but nobody dared to act on it.
One session, Kuroo send you off to get a specific book from the biology section while looking over your last exam.
The biology books were stored at the very back of the library, in a secluded and tight space. The book you were looking for was on one of the top shelves.
“Shit...” You mumbled annoyed while standing on your tippy toes to reach the book. After a bit of helpless stretching, you felt someone reach over your head and grab it.
“You know they have latters here.” Kuroo mumbled right into your ear. He was dangerously close, bodyheat engulfing with yours. “Uh- yeah ofc I did.” You gulped, not turning around just yet. He wasn’t moving back either, hand still gripping the book on the top shelf, trapping you between the books and him.
You turned to face him and your breath hitched when your noses almost touched. He just stared, not backing up. A few seconds in he finally said something.
A long sigh. “You’re really stupid you know.”
“Huh?” You frowned. “Your exam. Who doesn’t know what fucking glucose is?” He sneered.
“This can’t be your best attempt at flirting.” You blandly dismissed his comment and Kuroo just flushed up like a tomato, his hot guy persona immediately crumbling.
“I-Im not-” You cut him off with a wave. “Yeah yeah save it.” Without much fuss you grabbed the collar of his shirt and pulled him down into a kiss.
It was sweet, at first.
Kuroo gained his confidence back fast and wrapped his arms around your waist. What was first a simple kiss quickly turned into a heated tongue battle. It got more and more heated, your back hit the shelves and your fingers traced his upper body while Kuroo was hesitant to hike up your skirt.
He pulled away “Uh- are you sure? I mean if that’s what you want it’s okay but we really don’t need to-“ You shushed him with a finger and tilted your head, “Don’t tell me you haven’t done this before.”
He just smirked. Smirked. “And what if that’s the case?” You groaned at his smugness, “just- whatever.” then pulled him back into another kiss.
One could say y’all reached a flow state in which inexperience could not be spotted.
You ended up with your skirt hiked up, hovering over Kuroos hard cock while he sat up against the bookshelves.
“And you’re really a virgin?”
“Yep.”
“And you’re okay with this?” You needed to confirm once again.
“Yes.”
“Do you at least kno-“ — “It’s fine. just put it in I’m starting to get impatient here.” He mumbled, eyes dark with desire.
You decided to shut up and get down on it.
He wasn’t even that big, but damn was he thick. When he pulled that rock out you where contemplating your choices, but there was no turning back now.
“Fuck…” Taking the tip alone made you whimper into his shoulder. You were taking him with no prep, wetness serving as your only lube and you where close to tears. He wasn’t any better, poor man was using every bit of strength to not cry from pleasure.
It was a chorus of whines, groans and moans when you finally bottomed out. Kuroo was biting his lip, staring under your skirt where you we’re intertwined. “Oh shit.” He muttered hoarsely when you started moving your hips.
The small biology corner was now filled with the sound of skin slapping and kiss muffled moans.
You started picking up pace on top of him, throwing your head pack in pleasure as thrusts back up into you. Kuroo shamelessly stared at your tits bouncing in the bra he wanted to see so desperately for weeks.
You knew he had a thing for boobs a while now, he’s not very sneaky when it comes down to it. You can’t count how many times you’ve caught him staring.
Yet you were here, making sure he got the best view.
“Ah- Kuroo I-!” You moaned as your legs slowly gave out, your orgasm crawling closer. “You’re doing good baby.” Kuroo groaned, kissing your neck and steadying you by grabbing your hips.
It didn’t take long long for you to cum with him fucking up into you so good and he followed suit, cuming deep inside of you.
You slumped limply onto his chest panting.
“You sure you’re really a virgin?” You lazily asked after a while of playing with his shirt.
He just chuckled and gently patted your ass, “Porn exists for a reason.”
You laughed and adjusted your position on his lap when it struck you: he just came inside you.
Kuroo might actually leave you with a baby and actually studies.
-
This might be my favourite one guysss 😛 also sorry for the choppy smut, I’m not really the best at writing that typa stuff but we learning 🙏
really wanted to emphasise the fact that Kuroo has little to no game but makes up for it overtime
What if the sexy stranger in your dreams and your seductive client at work is actually a ravishing demon determined to love you whatever it takes? Can you break through the delusions before it's too late?
here it comes! who would've thought. it took me almost a yr 🤧 this fic bears a lot of memories. I love Kuroo and how thos story unfolds. I hope y'all too. I have smth special in store foe my dear readers too! tha k you for your support and for keeping until the end if this story. 🫶❤️
You were lying in your bed staring at the red collar you gave Mr. Midnight, your cat. Your thumb traced the details of it—the golden bell, the fine leather and every memory of him approaching you before you sleep, welcoming you from work and nuzzling against you when the nights felt too cold.
The old lady said that this item you gave Mr. Midnight was Kuroo’s gateway to your dreams and now that he had returned it, he could never go back anymore.
Her words rang all over your head repetitively.
When an incubus falls in love, his entire being will be tied with his person. He will repel other women and will live, starving, craving for the one he truly and only desires.
If that’s so, then why were you the one feeling this way? Why did it feel like you’re the one who lost a huge part of you now that he’s gone?
His cheeky smile appeared before your sight and his laughter echoed in your ear, making you shiver. How you’d wish it was all true, but they were all recollections of the past you used to have.
You closed your eyes, letting the moment of the night you last saw each other play in your head again. His beguiling smile, captivating scent and warm presence—the firmness of his hold on your hand, tenderness in the way he gazed at you and the honesty in his laughter.
On rewind, you recalled the moment you saw the truth in his eyes. His despair when he begged and your fault when you decided to run away. Tears slid down from your eyes. You went back to the party, threw yourself on him in a big hug and took him away from the crowd. It’s the fantasy of what you could’ve done.
Even if your heart broke each time, you’d still choose to relive your memories again and again, because these memories were what was left of him—these memories were the only proof that, for once, your heart knew how to love and what love was.
Days passed by monotonously. You tried to come back to yourself, picking up the pieces while soothing yourself with thought of him whenever you feel alone.
You strolled by your usual spot, the place where you found Mr. Midnight. Orange and yellow hues cast a beautiful highlight at the little nook.
Kuroo sets you free because he knew he hurt you by not telling you the truth early on and that you might’ve thought that he was only using you as someone to feed on.
The freedom Kuroo gave you was the greatest proof that he loves you.
You’re understanding it clearly now.
Unbuckling the red collar around your wrist, you took a last glance at it. A smile finally surfaced your features as you leave the collar at the spot.
Above it all, your heart was clear, you love Kuroo in all his forms.
And even if the collar was your last remembrance of him, you would sacrifice it as your last and most desperate effort to let him know that even with the freedom he gave you, you’d still choose him.
Walking away, you swallowed the tears in thickly, but they still fell and you’re quick to wipe them away.
Now, it’s all up to fate.
𓆩ꨄ︎𓆪
You woke up each day on autopilot. Go to work, get your job done, eat dinner and fall asleep, but there was no night when you didn’t pretend that Kuroo’s right beside you, holding you tight in your sleep as you hoped you’d see him even just in your dreams again.
“Y/N! We’re having a dinner aren’t you going with us?” your officemate asked, which you replied with a polite dismissive bow.
“I’ll just hop in next time, promise.” You smiled and they went their way, bidding you good bye.
Sighing, you tightened your hold on your bag as you made your way home, relishing your surroundings. The sunset looked pretty again, you noticed. For whatever reason, you paused from walking this time around, took your phone from your bag and snapped a picture of it.
The dusk blazed in pretty purple and pink—a beautiful ending to another day.
You were admiring your photo when someone bumped hard into you. You looked up at his tall stature...
“S-Sorry!” you said.
The man threw daggers at you and kept walking away.
Asshole. You thought.
Sighing, you slipped your phone back into your bag. However, you completely missed, and the gadget accidentally fell on the ground.
You stooped down to pick it up, but someone beat you to it.
“Oh, thank you murmured.”
Returning the phone in your hand...
His hair was still tousled in disarray, but his eyes showed signs of exhaustion somehow. Regardless, he still looked as attractive as you remembered him. It didn't matter at all! You just can’t believe he’s right in front of you now.
“Kuroo?” you murmured in disbelief, blinking twice.
Your heart was happy and though all you wanted was to engulf him in an embrace you were too overwhelmed to move a bit. Your head was still making sure you’re not dreaming, but even if this was just a dream, you’d still take it.
“Tetsurou,” he said with conviction, extending his hand. “It’s Tetsurou. Allow me to introduce myself properly this time.”
A teary smile formed on your face as you took his invitation. “Tetsurou.”
“Yeah…” He grinned a grin of relief. “Part-time mystical being and corporate officer. Full-time, thinking of you and how you’ve been all this time, it’s keeping me up late at night. I’m losing sleep.”
You chuckled at his usual sense of humor. “I can’t stop thinking about you too.”
Tetsurou stepped closer to you, his hand cupping your cheek. “You look tired. Have you been eating right and resting well? Would you wanna eat somewhere? What’s your favorite food? Is it still salmondon? Wait- Am I...Am I goin’ too fast?”
You shook your head. “Dinner sounds good,” you replied with a prim smile and he returned it with a grin.
You walked side by side. Your hands grazed against each other, both hesitating to hold, until he linked his pinky with yours and your fingers began lacing, entangled together.
Reaching your destination, the scent of scrumptious food simmered in the air while the warm light welcomed the both of you at the nearby restaurant. You were both seated by the window with the view of the Tokyo streets.
“Look at those bags. You haven’t stopped sleeping late at night,” he said, resting his chin on his hand.
“W-Well...about what happened. I’m-”
He took hold of your hand from across the table. “Let’s make things right… this time around.”
Despite all the hurt of the past weeks, his words and smile were reassuring enough, that after what happened, you can begin again and stop living in regrets. You now have the chance to do things differently and you’d make the most of it.
The waiter arrived with your order and Tetsurou lovingly shared a part of his meal with you.
“We eat like normal humans do and our stomach gets filled because of it, but the other method replenishes our energy,” he poured you a glass of water. “It’s what makes immortal and gives us supernatural abilities.
You gaped in wonder. “Just how many years have you lived already?”
“Honestly, can’t count.” He took a bite of his food.
“Oh,” you pressed the chopsticks over your lips. “In books...the women who gets preyed by the-”
“You’re not one of them,” he abruptly cut to make things clear with you.
Your eyes blinked fast in puzzlement. “What…do you mean?”
Shade of red spread across his face, which he gulped down and finally faced you with a serious expression. “Because I love you,” he said then his lips stretched into a serene smile. “Union with the female we love is an exchange of energy and I’m sharing a part of myself, my being with you each time I visit you even if it’s just in your dreams.” Taking a pinch of his food, he popped it into his mouth as he continued, “With other women, it’s just us taking away their energy for sustenance nothing else.”
“Then...” you tiptoed, asking. “How do you know that it’s finally the woman you love?”
“We simply find others repulsive. With you, I can’t even let any other woman touch me. My stomach feels like turning upside down.”
You blushed and took a gulp of your water. “Is it true that you mark…your… your…?”
Tetsurou quirked a brow up. “Yeah, it is. Where are you learning this?”
“On the internet and in shows...”
He flashed a mischievous smirk, “Just what kind of shows are you watching, huh?”
Your face turned beet red. “H-Hey! W-What're you-”
Laughing, he held a hand over his stomach. “You’re so easy to read!”
“I-I’m just curious! I just wanna know you more,” you reasoned out. “There’s a lot of things out ther. I don’t know which one’s real.”
“Go on, just ask me,” he encouraged. His foot was rubbing against your keg so casually. There was no hint of seduction in his features just pure out of habit, however the simple action alone was making you want to scoot over close to him.
“Have you...ever had a mate, Tetsu?”
He swung his glass of water back and forth. “Nope.”
“Oh...” you mouthed, careful with what you’re going to say next. “So it’s always a different girl?”
“Y-Yeah…” He dry gulped, looking away.
You just got a taste of your food, still figuring out how to process everything.
Taking a deep breath, Tetsurou looked at you straight in the eyes. “You know, I never believed in the love union shit until I met you.”
“So does that mean that whomever you love becomes your...”
“Not really,” he said. His eyes conveyed a different coldness like he didn’t want to answer the question. “It’s a contract, Y/N. When we mark someone it’s gonna be a contract and every contract has its terms and conditions.”
“Terms and conditions?”
He just smiled in confirmation, not giving anything anymore. It’s like he was dodging the question.
“Bill out?” he asked and you nodded in agreement.
You walked out of the restaurant with hands in each other’s. It was complete silence as people passed you by. The nighttime now highlighted the city lights. The moon shone in full. It’s beautiful in white, mesmerizing and bright, illuminating the beauty of the dark night.
Tetsurou pulled your linked hands up, showing to you that he’s wearing the red collar as a bracelet instead.
“Oh!” you smiled. “So you found that out, huh?”
“Yeah, I saw you left it the other day.”
You quirked up a brow. “So you were stalking me?”
Flustered, he stumbled over his words. “Wai- It’s uh...”
You giggled and he rubbed the back of his neck.
“Well, an old lady right here said that the collar is the link between me and you in dreams.”
“Well, yeah, it is. Any item that you have given me.” Tetsurou quirked a brow up. “From an old lady, huh?” he questioned until an answer seemed to form in his head.
You nodded.
He squeezed your hand. “Recently, there’s a story that someone like me fell in love with a mortal but she doesn’t love him back.” You looked up to him as he continued, “Instead, a different woman loved him truly but his affections already belonged to someone else. They said that the lady is still around looking after him even after so many years have passed.”
Come to think of it. You were almost like that too several days ago.
You reached the elevator to your apartment and you tightened your hold on his hand, letting him know that you still didn’t want him to go.
The doors opened and you both stepped in. Tetsurou swallowed thickly as the desire of pulling you then pinning you against the wall was coming in too strong. He wanted to take it slow and show you that he’s being true, but he mussed you a lot and he couldn’t another day without you in his arms.
The doors opened and you stepped out. Having reached your unit, you turned to face him.
“Good night,” you said but your voice gave out so much longing.
“Good night,” he said with a lot of resistance.
Both of your breathings matched. You gulped and got on your tippy toes to give him a kiss on the cheek. He tilted his head just and his lips were touching your jaw. He flattened his palm on the door of your home, your body pressed against the surface. Your gazes locked intensely.
“1117,” you murmured with anticipation.
Tetsurou clenched his jaw to mask his smirk as he keyed in your door’s passkey.
The singsong chime cut through the thick tension and the moment he pushed the door behind you, all of your inhibitions were thrown away.
He grabbed your face and hungrily his mouth devoured yours – no, you both devoured each other - lips crashing, tongues all tied and saliva spilling down your chins. You were both getting a taste of that sensation you missed for a long time. Finally, it’s just so fucking good to have each other in the flesh.
Your shoes scattered all over the floor with the both of you trying to get a grip on your composure. The heavy passion that reverberated through the two of you was too strong and you were swept away. Tetsu’s hands were all over you while you had one of yours cupping his jaw and the others all tangled up around the strands of his hair.
He slipped a hand under your leg, carrying you in bridal style. You were too lost in his mouth on yours that all you could feel was the fire coursing all over your body and the need, want, hunger to give all of yourself to him and take all of him in.
Your body hit the bed and Tetsu hovered over you. His mouth made its way to your neck, hands grabbed a handful of your tits with the other slipped under your skirt.
You dipped your head back, feeling his deft fingers massage the lips of your pussy. Your mind spiraled in pleasure. You never felt it this good. This was far more amazing than in a dream – the stimulation on your now bare breast and the pressure of him rubbing your clit oh so insanely then he added two fingers in. “Mhmn-” you clenched your teeth. He was pumping in and out like crazy. You raised your hips up, feeling the pleasure building in uncontrollable ways that all you could do was moan and whimper. “Aaaah hah...” Shit. It’s there. Fuck- “Ahh!”
Your juices sprayed all over his hand as your body shook wildly. It was dizzying...satisfyingly dizzying. Your head felt light as you laid down there. Tetsu freed you from your skirt, dragging along with it your panties. His palm roamed your leg, running towards your thigh and you shivered still sensitive from your orgasm. He parted your legs open and looked up at you. With a half-lidded gaze directed at you, he swept his tongue in between his lips.
“You look so delicious,” he said right before digging in. His tongue swiped in between your pussy lips, hitting your clit with light flick. He heard you take in a sharp inhale and felt you tremble a little. A smile etched across his lips. That encouraged him even more. He opened your lips further apart as his tongue explored your folds detail by detail in a quickened pace. “Mhmm...y’taste s’good,” he murmured equally getting drunk in your scent and in your taste. He couldn’t get enough of you and he felt his erection so painfully against his pants. You’re so fucking wet he was practically slurping your juices like an addicting alcohol.
Tetsurou knelt, pushing your thighs down close to your sides. His grip on your flesh would definitely leave a mark. He’s so damn engrossed in eating you out that the room was filled with just the sound of his mouth and tongue on your pussy. It was so dirty and sexy at the same time, that it pushed you towards the edge even faster. Again! Again! You’re getting there- You are!
But he pulled back.
You groaned in frustration, and he chuckled a little. His eyes locked yours down as he pulled his shirt over his head, revealing his perfectly carved abs. You began heaving and oozing even more when he unbuckled his belt and free his hardened cock. Your eyes widened with how huge he was. You could feel your pussy felt desperate.
Teasingly, he was fisting his length. His jaw clenched, veins popping up and he was breathing through gritted teeth. His face was red in restraint. You look so fucking inviting with those lust-filled eyes while you ran your tongue over your lips.
“You want me? You want this cock...” he rubbed the tip over your clit, “...inside you?”
You nodded, rolling your hips to increase the pressure.
He pumped harder and you panted watching Tetsurou with his dick in his hand. His mouth hung open and head swayed back. His low grunts and moans were making you helpless in arousal. You want him. All of him.
“I’m close...I’m close...I’m close...” He repetitively breathed out. Jerking his hips forward he plunged right inside you in a deep forceful shove.
“Tetsu!”
“Y/N!”
His cock was deep inside your core, spilling his warm cum inside and you writhe in orgasm. Your body couldn’t stop shaking yet he was relentless. He began thrusting into you. Now his cum and your juices mixed as a lube for him to fuck your harder and all you could do was dig your fingernails against the skin of his back.
It was crazy. It felt you were coming over and over again. Your head was spiraling in the overwhelming pleasure and the endless desire to feel him more! More! More! Your hips started to match the rhythm of his pelvis. It was rough. He was rough. You were rough. Your skins slapped so hard against each other while you felt your juices spattering with each thrust.
“Ohh- Aaah!” you let out, coming again but he’s still damn hard. He flipped you so your back was against his chest. He swiftly tore your blouse off your body-buttons flying everywhere. His had a handful of your breast as he fucked you slowly from behind. His length was grazing along your slick pussy so torturously.
Unclasping your bra, he watched as your tits jiggle with every movement. He groaned. “You’re so fuckin’ sexy y’know that?” With clenched jaw, he cursed, “So fuckin- sexy!”
He took your elbow while his other hand gripped your waist. Your mouth and eyes popped open as he slammed deep and hard.
“Too much! Tis...too much!” You uttered, going out of your mind.
“Tell me to stop! Go on. Tell me to stop!” Tetsu grunted in almost a yell as if he was daring you and pleading you at the same time.
“No! Don’t! Stop!” Your words came out raggedly along with his hurried and wild movements. “Don’t stop!”
“I will never-” he groaned almost beastly. “Not- when you’re so fucking ready like this!”
You firmly closed your eyes allowing him to fully take control of your body. Your voices echoed around the room with shameful moans and whimpers. There’s something so obscene titillating about how your bodies merge in pleasure.
“Ahh aahh- Tetsu!” You screamed as you came again. Your body weakly gave up on the bed and he watched your used up body as he catches up with his breathing.
He let the beast in him take over again. This night was supposed to be to show how pure and unconditional his feelings were for you. Yet looking at you, with his cum spilling in between the lips of your pussy and handprints all over your body, there’s nothing so pure in what’s happening.
You’re so needy, so fucking filthy and it made him hotter…harder.
Your eyes slightly opened, and they went straight to his still erected cock. You gulped. He saw.
You extended your arms, inviting him in. “Tetsu,” you pleaded and he didn’t think twice. He hovered you, lips quick to find home with yours entangled in a sweet and passionate kiss. Your arms were all around each other. Oh, how you both wished this would moment to never end—just the two of you intertwined and nothing else matters.
Skin to skin, his hand was tenderly massaging your soft breast, while his length rubbed against your slick pussy. Your hips began rocking, seeking for more stimulation and you felt him so hot and ready for another round. Oh, it would feel inside you now. You whimpered in despair and Tetsu chuckled.
“Mhm…so impatient,” he teased.
“Such a meanie.” And your hand travelled to cup one of his ass cheek.
He groaned and grin. “So demanding,” he planted a kiss on your forehead before putting the tip in. He gasped, excitedly anticipating his entrance. It didn’t take long, and you felt just how big and long he was with how much he stretched you and reached you so deep.
Tetsurou began thrusting slowly at first and he hastened when he picked up that you’re catching up with him. You matched his pace, your legs locking him to stay in between. With linked fingers, you both tightened your hold on each other.
“Y/N,” he huffed.
“Tetsu,” you moaned.
“Y/N, Y/N!”
“Tetsu!”
He shifted forward, accessing you even deeper with his balls smacking against your ass.
“I’m close…” he groaned.
“Me too, me tooo!” you cried.
“Y/N-“ he hissed. “I! fuckin’! love- you-”
“Tetsu-“
Your mouth opened wide as you met your release. Your body shivered wildly and overwhelmingly while he poured all of him inside you. You came hard.
Again. Again and again.
Your love never ends with just that. You were both uncontrollable. You were hungry, trying to get your fill of him, making the most just jn case this was just another dream again. He was fucking you raw You rode him, his face, his dick. He tasted you, licked every inch of you, devoured you. You held each other that night like insatiable beasts.
You came over and over again until you were both overcome with the dawn.
Your body laid limply on top of his. Who knew how long have you been resting like that? You just passed out from rounds and rounds of lovemaking that you couldn’t remember how many times you had done it already.
Tetsu flipped you on your back and began and propped himself on his elbow, watching you rest. You met his gaze and he dipped to kiss your temple until you remembered.
“There’s no...” You asked, wondering why there’s no mark appearing on your belly just like what you have read on the internet.
“I didn’t use my spell on you. I didn’t mark you,” he replied. “The entire night...it’s just you and me. No forces in between.”
“Oh…” you let out and he noticed that questions flooded your head.
“If you want a mark, I can mark you right now,” he said as he sat up to fetch a marker on your bedside table.
You chuckled. “Tetsu!”
“Here it comes!” he proudly announced. The felt tip touched your bare stomach and you wriggled due to the ticklish feeling. “Hold it…hold it.”
“What are you doing?” You took a look at his creation. “What have you done?” What’s supposed to be a winged-heart symbol turned out to be a silly doodle.
Glancing up at you, he traced his finger over his joke of a drawing. “Marking you as my mate is a contract in exchange of your soul and sanity,” he explained. “It works like drugs. You’ll lose your mind, wanting nothing but to provide for me. You’ll live like a slave not a human.” He placed a soft kiss on the spot.
You gulped, afraid of the thought yet you were also concerned about him. “But...what happens? What about you?”
Tetsurou chuckled and kissed your jaw then your lips. “It’s alright. It’s good to be mortal...at last,” he said.
His hand caressed your head as he studied your eyes lovingly. His gaze showed how you were the single best thing that ever happened in his existence; heaven or hell, night or day, there’s no difference nor distance that could separate two people who love each other as long as they keep choosing the other no matter what.
You cupped his cheek, looking back at how everything began. Behind your stray cat, the man of in your dreams and your incessant client...It’s his soul, his heart. “I love you,” you said, eyes sparkling in forming tears.
Brushing the side of your face with the back of his hand, Tetsu smiled down at you. “And I’d rather die than live another lifetime without you.”
As my thank you, an epilogue will be released on the 27th of October 🫶
AUTHOR'S NOTES: Just like last summer, I joined the HQ x Reader Secret Santa event which @sodaneko was so kind to organise. I find myself in the midst of some writer's block right now, but I always tend to get the ball rolling more easily when I'm writing for someone else, so I was so excited to get started on this! This fic is a gift for @cryoculus / @rnikage - I really hope I did your wishes some justice. I had a blast writing this. It became a smidge angstier than I had originally planned and the word count got a little out of hand in the end, but I hope you'll enjoy some Dragon!Kuroo. Happy holidays!
PROMPT: The main tropes I picked from the list are angst, fantasy AU, yearning and requited unrequited love (if you squint). I started off with the starter sentence "You stole an important artefact and now I have to hunt you down", and the rest sorted itself out.
CONTENT WARNINGS: Gender neutral reader, fluff, angst, fantasy/magic au, living in nature, mention of hunting/eating animals (not in a bad way - just two people who know their ways around the woods and that includes survival, think lowkey Hunger Games vibes), minor injury due to clumsiness, mention of loneliness.
WORD COUNT: 7,614
Part 1: The Hag
There is a creak that resounds from the corner of the room, and though the cottage is by no means large, its eerie ambience keeps the hairs on the back of your neck standing. The embers in the fireplace smoulder just as they did when you entered the hag's hut moments ago, and they barely provide enough light or warmth to make a difference with the outside world. Somehow, the light of the moon that peaks through the branches of the bare trees outside in the forest is more appealing than the dusty surfaces of the cottage you're trying to feel your way through.
There's not a lot of time. You recall when the hag left her home some minutes ago, wicker basket clutched tightly in her clawed hands. Though you scoffed at the lack of safety charms on the lair and were able to slip inside almost effortlessly, you doubt that it will take the hag very long to retrieve what she needs from the woods.
Your hands feel their way across the shelves, the dim light of a nearby candle the only true light source you can trust. Finally, the tome you were looking for catches your eye. Seemingly ancient and dusty, it is nothing but a decoy in the trained eye of a thief who did their research. You rip the tome from its place on the shelf and find a small wooden box tucked against the brick wall behind it. Without lifting the box, you lift its lid and feel your breath still.
The pearl is no bigger than a cherry, but it glows a bright amber and reflects in your eyes as they widen.
Outside, the hag's chickens screech as if startled. Given the time of night, there's no question about what caused them to be jarred from their slumber: the hag has returned early.
With not a second to lose, your arm shoots out between the tomes as your hand clutches the pearl. The box's lid as well as the counterfeit tome lie forgotten in the dust of the cottage floor as the pearl disappears into one of your many pockets and you slip out of a window at the back of the hut. The window's hinges creak as it smacks back into place, much too loud for you to keep a low profile, but with the evidence of your thievery lying strewn carelessly across her floor, you were never going to keep the hag in the dark for long.
As you race through the forest towards the edge of the river and beyond, you hear the shrill squawk of the hag discovering her misfortune. You smile, knowing she'll never catch up to you now. Inside of your pocket, the Pearl of Eternal Warmth keeps you comfortable, and will continue to do so for all of your winters to come.
Part 2: The Dragon
"I certainly don't have to tell you what will happen to you if you should fail in your efforts, my boy," the hag croaks.
Kuroo looks up from where he's sitting at the hag's table, shaking the small bag of coins and peeking inside as if to count them haphazardly — he'll never start anything without receiving half the payment upfront, thank you very much. His brow furrows at the hag's comment, then, and he takes his time to clip the bag to his belt before he stands. The scales on his black wings catch the morning light as they stretch, adapting to his posture as he steps closer to the hag. There's smoke lazily trailing from one of his nostrils, effectively more visible in the cold air that clings to the hut's walls.
"I sure hope that wasn't a threat," he warns. His fingers find the knife that's strapped to his thigh and curl around the handle.
The hag snarls with indignation and shakes a bony finger at him. "Don't you start with me, boy. You know well and true that you should have given me a discount for fixing this for me, in the first place," she screeches. "After everything I did to help your mother — you should be grateful that I'm paying you full price for this mockery of a situation."
The dragon deflates, though barely. He pulls his fingers back from the knife's handle and lets out an exasperated sigh. "Your business with my mother is your own. Don't involve me in your schemes, hag." He rattles the bag of coins that dangles from his belt and lets a cocky grin stretch across his face. "I have my instructions, so I'll be on my way."
As he turns to make his way out of the hut, he ducks his head so as to not collide with the hag's herbs that sit in pots and hang from the ceiling. Behind him, he hears the woman bristle and mutter insults beneath her breath, glad to be rid of him.
Kuroo is no hit man.
Though there's not much he won't do for a bag of coin and a warm meal, he hasn't killed enough to interfere with his ability to sleep peacefully at night. No, he'd rather describe himself as a Problem Solver. Need a scroll found? He'll find it. Need a man lost? He'll lose him. Need an unfortunate soul to smuggle your illegal potions across the nation's border for you? He'll smuggle them. Need an artefact retrieved because you didn't put enough enchantments on your hut and chose to leave your possessions in harm's way because you needed to go and pick chamomile flowers under a full moon and you rightfully got mugged and now you're mad about it? Apparently, he'll fix that for you, too.
His eyes dart across the frozen forest. He picks a branch that looks sturdy enough, flexes the muscles that strain in his back and kicks up off the ground. The perpetual fire that burns in his chest keeps his body warm as his wings carry him through the air. He lands on a thick branch. Icicles shake and then plummet from the branch to the ground as he finds his footing and he uses his new vantage point to look for footprints in the snow. It takes only a few moments - he's not new at this. A knowing grin and an affirmative nod follow.
The hag has given him three seasons to retrieve the artefact - she needs it by next winter. He knows it won't take him that long to get the job done.
Part 3: The Chase
This idiot is fast.
For the past two months, you've not been able to go home to your lair. Even with spring in full force and the ice thawing at a record speed, the pearl keeps you warm during frosty nights spent high up in a tree, hiding from the hag's Problem Solver. Kuroo - whose name you've learned from friendly travelling salespeople and those unfortunate enough to have encountered him - fulfils his contracts swiftly. Somehow, that piece of information makes you even more adamant not to let him catch you.
It's a matter of time. At some point, the hag's patience will run thin, and Kuroo's contract will be nullified. She'll want to hire someone more skilled, but that person won't know your survival patterns like Kuroo has come to, and the trail will grow cold. Truthfully, Kuroo's come close to catching you more often than you'd care to admit; the soreness of your feet and the ache in your back from sleeping in uncomfortable places is more than proof of it.
Survival has never been an issue for you. Though you are no woodland creature, you've lived out in the wilderness of nature for so long, you may as well have been. You're part of nature's circle of life. You've helped nurse animals back to life, their company has kept you warm during some of the harshest winters, but you've also been attacked more times than your fingers allow you to count, and humans really shouldn't survive on berries alone. Rabbits are fine creatures, and they're kind companions, but they've also kept you from letting hunger take you. Their sacrifice is greatly appreciated - not that they had much to say about it.
On one of the last cold nights spring has in store, you're huddled up high in a tree when something stirs down in the icy grass below. Alerted, you peer down between the leaves to see Kuroo a couple of metres ahead, taking off his boots to shake the frozen mud off them in front of a freshly made campfire. You watch with bated breath as he blinks into the night, taking in his surroundings.
There's no way to tell exactly how much time you spend looking at him, but by the time you tear your eyes away from the scene, Kuroo has curled up next to the fire and is fast asleep, hair mussed up against the red fox pelt coat he's using to guard off the cold of the earth beneath him.
It takes skills and patience to climb down the tree without making a sound, but this isn't the first time you've tried, and therefore you pull it off almost flawlessly. When your feet hit the ground, your fingers grasp the rock you once fashioned into a chisel and pull it from one of your pockets.
Kuroo looks different up close. Being chased by him always makes him seem menacing, like a true hunter. Always only a few steps behind, or looming from the sky. This Kuroo isn't breathing smoke, isn't growling in frustration, trying to find his footing as quickly as possible, doesn't instill fear in your heart. This Kuroo looks younger - kinder, perhaps.
He's sleeping so deeply, and it suddenly occurs to you that you're not the only one who's away from home often. In the same way that you've not been able to spend time in your lair, Kuroo also hasn't been sleeping at home. He's been out in the woods, day in and day out, trading his bed for the earth or the trees just as you have, all because you took what you needed to stay warm.
You wonder if there are people waiting for him back home - a mother, a brother, a spouse? You catch yourself wondering if Kuroo hates you more for it, regardless of the contract, and whether or not it adds to his determination to end the chase. The thought twists horrifically inside of your chest. It reminds you of your own loneliness. There's nobody waiting for you back at the lair, just some rabbit pelts that are a lot more comfortable to sleep on. When you think about it, really think about it, it rings true that Kuroo has been the only constant in your life for the past weeks. What a sad realisation to make.
The bitterness of it all makes you grind your teeth. The light of the campfire glints in the side of the chisel in your hands. It would be so easy to end it here, once and for all. He may never be more vulnerable than he is in this moment. Your fingers tighten around the stone, lift it higher towards his throat.
Something of a soft sound escapes Kuroo's throat. It startles you out of your thoughts and you stumble back, your feet luckily padded and therefore nearly soundless in the soft grass, its ice melted by the nearby campfire.
When the moment passes, you watch as he curls up on himself a little tighter before a soft snoring sound fills the area. You cannot help the little smile that starts pulling at the corners of your mouth, the tension leaving your shoulders as you stand a little taller, less on edge now.
Not tonight, you think. Tonight, I'll sleep easier knowing he's sleeping soundly as well.
Your attention is caught by a freshly killed squirrel that hangs safely stored against the side of a tree. Tomorrow's breakfast, you presume.
Might as well, your mind provides.
The grin across your face widens. A small consolation prize might not be so bad.
Grabbing your loot, you glance back one more time. You swear you won't let softer thoughts come to fruition, and leave Kuroo's camp. It's only when you've crossed the river and settle into a cave to watch the sun rise, several hours later, that you realise that you dropped your chisel next to Kuroo's sleeping form.
Almost home, your brain keeps chanting.
It feels like acid runs through your veins as you push your body to keep running. The oxygen in your lungs is running out like sand through a sieve, and every push and pull of air feelings like you're being repeatedly stabbed in the chest.
It's been close to nineteen weeks since you were last in your lair. It hasn't been safe enough to head there directly. With Kuroo breathing down your neck, the idea of losing the only home you've ever known is more than you can bear. Nineteen weeks away from home is enough to make you want to lose yourself to melancholy, however. You're so close now. If you can just shake him off today, then you will be able to hide away in the lair for at least a week. Long enough to soak in its safety before your trail can lead Kuroo there. Long enough for you to plan where to head next.
You zip through the trees, knowing where to watch out for roots reaching out of the ground, and head towards the mountain. Once you're past the first line of trees, the bushes will get so thick, he'll go through hell trying to find you in the eastern part of the forest.
Behind you, you can hear Kuroo stumble, followed by a hiss and a curse. Throwing a quick glance over your shoulder, you can't help the cackle that leaves your chest. Kuroo is sitting in the centre of a stream, completely soaked from the waist down, his wings twitching as they try to shake the water off their scales. It takes a second to notice the large rip in his trousers, but then the line of blood running into the soaked fabric makes you pause, your lungs screaming in gratitude for the reprieve. There's a sense of dread when you consider that a nasty fall in the stream could lead to infection, especially with the recent summer heat clinging to everything that lives in the woods.
Kuroo meets your eye then. For a moment, it's predator and prey meeting each other head on. Neither of you blinks, and neither of you says anything. All that can be perceived is the sound of heavy breathing reverberating off the leaves surrounding you.
When Kuroo does speak, there's a glint in his eye; a challenge.
"I'll get you one day, you rascal."
"Not today, it seems," you quip, your heart rabbiting in your chest.
Kuroo narrows his eyes at you, leaning forward.
"Run," he breathes.
So, after another second of gazing at him, you run. You run in the only direction that makes sense.
Home.
Part 4: The Choice
When you first arrive back at the lair after Kuroo's stumble in the woods, you half expect the lair to be completely destroyed, either by animals or by the weather. The braided vines, sticks and leaves that form the cover to the lair's entrance, however, seem not to have changed at all, save for the moss that has accumulated — in hindsight, a lovely addition and extra protection from wandering creatures. There's a poetic way in which nature has preserved your home.
Moving the entrance's cover, you slip into the wide hole and replace the divider to the outside world, your body shivering with anticipation even though the darkness of the lair takes some getting used to after spending so much time out in the light of nature. A short crawl down leads you into the main area. Your fingers blindly find the box of matches hidden deep inside of one of your pockets. They swiftly light one of the matches, bringing it over to one of the last candles you have stored on the uprooted tree stump that serves as a table.
The lair comes into view. The rabbit pelts in the corner almost make you want to sob because of how inviting they look, how soft. The weaved baskets that line the wall are bare, save for the herbs that have dried and withered away in the last weeks. Your attention is pulled back towards the candle, barely a stump of it left. You make a mental note to hunt for meat in the woods so as to trade it for more candles, matchboxes and salt for preserving fish and meat when the next travelling salesperson passes by.
For now, however, dinner and bartering are the least of your concerns. Your head throbs with the need for rest, and you let your body guide you to the bed it has missed for such a long, long time.
The comfort of the pelts that make up your bed makes for a luxurious change after being away from home. Still, that night, you cannot help but sleep with one eye open.
"Will that be all, deary?" the old woman croaks as she chucks the rabbits, the singular squirrel and the freshly picked bundles of herbs into her cart.
You shift the weight of the weaved basket from one hand to the other, feeling it weigh heavy with the newly traded goods. A smile pulls at your features at the sight of her wrinkled face. "Yes, I think that'll do for now, thank you." A beat. "It's great to see you again," you admit, nostalgic.
Her eyebrows, or whatever is left of them, raise slowly as her gaze lands heavily on your person. "I must say," she confesses, "I didn't think we'd happen upon each other again until after we'd both met our ends, deary. When you didn't come by for all of those weeks, I feared the wolves had gotten you."
You lift your chin, hoping to lift her spirits just as well. "I'd love for them to try," you grin, "I'm due for a new coat, you know?"
Your light banter puts a smile on the woman's face, and it warms something precious in your chest.
By the time you arrive back in the area where your lair is hidden away, the moon is glowing silver between the tree branches, lighting your way home. The woods are alive with owls and badgers, so the rustling of leaves doesn't leave you too on edge. For a moment, you allow yourself some peace.
There's a pained groan that sounds a little too familiar, coming from behind one of the bushes to your right. It startles you, freezes you mid-step. Sure enough, a pair of dragon's wings peek up from the berry bush, and you feel yourself starting to grimace. You're not as fast as you'd normally be, not with the weight of the basket slowing you down. The ground below you is mostly branches and moss, not the worst but certainly not the most favourable, quietest terrain to make a quick get-away on.
In the end, it's curiosity that gets the best of you. You round the bushes as well as you can, trying to peek from between two trees to assess Kuroo's current predicament.
The tear in Kuroo's trousers hasn't been mended, and in the light of the moon, you can tell that the wound isn't closing properly, even though more than a day has passed since Kuroo made his stumble. Instead, his knee is starting to swell, and your earlier fears of it infecting are proven just.
The idea of Kuroo not having seen someone to get treatment for the consequences of his stumble, has annoyance prickling uncomfortably underneath your skin. Even after all these weeks of watching this man carry himself with too much bravado, his boundless, idiotic nonchalance concerning self-care continues to astonish you.
Caught up in your own thoughts, you fail to notice the way your feet crush some sticks that have dried up in the summer heat.
Kuroo's head snaps up, his fingers immediately finding the knife strapped to his thigh. To your surprise, however, his fingers let go once he notices it's you who's joined to witness his agony. A knowing grin spreads across his features as he gestures towards his leg.
"Stupid, isn't it?" he drawls.
"I'll say," you spit. Have some self preservation, your thoughts beg. You're not entirely sure whose self preservation your brain is more concerned about - his or yours.
His grin falters, and he looks almost apologetic. A soft nod, then.
"It's not safe here," he says, tearing his gaze away from you, and hisses as he tries to move his leg into a more comfortable position.
You scoff, an indignant shake of your head follows. "It's not safe here for you, either," you argue.
A smile returns to his face. He looks exhausted. Part of you wishes you were still on the other side of the river, tucked high into an icy tree and watching him sleep soundly, comfortably. That seems like a lifetime ago, now.
"Are you going to kill me?" he asks, not unkindly.
It's not a difficult question. Not after all that has transpired.
"Not tonight," you utter, and somehow the truth of your words rings in your ears.
You step back, not staying to hear what he has to say next. The basket in your hands doesn't seem as heavy as before. Your limbs feel a lot heavier than the basket does as you make your way through the woods, back towards your lair, leaving Kuroo to deal with his own mistakes.
You've barely made it back to your lair, have barely put away your traded goods before you start pacing in the light of a newly lit candle.
Kuroo's business is his own. If he's about to lose a limb or meet his maker because he has the self preservation of a dead leaf, then so be it. It has nothing to do with you. You're not the one who asked him to take on the hag's contract. You're not the one who convinced him to see this through. You've done him nothing but a kindness by not killing him every time you had a chance to do so.
A beat. A sigh.
So why does it still feel like you owe him? It's not like the past few months have been a fun game of tag for you. You've gotten hurt so many times, slept uncomfortably so often, missed home so much.
The man has wings. He could have easily flown out to see a healer. He did not have to stay in the woods, where the heat feels tangible, this time of year.
Why is he still here?
By the time you've come back to your senses, you're halfway out of the makeshift door to your lair once more. The realisation dawns on you, and you let out another exhausted sigh.
May the gods look out for me, you think as you run back into the direction of the dragon.
By the time you sink down onto your knees next to him, your heart is in your throat and pounding in your ears. Your own self preservation is out of the proverbial window.
It seems that he had just been able to succumb to slumber, because your arrival startles him so much that it even makes your knees twitch in an attempt to get some distance between the two of you.
"You're here," he sputters. "I thought I told you it's not safe here."
You barely resist the urge to roll your eyes. "Do people often listen to you when you tell them things?" you tease.
It earns you another sputter. You make quick work of undoing him of his knife, to which his brow knits together.
"I told you I wouldn't kill you tonight, and I won't," you explain, "but we need to get that leg of yours out of this heat and looked after, and I'm not taking any chances while I do so."
In the next moment, you're helping him up off the ground, slowly. He hisses as he puts some of his weight on his left leg, denying him of any retort towards you.
About halfway through the trek to your lair, you look up to check on his features and realise he looks like he's genuinely in pain, much more than the wound on his leg would invoke.
"You shouldn't take me home, I shouldn't know where to find you," he grits through his teeth.
The statement makes you pause.
On your way over to help him, most of your time was spent mourning your lair. After today, you'll have to find a new place, a new home. Perhaps you could barter to travel with the merchants for a few weeks, find a new forest to make a home in. All of these options had run through your mind as you'd made your way to help Kuroo. You knew what you were in for. More running. Always more running.
"Then don't," you suggest.
His expression softens to one of confusion.
"Stop paying attention to where we're going. Make yourself forget," you supply simply, then, quietly, you add: "Then we may both see another sunrise."
Getting him into the lair is a challenge. His leg doesn't allow him to do much crawling and his wings don't fold in enough to accommodate the narrow space that leads into the main area. Once he does make it in, he groans when he tries to shake life back into his leg as you light a candle.
"Stop that," you chastise. "You're making it worse."
With a sigh, you direct him to lie down on the rabbit pelts that form your nest and grab what you need: a mortar, pestle, and a series of freshly picked herbs, the same kind that you traded for salt earlier that day.
"You look like you've done this before," he says, looking nervous enough for it to be entertaining to you.
"You could say that," you grin.
A pause, then.
"Why are you helping me?" Kuroo's voice sounds smaller and his eyes shine in the light of the candle that flickers off to the side of the nest.
How to answer a question that you haven't stopped asking yourself since you decided what to do?
You can only offer a small shrug as you start grinding some of the herbs. Some others, you press past your own lips, chewing them slowly, deliberately.
Kuroo eyes you patiently, though his guard is still up.
Once the herbs are thoroughly chewed up, you spit them out, down into the mortar to blend them with the others, making a paste.
"You're of no use to anyone in this state," you state, nodding towards his leg.
This earns you a small grin.
"What use am I to you, otherwise?"
"Entertainment?" you tease. You don't dare to consider anything else.
He presses his tongue into the side of his cheek, his gaze softening further with the smile that blooms on his features.
Kuroo doesn't comment, however. Instead, he watches as you use his own knife to cut his trousers open just enough for you to clean the wound and start applying the paste. You then go about wrapping the hurt part of his leg with clean strips of cotton fabric.
When you finish, you watch him sigh, his eyes fluttering closed with something that looks like relief. After a moment, his eyes open and he lets them dart through the lair. It makes you feel entirely too exposed.
"It's so cool in here," he mutters, his voice low, as if he doesn't want to disturb the peace that the lair brings him. "I get why you'd want to live here, away from the summer heat."
"It gets icy cold in here during winter, though," you admit, fidgeting with a discarded branch that used to hold leafy herbs.
"Is that why you went after the pearl?" Kuroo guesses. "To keep you warm during winter?"
A beat.
His eyes are devoid of accusations, free of judgement. You wonder how that's possible.
You nod.
Kuroo doesn't push further, instead he adjusts his wings slightly, lets them find a comfortable position on the pelts. "I'm always too hot, even in winter," he explains.
This makes you frown in confusion, to which he slowly reaches out, a questioning look in his eyes. Permission. He's asking for permission.
You tentatively offer him your hand, and he opens up a few buttons of his shirt before pressing your hand to the centre of his chest.
He feels like a furnace. You can feel the fire brewing around his heart, much warmer than the Pearl of Eternal Warmth could ever hope to be. You slowly pull your hand away from Kuroo's chest and watch him redo the buttons on his shirt.
A thought occurs to you, then.
"I've seen you make campfires during winter," you state.
A knowing twinkle appears in his eyes before it is almost immediately extinguished.
"For comfort and a sense of companionship, moreso than warmth," he muses, "I like being outdoors. I thrive when I'm travelling, but it does get—" he pauses, "monotonous?"
'Lonely', your brain supplies. The word you're looking for is 'lonely'. You refuse to tell him that.
Instead, a sly grin tugs at the corners of your mouth.
"Have I not kept you amused, these last couple of months?" you needle.
His gaze turns a little more serious, then.
"Careful," he warns, before he averts his gaze and lets out a deep sigh that appears to translate his exhaustion.
"What happens now?" he asks.
You purse your lips and nod towards his leg again. "The infection should have run its course by tomorrow. You'll have to keep that on for a while, it'll help the wound close up. Try to fly as much as you can, to keep the weight off your leg, at least for the next few days." Then, "You should try to get some rest now, that will certainly help, too."
"What about you?"
He's not looking at you when he asks. There's a certain vulnerability in the question that makes you hesitate to make another joke, so you don't.
"I'll keep an eye on you overnight. I'm keeping the pearl, so don't even think about trying anything. Tomorrow, when you wake up, I expect you to go."
The last time you felt something twist this painfully in your chest was when you thought of the home Kuroo would eventually go back to. The people that might be waiting for him. The thought of going back to running from him, without have this — whatever this sudden proximity is — hurts just the same. You banish the thought from your mind, just in time to hear Kuroo speak again.
"And I'll live to see another sunrise?" he echoes your earlier words.
The soft laugh leaves you through your nose, accompanies an amused sniff.
"If I wanted you dead, I would have killed you," you assure him.
He doesn't reply, but his gaze does meet yours head on, and it tells you that he understands what you're implying.
I didn't do it then, and I won't do it now.
You tell yourself that you will not doze off. It's not the first time you've stayed awake through the night, and with Kuroo here, your body should be fighting to relax in the first place. That's how it's always been.
The first hour of him sleeping peacefully, face tucked into the soft pelts of your nest, you're wide awake and selfish in the way that you let yourself take in every inch of his face and every twitch of his wings as he dreams. There's warmth coming off his body, almost tangible even from the distance it takes to reach you on the other side of the room. The comfort it brings you should be a simple, welcome convenience, but rationally you know that he'll take his warmth with him when he leaves come morning, so you can't bring yourself to fully enjoy it.
As your cheek rests gently against your own knees, however, the comfort of his warmth lulls you into an easy slumber all the same.
When you startle awake, you can tell that many hours have passed. Your heart rabbits in your chest at the sight of the nest.
Empty.
Kuroo is gone.
You scramble up through the entrance of the lair, the heat of the sun immediately beating down on your skin when you step outside. In front of the lair lie two freshly killed squirrels.
A token of gratitude, a message of care, and a sign of farewell.
Part 5: The Catch
The first days of being back at the lair, it feels like a fluke. You even venture further out, into open clearings and across main roads that run through the woods.
There's no sign of Kuroo.
Part of you hopes that he has heeded your advice and has taken to the sky, perhaps even made the journey to the next village in search of a healer to take a closer look at his leg. You spend hours in treetops, clinging to the warm bark and swinging your legs back and forth, waiting for a glimpse of him.
It comes to a point where you no longer sleep with one eye open, in the hope that one day you'll seem so blissfully unaware and unprepared, you'll wake up with Kuroo pointing the tip of his knife to your throat. Anything to catch a glimpse of him. Every time the thought crosses your mind, you can't help the incredulous laugh that escapes you. Then the fact that you're laughing to yourself, with nobody around to hear it, makes you feel even worse.
The end of summer slips into autumn so fast, it feels like the temperatures have dropped overnight. Early morning frost bites at your fingertips and ankles when you leave the lair, and your body reacts subconsciously, immediately slipping your fingers into your pocket to curl around the warm pearl that sits heavily on your person.
A newly acquired black wolf pelt hangs comfortably across your shoulders now, like a convenient prophecy that has come true. With the warmth of the pelt and the pearl in your hand, you're more optimistic about this winter compared to last year's misery.
Still, the sudden frost will take a toll on your health if you don't get to stocking up on salted meat and fish. You find yourself looking out at the start of a long day of hunting.
It seems that the sudden frost has made most of the woodland creatures scatter. Your hunt isn't going well, and the longer you hunt to no avail, the more frustrated you're becoming.
You make your way up the mountains, hoping for better luck, but it's then that you hear the rustling of leaves behind you and freeze. You take a slow breath and tentatively turn your head to the right, trying to spot whatever caught your attention. Greed has you hoping for a stray deer or a boar, even.
The woods still look deserted, but you can feel your temperature rising, heat gathering in the tops of your cheeks and the back of your neck. It feels like an upcoming fever, and you briefly wonder whether you've already caught a cold from being outside for such a long time on the first frosty day of autumn.
Then, in your left ear, there's a soft murmur, accompanied by the scent of smoke.
"Run."
You know that voice and you know that warning. There's not a moment's hesitation. Today's predator becomes the prey, and you bolt forward into the trees, your lungs instantly burning when the cold air frantically hits. It's been weeks since your legs had to run this fast, and they struggle to keep up. An almost inconceivable bark of a laugh explodes from your chest when the adrenaline speeds through your veins and tears gather at the corners of your eyes — whether from fear or hysteric relief, you're not entirely sure. All you know is that your instincts are telling you to run, so you run.
It's harder for you to navigate this way, but trying to make your way back down the mountain without being caught is almost impossible to think. Still, you make the effort and swerve in a direction that leads through a much rockier area.
It turns out to be a horrendous idea.
Last night's rain has turned to ice in the mountains, and your ankle twists on the rocks, causing your body to be propelled forward. The force of the fall unbalances you, and you watch how the Pearl of Eternal Warmth spills from your pocket at the same time as you lose your footing.
A broken-hearted shout resounds through the air.
"No!"
Your arms flail about to catch the pearl mid-air, but it's no use. You watch as it bounces off a boulder to your right and shatters into pieces of broken shell and smoke.
The last thing you realise before you hit the ground and your consciousness decides to turn off the lights, is that the shout of heartache and fear never came from you.
When you wake up, it's to warmth the likes of which you've never felt before. Part of you is deluded and thinks that perhaps the entirety of the cold day spent hunting in the woods is a figment of your imagination. Perhaps you've woken up to another day of summer — warm and tender, inviting to all woodland creatures.
But then, no, there's a nagging throbbing in your ankle, which lies elevated on one of your upended woven wicker baskets, so some of today's memories must be true.
Blindly, you turn your face towards the warmth that radiates from beside you. You decide that cowardice can only last for so long, and so you open your eyes to meet Kuroo's.
Given the circumstances, he looks comfortable, if not somewhat worried. His wings are folded neatly behind him as he lies on his side, sharing the nest with you. He takes in your features with a careful gaze.
"I — uhh — I think you're done running for a while," he mumbles apologetically.
He sounds pained when he says it. You heart breaks all over again at the thought that you would've stopped running either way, given that the pearl is gone.
The fight is over. Kuroo's reason for chasing you has been nullified. He can no longer fulfil his contract, and so there's no reason for him to stay.
It's only when he reaches out to brush the tears from your cheeks that you realise that you're sobbing. The shine of his eyes is probably a trick of the candle light, but it makes him look so soft, so heartbroken. It makes it all feel so much worse.
You crumble.
You can feel his hands pulling you into his chest, where you helplessly cling to him. Almost child-like, you press your face into his chest where you find the top two buttons of his shirt undone. The warmth that presses up against your cheek and your forehead spreads to the rest of your body and calms you from the inside out, reducing your sobs to soft hiccups.
The room seems much darker now, even though you know the candles in the lair are lit. When you carefully look up from his chest, you notice how Kuroo has wrapped first his arms and then one of his wings around you. All you can see now is the slow rise of his chest, his soft gaze, and the stray dragon scales on his neck that connect his wings to his back.
"You're okay," he promises.
A slow shake of your head follows.
"The pearl," you hiccup, "Kuroo, the pearl is gone."
"I know," he murmurs, closing his eyes. "I know how much it meant to you. I'm so sorry, truly."
Your brows knit together then.
"No — I mean, yes, of course that saddens me, and this winter will be a challenge to get through, but — Kuroo, your contract…"
As if plunging into a pool of icy water, Kuroo seems to understand.
"That's what you're worried about?"
The look on your face turns incredulous.
"What do you mean 'that's what you're worried about', of course that's what I'm worried about! The hag will have your head, and then what?"
His expression turns absolutely comical before he bursts out into laughter. If these were any other circumstances, you'd be endeared to hear the sound, but these are no laughing matters.
You smack him in the chest.
"This isn't funny!"
He takes a moment to collect himself and shakes his head.
"I know, this isn't funny to you. If only the hag would have my head, hmm?" His gaze turns soft once more, before he reaches down into a leather satchel that's strapped to his other thigh, and retrieves the stone chisel you lost near his sleeping form in the woods all those months ago.
Seeing him holding it up steals the breath from your lungs.
"When you dropped this six months ago, I came to a conclusion. I'd spent weeks watching the way you hunt, the way you care for the nature that surrounds you, the way you're a part of it. Looking back on it now, our months of back-and-forth have been the happiest of my life. At first, that seemed like such a sad thing. All I was doing was keeping you scared, is what I thought. But then I woke up one morning, and my breakfast had been stolen. Next to me was this wonderfully crafted tool that could have sliced my throat in mere seconds, but you didn't. You wouldn't."
He pauses.
"It got me thinking, hoping, that perhaps our back-and-forth might be as exhilarating to you as it is to me. To have a constant in my life, something - someone - to make me want to wake up early and experience the world."
You barely notice the tears that have started to slip down your cheeks once more, but Kuroo makes quick work of brushing them off with the soft pad of his thumb. He continues.
"So I made a decision, that morning. I knew you'd be far gone, and I wouldn't be able to catch up to you for a while, anyway. I returned to the village and wrote to a friend of mine. A — collector of sorts. He owed me for something that I fixed for him, years ago, and he helped me find another Pearl of Eternal Warmth."
Your eyes widen.
There are more?
"When I went looking for the hag, she didn't even care that this wasn't the pearl she had lost. All she needed was an authentic pearl so that she could use it for her next winter ceremony. She took the pearl and paid me what she still needed to for my services."
It takes a while for you to realise what Kuroo means by telling you this story.
"Your contract was fulfilled months ago," you blurt, and something painful that has been snagging your heart suddenly unravels.
Kuroo nods, and you notice how an embarrassed flush crawls its way up Kuroo's neck.
Your bottom lip threatens to tremble, so you force yourself to take a deep breath. You ask the question cowards will usually run from.
"Does this mean you'll stay?"
Even though I have nothing to offer you now? your horrendous brain supplies.
Kuroo's left wing tightens around you, and he leans in to press his forehead to yours.
"It'll be a cold winter, and I'd like to think that I arrived here just in time to keep you warm. Indefinitely. Pearl or no pearl."
Though the sudden proximity is enough to make your thoughts scramble, a small, nagging feeling still burns at the base of your throat.
"You were gone," you mumble, touching the tip of your nose to his.
Kuroo, who almost goes cross-eyed from looking at you so closely, nods. Using the chisel he holds in his hand, he taps his knee.
"Didn't want to undo your good work. I went to see a healer, like you suggested. It took some time to heal all the way up, and these woods are too dense to solely fly through. I thought it best to be patient before I came back to see you."
Your eyebrows shoot up and you pull back from his embrace ever so slightly. You let out a soft laugh, incredulous. It appears that the dragon listens, sometimes.
Kuroo holds up the chisel once more.
"I believe I should hand this over now," he declares, a smile stretching across his face.
You shake your head gently, "I have nothing to trade you for it," you admit, a sad smile pulling at the corners of your mouth.
He brings your hand to his cheek, keeping the chisel tucked between your fingertips and the warm skin of his face.
"It's yours," he says simply, "As am I."
You don't register the soft gasp nor the tears that escape you as you surge forward and press your lips to his, immediately tasting woodland berries and smoke. He sighs into the kiss and presses you closer to his chest, where his heart beats amongst fire.
a kiss with kuroo tetsurou is pure bliss. he holds your waist with one hand, and cups your cheek with the other; his lips intertwining with yours as if you're the reason his heart beats. his lips dance around yours with such skill, such devotion and adoration that makes you want to study his choreography; makes you wonder what's going through his mind. the answer is you. if passion was a person, it would be him. that much is clear when he holds you the way he does, as if you're the only thing that matters to him in this world. if he could, he would never pull away from you. he wishes that his lungs were fueled by you - that he could kiss you forever, and never run out of oxygen.
he likes to catch you off guard; kissing you when you least expect it. whether that be a peck on the cheek, on your forehead or, his personal favorite, on your lips. he will sneak up on you and smother you with his love, regardless of whether you were in public, or the privacy of your bedroom. he loves sneaking up behind you and wrapping his big arms around your waist, hunching over slightly so that he can kiss you on the lips, and then the nose, and the cheek, before chuckling at your caught-off-guard expression.
he can never get enough of the surprised little hmph?! that leaves your mouth every time he does so. his smile widens and he thinks you are the cutest thing in the whole world. he would pluck the sun from the sky for you if you wanted him to. he adores you with every fiber of his being, how could he not kiss you all over when you look at him the way you do?; all dazed and flustered; the same blush creeping onto your cheeks that always seems to be present whenever he's around. and if you tried to tell him to stop? he'd get even worse. trapping you in his strong arms and holding you still in his infamous bear-hug so that he can kiss you even more. he is insatiable when it comes to your lips. one kiss is never enough. neither is 2, or 3, or 5. but let's be honest, you're not complaining in the slightest. "c'mon.. you like this!" he teases, a dopey grin spread out on his face. and you hate to admit it, but he's right.
Haikyu Boys Caught With Their Best Friend's Sister (Featuring Kuro Tetsuro)
Kuro knows how wrong this is but he did everything in his power to not fall for his best friend's sister. It's been a month since he started dating you behind your brother's back, he knows that it's disrespectful and he's risking his friendship with Kenma, knowing how much he adores you. But Kuro waited for so long, and fought his feelings it made his chest tighten whenever he'll see you but can only pretend to see you as a younger sister.
He treasures his friendship with Kenma but the way your skin feels warm and hot against his hands makes his brain malfunction, all he could think is how every inch of you must be worshipped, he breatehs into your skin, gently nipping, and marking the parts that his lips could reach as you arch your back and rake your fingers in his scalp. "T-Tetsu…" you chanted his name like a prayer and Kuro felt the last fiber of control he has in him snap just by hearing your sinful voice call out his name.
He met your eyes, his hand still roaming underneath your shirt as you sigh in pleasure. "Use your words, love. Tell me what you want…" he teased, gently nibbling on your ear and you groaned in frustration, earning a laugh from the man on top of you.
"God, I love you so much YN." he whispered leaning down to kiss you on your lips.
He lets you settle on his lap, his hands still under your shirt as you both try to watch the movie. He's kissing your nape, while his eyes was fixed on the television. "Love…" he breathed, calling your attention. "Why?" you asked, turning to face him.
Kuro took his hands out from under your shirt with a sigh before kissing the tip of your nose, "A-Are you ready to tell Kenma?" he asked, his hands finding yours, massaging it gently before kissing the back of it.
You know how conflicted he must feel, he wouldn't have hide this relationship if not for your request to not let your brother know. You were worried about how Kenma would react and you wouldn't want to be part from Kuro.
"Soon, love. I promise…" you whispered, hugging him, letting him bury his face on your neck.
Kuro held you tightly, even if his chest if filled with worry, he let himself find peace as he holds you in his arms.
But that peace was soon cut off when the doorbell rang and you both were snatched away from your little safe paradise.
Kuro looked at you, waiting for your confirmation of who might be the visitor but the moment you jumped out his arms, Kuro knew who's outside.
"Oh shit, that's my brother. Oh my God, Tetsu you need to hide!"
Kuro didn't have any chance to think when you pushed him towards the bathroom and locked it before you went to open the door to greet your brother.
Kuro pressed his ear agains the door, his jaw clenching as he looked down at the tent on his pants. "Fuck shit." he cussed, he knew it, he knew that it wouldn't be long till his luck ran out but still, he couldn't feel any regret because every stolen moment he had with you was the best of his life, if your relationship might cause a problem with his friendship with Kenma, he would take all the blame.
Kenma walked inside your flat with his usual bored expression, "Is this a bad time?" he asked, examining your flustered look and heavy breaths. Your eyes widened and shook your head, "N-No, I-I was just cleaning and kinda forgot you'll drop off some of my things." it wasn't long since you moved out of your parents' home so you still have some of your stuffs left in there and Kenma volunteered to bring your stuffs so you won't have to do it.
You were just so caught up with Kuro's sinful touch that you forgot that he's coming over tonight.
"Okay…" he handed a bag to you. "Mom said not to bring all of your stuffs, she said she'd like your room there to stay that way." he told you, his eyes scanning your flat as if taking in the details. His eyes carefully scanned your furnitures, his head tilting a little as he tried to take a look of the kitchen, before they went back to meet your eyes.
"Your flat looks way better than last time, you decorated well."
You could only nod your head, usually your brother won't stay for so long to say stuffs like this does he miss you or he's just trying to torment you? "Y-Yeah, I just looked at some Pinterest inspo and stuffs…"
"Cool, hey can I use your bathroom real quick?"
You internally panicked and your instinct kicks in, holding onto your brother's sleeve before he could take another step closer towards your bathroom. "I-I haven't cleaned it yet….it's clogged and I-" Kenma looked down on your hand gripping his sleeve, "You don't know how to fix a clogged toilet? How are you gonna live alone? I'll fix it for you." Kenma removed you hands off his sleeve and walked over to the bathroom, opening the door.
Kuro couldn't hear anything no matter how hard he tries to press his ear against the door, even if he hears some noise, it's all muffled and inaudible, his heart hammers against his chest but he chose to stay calm waiting for you to come and open the door, so when he heard the doorknob click, he sighed in relief but his face went pale when he saw his best friend's face when the door opened.
Kenma was stunned, and there was a dead silence between the three of you. But when he was able to came back to his senses, he looked at Kuro from head to toe, and he saw that he's holding his shirt in his right hand and Kenma looked at him with lazy eyes.
"I knew that you've been hiding a boy for a month now but never in my wildest dreams that I imagined it to be Kuro."
That was the only thing that came out Kenma's mind, in fact, those words were blurted out without any careful thought process, it wasjust him simply stating the fact in front of him, his best friend shirtless hiding in your bathroom, looking flustered as he meet his gaze.
Kenma has suspicions that you are dating someone but he never imagined that it would be Kuro, though he wouldn't deny the way his best friends' gaze lingers on you whenever he thinks that he's not looking. A part of Kenma believed that Kuro wouldn't do anything without consulting him.
He doesn't know what to feel, his best friend and his sister, two of the most important people in his lives hiding like criminals, not trusting that he would understand the situation, as if he'll take it out agains them for falling in love.
He felt a pang of pain in his chest when he came up with that realization. But didn't say anything and wiats for you and Kuro to try and talk for yourselves.
Kuro couldn't utter a word, not when he couldn't decipher the tone laced in Kenma's voice.
"L-Let me explain, I was the one who pursued YN,I fell in love first. I'm the one to blame."
You went to Kuro's side to hold his hand, "But I was the one who wanted to keep it a secret…I was scared and…I don't want you to be mad. I-I love him, Ni-chan." you admitted honestly, squeezing Kuro's hand to tell him that you're in this mess together.
Kenma sighed as he looked at the two of you with his cat like eyes, he didn't like the idea of the two of you hiding just because you both thought that he wouldn't understand but Kenma decided that he'd rather keep it to himself because he couldn't recall a moment where he saw your eyes sparkle the way they do as you look at Kuro and as a big brother, he wouldn't want to put an end to you and his best friend's happiness "Whatever. I'm not against any of this but have some decency to at least cover up your hickeys.." he looked at you intensely, the kind that he gives you when he's about to scold you, "You're still my baby sister…" he told you before looking at Kuro with a glare, "And you're still my best friend."
